JULY 6-9, 2019 Volume 29 - No. 52 • 4 Sections – 30 Pages
USA
DATELINE Fil-Am former Virginian delegate gets 2.5 years for defrauding federal govt FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
Celebrated state delegate Ron Villanueva sentenced to prison FORMER Virginia delegate and Virginia Beach councilman Ron Villanueva was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison on Tuesday, July 2 on multiple charges of fraud against the federal government. Earlier this year, the Filipino American Republican pleaded Former Virginia delegate and Virginia guilty to a list of Beach councilman Ron Villanueva charges including “falsifying records and helping others file false documents,” according to local Virginia news outlet WAVY News. “You have done good things, but that doesn’t put you above the law,” U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith told Villanueva u PAGE A4
Trump administration continues to push for census citizenship question Judge orders discovery on issue of racial bias to move forward
AN order was made on Friday, July 5 to continue a court case looking into whether the pursuit by government officials to add a citizenship question on the upcoming 2020 Census was motivated by racial bias. U.S. District Court Judge George Hazel issued the order after the Trump administration insisted on Friday that it was still seeking to include the citizenship question in the census despite an earlier Supreme Court ruling that it must be removed. Last week on June 27, the Supreme Court blocked Trump’s initial effort to add the question, ruling that the rationale given by officials were “contrived.” u PAGE A5
Duterte’s trip to the US in the works by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has reportedly accepted U.S. President Donald Trump’s invitation to visit Washington, Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Romualdez said on Wednesday, July 3. In 2017, Duterte swore he would never step foot in America after a
U.S. congressman said he should not be welcomed to the White House due to his lack of regard for human rights associated with his campaign against illegal drugs. “There will never be a time during my administration that I’ll be going to America or thereafter. I’m done with that. I’ve seen America and it’s lousy,” Duterte had said. Romualdez, during the reception
of the 243rd anniversary of U.S. Independence in Makati City, told reporters: “So far, there’s no definite date, but I know that he’s going. He indicated that he would like to go, but it’s just a question of timing.” He added that the schedule is being worked out and that the president’s visit will “definitely” push through. Malacañang, on the other hand,
said there are no arrangements yet for Duterte’s official trip to the United States or a confirmation that he would indeed go on one. When asked if Duterte was open to visiting Washington, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo answered: “If I ask him about it, he doesn’t want to.” However, he noted that certain u PAGE A2
Impeachment claims vs Duterte ‘baseless’ — Palace by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
IMPEACHMENT complaints against President Rodrigo Duterte are “baseless,” Malacañang said on Friday, July 5. In response to criticism over Duterte’s handling of the Recto Bank incident, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo told media that any impeachment raps against the president may not have any merit. “An impeachment not only is misplaced, it is absolutely baseless in fact and in law. The President is fealty to his sworn oath under the Constitution of serving and protecting the Filipino people, who, in turn, have given the highest satisfaction, approval, performance and trust ratings in political polling history,” Panelo said. Panelo asserted that the president was, in fact, protecting the Philippines by not escalating the situation with China and that he was “honoring our country’s constitutional obligation of observing amity with our neighboring states in conformity with our treaties and international conventions, as well as customary international law.” “As a friendly advice, we suggest that these people first conduct a reality check to avoid embarrassment,” SUPPORT. President Rodrigo Duterte salutes one of the wounded soldiers he visited at Camp Navarro General Hospital in Zamboanga City on Panelo added. Wednesday, July 3. Malacañang photo by Robinson Niñal u PAGE A2
Food poisoning victims at Imelda Marcos’ birthday party urged to seek treatment by AJPRESS
PHILIPPINE Health Secretary Francisco Duque III is urging all those who attended the 90th birthday party of former first lady Imelda Marcos to seek immediate medical attention if they start experiencing various symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. This is in light of the suspected food poisoning that affected 261 guests on Wednesday, July 3 after consuming a packed lunch Philippine Red Cross ambulances responded to an alleged food poisoning at consisting of chicken adobo, the birthday celebration of former First Lady Imelda Marcos on Wednesday, Philstar.com photo by Michael Varcas u PAGE A3 July 3.
US to fulfill obligations to PH under MDT by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
United States Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim on Wednesday, July 3 said the U.S. will “stand by” its obligations to the Philippines under the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) should an armed aggression against the latter country happen. This response comes after Sen. Panfilo Lacson’s statement that the Philippine government should not wait for an attack in
the West Philippine Sea before invoking the MDT. “If there is an armed attack against Philippines’ forces, Philippines’ aircraft, Philippines’ public vessels, it will trigger our obligations under the Mutual Defense Treaty and we stand by that,” Kim said. According to Article 4 of the MDT, each party “would act to meet the common dangers in accordance with its constitutional processes” in case an armed atu PAGE A2
Pacquiao files bill for Department of Homeland Security in PH by AJPRESS
PHILIPPINE Senator Manny Pacquiao filed a measure this week seeking to establish a Department of Homeland Security to protect the country’s borders against terrorists and other transnational crimes. The bill, which was released to the media on Wednesday, July 3, said the government agency would “prevent terrorist attacks within, and the occurrence of transnational crimes across the borders of, the Republic of the Philippines, especially the cross-border trafficking of illegal drugs.” Pacquiao underscored the effects of terrorism and other transnational crimes in the Philippines like how they result in loss of lives that destroy families as well as how they undermine the government’s efforts to develop the economy and maintain peace Manny Pacquiao celebrates American Independence Day by posing for pictures and signing autographs for a crowd of and order in the country. “International terrorists and the perpetrators of mostly Filipino American supporters after his morning workout at the Pan Pacific Park in Los Angeles, California on Thursday, July 4. Photo by Wendell Alinea/Manny Pacquiao Promotions u PAGE A2
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., U.S. Ambassador Sung Kim and Apostolic Nuncio Gabriele Giordano Caccia raise their glasses to commemorate the 243rd anniversary of U.S. Independence and Fil-Am Friendship Day during a reception in Makati City on Wednesday, July 3. Philstar.com photo by Joey Viduya
A July 6-9, 2019 • lA WEEKEND ASIAN JOuRNAl
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From the Front Page
US to fulfill obligations to PH... PAGE A1 t tack in the Pacific area happens. The West Philippine Sea has been in the headlines recently after a Chinese vessel rammed a Filipino fishing boat near the Recto Bank and left its Filipino crew adrift in the open waters until a Vietnamese vessel came and rescued them.
“I think Secretary Pompeo was quite clear when he made that statement in the Philippines and, in fact, he conveyed that commitment directly to President [Rodrigo] Duterte in his meeting with the president,” Kim said, referring to Pompeo’s statement that the U.S. government remains “committed” to the MDT
with the Philippines. Protecting international rights China’s activities and militarization in the contested South China Sea, while primarily for civilian purposes, have raised concerns on peace and stability in the area. Kim, for his part, said the U.S. continues to conduct freedom of navigation operations in the contested waterway “to make clear to all countries, including the claimant countries, that we will do what is necessary to protect those international rights.” “We’re not a claimant in the dispute and we have not tried to intervene on the resolution of the dispute. All we have said—and I think our position has been quite clear and consistent—is that we believe freedom of navigation, freedom of flight are important international rights that should be protected,” he said. “And I should mention that those are rights not only benefi- ANTI-GAMBLING CAMPAIGN. Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso (right) and Manila Police District director, Brig. Gen. Vicente cial to the United States but all of Danao Jr. (left), lead the destruction of confiscated illegal video karera (online gambling game) machines at the Manila city hall quadrangle us benefit from protecting free- on Wednesday, July 3. The new mayor has promised to “move heaven and earth” to clean up the Philippines’ capital city. dom of navigation,” Kim added. PNA Photo by Avito C. Dalan The U.S. ambassador also said that “territorial dispute should be resolved in a manner that’s consistent with international laws,” when asked about Duterte’s previous challenge to the U.S. and PAGE A1 t Duterte has been asked by even received a formal letseveral other countries to help “circumstances” might make Trump to visit Washington ter of invitation from the U.S. Manila defend its interests in the Duterte reconsider. several times in the past, and leader. n South China Sea. “Individuals countries should refrain from aggressive unilateral actions,” Kim added. n PAGE A1 t Earlier this week, Malacañang assured that the president’s critics would not be arrested for filPAGE A1 t ing an impeachment complaint transnational crimes and espe- after Philippine National Police cially of the cross-border traffick- (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde said ing of prohibited drugs, report- the PNP was ready to arrest those edly look for countries where who do so. border authorities are not wellPanelo said Duterte’s threat to supported or strengthened by jail his critics was just an “exprestheir governments to stop them,” sion of displeasure, disappointPacquiao said. ment.” Philstar.com photo According to the copy of the “It is a righteous indignation. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo bill, there will be an Office for In- He could not understand why crit- his critics pushing for his im- ippines’ exclusive economic formation Analysis and Infrastruc- ics and detractors cannot appre- peachment and threatened to jail zone. ture Protection and the Office of ciate what he’s doing. He’s doing them should they file an impeachAlbayalde, meanwhile, clariBorder Security under the De- this because he is following the di- ment complaint against him. fied his statement and said that it partment of Homeland Security. The president has been draw- would be an immediate arrest. rective of the Constitution to serve Pacquiao, who is currently in and protect the people. We want ing criticism for taking a softer “There should be an investigaLos Angeles training for his July to avoid any armed [struggles] be- stance over the sinking of a Fili- tion. You cannot just point to any20 fight, has filed a number of tween two countries because that pino boat at the Recto (Reed) body and then get them. There bills, including one to restore the will endanger the security of the Bank on June 9 as well as for will always be an investigation death penalty for major drug traf- nation,” he said. saying that he would not ban before you can make an arrest,” ficking crimes. n Last week, Duterte challenged China from fishing in the Phil- the PNP chief said. n
Duterte’s trip to the US...
Impeachment claims vs Duterte...
Pacquiao files...
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 6-9, 2019
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California broadens investigation of doctors for issuing questionable vaccination exemptions by BaRBaRa
FedeR ostRoV Kaiser Health News
NPA DECEPTION. Datu Awing Maraan Apuga narrates how he was trained to become a child warrior by the NPA before eventually returning to the folds of law, in a conference hosted by the Consulate General of the Philippines in New York City on Tuesday, July 2. Apuga, along with seven other tribal leaders, are travelling across the United States to call on the US government, United Nations, and various international organizations to help get rid of the CPP-NPA-NDFP. Photo by Mac Villarino/PCOO
California gas prices still highest in US following tax increase by Rae
ann VaRona AJPress
Those who hit the road for the July 4 holiday in California may have noticed an increase in gas prices resulting from a new gas tax that went into effect on Monday, July 1. The tax hike brought California’s already high gas prices up an additional 5.6 cents per gallon. According to the AAA Fuel Gauge survey, this brought the regular gasoline average price per gallon in California to $3.755 per gallon — way above the national average of $2.717 per gallon of regular gas. Following California in having the highest gas prices in the U.s. are hawaii, Washington, Nevada, Alaska, and oregon. states with the cheapest regular gas prices like Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, and south Carolina hover at just above $2.30 per gallon. According to the California state Board of equalization, the tax hike would bring California’s total gas tax up to 47.3 cents per gallon, and would likely increase in the next year to keep pace with the California Consumer Price Index. California is known to be a car-loving state with the most number of licensed drivers in
the nation. The tax increase is said to be a step forward in the state’s plan of raising money for road repairs, mass transit programs, and other alternative public transportation projects. senate Bill 1 — passed in 2017 — was created to generate about $5 billion a year, or nearly $54 billion over a decade. But California Republicans have been against the tax increase, citing tax increases despite California Governor Gavin Newsom’s concerns over high gas prices. Last November, a Republicanled effort to repeal the law was ultimately rejected by California voters. “With this increase, California will once again have the highest gas taxes in the nation. You’d hope that would at least pay for quality roads, but no, ours are some of the worst in the country,” state Assembly minority leader Marie Waldron in a statement, as quoted by CNBC. she added, “It’s sad that instead of using existing funding efficiently, Democrats, on a party-line vote, supported yet another regressive tax increase on California drivers.” In April, Newsom put blame on “inappropriate industry practices” over high taxes and strict environmental rules. Investigators at the California en-
Daniel Kealoha Tehero, 23, was among the 11 killed in a plane crash in Hawaii last June 21. Photo from gofundme.com
Friends of Filipino killed in Hawaii plane crash seek funding for funeral FRIeNDs and family of a Filipino killed in a plane crash have set up an online fund raising drive to fund his funeral and bring his remains back to Kauai, hawaii. Daniel Kealoha Tehero, 23, was among the 11 killed in a plane crash in hawaii last June 21. he and the ten others were about to embark on a sunset skydiving adventure on the North shore of oahu, hawaii when their plane crashed after it took off from Dillingham Airfield. “Due to the sudden loss of Jordan Daniel, the family is faced with unforseen expenses to bring Jordan home to Kauai and lay
him to rest. We are humbly asking for your prayers and kokua at this time of difficulty,” the online fund raising drive at gofundme. com read. According to Nickey Nakamasu Anama, who organized the online fund drive for Tehero’s memorial, Tehero aspired to be a videographer of skydiving flights. he formerly served in the Army national reserve and was active in church. “skydiving was his passion,” Anama said. As of posting, the online drive received $9,085 donations out of its $30,000 goal. (Rosette Adel/ Philstar.com)
Food poisoning victims at...
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boiled egg, and rice. Around 2,500 guests attended the former first lady’s birthday at Ynares sports Center in Pasig City. Marcos herself reportedly was not affected by the incident. According to Marcos supporter Larry Gadon, who attended the celebration, the Marcos family was not involved in the party preparations. “The food packs were brought by a group of supporters which they shared among the loyalists who came early. It was not a catered food. The event itself was organized by loyalists. Madam Marcos was totally unaware. The organizers did not bother her anymore so as not to disrupt the
program they prepared,” he told media. Imelda’s son, Bongbong Marcos, issued an apology and promised to help those who had fallen sick and cooperate with an official investigation. “I offer my apologies and ask for your understanding. Rest assured that we will continue to help until everyone is fully healed,” he said in a statement. Duque listed the hospitals where the suspected food poisoning victims were brought and assured that they are all wellequipped to handle and treat all cases. he also said that patients will be placed on a 48-hour rehydration schedule to ensure their full recovery. n
ergy Commission similarly later looked at “possible market manipulation,” according to the Associated Press. Throughout the U.s., 12 other states raised taxes at the start of their fiscal years on Monday. While California continues to have the highest gas prices in the nation, drivers in Illinois were hit with a whopping 19 cents per gallon increase. Drivers in Michigan, on the other hand, saw a barely noticeable 0.1 cents increase. n
The California agency that regulates doctors is investigating at least four physicians for issuing questionable medical exemptions to children whose parents did not want them immunized. The Medical Board of California’s investigations are unfolding amid the nation’s worst measles outbreak in more than a quartercentury, as California lawmakers consider controversial legislation to tighten the requirements for exempting children from the vaccinations required to attend schools and day care centers. Last month, the Department of Consumer Affairs, which oversees the medical board, sued in state court to obtain medical records for patients of sacramento-area pediatricians Dr. Kelly sutton and Dr. Michael Fielding Allen. In the past nine months, the board also has sought patients’ records in connection with two santa Rosa physicians under investigation for writing allegedly inappropriate exemptions. The state acted on the sutton and Allen cases following complaints to the medical board from Dr. Wendy Cerny, assistant chief of pediatrics at a Kaiser Permanente clinic in Roseville, court documents show. (Kaiser health News, which produces California healthline, is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanante.) Cerny contacted the board about sutton in February 2017 and followed
up with an email about Allen 15 months later, according to the documents. Cerny became concerned after seeing permanent medical exemptions for Kaiser Permanente pediatric patients written by sutton and Allen that cited reasons including “a personal history of genetic defect,” food and environmental allergies, “neurological vulnerability” and a family history of mental health disorders, according to the legal documents. The doctors under investigation are not Kaiser Permanente doctors, but parents went to them for vaccination exemptions. In one case, sutton issued a “lifelong medical exemption from all vaccines” to a boy before his family joined Kaiser Permanente, according to Cerny’s complaint. When one of Cerny’s colleagues refused to write similar exemptions for the boy’s two younger siblings, the mother said she would go back to sutton to get them, the complaint says. “We feel this doctor and perhaps her colleagues … are making easy money on these exemptions that are not based on true medical need and are actually putting children and other people in the community at risk for contracting and spreading serious infectious diseases,” Cerny wrote in her complaint about sutton. A physician appointed by the medical board to review exemptions issued by sutton and Allen described them as “either of
questionable validity or patently without medical basis.” Vaccine exemptions for medical reasons should be rare, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They are typically reserved for children with severely compromised immune systems, like those being treated for cancer or those who are allergic to a vaccine component or have previously had a severe reaction to a vaccine. A spokesman for the medical board declined to comment on the cases. The agency generally does not acknowledge investigations publicly unless a formal accusation is filed against a physician. But the board’s legal efforts to obtain patient records sheds rare light on how the agency handles such complaints. It “tells me that there are doctors who are giving problematic exemptions and the Medical Board of California is taking this issue very seriously,” said Dorit Reiss, a professor at University of California-hastings College of the Law in san Francisco who researches vaccine law. sutton and Allen did not respond to phone calls and emails seeking comment. sutton, based in Fair oaks, is known as a go-to doctor for medical vaccine exemptions. she offers a $97 “program” that purports to “help protect your child from the ‘one size Fits All’ California vaccine mandate.” Cerny submitted copies of PAGE A5
A4 JULY 6-9, 2019 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
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Thurman to Pacquiao: Go play basketball by DINO
MARAGAY Philstar.com
Speaking recently on Premier Boxing Champion’s Face AT his age, Manny Pacquiao to Face, the undefeated fighter will be better off playing bas- out of Clearwater, Florida inketball than sticking around in sists Pacquiao’s boxing days boxing. are numbered. These are among the latest “I just believe the hourglass verbal jabs from Keith Thur- is almost finished,” said Thurman, who continues to run his man. mouth as part of the build-up The American is 10 years to his July 20 collision with the younger than Pacquiao, who Filipino icon on July 20. at 40 years old has proven he can still hang around with competitive welterweights. The Filipino icon is riding the momentum brought by impressive wins over Lucas Matthysse and Adrien Broner in his last two fights. Aware that Pacquiao enjoys playing basketball as a pastime, Thurman told his foe to just “go shoot hoops.” “He doesn’t have much left. Go play basketball, Manny! You say you like to play basketball every day. Go shoot hoops with the guys, man!” Thurman added. The 30-year-old Thurman reminded everyone that he’s the big dog in the clash set at the famed MGM Grand in Las VeKeith Thurman Photo from Instagram/@keithonetimethurman gas, being the WBA “super”
welterweight champion. Pacquiao, meanwhile, holds the “regular” version of the title. “This is my fight. He’s fighting for my belt,” Thurman continued. He, though, said Pacquiao still looks young for his age. But that doesn’t mean the fighting senator can still duke it out in the ring like he used to. “I’ve watched Manny for many years, this is the first time truly being face to face. I’m trying to look for some grey hair, I don’t really see much. He don’t look too aged, he’s got that Asian blood in him, he still looks like he’s 15 years old. But does he move like he’s 15? After he gets punched, is he going to be able to recover like the young fighter? “He said ‘I felt good’ [after the Adrien Broner fight]. In my head A screenshot of www.karapatanmo.com, a website by Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles that is a confidential resource designed at home I said, ‘He felt good be- to educate workers about their rights and provide free legal counsel. cause he didn’t get punched in the face, he felt good because he didn’t get punched in the body’. How good is he gonna feel after 12 rounds of boxing with your man right here, Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman?” said makes it more difficult to look free of charge from Advancing by KLARIZE MEDENILLA Thurman. ■ AJPress for other forms of legal action Justice-LA. that they could take like suing Often, workers who find A NEW website was launched their employer or trafficker, so themselves in trafficking situathis week as a part of an initia- part of the rationale for us was tions are often afraid to report tive to combat and prevent ex- to help people understand their or seek advice for fear of their ploitation, abuse and trafficking rights and recognize that their immigration status being reof Filipino migrant workers who rights are being violated sooner vealed or retaliation from their hold temporary work visas in the rather than later so they could workers. United States. leave their problematic situaThe organization also offers a The legal and civil rights non- tion and find legal assistance phone number (in English and profit organization Asian Ameri- more quickly,” Lapinig noted. Tagalog) for those seeking legal cans Advancing Justice-Los A majority of immigrants who help: 1 (855) 300-2552. Angeles (Advancing Justice-LA) hold a T visa — a special visa for Lapinig also noted that launched Ang Karapatan Mo Sa human trafficking victims and Karapatan Mo seeks to combat America (Your Rights in Ameri- their families — are Filipinos human trafficking by empowerca), an online resource in Eng- who have often been brought ing workers rather than preventlish and Tagalog that provides to the Philippines by recruiters ing them from seeking employlists of rights as well as helpful with the promise of good pay ment in the United States at all. tips depending on the visa pro- and a pathway to citizenship. Earlier this year, the Trump vider and/or the specific visa Although Karapatan Mo is a administration placed a tempocurrently held. resource for Filipinos who have rary ban on H-2A and H-2B visas “What we have seen in our already been brought to the for workers from the Philippines work is that a disproportionate U.S. into these exploitative situ- because, according to victim number of our human trafficking ations, Lapinig also noted that reports to the Department of clients are Filipino, and too often the website is also designed for Homeland Security, Filipino mithey would come to us with help Filipinos who haven’t left for grant workers were particularly for applying for visas, specifical- the Philippines yet but may be susceptible to human trafficking ly a T visa, and would often come targets of human trafficking “so and abuse. back to us many years later after they can identify potential prob“The ban on Filipinos particithey’ve left their human traffick- lems with their recruitment situ- pating in H-2 programs seems ing situation, and so that makes ations so they can avoid getting like a perverse way to respond it difficult,” Christopher Lapinig, trafficked in the first place.” to that information because Filithe Filipino American staff atAlthough a vast majority of pino workers have been effectorney for Advancing Justice-LA Filipino trafficking victims are tively doing what they should be who created the Karapatan Mo domestic workers, hotel and doing which is stepping out of initiative, told the Asian Journal. hospitality workers, teachers the shadows and reporting the Lapinig said that the sooner or caregivers, anyone in any crimes that have been committhat workers know their rights industry could be recruited and ted against them,” Lapinig said. and “establish a foundation of duped into a job that isn’t at all “Data shows that Filipinos are knowledge” of what trafficking like they were promised. coming out and reporting huand worker exploitation is, the Through the Karapatan Mo man trafficking, so to penalize sooner they can identify whether website (www.karapatanmo. an entire country and populathey’re being exploited and can com), workers can submit a tion of people for doing exactly seek legal action. “completely confidential” mes- what the law sets out to do is “As more time lapses, it sage to request legal counsel wrong.” ■
New website seeks to combat visa abuse and protect Filipino migrant workers
Fil-Am former Virginian delegate gets 2.5 years...
PAGE A1 t at Tuesday’s hearing. According to court documents, Villanueva wrongly helped two Virginia companies— SEK Solutions, which marketed weapons and industrial storage products and Karda Systems, which sold tactical gear — secure special government contracts through a U.S. Small Business Administration program that directs funding to women- and minority-owned companies only. Previously, Villanueva served as vice president and president of SEK and as a board member for Karda Systems. Court documents note that the scheme took
place from May 2005 to December 2014 when Villanueva was a councilmember for the Virginia Beach City Council and then in the House of Delegates. For years, Villanueva worked with Kahlil Naim of SEK and Samuel Caragan of Karda Systems (Villanueva’s brother-inlaw) to file multiple false statements to the SBA. At his hearing, Villanueva was given 45 days to report to prison to start his 2.5-year sentence, and upon his release will be on probation for three years. Villanueva must also pay more than $524,000, which is the amount he received from the
fraudulent contracts. “I’m telling the judge everyone is entitled to second chances. I’m sorry, and I am thankful for all my support here,” Villanueva, 49, told WAVY News on Tuesday before his hearing. “My story is not done. We are defined by our maker and not defined by our mistakes.” Villanueva served as a delegate from 2010 to 2018. He was the first Filipino American elected to Virginia state government. In 2017, he was voted out of office and replaced with Kelly Fowler, a Filipina American Democrat. (Klarize Medenilla/ AJPress)
California broadens investigation of doctors...
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exemption letters by Sutton and Allen in the complaints she filed with the medical board, but the names of the patients were blacked out. The board wants the names of those children and their parents, and it asked the court to compel the Permanente Medical Group, a subsidiary of Kaiser Permanente, to hand over unredacted versions of the letters. The board also wants Kaiser Permanente to hand over the patients’ medical charts, which it believes will help determine whether the exemptions written by Sutton and Allen were indeed unmerited. In June, Superior Court Judge Ethan Schulman ordered the Permanente Medical Group to disclose the names of the patients known to have received medical exemptions from Allen, as well as the names and addresses of their parents. He has not yet issued a ruling in the Sutton case. Kaiser Permanente said it would comply with court orders. “We take the health and safety of our members, patients and communities very seriously,” said Dr. Stephen Parodi, associate executive director of the Permanente Medical Group, via email. In a case similar to Sutton’s and Allen’s, a judge ordered the Permanente Medical Group in November to provide the names of patients and parents subpoenaed in a medical board investi-
gation of Dr. Kenneth Stoller, a Santa Rosa physician who gave vaccine exemptions to children who were Kaiser Permanente patients, as well as to others in the Mammoth Unified School District. Stoller, who is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente, is also being investigated by the city attorney of San Francisco, where he used to practice. He didn’t respond to a request for comment. In April, Judge Schulman granted a petition from the state ordering Dr. Ron Kennedy to hand over the medical records of children to whom he had issued vaccination exemptions. Kennedy, a psychiatrist who runs an anti-aging clinic in Santa Rosa, has written numerous exemptions for kids, according to court records. Kennedy’s lawyer, Michael Machat, said his client has handed over the records as ordered. “The medical board has adopted the practice of thinking it can invade people’s privacy and search children’s private medical records to see whether or not the doctors are following the law,” Machat said. “Where does this stop?” To date, the only doctor sanctioned for inappropriate medical vaccine exemptions is Southern California pediatrician Robert Sears, the well-known author of “The Vaccine Book.” In 2015, California banned all philosophical and religious
exemptions for immunizations in the wake of a large measles outbreak that originated at Disneyland. It is one of four states to have done so, and its vaccination rate rose sharply for three years after the law was tightened. But vaccination rates have declined in the past two years, in part because many parents opposed to vaccines have found doctors willing to write questionable medical exemptions — sometimes for a fee. California’s vaccination policies are once again drawing national attention in the wake of the nation’s recent measles outbreak, which totaled 1,095 cases as of June 27. In California, 55 cases were reported as of June 26. A bill pending in the California legislature, SB-276, would impose more oversight on vaccine exemptions written by doctors. After it passed the state Senate in May, it was softened to appease Gov. Gavin Newsom but would still allow the state Department of Public Health to review some exemptions. It also would prevent doctors who are under investigation for writing unwarranted exemptions from issuing new ones. Newsom has said he will sign the legislation if it lands on his desk. This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation. ■
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US to China: Stop provocative action in SCS Manila’s flexispace area seen by Christina
Mendez, Pia Lee-Brago Philstar.com
THE United States’ top diplomat in Manila has slammed China for test-firing missiles in the South China Sea, saying such action was “provocative” and “inconsistent with international law and practices.” Ambassador Sung Kim said the U.S. has been urging countries to refrain from taking aggressive and unilateral actions that could imperil regional and global stability. “We have stated our position very clear for quite some time now and I believe our friends in the Philippines agree that countries including China should refrain from such actions,” he said at the U.S. Independence Day and Philippine-American Friendship Day reception on Wednesday, July. In a report quoting an unnamed
U.S. official, international news agencies said China had testfired anti-ship ballistic missiles from artificial islands in the South China Sea. “It’s clear that countries should behave according to international law and practices. In fact, China has indicated that it would stop militarization but obviously that has not happened,” he added. On Wednesday, the Department of National Defense (DND) said it would investigate the missile tests but admitted it had nothing in its hands but news reports. National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said he is aware of the reported missile tests but sees no need to convene the security cluster. “I just talked to DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs). I just talked to (Defense Secretary Delfin) Lorenzana. I don’t think we have to convene formally the se-
curity cluster,” Esperon told reporters at the Independence Day reception. “I don’t think we have to do it. We have actually met last June 17 to talk about some issues. There’s no issue that necessitates another meeting of the security cluster even on terrorism because in the council itself we have a mechanism for coordination,” he said. At Malacañang, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said they would wait for the DND to finish its investigation of the reported missile tests before announcing its stand on the issue. “We will investigate on our own. We will do it our way,” Panelo said when asked if there is a need to coordinate with Beijing any inquiry into the matter. “We will investigate then we will make our official stand. We will not rely on the say-so of whatever source,” he said. n
Trump administration continues to push for census... PAGE A1 t But on Wednesday, Trump said on Twitter that his administration would continue looking for ways to make sure the census would include the citizenship question. No final decision on whether the citizenship question would be added was made as of press time, but President Donald Trump did tell reporters on Friday that he may order an executive order to make sure it was included. “We’re thinking about doing that. We have four or five ways we can do it. It’s one of the ways that we’re thinking about doing it very seriously,” Trump told reporters outside the White House on Friday. Trump also suggested that the question could be added later on as an addendum if approved later. “So we’re working on a lot of things, including an executive order,” said Trump. Rejecting the Trump administration’s request to put the open case on hold, Judge Hazel on Friday added that questions into whether reasons were racially biased would continue to be relevant should the administration come with new reasons for adding the citizenship question. “Regardless of the justification defendants may now find for a ‘new’ decision, discovery related to the origins of the question will remain relevant,” said Hazel. The U.S. Constitution gives the power of determining how the
census should be conducted to Congress. Absent any sufficient reason for having the question added, Trump’s actions have been questionable. Trump said on Friday that the “number one” reason for wanting the citizenship question on the census was for electoral district drawing purposes. But that wasn’t the original legal reason given by the administration. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross initially said that the question would be used to help protect the voting rights of racial minorities through the Voting Rights Act (VRA), which was signed into law in 1965. But little evidence pointed to that being the actual reason for wanting the question to be added in the census. Rather, new evidence presented in May — according to those against the question — suggested that the question was motivated by a different reason. Harddrives found by deceased Republican strategist Thomas Hofeller’s daughter revealed that Hofeller was instrumental in the Trump administration’s decision to add the question to the census. In a 2015 study, Hofeller concluded that questioning respondents on their citizenship “would clearly be a disadvantage to the Democrats” and “advantageous to Republicans and Non-Hispanic Whites” in the redrawing of districts based on census data. The Justice Department played
off Hofeller’s involvement in the decision to add the question as a “conspiracy theory” according to Reuters. The decennial count looks for population changes and other information about who makes up the United States — citizens and non-citizens alike. More importantly, the census also uses the derived data to address many of the nation’s needs like determining how seats in Congress are set, and how funding allocations for certain programs like Medicaid benefits, law enforcement, and public schools are made. Advocates pushing for a census without the citizenship question have long argued that the question would prompt people to opt out of participating in the census, thus rendering an incomplete picture of their communities. They’ve argued that in the roughly 70 years since the VRA was signed into law, questions about citizenship have never been included or even used. As of Wednesday, the process of printing the questionnaire had already started without the citizenship question, according to the Associated Press. Printing of the 2020 Census was originally scheduled to begin on July 1, less than a year ahead of distribution time. It is unclear how or whether the process would be affected by current contentions. (Rae Ann Varona/AJPress)
expanding in next 3 years - report by ian
niCoLas CigaraL Philstar.com
MANILA could see its flexible workspace area grow by at least 10% annually in the next three years amid the emergence of micro, small and medium enterprises and influx of multinational corporations, real estate services and investment management company Colliers International said in a new report. Flexible workspace is a type of office space that can be occupied immediately and gives business owners access to basic office equipment on shorterterm leases. According to Colliers, Manila’s flexible workspace area will likely expand over the next three years on the back of continued rise of MSMEs and entry of multinational companies and outsourcing firms looking for plug-and-play offices. Implementation of policy reforms that aim to improve business climate is also expected to boost the sector. In 2018, Colliers recorded flexible workspace supply of about 3.8 million square feet, up 14% from 3.2 million square feet in 2017. This accounts for about 3.2% of the total Metro Manila office supply. Among the foreign players already in Manila are Common Ground and WeWork. Meanwhile, Philippine developers Ayala Land and Robinsons Land have ventured into the flexible workspace business. “The tight Metro Manila office market, coupled with the emergence of a mobile workforce and multinational corporations looking to bring down operating costs and provide flexibility to their employees, has given rise to another office sub-segment – flexible workspace,” Colliers said. “The segment’s growth has been supported by the improvement of the country’s IT infrastructure, especially after the entry of a third telecommunications company committed to improving nationwide broadband connectivity,” it added. In a statement, Colliers International Philippines director for office services Maricris Sarino-Joson said operators should cash in on the rising de-
mand for flexible workspaces by partnering with developers to carve out co-working space within malls, residential condominiums, hotels and worker dormitories. “Large flexible workspace operators should consider partnering with officials of second-tier cities that are viable outsourcing destinations. The project teams of outsourcing
firms could start operating in co-working facilities in these cities where they could train college students that the BPOs could tap in the future,” SarinoJoson said. “Among the most attractive second-tier cities for BPO operations are in Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo, Clark in Pampanga, Laguna, and Davao,” she added. n
A July 6-9, 2019 • lA WEEKEND ASIAN JOuRNAl
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D ateline PhiliPPines Sotto pushes creation of drug courts Bill to protect Filipino fishermen filed in Senate
SEnATE President Vicente Sotto III sought the creation of special courts to try drugs cases and the establishment of the Presidential Drug Enforcement Authority to boost the government’s campaign against illegal drugs. The senator filed on Monday, July 1, Senate Bill (SB) 4, seeking the creation of Dangerous Drugs Courts in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao to exclusively try cases involving violations of the Dangerous Drugs Act. Sotto said the Philippines’ war on drugs started in 1972 with the enactment of Republic Act (RA) 6425 or the “Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972.” This was repealed by RA 9165 or the “Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.” The senator said the number of drug cases “has been steadily on the rise, clogging the dockets” of Regional Trial Courts. “The speedy administration of justice has been greatly prejudiced, impairing not only the resolution of these drugs cases, but
Senate President Vicente Sotto III ManilaTimes.net photo
other equally important cases and matters pending in the specially designated Regional Trial Courts,” Sotto said. “There is now, therefore, an imperative need to create Special Colleagiate Dangerous Drugs Courts to sit in each geographical regions of the Philippines,” he added. Sotto filed SB 3, creating the Presidential Drug Enforcement Authority, to further strengthen the government’s war on drugs. He said SB 3 aims “to unify” the four major anti-drugs programs
— enforcement, prosecution, prevention and rehabilitation — into a single government agency. “Since these four have to be in sync, a supervisory agency has to step in in order to ensure that the concerned government agencies mandated to perform several duties under Republic Act 9165 are doing the same satisfactorily,” Sotto explained. He said the war on drugs “continuously adjusts to the strategies, tactics and new substances introduced by illegal drug suppliers.” “Big-time drug lords must be countered by big-time government interdiction, while retail peddlers must be stopped by the barangay (village) and street tanod (watchman) and police,” Sotto said. “Despite the various measures currently in place to curtail this social ill, the war against it has not yet been won. Hence, the government is in a continuous search for an effective and efficient means to somehow get us closer to our victory,” he added. (Bernadette Tamayo/ManilaTimes.net)
by Ritchel
mendiola AJPress
In light of the recent incident in the West Philippine Sea, Senator Francis Tolentino filed a Senate bill that seeks to implement provisions in international maritime law for the safety of Filipino fishermen’s lives. In his explanatory note, Tolentino said the Bill 209 — also known as the “Good Samaritan at Sea Law — “was crafted to ensure that persons guilty of jeopardizing the lives of men at sea and those who unreasonably fail to render assistance to persons in distress at sea do not go unpunished.” On June 9, the lives of 22 Filipino fishermen were put at risk after a Chinese vessel hit their fishing boat near Recto Bank. They were left adrift in the open sea until a Vietnamese vessel rescued them. As reported by the Philippine Star, the bill aims to implement provisions in international maritime instruments ratified by the Philippine government concerning the safety of life at sea and the duty to render assistance to per-
sons in distress at sea to which the Philippines is a state party to, including the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 and its Protocols of 1978 and 1988 and Agreement of 1996. “As a key player in the global maritime industry, it is but imperative for the country to stay true to its commitments to the international community to implement and enforce laws affecting maritime safety in order to protect not just the standing of the country in the international community but to protect the very lives of the thousands of Filipinos at sea,” Tolentino explained. According to him, any violation committed against the law will result to paying a fine of not less than P5 million to P10 million. Meanwhile, if the violator is the cause or part of the ship that caused the distress at sea, the fine shall not be less than P10 million, but not more than P20 million. “If the violation was committed within internal waters or within the territorial sea, an additional penalty of imprisonment of not
Senator Francis Tolentino
Inquirer.net photo
less than six months but not more than a year shall be imposed. If the violator is the cause or part of the ship that caused the distress at sea, an additional penalty of imprisonment of not less than a year and a day but not more than two years shall be imposed,” Tolentino said. He added that the jurisdiction to determine violations and impose appropriate penalties thereto shall belong to any of the regional trial courts in the province or the city nearest to the place where the distress occurred. n
Go wants death penalty for plunderers SEn. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go has filed a bill that seeks to impose the death penalty for those convicted of plunder and other heinous crimes. The bill entitled, “An Act reinstating the death penalty for certain heinous crimes involving dangerous drugs and plunder,” seeks to promote peace and order, and support the government’s program against illegal drugs, criminality and corruption. “Part po ito ng patuloy na kampanya namin ni Pangulong [Rodrigo] Duterte na labanan ang droga at korapsyon sa gobyerno (This is part of my program with President Duterte to fight drugs and corruption in the government),” Go told reporters after filing his priority bills at the Senate. “Frustrated na po si Pangulong Duterte sa nangyayari sa ating bansa, sa korapsyon sa gobyerno natin. Gusto ko siyang tulungan na matigil po ito (The President is getting frustrated with all the corruption that’s going on. I want to help him stop it) up to the last day of his term and, of course, beyond,” he said. Go’s bill describes corruption as “an equally deplorable evil that has kept the least fortunate of our countrymen from enjoying the steady economic progress we have achieved over the last few years.” The senator also sought the imposition of the capital punishment
Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go bares his 10 priority bills for the upcoming first regular session of the 18th Congress aimed at achieving “genuine positive change” in a press conference held at the Senate in Pasay City on Tuesday, July 2. Among his pet measures are the establishment of the Department of Overseas Filipinos that would serve as a one-stopshop for the protection and welfare of migrant workers; Malasakit Centers; and reinstating the death penalty for certain heinous crimes, involving dangerous drugs and plunder, among others. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan
on people involved with dangerous or illegal drugs. While his bill essentially revives the death penalty for all offenses listed under the Dangerous Drugs Act, he reiterated his openness to study and discuss the specifics of the bill with other senators. Go admitted that his bill would face public scrutiny. “Mahabang usapan po ito. Hindi po ganoon kadali ang usapang ito. Alam ko marami pong tututol dito sa panukalang ito. Ang akin lamang po is mapigilan ang paglaganap ng iligal na droga sa bansa (This will be entail long debates. This
will not be easy. This bill will be opposed by many but my only intention is to stop the proliferation of illegal drugs),” he said. The senator asked the public to help fight corruption, criminality and illegal drugs. He remained optimistic that his bill would be passed. “Wala pong naglakas loob noon, maraming kumukontra, wala na, tulog na naman ang batas (No one dared [to file a death penalty bill] before because of strong opposition. We need a stronger law),” Go said. (ManilaTimes.net)
28 states urge UN to report on human rights situation in PH Philippines and present it to the council’s 44th session “to be followed by an enhanced interactive MAnILA — Twenty-eight dialogue.” nations have urged the United The council, which is expected nations Human Rights Council to vote on the said resolution in (UnHRC) to take further action the coming days, is currently on on the human rights situation in its 41st session. the Philippines amid allegations The draft resolution also asked of violations. the Philippines to “take all necesThe draft resolution, submit- sary measures to prevent extrajuted by Iceland on Thursday, July dicial killings and enforced disap4, called on the High Commis- pearances” as well as to conduct sioner on Human Rights Michelle “impartial investigations and to Bachelet to produce a “compre- hold perpetrators accountable hensive written report” on the in accordance with international human rights situation in the norms and standards including by chRistia
maRie Inquirer.net
Ramos
due process and the rule of law.” The draft resolution also asked the government to cooperate with Bachelet’s office and the council’s mechanisms “by facilitating country visits” as well as prevent or refrain “from all acts of intimidation or retaliation.” ‘Repeated expressions of concern’ The draft resolution likewise recalled the “repeated expressions of concern” coming from Bachelet herself and the council’s special procedure mandate holders about the human rights situation in the Philippines. n
Palawan makes Lonely Planet’s best places to visit by RobeRtzon
RamiRez
Philstar.com
MAnILA — Travel website Lonely Planet has released its Best in Asia Pacific list for 2019 and, no surprise, a Philippine destination is among the top 10. This year’s list-topper is Margaret River and Southern WA in Australia. According to the site, highlights for any traveler to these parts include views of the ocean “the hue of a Bombay Sapphire bottle.” Lonely Planet goes on to add “wineries, breweries and restaurants,” which “lie between tracts of talltree forest and kangaroo-dotted farmland.” Down some spots on the list at number eight is the Philippines’ Palawan. Highlights that Lonely Planet included are the “crown jewel… El nido, where skyscraping karst formations rise out of blue water in Bacuit Bay.” Other places mentioned are the big lagoon at Miniloc Island, backpacker favorite Port Barton and San Vicente with its brand new airport. Other places on the 2019 list are Shikoku in Japan, Bay of Islands and northland in new Zealand, Singapore, the Cook Islands, Central Vietnam, Fiji, Bei-
Tourists are seen at a snorkeling spot in Coron, Palawan in this file photo. Palawan has been cited several times by travel magazines and websites for its rich biodiversity, clear lagoons, long stretches of white sand and other natural attractions. Philstar.com photo by Fernando Nebres
jing in China and Cambodia. Tourism on the rise The country’s tourist arrivals increased by 8.5 percent, or a total of 2,867,551 from January to April this year, according to Department of Tourism (DOT). This was higher than the 2,641,241 in the same period in 2018. In another report, the DOT said that 2,790,303 travelers have visited the Philippines through the airports in Manila, Cebu, Kalibo, Clark, Palawan, Davao, Bohol and Iloilo, which is 11 percent higher than the
2,521,087 tourist arrivals in the same period last year. The DOT, however, said that the tourist arrivals in the Philippines through seaports in Manila, Subic, Palawan, Batangas, Davao, Pangasinan, Cebu Zamboanga, Bohol (Tagbilaran), Romblon, Boracy, Leyte and Laoag have decreased by 36 percent, or 77,248 in 2019 from 120,154 last year. The DOT’s data were taken from the arrival and departure cards in different sea and airports in Manila. n
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Dateline PhiliPPines
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 6-9, 2019
A
HRW: Bato’s remark shows ‘uncaring, contemptuous’ attitude to drug war victims to investigate to ensure that everything was done to avoid such mishaps and that accountabilities can MANILA — Sen. Ronald “Bato” equally be determined, should dela Rosa’s comment dismissing there be any lapses or violations,” the death of a toddler in a police CHR said. Police claimed the girl was used drug bust with an expletive and as collateral damage proves that the as a human shield by his father— nation’s former top cop does not the subject of the drug bust operacare about the thousands—includ- tion—but her mother refuted this ing children—killed in the gov- and said they were sleeping when ernment’s war on drugs, a human the cops arrived. rights watchdog said. “It is unfortunate that Bato Dela Rosa, the first chief enforcer of Duterte’s ‘drug war’ that has killed thousands, would display such uncaring, even contemptuous, attitude to Myca Ulpina and, by extension, the dozens of other children killed in the brutal campaign,” Carlos Conde, Human Rights Watch Philippine researcher, said. Conde added: “Dela Rosa should be reminded that he, too, will answer for his complicity in the slaughter of thousands.” Dela Rosa on Thursday, July 4, said there should be no collateral damage but stressed, “We live in an imperfect world.” “If everything is perfect, no one would do wrong, but there are a lot of imperfections that is why that happened,” the former chief implementer of the anti-narcotics campaign. He added: “But shit happens. During operations, shit happens.” Dela Rosa is poised to chair the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs. “His contempt for the victims of the ‘drug war’ makes his reported wish to be the chairman of the Senate committee on public order and illegal drugs a travesty. It also suggests that he cannot be expected to independently investigate the conduct of law enforcers, let alone the killings themselves,” Conde said. Figures from the PNP released earlier this month put the number of “drug personalities” killed in law enforcement operations at 6,600. But some rights groups have estimates of as many as 27,000 killed. ‘Higher threshold in protecting right to life’ The Commission on Human Rights said deaths categorized as “collateral damages” cannot simply be dismissed as there should always be a higher threshold in protecting the right to life. “Collateral damages during police operations may be unavoidable. But there is always the need by Gaea
AT THE ZOO. Manila Mayor Francisco ‘Isko’ Moreno Domagoso feeds an elephant during a visit to the Manila Zoo. The mayor promised to upgrade the zoo to make it safer to visitors and the animals. ManilaTimes.net photo by Rene Dilan
Romualdez tops survey for speaker MANILA — Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez is the people’s choice for the hotly contested leadership position in the House of Representatives, according to a recent survey. The RP-Mission and Development Foundation Inc. (RPMDinc) survey, conducted in the last week of June, showed Romualdez being the preferred choice with 30 percent, followed by Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano with 23 percent. The third spot went to former speaker Pantaleon Alvarez with 18 percent. Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco garnered 14 percent. The nationwide survey showed that Romualdez was the top choice in the Visayas, balance Luzon and Mindanao regions. In the National Capital Region, Cayetano ranked first with 33 percent, followed by Romualdez with 27 percent, Alvarez with 15 percent and Velasco in the last spot with 12 percent. In balance Luzon, Romualdez was the top pick with 31 percent, followed by Cayetano with 25 percent, Alvarez with 18 percent and Velasco, 11 percent. In the Visayas, Romualdez received strong support with 35 percent, followed by Cayetano with 21 percent, Velasco with 19 percent and Alvarez, 16 percent. In Mindanao, Romualdez and Alvarez were statistically tied. Romualdez ranked first with 23 percent while Alvarez had 20 per-
The RP-Mission and Development Foundation Inc. (RPMDinc) survey, conducted in the last week of June, showed Romualdez being the preferred choice with 30 percent, followed by Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano with 23 percent. The third spot went to former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez with 18 percent. Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco garnered 14 percent. Philstar.com photos
cent. Cayetano, with 15 percent, was also tied with Velasco who garnered 14 percent. Paul Martinez of RPMDinc said that amid the turmoil at the House of Representatives, it was their obligation to gauge the sentiments of constituents, hoping that the representatives will listen to their voice. Along with choosing a contender, respondents were also asked to give the reason for their choice. Several respondents who chose Romualdez cited his experience, loyalty and leadership. Others said Cayetano had experience; however, loyalty and leadership were in question. One respondent wrote, “Cayetano is
dangerous for President Duterte and he cannot lead his fellow congressmen with his attitude.” “Velasco landed in the last spot because respondents felt he was not ready for the job, they did not trust or have confidence in him and cited his lack of ability to lead the House,” the survey said. The non-commissioned survey was conducted among 3,500 registered voters nationwide with a 3 percent +/- margin of error. Respondents were asked, “If given the chance that your voice will be heard by your district representative, among the list of contenders who will you vote for as the next speaker at the House of Representatives?” n
Katreena Philstar.com
CabiCo
CHR reiterated that the 1987 Constitution states no person shall be deprived of life. “We remind the government, especially our law enforcers in this case, that it is their mandate to ensure that these guarantees are carried out, and not merely dismiss possible human rights violations nonchalantly, as part of their sworn duty to serve and protect the people,” CHR said. n
A8 JULY 6-9, 2019 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
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OPINION
Waiting for FOI
FEATURES
IN a nod to civil liberties, President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order No. 2, which he signed less than two months into his term, promoted freedom of information throughout the executive branch. The order has its limits, however, and it was not complemented by legislation, with even the President’s super majority in the 17th Congress sitting on the Freedom of Information bill. Later, the House of Representatives went a step further and issued a list of rules that its leaders said facilitated FOI, but which critics said effectively made it more complicated to obtain access to congressmen’s statements of assets, liabilities and net worth. The SALN is supposed to be a public document. Apart from the SALN, there are other public records that continue to be difficult to obtain, and which could benefit from a legislated freedom of information policy. With the start of the terms of the new batch of lawmakers, the FOI bill has been one of the first measures to be re-filed in the Senate. Whether it will be passed is another story.
Technology has promoted transparency in the bureaucracy. Posting detailed information about bidding and procurement as well as government projects and programs has allowed close scrutiny for delayed implementation, corruption and other possible anomalies. Still, there are many other matters in government that the public has a right to know, but which are withheld and are best obtained if freedom of information is institutionalized by law. An executive order is good, but an FOI law is better. It is critical in the campaign against corruption, which President Duterte has described as a priority of his administration. Members of the 18th Congress who profess support for the President must give the FOI bill urgent attention and approval. (Philstar.com)
Editorial
Philstar.com photo
66 years in media...and counting
Street Talk GREG B. MACABENTA MY very first newspaper column came out in Business World, the leading business daily in the Philippines, on September 21, 1988, almost 31 years ago. Headlined, “Ah, those good old tabloid days,” it must have scandalized the usually straightlaced, prim and proper readership of the paper. It was about my experience as a 16-year-old cub reporter for a tabloid – the kind that specialized in all the news not fit to print. I had led off with the streetwise advice that the deskmen gave me, if ever I got stumped for a sensational story - “Masturbate it!” — and I thought that was shocking enough. But Letty Locsin, the managing editor, pushed it to the edge by translating that line into Tagalog: “Salsalin mo!” At the time, Rodrigo Duterte had only been trashing good manners and decency in Davao City — not yet nationally — and being publicly bastos was not yet in fashion, thus my entry into column writing was a shocker. But that wasn’t the first time my writing broke rules. For the mid-term elections in 1959, I wrote the scripts of the propaganda films of both the Liberal Party and the Nacionalista Party — and I wasn’t even old enough
to vote. For some reason, Documentary, Inc., the film production company of celebrated Director Lamberto V. Avellana, had been assigned both competing projects by the two dominant political parties, and I happened to be the company’s in-house scriptwriter. With no loyalty to either party, I dug up all the dirt I could find about them in the morgue of the Philippine Free Press and wrote the kind of hit pieces that were de rigueur back then. One of the LP candidates was a charismatic congressman from Ilocos Norte, Ferdinand Marcos. I portrayed him reviewing for the bar exams behind bars. Marcos turned out to be the top votegetter in an election dominated by the NP. Six years later, in the 1965 presidential election, Marcos would run as the official candidate of the Nacionalista Party against reelectionist President Diosdado Macapagal. I had just joined ABS-CBN TV Network as head of program evaluation and development, and was given a special assignment by network President Eugenio Lopez Jr. The Lopezes were helping Marcos, one reason being that Sen. Fernando Lopez was his vice-presidential running mate. I was asked to produce a daily anti-Macapagal TV show for which I suggested the title, ‘Alis Diyan’ (a popular noontime show expression). Marcos
won and changed the course of Philippine political history. Mea culpa. At the start of the 2010 presidential campaign, some supporters of Sen. Benigno Aquino III asked me for assistance. I said that I wasn’t impressed with Aquino but I was persuaded to help because he did seem like a better choice than the other contenders. Noting that Sen. Manuel Villar was leading in the surveys, I suggested a term to scuttle his surge: Villarroyo – a mash-up of Villar and Arroyo (President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo), which had become the most toxic name in politics at the time. I did it for free. Gratis. Villar’s campaign lost steam, Aquino overtook him and won. From reports, I understand that my creative contribution to the campaign helped a great deal. I subsequently found Aquino a disappointment as president. Villar, a seasoned executive, could have performed better. Mea culpa. These and other historical, interesting, intriguing and engaging vignettes are contained in a book which I have just finished: “Confusions of a Communications Man.” It is as much an inside story of the communications industry, including its seamy side, as it is the tale of a young boy who stumbled into it, “not knowing where he was going but getting there anyway.” Sixty-six years…and count-
ing. I have been actively involved in more areas and disciplines of media and communications than most people would experience in two lifetimes. And I’m still in harness. Still involved in media, still doing marketing and communications. But this time, with tools and techniques that were considered science fiction when I began. The book is not simply an exercise in nostalgia. It includes events and involves personalities who have become part of our country’s history. In a number of cases, I wasn’t simply a passive onlooker seated in the bleachers, but an active participant or an up-close eyewitness as the events unfolded. I was acting in soap operas when radio was still the best alternative to going to the movies – before TV was introduced in the Philippines. This was in 1953. The following year, Alto Broadcasting System — the ABS half of what would become ABS-CBN — went on the air and brought the country into the mind-expanding and dumbing world of television. I was among the first batch of performers to appear before the TV cameras. A few years later, I would also produce shows on television. In fact, I wrote, directed and produced the first action series on Philippine TV. Telecast on ABC TV Channel 5, Target: Agent 69. was unabashedly patterned after Ian Fleming’s Agent 007 series.
Much later I did special reports on ethnic TV in California; was involved in the entry of both GMA Network and ABS-CBN Network in the United States; and produced a weekly news-magazine program that was telecast on the major cable and direct-to-home systems in America. While still performing on radio, I landed a job as a police reporter, then got promoted to associate editor of a fan magazine; and that, in turn, got me involved in Tagalog movies. I wrote my first story and screenplay for LVN Pictures at 17, and made some 200 films, including the biggest box office hits on record. But there were years when screenplay writers were paid starvation fees. Needing to earn money to support my family and help send my siblings to school, as well as pay for my own college education, I joined an advertising agency and set off on a new career path. But I still continued to write for the movies and direct TV serials. It was a killing pace. Early on, I had to drop out of college and never finished. But I taught Advertising Management at De La Salle and Lyceum U, as well as at the Asian Institute of Journalism, despite lacking academic credentials. I spent more years in advertising than in any of my other “careers;” became president and CEO of one of the leading ad agencies in Manila, Advertising
& Marketing Associates; created ad campaigns (many of them for Nestlé) that are considered classics in the industry; and then relocated to the U.S. where I set up own ad shop, Minority Media Services. While I referred to it as a mom-and-pop-and-kids operation, it did pretty good work in a highly competitive environment, In fact, my agency won the 1996 Gold Effie for the “most effective non-English campaign in the U.S.” This was for a campaign that I wrote for Wells Fargo Bank. If all that seems confusing, it certainly is – which is why my book is entitled, “Confusions of a Communications Man.” The subtitle is: Surviving Radio, TV, Movies, Journalism and Advertising. Indeed, it was a test of survival. There were times when I was engaged in all five careers in a virtual non-stop grind, relieved only with catnaps and spurred by the Spartan showbiz axiom that “the show must go on.” I am told that my book could serve as a source of inspiration for anyone who wants to “make it” in the world of communications, but only if one is equipped with a [capacity for hard work, a strong heart and the will to win. Plus brains and lots of luck. The book will be available on Amazon shortly. (gregmacabenta@hotmail. com)
So, you want to take on China? Get ready to bleed
Commentary
RICARDO SALUDO WHAT if President Rodrigo Duterte goes along with Vice President Leni Robredo, Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, Senators Panfilo Lacson, Kiko Pangilinan, Risa Hontiveros, former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, and other nationalist-sounding figures advocating a tough stance against Chinese encroachments on our sovereign rights? Let’s say the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) threaten to board, arrest and, if warranted, disable and destroy foreign vessels conducting economic activities in our exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or our extended continental shelf (ECS) without permission from the government. According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), we have exclusive rights to undertake or authorize economic activities in the waters of our EEZ, reaching 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) from the territorial baseline running around our main
islands. Plus: we have similar sovereign rights over the seabed of our ECS, 320 nm (nearly 600 km) out. There’s more: Justice Carpio and his cousin, former ombudsman and Supreme Court justice Conchita Carpio Morales, believe the Constitution grants the Republic not just sovereign rights over economic resources, but outright territorial sovereignty over the EEZ and ECS, since the Charter includes in our national territory areas where we have “jurisdiction,” including sovereign rights under Unclos. That means it’s not enough to simply bar foreigners from exploiting marine resources without our say-so. The government must also assert full territorial control, even if international law grants such sovereignty only up to 12 nm from shore. Whether the world accepts it or not, the Constitution prevails over international statutes, the Carpio cousins assert. Time to get rough? So, assuming President Duterte uses all his Commander-in-Chief powers to enforce the Constitution and Unclos in the so-called West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), how tough is the country willing to
get against interlopers on the high seas? To be exact, should the AFP and the PCG do what Indonesia and Argentina did to Chinese vessels said to be illegally fishing in their waters? In May, Indonesia scuttled 51 boats it had seized for illegal fishing, including 38 Vietnamflagged ships, six Malaysia, two China and one Philippines. The fisheries minister said it was a warning to other nations. The Philippines has detained foreign boats and fishermen, including those from China, but let them go after charging them. Back in 2016, Argentina’s coast guard got even tougher. It sank a Chinese ship fishing in its waters without authority. And this past March, Buenos Aires called for the arrest of five Chinese vessels it accused of illegal fishing, after failing to detain one ship. Now, is that what Robredo, Carpio, Lacson and others want President Duterte to do next time foreigners fish or otherwise exploit our sea resources without permission? We’ve tried protesting and suing, but encroachments continue. So, time to try guns? Is that a chorus of “Slow down!” from the flag-waving
anti-China gallery? In fact, none of the big names in this article have openly advocated armed response to maritime encroachment. They’re big on diplomatic protests, public denunciations and multi-million-dollar international lawsuits, but not police or military pressure. For one thing, as President Duterte has rightly pointed out and his predecessor Benigno Aquino 3rd learned the hard way, we can’t win an armed conflict against any neighbor, except perhaps Brunei. Aquino lost Scarborough Shoal after sending a navy frigate against dozens of Chinese marine surveillance and police vessels. Hence, the most Duterte’s critics now urge are joint naval patrols with the United States (Carpio), and possible US intervention under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) if our vessels are hit (Lacson). American Ambassador Sung Kim recently said that attacks on military or public vessels are covered by the MDT, which commits the US and the Philippines to respond according to its “constitutional processes” if each other’s forces or main territory is attacked. There are also calls to fully implement the 2014 Enhanced
Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), and allow more American warships, submarines, aircraft, and troops into the country, using bases in Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Palawan, Cebu and Cagayan de Oro. What if China gets tough? What the Philippines might do to enforce sovereignty is one thing. How China would respond is quite another, and it’s the much harder issue to wrestle with. The travails of Aquino’s confrontation policy show how tough tussling with China is. With EDCA, America was set to move 60 percent of its naval assets to the region under its Pivot to Asia policy. So, even before the accord was signed, China turned disputed Fiery Cross Reef and Mischief Reef, which was seized from us in 1995, into reclaimed island bases to defend vital sea lanes from the looming American naval buildup in the Philippines. Now, what do you think Beijing would do if we reactivate EDCA and let Uncle Sam deploy its armada, able to nuke all the South China Sea and most of China from the Philippines? No need to guess. The U.S.
Army-funded 2016 report by the RAND think-tank, War with China, said aircraft carriers and air bases used by U.S. forces would be priority targets of the People’s Liberation Army. That means dozens, if not hundreds of PLA rockets would target our territory, especially the five bases earmarked for U.S. use. Even before any conflict, expect Beijing to further expand and militarize its artificial islands. And build a third on Scarborough Shoal. That would then spook Asia and justify the U.S.-led containment of China. Goodbye, stability and harmony in Asia. On the economy, Chinese investment and infrastructure loans would dry up, and Beijing would also use its global diplomatic clout to block our international initiatives and aid requests. Plus: 140,000 Filipinos in Hong Kong may well get the immigration treatment China opponents del Rosario and Morales recently received. Now, is this really the way to assert our sovereignty, or the Duterte tack of biding our time and building our economy and military, so one day we can do more than just protest and sue? (ManilaTimes.net)
The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 6-9, 2019
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Duterte says he will fire Customs officials by Nestor
Corrales Inquirer.net
MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, July 5, said he would be firing Bureau of Customs officials when he goes back to Manila. Duterte said this during his speech at the inauguration of the Chen Yi Agventures Rice Processing Center in Alangalang, Leyte. “When I go back, I would be
firing more from the Bureau of Customs. I’m just telegraphing. Maybe ilagay ko na sa (Maybe I will put them in) Army yang di na ako maniwala (those who will not believe) not allowed to work, idiots. If my country is sinking, I cannot help my country?” he said. “I will go for the Customs again. There will be a lot of dismissals. Try to stop the corruption in the higher class,” he added.
Duterte was earlier criticized for saying he would let the military takeover Customs amid allegations of widespread corruption. But Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo had defended the President, saying that as Chief Executive and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Duterte was “merely exercising his constitutionally mandated functions” when he issued the order for the military to takeover BOC. n
Duterte seen signing bill on tenure security into law by BerNadette
tamayo ManilaTimes.net
NO TO PLASTIC. Miss Earth Philippines Air Zahra Bianca Saldua (right) and Miss Earth Philippines Water Berjaneth Chee promote the use of bayong and other reusable bags at the Farmers Market in Quezon City. ManilaTimes.net photo by Rudy Martinez
Senate bill bans single-use plastics by BerNadette
tamayo ManilaTimes.net
SEN. Francis Pangilinan wants to phase out single-use plastic products by prohibiting their importation, manufacture and use in food establishments, stores and markets and by retailers. The senator filed Senate Bill (SB) 40 or the “Single-Use Plastics Regulation and Management Act of 2019,” which bans the use of all single-use plastics one year after the effectivity of the measure and to penalize those who will not enforce it. “Those who will reuse and recycle will receive an incentive,” said Pangilinan, as he deplored the country’s inability to manage waste efficiently, which poses danger to the environment. The bill defines single-use plastics as those which are commonly used for plastic packaging and include items intended to be used only once before they are thrown away or recycled. These include grocery bags, food packaging, films and bags, water bottles, straws, stirrers, containers, styrofoam/styros, cups, sachets and plastic cutlery. Pangilinan cited a 2015 study by the United Nations Environment Program titled Plastic Waste Inputs From Land Into Ocean, which showed that 81 percent of the 6,237,653 kilograms of plastic waste per day in
A worker carries sack of recyclable materials in Baseco compound, Tondo, Manila. ManilaTimes.net photo
the country is mismanaged. “The mismanaged plastic waste per day is due to the sachet economy of the country and its problematic waste disposal. The sachet economy occurs because people buy many products in small amounts since they are cheaper,” he said. For each piece of single-use plastic already manufactured and in circulation, retailers shall charge the consumer a minimum levy of P5. The amount collected will have official receipts. Of the amount, 20 percent should be kept by the business enterprise, while 80 percent must be remitted on a regular basis to the Special Plastic Fund to be created under the bill.
“For take-outs and selling of food and beverages, a discount of P5 shall be given to consumers for bringing their own reusable or recyclable containers,” he said. The importation of single-use plastics should also be prohibited one year from the effectivity of the proposed law, Pangilinan said. Business enterprises, individuals, cooperatives, partnerships and corporations, which will engage in the manufacture of alternatives to single-use plastics will be given incentives. Those who will not heed the prohibition will be penalized with fines or cancellation of business permit. n
THE Security of Tenure (SoT) bill, a landmark legislation that will prohibit subcontracting and all other illegal schemes of employing workers, is awaiting the signature of President Rodrigo Duterte. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Thursday, July 4 said the Presidetial Legislative Liaison Office informed him that the bill was enrolled on Friday, July 5 and might be signed into law by the president anytime soon. “We are anticipating the signing of the SoT bill, which is a landmark legislation under the Duterte administration. Ensuring the workers’ security of tenure is among the priorities of our president and we are hopeful that the president will soon sign the bill into law to enhance the [workers’] enjoyment of their constitutional rights to job security,” he said. The Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP), however, strongly opposes the SoT bill, saying its enactment would hurt the employers’ sector, as well as the economy. It said the measure would discourage the entry of both local and foreign direct investment into the country. ECOP Chairman Edgardo Lacson has described the bill as “aggressive” as it compels employers to regularize all their employees, which, he said, would hurt business, particularly small establishments. “What will happen is there will be a monoclass. All are regular workers, no other class [of workers], which is wrong,” Lacson said, adding that in ad-
vance countries like the United States, employment of temporary or contractual workers is encouraged. ECOP President Serigo Ortiz Luis Jr. said regularization would not create jobs, adding that even the business processing outsourcing companies would not be spared from regularizing their workers if the SoT bill becomes a law. Early this week, Bello submitted his recommendation for the enactment of the bill, emphasizing that the legislation would clarify ambiguities in existing laws with defined types of employment arrangements. He said the measure would strengthen workers’ security of tenure by prohibiting unlawful contracting arrangements and provide penalties
for its violations. Senate Bill (SB) 1826, or the “Security of Tenure or End ‘Endo’ Act of 2018,” was approved on third and final reading in May and later on adopted by the House of Representatives, bypassing the needed bicameral conference. Endo or “end of contract” is a labor practice where a worker is employed for less than six months for the employer to avoid paying him social benefits provided by law. SB 1826 was certified as urgent in September last year, fulfilling the president’s promise to put an end to the prevalent practices of contractualization and labor-only contracting. The enrolled bill could lapse into law if not acted upon within 30 days by Malacañang. n
A10 july 6-9, 2019 • lA WEEKEND ASIAN jOuRNAl
Dateline PhiliPPines
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BIR urged to collect taxes from Chinese workers MANILA — Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto said collecting taxes from Chinese workers in the country is the right approach. Earlier this week, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez confirmed that the government would start collecting income taxes from foreign workers in Philippine offshore gaming operators this month. “Before you badger Congress to levy new taxes or raise rates, kindly plug the leaks first,” Recto said in a statement. Recto also mentioned that for-
eign workers might have been flocking the country because the government is not strict. “The (Bureau of Internal Revenue) can’t be strict on Filipinos when it comes to paying taxes, by withholding these at source, while allowing foreign nationals a free pass,” Recto said. The senator also urged the government to collect taxes from Chinese workers in other industries, such as construction. According to Dominguez, at least P2 billion taxes from 100,000 offshore gaming work-
ers could be collected monthly. The Philippine government recently imposed an additional requirement for all foreign workers in the country. Last month, the Department of Labor and Employment said all foreign nationals would be required to secure a “no objection” certificate prior to being issued a working permit and visa. This is in addition to the new guidelines on the issuance of alien employment permit that the DOLE issued in May. (Philstar.com)
Court wants SC order lifted before Aquino Mamasapano raps can be resolved by reina ANTI-MINING PICKET. Environmental group Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment stages a picket at the Mines and Geosciences Bureau on Tuesday, July 2 calling for a cease in the mining operations of Australian-Canadian miner OceanaGold Philippines Inc. (OGPI) in Barangay Didipio, Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya. ManilaTimes.net photo by Rudy Martinez
Philippines ‘unjustly vilified’ in new global workers’ rights report — Bello MANILA — Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Friday, July 5, disputed the results of the International Trade Union Confederation’s Global Rights Index 2019 that tagged the Philippines as among the top 10 worst countries in the world for working people, arguing that the Duterte administration is protecting workers. In a statement, Bello said the Philippines was “unjustly vilified” in ITUC’s report. “It is unfortunate that ITUC failed to see the consistent efforts of the government in protecting the welfare of the Filipino workers. To say that the country has drastically regressed in pro-
tecting the worker’s rights is a drastically one-sided finding,” Bello said. “The [Department of Labor and Employment] is not sleeping on its job and responsibility to protect the workers, in the same way that we are mandated to encourage businesses to investing more,” he added. “We remain committed in providing essence to our mandate despite these unwarranted accusations that undermine the genuine efforts of the administration,” he continued. According to ITUC, 10 trade unionists were murdered in the Philippines in 2018, putting the Southeast Asian nation in the
list of countries that are dangerous for labor leaders together with Algeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Zimbabwe. “Workers and trade unionists in the Philippines faced violent attacks and intimidation. Protests were brutally repressed by police forces in an attempt by government forces to suppress political dissent,” ITUC said. “With martial law in Mindanao extended for the third time until the end of 2019, the threat of an escalation of violence and abuses grows,” it added. (Ian Nicolas Cigaral/Philstar.com)
Palace: High Inflation ‘now a thing of the past’ MANILA — Malacañang is “pleased” with the 2.7 percent inflation rate in the country as it touted the measures the administration has implemented to tame the soaring prices of goods. “We are very pleased with the inflation rate because we have slayed the soaring inflation rate. It’s now a thing of the past,” Presidential Spokesperson Sal-
vador Panelo told reporters in Malacañang. “We credit the economic managers for doing their jobs splendidly well, and we also credit the lawmakers of the past Congress for passing the law that stopped it,” he added, citing the government’s tax reform laws. Despite being blamed for the high prices of goods, the Tax Reform for Acceleration and In-
clusion (TRAIN) law should be credited for easing inflation, according to Panelo. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) announced Friday that last month’s headline inflation rate was the lowest since the 2.6 percent posted in August 2017. Panelo has a message to the critics of the government. (Nestor Corrales/Inquirer.net)
tolentino ManilaTimes.net
THE Sandiganbayan Fourth Division will not resolve the plea for the withdrawal of the cases filed against former president Benigno Aquino III until the Supreme Court lifts its temporary restraining order (TRO). The Office of the Ombudsman, then headed by Conchita Carpio Morales, charged Aquino in 2017 with graft and usurpation of official functions before the court in connection with the police operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao in 2015. “No president of the Republic of the Philippines must be accused of usurpation of power while in office, anyone who claims otherwise should go back to college, I am sorry to say that,” Ombudsman Samuel Martires said in open court on Friday, July 5. The court — the approval of which is needed for a case to be withdrawn — on Friday conducted a hearing on the Motion to Withdraw Information. In the motion, the prosecution, through the Ombudsman, said that after a review of the consolidated resolution dated June 13, 2017 and consolidated order dated Sept. 5, 2017 in OMB-C-C-16-0419, OMB-CC-16-0435, and OMB-C-C-160448, “subject of the TRO, the undersigned finds no sufficient ground and evidence to charge” Aquino. Information is charge sheet. Martires, in an interview after the hearing, said, “Presidente ng Pilipinas iyon. Lahat ng powers nasa kanya. Pati power ng barangay captain nasa kanya. So paanong presidente ang magyu-usurp ng powers ng kahit police e under sa kanya lahat iyon as commander in chief ‘di ba? So anong niyu-usurp ng president doon? (He was the president of the Philippines. He had all the powers, including the powers of a village captain, so how could the president usurp powers when even the police was under him as commander in chief, right? So what was the president usurping there?)” Martires also said that he respected Morales’ decision not to charge Aquino with homicide, but that if another complaint would be filed before the Office of the Ombudsman then it would be entertained. Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, legal counsel of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, told reporters that nothing could prevent them from refiling a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman and that he would pursue homicide charges. “That is his decision but nothing can prevent us from re-filing,” Topacio said in a separate interview. “Hintayin muna namin ‘yung desisyon ng Korte Suprema because, as you know, we have a certiorari case before the Supreme Court saying that the former Ombudsman exercised grave abuse of discretion (We will wait for the Supreme Court’s decision first, because as you know, we have a certiorari case saying that the former Ombudsman exercised grave abuse of discretion),” he said. Asked if he would pursue homicide charges, Topacio answered in the affirmative. “Yes, if only for the memory of these people…I think I owe it to these parents to pursue this case,” he said in part.
Ombudsman Samuel Martires (left) moves for the withdrawal of the graft and usurpation of authority cases filed against former president Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III in relation to the bloody Mamasapano incident four years ago during a hearing on Friday, July 5. ManilaTimes.net photo by Rudy Martinez
In an interview, Martires said, “This is a free country. Anyone is free to file a case against the former president but I just hope that when they file these cases, they will not use their heart, they will use their head. Kasi karamihan sa atin we file cases based on emotions. E pagdating sa kaso e kailangan yata hindi natin gamitin ang mga emosyon (This is a free country. Anyone is free to file a case against the former president but I just hope that when they file these cases, they will not use their heart, they will use their head. Because most of us we file cases based on emotions. When it comes to a case, perhaps we must not use our emotions).” The cases against Aquino (the graft case and the charge of usurpation of official functions were docketed as SB17-CRM-2144 and SB-17CRM-2145, respectively) were consolidated with the charge of usurpation of official functions (docketed as SB-17-CRM-0120) and the graft case (docketed as SB-17-CRM-0121) filed by the Ombudsman in January 2017 against former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima and former PNP-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) Director Getulio Napeñas. Purisima and Napeñas were charged over their alleged participation in the mounting of the police operation in Mamasapano in 2015 despite Purisima being under preventive suspension at that time. “Ang problema namin, if the person, according to Ombudsman, who issued that order cannot be held liable for usurpation and violation of [Section] 3(a) of [Republic Act] 3019 because precisely he is the president, then how come that the persons na inutusan lang niya could be held liable? (Our problem is if the person, according to the Ombudsman, who issued that order cannot be held liable for usurpation and violation of [Section] 3(a) of [Republic Act] 3019 because precisely he is the president, then how come that the persons whom he merely ordered could be held liable?)” Napenas’ lawyer Paolo Mabazza said in an interview on Friday. Republic Act 3019 is the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Mabazza said that “I think as a matter of fairness, if ever the Sandiganbayan will withdraw the Information, the Information that must be withdrawn are the cases against all these accused.” The operation, known as
Oplan Exodus, was aimed at the capture of Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan and his protégé Abdulbasit Usman. Marwan was killed while Usman escaped. Over 60 people, including 44 PNP-SAF members, were killed in the gun battle that ensued. Usman was later killed by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in a chance encounter. In February 2015, the Office of the Ombudsman initiated a fact-finding probe which looked into possible persons responsible in, among others, the planning and conduct of the police operation. It later approved the recommendation of its special panel of field investigators to initiate preliminary investigation against former Purisima, Napeñas, and nine others. The fact-finding investigation stemmed from news reports and separate complaints filed by Fernando Perito, Pedrito Nepomuceno, and Augusto Syjuco Jr. before the office. While the complaints did not implead Aquino, the Office of the Ombudsman motu proprio (on its own) looked into the allegations or reports on his participation. “And the special panel found that whatever participation the president may have had in the Mamasapano incident does not amount prima facie [based on a first impression] to a criminal offense, neither was his participation analogous to any of the impeachable offenses,” Assistant Ombudsman Asryman Rafanan said in 2015. In April 2016, the Office of the Ombudsman found basis to charge Purisima and Napeñas who then filed motions for reconsideration but the Office of the Ombudsman maintained its ruling. Three separate complaints accusing Aquino, Purisima, and Napeñas of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide were filed at the Office of the Ombudsman after Aquino’s term ended last year. In a consolidated resolution approved by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales in July, the office dismissed for lack of probable cause the complaint for reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide. It said that the proximate cause of the death of the SAF 44 was the “intentional act” of shooting by hostile forces including the MILF, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, and private armed groups. However, the Ombudsman found probable cause to charge Aquino with graft and usurpation of official functions. n
Manpower shortage plagues PDEA, agency in drug war’s frontline was suffering from lack of manpower as it takes the lead in President Rodrigo Duterte’s MANILA—Lack of manpower war on drugs. At a press conference, Aquino is plaguing the agency leading the campaign against illegal said shortage in recruits is one drugs with higher salaries in of the problems of the agency, the police force drawing some as he said some PDEA personnel end up joining the Philiprecruits away. Aaron Aquino, director gen- pine National Police (PNP) eral of the Philippine Drug En- where salaries are higher. “As much as we would like to forcement Agency (PDEA), on Friday (July 5) said the PDEA recruit more PDEA agents, we by Cathrine
Gonzales Inquirer.net
are just being provided a very measly 186 agents for 2019. We are projecting about a thousand agents a year,” he said. Even applicants, he said, prefer to join the PNP than PDEA. “That’s another problem that we have,” Aquino said. There are only a total of 1,810 PDEA agents as of July 2019, according to the agency’s spokesperson, Derrick Carreon. n
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Dateline PhiliPPines
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 6-9, 2019
A11
Drilon: Capital punishment under ‘inadequate’ justice system is death warrant for the poor by Christia
Marie Inquirer.net
raMos
MANILA — The leader of the vastly outnumbered minority at the Philippine Senate on Friday, July 5 vowed to put up a tough fight against a push to revive the death penalty saying restoring capital punishment under what he said was an inadequate justice system was tantamount to signing a death warrant for the country’s poor. Several senators had already committed to support measures that would give flesh to President Rodrigo Duterte’s conviction that the solution to criminality was for the government to execute criminals. Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, in a statement, said the heavily outnumbered opposition bloc “will never allow the 18th Congress to give license to authorities to kill the poor.� “We strongly and unequivocally oppose the reimposition of death penalty. We are prepared to fight it all the way,� Drilon said. He acknowledged that “it will
be a tough fight� because the numbers game in Congress was heavily tilted in favor of Duterte, noting that a number of his colleagues at the Senate had already endorsed the revival of death penalty. Drilon said death penalty plus an often corrupt justice system was like giving out death sentences to the poor. “It has been proven time and again that capital punishment is not an effective deterrent to crimes. Only the poor will be made victim of this measure,� he said. Aside from Drilon, Senators Francis Pangilinan, Risa Hontiveros and Leila De Lima are also against the measure. The Senate minority leader, however, said the small group would bank on the support of majority of Filipinos who had expressed strong opposition to reviving the death penalty in a Social Weather Stations survey in 2018 showing that 7 out of 10 Filipinos were not in favor of the death penalty. “No justice will be served if it involves taking a life. Let’s be
more rational, humane, independent, and conscientious in handling this very sensitive issue,� Drilon said. The senator pointed to the a constitutional mandate requiring the Philippines to honor its international treaty obligations which included an international pact to shun and abolish captal punishment. Drilon was referring to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civll and Political Rights which the Philippine Senate ratified and the Executive signed in 2007. It mandated the abolition of death penalty by signatory countries. The pact, said Drilon, does not provide for a withdrawal mechanism which meant signatories would be violating international law if they imposed the death penalty. “Unless this issue is resolved, we cannot have a complete debate, because we will be back to the same question: can the Philippines reimpose death penalty without any regard to our treaty obligation?� he said. n
Military assures Duterte: We will remain ‘professional, loyal to flag, Filipinos, Constitution’ THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will remain “professional and matured,� its spokesman said on Wednesday, July 3, a day after President Rodrigo Duterte asked his soldiers not to stage an uprising under his term. “[The AFP] led by its chief, General Benjamin Madrigal Jr., is comprised of professional and matured servicemen and women who are patriots and loyal to the Constitution and the duly-constituted authorities,� Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo said in a statement. “We have learned our lessons from the past and we shall live with it,� said Arevalo. He was referring to the coup attempts in 1989, 2003 and 2007 against the late president Corazon Aquino and former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Two of the coup leaders went on to become senators – Gregorio “Gringo� Honasan, one of
the leaders of the Reformed the Armed Forces Movement (RAM), and Antonio Trillanes IV of the Magdalo Group. Arevalo said the military had been given “more than what we can ask for� under Duterte, whom he described as having shown “genuine care and concern� for the AFP organization. He cited the increase in soldiers’ pay and allowances and other benefits like housing. Arevalo said the President’s remarks concerning a possible uprising during the Philippine Air Force (PAF) anniversary at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Tuesday were made “randomly.� Arevalo said the President made a similar appeal during a joint command conference of the AFP and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in 2016 when he asked the soldiers to “forget about mounting a military take-
over that would lead to violence, death and destruction.� “We have, time and again assured him, as we assure him today, that we in the AFP shall constantly and will remain loyal to the flag, to the Constitution and to the Filipino people whom we swore to protect with our lives,� Arevalo said. Duterte’s appeal stemmed from his recent controversial statements concerning the incident on Recto Bank where a Chinese vessel rammed a Filipino fishing boat that threw 22 of its crew overboard. Duterte downplayed the incident as “just another maritime accident� and even said he would allow China to fish in the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) – a direct violation of the Constitution that provides the exclusive use of the EEZ for Filipinos. (Dempsey Reyes/ManilaTimes.net)
POLL RALLY. Groups composed of residents of Marawi City and Lanao del Sur hold a rally in front of the Commission on Elections office in Intramuros, Manila to ask the commission to declare a failure of election in their areas on the ground of massive electoral fraud. ManilaTimes.net photo by Rene Dilan
PH slips in ‘most powerful passports’ list MANILA — The Philippine passport is as powerful as one from Ghana and Zimbabwe, according to the latest Henley Passport Index, which counts how many countries and territories a passport holder can go without a visa. The Philippines ranked at the 80th spot, down from 70th-72nd in a 2018 Henley release, with visa-free access to 64 destinations out of a possible 226. The Philippine passport had visa-free access to 66 destinations last year. “This puts it behind other Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia and Thailand, and even African nations like Tanzania and Uganda. In fact, based on our historical data, the Philippines has only improved by two score points in the last five years – in 2014, Filipinos had visa-free/ visa on arrival access to 62 countries,� Henley & Partners, which compiles the index, said in a release. “In contrast, the Indonesian passport has improved by 13 score points in the last five years to give Indonesians visafree/visa-on-arrival access to 69 countries, from just 56 countries in 2014,� it also said. Afghanistan has the weakest passport in the world, according to the latest Henley index, with visa-free access to 25 destinations. ‘Many Filipinos seeking sec-
The Philippine passport is as powerful as one from Ghana and Zimbabwe, according to the Henley Passport Index. Philstar.com photo
ond citizenship’ In the region, the Philippine passport ranked seventh in a list of ten countries, behind Indonesia and ahead of Cambodia. Singapore, whose citizens have passports with a global rank of 1, leads the region, followed by Malaysia, which has a global rank of 13. Myanmar has the least powerful passport in the region, with visa-free access to just 46 countries. Laos and Vietnam share the ninth spot with visa-free access to 49 countries. It added that Filipinos represented “nearly a fifth� of the residency and citizenship planning firm’s business in Southeast Asia in 2018. “We have been seeing de-
mand from Filipinos for second citizenship from countries such as Cyprus, Malta and Grenada. And according to a Wealth-X report, Philippines’ high net worth (HNW) population is expected to grow by 9.4% growth by 2023. So we can expect more and more wealthy Filipinos looking to alternative citizenship as a way to improve their travel mobility and freedom,� it also said. Henley & Partners said their ranking is based on “exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association, which maintains the world’s largest and most accurate database of travel information, and enhanced by ongoing research by the Henley & Partners Research Department.� (Philstar.com)
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A12 july 6-9, 2019 • lA WEEKEND ASIAN jOuRNAl
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 6-9, 2019
SHOWBIZ&STYLE
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Journal
3 Filipino filmmakers invited to be members of the Academy by
Ritchel Mendiola AJPress
THREE Filipino filmmakers were invited to become members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), the governing body behind the Oscars wherein members vote for the winners of the prestigious awards show. Ditsi Carolino, PJ Raval and Baby Ruth Villarama were among the 842 new members invited by The Academy. In the complete list released Tuesday, July 2, prominent personalities such as Tom Holland, Alexander Skarsgård, “The Crown’s” Claire Foy, Lady Gaga, “Crazy Rich Asians” director Jon Chu, and Gemma Chan were invited, as well. The Filipino filmmakers took to social media to express their joy about being welcomed by The Academy. Raval, known for his works like “Call Her Ganda” and “Before You Know It,” said on Instagram: “WHAT A DAY!!! Not only is @callherganda having its @pbs broadcast premiere on @ povdocs tonight at 10pm (check local listings!!!), but just got
Gary Valenciano
Ditsi Carolino, PJ Raval and Baby Ruth Villarama
invited into the @theacademy!!! And I’m in such great company too! Congrats to all!!! Best. Day. Ever!!! #WeAreTheAcademy.” Meanwhile, Villarama, whose notable works include “Sunday Beauty Queen” and “Jazz in Love,” posted on Facebook about how it is an honor to raise the Philippines’ flag in The Academy. She also thanked Filipina documentarist Ramona Diaz, who was also previously inducted into the AMPAS, for being a champion. “I guess life can really take this young dreamer from Baliuag
by surprise. To changing the narrative how the world sees us and how we see ourselves within, it is my honour to raise our three stars and sun; our white, yellow, blue and red to be with the world’s finest in ushering the best documentary films from Asia and the world,” Villarama said. Carolino is best known for her documentaries “Mula pabrika hanggang Fukuoka” and “Bunso: The Youngest.” The Academy announced that half of the new members it invited were female and 29% are people of color.
ABS-CBN photo
‘God is good’: Gary V shares journey to being cancer-free by Jan
Milo SeveRo
Philstar.com
SINGER Gary Valenciano has revealed that after undergoing a heart bypass surgery, he also had another health issue: kidney cancer. In his Twitter account, “Mr. Pure Energy” posted a video where he admitted that he also battled kidney cancer. “It was May of last year that I was given a life-changing diagnosis of cancer in my right kidney,” Gary bared. “This was revealed to me as I was healing from a bypass procedure done last May 6, 2018. A few weeks later, on June 13, 2018, I underwent surgery to remove the cancer from my kidney,” he added. good condition. by Jan Milo SeveRo The veteran performer said he “Thank you very much to all Philstar.com the wonderful doctors, nurses just shared the news for people to AFTER a three-day absence in and staff of The Medical City see how good God is. “Just needed to share this with his noontime variety show “It’s for taking good care of me for 3 you all. God bless you in ways that Showtime,” Kapamilya come- days. Ang babait at ang aliwalas dian Vice Ganda confirmed that nyo. God bless you guys! Uwian will simply make you see just how good He really is,” he said. he was hospitalized, reportedly na,” Vice wrote. He thanked his family, friends due to diarrhea and vomiting. Vice said during the Saturday and fans for all the love and supIn his Twitter account, the live telecast of “It’s Showtime” blockbuster comedian declared that he was feeling sick, but port he received during the difthat he has been discharged he needed to go to “Idol Phil- ficult times. “Battling with type-1 diabetes, Vice Ganda from the hospital and is now in then a bypass, and kidney canPAGE B2 Photo from Instagram/@praybeytbenjamin
Vice Ganda confirms reason for absence on ‘It’s Showtime’
cer... I’m still here. And He has been as faithful as ever. Indeed there is absolutely nothing impossible with God,” he said. This coming Saturday, July 6, swoon to classic and timeless Original Pilipino Music hits such as “Paano,” “Nandito Ako,”,“Maghihintay Sa ‘Yo,” and “Babaero,” from renowned entertainers Gary Valenciano, Ogie Alcasid, Dingdong Avanzado, and Randy Santiago in a special concert called “Green & Go,” at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan. All four were previous members of the most popular high school singing group, Kundirana from La Salle Greenhills, and have gone on to have successful careers in music and in film and are acknowledged to be Filipino pop culture legends. In a career that has spanned over three decades, Valenciano, known as “Mr. Pure Energy” for his incredible dance moves, has recorded 29 albums, and most recently, has recorded a few songs with his daughter, Kiana. This 2019 finds Alcasid celebrating his 30th year in the music industry. It was 30 years ago when Alcasid’s self-titled debut album hit the charts and airwaves. The
album hit gold status and the song “Nandito Ako” was named Song of the Year. He has released a total of 18 albums in his career. Since his classic debut album Tatlong Beinte Singko that was released in 1988 that spawned three hits singles (including the title track that was written by another Kundirana alumnus in Rannie Raymundo), Avanzado has gone on to have a successful career with 11 best-selling albums. He has gone on to record an album wife actress-singer wife, Jessa Zaragoza, and daughter, Jayda. Of the four, Randy Santiago is best-known for successfully crossing over from music to film as well as a comedian and host for various noontime television shows. He has released only one album, but has scored a number of hit singles. Green & Go’s musical director is a fellow Kundirana alumnus, Mon Faustino. Tickets to the Green & Go concert are available at ticketnet. com.ph. “I can’t wait to hit the stage with these guys… my brothers in music,” enthused Valenciano of the upcoming show where the proceeds will go to the LSGH HS ’84 Medical Fund.
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A journey to the land of the Bible by Emil
Aga Muhlach and Nadine Lustre with Viva Entertainment’s Vic del Rosario
Photo from Instagram/@vivaartistsagency
Nadine, Aga to star in ‘Miracle in Cell No. 7’ remake
from Philippine Entertainment Portal said on Thursday, July 4. The news came a few days A TANDEM that perhaps no after Viva Artists Agency anone imagined will retell one of nounced in its official Instagram the best-selling films in Korea. account an upcoming project for Actress Nadine Lustre along- the two. side Aga Muhlach are set to “Miracle Cell No. 7” is a 2013 star in the Filipino adaptation of multi-awarded Korean comedy“Miracle in Cell No. 7,” a report drama film starring Ryu Seungby
Krissy AguilAr Inquirer.net
ryong, Kal So-won, and Park Shin-hye. It tells the story of a mentally challenged man who was wrongfully imprisoned and was helped by criminals in his cell to see his daughter again. Viva has yet to announce other details of the upcoming film.
PErito
ACCORDING to Pope emeritus Benedict XVI, going on a pilgrimage means “to step out of ourselves in order to encounter God where he has revealed himself, where his grace has shone with particular splendour and produced rich fruits of conversion and holiness among those who believe.” A pilgrimage is important because it is a means to help us remember our roots, renew our faith, strengthen our relationship with God. From February 9 to 21, 2020, pilgrims can quench their thirst for a spiritual connection with the Lord through Air Plus Travel’s 13-day pilgrimage to the land of the Bible. Visiting the land of the Bible is an experience like no other. For one, it’s a living tour of where faith began. It is an opportunity to walk the same land where Jesus was born, lived, healed, ministered, died and resurrected. The pilgrimage starts in
Cairo, Egypt’s capital and the beacon of religion. Travel back in time and experience ancient Egypt as you visit the Great Pyramids of Giza and Sphinx, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Have a look at the ancient Egyptian treasures displayed in the Egyptian Museum, and climb Mount Sinai, the Mountain of Moses where he received the Ten Commandments. After departing Egypt, trawl through the ancient lost city of Petra in Jordan. Visit places like Madaba, where you can see the wonderfully vivid 6th-century Byzantine mosaic map of the Holy Land in the contemporary Greek Orthodox church of St. George; Mt. Nebo, where Moses was granted a breathtaking view of the Promised Land; and Jericho, one of the oldest cities in the world. Step into the Holy Land and walk where Jesus Christ walked. Visit various biblical sites like Capernaum, the center of Jesus’ ministry where he performed many miracles;
the Church of the Miracle of the Loaves and the Fishes, the site of the multiplication miracle; and the Mt. of Beatitudes. Enter the Blessed Cave, where Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary; as well as Mary and Joseph’s house and carpentry shop where Jesus spent 30 years of his life. Journey to the holy town of Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, and visit the Church of the Nativity — one of the oldest churches in Christianity. Dip into the Dead Sea, the deepest hypersaline lake in the world, and enjoy its unique healing mineral waters. Set out on this transformational pilgrimage and have your faith be enriched with a visceral understanding of the Bible as its every page comes to life. 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)
Francine recalls how Melai ‘Who are you?’: Liza didn’t saved her family from being recognize Enrique after US surgery kicked out of rented home by JAn milo sEvEro Philstar.com
FRANCINE Diaz revealed that during a very difficult time, TV host Melai Cantiveros helped her family in paying for their house rent. Diaz spoke about Cantiveros’ financial assistance to her family in an episode of the talk show “Magandang Buhay” which aired on Wednesday, July 3. Cantiveros added that she knew Diaz from working together in the TV series “We Will Survive”. “Muntik na talaga kaming mapalayas po noon. Tapos wala kaming ilaw noon talaga po, so nakaligpit na yung gamit namin, nasa box na, naka-ayos na. ‘Tas hindi po namin alam saan kami lilipat, tapos wala po kaming kuryente (We almost got kicked out at that time. We also did not have electricity, and our things were already packed. We did not know where we would transfer),” Diaz narrated. “Tapos pinaki-usapan po namin noon si Ate Melai kung pwedeng manghiram ng ganito, ganyan,”
Francine Diaz
Diaz said. “Tapos sumagot po siya, and iyon, nakabayad po kami ng renta namin, sa ilaw. Kaya hindi po kami napalayas dahil kay Ate Melai (Then we asked help from Ate Melai if we can borrow this, that. She answered, and that’s it,
Photo from Instagram/@binibinifrancine_
we were able to pay our rent and electricity. We were not kicked out because of Ate Melai).” Cantiveros explained that she helped Diaz because of their good working relationship. (Inquirer. net)
A VIDEO of Kapamilya actress Liza Soberano and on- and offscreen partner Enrique Gil has been viral online. In the video, Liza was seen lying on a hospital bed while looking like she had been into a surgery for her injured finger. Enrique then visited Liza with a bouquet of flowers. In the video, Enrique said to Liza, “Hope.” Liza’s real name is Hope Elizabeth Soberano. Liza replied: “Who are you?” “It’s me, Quen,” Enrique answered. Last month, Liza shut down breakup rumors between her and Enrique. She was asked by
her talent manager Ogie Diza if she and Enrique are still together. “Oo naman,” Liza said, adding that even though she is in the US for her finger surgery, they maintained constant communication through video chat. Liza recently backed out playing the role of iconic Filipino superhero Darna for a Star Cinema movie because of her finger injury, which she got at the shooting of her now concluded teleserye with Enrique, “Bagani.” Meanwhile, Ogie called out radio jockey Kapitana Sisa for allegedly maliciously spreading rumors that Liza underwent dilation and curettage (“raspa”) in the US. The radio DJ has since Liza Soberano apologized to Liza and Ogie. Photo from Instagram/@lizasoberano
Anita Linda: PH cinema’s oldest working actress feted at ‘Sandaan’ event by
mArinEl r. Cruz Inquirer.net
IT is interesting to note that, at 94, she is only a few years younger than Philippine cinema itself,” observed filmmaker Adolfo Alix Jr. of Anita Linda, who is currently the oldest living actress working in show biz. Alix was among those present at the “Sandaan: Dunong ng Isang Ina” event organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) on June 16 to honor the veteran actress’ contributions to the local movie industry. Held at the Cinematheque Center in Manila, the event was part of the commemoration of “Sandaan: One Hundred Years of Philippine Cinema.” It was attended by Linda’s family, friends and people she has worked with. “Tita Alice (Lake in real life) was born during the first years of Philippine cinema. She is a living storyteller of how our cinema has evolved. She has worked with almost all the notable directors and actors of each era,” Alix pointed out. “It’s good that she was given a tribute now that she is still able to personally accept her trophy
Anita Linda
Inquirer.net photo
with the screening of Alix’s and appreciate it.” Alix added: “At her age, it “Adela,” with Linda as lead star, is important to her that she’s and ended at 6:30 p.m. For Alix, the highlights were being recognized for what she has done for the industry. I hope the screening of a video featurthere will be more events to pay ing Linda’s most notable films, tribute to veteran artists.” The as well as the presentation of filmmaker was referring to vet- her photos, movie posters and eran actress Mona Lisa, who is trophies for “The Life of Anita now 97, but has already retired Linda: An Exhibit,” which showcased the various stages of her from making movies. The event started at 3 p.m. life as an actress.
Dave on joining ‘Fast and Furious’ spin-off: ‘I’d rather do good films’ by
niñA v. guno Inquirer.net
DAVE Bautista is snubbing a possibility of starring in a “Fast and the Furious” spin-off. Pro wrestlers have found their footing in Hollywood action films, with Dave Bautista among them. He is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Drax the Destroyer, starring in “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Avengers” films. Dwayne Johnson a.k.a. The Rock has been in the “Fast” franchise since “Fast Five.” He has PAGE B3
Dave Bautista
Photo from Instagram/@davebautista
Vice Ganda confirms reason...
PAGE B1 ippines” later that night. He was also present in the reality singing competition’s Sunday episode. The comedian is a judge in
“Idol Philippines,” together with Regine Velasquez, James Reid and Moira Dela Torre. Meanwhile, Ion Perez, Vice’s “It’s Showtime” co-host and rumored partner, recently posted a
photo on his Instagram account where he and another co-host, Ryan Bang, were in a hospital. The photo fueled speculations that Ion took care of the comedian while he was sick.
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EntErtainmEnt
The Beverly Hills-based Oliver Tolentino designed for Anna Maria Perez de Tagle a wedding gown that featured an 8.5-meter train. Also in photo is Emmy-winning actress Uzo Aduba. Contributed photo
Anna Maria a princess bride in Oliver Tolentino Ricky Lo Philstar.com
by
HOLLYWOOD actress Anna Maria Perez de Tagle exchanged “I do’s” with Scott Kline Jr. before a star-studded crowd last Saturday, June 29, at the Cathedral of our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, California, the same church where Lea Salonga and Rob Chien were wed in 2004. Anna Maria, who grew up on the Disney Channel, looked like a princess in a custom Oliver Tolentino wedding gown that featured an 8.5-meter train. A Fil-Am like her husband, Anna Maria grew up acting alongside the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, and Demi Lovato in Hannah Montana and the Camp Rock movies. More recently, she co-starred in Godspell on Broadway and appeared as guest in Charmed. Her father is actor Artie Perez de Tagle and her grandmother is the legendary Sylvia La Torre.
“After they were set up by a cousin,” recalled Oliver in an earlier Funfare exclusive, “Anna Maria and Scott (an aerospace engineer whose mother is Filipina and father is German-Irish American) had their first date, fittingly, at Disneyland. The courtship over a shared love of music, food, travel, and the same core values, lasted two years when Scott proposed at 11 a.m. on 11/11. Anna Maria quickly accepted and Scott sealed it with a heart-shaped ring surrounded by double halo pink diamonds.” In the wedding service, Artie and wife Evelyn waited for their daughter at the halfway mark of the aisle. When Anna Maria appeared, the crowd gasped. Beverly Hills-based Oliver, who was among the principal sponsors, collaborated with Anna Maria on her dream gown: An off-white long-sleeved silk organza ball gown with a 28foot train (8.53 meters). The
entire gown featured fully handbeaded lace with thousands of Swarovski crystals. A 33-foot veil (10 meters) completed the fairy-tale look. When Anna Maria walked towards her parents, all the crystals sparkled in the light and her train and veil filled the entire width of the church’s cathedral. She carried a bridal bouquet full of cascading white roses, peonies and calla lilies. Her parents escorted Anna Maria the rest of the way. “Mom and Dad fought emotions as Artie put his daughter’s hands in Scott’s and they took their seats on the front row,” related Oliver. “Overall, the wedding motif was purple, Anna Maria’s lifelong favorite, so naturally the entourage reflected her love of the color.” Emmy-winning actress Uzo Aduba served as Maid of Honor. Aduba, who won two Emmy Awards for her work on the PAGE B4
Kris to reclaim ‘Horror Queen’ title in new film
by
RoNNie caRRasco iii ManilaTimes.net
KRIS Aquino, who successfully made the crossover to the digital realm from television, is still being lured by the movies. In fact, even with the spate of scary movies in Philippine cinema recently, she’s not about to relinquish her title as “Horror Queen,” following her previous terror-filled blockbusters “Feng Shui” (2004) and “Sukob” (2006), both helmed seasoned director Chito Roño. Kris is slated to shoot a stilluntitled hair-raising flick, whose producers are apparently willing to wait until she feels well PAGE B5
Kris Aquino
Photo from Instagram/@krisaquino
Christian says you don’t have to be gay to support gay rights by
Niña V. GuNo Inquirer.net
CHRISTIAN Bables educated fans about what it means to be an LGBTQ+ ally after it was hinted that he was gay for attending the Metro Manila Pride March. The actor showed his support for the LGBTQ+ community during the Metro Manila Pride parade on Saturday, June 29. It led to a fan stating that she “deserved an explanation” on Facebook and her friend commenting, “I told you,” implying assumptions about his gender preference because of his presence at Pride. Bables explained on Twitter on Monday, July 1, that believing in equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community is not an indicator of someone being gay or tomboy. He said too that he believes in equal rights because they are people too. He urged the fan and her friend to avoid gender stereotyping and think about how their judgmental Christian Babies words can hurt others.
Photo from Facebook/@ChristianBablesOfficial
Dave on joining ‘Fast and Furious... PAGE B2 a spin-off slated for August with Jason Statham called “Hobbs and Shaw.” Last June, Cena was confirmed to star in “Fast and the Furious 9.” A fan on Twitter (@The_Only_ Hybrid) suggested on June 28 that Bautista play a villain in a “Fast and the Furious” spin-off starring Johnson and Cena. The “Guardians” star did not take the proposal well, responding with vomiting emoji. “Thank you for your consideration #idratherdogoodfilms,” he said.
Twitter users have hit back at the actor’s patronizing post by replying to his tweet with his poorly rated action films including the “Escape Plan” movies, “Wrong Side of Town” and “Hotel Artemis.” The “Fast” franchise has enjoyed positive reviews in its offerings from “Fast Five” in 2011 up to its eighth installment “The Fate of the Furious” in 2017, as per Rotten Tomatoes. Bautista has responded to the criticism in a June 30 tweet. “Genius! Big Dave didn’t state
that he’s never done a bad film. But I did them for particular reasons that helped build an ‘acting’ career. And I got to work with Sly (Sylvester Stallone) so in your face with that! You’re dismissed!” Back in February, Bautista threw shade at Johnson and Cena in a Tampa Bay Times interview. He said he “hated” being compared to them: “Those guys are wrestlers who became movie stars. I’m… something else. I was a wrestler. Now, I’m an actor.”
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 6-9, 2019
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STILL MORE IMMIGRATION QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED THIS SUNDAY IN PART 4 OF “CITIZEN PINOY” IN CHICAGO! How can doctors, nurses, or caregivers in the Philippines immigrate to the U.S.? Can a previous petition be reopened\revived if the applicant did not appear for the interview? Can a person be refused a visa because they are depressed? Get the answers to these and more on a brandnew episode of — “Citizen Pinoy,” this Sunday at 6:15 p.m. PST/EST (9:15 p.m. EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers). (Advertising Supplement)
Can a person be refused a visa because of depression? Get the answer this Sunday on “Citizen Pinoy: Your Tanong, My Sagot”
MORE immigration questions will be answered from the fourth batch of Kapamilya who attended the Citizen PInoy live show in Skokie, Illinois. Leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel provides timely replies and relevant
information to questions like --- What can doctors, nurses, or caregivers in the Philippines do to legally come to the U.S.? Can a previous petition be reopened if the applicant did not appear for their interview? These questions and more will
be answered on an all-new episode of the information-packed, public service program — “Citizen Pinoy: Your Tanong, My Sagot —Sunday, at 6:15 p.m. PST/EST (9:15 p.m. EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers).
(Advertising Supplement)
Jackie laments ‘racism’ against family in US by
Niña V. GuNo Inquirer.net
JACKIE Forster recounted her experience with racism during a family vacation in the United States. Forster, her husband, Michael Franken, and kids Jared, Caleigh and Yohan have been in the States for the past weeks, touring California and, most recently, Las Vegas. The family is traveling with Forster’s sister Farrah Forster, whose kids also tagged along. While the kids have been enjoying summer in America, Forster opened up about the dark side of their trip. “White Supremacy is so rampant these days. I haven’t experienced this much racism in PAGE B5 Jackie Forster
Photo from Instagram@jackie_forster
FEATURES
B4 JULY 6-9, 2019 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
Anna Maria a princess...
PAGE B3 soon-to-end Orange Is The New Black, co-starred with Anna Maria in Godspell. They became best friends. Aduba flew from working in New York. Oliver created a custom purple silk chiffon gown for Aduba, a hand-draped silk chiffon with fully handbeaded embroidered bodice for Evelyn, and a darker shade of purple off-shoulder gown with a hand-draped beaded bodice skirt for Scott’s mom Maria.
For Lola Sylvia, Oliver designed a champagne silk chiffon gown that featured a handbeaded lace bodice with 3-D flowers and bell sleeves, and for Scott, Oliver added special touches to an Armani tuxedo that had sentimental value to the groom. The remaining bridesmaid dresses were by Filipina designer Pia Gladys Perey, originally from Australia. The dresses were in different purple shades
and silhouettes. At the ceremony, Lola Sylvia regaled the crowd of 200-plus guests with a slow rendition of Ave Maria during the offering to Virgin Mary. Her voice moved many to tears since she was singing for the last of eight grandchildren to marry. Godspell castmate Eric Krop also sang My Heart Belongs To You, but Anna Maria surprised Scott when halfway through she pulled out a microphone and started singing the song directly to him. The groom was visibly moved. At the reception in the ballroom of the nearby Hilton Hotel, dear friends and Hollywood actors Maria Canals Barrera (Wizards of Waverly Place and Camp Rock) and David Barrera (Generation Kill) watched Anna and Scott as they had their first dance to N*Sync’s This I Promise You. After that, the bride and groom surprised the crowd with a duet of Forever More by Side A. Scott had never sung publicly before. They followed that with a first dance to Kenny Roger’s Through The Years, joined by their parents. During the reception, Anna Maria changed into an entirely new Oliver Tolentino gown that had guests gasping anew. The dress was more manageable than the voluminous gown so the couple could do a second dance to Bruno Mars’ Finesse. The reception dress was offwhite silk tulle with long seethrough sleeves. The ball gown had a bodice hand-beaded in a Baroque style, running down the sleeves, with layers of tulle for the skirt. The reception ballroom was bathed in a purple glow created from special gobo projections that changed color shades. The tables were covered in purple confetti. Alexa Flowers created centerpieces incorporating colors of summer (L.A.’s current season) like white and purple hydrangeas, mokara orchids, and purple lisianthus. The couple cut a five-tier heart-shaped wedding cake by Pastry By Jazmyne. There was also a dessert table, all in the purple theme with ube flavored sweets, created by Café 86 Right after the reception, the newly-weds jetted off to Spain for their honeymoon. They will make L.A. their home.
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MOONLIGHTING
The camera never blinks Part I of II
by MYLAH DE
LEON
IT is hard to find words to describe photographers. They work long and hard on their photos that tell a story and accompany their dreams of becoming good press photographers. They have dreams doing good with their lives, of changing the world — at least small corners of it — as they imagine that perhaps, a hundred years from now, their stories would be heard, with their pictures capturing how men thought, felt and reacted in response to circumstances of their time. They are different from you and Nikki Arriola me: while reporting side by side on news events coverages, our differences are deeper than rhetoric, skin shades or liver spots. You read and weep, but every picture is worth a thousand words…breaking molds, going beyond boundaries, as he rolls his craft of graphic details in one coherent whole: more vicious than the pen. The camera can turn blood into smoke, sometimes ignoring convention, as they click away always on a trail of scoops and excitement. Today, the field has become more competitive, with a broader range of subjects: photographers have covered wars and wonders, fashion, entertainers and athletes, celebrations, disasters and discoveries. With developed skills and Philip Ner extraordinary versatility of not merely covering an event: combining information with emotion, even comment. “FREEDOM: Showcasing the Creativity of Free-Spirited Filipino American Photographers” is a group photo exhibition of 10 Filipino American photographers: Joanna Allas Fojas, Robert Gamo, Rick Gavino, Vics Magsaysay, Philip Ner, Randy Ordonez, Rodolfo Samonte, Bienvenido Sibug and Benny Uy that opened on June 30 at the Filipino Cultural Center in Los Angeles’ Historic Filipinotown. The exhibit runs up to August 31st by the Filipino American Press Club of California. It was a collection of photographers where their cameras relentlessly captured every unrestrained PAGE B5
Robert Gamo
Life Coaching in a Different Perspective
Realities in life: Rest, relax and simply breathe (Part I of II)
STARGAZER I RECENTLY had a bout with profuse nose bleeding because a small vessel ruptured inside my nasal cavity caused by acute sinusitis. This caused me three trips to the emergency room and overnight confi nement in the hospital. This was why I wasn’t able to write for a while since I had to be careful not to be overworked. Adding to the gravity of the situation, the summer heat was unbearable and so was STRESS. W h a t then was I stressed about? The busy routine started in the holiday month of December. Christmas parties, reunions, gift giving missions to the underprivileged, my acceptance of an award as the pride of Antique and new year celebrations kept me on my toes, moving from one place to another. The month of January had my appointment book filled with schedules of people wanting to be guided for the year. I had also been in and out of countries and Philippine provinces from February to May to guide people, accept another award, attend business/restaurant openings and look for a maid replacement. The latter was the most difficult of all situations and gave the most headache. Being based in the Philippines, the weather definitely will take a toll on your health. Top it off with the traffic and pollution and the reality that I am not getting any younger. Aggravating the situation for the past three weeks, the air conditioning in my room was not functioning, even well after having it cleaned and repaired by the service provider. I was sleeping drench in sweat every night, causing my allergies to act up and my sinuses swelled and got infected. But is there really a perfect solution to all this stress? Is
there a way to eliminate it? The answer is a big NO. Stress factors will always be around anyone anytime. It is just a matter of how much we can take it. When is enough, enough? Your body can only take that much stress. Our system reacts to it. We fall ill because our body tells us to slow down and relax... and breathe. I felt my body sending signals to my brain to schedule a muchneeded R and R. A short trip to the Visayas was in the offing but I did not make it. My doctor
touching base with the old me and let my mind wander off to days that were. Taking time off for one whole month made my skin glow more and this was noticeable on tv. My followers and viewers of my program, Pinoy Vibes on DZMM Teleradyo in Manila, noticed I was “blooming” and was exuding that certain glow. Oh, what resting can do to the skin! My readings became more accurate and realized that I became sharper with my senses. I was also able to have time to pray more for others and clean some closets. Am I boring you with my I’s? I hope not. What I have just shared are actual results of how rest and destressing can do to us. Stilling the mind and breathing are what I did for four weeks. In the coming issues, I will talk about realities in life and how we can handle different so-called stressful and negative situations. These are true to life experiences of people I’ve met and guided. How to become more positive amidst challenges and negativity will be our focus. By the way, I am now OK and roaring to go. Oops! I meant roaring to conquer and manage stress more efficiently.
“But is there really a perfect solution to all this stress? Is there a way to eliminate it? Stress factors will always be around anyone anytime. It is just a matter of how much we can take it.” prohibited me from taking plane rides. But when your body reacts and finally says enough is enough, heed and take it slow. I had no choice but stay put and enjoyed every minute of my socalled “house arrest.” I smiled at the coincidences. My driver just took his monthlong vacation (hopefully he does not enjoy too much his fi esta days), and driving in Manila is a real nightmare. This lessened my “lakwatsa” days and I was forced to make myself busy at home. This gave me time to contemplate and do some meditation on certain days. I also listened to music while attending to my creative artworks. I canceled my counseling sessions and simply took time off creating masterpieces from branches of coffee trees. I slept and rested well, unmindful of appointments and the rush. I focused more on creativity and worked on making bracelets from semi-precious stones. I reminisced old times with friends and chatted on the phone or messenger and simply got in touch with people I have forgotten for a long time. I began
*** Stargazer is a life coach, aura reader, psychic/clairvoyant, and lecturer on the paranormal. She uses the aura, energies & vibrations as focal points of her psychic readings. Using several techniques involving the psychological, spiritual, paranormal and her own experience of the intricacies of life, Stargazer makes one get in touch with his inner and understand life in a positive manner. Faith in God and belief in self is what Stargazer emphasizes on. Currently, Stargazer is a radio anchor of DZMM Teleradyo, the radio arm of ABS-CBN. Her show “Pinoy Vibes” has been airing every Sunday morning since Sept. 2007. She can be reached at stargazerphils@gmail.com. For more information, please visit http:// stargazer.ph/.
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Features
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 6-9, 2019
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Pechanga Resort Casino: A new level of luxury in Southern California
NOW the largest resort/casino on the West Coast, Pechanga Resort Casino offers guests approachable luxury with subtle elements of the Tribe’s native heritage woven into architectural and resort experiences. This major expansion added 568 AAA Four Diamond hotel rooms and suites, a 4.5-acre pool complex, two additional restaurants, a two-level luxury spa with fitness and yoga studio, and another 68,000 square feet of meeting and event space including the 40,000 square foot Pechanga Summit. Come stay in one 1,090 luxurious rooms and suites; every one featuring the latest amenities in comfort and convenience. Play any of the 4,500 slots and 154 table games or go all-in at the Pechanga Poker room. Guests can even play the ponies at the new Off-Track Betting parlor. At Pechanga, the biggest and best resort casino on the West Coast, it’s easy to play your perfect combination. Make a splash at the new tropical pool oasis – The Cove. With four pools – including a main pool with a swim-up bar and a family pool with a waterslide and splash pad – three spas, a dedicated restaurant and 27 well-appointed, spacious cabanas for rent, paradise in the sun awaits. Culinary cravings can be indulged at one of 13 restaurants. Whether it’s a prime steak, fresh sushi, tasty pasta, creative Asian, hearty barbecue, California bistro, Sunday brunch or your comfort food favorites, Pechanga has something tasty and satisfying for every palate. Renew, recharge and revive at the all-new, luxury Spa Pechanga. Seventeen treatment rooms and custom massages and facials featuring native botanicals, steam room and sauna, a state-of-the-art fitness center and full-service nail, barber and hair salon await. Numerous amenities are designed to offer an intimate escape into health and wellness. Whether a guest’s plans include a meeting for 50, a wedding for 100, a banquet
Vics Magsaysay
Hotel Cove
The camera never blinks...
PAGE B4 expression of journalism, partialities, determined to get photographers others failed to get — fierce and competitive, always on the trail of scoops and exclusives. The power of their photographs, with its vivid communication of reality, is a tapestry which tells a story through images of people and events captured in the split second that it happened. Needing only a few words, the photo delivers the complete message. Today, photographers are different than before they have more visual sophistication with photos better composed, more artful, and less like a poised tableau. ***
Hotel Corner Suite
E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl@aol.com
Benny Uy
Kris to reclaim ‘Horror...
Lobby Bar
for 1,000 or a concert for the ages, the new event space – the Pechanga Summit - has everything one needs to bring an event to life. Entertainers, concerts, live sporting events, trade shows, weddings, or any large group now have a 40,000-square foot area to book. Pechanga Resort Casino offers one of the largest and most expansive resort/casino experiences anywhere in the United States. Named the Number One casino in America by readers of USA TODAY and rated a Four Diamond property by AAA since 2002, Pechanga Resort Casino provides an unparalleled
getaway. Offering more than 4,600 of the hottest slots, table games, world-class entertainment, 1,090 hotel rooms, dining, spa and championship golf at Journey at Pechanga, Pechanga Resort Casino features a destination that meets and exceeds the needs of its guests and the community. Pechanga Resort Casino is owned and operated by the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians. For more information, call toll free (877) 711-2946 or visit www.Pechanga.com. Follow Pechanga Resort Casino on Facebook and on Twitter @ PechangaCasino. (Advertising Supplement)
PAGE B3 enough to take on a demanding movie actress schedule. And if we are to base the news of her movie comeback from her Instagram revelation this past week, it seems her return to the set is providential. “In SG [Singapore where she
gets medical treatment for her ‘form of lupus’ and chronic spontaneous urticaria], I asked myself what do I want to go back to that will encourage and inspire me to regularly do the water physiotherapy my doctors were all recommending? And [a horror] script was emailed to me. I won’t
give specific details, mabait ang producers because I had asked to start in September when I feel my immunity can take on the physicality required. But for now, I need to strengthen myself. Thank you for your patience with me. I’m learning to exercise that with myself, too.”
Jackie laments ‘racism’ against family...
PAGE B3 a very long time,” she said in an Instagram post on Monday, June 17. She recalled that her son Jared and other children were “bullied” at a water park, a waitress “refused to take our orders” at a Las Vegas restaurant and that a couple yelled at them while they were getting off a minivan at a parking lot. “When you’ve experienced
racism growing up and have traveled the world enough you will know with more certainty when people size you up for certain reasons. Their whole demeanor is a tell tale,” she wrote. “Funny how they don’t see how obvious and ignorant they look and how sad THEY really are. It’s even more sad to know so many people face racism practically every day their whole
lives. I wish people would be kinder.” Instances of racism toward Filipinos and other people of color across the US have been documented on social media. According to an April 2019 Pew Research Center report, 76% of Asians said they have experienced racism. Asians also said they experience more slurs or jokes because of their race or ethnicity.
B JULY 6-9, 2019 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 6-9, 2019
COMMUNITY Journal
Enslaved in the US for decades: 83-year-old Filipina celebrates life and freedom for the first time this 4th of July
LOS ANGELES - As the country celebrated its independence this week on 4th of July, freedom takes on a new meaning for Fedelina Lugasan, a victim of modern-day slavery and human trafficking. For decades, the 83-year-old Filipina was enslaved and coerced into a life of domestic servitude without pay or any days off. Lugasan was rescued earlier last year in Northridge, California, by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC). Lugasan was identified as a potential victim of abuse when she collapsed in a hospital after not being able to rest or eat for days while watching over her employer, Benedicta Cox. Under the suspicion that something was wrong, the hospital alerted law enforcement, which resulted in the FBI searching Cox’s residence and the eventual rescue of Lugasan. As an organization advocating to eradicate human trafficking, PWC assisted Lugasan during her rescue and in finding her path to independence by providing access to medical care, housing, food and legal support services. She was also introduced to a community of Filipinos who now call her “Nanay,” which means mother in Tagalog. After months of investigation, Cox was put on house arrest, sentenced to probation for five years and ordered to pay $101,119.98 in restitution. PWC also leads a workplace justice campaign that brings abused workers to justice by filing wage claims and restitution of wages. With the assumption that Lugasan has been working round-the-clock from the day of her arrival in the U.S., PWC estimates that the total back wages should be a minimum of $1,625,856.00. This is based on the California minimum wage from the time she started working for Cox’s family in the United States in 1980, up until the time of her rescue in 2018, excluding overtime pay. “Although we celebrate her freedom from slavery, it is a bit-
Fedelina Lugasan with Pilipino Workers Center Executive Director Aquilina Soriano Versoza at Lugasan’s 83rd birthday celebration.
Fedelina Lugasan (center), who was rescued from a modern-day slavery situation earlier this year, celebrates her 83rd birthday with members of the Pilipino Workers Center and representatives from the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles.
tersweet victory knowing that Nanay Fedelina’s restitution did not even come close to a tenth of the back wages that she deserved. The results of her case highlights the brokenness of our judicial system and exposes a greater need for reform in legislation of anti-trafficking laws and better protection policies for human trafficking survivors,” said Aquilina Soriano Versoza, executive director of PWC. Lugasan was born in Leyte, a province in the Philippines. At age 16, she was recruited by Cox’s mother to work for their family as a live-in domestic worker. With the promise of a better
life, Lugasan was brought to their home in Manila, the Philippines’ capital. She worked by doing all kinds of household chores and taking care of the children. But she ended up not getting paid for her services. Though she wanted to leave, she was left with no money or any other means to go back to her hometown. With her back against the wall, Lugasan stayed. At age 28, Lugasan was brought to the United States to take care of Cox’s sister who was sick at that time. But she ended up working for the entire family. For over 30 years, Lugasan served them
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C JULY 6-9, 2019 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
Tax Tips victoR sy, cPa, mBa
WHILE nearly all articles relate to change, let’s depart from that norm and discuss a few deductions that won’t change. 1. Student loan interest deduction: The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) allows student loan borrowers to deduct up to $2,500 on the interest paid for student loans every year. Student loan interest is interest you pay during the year on a qualified student loan. It includes both required and voluntarily pre-paid interest payments. You claim this deduction as an adjustment to income, so you don’t need to itemize your deductions 2. Electric cars: Electric car owners who bought vehicles after 2010 may be given tax credit of up to $7,500, depending on the battery capacity. The credit begins to phase out for a manufacturer’s vehicles when at least 200,000 qualifying vehicles have been sold for use in the United States. The situation is quite fluid as the Trump
Tapat Sa Batas atty. Rhea samson ANG isang dayuhan na may false claim ng US citizenship ay maaaring maging inadmissible sa US. Ang mga sumusunod ang mga elemento ng false claim ng US citizenship: (1) ang dayuhan ay nagsabi at naglinlang na siya ay US citizen; (2) ang kanyang pagsabi na siya ay US citizen ay hindi totoo; (3) alam ng dayuhan na siya ay nagsisinungaling noong sinabi niya na siya ay US citizen; at (4) ang dahilan ng pagsabi ng dayuhan na siya ay US citizen ay upang makakuha ng mga benepisyo sa ilalim ng Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), o para sa benepisyo sa ilalim ng federal law o state law. Ang dayuhan ay maaaring magsabi na siya ay US citizen sa mga interbyu, sa mga aplikasyon niya sa trabaho, o sa mga dokumentong kanyang ibinigay sa opisyal ng gobyerno ng US,
Community Journal
Four tax deductions that will not be changing administration wants to stop the federal tax credit while other Republicans want to remove the cap and expand them instead. Tesla and GM have reached their quotas. For Tesla, the credit is reduced from $7,500 to $3,750 for vehicles delivered from January 1 to June 30, 2019 and further reduced to $1,875 for deliveries from July 1 to December 31, 2019. Ford, Nissan, and Toyota have reached half point while BMW has reached a third by the end of 2018. 3. Teacher deduction: If you’re an eligible educator, you can deduct up to $250 ($500 if married filing jointly and both spouses are eligible educators) of unreimbursed trade expenses. Qualified expenses are amounts you paid or incurred for participation in professional development courses, books, supplies, computer equipment, software, other equipment, and supplementary materials that you use in the classroom. For courses in health or physical education, the expenses for supplies must be for athletic supplies. 4. Adoption assistance: Tax benefits for adoption in-
clude both a tax credit for qualified adoption expenses paid to adopt an eligible child and an exclusion from income for employer-provided adoption assistance. The credit is nonrefundable, which means that it’s limited to your tax liability for the year. However, any credit in excess of your tax liability may be carried forward for up to five years. The maximum credit and the exclusion for employer-provided benefits are both $13,810 per eligible child in 2018. *** 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)
False claim to US citizenship kasama na ang federal official at state official. Maaari rin na ang pagsisinungaling ukol sa US citizenship ay sinabi sa isang pribadong tao, katulad ng US employer. Para maging false claim sa US citizenship, dapat ay alam ng dayuhan na ang sinasabi niya na siya ay US citizen ay hindi totoo at ito’y isang kasinungalingan. Kung hindi alam ng dayuhan na hindi pala siya US citizen, halimbawa ay sinabihan siya ng kanyang mga magulang na siya ay US citizen simula noong siya ay sanggol pa hanggang lumaki na siya, at buong buhay niya itong pinaniwalaan, hindi masasabing ang dayuhan ay may false claim sa US citizenship. Ayon sa batas, ang isang dayuhan ay inadmissible dahil sa false claim ng US citizenship kung siya ay nagsabi at naglinlang ukol sa kanyang citizenship para makakuha ng mga benepisyo sa ilalim ng INA, o federal law o state law. Kailangan ding ang US citizenship ay materyal o mahalaga para sa benepisyong gustong makuha ng dayuhan,
kagaya ng sa aplikasyon para sa US passport, pagpasok sa US kung saan sinasabi ng dayuhan na siya ay US citizen para hindi siya tanungin pa ng mga opisyal ng Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), o kaya ay sa paghanap at pagkuha ng trabaho sa pamamagitan ng pag-fill up ng Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification Form kung saan sinasabi ng dayuhan na siya ay US citizen upang hindi na siya hanapan ng US employer ng mga dokumento na siya ay legal na pwedeng magtrabaho sa US. Maaari ring ang dayuhan ay may false claim sa US citizenship upang makaiwas sa mga negatibong maaaring mangyari sa kanya kung siya ay wala nang status sa US, tulad ng paglagay sa kanya sa removal o deportation proceedings o pagbigay ng mahabang interrogation sa kanya ng mga opisyal ng Immigration. Upang maging inadmissible ang dayuhan, kailangang ang US citizenship ay materyal o mahalaga sa benipisyong gustong
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The call to ministry
The Prophetic Voice
those who hear this call. I firmly believe that God never stops calling men to the priesthood. I ReveRend have witnessed this action of God in the lives of the seminarians I Rodel G. BalaGtas taught and mentored. I will invite parishioners to I’M embarking on another new beginning in my life as a priest. foster vocation and to engage acThis past week, I started my new tively too in the mission of bringassignment as the pastor of In- ing the light of the Gospel of Jecarnation Church in Glendale, California. I’m delighted to be back to parish ministry after five years of working at St. John’s Seminary. Pastoral ministry has always been my passion and joy. Leading and building up a community of faith has always been my charism. I’m happy that I was able to serve the Church in preparing men to become sus Christ to all people. Through priests. This assignment gave me baptism, everyone is called to be a broader perspective of Church a disciple of Christ. This Sunday’s Gospel (Luke ministry and a deeper appreciation for the promotion of priestly 10:1-12) conveys the urgency vocation and seminary forma- of calling men to the priesthood and inviting all people to particition. However, my work of fostering pate in the mission of Jesus. Jesus said, “The harvest is priestly vocation will continue in the parish. I will keep seeking abundant, but the laborers are
few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” We can see and feel the urgency of this call in this present time when many people have left the Church and do not feel the need to be affiliated to any religious institution. We can see it in people who do not recognize the existence and the power of God anymore. Jesus’ words in this Sunday’s Gospel are relevant to us. “Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way.” In other words, he tells us that there is no time to dilly-dally because the mission is critical and enormous. One may feel overwhelmed by this task at hand. This is why we cannot rely on our power alone; we must rely on God’s power. As the First Reading of this Sunday’s Mass (Is 66:10:14) tells us, “The Lord’s power shall be known to his servants.” To rely on God’s power means that we must be men and women of a deep relationship with Jesus
“We can see and feel the urgency of this call in this present time when many people have left the Church and do not feel the need to be affiliated to any religious institution.”
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How much debt is too much?
Debt Relief
atty. lawRence yanG HOW do you answer this question? Let’s check what the Bible has to say about debt. The Bible says that one should neither be a lender or borrower. It does not seem to recommend the assumption of debt. Otherwise, it should say, it’s OK to be a borrower, but not a lender or viceversa. This statement is clear. It does not sound like fake news. It’s straightforward. It doesn’t sound like a mysterious early morning tweet from the president. On the contrary, the Bible is specific. Don’t be a lender or a borrower. Why not a lender, because you might end up losing your money? Why not a borrower, because debt service will end up destroying your life? Debt will literally enslave you with minimum payments to keep them current that will cost you a fortune in the long run. You will eventually lose a fortune that should be in your bank account. You will need this fortune for your retirement but if you have too much debt, instead of having this fortune available for your use to augment your social security when you retire, you will have nothing but debt that keeps on asking for more money from you every month. For those of you
who don’t have debt, read on, so you won’t decide to plunge into a sea of debt. So how much debt is too much? I posed this question here exactly 20 years ago. If you were 45 then, you would now be ready to retire at 65. Were they 20 long years? No, in fact, they were 20 very short years. Your 5-year-old son is now 25, done with college and working. Your toddler then is now an adult. Your 3-year-old daughter then is now 23, also an adult. She is now a registered nurse. Your son is now a mechanical engineer working for an international construction firm
loans, had one or two car payments. Your son and daughter were still in grade school. You examined your debt level then when you read my article 20 years ago. You were in fact at a major crossroad in your life. You had about $30,000 of credit cards, which needed 25% of your net household income, or close to $1,000 to make minimum payments on your credit cards. It felt like wage garnishment and your heart was being ripped out through your wallet, right? What was left was $3,000, which you allocated for the house, the cars, food, electricity, insurances and other living expenses. After all these expenses, probably, your household had nothing left. If you had nothing left, where would you have gotten $1,000 a month to make minimum payments? By borrowing more. So, in one year you will have had to borrow $12,000. So in one year, you owe, not $30,000, but $42,000, and instead of needing only $1,000 for debt service, you needed $1,300, and so on and so forth. In year three, at 48, you will have owed $66,000, instead of $30,000, needing almost $2,000 minimum payments, instead of $1,000. You would have dug a hole so deep for yourself that you couldn’t get out of it. You might as well have MasterCard and Visa tattooed on your forehead because they own you and you work for them.
“Debt will literally enslave you with minimum payments to keep them current that will cost you a fortune in the long run.” based in Hong Kong. Your parents who were then 69 are now 89. They have good genes but they have all kinds of aches and pains and both need caregivers to help them along. So what happened? Twenty years just passed by so fast you didn’t notice as time flew by so fast like a speeding train. Let’s just say that 20 years ago, you and your spouse had a net combined income of $4,000. I already said you were 45 years old then. You had a house mortgage to pay, maybe a second trust deed, one of those home improvement
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Permanent residency through marriage to US citizen spouse
Barrister’s Corner atty. Kenneth URsUa Reyes ONE traditional way of obtaining permanent residency for most immigrants is through a petition by a US citizen spouse. As a spouse of a US Citizen, an alien is considered an immediate relative and entitled to immediately apply for a green card inside the United States. This is usually done by simultaneously filing an I-130 Petition for Alien Relative and an I485 Application to adjust status. However in order to do this, the alien spouse must have been inspected when the alien entered the United States or if not inspected must be grandfathered by section 245(i) of the immigration and nationality act. Being inspected means that the alien entered using a valid visa, paroled inside the United States, entered using the visa waiver program. The alien is grandfathered by section 245(i) if a family petition or a labor certification has been filed for the benefit of that alien prior to April 30, 2001. If the alien was not inspected nor grandfathered under section 245(i), such as if the alien crossed the border illegally, the alien cannot obtain his or her green card inside the United States. Then it becomes a catch 22 situation because if the alien spouse leave the US, the alien spouse becomes subject to the 3/10 year unlawful presence bar. The alien spouse may apply for a provisional waiver of the 3/10 year bar inside the US which will give the alien spouse some assurance that he or she may be able to come back the US if he or she interviews at the US embassy overseas for the immigrant visa. Along with the application and petition, the alien is also required to take a medical examination by a physician designated by the
USCIS. The result of that physical examination is reported in a USCIS form and sealed in an envelope submitted with the Petition and Adjustment Application. The alien spouse may also apply for a work authorization card with the Petition and Adjustment application. The work authorization card will allow the alien spouse to work legally in the United States, obtain a social se-
prove the case and a green card will be mailed to the alien’ address within a reasonable time period. If the couple has been married for 2 years or more, the alien spouse will recieve a permanent greencard. If the couple has been married for less than 2 years, the alien will receive a conditional green card. The alien spouse will have to file a petition to remove the condition 3 months prior to the expiration of the conditional greencard which is good for 2 years. Obtaining legal status in the United States is a one shot deal. People should seek the assistance of an experienced Attorney to guide them through this important and and once in a lifetime process. *** 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)
“The alien spouse will have to file a petition to remove the condition 3 months prior to the expiration of the conditional greencard which is good for 2 years.” curity card, and a driver’s license while that person is waiting for his or her green card interview. Work Authorization card are usually issued in about1 to 2 months from filing the application. The green card interview is usually set in about 5 to 6 months from the time the petition and application is filed. The green card interview is the most important step in the process. It is through this process that the USCIS officer usually determines whether the marriage, which forms the basis of the Petition, was entered in good faith. The adjudicating officer usually asks detailed questions about the marriage relationship between the US Citizen spouse and alien spouse. If the couple do not have children, the marriage are usually subject to closer scrutiny. Along with this inquiry process, the USCIS would usually request for certain documents that proves a bonafide marriage. Some of these documents may be in the form of pictures, joint utility bills, health insurance documents, and many more. If everything goes well, the USCIS officer will ap-
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Community Journal
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 6-9, 2019
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USCIS policy allows waiting beneficiaries Paid per piece? Make sure you’re paid for all hours worked! of approved I-130 filed by Filipino World War II veteran father or surviving spouse Protecting Employee to come to US ahead of their priority date & Consumer
YADIR Ontiveros worked as a technician for Safelite, a company which repairs and replaces vehicle glass for automobiles at various locations in California. Safelight’s technicians are classified as non-exempt employees. They are compensated under a Performance Pay Plan (“PPP”), which is a pay table that lists the amount employees will receive for performing particular tasks for a particular type of customer. In the PPP, the employee’s take-home pay can vary from week to week depending on “personal productivity.” (This is the employee’s piece rate pay.) To provide some predictability to employees’ earnings, employees are paid a base hourly rate. That base rate is not intended to be the employee’s total pay, since the employee is expected to earn more during the week by doing installations and repairs for which the employee is paid per piece. Thus, the total hourly or base pay each week is treated as an advance against the total PPP piece rate pay for the week. If the total piece rate pay for the week is greater than the weekly advance, the amount that exceeds the advance will be added to the paycheck as incentive. If the piece rate pay is less than the weekly advance, the employee will not receive additional pay and a shortfall will be reflected in the paycheck. Shortfalls are not carried over to the next pay period. The technicians sued their employer claiming that under the employer’s pay plan, they are not paid for all hours worked. The employees argued that the pay plan does not com-
Rights
Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. ply with California law governing piece-rate compensation. However, the employer asked the court to throw out the case, stating that they complied with the law. The court noted that piece-rate compensation involves a method of calculating compensation based on the type and number of tasks completed, rather than by the number of hours worked. The court further noted that California law provides that every employer shall pay to each employee not less than the applicable minimum wage for all hours worked in the payroll period, whether the remuneration is measured by time, piece, commission, or otherwise. California courts prohibit employers who use a piece-rate compensation system from averaging productive and nonproductive hours for purposes of demonstrating compliance with the minimum wage statute. Thus, although employers may compensate their employees based on the number of tasks completed, employees must receive at least minimum wage for every hour worked, whether or not they complete any compensable tasks during that hour. In the case of the technicians, the court refused to dismiss the case. After reviewing the math, the court ruled that the employer’s pay plan indeed fails to en-
sure that employees are paid at least minimum wage for each additional hour worked. Not only that, the pay plan formula fails to ensure that employees will receive overtime pay. Lastly, the pay formula fails to ensure that employees will be compensated for rest periods. Rather than continue with litigation, the parties settled the case and the employer agreed to pay $8.2 million to the technicians. If employers pay per piece, the piece-rate scheme must be clearly provided in the employees’ paystubs. Piece-rate employees, like hourly employees, are also entitled to overtime pay if they worked more than 8 hours per day or more than 40 hours per week. The overtime pay is computed according to specific methods provided by law. Piece-rate employees who work overtime hours need to make sure that the employer is not using the piece rate method to avoid paying overtime.
*** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at no-cost. You can contact the office at (818) 2910088 or visit www.joesayaslaw.com” www.joesayaslaw.com. [C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. is an experienced trial attorney who has successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is a Presidential Awardee for Outstanding Filipino Overseas in 2018.] (Advertising Supplement)
UNDER the Filipino World War II Veterans Parole (FWVP) policy, USCIS allows certain beneficiaries of approved family-based immigrant visa petitions to request a grant of parole so that they may come to the U.S. as they wait for their priority date to become current. The policy recognizes the contributions of Filipino veterans who served in World War II, and allows relatives of such elderly Filipino veterans and their spouses to come to the U.S. to provide care and support for them. USCIS considers requests for FWVP parole submitted for certain relatives who are the beneficiaries of approved family-based immigrant visa petitions filed by Filipino veterans or their surviving spouses. If the request for parole is approved, the beneficiary and his/her immediate family would be allowed to come to the U.S. and live in the U.S. while waiting for their priority date to become current, at which point they would be allowed to adjust to permanent resident status. Those who may request parole under FWVP are persons 1) who are the beneficiaries of an approved I-130 Petition (including spouse and children); 2) whose petitioning relative is residing in the U.S. (or if deceased, was residing in the U.S. at the time of death); 3) who are waiting for their priority date to become current under the Department of State’s
False claim to US citizenship PAGE C2 t
niyang makuha. Sa mga kasong napagdesisyonan ng mga korte, sinabi ng korte na ang false claim sa US citizenship ng isang dayuhan upang makaiwas ng aresto para sa disorderly conduct ay hindi nagbibigay ng benipisyo sa dayuhan dahil ang pagiging US citizen ay walang epekto sa aresto niya. Ang false claim sa US citizenship din para sa isang small business loan ay hindi materyal dahil ang US citizenship ay hindi magpapadali ng pag-utang. Ang basehan ng pagpa-utang ay credit score ng indibidwal at hindi citizenship. Ngunit kung ito ay para sa federal student loan, mahalaga ang US citizenship at magiging inadmissible ang dayuhan. An alien who falsely claims to be a US citizen may be found to be inadmissible to the US. The following are the elements of false claim to US citizenship: (1) the alien made a representation of US citizenship; (2) the representation was false; (3) the alien made the representation knowingly; and (4) the alien made the representation for any purpose or benefit under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) or any other federal or state law. An alien may claim to be a US citizen in interviews, written applications or by submitting documentary evidence to a US government official, any federal, state or local official, or even to a private person, such as an employer. For USCIS to consider the claim to US citizenship to be false, the alien must knowingly misrepresent the fact that he is a citizen of the US. The alien must
In order for an alien to be inadmissible, the false claim to US citizenship must be material to the purpose or benefit sought. In decided cases, the court found that an alien’s false claim to US citizenship to local police while he was being arrested for disorderly conduct is not made for any purpose or benefit under the law as the alien’s status did not affect his arrest for disorderly conduct. Likewise, a false claim of US citizenship on a Small Business Administration loan application does not affect the loan application as citizenship status does not affect the business loan application. However, a false claim to US citizenship on an application for Federal student loan makes an alien inadmissible because US citizenship is a prereqNationality Act (INA), or any fed- uisite to such a loan. eral or state law. Furthermore, *** US citizenship must matter to the purpose or benefit sought. This ATTY. RHEA SAMSON is a Partner at means that US citizenship must LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW FIRM. Atty. be material to the purpose or ben- Lindain and Atty. Samson are both liefit sought, such as in an applica- censed to practice law in California and tion for US passport, entry into in the Philippines. Both Attorneys were the US where the alien claims to also professors. LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW be a US citizen, and in obtaining FIRM aims to provide excellent and efemployment by filling-up Form ficient legal representation to clients, I-9 Employment Eligibility Verifi- and support clients in achieving their cation Form under a claim of US goals and dreams. As professors, citizenship. If the alien also false- Atty. Lindain and Atty. Samson wish to ly claims US citizenship to avoid educate the younger generation, as it is negative legal consequences through education and continuous study such as being placed in removal that one can achieve success and serve proceedings and being placed in others. further inspection or interroga- Please visit our office: LINDAIN & SAMtion by immigration officials, he SON LAW FIRM is inadmissible. Likewise, if the 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1710, Los alien claimed to be a US citizen Angeles, CA 90010 to avoid showing valid and unex- Call or text us: (213) 381.5710 pired work authorization docu- Email us: attorneys@lindainsamsonlaw. ments to accept an offer of em- com. (Advertising Supplement) ployment, he is inadmissible.
have known that he was not a US citizen at the time that the claim was made. If the alien did not know that the claim to citizenship was false, the alien cannot be considered as having made a false claim to citizenship. The law only makes an alien inadmissible for falsely claiming US citizenship if the alien falsely represents himself to be a US citizen for any purpose or benefit under the Immigration and
“For USCIS to consider the claim to US citizenship to be false, the alien must knowingly misrepresent the fact that he is a citizen of the US.”
How much debt is too much?
PAGE C2 t
Let’s say that you did get a promotion that gave you an additional $1,000 of net income. Should that have gone to debt service of credit cards of $30,000? Think about it. $1,000 of debt service means $12,000 a year of money that should go to your savings and investments for your future, should it not. If you actually paid $12,000 a year to service $30,000 of credit cards, after using all of your additional income to keep your credit card masters happy, you would have paid them $60,000 in five years, and worst of all, you still owe them the same $30,000! Shouldn’t you use the $60,000 to save and invest for your family’s future instead? Aren’t you sacrificing your family’s financial future and opportunities in favor of servicing your credit cards that are taking 25% of your monthly net income? Although you may not admit what you are doing, you are actually killing the ability of your family to save for the future by keeping these cards current over the years. If you read my article then and chose not to wipe out the
$30,000 of credit cards 20 years ago, how much money would you have paid your credit card masters? A lot. You would have paid them $240,000 in 20 years. You would have paid them a quarter of a million dollars. And how much would you still owe them today, the same $30,000. You are making them rich, while keeping yourself poor. That’s the simple truth. If you took my advice 20 years ago and wiped the $30,000 out with a Chapter 7 petition then, how much would you have now that you are 65? You probably would have $500,000 if you invested the savings of $1,000 a month for 20 years wisely. Not with Bernie Madoff of course. If you bought Apple shares 20 years ago, you would now be extremely wealthy. Because $10,000 invested in apple only 10 years ago would be worth how much today? That $10,000, which was 10 months of minimum monthly payments for you then, would be worth $677,000 today! If you invested three years of minimum payments on credit cards 10 years ago, you would have a cool $2 million today!
What a small change in your life direction would have meant in benefits for you and your family! Our God is so great, indeed! Because he blesses those who rely on Him with abundance! You want to be a millionaire when you retire? Get rid of your credit cards now and invest your savings in equities. Twenty years from now when you check your million dollar portfolio, you will be so glad that you read my article today and made the wise decision of your life. And how would your credit score be 20 years from now if you wiped out your cards now? It would be perfect at 830. 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)
Legal Advice
Atty. DArriCk tAn visa bulletin; and 4) whose petitioning relatives have established they are either Filipino World War II Veterans or are the surviving spouse. Under FWVP, the Filipino World War II veteran must have served in World War II as a member of the Philippine Army, a recognized guerilla unit, the Philippines Scouts, or within any other component of the U.S. Armed Forces of the Far East (USAFFE). USCIS will review government records to verify the Filipino World War II veteran’s military service. The petitioner who requested parole for his relative beneficiary under FWVP will be provided an opportunity to establish the World War II service if it cannot be found in government records. When the petitioning relative in the U.S. is the Filipino World War II veteran, individuals who obtain parole under FWVP include beneficiaries under any family-sponsored preference category. When the petitioning relative in the U.S. is the surviving spouse of a Filipino World War II veteran, only individuals who are the child, son, or daughter of the surviving spouse who is also the child, son, or daugh-
ter of the Filipino World War II veteran can seek parole under FWVP. In cases where the petitioning relative is deceased, a beneficiary may seek parole under FWVP but first must seek humanitarian reinstatement of the approved I-130 filed on the beneficiary’s behalf. Once the I-130 is reinstated, the beneficiary may seek parole under FWVP. It is important to note that the above requirements are preliminary requirements for eligibility under FWVP. The grant of parole by USCIS under FWVP is made on a discretionary, case-by-case basis. In addition, following the first 4 years of FWVP’s implementation, USCIS will evaluate whether FWVP should be phased out at the end of 5 years. It is accordingly recommended that you promptly seek the advice and assistance of an experienced attorney, who can confirm eligibility and present facts in support of the favorable exercise of discretion by USCIS in granting the parole request. *** 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)
The call to ministry PAGE C2 t through prayer, Word, and Sacraments. Without our friendship with Jesus, we will find our labors and journeys difficult. That is why St. Paul tells us that God’s grace is enough for us. (2 Cor 12:9) In the Gospel, Jesus tells us not to worry about what to carry on our mission journey. Again, he wants us to rely solely on his grace. By his power, we will
“tread upon serpents and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm” us. Let’s keep praying for vocations. Let’s all be part of the mission of Christ of bringing life and light to the world!
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 From a Filipino immigrant family, Rever- years. His term as Associate Director end Rodel G. Balagtas was ordained to of Pastoral Field Education at St. John’s the priesthood from St. John’s Seminary Seminary began in July 2014.
C4 JULY 6-9, 2019 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
Calendar of Events across
PEOPLE AND EVENTS
America
ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS J U LY 6
Philippine Cultural Night at St. Paul in Chino Hills, CA Grove, CA The Filipino Catholics of Saint Paul the Apostles invite you to their Philippine Cultural Night on July 6 at the St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church (14085 Peyton Dr., Chino Hills, CA 91709). The program will begin at 6 p.m. Children volunteers will be performing popular folk dances. Watch Fr. Joseph Pilotin, MS, Parochial Vicar of St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, dance the Tinikling as in previous cultural nights. Savor Filipino dishes while watching cultural performances. For more information, contact The Filipino Catholics president Tessie Lightholder (909) 576-4152; Email: tessielightholder@gmail.com; or vice president Edzel Fuertez (909) 5194958; Email: edzelf@hotmail.com. We invite you to also visit the church’s website: sptacc.org.
J U LY 2 0
The Ibaan Association USA-Canada gala dinner in LA The Ibaan Association USA-Canada gala dinner in LA The Ibaan Association USA-Canada will hold its 32nd Annual Gala Dinner & Dance July 20, 2019 from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. at the Hilton Los Angeles / Universal City - Ballroom A at 555 Universal Hollywood Drive, Universal City, California 91608. For reservations call Monica Benitez at (323) 697-3731 / email: monica_benitez03@yahoo.com or Irene May Villafranca at (323) 4232299 /email: imay02@yahoo.com. Tickets are $85 for Adults and $40 for Children (3 to 10 years old). Please make checks payable to: Ibaan Association USA-Canada and mail to: Merly Pagunsan at 5025 Heintz St. Baldwin Park, CA 91706. For sponsorship information on our 2019 Souvenir Program please contact President Noli Reyes at homesbynoli@gmail.com or call (818) 458-7888. Please RSVP by April 12, 2019.
J U LY 24 -28
40th annual Philippine Nurses Association of America National Convention in Atlanta, GA The Philippine Nurses Association of America (PNAA) will have its 40th annual national convention from July 24 to 28 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis in Atlanta, GA, hosted by the PNA-GA chapter. More information and details TBA. To learn about the PNA-GA, please visit: https://pnaga.wildapricot.org/.
J U LY 28 -29
“Raised Pinay” Benefit Production Raises Funds & Awareness for Filipina Health in New York City The third generation cast of Raised Pinay will grace the stage in solidarity of reproductive health justice in the Philippines on Friday, June 28th and Saturday, June 29th, 2019. There will be three showings of this unique benefit production at University Settlement 184 Eldridge Street in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Directed by Co-Founder Jana Lynne Umipig, who created The Journey of a Brown Girl, this community-centered production will raise money for Palawan-based non-profit organization Roots of Health also known as Ugat Ng Kalusugan.
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People and Events
LA County opens one-stop-shop for second change opportunities LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County’s first-of-its-kind Reentry Opportunity Center officially opened on Friday, June 28 near Exposition Park, providing a onestop-shop for thousands of Probation clients, as well as their families, to access a wide array of services that can facilitate a successful transition back into society. “This groundbreaking Center reflects a new but proven approach to making justice more restorative and humane while keeping our communities safe,” said Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who championed the project and led the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “This is an innovative one-stop shop where people can get help to find a job, go back to school, get connected to much-needed housing, get their record cleared, and receive healthcare, therapy and other services crucial to turning someone’s life around – the essential ingredients to giving them a second chance.” Located at 3965 S. Vermont Avenue, the top floor of the 60,000sq. ft., three-story modern building features a Developing Opportunities Offering Reentry Solutions Center (DOORS) – unique in the County – which will offer a range of services, including housing, legal aid, job training, education, civic engagement, and health and mental health services, all under one roof. Chief Probation Officer Terri L. McDonald said the Center represents one of Probation’s strategic goals of delivering targeted, client-centered services through partnerships with other agencies
Chief Probation Officer Terri L. McDonald Photo courtesy by lacounty.gov
and community-based organizations. “The strategic expansion of our partnerships for targeted resources empowers our clients by providing critical services for opportunity and growth,” she said. “We are certain that this teamwork will make a positive impact on the lives of clients who come through these doors.” The Center represents a key milestone in shifting away from a punitive to a restorative model that will eventually be replicated across the County. It is the product of close collaboration among the Office of Supervisor Mark RidleyThomas, Probation Department, Office of Diversion and Reentry (ODR), and numerous community-based organizations and other County agencies. “ODR is proud and humbled to be partnering with the Probation Department on LA County’s very first community reentry center,” ODR Executive Director Judge (ret.) Peter Espinoza. “The Center is envisioned to be a place of
transformation and rehabilitation, bringing together County agencies and community-based organizations in a warm, welcoming and healing environment.” A New Way of Life, which has housed and supported more than 1,000 formerly incarcerated women, will be among the nonprofit organizations to offer services at the Center. Its founder, Susan Burton, said, “For twenty years I have been doing the work of reentry for women. When they have needed services, they have had to trek to each individual service provider spread out across the County, which has been detrimental to their success. With this reentry center, the women I work with can go to one place and be connected to a wealth of resources. It was inspiring to be part of the vision and opening today.” Jonathon Rios expressed his appreciation for the new Center in a spoken word performance, and cited himself as an example of what could happen when people are given a second chance. After a stint in prison, he turned his life around, graduating from college and starting a family. He has worked for the last 10 years at a real estate investment company, is an active member of the Empowerment Congress, and has performed at USC’s Theater for Social Justice and with KPCC’s Unheard LA series. Rios had a message for those who would be receiving services at the new Center: “Do not allow perceived limitations to anchor you. Refuse to let your past mistake define you. Choose to succeed.” ■
Free summer concerts at LA County Library
17 library locations will host music events for all ages, July - September
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University of the Philippines Nursing Alumni Association International Convention & Alaskan Cruise The University of the Philippines Nursing Alumni Association International, Inc. (UPNAAI) will have its 40th convention on a cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas. The theme will be “In the New Millennium - UPNAAI at 40: Evolving and Emerging Nursing Roles.” On Aug. 1. it will be UPNAAI Volunteers Service Day in Seattle, then 2-9 will be a cruise from Seattle, Juneau, Skagway, Endicott Arm & Dawes, Victoria, and back to Seattle. Convention Fee $100 for Alumni in addition to cruise pricing. No convention charge for friends and family members. Contact Hours will be provided for the educational conference. For more information/to register and view cruise rates, please visit https://www.upnaai.com/.
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Masskara Festival in Long Beach, CA The Long Beach Bacolod Association (LBBA) will be having its second annual Masskara Festival event in Long Beach, CA at the Long Beach Marriott Hotel on Friday, August 2 located at 4700 Airport Plaza Drive, Long Beach from 6 p.m. to midnight. As a sister city organization, dignitaries from both Bacolod, Philippines and Long Beach will be in attendance. The dinner ball will also feature live entertainment and Masskara dancing. For tickets please call Malou Mariano at (562) 335-2587.
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Travel, Trade & Consumer Expo in Carson, CA The second annual Travel, Trade & Consumer Expo is back on Saturday, August 3 and Sunday, August 4 at the SouthBay Pavilion in Carson, CA. The two-day event is Southern California’s largest B2B expo showcasing tourism, trade, and investment opportunities in the USA and Philippines. It will feature networking opportunities for business-to-business, business-to-government, and business-to-consumer. The event is powered by the Asian Journal and Balikbayan Magazine. For more information, please visit https://traveltradeconsumer.com/.
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SIPA’s Filipino Summer Program in LA Happening from August 5-9, Search to Involve Pilipino Americans’ (SIPA) Filipino Summer Program is a fun, week-long experience that enriches, educates, and engages youth about the Filipino Culture! Youth will get to learn more about Filipino food, language, dance, arts, and music! Children ages 6-13 are able to participate, while older youth can volunteer. The program will be held at SIPA (3200 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026) from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. Drop-offs and pick-ups are at the SIPA parking lot at Dillion St. and Temple St. Each day is $30 for the first child. Every additional child will be $3 less a day (e.g., the second child will be $27/day, the third child would cost $24/day, and so on). If your family cannot fully afford the cost of SIPA’s Filipino Summer Program, the FEE CAN BE LOWERED depending on the financial situation. Families can pay by cash, credit/debit card (2.75% fee), Venmo (1% fee), or check!If interested, contact Maria Carmel Valendez by phone at 213-382-1819 ext. 107 or email at mvalendez@esipa.org.
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NaFFAA’s National Empowerment Conference in Carson, CA Registration is now open for NaFFAA’s 2019 National Empowerment Conference in Carson, CA on August 15 to 18. The NEC is the premier gathering of community leaders uniting to engage in dialogue about issues affecting over four million Filipinos across the United States, while building a clear and unified vision of community empowerment for 2020 and beyond. Register before April 30 to qualify for discounted Early Bird registration prices for the full conference pass (3-day pass + gala ticket) which are $80 for students; $180 for NaFFAA members; and $200 for regular. For more information on the 2019 National Empowerment Conference,
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Liliw Association of East Coast USA Celebrates 30th Anniversary Registration is now open for NaFFAA’s 2019 National Empowerment Conference in Carson, CA on August 15 to 18. The NEC is the premier gathering of community leaders uniting to engage in dialogue about issues affecting over four million Filipinos across the United States, while building a clear and unified vision of community empowerment for 2020 and beyond. Register before April 30 to qualify for discounted Early Bird registration prices for the full conference pass (3-day pass + gala ticket) which are $80 for students; $180 for NaFFAA members; and $200 for regular. For more information on the 2019 National Empowerment Conference,
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Ramon Magsaysay Cubao High School reunion in Las Vegas The Ramon Magsaysay Cubao High School (RMCHS) International will hold its fifth biennial reunion and we are calling all graduates or former students to come out and join up at the “2019 RMCHS International Reunion (Several Paths … One Reunion)” on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. at Gold Coast Hotel and Casino (4000 W. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89103). For reservations or information, please contact the following: Rommel B. Fajardo (Batch ’78) at (301) 655-4469 or e-mail: rommelbf@gmail.com or Lamberto Glory (Batch ’74) at (210) 542-7575 or e-mail: threeglories@msn.com. You may also visit the RMCHS 2019 International Reunion Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1302890069812234.visit naffaa.org/2019nec, or email us at nec@naffaa.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
Photo courtesy by lacountylibrary.org
THIS summer, LA County Library’s sometimes-quiet locations are filling with the sound of music! Beginning in July and running through September 28, LA County Library will feature 17 free concerts at select Library locations. The concerts, sponsored by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, are part of the LA County Arts Commission’s Free Concerts in Public Sites program, which provides support to organizations wishing to present accessible, quality music programming
at community venues throughout LA County. The artists, part of the Arts Commission’s Musicians Roster, represent both the diversity of the region and a broad range of genres, including Americana, Caribbean, rock, soul and more. “Featuring free concerts at our libraries furthers our efforts to eliminate barriers to access by bringing concerts directly to Library customers who might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience these performances,” said LA County Library Director,
Skye Patrick. “Hosting concerts also helps to expand the definition of the Library—more than just a place to research and read, it can also be a community gathering place and an event hub. We hope events like these help our customers feel connected to their community and reveal the variety of services and events LA County Library has to offer.” For more information on the concert series, please visit LACountyLibrary.org/free-concerts. ■
Enslaved in the US for decades: 83-year-old Filipina...
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by cleaning, cooking, gardening, taking care of children and more, all without any pay and no days off. She lived in a house with four bedrooms and three bathrooms but slept on the floor. She did not have a bed. Lugasan reported,, “One time, when I asked for money, Cox’s mother got mad at me. I told her I wanted to leave but she said to me, ‘Where would you go?’ She added, “Her family would always tell me, ‘If you leave the house, we will call the police and tell them you stole many things.’ I was scared. I never stole anything. But I also did not know anyone or have anyone to help me. I did not want to be put in jail for something I did not do.” At some point, Lugasan realized that Cox hid her passport and birth certificate. When she asked to get them back, Cox violently refused. Without any form of identification, no money and nowhere else to go, Lugasan experienced even more abuse and exploitation. For years, the family continued to deceive her and instill immense fear by projecting threats of deportation and arrest. “About two months after the Northridge earthquake in 1994, Benedicta sold her house because it was damaged by the earthquake. We moved to another house in Northridge. During this time, I was also the household
help for Benedicta’s daughter. I cleaned their house, cooked for the whole family, and did laundry for them. Her family included her two kids and husband, as well as mother-in-law and sister-in-law. I took the bus at 5:30 a.m. to their house, got there by 6 a.m. then went back to the Northridge house late at night. I did this for 18 years, from when the older child was born until he was 18 years old. I did not get paid for doing this,” claimed Lugasan. As the family’s slave, Lugasan was not given the care that she deserved. Even when she was sick, they would force her to work and even accused her of faking illness. Once, she was pushed and almost fell down the stairs. “I worked and worked even when both my hands and feet were hurting. When it got really bad, my tears would just roll down my cheeks. I felt so helpless,” recalled Lugasan. Lugasan’s case is not an isolated one. Modern-day slavery happens more often than people think. Lugasan lived in a typical residential home in Los Angeles and in the San Fernando Valley. She did normal day-to-day activities like riding the bus, going grocery shopping, picking up the kids from school. And yet, it took 38 years before someone identified her as a possible victim of abuse. This is why she wants her story to be told as there are many other victims of human traffick-
ing who need a means to escape. There are many others who need to know that there are communities and organizations who can provide assistance for those experiencing abuse and exploitation as Lugasan did. This 4th of July, Lugasan celebrated her 83rd birthday and her freedom with her a party attended by caring and supportive community members who have embraced and welcomed her into their lives as their “Nanay.” Among her special guests were Consul General Adelio Cruz and the Vice Consul General Dyan Pastrana of the Philippine Consulate General Los Angeles and PWC Executive Director Aquilina Soriano Versoza. Lugasan is now in high spirits and enjoying her life. Through the help of the FBI, the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles, and PWC, she is slowly navigating her way through independence. Lugasan stated, “I am now happy and free. No longer held captive and being abused. I’m sending out a message to workers who may be in a situation of exploitation, seek help, fight back and don’t let people mistreat and abuse you.” If you are in a similar situation or you know someone who may be experiencing exploitation and abuse, please contact the Pilipino Workers Center at (213) 2504353. ■
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How come the consul said DoF: Professionals need not pay biz permit fees my child ‘aged out?’
Immigration Corner
by MAYVELIN
U. CARABALLO Manilatimes.net
ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ DEAR Atty. Gurfinkel: My sister petitioned me back in 1997, when my child was still a baby. Recently, the priority date became current. We paid all the fees and submitted all the forms on behalf of my family, including my child, who is now over 21. At the interview, the consul approved my husband’s and my visas but said my child cannot be included because he “aged out.” If he was only a baby when the petition was filed, how could he have aged out? Is there hope under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA)? Very truly yours, CD Dear CD: Except for petitions by U.S. citizens of their minor children (called “immediate relatives”), a child’s age and eligibility for benefits under CSPA are calculated and determined based on the date the priority date finally becomes current, and not their age on the date the petition was filed. This includes all other family-based petitions and employment-based petitions. The Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) can sometimes pro-
vide relief for children who aged out. But it is very complex and can be confusing in terms of determining eligibility. • For immediate relatives, eligibility is determined as of the date the petition was filed. If the petition was filed before the child’s 21st birthday, the child could benefit from the CSPA, provided they don’t get married. • For other petitions, the child’s CSPA eligibility is determined based on when the priority date becomes current (or visa becomes available), even if they were under 21 when the petition was filed. In your case, your sister petitioned you. It was not a case of a U.S. citizen parent petitioning his or her child as an immediate relative. Therefore, the child’s age on the date the petition was filed is not determinative for CSPA eligibility. Instead, how old was the child when the priority date finally became current, and then you must perform a mathematical computation, to determine if their CSPA age is still under 21. If a person has questions or issues about their child’s CSPA eligibility, or if they have been turned down by the Embassy because the child aged out, they may want to consult with an at-
torney, who can evaluate their case and determine if the child is truly CSPA eligible. In that case, the attorney could either assist in processing the child’s case or seek reconsideration from the Embassy of the visa refusal. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do 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: 1-866-4873465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINE (Advertising Supplement)
Business Quote of the Week “I’m responsible for this company. I stand behind the results. I know the details, and I think the CEO has to be the moral leader of the company, … I think high standards are good, but let’s not anybody be confused, it’s about performance with integrity. That’s what you have to do.”
— Jeffrey Immelt, CEO of General Electric
PROFESSIONALS are now exempt from paying business permit fees for the operation of their offices or clinics, according to new rules issued by the Department of Finance (DoF). In a statement on Tuesday, July 2 the Finance department said Secretary Carlos Dominguez III issued the new rules on June 12 under Local Finance Circular 0012019. These rules state that, while professionals still need to secure business permits from local governments, these should come at no cost during the registration or renewal of the operation of their clinics or offices, since these cannot regulate the practice of their
profession. This is because regulations on the practice of professions are within the exclusive domain of the respective agencies or regulatory boards empowered by law to supervise and regulate them, the DoF explained. Local governments, however, may impose a local business tax on professionals if they are verified to be selling, trading or distributing goods of any kind or involved in trade and other business activities outside of their professions, it said. In this case, the local governments can impose a business permit fee during the registration and renewal of the operation of the office or clinic of the concerned Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III professional. Manilatimes.net photo by J. Gerard Seguia The Bureau of Local GovernPAGE D2
More security features to be added to Philippines banknotes by LAWRENCE
AGCAOILI Philstar.com
THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) remains consistent in its effort to upgrade the security features of banknotes to further deter counterfeiting activities, according to BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno. Diokno said during the launch of the first set of banknotes bearing his name and signature the additional security features would be launched in the first quarter of 2020. Diokno said the additional security arrangements include an upgraded windowed security thread with unique color and design per denomination, anti-copying and anti-scanning features as well as the incorporation of tactile marks. “The upgraded security thread, and anti copying and anti-scanning features will improve counterfeit deterrence,” Diokno said. The BSP chief said the incorporation of tactile marks is part of the central bank’s commitment to promote broad and convenient access to financial services to the Filipino people.
Diokno said during the launch of the first set of banknotes bearing his name and signature the additional security features would be launched in the first quarter of 2020. Philstar.com photo
“These new generation banknotes are special because they are printed through Intaglio printing technology. This means that the names and signatures are raised and embossed for tactile feel,” Diokno said. According to Diokno, existing security features include embossed prints, asymmetric serial numbers, security fibers, watermark, seethrough mark, concealed value that can be seen by naked eye.
The release of the banknotes bearing Diokno’s signature marks the anniversary of the BSP and is part of the celebrations in connection with 70 years of central banking in the Philippines. The P20, P50, P100, P200, P500 and P1,000 banknotes with the governor’s name and signature are the freshest set of peso bills printed under the currently-circulated “New Generation Currency” series. ■
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Government setting up database Pernia: PH to generate $30B in FDI a year if foreign caps removed of taxable aliens in the Philippines by Ben
O. de Vera Inquirer.net
REMOVING foreign caps on investment, retail trade and public utilities will allow the Philippines to generate up to $30 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) a year, according to the country’s chief economist. “Concerning FDI, the Philippines is the most restrictive country in Asean,� Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia told the 2019 Pre-State of the Nation Address (SONA) Economic and Infrastructure Forum. As such, �the legislature really should pass many of these bills such as [amendments to]
the Foreign Investment Act, the Retail Trade Act, and the Public Service Act,� said Pernia, who heads the state planning agency National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). For Pernia, if the amendments to these three existing laws were passed to liberalize the economy, “we could really expect much more foreign investment—tripling or quadrupling what we have already achieved.� Pernia later told reporters that the Philippines “can easily� attract about $30 billion in FDI per year if the restrictions were freed up. The Philippines’ FDI reached a record high $10.3 billion in 2017,
but it declined to $9.8 billion last year. Pernia said these bills would have to be refiled during the upcoming 18th Congress, “but they would be easier [to pass] because they were declared urgent by the president.� The NEDA chief was hopeful that these bills could be refiled within the year. Besides the liberalization of FDI, retail trade and utilities, Pernia was also pushing for the passage of the Tax Reform for Attracting Better and Higher Quality Opportunities (TRABAHO) package, as well as the bill that will expand NEDA’s mandate. n
Peso to average P52.10:$1 – Fitch unit In a statement, the DOF said the Bureau of Internal Revenue and Department of Labor and Employment are developing the database of taxable aliens in the Philippines. Philstar.com file photo by Rudy Santos by ian
niCOlas Cigaral Inquirer.net
THE Department of Finance said Wednesday, July 3, the government is setting up an interagency database of foreign nationals working in the country to monitor them and ensure they pay the right taxes. In a statement, the DOF said the Bureau of Internal Revenue and Department of Labor and Employment are developing the database of taxable aliens in the Manilatimes.net file photo by MayVelin
U. CaraBallO ManilaTimes.net
THE Philippine peso is seen to average to P52.10 to the US dollar this year, Fitch Solutions said on Monday, July 1, but warned that the local currency’s recent gains would lose steam in the near term. “We expect Philippine peso gains to slow over the near term, averaging P52.10/USD in 2019, as the boost from dollar weakness and hopes of a cooling of trade tensions fade,� the Fitch Group unit said in a report. The projected figure is better than the peso’s weighted average rate of P52.72:$1 at end2018, based on Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) data. The peso is currently trad-
ing against the dollar within the P51:$1 level, which Fitch Solutions attributed to external developments, such as the dovish tilts from the U.S. and European central banks and news on an expected comprehensive United States-China trade agreement. But noting that “many U.S. demands cross Chinese red lines,� the Fitch unit said that deal was “unlikely to happen [in] the coming months� and would not provide immense support for the peso going forward. The central bank’s shift to accommodative monetary policy settings will also result in a weaker peso, it added. “Similarly, the dovish shift by DM (developed markets) central banks could entice the BSP to begin easing more aggressively,
weighing on the peso’s attractiveness,� Fitch Solutions said. It also believes that slowing Philippine economic growth, limited fiscal stimulus and the dovish shift by DM central banks will create a window of opportunity for the Bangko Sentral further slash its key policy rates. The fourth-and-a-half month delay in the passage of the 2019 national budget resulted in a slower-than-expected economic growth of 5.6 percent in the first quarter of the year. With this, the central bank started easing its monetary policy settings on May 9, but decided to take a “prudent pause� on June 20 by keeping the overnight borrowing, lending and deposit rates at 4.50 percent, 5.00 percent and 4.00 percent, respectively. n
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Philippines. A draft joint memorandum circular with DOLE on the issuance of work permits to foreigners has been revised to include a provision on setting up the database, BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay was quoted as saying by the DOF. “To effectively pursue our mandate [of taxing foreign workers], we need accurate data on foreigners working in the Philippines,� Dulay said during a recent DOF executive committee meeting.
According to Dulay, several of the 15,176 foreign nationals working in 174 establishments, mostly Philippine offshore gaming operators, or POGOs, had no working permits were subsequently determined by the BIR to have proper working permits and visas. Dulay added that the BIR has also sent out 29 letter-notices to several POGO service providers telling them to remit the taxes due them as withholding agents in the amount of P4.44 billion. n
covering merchandise goods and services grew 2.9 percent to $89.1 billion last year from $86.6 billion in 2017. While total exports are seen to increase this year, it might be slower than the targeted 5.16 percent to 8.19 percent growth to reach the $93.7 billion to $96.4 billion goal under the Philippine Export Development Plan (PEDP) Lopez said he expects the performance of merchandise goods exports this year to be affected by the U.S.-China tension. “I have doubts [because of] the U.S.-China trade war. I think
goods would be challenged,� he said. Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. president SergioOrtiz Luis Jr. said the umbrella group of exporters is hopeful of seeing continued improvements in the country’s outbound shipments of merchandise goods despite the trade war following the slight increase seen in April. “We just hope it will keep on improving,� he said. Latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed the country’s merchandise exports reached $5.51 billion in April, up PAGE D3
DTI less bullish on hitting export growth goal this year by lOUella
desideriO Philstar.com
THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) expects total exports to post low single-digit growth this year, which may come in below target with merchandise goods at risk from the impact of the U.S.-China trade war. “It might be low single digit growth for both goods and services,� Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said when asked by how much total exports are seen to increase this year. The country’s total exports
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Government debt soars to nearly P8T in May
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 6-9, 2019 D
BSP chief vows to sustain economic boom with cash by DaxiM
l. lUCas
Inquirer.net
Bureau of the Treasury by Mayvelin
U. Caraballo ManilaTimes.net
THE national government’s outstanding debt surged to a record P7.915 trillion in May due to the net issuances of both domestic and foreign loans and foreign-exchange fluctuations, the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) reported on Wednesday, July 3. In a statement, the Treasury bureau said the amount was a 1.7-percent or P128.717-billion increase from April’s P7.786 tril-
Maniltimes.net file photo
lion. “Of the total stock, 33.6 percent were sourced from external markets, while 66.4 percent were borrowed domestically,” it added. Domestic borrowings totaling P5.526 trillion — up 1 percent from the April figure — accounted for the bulk of outstanding debt, while external debt rose by 3 percent to P2.659 trillion. Outstanding debt the year before stood at P6.832 trillion, with domestic and foreign obligations at P4.424 trillion and P2.408 tril-
lion, respectively. The higher domestic debt level in May “was caused by [the] net issuance of government securities amounting to P50.95 billion, which added to the P0.06-billion revaluation of onshore dollar bonds due to [the] peso depreciation,” the Treasury explained. A foreign exchange rate of P52.222 against the dollar was used for the latest data, compared with April’s P52.098:$1. The exchange rate used a year earlier was P52.554:$1. n
DTI less bullish on hitting export ... PAGE D2 t slightly from the $5.48 billion in the same month last year. As of end-April, merchandise exports were still down, however, by two percent to $21.921 billion from $22.388 billion in the same period last year. In terms of service exports which include the information technology business process management (IT-BPM), tourism, as well as films and television shows aired overseas, Lopez said he is confident such would continue to rise this year, even as the Office of the President has issued Administrative Order (AO) 18 for the moratorium on the processing of economic zone applications in Metro Manila. Economic zones in Metro Manila cater mainly to IT-BPM firms. “Yes [IT-BPM will grow] de-
“It might be low single digit [growth] for both goods and services,” Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said when asked by how much total exports are seen to increase this year. Philstar.com file photo
spite AO 18 because there are The government has set a talents…They can go establish $122 billion to $130 billion target outside Metro Manila,” Lopez for total exports by 2022 under said. the PEDP. n
PHILIPPINE economic growth is expected to exceed 6 percent in the second quarter of this year and over the near to medium term horizon — a phenomenon that can only be sustained if fed with sufficient cash in the financial system. Thus said Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Gov. Benjamin Diokno who doubled down on Wednesday on his vow to ease monetary policy in the country, along with a previously made commitment to cut banks’ reserve requirements to “single-digit levels” within his term of office. “We expect the economy to grow much faster, so we might need additional liquidity,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the ceremonies celebrating the 26th anniversary of the central bank. “The reserve requirement ratio is really high. It doesn’t require one to be an Einstein to recognize that.” The BSP is in the process of cutting bank reserves from 18 percent to 16 percent — a move that began in May and will be completed by the end of this month, effectively releasing an estimated P200 billion of previously immobilized funds
BSP Gov. Benjamin Diokno
into the domestic economy. “We want to bring [the level] down to single digits by the end of my term [in 2023],” he said, explaining that other countries require their banks to keep only 1 percent of their deposits as liquid reserves. “I’m not saying we’ll go to 1 percent, but definitely single digits,” he said. “Each percentage point
Inquirer.net file photo by Earvin Perias
reduction is equivalent to P100 billion.” Diokno said central bank planners expect the Philippine economy to have grown by at least 6 percent in the second quarter, after slipping to 5.6 percent in the first three months of the year due to a prolonged national budget impasse that resulted in slower government spending. n
Manila’s flexispace area seen expanding in next 3 years — Colliers by ian
niColas Cigaral Inquirer.net
MANILA could see its flexible workspace area grow by at least 10 percent annually in the next three years amid the emergence of micro, small and medium enterprises and influx of multinational corporations, real estate services and investment management company Colliers International said in a new report. Flexible workspace is a type of office space that can be occupied immediately and gives business owners access to basic office equipment on shorter-term leases. According to Colliers, Manila’s flexible workspace area will likely expand over the next three years on the back of continued rise of MSMEs and entry of multinational companies and outsourcing firms looking for plug-and-play offices. Implementation of policy reforms that aim to improve business climate is also expected to
boost the sector. In 2018, Colliers recorded flexible workspace supply of about 3.8 million square feet, up 14 percent from 3.2 million square feet in 2017. This accounts for about 3.2 percent of the total Metro Manila office supply. Among the foreign players already in Manila are Common Ground and WeWork. Meanwhile, Philippine developers Ayala Land and Robinsons Land have ventured into the flexible workspace business. “The tight Metro Manila office market, coupled with the emergence of a mobile workforce and multinational corporations looking to bring down operating costs and provide flexibility to their employees, has given rise to another office sub-segment – flexible workspace,” Colliers said. “The segment’s growth has been supported by the improvement of the country’s IT infrastructure, especially after the entry of a third telecommunications
company committed to improving nationwide broadband connectivity,” it added. In a statement, Colliers International Philippines director for office services Maricris Sarino-Joson said operators should cash in on the rising demand for flexible workspaces by partnering with developers to carve out co-working space within malls, residential condominiums, hotels and worker dormitories. “Large flexible workspace operators should consider partnering with officials of second-tier cities that are viable outsourcing destinations. The project teams of outsourcing firms could start operating in co-working facilities in these cities where they could train college students that the BPOs could tap in the future,” SarinoJoson said. “Among the most attractive second-tier cities for BPO operations are in Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo, Clark in Pampanga, Laguna, and Davao,” she added. n
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PH factories produce fewer goods for 6 months in a row by Ben
o. de Vera Inquirer.net
THE bad news was the continuing decline of factory output which fell for a sixth straight month in May. The good news—the country’s chief economist said it’s not a cause for concern because easing inflation augurs well for the manufacturing sector. In its Monthly integrated Survey of Selected Industries (Missi) report, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said volume of production of goods last May declined by 4 percent year-on-year, a sharp reversal of a 13 percent growth posted in 2018. Monthly production, measured through Volume of Production Index or VoPI, has been falling since December 2018 although the rate of decline last May was not as bad as last April’s which showed a 14.3 percent fall in manufacturing output. “Despite these negative figures,
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia
Inquirer.net file photo
we note a positive development,” said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia, referring to stock market figures that showed more manufacturing firms gaining than losing. Pernia, who heads the state planning agency National Economic and Development Authority (Neda), remained optimistic “as lower prices of rice and domestic oil prices, including downward adjustment in electricity rates are
seen to temper inflation pressure in the month of June, which bodes well for producers of manufactured goods.” The PSA also on Friday, July 5 reported that the headline inflation rate fell to a 22-month low of 2.7 percent in June mainly because of declining rice prices, lower education costs that month and base effects from last year’s higher-than-expected consumer price increases. n
average for Southeast Asia at net 59 percent. Marivic Españo, chairperson and chief executive officer of P&A Grant Thornton, the Philippine member of Grant Thornton International Ltd. said 54 percent of mid-market companies surveyed also intend to expand their business domestically. In addition, survey respondents anticipate an increase in selling prices, exports, number of people to be hired, investments in buildings, as well as on research and development. “The market’s expectations for the Philippine economy are very encouraging,” she said. She said the Philippines, which is expected to grow by about six to seven percent in 10 years, is among the fastest-growing economies in emerging markets. Grant Thornton International forecasts the Philippine economy to grow to $434 billion by 2023 from $331 billion in 2018, with its compounded annual growth rate of 5.35 percent seen to outpace Southeast Asia as a whole. This growth, Grant Thornton said, would be driven mainly by the digital economy which is expected to rise to $21 billion by 2025 from just $5 billion currently.
While automation in manufacturing and services could lead to displacement of some 1.5 million workers over the next five years, Grant Thornton expects the Philippine government’s Build Build Build infrastructure development program to make up for the job losses. This, as construction of new highways, airports, bridges, and ports would bring in $2.47 trillion to the Philippine economy and create employment opportunities for seven million people by 2030. Grant Thornton also sees strong growth in other sectors such as real estate, banking and finance, entertainment and tourism, and outsourcing which should provide various business opportunities. “We are serious about making sure that we provide the right infrastructure and the right services to support the growing economy,” Españo said. Despite the optimistic outlook on the Philippine economy, there are still challenges faced by businesses. Among the challenges cited are shortage of finance, regulations and red tape, transport and information and communications technology infrastructure, and economic uncertainty. n
Philippines firms most optimistic on economic outlook — survey
by louella
desIderIo Philstar.com
MANILA, Philippines — Philippine businesses have the most positive economic outlook among 35 countries even as optimism dipped slightly from a year ago, a survey of independent assurance, tax and advisory firm Grant Thornton showed. Grant Thornton’s International Business Report showed the Philippines topped the list with a net 73 percent having an optimistic outlook on the economy over the next 12 months. The same report showed, however, that optimism on the Philippine economy went down by nine percentage points from the same period a year ago. Taking the second spot on the list was Vietnam with optimism at net 72 percent, while Indonesia placed third with net 66 percent. Amid the positive outlook on the economy, a net 66 percent of Philippine businesses expect to see higher revenues in the next 12 months. While those expecting higher revenues in the Philippines slightly dropped by four percentage points from last year, the report showed it was still higher than the
Follow Clark template, NAIA Consortium told by IrIs
Gonzales Philstar.com
THE country’s top conglomerates which are seeking to redevelop the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) needs to follow the Clark template if they want their proposal to move forward, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade told The STAR. Tugade said the standards set by the Department of Transportation DoT) for the successful bidding of the Clark International Airport last December must be followed. “If they (the consortium) don’t like the Clark template, we cannot move forward,” Tugade said on the sidelines of the pre-State of the Nation Address (SONA) economic and infrastructure forum Monday, July 2. Members of the NAIA Consortium are not comfortable with the Clark template because of some provisions that are deemed risky. The group, however, has agreed to comply. The seven consortium members are Ayala Corp., Aboitiz Group’s Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc. Andrew Tan’s Alliance Global Group Inc., Lucio Tan-led Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corp., the Gotianuns’ Fil-
Philstar.com file photo
invest Development Corp., the Gokongwei Group’s JG Summit Holdings Inc., and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. Sought for comment, a member of the NAIA Consortium said the group would have to readjust its profitability expectations to comply with the Clark template. “We will comply. We will make adjustments,” the source said. Tugade said the Clark Airport contract is deemed as the best template for the government as it assigned risks to the private sector. The Clark project was bagged by the group of JG Summit Holdings, Filinvest Development and Changi Airports Philippines. JG and Filinvest are also members of the NAIA Consortium. Another source in the consor-
tium said since the Clark project covers only operations and maintenance or 0&M, its risks are less compared to the NAIA rehabilitation. The NAIA proposal, on the other hand, involves expanding and interconnecting the existing terminals of NAIA, upgrading airside facilities, developing commercial facilities to increase airline and airport efficiencies, enhancing passenger comfort and experience, and elevating the status of NAIA as the country’s premier international gateway. The contentious issue in the Clark contract is the condition that would trigger compensation or support for the private concessionaire, otherwise known as a material adverse government action (Maga). n
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