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AUG U ST 2 4-30, 2018 Volume 11 - No. 44 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages
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Duterte not in coma, vows to finish presidential term in Davao City. “I’m alive — fairly healthy and I’m having dinner with a PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo beautiful lady from Davao. She’s Duterte has responded to new ac- Bernice, she’s on leave from cusations about his deteriorating Harvard. I invited her to discuss health and that he has gone into some things along the way,” a coma. Duterte said. This comes after communist Duterte also responded to leader Jose Maria “Joma” Sison Sison by saying that the latter is claimed in a social media post the one who is sick after all. In that the president slipped into a the same video, he insisted that comatose state. Go show his dinner company live The president’s camp denied on camera. Sison’s allegations through a “I am still okay. He said I’m Facebook live video on Monday comatose? How can you be night, August 20. The video comatose with a beautiful lady? posted by Special Assistant to Kung comatose ako at makita ko the President (SAP) Bong Go si Bernice eh talagang babangon showed Duterte having dinner ako (If I were comatose and I see
by AJPRESS
Bernice, I would really rise),” the president said. Referring to Sison, he added, “That’s it. You are the one who is comatose. You are the one who is sick.” Duterte compared Sison to the “Wandering Jew,” a fictional character who is destined to walk around the earth until the second coming as a punishment for taunting Jesus Christ. “I think you are the reincarnation of the guy, it’s biblical, I don’t know if it’s in a book in the Bible. He’s a guy who’s been around walking around planet Earth. And he’s not dying,” he added. The communist leader, who
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RARE ENCOUNTER. President Rodrigo Duterte and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) Chair Nur Misuari discuss matters during a meeting at Matina Enclaves in Davao City on Wednesday, August 22. Joining the president are Sec. Bong Go of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President and Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza. Malacañang photo by Joey Dalumpines
Imee Marcos to martial law critics: ‘Move on’
USA
by NATHALIE
DATELINE Filipino priest in Texas disappears amid molestation claims
AJPress
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
DALLAS, Texas — A Texas priest who’s accused of molesting teens and stealing from his parish has gone missing. St. Cecilia Catholic Church officials believe the Rev. Edmundo Paredes may have fled to his native country of the Philippines, The Dallas Morning news reported. He’d been a pastor at the church for 27 years. Dallas police have found the sexual abuse allegations to be credible, said Bishop Edward Burns. Paredes is no longer allowed to function or present himself as a
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Man charged in road deaths of Filipino and Calif. highway patrol cop FAIRFIELD, California — A man was charged with gross vehicular manslaughter following a crash here Friday, August 10 that killed a Filipino man and a California Highway Patrol officer. Sean Walker, 36, of Rocklin was charged and was scheduled to be arraigned Thursday, August 16 in Solano County Superior Court in Fairfield. Walker was driving recklessly, speeding, and was distracted by his phone, according to a report by SFgate.com.
Ilocos Norte Governor Maria Imelda “Imee” Marcos (3rd from left) troops the police line with Police Senior Supt. Arthur Bisnar (left) for the arrival honors during the 122nd Anniversary celebration of the historic “Sigaw ng Pugad Lawin” held at the Dambana ng Pugad Lawin in Barangay Bahay Toro, Quezon City on Thursday, August 23. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
ROBLE
ILOCOS Norte Governor Imee Marcos on Tuesday, August 21 told the public to “move on” amid the 35th anniversary of the assassination of Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., one of the staunchest critics of her father, former President Ferdinand Marcos. The governor said that the atrocities during Marcos’ regime should not be talked about by people “at [her] age” anymore. “The millennials have moved on, and I think people at my age should also move
on as well,” she said in a press conference during the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) Visayan Island Cluster at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Cebu City, as reported by the Philippine Daily Inquirer. She also denied that she was “being an apologist” as she recalibrated the discourse into glorifying the accomplishments of her father. “I’m not an apologist to my dad, and I think his work and his projects will have to speak for themselves,” she stated. She said that August 21 for her family is the birthday of her sister-in-law and
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Hidilyn Diaz strikes gold in Asian Games women’s weighlifting by DENISON
REY DALUPANG Philstar.com
MANILA — Hidilyn Diaz completed a storybook turnaround to her Asian Games arc after delivering the first gold medal for the Philippines in the 2018 Asian Games at the Jakarta International Expo on Tuesday, August 21. Diaz, who was unable to make the cut in the 2014 iteration of the meet in Incheon, South Korea, struck the top honors of the women’s 53kg division in weightlifting, edging Turkmenistan’s Kristina Shermetova. Representatives Edcel Lagman, Teddy Baguilat, and Gary Alejano file impeachment complaints One of the country’s top bets against Supreme Court Associate Justices who voted to oust ex-Chief Justice Maria Lourdes to take home a medal, Diaz liftSereno. Inquirer.net photo by Gabriel Pabico Lalu Rio Olympics silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz grabbed the spotlight on the third ed a total of 207 kilograms, just day of the 2018 Indonesia Asian Games by winning the Philippines’ first Asiad a hairline above Shermetova’s gold medal on Tuesday in the women’s weightlifting competition.
SC justices who ousted Sereno DOT chief hopes NAIA chaos won’t affect tourist arrivals face impeachment complaints u PAGE A2
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Asian Games pool photo
by CATHERINE
TALAVERA
Foreign arrivals in the first half of this year hit a record TOURISM Secretary Berna- high of 3.7 million, a 10.4 perdette Romulo-Puyat said she cent rise from the 3.35 million hopes the incident that para- in the same period last year. Last Thursday, August 16, lyzed the operations of the Ninoy Aquino International Air- Xiamen Air Boeing 737-800 port (NAIA) will not affect tour- skidded off the runway of the NAIA. It took authorities 36 ist arrivals in the country. “I hope (it won’t affect arriv- hours to remove the aircraft off als) because this only happened the strip. This paralyzed airport oponce and I believe that we will not allow this to happen again,” erations, affecting tens of thouPuyat said in a television inter- sands of passengers of delayed view Monday, August 20. u PAGE A2 Philstar.com
The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 check-in counters are back to normal operations after a Xiamen Airlines passenger plane that skidded off a NAIA runway last Thursday, August 16 causing flight cancellations and delays, stranding passengers over the weekend, had been towed off. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan
by GABRIEL
PABICO Inquirer.net
LALU
LAWMAKERS from the House of Representatives filed impeachment complaints against the seven Associate Justices of the Supreme Court (SC) who voted in favor of the quo warranto petition against ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. Representatives Edcel Lagman, Tomas Villarin, Gary Alejano and Teddy Baguilat, Jr., filed complaints against Justices Teresita Leonardo de Castro, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin,
Francis Jardeleza, Andres Reyes Jr., Alexander Gesmundo, and Noel Tijam, before the Office of the Secretary-General. “Seven out of the eight Associate Justices who voted to oust Chief Justice Sereno in a controversial petition, quo warranto, are now facing impeachment before the House of Representatives,” Lagman said in a press briefing after the filing. Lagman said the associate justices’ decision was not only errant and orchestrated but also
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From the Front Page
Duterte not in coma, vows to... PAGE A1 has been in self-exile in the Netherlands since 1987, responded to Duterte’s tirade stating that he was happy to find out the nation’s top leader is in good condition. He also mentioned that he wishes Duterte well so the president could be held accountable for all his wrongdoings. “Unlike him, I do not have any death wish for Duterte. In fact, I wish him to live long enough to receive a warrant of arrest, unlike the so many thousands of victims of Oplan Tokhang,� Sison added. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the president is “fine and well� and would continue his public appearances for the week. The tough-talking
leader attended the anniversary of the League of Municipalities (LMP) Visayas Island Cluster on Tuesday, August 21 at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Cebu City, two days after Sison made his claims. Finish term in 2022 Following speeches suggesting he would step down, Duterte has promised that he will continue his presidential term until the end. In a speech on Saturday, August 18 during the Lex Talionis Fraternitas Inc. (LTFI) National Convention at the Marco Polo Hotel in Davao City, the president said he will “be out� but not anytime soon. “If God wills it, it will be in 2022,� the leader vowed days after he delivered statements
expressing his desire to resign. In various speeches before the San Beda fraternity celebration, the nation’s top-ranking official expressed his resolve to step down from power. He justified this by stating that there is no one to trust. “I was so exasperated, tired. So I said if that’s the situation, why would I sacrifice by being president to serve and I could not even trust anybody?� Duterte added. He clarified that he only planned to resign because he has had enough of the issues and controversies surrounding his administration. “I said it is hard and then I said all those things. I am really tired,� QUEZON’S RIDE. Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. (second from left, facing sideways) looks at the presidential car of the late President Manuel L. Quezon, a 1937 Chrysler Airflow Custom Imperial CW, on display in the Museo ng Pampangulong Sasakyan at Quezon Memorial he said. n
Imee Marcos to martial law critics... PAGE A1 Bongbong Marcos’ wife, Liza Araneta-Marcos. She subtly refused to recognize August 21 as a day to remember the late Senator Ninoy Aquino. In the same report, the governor also said that the issues and controversies regarding corruption, human rights violation and ill-gotten wealth against her family are now less significant. “The conflict between the Marcoses and Aquinos happened a long time ago. We don’t need to keep hating people for a very long time,� she added. Urging the public to let go of the past, Marcos added, “It’s not our way. We just need to go forward.� Bam Aquino demands “closure� from Marcos family
Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam� Aquino responded to Marcos’ remark, stating that closure is necessary in order to move on. “ M a h i ra p m a k a g e t o v e r ‘pag walang closure, lalo na ‘pag pinamumukha sa publiko na walang kasalanan ang salarin (It is hard to get over something when there is no closure, especially when they are telling the public that the culprit is blameless),� he said in a statement. The opposition senator also criticized the governor for giving such a statement after all the country has been through during the Marcos administration. “Sinaktan ka na’t ninakawan, sasabihan ka pang mag-move on (They hurt you and stole from
you, then they tell you to move on),� the senator said. The nephew of Ninoy Aquino also emphasized the offenses that the late Marcos patriarch had committed. “Klaro naman sa kasaysayan kung sino ang nagnakaw, nagtorture at pumatay (History clearly shows who stole, tortured, and killed),� he said. He also expressed sympathy for the martial law victims as he noted that their families would have the hardest struggle in getting over one of the country’s darkest times. “Napakadaling sabihing mag move-on na lang, pero sa mga nasawi, napakahirap nito (It is easy to say just move on, but for the casualties, it is difficult),� Aquino stated. n
SC justices who ousted Sereno face...
PAGE A1 a violation of Article XI, Section 2 of the 1987 Constitution which states that Chief Justices may be removed through an impeachment process. “[We] asserted that the seven justices committed a culpable violation of the Constitution because they are fully aware that impeachment is the only process of removing impeachable officials, like the Chief Justice,� he claimed.
“A petition for quo warranto or any other vote of removal is anathema to the mandate of the constitution that the power to impeach is solely vested with the Congress,� he added. On May 11, the SC granted the quo warranto petition filed by the Office of the Solicitor General against Sereno. In a landmark decision, the justices voted 8-6 in favor of the petition and for the first time in Philippine history, a Chief Jus-
tice was ousted through a legal proceeding other than impeachment. Lagman also elaborated why former Associate Justice Samuel Martires was not included in the complaints. “Ombudsman Samuel Martires was one of the eight justices who removed Sereno [but] was not included in the complaint because he is no longer an incumbent associate justice,� Lagman explained. n
Circle in Quezon City. The museum was opened for public viewing on the 140th birth anniversary of the Commonwealth-era leader on Sunday, August 19. ManilaTimes.net photo by Ruy Martinez
Man charged in road deaths of Filipino... PAGE A1 Walker’s pickup truck crashed into motorcycle Officer Kirk Griess, 46, and the man he had pulled over to a shoulder, Jaime Bueza Manuel, 49, from the Philippines. The impact crushed the Saturn to half its size. Walker was hospitalized and was released Friday, August 17. Manuel, a resident of Vallejo,
California, was driving a Saturn SUV when the CHP officer pulled him over around 9 a.m. Friday on westbound Interstate Highway 80 near Manuel Campos Parkway. Manuel’s 20-year-old daughter, Jamie Manuel, of the Philippines said her father moved to the U.S. 10 years ago to help provide for his family. She said he
just finished putting her through St. Paul University in Manila, according to report by NBC Bay Area. Solano County District Attorney Krishna Abrams alleged Walker’s behavior “was gross negligence.� That’s why prosecutors charged Walker with two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter, one for each victim. (Inquirer.net)
Hidilyn Diaz strikes gold in Asian Games... PAGE A1
206. Diaz registered 92 kgs in the snatch, and then went for the 115 kgs in the clean and jerk for the victory. The Philippines has now won a total of five medals in the quadrennial meet, four of which
came in the form of bronze medals from Pauline Lopez in Tae Kwon Do, Agatha Wong in Wushu, and the men’s and women’s teams in the Tae Kwon Do poomsae events. Diaz’s latest gold ties the National delegation’s total medal haul in the previous Asiad.
The 27-year-old Mindanaoan was also the harbinger of the country’s lone medal in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, arresting the Philippines’ 20year drought in the global event. Aside from the hardware to flaunt, Diaz takes home P6 million in cash incentives. n
DOT chief hopes NAIA chaos won’t... PAGE A1 and canceled flights. Puyat said the NAIA incident still remains as an issue of the Department of Transportation. “As (Secretary Arthur Tugade) said they will be looking, improving all the protocols involved and I think what’s more important is that this
doesn’t happen again. I believe that this, as he said, is an eye opener,� Puyat said. In the same interview, Puyat said the rehabilitation of Boracay island is on track. The Department of Tourism secretary, however, said she feels that it should be Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu who
must formally announce the reopening of the island. “I think he would be announcing it. I feel that he should be the one to formally announce it that it will be opened Oct. 26. But I think it should be a soft opening because you cannot really rehabilitate an island in six months,� Puyat said. n
Pilgrimage to Some of ITALY’s Highlights and Miracles of the Eucharist 6SLULWXDO 'LUHFWRU 5(9 -2(/ %8*$6 ĹĄ 1RYHPEHU WR 1RYHPEHU 'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY 0RQ Ĺ&#x; 86$ 520( 'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY 7XHV Ĺ&#x; 5RPH Upon our arrival in Rome, our Tour Escort will welcome us to Italy. Rome is the heart, home and the spiritual capital of over one billion Catholics all over the world. After a short panoramic orientation of this Eternal City to us Roman Catholics, we will have our dinner and overnight rest at this great ancient City. DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN ROME (BB,D) 'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY :HG Ĺ&#x; 5RPH 3DSDO $XGLHQFH 5RPH This morning before we continue with our tour, we will have a Papal Audience. Then after, we will visit the famous Coliseum and see the Forum, the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon, one of the best preserved ancient monuments in the world. Celebrate the Holy Eucharist at St Peter Basilica St Joseph Chapel .Short stop in Trevi Fountain, before heading to our Hotel. DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN ROME (BB,D)
'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY 7KXUV Ĺ&#x; 5RPH %DVLOLFDV We will visit the Vatican Museum this morning and the Sistine Chapel to admire the awesome masterpieces of Michaelangelo, and even ancient Greek and Roman artists. the largest church in Roman Catholicism, St. Peter’s Basilica. Holy Eucharist at ST Mary Major, Followed by visit of the Basilica. We continue to visit the rest of the major Basilicas within the walls of Rome, and St. John Lateran, St Paul Outside the Wall. We will also pray at the Scala Santa or the Holy Stairs. St. Helena transported the steps from Jerusalem; the same steps that Christ ascended to receive Pilate’s unjust condemnation. DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN ROME (BB,D) 'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY )UL Ĺ&#x; 5RPH 6DQ *LRYDQQL 5RWRQGR 2018 is the 100th Anniversary of the stigmatization of St Pio. Church Will have Monthly Pastoral Program of Activities for the whole year. San Giovanni Rotondo, the home of St Padre Pio of Pietrelcina from 28 July, 1916 until his death on 23 September, 1968. Enjoy the drive going to San Giovanni, after we check in our Hotel. vWe visit the Shrines of St Padre Pio of Pietralcina as well as the places associated with him, such as the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace that contains his tomb. Here, we spend some time meditating, see his room, his confessional box and the cruciďŹ x that gave him his supernatural Crucifying stigmata, Celebrate Holy Eucharist (Hotel Gran Paradiso) DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN San Giovanni Rotondo (BB,D) 'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY 6DW Ĺ&#x; 6$1 *,29$11, 52721'2 This Morning we visit the new and Modern Basilica of St Padre Pio, See his uncorrupt body. Celebrate Holy Eucharist Spend some time meditating in this awesome Basilica. DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO (Hotel Gran Paradiso)
'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY 6XQ Ĺ&#x; 6DQ *LRYDQQL 5RWRQGR /DQFLDQR /RUHWR MASS AND BREAKFAST. We arrive at Lanciano, famous for the Miracle of the Eucharist. Near the Piazza Plebiscito, the Miracle is inside the Sanctuary of the Eucharistic Miracle. The miracle took place during the 8th century when a Basiline monk doubted the Real Presence of our Lord in the Eucharist. He found himself holding the host that had changed into Real Flesh and the Wine on the altar had changed into Real Blood. We continue our pilgrimage to the great Marian shrine of Loreto to see the famous sacred home of the most Holy Family, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Since 1294 the holy home has been located inside the Basilica of Loreto. Celebrate Holy Eucharist in Lanciano. DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN Assisi. 'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY 0RQ Ĺ&#x; /RUHWR $VVLVL Today we explore the hilltop birthplace of St Francis of Assisi. In the Crypt of St Francis Basilica lies the tomb of one of the most humble and beloved Saints of all times, St. Francis of Assisi, Holy Eucharist at the Crypt of St. Francis See the Basilica of St Clare, with her incorrupt body, and the little Church of St. Damiano and its CruciďŹ x from which Jesus spoke to Francis about his mission in 1206: “Go, Francis, and rebuild my house, which as you see is falling into ruin.â€? We visit the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, located in the lower plains of Assisi, and the place where the miracle of the Eucharist of Assisi took place in 1240. The small Church of the Porziuncola is inside the Basilica itself. Pope Honorius III granted a plenary indulgence for those entering this humble Church on August 1st and 2nd every year, with Confession, reception of the Eucharist and no attachment to venial sins. (BB,D) 'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY 7XHV Ĺ&#x; $VVLVL 6LHQD )ORUHQFH We will spend half day in Siena. Begin in the old town center with a visit to the Basilica of San Domenico. Built in the 13th century, it is a treasure chest of the Renaissance art and dedicated to St Catherine of Siena. You will learn about the city’s history while admiring it’s cathedrals, Museum, and libraries .Also you will admire the famous piazza del Campo, one of Europe’s great medieval squares. Continue to Florence. (BB,D) We start with a guided walking tour of Florence, this fascinating city with its Piazza, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistery of St. John the Baptist. Rest of the day free (BB,D) 'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY :HG Ĺ&#x; )ORUHQFH 5RPH Leave Florence around 2PM Arrived Rome almost dinner time (BB.D) 'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY 7KXUV Ĺ&#x; 5RPH 86$ End of our wonderful Pilgrimage
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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • AUgUSt 24-30, 2018
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DFA appeals to Filipinos abroad to ‘verify’ posts on social media to avoid disinformation THe Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday, August 20, appealed to Filipinos abroad to avoid posting unverified information on social media that may unnecessarily strain Philippine relations with the host state. A social media post about a Filipina household service worker in Bahrain who was supposedly subjected to genital mutilation by her employer went viral but turned out later that the alleged incident did not happen. DFA Undersecretary for Mi-
STREET DANCERS. Colorfully-garbed street dancers perform at the street dancing competition during 6th Niyogyugan Festival 2018 parade in Lucena City on Sunday, August 19. The festival was created in 2012 in celebration of the coconut tree or the so-called “Tree of life.” PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan
China might bring ‘nuclear element’ to South China Sea, Pentagon warns by Patricia Lourdes Philstar.com
Viray
No permanent large-scale air or naval presence has been observed on China’s outposts in the Spratly Island but it may soon be powered with a “nuclear element,” the Pentagon warned. The U.S. Department of Defense, in its annual report to U.S. Congress, noted that Beijing has stopped its land reclamation activities in the South China Sea but has continued to build infrastructure at three outposts. “In 2017, China indicated development plans may be underway to power islands and reefs in the typhoon-prone South China Sea with floating nuclear power stations; development reportedly is to begin prior to 2020,” the report read. The People’s Liberation Army’s missile force now fields short and medium-range ballistic missiles, as well as ground- and air-launched land-attack cruise missiles, the report read. China’s DF-26 intermediaterange ballistic missiles (IRBM) are capable of conductung precision conventional or nuclear strikes that can reach Guam, where the U.S. has bases. “The PLA has begun fielding a road-mobile, nuclear and conventional capable IRBM, expanding its near-precision strike capability as far as the second island chain,” the Pentagon also said. ‘Limited but survivable nuclear force’ The Pentagon also reported that Beijing invests resources to maintain and modernize a “limited, but survivable” nuclear force to ensure that the PLA will have a capacity to deliver a damaging responsive nuclear strike. “China’s nuclear weapons policy prioritizes the maintenance of
a nuclear force able to survive a first strike and to respond with sufficient strength to inflict unacceptable damage on an enemy,” the report read. China has been insisting that its missile forces are meant to “ensure the viability of its strategic deterrent” against the US and Russia. Beijing has a “no first use” policy consisting of two commitments — China will never use nuclear weapons first at any time and it will not use nuclear weapons to threaten any non-nuclear-weapon state or in nuclearweapon-free zones. This policy, however, is ambiguous on conditions where it would no longer apply. “Some PLA officers have written publicly of the need to spell out conditions under which China might need to use nuclear weapons first; for example, if an enemy’s conventional attack threatened the survival of China’s nuclear force or of the regime itself,” the Pentagon said. “China is enhancing peacetime readiness levels for these nuclear forces to ensure responsiveness,” it added. According to the Pentagon report, China maintains a “nuclear triad” in the PLA Rocket Force, Navy and Air Forces, providing the country delivery systems dispersed across land, sea and air. “PLA writings express the value of a ‘launch on warning’ nuclear posture, an approach to deterrence that uses heightened readiness, improved surveillance, and streamlined decisionmaking processes to enable a more rapid response to enemy attack,” the Pentagon said. Despite insisting that its projects in the Spratly Islands are focused on improving the living and working conditions of those
Robredo’s daughter Jillian to study in New York University with full scholarship THe youngest daughter of Vice President Leni Robredo, Jillian, is set to pursue her college studies at the New York University in the United States, her sister Tricia announced on Thursday, August 23. The 18-year-old will be taking up her biomolecular science degree under a full scholarship at NYU’s Tandon School of engineering. “Been dreading this day for the longest time huhu. early morning send-off for Jill, who will be attending NYU on a scholarship! Always so proud of my two sisters but yallz keep leaving,” Tricia wrote on Instagram. The vice president said the Robredo family will start a “new chapter” in their lives, in a Facebook photo with her three daughters on Wednesday, August 22. “We are yet again embarking on a new chapter and my girls dropped by the office today. Trish had to work yesterday, a
holiday, to be able to get off today,” she said. Jillian, a graduate of the Philippine Science High School, had two other options for college, particularly the Ateneo de Manila University’s applied mathematics program, and the University of the Philippines-Diliman’s mathematics program. The first two years of NYU’s biomolecular program focus on the “core courses” in science such as mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology, and would later on focus on biomedical science, biotechnology and chemistry, according to the university’s official website. The vice president’s eldest daughter, Aika, finished her studies in public administration at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government last May 24, which her father, the late Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, also completed back in 1999. (Philstar.com)
Filipino priest in Texas disappears... PAGE A1 priest, he said. The church first began investigating Paredes in May 2017 over allegations he stole $60,000 to $80,000 in cash from the parish. Paredes admitted to the financial misconduct and was suspended from the ministry and removed from the church in June 2017, Burns said. The Catholic Diocese of Dallas wasn’t aware of the sexual assault allegations at the time of the suspension, said a spokeswoman for the diocese. Church officials then received allegations in February that Paredes molested three teenage boys more than a decade ago. Burns disclosed the allega-
tions to parishioners on Sunday, August 19, after consulting with the Diocesan Review Board, a group of non-clergy Catholics who counsel the diocese on matters involving the sexual abuse of minors. The information wasn’t disclosed earlier because officials didn’t want to hinder the police investigation or compromise the victims’ identities, a church spokeswoman said. The information follows a recent report from Pennsylvania that said more than 1,000 had been abused by the clergy since the 1940s. The Catholic Church is hiring private investigators to find Paredes, Burns said. (Inquirer. net with reports from Associated Press)
stationed on the artificial islands, China continues to build administrative buildings, weapons stations, sensor emplacements and other facilities on the features. China’s expansion efforts are currently focused on its “big three” islands – Fiery Cross, Subi and Mischief Reefs, which are also being claimed by the Philippines. earlier reports have indicated that Beijing has deployed anticruise ship missiles, surface-toair missiles and electronic jamming equipment on the three islands. n
grant Workers Affairs Sarah Lou Arriola in a statement said that while the concern was appreciated, Filipinos abroad should exercise caution in posting such information “without first checking its veracity.” Ambassador to Manama Alfonso Ver, in a report to the DFA, said the woman had returned to the Philippines when the post went viral. Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano had the Filipina located and brought immediately to the hospital for medical
examination. “Doctors said that upon examination, the victim had no indication whatsoever of genital mutilation,” Ambassador Ver said. Arriola said that every complaint need not go viral on social media because the DFA would always take it seriously and have it investigated. “We have to protect the interests of our kababayan victim and at the same time make sure we do not unnecessarily strain our relations with the host state,” she added. (ManilaTimes.net)
UN experts welcome decision on special rapporteur by Gaea
Katreena Philstar.com
cabico
UNITeD Nations experts welcomed the ruling that cleared UN special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples Victoria Tauli-Corpuz from the government petition seeking to declare her and hundreds of others as terrorists. In a resolution late July, Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 19 declared Tauli along with former Bayan Muna Rep. Satur ocampo, National Democratic Front of the Philippines consultant Rafael Baylosis and human rights advocate Jose Melencio Molintas as “non-parties” to the Department of Justice proscription petition. Manila RTC Presiding Judge Marlo Magdoza-Malagar found “nothing” in the petition that pointed to Corpuz as officer or
representative of Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, New People’s Army. Human rights groups believe the inclusion of Tauli on the list was a retaliation for the public comments she had made about the Philippines in her mandate as special rapporteur. “The fact that a UN mandate holder was the subject of such an acceptable attack is very serious cause for concern,” said Dainius P ras, chair of the Coordination Committee of Special Procedures. But while P?ras and special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Michel Forst welcomed the decision clearing Tauli and three others, they appealed to the Philippine government to remove all human rights defenders from the list.
“The inclusion of human rights defenders, among them indigenous peoples, on the government list amounts to intimidation and harassment of people who are peacefully defending their rights,” Forst said. He noted that removing few high profile names from the list “will not make us stop drawing attention to the situation of the others, whose physical safety and integrity is still under immense pressure.” The petition, filed by DoJ under former chief Vitaliano Aguirre II, accused more than 600 individuals of being terrorists and members of the New People’s Army and the Communist Party of the Philippines. The terrorist petition has been criticized for endangering the lives of the individuals included on the list. n
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PH joins world in mourning former UN chief Kofi Annan’s death Fil-Am recognized as one of Cal State LA’s outstanding professors by DJ
Yap Inquirer.net
THE Philippines on Sunday, August 19, joined the international community in mourning the demise of former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. Malacañang described the Nobel Peace Prize winner as “a humanitarian who worked tirelessly for a better and more informed humanity.” “We are saddened by the de-
mise of former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement on Sunday. Annan died in Switzerland on Saturday after a short illness. He was 80. Roque cited Annan for having made history as the first and only black African to head the United Nations, whose “humanitarian work has been recognized and earned the former
world’s top diplomat a Nobel Peace Prize.” “The world, has, indeed, lost not only a diplomat and peacekeeper but a humanitarian who worked tirelessly for a better and more informed humanity,” Roque said. It was Annan, according to the Roque, who said, “Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family.” n
Over 300 newspapers denounce Trump’s attack on the press by rae
ann Varona AJPress
HUNDREDS of newspaper across the U.S. on Thursday, August 16 joined together in calling out President Donald Trump’s diatribes against news media which he has more than once dubbed “the enemy of the people.” Nearly 350 editorials were published Thursday, after the Boston Globe last week encouraged editorial boards to write and publish editorials to condemn what it described as a “dirty war against the free press.” “This relentless assault on the free press has dangerous consequences. We asked editorial boards from around the country — liberal and conservative, large and small — to join us today to address this fundamental threat in their own words,” wrote the Boston Globe. Trending on Twitter nationwide was the hashtag, #freepress. In response, Trump on Thursday, sent out tweets saying that the “fake news media is the opposition party.” “It is very bad for our Great Country…. BUT WE ARE WINNING,” tweeted Trump, before accusing the Boston Globe for “collusion with other papers on free press.” Among the over 300 papers that sent their editorials were the Fresno Bee, the Orange County Register, the Denver Post, the Chicago Sun-Times, and the New York Times which described Trump’s labeling of the press as the enemy, “dangerous.” “In 2018, some of the most
damaging attacks are coming from government officials,” said the New York Times in its editorial. The paper added that correcting mistakes were “core to our job.” “But insisting that truths you don’t like are ‘fake news’ is dangerous to the lifeblood of democracy,” added the New York Times. “These attacks on the press are particularly threatening to journalists in nations with a less secure rule of law and to smaller publications in the United States, already buffeted by the industry’s economic crisis.” But a number of newspapers that have been critical of Trump did choose not to send out editorials. These included the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Washington Post. Editorial page editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, John Diaz, explained the paper’s reason despite being in agreement with the Boston Globe’s deputy managing editor for the editorial page, Marjorie Pritchard. “It’s not that we take issues with the argument that Trump’s assault on the truth generally, and his efforts to diminish the free press specifically, pose a serious threat to American democracy,” wrote Diaz. “One of our most essential values is independence. The Globe’s argument is that having a united front on the issue — with voices from Boise to Boston taking a stand for the First Amendment, each in a newspaper’s own words — makes a powerful statement,” he added. “However, I would counter that answering a call to
join the crowd, no matter how worthy the cause, is not the same as an institution deciding on its own to raise a matter.” The Capital Gazette, which lost staff members last month in a targeted shooting attack, said that Trump’s opinion was not something they saw as important. “It’s not the we disagree with concerns about the president’s language in speeches and on social media. We noted with regret the hurtful nature of his remarks last month calling most journalists dishonest even as we attended funerals for five friends and colleagues killed in the June 28 attack on our newsroom,” said the paper. “We’re just not coordinating with other news organizations because the president’s opinion, frankly, is just not that important to us,” added the Capital Gazette. “We are far more concerned about what this community thinks of us.” Trump has labeled news media as “the enemy” many times since taking office. He first called news media “the enemy of the American people,” just amonth into his presidency. Earlier this month, Trump blasted the media at a Pennsylvania campaign rally, calling it “fake, fake, disgusting news.” Targeting specific outlets, Trump before called the New York Times and the Washington Post, “anti-Trump haters” that “do nothing but write bad stories even on very positive achievements — they will never change.” He was also reportedly upset when first lady Melania Trump’s television on Air Force One was tuned to CNN. n
CAl State lA recognized Ray de leon as one of the institution’s outstanding professors during the 2018 University Fall Convocation on Friday, August 17. De leon, a professor of kinesiology in the Rongxiang Xu College of Health and Human Services at Cal State lA, was one of four outstanding professors honored for excellence in teaching and significant achievement in scholarly inquiry or creativity, as well as professional activities and community service at the event held at luckman Fine Arts Complex. An expert in exercise therapies for spinal cord injury, de leon pioneered the use of robotic devices for gait rehabilitation in rodent models. His findings led to the development of new devices used to treat paralysis after spinal cord injury and stroke. A resident of Glendale, de leon received his Ph.D. in physiological science from the University of California, los Angeles. He has secured grants totaling
more than $4.2 million, which have supported more than 80 Cal State lA students in research projects, and he has authored over 50 papers that were published in top journals, such as The Journal of Neuroscience and The Journal of Neurotrauma. He is director of the university’s School of Kinesiology and Nutritional Science. He is also the founder of the Mobility Center at Cal State lA, which has helped more than 300 people with disabilities get access to exercise therapy. De leon helped develop Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Exercise curriculum in kinesiology. This curriculum emphasizes community service and has received multiple awards and special recognition from Congress, the California legislature and the City of los Angeles. Additionally, three Outstanding Professor Awards went to Cal State lA faculty members Nana lawson Bush, V, Dionne Espinoza and ChorSwang Ngin, and
Fil-Am faculty Ray de Leon received Cal State LA’s 2018 Outstanding Professor Award. Photo by J. Emilio Flores/Cal State LA
an Outstanding lecturer Award was given to Howard lum. A President’s Distinguished Professor Award was also presented to Daphne liu, who was a previous outstanding professor recipient. This award recognizes the faculty member’s superlative teaching and exceptional commitment to students, as well as professional accomplishments and services. n
Duterte to US: Prove good faith first on arms deal by Catherine
S. Valente ManilaTimes.net
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, August 23 said he was willing to hold a dialogue with the United States on the possible procurement of military equipment as long as it would deal in good faith with his administration. Three Cabinet members of U.S. President Donald Trump, in a letter sent by U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim, sought a dialogue with him to discuss defense and security cooperation. The President said the letter was signed by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, and Secretary of Defense James Mattis. “We are writing you to reaffirm this administration’s strongest support for your effort to modernize the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and our commitment to continue to work with your Congress to support this strategic endeavors,” Duterte quoted the letter as saying. The president said the letter from the U.S. government cited the Philippines’ recent decision to procure Bell combat utility
helicopters and Cessna utility aircraft. “The United States is peerless, walang katumbas, supplier of state of the art technology with a proven track record and a long term reliable partner,” the letter stated, citing that American precision-guided munitions that were used during the siege of Marawi. “We hope you share our view that our nation, selection of US partners for this future defense procurement, is mutually advantageous and strategically important way to strengthen and deepen the steadfast bonds between our (countries),” it added. The letter comes just as Washington raised concerns about Manila’s plan to get military hardware, including submarines, from Russia. While on a visit to Manila, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs Randall Schriver warned the Philippines against acquiring military hardware from Russia, one of Washington’s rivals. Duterte said he was willing to meet with the three Cabinet officials on the possible procurement of military equipment but added that he would ask them if
they could deliver it. “Tapos ngayon sabihin mo sa akin, procurement? Prove to me first that you are in utter good faith. But I do not want to communicate with them by just… Gusto ko, mamili sila. I want to meet three of them. Mamili sila ng… Hindi ako pupunta ng America. There will never be a time na pupunta ako ng America,” Duterte said in his speech during the 12th anniversary of the Eastern Mindanao Command in Davao City. “Pero sabihin ko sa kanila, mukhain ko sila, ‘Sige, mag-debate tayo.’ Para klaro-klaro. Mahirap iyang sabihin mong we are friends. We are friends. But remember we are friends because you made us a colony years ago. Huwag mong sabihin na friends, friends. It was not a friendship agreed upon, mutually satisfying. It was a friendship imposed on us because when you won in the Spanish-American war, the Philippines was handed to you, America,” he added. The president has lamented that the U.S. would sell or donate refurbished military equipment to the Philippines. In contrast, China and Russia offer brand new ones and without conditions. n
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Dateline PhiliPPines
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Roque: People spreading ‘fake Court order allowing Ampatuan to news’ should hang themselves attend daughter’s wedding denounced by Christine O. AvendAñO, Julie M. AureliO, And leilA B. sAlAverriA
ing that the Chief executive was healthy. “my suggestion to [them] is selves,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said on that they just hang themselves Wednesday, august 22, insist- because what they want will not happen,” Roque said in a radio interview, a day after President Duterte showed up looking fine in Cebu City after dropping out of public sight for three days. speculation about mr. Duterte’s health flew wild during those three days following a claim on Facebook by Communist Party of the Philippines founding chair Jose maria sison that the President fell ill and slipped into a coma either in the afternoon or evening of sunday. sison said the report was unconfirmed. Video appearance administration officials, inPAGE A7 Inquirer.net photo
Inquirer.net
PeOPle spreading false reports about President Duterte’s health should “just hang them-
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque
Duterte urges Filipinos: ‘Be like Ninoy’ by aJPress PResiDeNT Rodrigo Duterte said on Tuesday, august 21 that the country needs citizens like the late senator Benigno “Ninoy” aquino Jr. Tuesday marked Ninoy aquino Day, the 35th anniversary since the senator was assassinated upon his arrival at the then-manila international airport after a three-year self-exile in Boston, massachusetts. in a statement from the malacañang Palace, Duterte commemorated Ninoy aquino Day and recognized the heroism of the late senator and the father of former President Benigno “Noynoy” aquino iii. “in this time of real and lasting change, we need more citizens like him so we can steer our country toward the direction where a brighter and better future awaits us all,” Duterte said. The president’s message added that aquino “died while fighting to restore peace and democracy in the Philippines.” Duterte also cited how aquino inspired the very first bloodless revolt that became a significant turning point in Philippine history.
Ninoy Aquino, a staunch critic of dictator Ferdinand Marcos, fell to an assassin’s bullet, shortly after he arrived at the Manila International Airport (now the Ninoy Aquino International Airport). Malacañang file photo
it triggered events that led to the overthrow of marcos. after the three-day uprising known as the People Power Revolution commenced along epifanio Delos santos avenue (eDsa) in manila, the late dictator Ferdinand marcos sr. fled to Hawaii on February 25, 1986. it paved the way for the country’s freedom from the regime accused of countless human rights violations and ill-gotten wealth accumulation. “His (Ninoy’s) profound love of country has inspired a revolu-
tion that altered the course of our nation’s history and gave birth to the freedoms we enjoy today,” Duterte’s message said. aquino’s wife, Corazon “Cory” aquino, rose to power as the president following marcos. The current president went on to encourage the public to look back at aquino’s life and acknowledge the nationalism that the latter displayed all throughout his lifetime. “let us take this opportunity to PAGE A7
by dOnA
Z. PAZZiBugAn, JeOffrey MAiteM, And Julie AliPAlA
themselves of such privilege, but they could easily hand it down to the killers like ampatuan,” said Inquirer.net emily lopez, whose cousin arturo Betia, a reporter for Periodico Families of journalists alleg- ini, was killed in the massacre. On Nov. 23, 2009, armed men edly slaughtered by members of an influential maguindanao clan in 2009 slammed on Wednesday, august 22 a court order allowing one of the primary suspects to attend his daughter’s wedding. Reynafe momay-Castillo said she did not understand why the country had this kind of justice system. “i need a valid, full explanation from the public prosecutors,” she said. she is the daughter of photojournalist Reynaldo momay, who was among those killed at Barangay salman in ampatuan town. Zaldy ampatuan, former governor of the autonomous Region in muslim mindanao, managed to get an order from Quezon City Judge Jocelyn solis-Reyes allowing him to attend the wedding at sofitel manila from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on aug. 21. ampatuan is one of the primary suspects in the maguindanao massacre in which 58 people, including 33 journalists, were shot dead and hastily buried on Nov. 23, 2009. Vigorously opposed Justice secretary menardo Guevarra on Wednesday said government prosecutors had vigorously opposed the former governor’s motion for furlough, but the court granted the motion for humanitarian reasons. The National Union of Journalist of the Philippines (NUJP) also expressed grave concern that ampatuan was allowed to leave his detention cell at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City to attend the wedding. The NUJP noted that no one had been convicted almost nine years after the massacre. in Zamboanga City, families of the massacre victims said the Duterte administration seemed to be favoring criminals and human rights violators over the victims. “[There were] thousands of poor inmates who can’t avail
gunned down and hacked to death 58 people in a convoy of supporters of gubernatorial aspirant esmael mangudadatu on their way to file his certificate of candidacy in shariff aguak, maguindanao. n
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AUGUST 24-30, 2018 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL
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FEATURES
O PINION Remembering
IN 35 years, a generation has reached adulthood. Events before the birth of members of this generation are relegated to their history lessons. Each year that passes makes remembering more difficult. And yet this country cannot afford to forget former senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. and what he was fighting for, which drove him to return home from exile on that fateful afternoon, 35 years ago today. Who ordered Aquino’s assassination together with alleged communist hit man Rolando Galman remains a mystery. The truth eluded the country even after Aquino’s widow and their only son became president. What has always been certain was Ninoy Aquino’s cause: to free his country from the yoke of dictatorship. The cause still resonates as certain public officials in this country even in remote municipalities continue to behave like dictators, trample on human rights and treat public coffers like their personal piggybank. Younger generations did not experience those days when the state controlled people’s movements, the flow of information and even men’s hairstyles and women’s hemlines. But the youth – and the older generations — can still be reminded about those days, when plunder was committed on such a large scale that a new word had to
be coined for it. The “kleptocracy” and authoritarian rule held back economic development. By the time democracy was restored in 1986, with Ninoy Aquino’s widow Corazon taking the helm of government, the country — which was second only to Japan in the level of development when Ferdinand Marcos became president — had fallen behind several of its neighbors in many human development indicators. Today the country is still trying to catch up and recover its place in the region. Ninoy Aquino risked his life to return to the country and lead the movement against the abuses of the Marcos dictatorship. Aquino did not make it past the airport that now bears his name. But his death awakened a nation from apathy and galvanized a movement to end an oppressive regime. It’s a story worth retelling, and remembering, decades after Aquino’s murder. The admonition often given in those dark days of oppression remains relevant to this day: freedom is like air — you take it for granted, until it is taken away. (Philstar.com)
Editorial
Philstar.com photo
Trump implicated in open court as a co-conspirator in campaign finance violations to influence the 2016 presidential election
The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS UNDER OATH, President Donald Trump’s fixer and long-time personal lawyer Michael Cohen surrendered to the FBI and pleaded guilty to eight counts related to tax fraud, excessive campaign contributions, making false statements to a financial institution, and unlawful corporate contributions at a court hearing in New York on Tuesday, August 21. Trump has been implicated in two of these counts of the crime that the president has been denying and lying about since this was reported by media he has been calling “fake news.” THIS IS NOT FAKE NEWS.
Cohen admitted — under oath in an open court, substantiated with hard evidence, to be corroborated by other evidence pursuant to the rule of law — that he paid hush money to two women (Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal) in coordination with and at the direction of a candidate running for federal office (Donald Trump) to influence the outcome of the election. These payments were made to silence these women about their alleged affairs with thenprivate citizen Trump just before the 2016 elections in order to conceal material information to the public to help him win the presidency. As CNBC reported, “Cohen pleaded guilty to one count of
headlining his former campaign manager Paul Manafort who was found guilty on eight criminal counts by a jury in Virginia. This is the first to come as a result of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation in the alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election to damage Hillary Clinton’s campaign and help Trump win. “I think the whole Manafort trial is very sad...I think it’s a very sad day for our country,” the president said at the White House. “He happens to be a very good person, and I think it’s very sad what they’ve done to Paul Manafort.” The questions:
causing an illegal corporate contribution in 2016 by working with the CEO of a media company, at the direction of a federal candidate for federal election, to keep information from the public. Cohen said he paid a woman $150,000 ‘for the principal purpose of influencing the election.’” The second admission implicating Trump was “making an excessive campaign contribution. He said he used a company under his control to pay $130,000 to a woman at the direction of the same candidate.” Trump refused to comment when reporters asked him about this news, but just responded to the other news of the day
What will now happen to President Donald Trump? Will he also be indicted for the crime Cohen pleaded guilty to? After all, this criminal act was meant to benefit Trump, not Cohen. What did the president’s men and women in the White House and in the Republican Party know about this? Were they ordered by Trump to conceal this from the public? Would this constitute obstruction of justice? Were they complicit in covering up this violation as they continued to lie to the American people? And now that this has come out under oath in court, what will the honorable men and women of the Republican Party do to prove to the American peo-
ple that the party of Lincoln believes in the rule of law, and that no one — not even the president — is above the law? How would this development be part of the bigger picture of the Mueller probe? How does the evidence coming from this relate to the other pieces of evidence already in the hands of Mueller? How will this news affect the 2018 midterm elections? ABANGAN… *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https:// www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
Why not ‘build, build, build’ the new int’l airport of the Philippines? Commentary
YEN MAKABENTA I SUBMIT that there is a major difference between the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and the needed new premier international airport of the nation. The difference is between a “can’t-do/better-not-try” pessimism, and a ”can-do”/yes, wecan” spirit. I believe it is time for President Duterte to order the injection of the “build, build, build” spirt (which is set to build a railway system throughout the country and construct a subway in the metropolis) into the solution of our perennial nightmare over NAIA. Can’t-do vs can-do agencies NAIA is a can’t-do institution and facility of the government, saddled with operational and management problems, stinking toilets, and burdened by a sorry/ tragic history. It is often named as one of the world’s worst airports. The new international airport is a challenging infrastructure need or fantasy project that will submit to engineering knowhow, financial analysis and financing, project management, and a nononsense construction timetable. It is a must-have project, and will most likely be built in a hurry. As an institution, NAIA has become a conundrum, a problem that is intractable or difficult to solve. It is like the perennial flooding of Metro Manila and neigh-
boring provinces; the serpentine clogged traffic at EDSA; the invincibly corrupt and inefficient government bureaucracy; the sclerotic party system and Philippine political culture; the ageless communist insurgency and militancy. These problems share one quality in common; they have been around us for generations, but they have stonily defied solution. Filipinos now expect to see them every time they wake up. A traumatic jolt The airport incident on Thursday, August 16, involving a Xiamen Air plane, which caused the temporary closure of NAIA to air traffic, is paradoxically a blessing or traumatic jolt. It has loosened many tongues. Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said on Saturday that the mishap serves as an “eye-opener” for airport authorities, and presumably his department. “This incident served as a reminder for us to take a second look at the processes, procedures, and protocols of concerned agencies, as well as airlines, so that we may all improve in the future,” Tugade said. House transportation committee chairman Cesar Sarmiento seemed to leap out of his chair. He declared that it is time to build a new international airport outside Manila. He zeroed in on NAIA’s single runway facility as the root of our problems in our premier international airport. He pointed to the existing Clark International Airport in Pampanga, which has rapidly emerged as a “complementary” airport for NAIA. Clark is huge and it can be developed to handle all that NAIA cannot cope with
Meanwhile in the Senate, Sen. Grace Poe, chair of the committee on public services, wants to conduct an inquiry into the Xiamen incident, but only if there is live TV coverage. She will not be satisfied until she is able to ask questions herself of pilots, engineers and airport officials, if she would understand their vocabulary. It is as if this country does not have an airport authority to investigate such incidents. Urgent necessity, national sanity Seriously, I submit that more than another Senate inquiry, we need a policy decision to adopt “build, build, build” in bringing our substandard premier international airport into the modern world. As a matter of urgent necessity and for the sake of national sanity, our sovereign government must finance and build posthaste a new international airport to serve our national capital and the entire country. Congress and transportation officials have long discussed various proposals to address the problem, but so far nothing has availed. The repeated building of new terminals at NAIA has solved nothing, because the fundamental problem of NAIA is its single runway. Until this problem is met, we should expect no relief or change. In other countries in Asia, notably South Korea, Japan and Hong Kong, governments have built second airports outside the main city, that are located an hour or more away. The key to making this work in our case is to plan this infrastructure right, build a facility with
NAIA INCIDENT PRESSER. Philippine Airlines Vice President for Corporate Communication Josen Perez de Tagle (right) gives a statement to the media about the cancellation and delayed flights in a press conference held at the NAIA Terminal 1, in Pasay City on Monday, August 20. Also in photo are Manila International Airport Authority General Manager Ed Monreal (3rd from left), and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines Director General Capt. Jim Sydiongco (2nd from left). PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan
several runways and the capacity to serve several million passengers. Most important is the construction of fast rail system, which can speedily move passengers to and from the airport. We will only add that the new international airport should be built according to the highest design standards and specifications, as befit our fast-growing nation of over 100 million. It is to compete in our real division. New mindset, new day The Duterte administration is admirably moving now with
its “build, build, build” policy to modernize and provide longneeded infrastructure to the entire country from north to south. The program will lift the country to the upper rungs of economic development, and drive the economy to new heights. It makes no sense to modernize highways, railways and build a subway, upgrade our armed forces and police, overhaul our political system, and leave our international airport in the shadows, like a black sheep. I submit that adding a second international airport for our capital region fits squarely into
this new national mindset. The cost, whatever it may be, can be afforded and easily financed. If government wants the private sector to do it, several investors will readily line up to take on the burden. That is how acutely the need is felt by all. There is paramount national interest in building another international airport for our capital region and the nation. The time to start building is now. When the new airport is finished, should we call it the Ninoy Aquino International Airport? Good heavens, no! This is a new day. (ManilaTimes.net)
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Duterte urges Filipinos: ‘Be... PAGE A5 t reflect on his sacrifice as we honor the courage and patriotism that Ninoy demonstrated during his struggle,” the president added. Duterte also advised public officials to emulate Aquino as they push for initiatives that would benefit the masses and the general public. “May his dedication to his cause serve as a guidepost for our current leaders in government as they advance the welfare of our people, especially the oppressed and marginalized,” Duterte said. The president concluded the statement by asking for the public’s cooperation in addressing the conflicts that are plaguing the society. “This can only be achieved if we work together to institute meaningful reforms that will put an end to the many social ills that have obstructed our path toward
becoming a mature and stable democracy,” the president stated. Justice remains unserved Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) chairman Dante Jimenez noted that justice for Aquino’s assassination is yet to be seen three decades later. “Justice remains elusive and still haunts the nation that is waiting for answers,” Jimenez said in a statement. He also noted that despite all the years that have passed, the real mastermind for the crime has still not been punished or placed behind bars. “Who masterminded the orchestrated killing of Ninoy Aquino? Because only the soldiers and police security escorts were convicted by the court,” he added. Family members, friends and supporters of the late senator attended the “Mass for National Transformation” at the Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City. The
Dateline PhiliPPines
cluding Roque, disparaged Sison’s claim, but did not release a medical bulletin to assure the public that the President was not ill. The closest thing to an assurance came on Monday night from Special Presidential Assistant Christopher “Bong” Go, who livestreamed a video on Facebook showing Mr. Duterte at a table with an unidentified woman in an unnamed Davao City hotel. In the video, Mr. Duterte said he was “fairly healthy” and mocked Sison, inviting the exiled communist leader to come home if he was sick and promising to make room for him in the national penitentiary. In Cebu City on Tuesday night, Mr. Duterte again flayed Sison for “talking nonsense.” “The leaders here no longer believe you,” Mr. Duterte said, addressing Sison, who lives in self-exile in Utrecht, the Netherlands. “You are a discredited leader.” In an interview on television on Wednesday, Sison denied he was a victim of fake news and refused to apologize for reporting that Mr. Duterte was sick. ‘Clearly delusional’ Death, he said, would be an “easy way out” for Mr. Duterte, who he said in his Facebook post on Sunday he wanted to
see live long to answer for his crimes against the people in the International Criminal Court. In a text message to reporters on Wednesday, Roque said Sison was “clearly delusional.” In his radio interview, Roque said Mr. Duterte would abide by the Constitution and inform the public if ever he became seriously ill. “And we have seen that it was impossible that he is gravely ill because the President’s demeanor [on Tuesday] was very normal,” Roque said. Mr. Duterte has publicly stated that he is suffering from at least four ailments, including Buerger’s disease, a condition that leads to constriction of the blood vessels due to an accumulation of nicotine. ‘That’s drama’ He has also said that he suffers from “perpetual pain” caused by an injury that he sustained in a motorcycle accident years ago, for which he has become dependent on the painkiller fentanyl. But opposition Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV said on Wednesday that Mr. Duterte was just faking illness to gain public sympathy and avoid being called to account for his many failures. “For me that’s drama. [Mr. Duterte] is trying to appear piteous so that he could get the people’s sympathy in order to
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mass presided by Msgr. Gerardo Santos was intended to commemorate Aquino’s 35th death anniversary and to remember the casualties of Duterte’s war on drugs as well as Marcos’ martial law victims. Among those present were former President Noynoy Aquino, Vice President Leni Robredo, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, former Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman, former Commission on Human Rights Chairwoman Etta Rosales, and former education chief Armin Luistro. Civil society group Tindig Pilipinas also honored Aquino on Tuesday saying that the late senator’s wisdom can help “confront the OPLAN SITA. Officers of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Station 6 flag down motorcycle riders at the intersection of Commonwealth Duterte dictatorship.” Avenue and Holy Spirit Drive in Quezon City to check on unregistered vehicles and as part of its law enforcement operations on Wednesday, PNA photo by Jonathan M. Palapar “Ninoy told us to fight, to be August 22. firm, and to hold fast to our principles. Most important, Ninoy taught us our true value, that we are worth dying for,” Tindig Pilipinas said in a statement. n
Duterte warns of war over oil, uranium
Roque: People spreading ‘fake news’... PAGE A5 t
NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • AUgUSt 24-30, 2018
divert attention from the important crises happening now, such as the increase in rice prices and various corruption cases,” Trillanes told reporters. “I believe he is healthy, but lazy. He is not doing his job to provide solutions to the country’s problems,” he added. According to Trillanes, people should learn from the example of Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who usually wore a neck brace during her long detention in military hospital while the Sandiganbayan heard graft and corruption charges against her stemming from alleged misuse of charity funds when she was President, but sprang back to fighting form and ditched the device after the court cleared and ordered her freed. “They know Filipinos easily feel pity for others,” Trillanes said. He said he believed Mr. Duterte would never let go of power, despite the President’s recent statements that he wanted to step down because he was old and tired. “He is addicted to power. He will not let go of his position. He did not let go of Davao City, more so he will not let go of the presidency because he knows they will go after him and jail him if he steps down,” Trillanes said. n
Don’t monopolize South China Sea reserves, China told
by Ralph
VillanueVa ManilaTimes.net
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to declare war against China if it monopolizes oil and uranium resources in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). Escalating his rhetoric against Beijing despite an official policy of resolving Manila’s maritime dispute with Beijing through peaceful means, Duterte warned China there would be “difficulty” if it found significant natural resources in the disputed waters. The president said he could even raise the Philippines’ 2016 legal victory before a United Nations-backed arbitration tribunal that invalidated China’s claim to nearly the entire South China Sea.
“I will assert, why? The oil. If you take it alone, there will be mess. Because if you struck oil now, what is the ocean? I’ll let you be. That is all yours,” Duterte said in a mix of Visayan and English, in remarks during the conference of the Visayas chapters of the League of Municipalities in Cebu City on Tuesday, August 21. “But, son of a b***h, the uranium there… That is another story. The oil, that is another story. There, we will have a difficulty,” Duterte added. He joked that acting Interior Secretary Eduardo Año would bring bolo knives to the disputed area and hack the Chinese. Duterte had been irked by a BBC report that China had shooed Filipino pilots away from the contested waters. According to the BBC report, the Chinese military issued a
“vociferous warning” against a Philippine plane flying nearby. The radio transmission was suspected to have come from Beijing’s artificial islands, where it has powerful communications and surveillance equipment. “Philippine military aircraft, I’m warning you again. Leave immediately or you will bear responsibility for all the consequences!” the radio transmission said. Last week, Duterte urged China to “temper” its behavior against the Philippines, insisting that Filipinos had the right to innocent passage in the area. Duterte has kept a cordial relationship with China since taking his oath as President, compared with the combative stance of his predecessor, Benigno Aquino 3rd, who filed the arbitration case against Beijing. n
DENR: Boracay to hold ‘dry run’ for local tourists before reopening MANILA — The Boracay interagency task force will be holding a “dry run” or partial opening of the island from October 16 to 25 to get ready for its official reopening internationally. “[The dry run] will allow us to assess what else needs to be done before the island is reopened to all tourists, both domestic and foreign on Oct. 26,” Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said on
Thursday, August 23. Cimatu added that during the dry run, only local tourists will be allowed to enter Boracay, with Aklanons as priority. The public is advised to wait for the Department of Tourism’s announcement on what hotels will be opened as only 1,000 hotel rooms will be available on the first day of the dry run. Cimatu also told the public to
hold hotel reservations for the soft-opening and also wait for the DOT’s announcement on which compliant and accredited establishments will be allowed to operate on October 26. The DOT earlier announced that around 5,000 hotel rooms out of the total of 15,000 rooms in Boracay island are expected to be available during the softopening. (Philstar.com)
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An Asian Journal Magazine
The Asian Journal N E W YO R K / N E W J E R S EY AU G U ST 24 , 20 1 8
What ails us? The pursuit of understanding health issues among AAPIs by RAE
THE growing Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population in the U.S. is very diverse — encompassing a large number of unique ethnic identities with their own cultures, languages, and experiences. According to fact tank Pew Research Center, a whopping 20 million Asian Americans trace back to over 20 countries throughout East and Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. The 19 largest origin groups together account for 94 percent of the total Asian population in the U.S. Yet despite the population’s vast diversity, AAPIs often get lumped together into one homogeneous group which can be problematic as not all subgroups have the same experiences. Pew Research Center found, for example, that income inequality in the U.S. to be the greatest among Asians, displacing blacks as the most economically divided ethnic group in the nation. The same is true in the area of health as not all AAPIs experience health concerns in the exact same way. When the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics in 2016 came out with a study that reported Asian
ANN VARONA / AJPress
Americans doing better in health than the general population, experts took it as an opportunity to highlight the differences between AAPI subgroups. For example, while 16 percent of Asian Americans reported having suffered multiple chronic conditions, 24.1 percent of U.S. total did. But when AAPI subgroups were compared with each other, Filipinos reported suffering multiple chronic conditions at a much higher percentage than its Asian counterparts. Filipino-Americans were found to have reported suffering from multiple chronic conditions such as hypertension, stroke, diabetes, and coronary heart disease at rates higher than other AAPI subgroups. The Fil-Ams’ rate was about doubled that of the Chinese Americans. Just as it is in areas of economic level and education, AAPIs cannot be lumped into one category when discussing issues of health. But there are health issues that have been found to be of concern across all subgroups, despite affecting them differently. Cancer, heart disease, and stroke Cancer rates among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders as a whole are generally lower compared to that of non-Hispanic whites, according to the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health (OMH). But as one of the leading causes of death within the AAPI community, there are apparent disparities in the types of cancers. Compared to non-Hispanic whites, AAPI men are 40 percent less likely to have prostate cancer, but twice as likely to have stomach cancer, according to OMH. Similarly, despite being less likely to have breast cancer than white women, AAPI women were also twice as likely than white women to have stomach cancer. AAPIs also have the highest occurrence of liver cancer of any racial group in the U.S. The National Cancer Institute found liver cancer to be prevalent in Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Japanese, and Vietnamese populations with rates ranging from 1.7 to 11.3 times higher than white Americans. Vietnamese men had the highest rates. Heart disease is also among the top concerns for the AAPI community, affecting some groups more than others. While cancer was a leading cause of death among most AAPI female subgroups, heart disease was the leader among Asian Indian women, according to a study posted in the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Among men, Asian Indian men also saw heart disease as a leading cause of death. The same was found for Filipino and Japanese men. This, despite cancer showing as a leading cause of death for Asian males when looking at the group as a whole. The same study listed stroke as the third leading cause of death among almost every Asian subgroup. Earlier this year, the American Stroke Association found Asian Americans to be more likely than whites to experience a severe ischemic stroke, adding that the findings were a good first step in the direction of looking into subgroups. Other health issues While cancer, heart disease, and stroke usually claim the top three spots of health issues for AAPIs, many issues remain on the health radar for all subgroups. As the issues of mental health awareness gain traction in the U.S., so too has the issue been increasingly discussed in the AAPI community which has often considered the issue a stigma. The National Latino and Asian American Study found that Asian Americans were three times less likely to seek out mental health services than white Americans. Reasons for stigma have often stemmed from pressure
Heart disease is among the top health concerns for the AAPI community, affecting some groups more than others. Inquirer.net photo
to succeed or live up to the “model minority” stereotype, family obligations based on cultural values or traditions, and the problem of mental health concerns as simply being considered taboo among others. These issues, in addition to challenges with accessing resources due to language barriers. The CDC found that in 2014, suicide was the ninth leading cause of death for aggregated Asian Americans, and the 10th for White Americans. Chronic hepatitis B has also been found to be experienced by many AAPIs. Despite being less five percent of the total U.S. population, AAPIs account for over 50 percent of nearly one million Americans living with chronic hepatitis B, according to the CDC. It adds that at least onethird of Asian Americans living in the state may not know they have chronic hepatitis B. And while the U.S. population deals with large numbers of those with diabetes and prediabetes, AAPIs too are looking to curb the
risk of diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, AAPIs are at an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, compared to white Americans. Unlike other racial or ethnic groups, AAPIs do not have to be overweight to be at risk for diabetes. Furthermore, weight gain poses a greater risk for diabetes among AAPIs compared to other ethnic groups. Importance of disaggregated data While the AAPI community has been gaining some recognition as a growing population, it still struggles at times to move past the “model minority” myth, which pits the population as a whole as achieving higher degrees of socioeconomic success and education than the average U.S. population. When it comes to health, more studies can be made and health experts and advocates hope that through these studies, more understanding of how AAPI subgroups are affected by certain diseases can be achieved.
Is it all in the mind? Time to Filling up with Filipino fruits and veggies talk about mental health phosphorus, and iron. Malunggay Commonly sauteed, baked in pan de sal, or added to soups, FILIPINO food has, without a doubt, been heating up in the U.S. malunggay (or moringa) is believed to have more vitamin C with Filipinos and non-Filipinos than oranges, more iron potassium alike enjoying the burgeoning than bananas, and more iron than scene on both coasts. spinach. But while dishes like chicken Believed to help fight and adobo, sisig, lechon, and kareprevent problems like diabetes kare can make mouths water, vegetables and fruits that Filipinos and heart disease, the small-leafed have for long enjoyed also deserve vegetable has been gaining recognition in the U.S. and can be some spotlight as many of them bought as capsules, powder, or as pack many impressive nutrients. an ingredient in nutritional bars. Below is a list of just some Kamote of the many fruits and veggies Kamote (sweet potato) has common in Filipino cooking, along long been a treat for Filipinos with their health benefits: who enjoy it fried, boiled, baked Ampalaya on its own, or as an ingredient Also called bitter melon, in pastries. In the U.S., sweet ampalaya has many beneficial nutrients and has been considered potatoes have too been hailed the healthier counterpart to the Mental illness is exactly that: an illness. Rather than an ailment or injury to the physical body, by many cultures to be highly it’s a broad range of conditions that can affect mood, thinking, productivity, relationships and medicinal. Many tout its wonders regular potato — replacing the behavior. Inquirer.net photo in helping curb diseases like latter in fries and chips among other potato dishes. diabetes. Mendoza shared. “Put on a community. Though sweet, kamote has a Usually eaten in the Philippines good front and save face and no Whether it’s depression, low glycemic index (when boiled), sauteed with egg, garlic, and matter what, shut up and don’t anxiety, post-traumatic stress which means eating them won’t tomatoes, the bitter vegetable tell anyone about any challenges disorder, bipolar disorder or cause blood-sugar spikes. The is packed with vitamins C, A, E, going on because that’s a familial and relationship struggles, manganese it contains further B-1, B-2, B-3, and B-9. It also has a reflection of weakness.” mental and emotional challenges number of minerals like potassium, helps regulate blood sugar levels She says, when it comes to are treatable and individuals with by helping the body metabolize Filipino parents with a child who is calcium, zinc, magnesium, mental illness are able to continue struggling, “it’s always about, ‘Oh, to function in their everyday lives. what are people going to think There are a wide variety about me?’ but it’s never about, of professional mental health ‘Oh, my poor child, how can I help services available, and therapy my child?’” and counseling are often the first that I had no plans yet, that I by RICKY LO Although the potential for steps people take when trying to am still thinking hard about Philstar.com shame as a barrier for seeking handle the mental and emotional it. (Former Quezon City Rep.) mental health services isn’t unique challenges they face. Mike Defensor also talked to TO run or not to run. to Filipinos, it’s a pervasive reason Filipina-American Lea me and I told him the same That is the big question that that stops many Filipinos from Mendoza is a licensed marriage keeps turning and turning in the thing.” Besides, Willie’s wellseeking professional help for and family therapist (LMFT) based loved GMA show Wowowin is mind of Willie Revillame these treatable mental illnesses. in Orange County, and she says days. That is, not just to “fun run” holding him back. He has just Relying solely on religion that the goal of therapy is to help renewed a one-year contract but seriously run for a public Another common reason carefully sort out her clients’ lives with GMA which is good until position in next year’s elections. why Filipinos don’t actively seek and to redirect ways of thinking Several parties are convinced August next year, three months out mental health services is the that are narrowly-tailored for each after the May 2019 elections, that Willie is “winnable,” fact that Filipinos are extremely client’s unique needs. and if he ran, Willie would stop conveniently forgetting the religious. The “bahala na” “It’s like a car tune up. You doing the show as per COMELEC humbling reality that “name mentality is pervasive among need an oil change because recall” and/or popularity is hardly prohibition. Filipinos who solely entrust their the oil gets gunky, but with the “I help so many enough to catapult any star fates to prayer and God, but challenges of life, you forget candidate from showbiz to public people sa Wowowin,” Mendoza says that you can’t rely about it,” Mendoza shared in office. In previous elections, some added Willie. “Marami akong on religion without faith and you a recent conversation with the popular actors suffered a painful natutulungang can’t have prayer without action. Asian Journal. “It’s the same with mahihirap at collision with reality when their “If you’re just religious, healthy coping skills when life box-office appeal didn’t translate marami akong especially in the Catholic faith, gets really tough, so you need a taong napapasaya to votes. you’re just doing those rituals and gentle reminder of those so you kaya mahirap “I admit that people from up the ante when things aren’t can go back to living your life iwanan ang different political parties going well, so for those people comfortably.” Wowowin.” have been inviting me to everything is about prayer, but I Saving face within the Some wellrun,” Willie told Funfare, “kung don’t think they really connect the sinu-sino ang kumakausap sa community meaning friends are Within the Filipino community, dots between asking and doing,” akin. But as of now, I haven’t reminding Willie that Mendoza said. “Do something the stigmatization of mental if ever he entered made any decision yet. Pinagto make your life better. Do disorder correlates to fear of politics, he would aaralan ko pa ang situwasyon.” something to improve your health. judgment from others. It’s not Willie said he and Davao lose his much-valued You can pray to God asking Him an open conversation Filipinos City Mayor Sara Duterte, privacy since people would for good health but you’re doing are wont to have with family and head and organizer of be trooping to his house day things that don’t improve your friends because, to admit that the regional Hugpong ng in and day out, 24/7; while health. they or someone in their family is Pagbabago (HNP) party, had in Wowowin, he entertains his Mendoza acknowledges that struggling mentally, would reflect talked although Sara didn’t invite fans only in the studio during faith, spirituality and prayer are badly on them, which often stops him to join HNP. taping days (thrice a week). important to many Filipinos, but them from seeking professional “Nung nag-usap kami, she just Filing of the COCs depending on those sources to fix asked me about my plan, lokal help, according to Mendoza. (Certificates Of Candidacy) for all of life’s problems won’t always “As Filipinos, we were taught ba o national and I told her the May 2019 elections starts in Continued on Page 6 and raised to keep a good face,” by RAE
ANN VARONA AJPress
Unpacking the Filipino community’s rocky relationship with mental illness acceptance by KLARIZE MEDENILLA AJPress
HISTORICALLY, the study of mental illness has often been referred to as “abnormal psychology.” But according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 1 in 4 people suffer from a mental or neurological disorder in their lifetime, making mental illness far more common than what is suggested by its name. First and foremost, mental illness is exactly that: an illness. Rather than an ailment or injury to the physical body, it’s a broad range of conditions that can affect mood, thinking, productivity, relationships and behavior. But when it comes to mental health, many of us don’t treat it as an illness that needs professional medical care because of the stigmas still associated with mental disorders. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, more than 2.2 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) live with a diagnosable mental disorder. Although Asian Americans report fewer mental health concerns, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 18.9 percent of Asian American high school students report considering suicide compared to 15.5 white students; 10.8 percent of Asian American high school students said they attempted suicide compared to 6.2 whites. Among Filipinos, like many other cultures, mental health a dicey topic that is often ignored or packed away for fear of indignity and embarrassment within their circles. Even as many Western cultures have rallied for more awareness of the gravity of mental health, the stigma surrounding mental illness among Filipinos persists. But just because it’s not being talked about doesn’t mean it’s not happening. A 2014 report from the Asian American Journal of Psychology found that 13.6 percent of Filipinos are diagnosed with depression, and the CDC found that Filipina mothers are more likely to have “acute depression” and young Filipinas are “more likely” to have suicidal ideations. So knowing all these facts and figures, it’s safe to say that mental health is an extremely important topic to discuss, without judgment, among the Filipino-American
Filipino vegetables and fruits pack many impressive nutrients. Inquirer.net photo
carbohydrates. Kamote can also be great for the heart due to its B6 vitamins, high potassium content, and magnesium which plays a key role in how the body responds to stress. Pechay Common to dishes across Asia, pechay (also known as snow cabbage, Chinese chard or Chinese white cabbage) also provides a great amount of vitamins. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database, just one cup of raw pechay has 20.5 milligrams of vitamin C, 60 grams
Will Willie give up Wowowin for politics? October but Willie was told that the deadline is in December yet. “They told me that I could have a representative who would register and if I decided to run, he would back out in my favor,” shared Willie. The same thing happened in the 2016 presidential election when then Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte took the slot that nowDILG Usec. Martin Diño had applied for. “Going into politics is a serious matter,” admitted Willie, “kaya dapat pag-isipan ng mabuti.” Okay now, pera o kahon? Bokya o mega-jackpot? Sige na nga, bigyan ng jacket ‘yan!!!
An Asian Journal Magazine
The Asian Journal N E W YO R K / N E W J E R S EY AU G U ST 24 , 20 1 8
Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ ON August 16, 2018, Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions issued an opinion, to be binding on all immigration courts, on when an immigration judge may grant a continuance of deportation/removal proceedings, where the alien is pursuing a green card or other relief from USCIS (collateral relief). This situation typically arises when a person is in deportation/removal proceedings, and marries a U.S. citizen, who petitions them for green card. Or, they were petitioned by an employer or a family member, and the priority date is almost current. They seek a continuance/postponement of their court proceedings, to give USCIS enough time to approve the petition or other immigration benefit. Under this new decision, the Atty. Gen. is severely limiting the ability of a person to obtain such continuances. Instead he instructs that immigration judges
Attorney General Sessions makes it harder to obtain court continuances/ postponements
may grant a continuance only for “good cause” by evaluating (1) the likelihood that the collateral relief (such as a petition or other application) will be granted, and (2) if that relief is granted, will it materially affect the outcome of the removal proceedings. In the decision, the Atty. Gen. noted that many people in deportation/removal seek continuances solely to delay and drag out their case, without having any legitimate way to obtain a green card. But this decision could actually result in people being ordered removed/deported even if they have a viable way to legalize their status, just because the Atty. Gen. wants to rush cases through the immigration courts. According to the Atty. Gen., among the leading causes of
continuances was a petition or other application pending at USCIS, and the person was merely waiting for that petition or application to be approved. Under this decision, to request a continuance, the person must demonstrate “good cause.” There are several factors immigration judges must consider to determine whether “good cause” exists. However, the two most important factors are: (1) the likelihood that the collateral relief (such as a petition or other application) will be granted; and (2) if that relief is granted, will it materially affect the outcome of the removal proceedings? Other factors in determining “good cause” for a continuance would include: the person’s diligence in seeking that relief (i.e. could Continued on Page 6
TWICE HE APPLIED FOR AN IMMIGRANT VISA. TWICE, HE WAS DENIED. FIND OUT THE FINAL SCORE THIS SUNDAY ON “CITIZEN PINOY!” Joseph (center) was initially petitioned as a minor child of a green card holder, but his visa was refused at the interview because he admitted to drug use. When he aged out, his petition was reclassified to F-2B. At his second interview, he was denied for the same reason. His mother, Josie (right), and his sister, Evelyn (left), felt hopeless. They were running out of options, and were desperate. It felt like Nanay Josie’s promise of having the family reunited in America would just remain a dream. Mother and daughter consulted with leading U.S. attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel, after seeing a case similar to Joseph’s that was featured on Citizen Pinoy. Atty. Gurfinkel went to the U.S. Embassy in Manila and becomes a major contributor to a landmark decision and policy change that benefitted Joseph and many more. Watch a mother’s promise fulfilled on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)
An Asian Journal Magazine
The Asian Journal N E W YO R K / N E W J E R S EY AU G U ST 2 , 20 1 8
Allan Renier R. Mendez, DPT: “Failures build the sweetest success!”
DREAMS don’t only visit us during sleep, they also come even when we are wide awake, and we call them ambition. The realization of dreams becomes more impactful and significant when coupled with sacrifice, patience, and perseverance. Choosing a lifetime career is tantamount to chasing a dream. The chances of making the right decision depends on how enough thought we have put into the entire process of arriving at a well-defined career direction.
For Allan Renier Roque Mendez, eldest among the four offsprings of bakery owners Esmeraldo and Violeta from Bongabon, Nueva Ecija), nursing was a childhood dream. He fantasized a nursing course could save his family from destitution and eventually change their lifestyle. Education was his parents’ irrevocable priority for their children. Esmeraldo and Violeta jointly persevered to defy poverty, disregarding sleepless nights and taking every stride a leap to bounty. His parents’ modestly operated bakery was the main source of livelihood for the family and that motivated Allan to strive and dream lofty dreams to help his parents augment the family income especially that their bakery business showed signs of slowing down. “But my mother, who was
Passionately fashionable Physical Therapist
The doctor in his office
On the PEP Front
People, Events, Places BoBBy T. yalong
A collage of what Doc Allan is...
EMPLOYMENT
optimistic and consistently convincing, persuasively opted for Physical Therapy after having heard that the son of our barrio’s doctor was doing great with his chosen PT degree… aside from the fact that nursing during that time had diminished its demand,” he shared. A submissive and an uncomplaining son, young Allan followed his mom’s choice and earned his Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy diploma in 2000 from Emilio Aguinaldo College. But it wasn’t easy to land a job as he thought it would. A PT slot was as rare as raindrops on a midsummer day while PT graduates were great in number but jobless and displaced. “To keep me going, I was briefly employed waiting tables until an overseas agency hired me as a spa attendant in a health club in Saudi Arabia,” Allan fondly recalled. “Being away from my family for the first time for two years was unquestionably a sacrifice but I had to endure and bear the pain for their sake. “ It took Allan six years before finally passing the PT Board after postponing it for a couple of times but with no regrets, for he believes everything will happen in due time. His being a licensed Physical Therapist initially brought him to the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar for two months (November & December) followed by a post in the US Naval Base in Africa for seven months (2007), a six-month stint in Florida (2008), in Michigan for six months where he passed his US Board in August 2008, New York for another six months where he obtained his ESL certificate, and finally, in New Jersey from 2009 to the present. “Providing professionals the opportunity to help patients get back to optimum condition is an opulently rewarding trade for skilled healthcare specialists but one has to consider both the benefits and challenges of being a physical therapist. I, for one, have
EMPLOYMENT
SERVICES
Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla in a scene from their new film
KathNiel on being happy and students of love by Deni Rose M. AfiniDAD-BeRnARDo Philstar.com
OF the six years that the love team KathNiel has been The profile of a DPT with specialization in together, more than five years of those have been “official” on- and Sports Therapy to stand by what I have chosen and off-cam, lovebirds Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo revealed at embraced,” he explained. the press conference of their new Choosing Physical Therapy for Star Cinema movie, “The Hows of a lifetime career entails emotional stress, significant physical demands, Us,” in ABS-CBN on Wednesday, long strenuous working hours, and August 22. “What made you admit your continuing education requirements. relationship?” the press asked Since constant research and KathNiel. advancement in the Physical “Kayo po,” replied Daniel, Therapy field is relentlessly ongoing referring to the media. “Naubusan and new developments are being na po kami ng dahilan para implemented to facilitate effectual patient care and treatment, physical magtago!” he said while laughing with real-life ladylove Kathryn. therapists, whether a greenhorn in The media began to squeeze the field or had been armed with the two more about their real years of experience, are required relationship status when Daniel to undergo new training, update himself volunteered to call himself certification, and master the latest Kathryn’s “boyfriend.” systems and techniques to be “Relasyon na pang-FB. Sa applied in their practice. lahat ng relasyon, hindi ganun eh. “Admittedly, that was another ‘Yung amin ni Kath, it’s a 24/7 job dilemma I had to face after having na maging malupit na boyfriend. been just issued with my job Kahit ako struggling ako,” he certification…but I had to abide said when asked what their with what the law requires for relationship is like. my job security and longevity in Their real relationship status, practice,” Doc Allan said, sounding they said, is “happy.” If they judiciously with some kind of are to label it, they would call assertiveness. themselves “students of love” “Being in the field as a physical because they are learning about therapist is a struggle in itself,” the each other day-by-day. amiable doctor straightforwardly “Sa personal at propesyonal, owned up. “Being personally s’ya lang ang kasama ko. Happy involved in such energy-draining ako ngayon,” Daniel enthused. situation should be deliberately The two attested that they coped up with and every came forward to show the world delinquent status unswervingly what they really are, and not just addressed.” for publicity’s sake. Every man’s journey is “Ang relasyon dapat challenged with perils and failures. Continued on Page 6 seryosohan. Otherwise, rumak-en-
SERVICES
roll ka na lang,” said Daniel. “Kung hindi mo nakikita future mo sa tao, ba’t ka magiistay? Kami ni DJ, kapit-kamay kami kasi we see a future together,” Kathryn echoed. Because they are in a serious relationship, the two admitted that they have been talking about marriage and family. They said they have come to a point that they are already planning the look of their future home. They just have one problem: Daniel wants a big church wedding with all their fans waiting outside, while Kath prefers an intimate beach ceremony, with only friends and family in attendance. “Mas mahal ‘pag abroad. Dito na lang, marami namang magagandang beaches dito sa’tin. We’ll plan more once we get there,” said Kath. When asked when they are going to tie the knot, Daniel said: “Basta ‘wag lang masyadong matanda.” Secrets to lasting relationship 1. Go beyond ‘kilig’ “Kath, she makes me a better person. Kesa sa kilig, ‘yun ‘yung kelangan mong hanapin,” Daniel advised. “Syempre, iba ‘yung kilig namin nun kesa ngayon. Kinikilig pa rin ako kay Kathryn. ‘Yung feeling pa lang na nasa Amsterdam ako for the first time with Kath,” said Daniel, referring to his recent trip to Netherlands with Kath to shoot a scene for “The Hows of Us.” “Mas may effort na magpakilig kasi mahirap ako pakiligin. Pero ‘di ibig sabihin ‘di ko na s’ya mahal. Kasi lang naging normal Continued on Page 7
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Filipino American Festival set for September 2 Final exposure
Arise Mindanao: NY gets a glimpse of Mindanao fashion
JuST in time for the advent of the upcoming New York Fashion Week’s vogues and trends, Mindanao’s pride Feliciano Ador’s fashion collection breezed into the scene and graciously invaded the Big Apple’s runway via Arise Mindanao, a promotional program by the Dalsaka Foundation, Inc., a General Santos City-based non-profit. Aptly coined from “Dalan Sa Kalambuan,” (literally translated: The Road To Progress), the ethnic cultural-oriented organization from Southern Mindanao aims to showcase the different native crafts and fabrics intricately woven from B’laan, Tboli, and Maguindanao tribes of the region in neo-ethnic fashion as masterfully interpreted by Ador. Ambitious that it may
seem but bringing the said program into the international arena will conceivably open the possibility of livelihood for the crafting communities of the aforementioned tribes, as well promoting the art of southern Philippines to the world. NY-based Glossy Skinnovation under the chairmanship of Miss Mita Quiogue ably spearheaded the resplendently received “Feliciano Ador for Arise Mindanao” fashion show that was mounted at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Consulate along Fifth Avenue last Friday, August 17, 2018 with no other than statuesque 2010 Miss universe 4th Runner-up Venus Raj gracefully capping the event under the direction of Rain Rivera Ramas. (Bobby T. Yalong)
Consul Arman Talbo congratulates beauty queen-model Venus Raj
Director Rain Rivera Ramas, Miss Universe 2010 4th Runner-up Venus Raj, & Glossy Skinnovation corporate head & Arise Mindanao producer Mita Quiogue.
KNOWN as FAFI (Filipino American Festival, Inc.) to many who have been attending the festival for many years now, the 6th Annual Filipino American Festival based in Bergen County is set for Labor Day weekend which is Sunday, September 2, 2018 from 10:00AM to 8:00PM at The New Overpeck Park, 199 Challenger Road, Ridgefield Park, NJ in Bergen County. The venue located at the Ridgefield Park area along Challenger Road in a state-of-the-art 3,000 seat Amphitheater in the Great Lawn with concession area is just a perfect venue for FAFI. It is located in a 22 acres
of land, consists of 2 softball fields, 2 soccer fields, six tennis courts, children’s playground, 700 parking/spaces, boat launch and walking trails. The Amphitheater and The Great Lawn areas where FAFI is holding its event are accessible to all major highways: 3 miles away from George Washington Bridge (GWB), exit 68 North/ South off the NJ Turnpike, Exit 70A off Route 80 West, exit Teaneck Road off Route 4. “Also known for its best community partnership with young members and volunteers, churches and Filipino business owners, FAFI once again are in support of the local Filipino artists and
many will be performing at the festival,” said Rowena Aquino, President and Chair of the Cultural Committee. Last year, FAFI added segments in the program like The Beer Garden featuring Filipino beers, an acclaimed Pinoy Broadway Ballyhoo consists of artists with Broadway material voices and the Emmanuel Couture Fashion Show on which the creator designed the exotic cultural Filipina dresses and Barongs for the extra-ordinary models and fashionistas which were made to impress the attendees by the set of creativity by the dashing Couturier Emmanuel Guinto. Continued on Page 6
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Is it all in the mind...
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SCI Officers & Advisers
The Seniors Club, Inc. (SCI) of Jersey City celebrates 11th Annual Presentation & Coronation Ball
THE Seniors Club, Inc. (SCI) of Jersey City celebrated its 11th Annual Presentation & Coronation Ball at the Ramada Plaza Newark Liberty International Airport on June 9, 2018. Spearheaded by Mrs. Sally F. Carungay, President; Eloisa A. Porto, 1stVice President/ Overall Chairperson, and Delia T. Faustino, 2nd Vice President, the celebration was very well attended. Gracing the event as guest speakers were Jersey City Council President Rolando Lavarro and Vice Consul Tanya Faye Ramiro of the Philippine
Consulate General of New York. Presented and crowned were: Mrs. Ramona S. Gapasin, Mrs. SCI – USA 2018, escorted by Mr. Tony Abellar; Mrs. Remy M. Herrera, Mrs. SCI-Philippines 2018, escorted by Mr. Ricky Herrera; and Ms. Benilda Comia – Ms. SCI – New Jersey 2018, escorted by Mr. Matteo Comia. The Seniors Club, Inc., founded in 2003 in Jersey City, New Jersey, is an organization of people in their senior years with the objective of enhancing their quality of life socially and healthily.
From Page 2 help and, at that point, it might be time to take action and seek professional help. “It’s like drinking acid and asking God for a miracle and then getting angry that your insides are burning,” she said. “If it’s important for you to pray, then yes, pray, but you can’t rely on that.” Parental influence on children’s behavior Like many LMFTs, Mendoza sees many children and adolescent clients who were brought in by their parents who think there is something wrong with their child, which she a says “is a signal to all therapists that the children aren’t always the problem.” “It’s the environment. What are they taught? What kind of behaviors do they see? If a parent screams and yells, why do they expect their children not to do the same?” Mendoza says. But when is the right time to seek professional services?
Mendoza says that parents should keep an eye on their children’s behavior, and when things seem to be going awry, then they should have a gentle, judgment-free conversation with their children, who may have fear of reproach if they open up to their parents. “A person usually has a baseline for their functioning. Sometimes they dip in their functioning --- and everyone gets sad or nervous or anxious here and there --- but if it’s so significant that the symptoms are causing problems or difficulty at school, work or with friends, then that’s when they might consider professional help,” she said. It’s not easy to change societal attitudes about mental health overnight, but recognizing that things like depression, anxiety and trauma are illnesses rather than flaws in character is the first step to acceptance. Mental health, just like physical health, are the main
pillars of overall wellness, and it’s something Filipinos should take seriously, especially if it applies to your children, Mendoza said. “If we’re so averse to the phrase mental health, why don’t we just change that to ‘total wellbeing?’” she suggested. “If your child is not thriving, it doesn’t matter what the issue is, doesn’t your heart go out to that child instead of saying, ‘tough it up and move on.’? Being tough isn’t necessarily helpful in every single scenario. There are children who bounce out of challenges right away, but there are those who need more help.” She added: “So look at your child without comparing them to others, and if you see they are having problems, have a conversation with them, and if you can’t figure it out, don’t put judgment on them. Ask for help because there are so many resources available now. There’s no shame in asking for help.”
Filling up with Filipino fruits and...
From Page 2 of folate and 32.6 micrograms of vitamin K. In other words, pechay is great for a number of things including our immune system, our bones, and even our cells. Alugbati Alugbati, or Malabar spinach, shares similarities with the common spinach found in markets Jersey City Council President Rolando in that it’s very rich in iron which Lavarro helps the body produce healthy red blood cells. It is also high in vitamin B9, or folate, which is beneficial for
healthy brain function by helping retain emotional and mental health. Another vitamin alugbati is rich in is vitamin A which helps maintain a healthy immune system and eye health. Talong Eggplant, or talong, is packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, making it a very nutrientdense crop. Just one cup of a raw eggplant at only 20 calories has three grams of fiber, and is a good source of manganese, folate, potassium, and vitamins C and K.
Eggplants are also particularly rich in anthocyanins, a pigment that acts as an antioxidant, and is responsible for its color. Guyabano Labeled as soursop in most U.S. groceries, guyabano is not only delicious, but it’s also packed with a good amount of vitamin C and fiber. It’s also low calorie while having a high content of antioxidants which protect cells against the effects of free radicals and work in lowering chronic disease risks.
Attorney General Sessions...
Sally Carungay, President
Vice Consul Tanya Faye Ramiro
SCI Beauties & Escorts
Yum ChAT. 5 CheFS. 5 DISheS. All The STorIeS.
Twin marquis releases docu-series exploring Asian American chefs and cuisine
NEW YORK, NY – Twin Marquis, a New York food company that specializes in noodles and wrappers, is releasing a 5-part docu-series, “Yum Chat,” celebrating Asian American chefs and cooking. Over the course of the series, 5 chefs will gather to cook, tell stories and share their table. Each of Yum Chat’s 5 chefs is New York local pushing the boundaries of their culture’s cuisine. Each of the 5 chefs is bringing viewers a recipe from their homes. NYC favorites, Esther Choi, Wilson Tang, Bao Bao, Hooni Kim and Lien Lin will explore what it means to be a chef representing an entire history on one plate. Across the series, the chefs will whip up Grandma-inspired dumplings, Hong Kong pan-fried noodles and Nouveau chocolate blue cheese wonton millefeuille. While cooking they will have conversation on traditions, progress, and memories. Twin Marquis, will supply the highquality ingredients that will bring the chef’s dishes to life. “Twin Marquis is about
as a way of delaying the case, the request for continuance should be denied. This recent decision is another demonstration that the Trump administration is getting extremely tough in connection with deporting/removing aliens and is expecting immigration judges to rush cases through, at the expense of ensuring the alien’s due process. Judges are expected to have a “deportation quota,” meaning they have to process a certain number of cases per year, regardless of the complexity of the cases. Atty. Gen. Sessions also warned immigration judges against allowing “administrative closure” of cases, or the closing of cases that really do not involve serious immigration violation so there is more time available for serious immigration violators. Instead, Atty. Gen. Sessions wants those cases reopened and processed to conclusion. With this decision, the Atty. Gen. is now telling immigration judges to limit continuances. All of this is to make deportation/ removal almost like an assembly line. That’s why if you have court proceedings, you should have an attorney represent you, who can make sure your
rights are protected, and you’re not railroaded through the legal system without adequate protection. *** 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 reenactments) 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: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)
Allan Renier R. Mendez...
bringing happiness to the table. It’s all about happiness. The joy you find when you have people around a meal, sharing their stories and opening up their hearts,” says Twin Marquis, VP of Sale & Marketing, Lillian Chan, “Food is the gateway and we want to be a part of that experience.” Special guests throughout the series include actor Giullian Yao Gioiello of Netflix’s Julie’s Greenroom, cookbook author
and podcaster Cathy Erway, host Tian Zhu of Sinovision’s Asian Kitchen, bloggers Carmen and Serge Sognonvi of Top Flight Family, and writer Maria Wen Adcock of BiCultural Mama. Yum Chat will launch on Twin Marquis’s Youtube and Facebook channels on August 21, 2018 and will air bi-weekly until its conclusion on October 16, 2018. Each episode will be a socially-shareable 7-8 minutes in length.
Filipino American Festival...
From Page 5 “We ask that we support our local and talented Filipino artists,” said Ludi Hughes, Chairwoman and Founder of FAFI. “So we invite you all as you will enjoy the cultural show and many local great Filipino singers, they are all very talented.” “It is time for our Filipino American community to embrace our own talented artists, after all they are just around here in the tri-state area and let us all support them,” she added. FAFI will have the Broadway Barkada, composed of primarily Filipino performers on Broadway who have professional credits in the performing arts and believe
From Page 3 a relative have petitioned them years ago, but they are filing only now); whether DHS opposes the continuance; the length of the continuance requested; the number of hearings held and previous continuances granted; concerns of administrative efficiency; and the timing of the request for continuance. The Atty. Gen. noted that if a person became ill just before a hearing, or there was a drastic change in circumstances that would alter the course of the case, that could constitute good cause for a continuance because it would be “wasteful and inefficient to plow ahead immediately.” However, if a person is not eligible for adjustment of status, the priority date on their petition is not yet current (for example, they were petitioned as a married child or brother or sister of U.S. citizen, and the priority date is still years away), or they want to pursue some other “speculative” relief, such as post-conviction relief or governor’s pardon in connection with a crime, that may not justify a continuance. Moreover, if it appears the person has already been granted several continuances in the past and they are seeking continuances merely
in the importance of cultural awareness, Tata Kay Habana, Jared Babuschak, Kirby Asunto will all perform for the Pinoy Broadway Ballyhoo segment of the program to be hosted by Scott Siegel, a well known name on Broadway for the 11o’clock numbers Feinstein’s 54 Below and the accompaniment by Eugene Gwozdz, a well known Music Director/Arranger/ Orchestrator at The American Dance Machine for the 21st Century. There are many many talents who are going to perform at FAFI’s event, so bring your chairs and blankets and just relax and enjoy the show. FAFI’s event is not going to happen without the
continued support of its big sponsors like Wells Fargo, AT&T, Hackensack Meridian Hospital, BODYWORKS Rehab, Westfield Garden State Mall and media partners Filipino Reporter, Asian Journal and TFC. For those who are looking to sell their products and services and reach out a targeted market which according to American Community Survey, Bergen County is one of the richest counties in the United States. Booths are still available for non-food vendors. Please do not hesitate to call us for any inquiries at (201) 841-3070 (Ludi), (201) 757-2568 (Rowena), (201) 981-5678 (Madeline), (201) 952-8874 (Cristy) and (201) 4524384 (Jessica).
From Page 4 The greater the challenge, the weightier is the valuation… and the more throbbing the failure is, the more relieving the gain becomes. The sweet smell of success could only be appreciated after a disheartening struggle. Needless to say that one could only savor the truest essence of triumph upon really holding the laurels in the palm of his hands. “I had several failures in the past that made me almost give up. I was terribly weakened by self-pride and dreaded by obscured forthcoming occurrences. Amid all these I suddenly thought of my loved ones who depended on me for survival and a promised life-changing situation … and everything altered my outlook,” he openly stated sounding as if there was a lump in his throat as he tried to hold back the glistening mist in his eyes. If the ultimate purpose of failure is to strongly motivate one to do something different to attain his goal, easily then, Doc Allan’s decision to shift his focus from failure to more profitably fulfilling endeavor was right. That precise move effectually stirred his concentration in to the right direction of finding the essential sources and adequate formulary to achieve what he aimed for… for success, according to him, is oftentimes the end-result of failure. “A couple of times, I was daunted when I failed to realize and accomplish my goal but knowing that nothing worthwhile would come if I merely felt bad and regret things…so I organized my
thoughts and fortified my fate. Why shouldn’t I concentrate on things that would keep me moving forward rather than stay idle and sulk in desperation?” he recounted. “To reach the apex I was aiming at I reconsidered my failures and made them the bricks to step on to grasp my goal.” “It wasn’t failure itself that actually scared me but the mere fear of failing again that held me back,” he came to apprehend. “After overcoming such, I came to realize that I’ve used my failures as learning experiences… and ultimately comprehended that without having persistently struggled after I failed, I couldn’t have succeeded and finally achieved what I aimed for!” The date May 13, 2012 came as a significant blessing to Allan for it was the very moment he had long prayed for…the release of his Doctor of Physical Therapy (with specialization in Sports) certificate after finishing his degree from Utica College in New York, and then, shadowed by another lifetime milestone: his being a bona fide US resident alien in 2014. It was just serendipitous that he was able to come home to celebrate his mother’s 60thbirthday. For four years Doc Allan was affiliated with Medical Dynamics until the idea of establishing his own facility came into consideration… a status he had prematurely envisioned. Together with two other trusted colleagues, they put up Silver Lake Physical Therapy & Sports Rehabilitation clinic in Belleville, New Jersey with
the primary mission of helping patients reach maximum potential for their individual physical needs and abilities with the latest techniques, patient-compassionate staff, coupled with integrity and veracity. Well-driven, dedicated, and straightforwardly focused in his field, Doc Allan remains unassuming and self-effacing despite the mounting honors and recognitions neatly tucked under his sleeve like: Best in Medicine (PT) from the American Health Council, NJ Top Doc in Physical Therapy from the New Jersey 2018 Top Doctors, Excellence in PT Specialization in Sports from the American Board of Physical Therapy, and soon a muchdeserved Award of Excellence in Physical Therapy from PACCAL. But wait, if you think the amiable doctor is just all PT and social activities… think again, for Doc Allan is competently gifted with a distinct vocal range that could give celebrated recording artists a run for their money. Just recently he shared the stage with VYNZ-NY Entertainment talents during Ariel Rivera’s US Concert Tour. Indeed, the roads to failure and success are one and the same but success awaits further way down the road, just accurately what Doc Allan Renier R. Mendez has painstakingly trekked and efficaciously journeyed, a personal experience worthy of emulation. For comments and suggestions, please email to; gemini0646@yahoo.com.
John Cho stars in groundbreaking film ‘Searching’ by MOMAR
G. VISAYA
AJPress
FRESH off the heels of the highly successful opening of Crazy Rich Asians is yet another groundbreaking film meant to raise the profile of the Asian American community. It is called ‘Searching’, it stars John Cho and it is a psychological thriller. The film, directed by Aneesh Chaganty with a script he co-wrote with Sev Ohanian, makes history with the casting of Cho in the lead role. “That is part of the deep satisfaction I get from showing this to audiences, we’re seeing an entire Asian American family onscreen, not just the side character but an entire loving family and that gratifies me,” the 46-year-old Cho told the Asian Journal in an interview. “I am very proud of who made it, who I made this film with, who it shows and who it’s for.” The Star Trek actor also shared that when the script was sent to him, he said no at first. It is a genre flick, viewed entirely through a computer screen. “[It’s] because of the technology part. I said I don’t know if this is possible and I was not sure if I wanted to do it. I watched ‘Unfriended’ and even though I liked the movie, I was like I’m not sure if this is something I want to do,” he explained.
Photo from Facebook/SearchingMovie
There will be comparisons with Unfriended, but Cho is unfazed. “Our movie is a lot different. I was worried that it wasn’t going to be very cinematic,” he said. “I met with Aneesh and he pitched me his version and he said we are going to move the camera in the sense that we were going to do pans and zooms and in the sense, we were going to do a traditional movie,” Cho added. “I saw something in him and felt a connection with him. I was impressed by his skill and said why not.” Upon seeing the film’s final cut for the very first time, Cho grabbed his phone and texted Chaganty. “I told him that he has added to the vocabulary of cinema. That is really hard to do and I was so impressed with him with the final product,” Cho said. “It represented so much work possibly more than any movie I have ever done.” For Cho, the finished product went so far from what they did on set to where it landed and credits the creative crew for painting this world he and his family had to live in. “I like putting a foot forward with a movie like this that is written and directed by two exceptional people of color and have a whole Asian American family and have it be in a genre that is sort of mainstream popcorn kind of movie,” added Cho. Film background
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KathNiel on... From Page 4
Aneesh Chaganty and Sev Ohanian met in film school at the University of Southern California. They co wrote a piece together called Seeds, a two minute project that was shot on Google Glasses. The small film opened the doors for them, and Aneesh went on to New York to write and direct commercials for Google, which he did for two years. Sev continued on wearing his independent producer’s hat and he met with the producers of Unfriended who wanted them to come up with a short film follow up, shot on a computer screen. “That was way more exciting for me than a feature film because I didn’t think a feature film was possible on a computer screen,” Aneesh told the Asian Journal. Bottomline, they pitched an eight minute short film to the producers only for the producers to tell them back that they had shifted gears and wanted a full feature. “I said no and Sev was kicking me under the table. What they were asking was for us to stretch eight minutes to 90 without being gimmicky,” he added. For the next two months, the two of them would bounce ideas off of each other because nothing so far was sticking. Then one day, Aneesh told Sev that he had an idea. Over the phone, they shared their idea of an opening scene and lo and behold, they had the same concept. “That moment, there was a light bulb that went off and we realized the potential of this idea,
na sa’min ‘yung para sa iba eh nakakakilig pala. Pero normal in a good way!” added Kath, who went to Amsterdam when she was 18 with her family, and is now planning to return there with DJ for his next birthday. 2. Grow and mature together Kathryn admitted that it is harder for her to keep the relationship intact when they are together 24/7. “Sa six years na magkasama this conceit. We realized that there was a way to make this movie and kayo, magkakapikunan kayo, mababalingan mo s’ya ng init ng not have 90 minutes of gimmick ulo,” she said. “The secret is you but 90 minutes of cinematic, grow together. ‘Wag mo man engaging and emotional film,” lang isipin na ‘sawa na ko.’ May Aneesh explained. nabibigay ka ba? Nagmamature ba The opening sequence they kayo? Dapat bigyan n’yo ng space, discussed over the phone is a montage of events that happened may buhay kayo separately and in 17 years, and it happened to be together with family and friends. Si DJ marami s’yang friends, kaya one of Cho’s favorite scenes. hinahayaan ko lang siya if he “Creating all those memories wants to spend time with his of home life that you see on the first seven minutes, the montage. friends without me.” “You grow your love more the That was a challenge to make it more that you’re together,” said DJ. real and draw up on my own life “S’yempre, dumarating and I liked that,” he said. ‘yung time na, ‘Araw-araw na In the end, what they have tayo magkasama, Kathryn, ‘no?’ now is a thriller that is 135 Dumadating ‘yun pero nirerefresh minutes long. lang namin palagi,” he enthused. “I thought it was going to be “Actually, ‘di na nga kami longer. The fact that we got it into sanay magkahiwalay. Noong una, 130 is a victory for us. That, to me nagkakalabuan kami, nagsimula is the perfect length,” Sev added. kasi kaming magkaibigan. Pero The film has built a following ngayon, marami pa kaming of sorts, starting when they gustong gawin na ‘di pa nagagawa screened at the Sundance Film lalo na sa personal – maka-byahe, Festival earlier this year. They next level of love or relationship.” have been to various film fests 3. Get past across the country, including misunderstandings the recently concluded Asian The two confessed that their American International Film “lovers’ quarrels” in real life are as Festival in New York where confrontational as their scenes in Searching was the opening night their movies. film. “‘Di pa nga lang po ako “It has been great to hear sumusugod sa ulan. Kay Direk people tell us what they like Cathy na ‘yung ulan,” Kathryn about the movie. We’ve had said in a jest, referring to a scene feedbacks telling us how engaged in “The Hows of Us” directed by they were, how they were on the Cathy Garcia-Molina. edge of their seats and how the Daniel professed that it twists and turns surprised them,” sometimes irks him because Sev said. “You can’t get told that Kathryn does not like saying enough and not feel great about “sorry” that much, and that he it every time.” finds himself always the one that
makes the first move to reconcile. “Maraming beses ko na po naitanong sa sarili ko kung gusto ko pa po ba,” he said. “Pero lagi kami bumabalik sa simula, lagi kong tinatanong sa sarili ko, ‘Bakit ko nga ba s’ya minahal? San nga ba tayo nanggaling?” Kathryn agreed, saying: “Choice n’yo ‘yung dalawa kung ipipilit o ilalaban n’yo pa. There is no perfect relationship. Basta ang important may natutunan ka and you move on from your disagreements.” 4. Have a solid trust When asked who he wants to work with as leading lady besides Kath, DJ said: “Naging leading lady ko na ‘yung best leading lady (referring to Kathryn), bakit pa ko maghahanap ng iba?” “‘Di ko pa maisip,” he added. “Gusto ko kahit wala, basta maganda ‘yung proyekto. Leading man para maiba naman!” When asked if they are willing to do gay roles, Daniel said: “Depende sa proyekto. Depende din sa gising ko nun!” The two confessed that their trust for each other is so full now that they can have peace of mind, knowing that none of them will fall into temptation, even when they are not together. “Wala naman kami sa fairytale na kaming dalawa lang. Kailangan namin ng support system saka time away from each other,” said Kathryn, admitting that they have gone through all types of jealousies, involving both fans and fellow actors. “Kasi si Daniel natural s’yang malambing sa lahat ng tao.” “It’s an accomplishment to find the right person and to protect that relationship,” Daniel stressed with pride. Director Cathy sees KathNiel as the future Sharon Cuneta and Gabby Concepcion or Nora Aunor and Tirso Cruz III in terms of fame as a love team. If KathNiel indeed walks down the aisle in the future and spend the rest of their lives together, they could be the first reel-and-real love team in the Philippines in years to become a successful love story.
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