NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Volume 17 - No. 28 • 3 Sections – 18 Pages
T H E F I L I P I N O A M E R I CA N C O M M U N I T Y N E WS PA P E R
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DATELINE
USA
All three had connections to Philippine terror group
A 28-year-old Philippine national was among the three men from Southeast Asia to be added to the U.S. Treasury’s sanctions blacklist on Friday, August 24, for involvement with the Islamic State (IS) terror group. The U.S. Treasury Department imposed the sanctions on Philippine national Mohammad Reza Lahaman Kiram, Indonesian national Mohammed Karim Yusop Faiz, and Malaysian national Mohamad Rafi Udin, freezing their assets and denying them access to the U.S. financial system. The three were said to be recruiters for the Islamic militant group and appeared in a beheading video for ISIS. “Treasury is targeting ISIS recruiters who have engaged in a beheading video and other PAGE A2
Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY
Cayetano: President Duterte has nothing to hide about his health
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
US blacklists three IS recruiters including Filipino
A U G U S T 3 1 - S E P T E MBE R 6 , 2 0 1 8
about it,� Cayetano said as reported by The Philippine Star. This was after Alejano posted a ON Tuesday, August 27, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary tweet claiming that Duterte’s trip to Alan Peter Cayetano disputed Magdalo Israel had something to do with his party-list Rep. Gary Alejano’s social me- health. The tweet contained a link to a dia statement about President Rodrigo news release from the Philippine News Duterte’s physical condition. In fact, Agency (PNA). “Ayon sa aking bubuwit, itong trip Cayetano stressed that the Philippine leader has nothing to hide about his na ito ay hindi patungkol sa OFW kung hindi patungkol sa kalusugan ng health. “The president has never kept things pangulo (According to my source, this about his health. If he suffers from trip is not about the OFWs, it is about Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano Philstar.com photo something or feels something, he talks the health of the president),� Alejano
by AJPRESS
tweeted. The foreign affairs secretary also noted that all eyes are always on the national leader. Hence, no presidential deed goes unmonitored let alone kept out of the public’s eye. “So whether a doctor goes to him or he goes to a hospital, that can’t be kept secret,� Cayetano added. Cayetano also criticized the representative of being desperate enough to become a senator that he is allegedly disseminating false information to the PAGE A2
PH mourns passing of ‘true friend’
California lawmakers to vote on net neutrality legislation Big Telecom attempts to slow down support for net neutrality by spreading “misinformation� AFTER the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to slowly reduce net neutrality protections, Democratic lawmakers have promised to challenge the Trump administration in order to maintain open and equal access to the internet. In California, Democratic leaders are taking that fight seriously. The California Legislature will vote on two bills this week that would implement the strongest net neutrality protections in the nation. PAGE A3
Sen. John McCain
Photo from Senate.gov
THE Philippines, through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), mourned the death of United States Sen. John McCain who it described as a “true friend of the Philippines.� “We deeply mourn the death of Sen. John McCain, a true friend of the Philippines and one of our champions in the United States Congress,� said Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano in a statement. Cayetano at the same time extended the Filipino people’s deepest condolences to the family of the 81-year-old Republican legislator. PAGE A2
NATIONAL HEROES’ DAY. President Rodrigo Duterte interacts with the members of the Kampilan Veterans Association Inc. on the sidelines of the National Heroes’ Day commemoration at the Libingan Ng Mga Bayani in Taguig City on Monday, August 27. Malacaùang photo by Rey Baniquet
Petitioners argue on ICC withdrawal Boracay reopening to inspire sustainable development by AJPRESS PETITIONERS questioning the legality of the country’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute of International Criminal Court (ICC) argued on Tuesday, August 28, before the Supreme Court (SC). Philippine Coalition for the International Criminal Court (PCICC) urged the SC to issue a mandamus against the Duterte administration. A mandamus is known as a judicial writ issued in the form of a command to order a government office or official to perform a statutory duty. The end goal is for the country to “withdraw the withdrawal.� One of the PCICC legal counsels Gilbert Andres said that executive decision of pulling out of the inter-
national court would rob people of opportunities to defend themselves should state or armed forces commit a crime against them. “The Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute will abolish the Filipino people’s parallel means of enforcing the right to effective remedies against international crimes committed by state forces and/or armed forces,� Andres said. Andres also amplified the need for the international court by emphasizing the intensity of crimes subjected to the institution as reported by The Philippine Star. “Due to the gravity of the crimes that are subject of the Rome Statute, there is a need for the right to effective remedies against these international crimes and this right to effective remedies is provided
Senate scraps ‘allegiance fee’ for dual citizenship by PATRICIA LOURDES
VIRAY
nos who want to reacquire their Philstar.com Philippine citizenship. During the budget hearing, THE Senate finance committee DFA Secretary Alan Peter Cayhas adopted an amendment for etano mentioned that the departthe proposed 2019 national bud- ment is considering the proposal get, which directs the Depart- of Sen. Franklin Drilon to remove ment of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to the fee for oath taking. stop collecting fees from FilipiPAGE A3
in various human rights instruments,� Andres said. Andres also noted that “the ICC is precisely that parallel means of enforcing that right against these gross human rights violations.� Lawyer Romel Bagares also questioned the absence of a Senate concurrence in the said withdrawal. “A treaty requires Senate concurrence and the Rome Statute is a treaty, the unilateral withdrawal is interference, a violation of the separation of powers,� Bagares explained. SC Associate Justice Marvic Leonen responded to those arguments stating that the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute of International Criminal Court (ICC) is a done deal and it is too PAGE A2
by AJPRESS
A BETTER and more sustainable Boracay is set to welcome back visitors on October 26 and is expected to usher in newer and bigger markets awaiting the island’s full recovery. Undersecretary for Tourism Development Benito Bengzon Jr. reiterated that the Department of Tourism (DOT) is well on track with its 7.4 million target as the island’s closure also became an opportunity to introduce and boost travellers’ awareness of other tourism destinations in the country, which was key to retaining the country’s positive monthon-month performance on tourism arrivals. “The fact that we have kept ourselves afloat is a very strong
reflection of how resilient the industry is, how quick we are to make adjustments with our marketing and promotions and I think, also a very strong communication of how prepared the other destinations are in welcoming the influx of tourists who otherwise would have gone to Boracay.� Undersec-
retary Bengzon said. The DOT executive earlier stated that despite the closure of one of the country’s flagship destinations, brand equity remains strong as this has been continuously built upon for decades and has ensured stability such that PAGE A2
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AUGUST 31-SEPTEMBER 6, 2018 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
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From the Front Page
Cayetano: President Duterte has... PAGE A1 public to win people over. “So I don’t know if he (Alejano) wants to be senator so bad that he is becoming a purveyor of fake news,” Cayetano said. Cayetano also reported Duterte’s current and scheduled tasks in order to trample all allegations that the leader is ailing. The country’s top-ranking leader will witness several agreements between Israel and the Philippines on matters involving labor, agriculture, trade and security. Others were also quick to defend the president from people claiming that he is sick. Election law practitioner Romulo Macalint-
al countered Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) chairman Jose Maria Sison’s statement that the president’s lack of rosy cheeks indicates a sign of illness. “His ‘dark face’ is caused by his going up and down the mountains and should be regarded as the gospel truth, until proven otherwise by competent medical authorities,” Macalintal said. The poll lawyer also dismissed the assumptions of people based only on Duterte’s “darkening face.” He regarded those observations as speculations. “All other interpretations of his ‘darkening face’ are mere speculations, if not totally hearsay or
mere wishful thinking. Only God knows the real truth behind the darkness of his face,” he added. Macalintal also said that the president is not obligated to prove himself unafflicted. He addressed Duterte’s critics as the ones responsible to prove the basis of their demand. The 1987 Constitution states that the public shall be informed of the condition of the president’s health only “in case of serious illness.” Macalintal stated that Duterte’s public appearances, like his attendance at an event in Davao, are enough proof of his good health condition. n
ALL SMILES. President Rodrigo Duterte shares a light moment with Papal Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia on the sidelines of the National Heroes’ Day commemoration at the Libingan Ng Mga Bayani in Taguig City on Monday, August 27. Malacañang photo by Rey Baniquet
US blacklists three IS recruiters including... Boracay reopening to inspire sustainable... PAGE A1 brutal acts as part of a propaganda campaign to attract radicals to join militant terrorist groups in Southeast Asia,” U.S. Treasury Undersecretary Sigal Mandelker said in a statement. “We are sanctioning these terrorists along with our U.N. and international partners as part of a coordinated effort to counter ISIS’s global networks that enable the group to recruit foreign fighters to conduct international terrorist attacks,” added Mandelker. The U.S. move comes a day after the United Nations (U.N.) Security Council put similar charges on Udin, Faiz, and Kiram on Thursday, August 23. The council required all U.N. member countries to prohibit the three
mens’ travel, freeze their assets, and deny them access to the international financial system. According to the U.N., Kiram is a senior ISIS member and was a member of Ansar Khalifa Philippines, a Philippinebased militant group that has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. Philippine police believe Kiram was responsible for the 2012 bus bombing in Zamboanga City which left at least seven passengers injured. The U.N. said that Kiram was seen in 2014 training recruits for Ansar Khalifa Philippines, before traveling with his wife to the Syrian Arab Republic in 2015. In 2016, Kiram appeared in an Islamic State recruitment video that was distributed on social media. The U.N. quotes Kiram
calling on supporters to “unite and join under the command of the emir of the soldiers of the caliphate in the Philippines, Abdallah al-Filipini.” Indonesian national Faiz, 49, also had ties to the militant group in the Philippines. In 2014, he joined the Islamic State in Syria and helped with the recruitment of people from Southeast Asia to join the Philippines’ Islamic State-linked group, Abu Sayyaf. He was jailed in the Philippines for nine years on charges of illegal possession of weapons and explosives. Malaysian national Udin, 52, also traveled to Syria in 2014. He also helped with recruitment in the Philippines under former Abu Sayyaf leader, Isnilon Hapilon. (Rae Ann Varona/AJPress)
PH mourns passing of ‘true friend’ PAGE A1 “We will remember Senator McCain for translating America’s commitment into action and for playing a vital role in keeping our alliance strong and capable to address current strategic challenges,” the DFA secretary said. Cayetano said the late senator showed his humanitarian spirit and his lifelong dedication to the cause of peace and justice in his support of the Mindanao peace process. Cayetano was among the last senior Philippine government officials to be received by McCain, then chairman of the Senate
armed services committee. The meeting took place in McCain’s office in Capitol Hill where Cayetano was joined by Permanent Representative to the United Nations Teodoro “Teddy Boy” T. Locsin, Jr. and Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Jose Luis Montales. Discussed in that meeting were challenges confronting Manila and Washington and how the partnership could be further strengthened to address non-traditional security concerns, such as drug trafficking and violent extremism. Cayetano said McCain even
shared his family’s history and affinity with the Philippines and revealed that his grandfather served in the Philippines during the American Occupation and the Second World War. McCain’s father, who became a Navy admiral, also saw action in the Philippines and was a recipient of our Legion of Honor. “Senator McCain also told us about the time he spent in Subic as a young Navy aviator serving in Vietnam and his arrival at Clark Air Base after his release as a prisoner of war,” he added. (Jefferson Antiporda/Manila Times.net)
PAGE A1 demands from the global market also remains significantly high even with sudden setbacks. A worldwide advertising campaign is set to be launched by the DOT in the following months, to be accompanied by strengthened promotions for various PH destinations, including the much-awaited re-opening of the famous island. This campaign is projected to entice more travellers to visit more destinations in addition to Boracay, as trainings and workshops for better sustainability practices are now being disseminated to industry players all over the country, guaranteed to provide better services to future clients. “When you look at it overall, we really have to make sure that when we roll it out, when we relaunch Boracay, it would be a better destination, more environment-friend-
ly, and it will be more secure and we have to make sure that, more important than anything else, we avoid the problems that led to its closure in the first place.” The DOT’s thrust for sustainability is also accompanied with infrastructure developments aimed at the same goal. Among these developments are the new Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) and an evident buildup in the accommodation sector expected to expand the destinations’ capacity in welcoming visitors from all over the world. Undersecretary Bengzon assures travellers of better visitor experiences with the DOT’s projects already laid out for the coming months. “For our part, we will make sure that the accommodation establishments comply with the DENR/DILG
requirements before they qualify for DOT accreditation. Manpower training programs will be extended to the accredited establishments so that the frontline services are much improved prior to the closing. And lastly, we will have to work on a very intensive marketing promotions. So in our travel fairs, in our sales missions, Boracay will be showcased as a better destination for our markets.” In 2017, foreign tourist arrivals reached 6,620,908 in total and in the first half 2018, 3.706 million international arrivals was recorded, promising a positive run towards the 7.4 million goal by the end of the year. With the reopening of Boaracay, the country is looking forward to bringing in new markets as well as sustaining the growth of its key markets – South Korea, China and the United States. n
Petitioners argue on ICC withdrawal PAGE A1 late to nullify it. “It is already a completed act. Only in the Philippines that you claim there is a defect.” Leonen said. Leonen is certain that the Philippines has already completed its withdrawal of membership from the ICC. He noted that only in the Philippines can one claim that there is a defect in the motion. “As far as the international community, the Philippines has withdrawn its membership. To rejoin it is not to withdraw the withdrawal
but to sign and to accede. So, it is too late,” Leonen said. He also explained that in order for the complaint to have a legal standing “principally it must be shown that there is a personal, substantial and direct injury suffered by petitioners.” The associate justice then asked one of the legal counsels Ray Paolo Santiago what his injury is. To which he replied: “I have no direct injury as of yet.” Opposition senators skip oral arguments on ICC withdrawal Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan,
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Sen. Franklin Drilon and Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV failed to show up during the supposed first hearing on the ICC withdrawal. They sent instead their legal representation Anne Marie Corominas to deliver their petition. “Petitioner senators respectfully move that they be given until the next session of the oral arguments within which to decide an appropriate course of action with the issue of representation of these proceedings,” Corominas asked the Court. n
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California lawmakers to vote on net... PAGE A1 SB 822 would prohibit Internet providers from blocking or slowing down Internet speeds or charging websites extra fees for faster service. According to the bill’s author, Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), the bill would ensure “that we all get to decide for ourselves where we go on the internet, as opposed to having internet service providers tell us where we are allowed to go.” The other bill, SB 460, would reject public contracts to companies that don’t follow these new state regulations; in other words, it would not allow companies that violate the rules established by Wiener’s bill from receiving public funding. California Democrats argued that, without net neutrality rules that regulated telecommunications companies, providers would be allowed to sell bundled service packages that gave select websites for consumers or slow access to news sites if readers refuse to pay more for faster service. This would put digitally-native startups at a disadvantage and, they argue, would only benefit large corporations. Late last year, the FCC — headed by Trump-appointed chairman Ajit Pai — voted to repeal Obama-era regulations that prevented companies from discriminating against certain websites and forced websites to pay if they wanted faster internet speeds. This widely criticized move prompted protests and calls to Congress to vote against the repeal, which took officially took place in June of this year. An overwhelming majority of voters support maintaining net neutrality, which has become a
contentious issue for the upcoming midterm elections. A December 2017 survey from the University of Maryland found that 83 percent of voters (82 percent of Republicans and 90 percent of Democrats) opposed the FCC’s decision to repeal net neutrality regulations. The term “net neutrality” was first coined in 2003 by Columbia University media law professor Tim Wu who saw a battle for Internet service beginning to emerge after some Internet providers banned some customers from using virtual private networks (VPNs) or setting up their own WiFi routers. The term denotes the principle that Internet service providers should treat all data on the world wide web equally. In other words, net neutrality means that these providers — like Verizon, AT&T and Spectrum, for example — can’t intentionally block, slow down or charge fees for specific sites and content on the web. During the administration of former President Barack Obama, the FCC has fought to preserve net neutrality rules. In 2009 when Apple was caught blocking AT&T iPhone users from making calls via Skype, the FCC pressured both companies to seize the Skype blocks. In 2015, the FCC passed a broad net neutrality order that prevented companies from blocking or prioritizing any Internet traffic. In 2018, after the current incarnation of the FCC voted to repeal the Obama-era rules, 29 states have considered their own net neutrality protections. Six governors — including those from Hawaii, New York and Montana — have signed executive orders to reinstate net neutrality,
Senate scraps ‘allegiance fee’... PAGE A1 In November 2017, Drilon asked the DFA to stop collecting “allegiance fees” from Filipinos in various parts of the world who are applying to reacquire their Philippine citizenship. The Philippine government is currently collecting €45 or $50 from Filipinos who want to reacquire their Philippine citzenship, which refer to the “one time fee for the processing of the application and issuance of the corresponding Identification Certificate.” “We will put a supporting study with it to show that not only is the loss of revenue negligible but the tendency of a person who now has a Philippine passport to participate in the Filipino community,” Cayetano told the Senate panel. Sen. Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate finance committee, immediately recommended the adoption of the amendment even without Cayetano’s proposal to include the study. “We consider it adopted as of this hearing so there will be no fees regardless of a study, how much it will generate for the Philippine government,” Legarda said. Legarda is yet to check if the veto for the proposal was con-
ditional but assured the Senate panel that they are adopting the amendment for the proposed 2019 budget. Drilon added that he was disappointed when the Department of Budget and Management vetoed his proposal to scrap the fee as it will result in a loss of revenue for the government. He noted that the total fees the Philippine government is collecting is significant and suspected that his proposal was vetoed as he was a member of the opposition. “Indeed, I could not understand why did the budget department recommended the veto of this very simple provision. How much do we earn from this? Very negligible,” Drilon said. Drilon expressed his hope that the Cayetano would support the proposal to stop collecting fees from Filipinos who want to reacquire their citizenship. The senator authored Republic Act 9225, which states that natural-born Filipinos who lost their citizenship through naturalization in a foreign country may reacquire their Philippine citizenship by taking an oath of allegiance to the country before a duly appointed Philippine official. n
and three states — Oregon, Vermont and Washington — have passed laws to protect these rules. The two bills that California’s lawmakers will be voting on are the most stringent net neutrality protections among these 29 states. As a way to disrupt SB 822 from gaining traction, Big Telecom has been robocalling senior citizens in the state in order to spread “misinformation” about the bill and urge them to contact their state representative to oppose the bill. “Your Assembly member will be voting on a proposal by San Francisco politicians that could increase your cell phone bill by $30 a month and slow down your data,” says a voice on an automated call paid for by legal reform group the Civil Justice Association of California (CJAC), a group that lobbies for legislation that reduces the number of lawsuits filed against corporations. “We can’t afford higher cell phone bills. We can’t afford slower data. We can’t afford Senate Bill 822.” The claim that the bill would increase cell phone bills is false and is not based on anything listed on the actual bill, which only calls for a reinstatement of the FCC’s 2015 regulations. CJAC has also been spreading false claims of rising cell phone bills through Facebook and Twitter ads. “The reality is that they’ve already lived under these rules under the 2015 Obama order and they did really well: they made huge profits, they weren’t laying off workers, they weren’t jacking up people’s bills,” Wiener said. “This is just all played-up misinformation.” (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)
GIRL POWER. Bianca Pagdanganan, Yuka Saso and Kaye Lois Go celebrate after winning in the women’s individual and team events in golf in Jakarta, Indonesia. The Philippines has so far won three gold and 10 bronze medals, surpassing the country’s one-gold, three-silver, 11-bronze showing in the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea. Asian Games pool photo
New study: taking aspirin daily does not reduce chance for heart problems by Klarize
Medenilla AJPress
A LONG-standing theory that taking a low-dose aspirin every day will cut the chances of a heart attack, stroke or other heart problems has been debunked by a new major research study. Over the weekend, the European Society of Cardiology 2018 presented two studies that challenged the century-long, widelyaccepted doctor recommendation for aspirin use in adults. The studies included adult participants who took aspirin to prevent heart attack or stroke and who had no history of these medical emergencies. One found that aspirin did not help prevent a first stroke or
heart attack in folks with a moderate risk for one due to health and lifestyle variables like smoking, high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Another study explored the use of aspirin on diabetics, who are statistically more likely to die from heart problems. Researchers randomly assigned 15,480 adults with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes — who don’t have any other outstanding health issues and no history of heart issues — either one aspirin pill, 1 gram of fish oil, both these pills, or a placebo pill every day for the next few years. After just under eight years, researchers found that while there were fewer heart prob-
lems among the aspirin users, there were more cases of serious bleeding. “There’s been a lot of uncertainty among doctors around the world about prescribing aspirin” for a vast majority of patients who haven’t had serious heart problems in the past, said Dr. Jane Armitage of the University of Oxford in England, one of the study’s lead researchers. “If you’re healthy, it’s probably not worth taking it.” The research study tested 100 milligram aspirin tablets, which is more than the commonly-sold 81-milligram tablets in the U.S., but is still considered a low dosage. n
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AUGUST 31-SEPTEMBER 6, 2018 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
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Bill to curb school bullying heads to Gov. Brown’s desk Legislation comes as studies show divisive rhetoric in national politics has filtered down to schools
SACRAMENTO — Legislation by Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco) to prevent bullying and harassment in California schools passed the Assembly floor on Monday, August 27, on concurrence and now heads to Governor Brown. Assembly Bill 2291 would require the California Department of Education (CDE) to establish guidelines to prevent bullying and disseminate online training modules to local educators. “Our children should not be afraid to go to school,” said Assemblymember Chiu. “When one student is bullied, the entire class suffers and misses out on valuable learning opportunities. We must do more to work with the Department of Education and local educators to prevent bullying before it starts.” While bullying is an age-old problem, recent findings indicate that the divisive and xenophobic rhetoric plaguing our national politics has trickled down to schools. Studies have shown that the most common reason a student is bullied in the United States is related to the victim’s race, ethnicity, religion, gender,
or sexual orientation. It is estimated that school districts in California lose out on $267 million dollars annually due to bullying-related absences. A survey by the Council of American-Islamic Relations revealed that 55 percent of Muslim students have experienced bullying and harassment related to their religion. The analysis also indicated that students are wary to report incidents of bullying due to a fear of retaliation and a belief that educators do not have the necessary training to intervene and prevent bullying. AB 2291 will require the California Department of Education to develop guidelines to protect students before bullying begins. While CDE provides resources for students who have been bullied, but there is no requirement to provide proactive guidance to prevent bullying or cyber-bullying. The bill will help educators and parents stop bullying before it happens, by equipping them with proper tools they need in the classroom and at home. AB 2291 will also build on a 2014 law, AB 1993, that instructed CDE to create online training modules to
recognize the dynamics of bullying and cyberbullying. This bill will ensure those modules are publicly available and distributed to school staff throughout the state. The California Chapter of the Council of American-Islamic Relations, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Advancement Project, and Equality California are sponsoring AB 2291. “It is more important now than ever to address bullying that focuses on long term impact,” said Yannina Casillas, Legislative and Government Relations Coordinator for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, California (CAIR-CA). “In CAIR California’s statewide report on school bullying, we found that 55 percent of Muslim students in California reported having experienced one or more forms of bullying. The toll that Islamophobia takes on the mental health of American Muslims is significant and even more substantial for students, who are expected to bear the burden of defending against Islamophobic stereotypes while coping with possible mental disPAGE A5
by Mark Hedin Ethnic Media Services
(1,094,924), Jacksons (708,099), Washingtons (177,386), Kims (262,352), Patels (229,973), Lees (693,023) and Parks (106,696). Crosscheck, developed in 2005 by Kansas Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh as a free service for participating states, promised to detect voter fraud by comparing people’s names, social security numbers and birthdates. Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri first implemented it in 2006. During his tenure as Kansas’ secretary of state, current GOP gubernatorial candidate Kris Kobach expanded Crosscheck to 15 states by 2012 and 29 by 2014 and in 2017 was appointed to a leading role in the White House’s short-lived Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity. In 2017, of 98 million voting records Crosscheck analyzed, it deemed 7.2 million potential duplicates, although Crosscheck has yet to produce its first voter fraud conviction. Eight states that originally signed on have since dropped out, citing unreliable data. Nonetheless, it’s still in use
in dozens more. Eight of those state have Senate seats up for a vote this year in contests that are expected to be close: Arizona, Nevada, Indiana, Missouri, West Virginia, Tennessee, Ohio and Michigan. And 19 Crosscheckusing states are voting on their governor for the next four years. In a 2015 named “The Health of State Democracies,” the Center for American Progress, a nonprofit funded in part by the Gates Foundation, Wal-Mart, Ford Foundation and many others, concluded that the voters Crosscheck tagged for review are disproportionately non-white. “States participating in the Interstate Crosscheck system risk purging legally registered voters with a significant oversampling from communities of color,” it said, citing the work of journalist Greg Palast, who’s been studying the U.S. voting system since 2000, for the BBC, al-Jazeera America, Rolling Stone magazine and others and produced a film about it, “The Best Democracy Money Can Buy.” PAGE A5
Check with voter registrar — are you still on the rolls?
U.S. citizens across the country soon will vote on all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, for 35 U.S. senators and three dozen governorships. The House of Representatives and possibly the Senate are up for grabs. Given the high stakes, voters would do well to check at least a month ahead of time with their local board of elections to see if they’re still registered to vote. This is especially true for people of color. The reason is that millions could find their right to vote challenged or taken away under suspicion that they’re trying to vote more than once, largely due to 26 states using the Interstate Voter Crosscheck system, which compares lists of voters in different states and challenges the registration of those whose names come up more than once. For the 1,166,000 people in the country who share the surname Garcia, this could be a problem. Likewise for the Rodriguezes
PROPOSED DFA BUDGET. Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano presents an overview of the DFA and its attached agencies’ proposed FY 2019 budget during the public hearing presided by Senator Loren Legarda, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, at the Senate in Pasay City on Tuesday, August 28. Also in photo are Usec. Ernesto Abella (right) and Usec. Sarah Arriola (2nd from right). PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan
California confronts environmental threats in new climate change assessment by rae
ann Varona AJPress
BEING a harbinger for environmental policies, California on Monday, August 27, published a comprehensive assessment outlining the risks of global warming that are threatening the state. Titled as California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment, the assessment is the fourth to have been put out by the state since 2006 when former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger called for an assessment before signing the Global Warming Solutions Act. The act was the first to require in law, a sharp reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. “In California, facts and science still matter,” said California Governor Jerry Brown on the recent assessment. “These findings are profoundly serious and will continue to guide us as we confront the apocalyptic threat of irreversible climate change.” While many in California may be aware of the climate changes shown by city smog and increasing wildfires, environment advocates are seeing the assessment as holding weight against the federal government’s opinions on climate politics, such as the Trump administration’s efforts to rid climate change regulations meant to curb pollution from automobiles and coal-fired power plants. The assessment relied on over 40 peer-reviewed reports detail-
ing the impact of climate change on the California’s infrastructure, people, and natural systems. Rising temperatures The assessment projects that by 2100, the average annual maximum daily temperature will have increased by 5.6 to 8.8 degrees, depending on greenhouse gas emission reductions. As wildfires hit both Southern and Northern California areas, the report found that the average area burned can increase by up to 77 percent if emissions continue to rise. That would equate to an insurance cost increase of about 18 percent in highest risk areas. On its community impact, the assessment said that heat waves in cities could cause two to three times more heat-related deaths by 2050. “Heat-Health Events (HHEs), which predict risk to populations vulnerable to heat, will worsen drastically throughout the state,” read the assessment. It added that by mid-century, the Central Valley — which includes the cities of Sacramento, Fresno, Bakersfield, and Stockton — is projected to experience HHEs lasting two weeks or longer. In the Northern Sierra region, HHEs could occur four to 10 times more often. In July, Southern California experienced record breaking heat waves with widespread triple digits temperatures. The assessment said that a prototype heat warning system
called the California Heat Assessment Tool (CHAT) was developed to support public health departments in taking actions to reduce the number of heat related deaths and medical conditions. Water challenges “Water management practices in California face growing challenges from continued climate change and extreme weather,” read the assessment. By 2050, the assessment projected water supply from snowpack to decline by twothirds. This, as the state of California continues to be drought prone. As California also ranks first in the nation for producing the most food, water challenges naturally pose a major threat to the state’s agriculture. One of the studies in the assessment found that under certain precipitation conditions, California’s agricultural production could face climate-related water shortages of up to 16 percent in certain regions by 2050. “Hotter conditions due to climate change could lead to loss of soil moisture,” read the report, adding that increasing soil organic matter can help increasing soil water holding capacity, which is one adaptation option the state can take. Rising sea level California’s famous beaches are also at risk, found the assessment — 31 to 67 percent of Southern California’s beaches PAGE A5
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California may overturn order to return $331-M to mortgage settlement fund Hundreds of foreclosures resulted from Wells Fargo glitch DEMOCRATIC lawmakers in Sacramento are hoping to overturn a court ruling that would order California to use $331 million in helping homeowners hit with foreclosures. The sum came out of a 2012 nationwide financial protection settlement involving banks accused of improper foreclosure practices. California received over $400 million as part of the National Mortgage Settlement Fund in 2012, but was accused of using most of it to offset state deficits. The Third District Court of Appeal in Sacramento last month ordered the money be used for the original purpose of assisting owners hit hard by foreclosures, saying the money was “unlawfully diverted” from the settlement fund. A California judge in 2015 gave a similar ruling, but ultimately said it was up to California Governor Jerry Brown and lawmakers to create a plan to return the $331 million when the state had the money to do so. But legislative Democrats this week, rewrote two budget-related bills which moved through fiscal committees in both houses. The bills state that Brown had appropriately made apparent his funding decisions with Legislature. They further state that Brown had used the money in bailing out housing agencies and consumer services in the state, thus adhering to the 2012 state law. In a hearing on Thursday, August 23 for one of the bills, a bud-
get analyst with Brown’s Finance Department told the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee that the bill — AB 1829 — had the intention of “clarifying that Finance operated within the intent of the original (2012) legislation.” “In the heart of the recession, the state did the best it could in allocating money toward housing measures,” said budget analyst for the governor, Joshua Gauger. The National Asian American Coalition (NAAC), which led the case against Brown and state finance officials in 2014, maintained that the latest moves were still illegal. “It’s disappointing that Governor Brown’s allies in the Legislature are now trying to deprive struggling homeowners of money that is rightfully theirs and that they have fought long and hard to recover through the courts,” said Faith Bautista, president and chief executive officer of the NAAC. She added that if passed, struggling California homeowners would be further vulnerable to the state’s already severe housing crisis. “$331 million is badly needed by Californians to get the housing services they need to buy their homes or modify their mortgages to keep their homes,” said Bautista. A lawyer for the NAAC and other organizations that challenged the state’s fund usage, said they would pursue another legal bat-
tle if the legislation were to pass. “Those actions were still illegal, and the governor remains under an obligation to use the National Mortgage Settlement Funds as the appellate court found they were intended — to help struggling homeowners,” said attorney Neil Barofsky. Wells Fargo glitch led to hundreds of home foreclosures Among the five mortgage services that were ordered to pay into the National Mortgage Settlement Fund in 2012 was Wells Fargo, which recently revealed that hundreds of people experienced foreclosures due to a computer glitch on the bank’s behalf. Through a regulatory filing last week, Wells Fargo said that up to 625 clients were “incorrectly denied a loan modification” that they would have otherwise received because the glitch miscalculated the client’s’ eligibility requirements for mortgage modifications. Roughly 400 of the cases resulted in foreclosures. Homeowners affected by the glitch were undergoing foreclosure processes between April 13, 2010, and October 20, 2015. For remediation, Wells Fargo said it would put aside $8 million for “customers whose modification decisions may have been affected by the calculation error.” Based on the approximately 600 affected, that would amount to roughly $13,000 per customer. (Rae Ann Varona/AJPress) ■
learning environments for our most vulnerable students.” “It is a right of every student to come to a safe and welcoming school environment,” said Khydeeja Alam Javid, Director of Governmental Relations for the Advancement Project California. “Unfortunately, the pervasiveness of bullying is an epidemic that is eating away into that civil right. Our schools need the tools to do more to prevent bullying on school campuses and this bill provides such opportunities. We thank Asm. Chiu for his leadership on this issue and look forward to working with our partners to get this important piece
Check with voter registrar — are you still on...
PAGE A4 Working with data analyst Mark Swedlund, Palast found that among states using Crosscheck, one in six Hispanics, one in seven Asian Americans and one in nine African Americans landed on its list of suspect voters. “The outcome is discriminatory against minorities,” Swedlund says. The chief explanation for the racial inequity is that ethnic communities are more likely to share a surname, such as Washington, Lee, Patel or Kim, Palast told Ethnic Media Services. Swedlund and Palast found that the Crosscheck system seems satisfied that if two people share a common first and last name, they’re suspect. Differences in their birthdate, middle initial, Social Security numbers or suffixes such as “Jr.” and “Sr.” don’t keep registered voters off Crosscheck’s lists. Not all 7 million people whose of legislation signed by Governor names appear on Crosscheck’s Brown.” “California teachers are on the front lines of protecting our students from bullying and cyber- PAGE A4 bullying, but we need to equip may completely erode by 2100 if them with the training and tools large-scale human interventions to do so,” said Equality California aren’t made, it said. Executive Director Rick Zbur. Furthermore, with a project“We’re proud to stand with As- ed 50 centimeter or roughly 20 semblymember Chiu in support inch of sea level rise, $17.9 bilof AB 2291 and are committed lion worth of commercial and to working toward a day when all residential buildings could be our students — including those swamped by 2050. who are LGBTQ — have a safe “The Fourth Assessment fundand supportive school in which ed a study providing technical they can learn and succeed.” guidance on design and impleGovernor Brown has until Sep- mentation of natural infrastructember 30 to sign the bill. ■ ture, such as the use of vegetat-
Bill to curb school bullying heads to... PAGE A1 tress resulting from bullying. AB 2291, will be a step forward in advocating for learning environments that are free from hostility and discrimination.” “No student should have to experience fear and intimidation in the classroom,” said Andrew Medina, Policy Manager with Asian Americans Advancing Justice - California. “AB 2291 will provide school employees with the tools and resources needed to best serve our students when faced with school bullying. The strong bipartisan support for AB 2291 sends a clear message that California will provide supportive
THEY’RE BACK. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana welcomes soldiers who participated in the Rim of the Pacific Exercise held in Hawaii. At least 25,000 personnel from 26 countries participated in the huge military exercise. ManilaTimes.net photo by DJ Diosina
lists will be denied a vote, though. For one thing, only 36.4% of the people who were registered to vote even showed up at the polls in 2014. In one survey of elections between 1960 and 1995, the United States ranks dead last in the democracies of the world, with an average turnout of 48%. Would-be voters whose names are missing from the lists of registered voters will be given what’s called a “provisional ballot,” to be tallied if the voter is ultimately found to have been wrongly left off the lists. Palast, however, skeptical that many provisional ballots are ever counted, refers to them as “placebo ballots.” Voters eager to cast genuine ballots, then, might want to call their local board of elections well in advance of Nov. 6 to be sure that they’ll be allowed to vote. In 2018’s highly charged political environment, individual votes may count more than ever. Take, for example, the recent special election for the vacant seat rep-
resenting Ohio’s 12th congressional district. In that still undecided Aug. 7 race, 1,200 votes separate Republican Troy Balderson and Democrat Danny O’Connor at press time. Ohio has removed almost 200,000 voters from the rolls because they appeared on the Crosscheck lists. The margin of victory in the state’s 12th District race may ultimately be found among the 5,048 absentee ballots not yet tallied and the still uncounted 3,435 provisional ballots. No matter which of the candidates is awarded Ohio’s vacant 12th District Congressional seat based on the August election, voters will get another chance to decide between Balderson and O’Connor in November. That’s why voters who want to have their voices heard Nov. 6, in Ohio and elsewhere, should call local officials ahead of time to see if any problems have come up with their registration. ■
California confronts environmental... ed dunes, marsh sills, and native oyster reefs, for adaptation to sea-level rises,” read the assessment, referring to efforts. “There is also a model to estimate shoreline change along the California coast at a resolution useful for local planners,” it added. In addition to buildings, the report added that transportation infrastructure like airports are also susceptible to major flooding and may experience the major impacts by 2040-2018 if
protective measures are not implemented. “San Francisco airport is already at risk of flooding from storm surge,” read the report. And then there are California’s already heavily trafficked highways. Miles of highways vulnerable to coastal flooding in a 100-year storm event will triple from current levels to 370 miles by 2100, reported the assessment. Over 3,750 miles will be exposed to temporary flooding. ■
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AUGUST 31-SEPTEMBER 6, 2018 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
DAteline PhiliPPines
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De Castro: Judiciary will maintain independence by AJPress
Members of the Philippine Navy arrive at Manila’s South Harbor after joining the Rim of the Pacific exercise in Honolulu, Hawaii. Philstar.com photo by Edd Gumban
AFP eyes more military assets from Russia by michael
punongBayan Philstar.com
MANILA — Apart from a submarine for the Philippine Navy, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is also looking at the possibility of acquiring other military assets for the Philippine Army and Philippine Air Force (PAF) from Russia. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said his visit to Russia gave him the opportunity to not only look at the submarine but other military hardware as well, like helicopters. “I also saw their other equipment in the Army exhibition in Moscow,” he told reporters in a chance interview yesterday during the arrival in Manila of the
Navy contingent that participated in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise in Honolulu, Hawaii. Lorenzana said the AFP can look at the hardware by probably sending the Army and the technical working group (TWG) of the PAF to Russia. For the submarine, he added that the Philippine Navy, also through a TWG, will likewise visit Russia to look at the vessel. “We are still looking around, we’re scouting for assets that suit our capabilities, our budget and our need for such equipment in our events, in our defense,” he said. Lorenzana noted that the AFP is not only focusing on Russia
but is also considering military equipment from France, Germany, Sweden, Indonesia, South Korea, Indonesia and even the United Kingdom. He confirmed that Russia is also inviting the AFP to join training exercises since Russia conducts army, special forces, ranger, shooting and even culinary exercises annually. Lorenzana said the military will look into sending an observer to such training next year to determine if the AFP would join the same, considering that there is a lot to learn from the Russians. “And then later on, if the Army, Navy, Air Force say, ‘sir, we need those, can we participate’, then we participate,” he said. n
NEWLY appointed Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro promised to instill independence as she took her oath of office on Tuesday, August 27, at the Supreme Court. De Castro said that she will not find any difficulty in proving her independence from the president as she is confident that her appointment was hard earned. “I have no problem maintaining the independence of the judiciary,” the new chief justice said as reported by The Philippine Star. De Castro also dismissed all allegations that Duterte’s appointment was a reward for her role in the ouster of Maria Lourdes Sereno. “Up to this time, I have not met the president. I haven’t seen him or approached him, whether directly or through anybody. He appointed me without knowing me personally,” De Castro said. Many who opposed De Castro’s acquisition of the post claimed that the current chief justice was rewarded for taking part in Sereno’s removal from office considering that Duterte publicly declared Sereno his enemy. De Castro urged them to look at her record instead. “I think they should look at my record. I do not think that one incident would have been enough to elevate me to the highest position in the judiciary,” she
Newly-appointed Chief Justice Teresita De Castro upon her arrival at the Supreme Court compound on August 28. Philstar.com photo by Kristine Joy Patag
pointed out. She also said that the president will not get in the way of the country’s judicial system nor will he do something that would impact negatively on the third branch of government. “I don’t think the President will do anything to negatively affect the independence of the judiciary,” she explained. De Castro praised Duterte in his selection based on seniority as it appeals to her favor. She then expressed her inclination to follow the manner of choosing a leader with the most experience in their respective fields. “We would like to express our appreciation that the president has that strong political will, to see to it that the merit system, which is the hallmark of public appointment in public service, is followed, and in upholding the time-honored tradition of seniority in the (SC),” she pointed out. Following the mandatory retirement age of 70, the said chief justice will only be in office for
less than two months. However, she explained that regardless of this fact, seniority must still be observed. “Seniority is important because who is senior will have vast experience as to the workings of the court. It is expected that the senior members will have the respect of the rest of the members of the court,” she explained. The new chief justice also denied the allegations that the impeachment complaints against her and six other justices will reflect poorly on her duties. “I have no time to think about it because you know as you mentioned, I have very few weeks to work here in the court and I don’t want to be distracted by anything else, my schedule is full. I have so many activities set in the coming weeks, I do not wish to be distracted by that (impeachment),” she replied. De Castro was also scheduled to take her oath before the president in a ceremony at Malacañang Palace on Friday, August 31. n
PH welcomes home Asian gold medalists Diaz, 3 lady golfers by Benjie
Vergara Manilatimes
ASIAN Games 2018 weightlifting gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz returned home from Jakarta, Indonesia on Tuesday, August 28. Diaz, who captured the Philippines’ first gold medal in the women’s 53-kilograms event at Jakarta International Expo Hall A, thanked the crowd who greeted her shortly after she arrived via Philippine Airlines (PAL) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2. Officials of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) and Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), as well as Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go, and other government representatives, welcomed Diaz and the three lady golfers, Yuka Saso, Bianca Isabel Pagdanganan and Lois Kaye Go, who brought home two more golds in the individual and team events. The Zamboanga native reportedly will be receiving cash amounting to P6 million – P2 million from the government through Republic Act 10699 incentives granted to national athletes and coaches, P2 million from the POC, and P1 million each from Siklab Foundation and the Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia Lee Hoong. Diaz said she was grateful to God for bagging the gold medal, which all Filipino athletes
The proud parents of Hidilyn Diaz kiss her as she arrives at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Tuesday, August 28.
dream of. The weightlifter bested 11 other competitors by lifting 92 kilograms in the snatch and 115 kilograms in the clean and jerk for a total of 207 kilograms against Turkmenistan’s Kristina Shermetova (206 kilograms) and Thailand’s Surodchana Khambao (201 kilograms). Diaz made history for the Philippines when she ended the country’s 20-year Olympic medal drought by securing a silver medal in the women’s 53-kilogram weightlifting division of the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.n
Lorenzana hits China’s nukes in West Philippine Sea by Dempsey
reyes
Manilatimes
DEFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has objected to China’s transport of “nuclear elements” to the contested area at the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), as reported by the U.S. defense and military establishment. “We definitely object to that because they (China) should not be bringing any nuclear [elements]in the disputed area,” Lorenzana told reporters at Pier 13, Manila after the arrival ceremony for the Philippine Navy contingent from Hawaii on Monday, August 27. The Pentagon had raised alarm over Beijing’s plans to establish floating nuclear power plants on the hotly contested islands and reefs in South China Sea, in a report to the U.S. Congress. “We are talking about our disputes in a civil matter and there is no need for [China] to militarize to that level where they will bring in nuclear-armed aircraft or any other weaponry there that are nuclear-tipped,” Lorenzana
said. Also, on Monday, Lorenzana, joined by Armed Forces chief Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr. and highranking officials of the Navy, welcomed the 700-man Navy contingent that participated in the Rim of the Pacific (Rimpac) exercises held in Honolulu, Hawaii. “Participating in the exercises that are far away from us means that we are already capable of patrolling our seas since we have surface ships, capital ships going to the oceans,” the Defense chief stressed. Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad, Navy chief, said the Rimpac drills “sends a very strong signal” that the Philippine Navy has extended its reach “far beyond” when it comes to the country’s territorial waters and its exclusive economic zone. Empedrad said the Philippine Navy conducted drills with the most advanced navies in the world such as the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, Singapore Navy, Republic of Korea Navy, Australian Navy and the U.S. Navy. n
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BUSINESS NEWS
ANZ: Peso still likely to hit P54:$1 by yearend by MAYVELIN
U. CARABALLO ManilaTimes.net
AUSTRALIA-based ANZ Research continues to hold a bearish outlook for the Philippine peso despite noting that higher interest rates were providing the currency some relief. “While we have been cautious on the Philippines, we note some signs of improvement,” it said in a report. In particular, the research firm pointed out that the peso was mostly trading in a narrow range of P53.0-53.5:$1 since mid-June, “outperforming its Asian peers” after policy rate hikes totaling100 basis points since May. The currency ended last week at P53.46 versus the greenback, two centavos stronger from Thursday, August 23. “Meanwhile, the economy is moving in the right direction, which we have maintained needs to slow to avert risk of over-heating,” ANZ Research also said, noting that second quarter gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 6 percent was the lowest in three years. “The current account deficit has been contained at below
L. LUCAS
Inquirer.net
ManilaTimes.net photo
raised their peso-dollar exchange rate assumptions to P50-53:$1 for 2018-2022 from P49-52. Bangko Sentral Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. recently emphasized that monetary authorities remained committed to maintaining a flexible and market-determined exchange rate framework. Espenilla warned that a fixed exchange rate was “a very dangerous path for a small open economy like the Philippines” and could also result in lower international reserves, over-indebtedness, deficits and an uncompetitive exports sector.■
Hurdles seen for PH-US trade deal by ANNA LEAH
E. GONZALES Manilatimes.net
CURRENT political events in the United States might impact the speed of discussions on a possible Philippines-U.S. free trade agreement (FTA), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said. In an interview, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said negotiations for the deal “might be affected because the speed of [discussions on it]is triggered also by the [current U.S.]administration, because of the good relationship [between President Rodrigo Duterte and U.S. President Donald Trump], so in a way it is being facilitated.” His remarks came after Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen had implicated his ex-boss in crimes supposed committed during the latter’s 2016 White House campaign. The move has fueled speculation that the divisive American leader
Construction of Bulacan int’l airport expected to create 1M jobs — SMC by DAXIM
1 percent of GDP, while credit growth appears to have peaked,” it added. Still, ANZ Research said it still expected the local currency to fall to P54 against the dollar by yearend. “We maintain a bearish view on the PHP (Philippine peso) on the back of deteriorating external balances,” it said. The peso, described as Asia’s worst-performing currency this year, fell to the P53:$1 level in June due to concerns over the country’s widening current account deficit and the prospect of higher U.S. interest rates. Economic managers have
President Donald Trump (left) and President Rodrigo Duterte (right)
would soon face impeachment. Although Lopez refused to comment on Trump’s possible impeachment, he emphasized that an FTA between Manila and Washington would be beneficial to both. “It [also]makes economic sense for them to have an FTA with the Philippines, which is their so-called long-time ally. They are doing it with Vietnam and Japan and [South] Korea…” he said.
Inquirer.net photos
While the Philippines currently enjoys preferential duty-free entry to the U.S. through its Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) scheme, the Trade chief hopes that formal FTA discussions would soon begin. During the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit last year, Trump said he would consider a possible FTA with the Philippines following a bilateral meeting with President Duterte. ■
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As many as one million direct and indirect jobs will be created within the six-year construction period for what is dubbed as the New Manila International Airport in Bulacan, once the government approves it, the head of the conglomerate behind the project said on Monday, August 27. In an emailed statement, San Miguel Corp. president Ramon Ang said the undertaking — which aims to replace the 70year-old Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) — will also be a boon for the country’s large community of overseas Filipino workers many of whom have the expertise needed for the building of the $15-billion, fourrunway “aerotropolis.” “Once the airport project is given the green light to proceed with construction, we will tap our best workers from here and over-
seas,” Ang said. “It’s a massive undertaking,” Ang said. “We will need Filipino talents in engineering, construction, hospitality, and airport-related services. Hopefully, this will give many of our OFWs countrymen a reason to come home, be with their families, and at the same time help in building a better future for our nation.” “Our modern-day heroes have been dreaming of a world-class airport for such a long time. We want to make that dream a reality for our migrant workers at no cost to the Philippine government,” he added, noting that the airport will be designed with the comfort and convenience of expatriate Filipino workers in mind. “We will make sure that our OFWs will be very comfortable in the new airport. Given their enormous contributions to the country, they deserve nothing less,” the San Miguel chief said.
Massive airport complex San Miguel, the country’s largest conglomerate, has been pushing for the construction of a new aviation facility to accommodate the growing air travel needs of Filipinos since 2010. Its latest proposal calls for a massive airport complex on a 2,500-hectare property in Bulacan, 27 kilometers north of NAIA. The airport will have up to four parallel runways, upgradeable to six; modern terminals, cargo and ancillary facilities, and an adjacent industrial complex and its own seaport facilities on the edge of Manila Bay. The proposal also calls for the new airport to be made accessible from any point in Metro Manila via multiple expressways in 45 minutes or less. The project was approved by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) last April. ■
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AUGUST 31-SEPTEMBER 6, 2018 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
OPINION
A new chief justice
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FEATURES
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said he just followed seniority in appointing Supreme Court Associate Justice Teresita de Castro as the new chief justice. The President picked De Castro even if she has less than two months left before her retirement. And even if, for just 41 days in her new post, taxpayers will now have to give her much more than the pension that she would have originally received plus all the other perks of a retired chief justice. No one is questioning De Castro’s competence or qualifications. One doesn’t get appointed to the Supreme Court without the requisite intellectual capability and expertise. She was also the most senior SC member in the running for the job – but only because the more senior magistrate, Antonio Carpio, had declined his nomination. This is just one of the controversies bedeviling De Castro’s promotion. She has promised judicial reforms in 41 days, in a branch of government that has been in dire need of improvements for decades. Some quarters argue that her appointment is illegal because she faces an impeachment complaint. But with just 41 days to serve, De Castro may rest assured of being spared from ouster. Critics have pounced on her appointment because she is known as the archenemy of her predecessor, Maria Lourdes Sereno. Despite Sereno’s ouster and the expunging of her appointment as chief justice, she can no longer be stricken off Filipinos’ memory
as the first woman and the youngest ever at age 52 to serve as top magistrate — and she did this for nearly six years, not just 41 days. De Castro will be remembered for being one of the eight SC justices who voted to kick out Sereno through a mere quo warranto petition filed by the government’s chief lawyer. Carpio declined his nomination because having voted against the quo warranto case and wanting the removal of a chief justice to be by impeachment, as stipulated in the Constitution, he said he had to be consistent and did not want to benefit from Sereno’s ouster. Because of the circumstances, De Castro has been branded by critics as the “endo” or end-ofcontract chief justice and her appointment dubbed as the start of a revolving-door policy that makes SC justices beholden to the executive. The Philippine judicial system is weak enough. De Castro has 41 days to show that her appointment has not aggravated that institutional weakness and undermined the rule of law. (Philstar. com)
Editorial
Philstar.com photo
McCain and Trump: A study in contrast between true and faux leaders
The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS AMERICA mourns the passing of Senator John McCain— war hero, six-term senator, a true statesman, patriot and public servant. Amid all the tributes to McCain’s heroism and dedicated service to America among his colleagues, constituents, family, friends, world leaders, and Americans— Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, it was painful to watch the President of the United States — Donald J. Trump, staring at reporters during a news conference with stern eyes, arms crossed and held tight against his chest, when asked several times if he could say something about the passing of McCain, if he thinks he was a hero, if he could honor McCain for his service to America. Silence. His silence revealed more than his words could ever say about what is really in his heart. After all, he denigrated McCain when the latter was alive just because the good senator had the moral and testicular fortitude to stand up to the president who has an insatiable need to be adored and have everything his
way even if it would not be for the good of the country. Trump could not handle dissent, and as the most successful businessman and reality show superstar he claims to be, the word “accountability”, “rule of law” and owning up responsibility when he makes a mistake are alien to him. His mantra is to win, to make a profit, to benefit from whatever he gets into— and he would do anything and everything he could to make that happen, no matter what the cost. Because McCain is not consumed and motivated by political expediency, he did not have to swallow his principles just to massage Trump’s ego, agree with him in policies, programs and legislative agenda of the president he did not think would be in the best interest of the American people. And so this was the root of the animosity between Trump and McCain. The president even insulted McCain and other prisoners of war (POWs) when he said McCain was not really a hero because he was captured. These words from a man who dodged being drafted to do his duty to defend the country. Trump hated McCain because he was afraid people may one day realize that he, Donald J.
Trump, was not really a true and real leader when compared to McCain. John Sydney McCain was an embodiment of the virtues of a truly decent, respectful public servant, that was why he earned the respect of his colleagues in office and of the American people, even during the times when we disagreed with his stand on some fundamental issues. Because we know that his heart was in the right place. Because we know that his life had been dedicated to causes bigger than himself— and that is to serve the country we all love. Because he exemplified what it is to be a true civil servant — “Public Service is a Public Trust” and he had always been accountable for his actions to deserve that trust. Trump hated McCain because he was afraid that people might soon realize that behind that facade of a “strong” leader that he hopes to project to the public, he is just a shallow petty celebrity figure whose aspirations, motives, and actions are all about Donald J. Trump — his image, his fame, his fortune. It was all about how the government and the people of America would serve and defend him, and not the other way around. McCain left a farewell letter to
De Castro’s just reward Commentary
JOJO ROBLES I THOUGHT that Maria Lourdes Sereno had only purchased, using funds of the Supreme Court, a bullet-proof Toyota SUV during her abbreviated term as pretender to the position of chief justice. I only learned recently that the SUV was bought together with three “big bikes,” the oversize motorcycles favored by the powerful to clear a path for them on Metro Manila’s cloggedup streets. And the only reason I learned about the bikes is because new Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro said she would be using neither the SUV nor the motorcycles that the infamous Sereno was forced to return after she was expelled from the court. De Castro, the legitimate successor to the late Chief Justice Renato Corona, would in all likelihood continue to use her nondescript
Toyota van, which she rode in to her swearing-in ceremony yesterday as befits someone who doesn’t claim to be constantly conducting a two-way conversation with God. Yes, it appears that propriety, seniority and even sanity have been restored to the high court with de Castro’s assumption to Corona’s post. And the end of Sereno’s tenure as faux chief justice also marks the final vindication for Corona, who was forced to step down by a vengeful president who used government funds to buy a Congress that was only too willing to remove the head of a co-equal branch — for fat fees, of course. At this late date, I still do not know if President Rodrigo Duterte actively worked to remove Sereno. All I know is, her own colleagues in the high court rebelled against Sereno’s misbegotten and misguided rule, deciding in the end to throw her out through an unprecedented but totally legal and unassailable quo warranto proceeding. And now that De Castro, who will be chief justice only for less than two months, has ended Sereno’s bogus reign, Duterte
is being accused of “rewarding” de Castro for voting with eight other justices to remove Sereno. I suppose the opposition, which fought hard to retain Sereno and which is now engaged in the pathetic move to impeach the eight justices who removed their Godconversing idol, is correct — but for entirely different reasons. De Castro was surely rewarded with the chief justiceship because she is the most senior magistrate among the three whose names were submitted to the President. She was also certainly rewarded for being an accomplished jurist, having gone through the judicial mill starting as a law clerk in the Supreme Court in 1973 after passing the bar in 1972 with a grade of 80 percent. De Castro was also rewarded for steadily climbing the ladder of accomplishment, working her way from being state counsel of the Department of Justice (1978), leaving the department only in 1995 as head of its legal staff. And Duterte must also have rewarded de Castro for getting appointed to the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court, eventually becoming presiding justice and
the American people that really touched my heart. I hope we will all be reminded of what to expect from Trump and all of our public officials. I hope we will all be moved to discern what it is to truly be a good and responsible citizen of this great nation: “My fellow Americans, whom I have gratefully served for sixty years, and especially my fellow Arizonans, Thank you for the privilege of serving you and for the rewarding life that service in uniform and in public office has allowed me to lead. I have tried to serve our country honorably. I have made mistakes, but I hope my love for America will be weighed favorably against them. I have often observed that I am the luckiest person on earth. I feel that way even now as I prepare for the end of my life. I have loved my life, all of it. I have had experiences, adventures and friendships enough for ten satisfying lives, and I am so thankful. Like most people, I have regrets. But I would not trade a day of my life, in good or bad times, for the best day of anyone else’s. I owe that satisfaction to the love of my family. No man ever had a more loving wife or children he was prouder of than I am of mine. And I owe it to America. To be connected to
America’s causes - liberty, equal justice, respect for the dignity of all people - brings happiness more sublime than life’s fleeting pleasures. Our identities and sense of worth are not circumscribed but enlarged by serving good causes bigger than ourselves. ‘Fellow Americans’ - that association has meant more to me than any other. I lived and died a proud American. We are citizens of the world’s greatest republic, a nation of ideals, not blood and soil. We are blessed and are a blessing to humanity when we uphold and advance those ideals at home and in the world. We have helped liberate more people from tyranny and poverty than ever before in history. We have acquired great wealth and power in the process. We weaken our greatness when we confuse our patriotism with tribal rivalries that have sown resentment and hatred and violence in all the corners of the globe. We weaken it when we hide behind walls, rather than tear them down, when we doubt the power of our ideals, rather than trust them to be the great force for change they have always been. We are three-hundred-andtwenty-five million opinionated, vociferous individuals. We argue
and compete and sometimes even vilify each other in our raucous public debates. But we have always had so much more in common with each other than in disagreement. If only we remember that and give each other the benefit of the presumption that we all love our country we will get through these challenging times. We will come through them stronger than before. We always do. Ten years ago, I had the privilege to concede defeat in the election for president. I want to end my farewell to you with the heartfelt faith in Americans that I felt so powerfully that evening. I feel it powerfully still. Do not despair of our present difficulties but believe always in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here. Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history. We make history. Farewell, fellow Americans. God bless you, and God bless America.” ***
chairman of that tribunal’s first division until she was appointed in 2007 to the Supreme Court by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Of course, Duterte must also have rewarded de Castro for her work in convicting former President Joseph Estrada of plunder when he was still very popular, so popular that Arroyo later pardoned Estrada. And Duterte must also have noted, in his reward-giving, that de Castro once served as president of the International Association of Women Judges (2012-2014) and as chairman of the bar examination committee in 2015. In other words, Duterte rewarded de Castro for her seniority and achievements, not because she was a college classmate, as Sereno (the most junior and most unaccomplished magistrate at the time) was to the president who appointed her, Noynoy Aquino. And de Castro has also been known to refer to the Almighty in public for the rewards she has received, even if, unlike Sereno, there is no record that God ever talked back to de Castro. As de Castro said upon her appointment to the high court in2007: “Everything happens in
God’s time. I believe that my 34 years of service in the judiciary and a good track record make me qualified for this position.” And so, yes, de Castro was rewarded for her hard work and performance. Now she has until her mandatory retirement in October to enjoy her just reward. Even if a top-of-the-line bulletproof SUV and three motorcycle outriders aren’t part of the reward package for the new chief justice. *** But as I’ve said, the assumption of de Castro to the chief justiceship is also a vindication for the injustice committed by Aquino and his Congress lapdogs against Corona. And it is fitting that Sereno was not removed from office by Congress through impeachment, by many of the same lawmakers who condemned Corona only because Aquino larded them with Disbursement Acceleration Program funds. It is also proper that Corona is officially being replaced by de Castro, who is only exactly one week older than Corona. Corona would have retired upon turning 70 on October 15; it’s as if some karmic law was at work to make the justice closest in seniority to
Corona take over his position, even if only for 41 days. Of course, Corona is now dead, having succumbed to a heart attack right before the 2016 elections that put Duterte in Malacañang. He never saw the justice who usurped the position in 2012 removed six years later — but I’m sure he would have approved of it. Corona would have certainly appreciated the fact that, because Sereno’s appointment has been deemed void from the beginning in the quo warranto case, de Castro succeeded him in a straight line. The details will have to be worked out, but I am sure that at some future time, the Supreme Court will eventually continue to call Corona the country’s 23rd chief justice and de Castro the 24th, when it has figured out what to do with the six-year judicial black hole during which Sereno reigned. As for everyone else in Malacañang, Congress, the media and elsewhere to have passed their unfavorable judgment on Corona simply because Noynoy said so, they, too, will have their day of reckoning. The removal of Sereno forms only the first part of granting justice to Renato Corona. (ManilaTimes.net)
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
The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.
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Resistance, Retaliation, Reconciliation and Rescission: Bataan Legacy Historical Society’s 4th Conference on WWII in the Philippines will speak about Jose Abad Santos, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the PhilipBATAAN Legacy Historitive Director of BLHS, there are pine Commonwealth during cal Society (BLHS), Memorare “so many facets of WWII in the the outbreak of WWII who was Manila 1945, the Yuchengco Philippines that remains to be executed for refusing to colPhilippine Studies Program of discovered, especially from the laborate with the Imperial Japathe University of San Francisco perspective of the Filipinos,” nese Army. She wrote a book (USF) and Kasamahan at USF that there is a need to continue and produced a documentary, would like to invite everyone to to educate and inform the pub“Honor – The Legacy of Jose the 4th Conference on World lic through exhibits, talks and Abad Santos”. Her husband, War II in the Philippines, with conferences. Mario Benipayo, is a great this year’s theme of “Resistance, “Majority of the U.S. Army nephew of Abad Santos. Retaliation, Reconciliation & Forces in the Philippines Anna Pearman will speak Recission.” The event will be (USAFFE) were comprised of about her mother’s first husheld on Saturday, September Filipinos who also formed 7/8 band, Harry Fenton, an Ameri22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the of the main line of resistance. McLaren Conference Center at Civilians make up the majority of can soldier turned disc jockey who became one of the leading USF at 2130 Fulton Street, San the toll in any war,” she stated Francisco. in an e-mail interview with Asian figures of the Cebu Guerrilla resistance. According to Cecilia Journal. “Approximately 1 Elizabeth Ann Besa-Quirino Gaerlan, Founder and Execumillion civilians perished during WWII in the Philippines, many of will speak about her mother, Lourdes Reyes-Besa who aided whom were massacred. While American and Filipino POWs. the world knows about the massacre of the Jews in Europe, She subsequently received two Medals of Freedom from the the world is still unaware of the many war crimes perpetrated by U.S. Chris Larsen, Jr. will speak the Imperial Japanese Army durabout his father, Chris Larsen, ing WWII in the Pacific.” who was one of the civilian “Resistance, Retaliation, POWs at Santo Tomas UniverReconciliation & Recission” sity who led the underground This year’s panel discussion resistance against the Japanese touches on every topic of the captors. conference’s theme, as exBernard Karganilla, WWII plained by Gaerlan: Resistance. Various forms of historian from the University of the Philippines, will discuss the resistance will be discussed in Harry Fenton, an American soldier turned disc draft of his book on Philippine the panel, “Military and Civilian jockey, became one of the leading figures of the and American guerrillas. Cebu Guerrilla resistance. (Photo courtesy of 2010 Resistance.” Retaliation. This will be Betty Skievaski Trust. All Rights Reserved.) Desiree Ann Cua-Benipayo discussed under the panel “War Crimes & Reconciliation”. James M. Scott will speak about his latest book, “Rampage - MacArthur, Yamashita & the Battle of Manila.” Approximately 100,000 civilians died during the battle of Manila which took place between February and March 1945. Many of the civilians were massacred by the Imperial Japanese Army. Reconciliation. This will be discussed under the panel “War Crimes & Reconciliation.” Elpidio Pineda Quirino, grandnephew of former PhilipLourdes Reyes-Besa aided American and Filipino POWs during WWII. She subsequently received two pine President Elpidio Quirino, Medals of Freedom from the United States. by Malou liwanag-Bledsoe/AJPress
Morisette Amon’s rise to diva stardom by Jerry
donato Philstar.com
MORISETTE Amon belongs to that circle of new Original Pilipino Music (OPM) divas. Her inclusion perhaps banks on the fact that her vocal chops captivate one’s attention and her storyteller perspective comes from a sincere place. It’s safe to assume that they are the same qualities that have endeared her to music enthusiasts here and abroad. Before finally making a dent in the recording industry, Morissette has had her fair share of detours and stops. Her journey has never been a walk in the park. “It is kinda funny. I had many moments when I thought it was
over,” Morissette looked back on her musical journey with The Star in an interview, following the standard roundtable (with media) and group (first with broadcast, then with print). “Pero hindi pa pala (but it wasn’t the end yet). I won’t deny that I had moments… (when) I felt like I didn’t have a place in the music industry and I didn’t have a chance. Just when I gave up (on my singing career dream), may dumating (there came an opportunity).” Let’s do a quick backtrack: Morissette joined TV5’s “Star Factor” and finished it with runner-up honors. This led her to becoming a Kapatid actress. “But the network didn’t have a platform for singers at that time,” shared Morissette. “So,
I needed to earn for my family and it was the reason why I entered (showbiz). It was very brief. I was enjoying it but (acting) is not my passion. I wanted to fight for what I really wanted to be. So, when ‘The Voice’ came, naggo kami (we took the chance). I was happy that TV5 gave its blessing.” Given her belter nature, Morissette gave fellow “The Voice” artists a run for their money and the public a showcase. During the semis, Morissette got voted out. “I didn’t win,” she recalled, “and I thought baka hanggang duon na lang. (Then) we decided to move forward.” Part of that was to continue singing, put everything behind her and start anew. Soon, her
will discuss the massacre of the latter’s family by the Imperial Japanese Army during the Battle of Manila. In 1953, he issued an amnesty to war criminals to begin the process of reconciliation. Rescission. A junior high school student, Gabriella Vecellio, from Ronald Reagan High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin will present her project on the Rescission Act for National History Day. The Rescission Acts were passed in February and May 1946 which deemed the service of the Filipino soldiers of the U.S. Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) during WWII as not active, thereby denying them their veterans’ benefits. These legislations have never been rescinded. BLHS has also worked successfully with the California Department of Education to include WWII in the Philippines in the U.S. history curriculum framework for Grade 11 in California. They have organized teachers’ workshops in 2017 to create lesson plans for the framework and are now available to schools for free including primary documents and sources. The conference will feature teachers who have implemented these lesson plans in their classrooms. “During the conference, teachers who have implemented the WWII in the Philippines curriculum that we developed last year during our teachers’ workshops will discuss the process and results including presentation of sample student works,” said Gaerlan. “Teachers from the Bay Area, Tracie Noriega of the New Haven School District, Amy Punkar of the Jefferson High School District and Honey Gubuan of the East Side Union High School District will make presentations as well as Shelby Thompson, a high school teacher from Fontainebleau High School in
WWII Filipino guerillas during the 75th anniversary of the Bataan Death March last year.
Desiree Ann Cua-Benipayo will speak about Jose Abad Santos, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippine Commonwealth during the outbreak of WWII who was executed for refusing to collaborate with the Imperial Japanese Army.
Lourdes Reyes-Besa aided American and Filipino POWs during WWII. She subsequently received two Medals of Freedom from the United States.
Mandeville, Louisiana who used one of our sample lesson plans and adapted it for her class.” The conference will be chaired by Golden Gate Law professor (and former Dean of law school) Rachel Van Cleave. Experts and survivors from the Philippines and the United States will participate in the conference. Gaerlan again stressed the importance of remembering WWII and the sacrifices made by Filipino and American soldiers by letting the younger generation (the future generation) know what really happened. “The lessons of war must be learned in its unvarnished form so that students can make an informed judgment about the horrors of any war. Students
are given primary documents and resources to learn about the sacrifices of their ancestors during WWII in the Philippines and relate them to current events,” she said and added, “By engaging them, they can learn to appreciate the steep value of the freedom that they are enjoying today and hopefully, they can become responsible leaders of tomorrow who can work on making war a thing of the past.” Admission is FREE for Students with a valid ID, adults is $20 (includes boxed lunch). Registration is strongly recommended through http://bataanlegacy.org/future-events.html. Bataan Legacy Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) organization. For more information go to www.bataanlegacy.org.
dream. “I’m enjoying it,” she said of singing and why it didn’t give up on her, too. “Let’s say if I’m just doing it for the money or anything else of the like, mabilis maghanap ng reason na ‘wag nang ipagpatuloy. I’m doing it because I really enjoy it and I feel that I’m making more people happy and I’m able to help my family.” With that, Morissette has become a reliable young singer, who can do the Mariah Carey whistle. “Actually, I’ve had thoughts that sometimes I feel like that if I don’t do it or I don’t Morissette Amon never forgets her core as a singer: hit that whistle, I will be disapThat of being a storyteller. Philstar.com photo pointing people,” shared Morissette. “There are times (when) I moment of being in the right feel that way. But (by doing that) place at the right time came. That explains her moniker, Asia’s comes my being authentic or it is part of me as an artist.” Phoenix. Like the mythical bird, The whistle and the vocal Morissette was able to rise break leading to it, Morissette and bounce back to chase her
said, have become her stamp and style. “I don’t wanna do it just for the sake of doing it but I do it because it is what the song requires and the way I want to do it. I feel something is missing in my performance if I don’t do it.” Although she does it with great ease and confidence, Morissette never forgets her core as a singer: That of being a storyteller. “In a way, I’m a storyteller because I also choose the songs I want (thinking) that people (can) relate (to me and my songs)... Gusto ko (yung songs) na may message din,” she said. Fans will experience that singer-storyteller in Morissette when she shares the concert stage with Lani Misalucha, Asia’s Nightingale, in A Lani Morissette — Musical Journey on Sept. 22 and 23 at The Theatre Continued on Page SF6
Barbie couldn’t ask for more in life by Jerry
donato Philstar.com
Photo from Facebook/@GoyoAngBatangHeneral
Paulo Avelino learns interesting facts about Gregorio del Pilar by alfred
Bayle Inquirer.net
PAULO Avelino learned a great deal of historical facts about Gregorio del Pilar when he prepared for his role in the upcoming historical epic “Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral.” The actor said many of the facts he learned came from books and the movie’s script. “Hindi ko alam na may gold tooth si Goyo (I didn’t know Goyo had a gold tooth),” said
Avelino in a report by Push. Avelino also noted how many of his personal discoveries about Del Pilar’s past were not included in the movie. However, he affirmed his awareness of Del Pilar’s theorized mistresses due to accounts from the historical figure’s relatives. “Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral” was directed by Jerrold Tarog and is a sequel to his previous historical film “Heneral Luna.” The movie, which took over a year to make, tells
the story of Gregorio del Pilar, who was the youngest general during the Philippine-American war. He died in the Battle of Tirad Pass. The film will be released in Philippine cinemas on Sept. 5. Avelino said the film should build a stronger sense of national identity among Filipinos by getting to know the country’s history. It would also serve as a reminder of past mistakes and a push to fix those mistakes.
AT an age when most young adults are still trying to achieve that balance between career and personal life, Barbie Forteza unabashedly declares she has attained hers. Without sounding full of herself, the actress sweetly told The Manila Times, “Napaka-saya ko ngayon—kumbaga #goals [a popular social media slang which connotes a status people aspire for] na ako pagdating sa trabaho at sa personal na buhay.” While people might raise an eyebrow at this statement— after all, she is only 21 years old and has only been in show business for eight years— Forteza gratefully points to the success of her ongoing prime time series “Inday Will Always Love You.” Real-life Happylou A romantic comedy series produced by GMA News and Public Affairs, “Inday Will Always Love You” sees Forteza playing Happylou, a bubbly and optimistic girl whose life
Barbie Forteza with real-life boyfriend Jak Roberto.
Photo from Instagram/@barbaraforteza
takes a turn when she leaves Manila in search for her father in Cebu. She finds work as an assistant at a lechon store, but still does her best to stay positive. The actress admitted that among the characters she had the privilege of portraying, Happylou was one of those she had been most excited for. In fact, she looked forward to the shooting days even
before the cameras started rolling. “Portraying Happylou is very personal to me kasi napaka-positive niyang tao, napakamasayahin at saka wala siyang arte. Ako sa totoong buhay, gusto ko ring makuha yung ganung klase ng character,” she intimated. And now, three months into the show, Happylou’s Continued on Page SF7
BY MONET
LU
EVERY time the “Ber” months are about to start, I get a sense of nostalgia and astonishment on how fast the year goes by. This year has been bittersweet for me as I remember the friends, families and families of friends who passed on. While I have so much to be thankful for this year, I can’t help but wonder about my bereaved friends — especially those who have lost their soulmates. I was watching Lorna Tolentino on her latest soap opera and I remembered that it has been 10 years since her late husband Rudy “Daboy” Fernandez passed away from cancer. I remember because I was with her at that time and I got to know her a little bit when she was with Rudy undergoing treatment here in the U.S. It’s heartbreaking to see couples driven apart by an inevitable fate we all can’t escape. But surprisingly, a loved one’s death also has a way of unveiling our true selves. And for my dear friend, Lorna, she is happy being single – a status I haven’t seen in years in the midst of #hugot and #mayforever. What can I say, Tolentino — sometimes known as L.T. — has so much to live for. She can choose to be “single and ready-to-mingle” or she can just enjoy the projects she has and being a mom to sons Rap and Renz Fernandez. She had her one great love and that was it for her. Her love life is the last thing on her mind. She currently stars in the daytime action-drama series “Asintado” on ABS-CBN. She portrays the role of Miranda Ojeda, the mother of Gael (Paulo Avelino) and the Chief Strategist of Salvador del Mundo. She is ruthless and will go as far as breaking her son’s heart to protect Salvador’s political career. Senator del Mundo depends on her to orchestrate his every movement to the public. Throughout the years, Tolentino has already played a lot of roles in Kapamilya teleseryes,
Lorna Tolentino: What being ‘single and happy’ looks like such as “Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay,” “Dahil May Isang Ikaw,” “Momay,” and “Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin.” She first appeared in Prima Productions’ “My Little One,” using the screen name of Giselle. Later she changed this to Lorna Tolentino, after Siony Tolentino, who helped her enter the movie world of FPJ Productions. She played the young Susan Roces in “Divina Gracia” in 1970. Her first starring role was in “Langit Ko ang Pag-Ibig Mo” with Eddie Garcia and Panchito. She was paired with Tirso Cruz III in “Dalagita” in 1976 and with Rudy Fernandez in “Leap year ngayon, lagot ka pipikutin kita.” The 1980s proved to be a turning point in her career when she was recognized by award-giving bodies. Her outstanding films of this period and the nominations she received were: “Moral,” where she got nominated for Gawad Urian Best Actress, Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS), Star Award, Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) and Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP); “Init Sa Magdamag,” “Huwag Mo Kaming Isumpa,” “Maging Akin Ka Lamang,” “Natutulog Pa Ang Diyos,” “Kailan Mahuhugasan Ang Kasalanan?”; and “Kislap Sa Dilim.” Tolentino has had 14 FAMAS nominations for Best Actress and won three times. The first of which was for Best Child Performer in 1971, alongside best child actor Arnold Gamboa, her co-star. Her incredible feat in 1992 for the film “Narito Ang Puso Ko” earned her the monicker “Grandslam actress.” From FAP, she has three Best Actress Awards from her films, “Maging Akin Ka Lamang” (1987), “Narito Ang Puso Ko” (1992) and “Abakada... Ina” (2001).
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From Gawad Urian she has had 10 nominations. She also has had her share of television work, including four very successful soap operas: “Kay Tagal Nang Hinintay,” “Timeless”; “Hanggang Kailan”; “Dahil May Isang Ikaw”; “Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin”; and the hugely successful, “May Bukas Pa (2009-2010),” detailing the chronicles of a young boy who could talk to God. I could go on and on about her achievements and what has kept her busy all these years but one thing stands out to me is that this lady has been a dreamer and fighter in all aspects of life. She’s not about to give all that up because she is no longer part of a “couple.” She is the epitome of “single but not alone.” To the one and only “pictorial queen” and box-office queen, I am touched by your positivity and strength. I am honored to have known you and your family. I wish you all the happiness in the world. May your life continue to be an inspiration to many. *** Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, award-winning celebrity beauty stylist with his own chain of Monet Salon salons across Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Ultimately, Monet is known as an all-around artiste who produces sold-out fashion and awards shows as well as unforgettable marketing campaigns. Monet is also the founder of the revolutionary allnatural beauty products such as Enlighten, your solution to discoloration . To contact Monet, please visit www.monetsalon.com or email him at monetsalon@aol.com
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THE American Civil Liberties Union (“ACLU”) recently won a court order requiring the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) to follow their published guidelines regarding the release of asylum seekers from custody. The case (Damus v. Nielsen) specifically applies to asylum seekers who have passed their credible fear interviews. It gives new hope to asylum seekers who have recently arrived in the U.S. at a port of entry and who can show they are not a danger to the community and that they are likely to appear for future court proceedings. The U.S. District Court found that under the Trump administration, ICE has significantly changed its processing of parole requests for foreign national who arrive in the U.S. and are able to demonstrate a credible fear of persecution in their home country. For example, the Los Angeles Field Office denied 92% of these requests in 2017. However, in prior years, more than 90% of such requests were approved. This drastic swing convinced the court that ICE was no longer following its own established policy. Rather, it was arbitrarily denying parole to nearly every applicant. Therefore, in the class-action lawsuit, the court issued an emergency order requiring ICE to review all parole denials to members of the Damus class. In addition, pursuant to the Damus order, ICE must make a decision on most new applications for parole within two weeks of the credible fear determination. This case is important because being held in ICE custody has many negative effects. The detained person is separated from family and
Federal court order gives new hope to asylum seekers friends, work or school, and prevented from getting on with any kind of normal life. Visiting hours are limited, and most detention facilities are located in remote areas which make it inconvenient for family, friends, and attorneys to keep in regular contact with detainees. Many medical studies have shown that, especially for asylum seekers who are often already traumatized by the circumstances they fled in their home countries, prolonged detention exacerbates psychological symptoms. Likewise, family and friends on the outside may be struggling with extra financial strains or childcare responsibilities caused by the absence of the detained person, as well as with their own anxieties about their loved one’s fate. In addition, an immigrant is also at a significant disadvantage with regards to their court case when they are in ICE custody. The court’s detained docket moves very quickly, which makes it difficult to retain a good attorney and collect all the evidence needed to present a strong case. If expert testimony is required, it becomes more challenging for then expert to properly evaluate the case and effectively present their opinions to the court. Plus, the person who has most at stake in the case and who knows most about it - the one who is at risk for being deported from the United States - is often unable to offer much assistance while locked away in ICE detention. He or she cannot personally search for documents, obtain official records, or contact employers or other references. Thus, the burden falls upon family members and friends on the outside, who are often less informed about the details of the case and may not know what to do. And of course,
many asylum seekers have no friends or relatives in the United States. If an asylum applicant is detained, the attorney’s first priority will be to determine whether release is possible. The Damus order now gives thousands of detained asylumseekers new hope for release. Under Damus, most asylumseekers who have received a positive credible fear determination should be released from ICE detention so long as they can reasonably prove their identity, they are not a danger to the community, and that they do not present a flight risk. A knowledgeable immigration attorney will be able to assist families in meeting all these requirements while their loved ones are detained. They will thereafter be able to present the best possible case for asylum and long-term safety in the United States. It is better for everyone when asylum seekers are allowed to fully assist in their own court cases. This allows for the best possible opportunity to remain safely in the United States while also allowing for immigrants to remain with family and friends throughout the duration of their case. *** REEVES IMMIGRATION LAW GROUP is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration fi rms in the United States with offi ces in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Manila and China. For more Information please call (800) 795- 8009 or visit www.rreeves.com. Telephone: (800) 795-8009 E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com Website: www.rreeves.com. *** The analysis and suggestions offered in this column do not create a lawyer-client relationship and are not a substitute for the personalized representation that is essential to every case. (Advertising Supplement)
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celebrityworld The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - August 31, 2018
celebrity world
Multi-awarded actor Jericho Rosales heads list of September birthday celebrants
By Ferdie Villar JERICHO Vibar Rosales, known in the Philippine entertainment industry as “Echo,” will celebrate his 39th birthday on Saturday, September 22, with his wife, Kim Jones. He heads the list September birthday celebrants. Other prominent personalities who are celebrating their birthdays are: September 1 - Singer-actor Ariel Rivera, senior tax specialist at Fremont Group Myrna Diaz Cabrera, former Batanguenos of Northern California leader Rudy Manalo, former Mutya ng Pilipinas winner Azenith Briones, and former Fiesta Filipina executive producer Isidro “Sid” Protacio; September 3 - Philippine Senator Grace Poe Llmanzares, and balladeer Nonoy Zuniga; September 7 - Journey lead singer Arnel Pineda;
September 8 - Hillsborough socialite and fashionable society matron Virgie Corpuz Gualberto, and Filipina CPA Connie Protasio; September 10 - Former Miss RP-USA winner and singer Fatima (Helga) Yusuf, and actor JC de Guzman; September 11 - Fil-Am Democratic Club of San Mateo president Dorie Cachuela Paniza, and Costway products business associate Jonathan Tan; September 14 - Actor and TV host Edu Manzano, and Kapamilya actor Patrick Garcia; September 15 - Former Miss RP-USA winner Patricia Tores of Hayward, and the late multi-awarded movie director Wenn Deramas; September 18 - Asian Journal-Northern California edi-
tor Malou Liwanag-Bledsoe; September 20 - Kapamilya actresses Cristine Reyes and Erich Gonzales; September 22 - Philippine Delicacies owner Lina Quiambao, and Daly City well-loved political and community leader the late Lina Mesina Susbilla; September 25 - Computer analyst expert Jun Jun Villar; September 27 - Entertainment host and announcer Dave Rodriguez; September 29 - Entertainment producer Frank Sityar, and veteran actress Miriam Jurado of Larry Santiago Movie Productions (and who is now residing in Las Vegas); September 30 - Former “Pilipinas Got Talent” winner Marcelino Pomoy. To all celebrants, a very happy birthday!
Philippine Senator Grace Poe-Llamanzares will celebrate her birthday on Monday, September 3.
Multi-awarded actor Jericho Rosales heads the list of birthday celebrants this September. He is the lead actor of the newest teleserye on The Filipino Channel, “Halik.”
Beautiful actress Erich Gonzales will celebrate her 28th birthday on Thursday, September 20.
Fil-Am Democratic Club of San Mateo president Dorie Cachuela Paniza will celebrate her birthday on Tuesday, September 11.
Entertainment producer Frank Sityar will celebrate his birthday on Saturday, September 29.
Talented Filipina Myrna Diaz Cabrera of Hercules will celebrate her birthday on Saturday, September 1.
Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA WHETHER we like it or not, the past is a big part of who we have become. At some point, it may be worth our while to back track and come full circle just before the end game is in sight. So the next time you get an invitation to a reunion, don’t hesitate, JUST GO. High school and college reunions are compelling reasons to go back and ride that blast from the past. Take the ride because it may never come again. Life is not only short. It is unpredictable as well. Say NO to hubris. You may have been too busy building a career, raising a family and have become so engaged with the nitty gritty to bother about such things as reunions. No you’re not indifferent nor have you become too big for your britches that you can’t be bothered. At any rate, there is nothing in this world to make anyone feel like a puffed up toad and think he or she is better than anyone else. Life has a way of cutting back to size any show of hubris and arrogance. So what is your excuse for ducking reunions? In truth, you may just have too much on your plate for far too long. But this time around, you have to make time because there might never be a next time. And you may just miss out on one of the grandest rides of your lifetime. Why GO? There’s an upside to finally letting the past catch up with us. We get perspective. We hear life stories. Some are compelling while others are cautionary, sad tales. We begin to understand. And if reunions really serve their purpose, we come out of the experience happy. We have checked off one item from our bucket list. We may come out humbled by the experience of living this long and having walked this
Actor and TV host Edu Manzano will celebrate his birthday on Friday, September 14.
The Bucket List
Ride that Blast from the Past 12th of a series
“…Someone said that reunions are like masquerade balls. No one comes as his genuine self. Many try to hide the scars behind a mask. …” journey with classmates who, in all likelihood, come from a similar background and are cut from the same cloth. You feel you have been blessed abundantly along with your contemporaries having made it this far. Like a Masquerade Ball Someone said that reunions are like masquerade balls. No one comes as his genuine self. Many try to hide the scars behind a mask. Like postings on social media, we all try to present to the world the best versions of our photoshopped images, kind of wearing a Sunday dress. If that is the case, so be it. There is great fun and sidesplitting humor at reunions and celebrations of this sort. We see the same people and notice that they have changed very little from what you perceived them to be so many years ago. Then there are the few swan like characters that truly evolved from the gawky, awkward phases of youth — truly beautiful and oozing with class inside and out, confident without being cocky. Then, there are the class clowns— the life of the party. They are still funny, still the center of attention with the same mannerisms and facial expressions as we reminisce with great fondness and hilarity the antics and practical jokes they pulled on their classmates. And then, there are the quiet, deep ones, still staying in the background and taking it all in. It’s a menagerie of characters, a few of whom, you may want to be friends with despite time and distance. Whatever Happened? The memories come gushing forth with shocking clarity as we dust off the cobwebs
from our memory banks and dig up photos and put them on social media —a before and after, side to side comparison in reverse, from the once cute young thing BEFORE to the “Whatever happened???” AFTER. Hmmm, I am not sure the results would please many, including me. Sigh…… Oh, if we can only read the thought bubbles that float around during reunions! If you were psychic or a passably good mind reader, you can read what they really mean when they effusively say, largely out of well-meaning kindness, of how great you look. Okay just for the night we will be suckers for compliments, we will take them even if these are polite white lies. Or these compliments can be true statements. If you have dieted, exercised and managed to lose a few pounds to fit into a gorgeous dress and look shapely with or without spanx, you can flash a killer smile and take a bow. We look at the adolescent crushes we had many moons ago and for which we kept quiet at the time for fear of ridicule and embarrassment and we see them now with fresh eyes, a far cry from our teenage ideas of “cute” and say to yourself, “Girl, what were you thinking?” Well, turnabout is fair play. The guys are probably thinking the same thing about you. For as nature would have it, the lean and scrawny spring chickens of the past have grown to mature Rhode Island Reds, meatier, heavier and may even waddle around like ducks. LOL!!! Laugh it OFF. This is where the laugh sound track comes in. If we Continued on Page SF7
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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - August 31, 2018
Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ
CAREGIVER PETITION ALLOWS ISAAC TO BE REUNITED WITH HIS CHILDREN IN THE U.S. AS GREEN CARD HOLDERS. Driven by the desire to improve his life for his children’s sake, Isaac (left) jumped ship when his ship docked at Los Angeles in 2007. Fortunately, he found an employer who was willing to petition him as a caregiver. The employer’s petition was approved, but Isaac still had to wait several more years before his priority date was current and he was eligible for a green card.All that time, Isaac could not return to the Philippines due to his immigration status. But he still made that sacrifice, knowing it was the right way to do. For him, it was better to wait, if everything was done properly and legally. Isaac knew he was in capable hands under the Law Offices of Michael J. Gurfinkel, who helped obtain green cards for Isaac and his two young sons.Watch this happy family reunion on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)
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and distributors of “food supplements,” that their products can delay or reverse aging, PhiliP S. chuA, make people five, ten, or more, MD, fAcS, fPcS years younger. There is nothing farther from the truth. Unfortunately, although we are all WHY do we age? looking for that “fountain of Just like machines and enyouth,” the potion or lotion (or, gines, our body ages because in whatsoever form), medical of the cumulative damages to science still has nothing to offer our cells, tissues, and organs us in this department. Fifty (resulting from daily “wear one top scientists in the world and tear” and the self-abuse humans are well known for) that recently refute claims of this exceeds our body’s ability to re- “miracle treatment,” including pair them. These damages lead stem cell therapy, as advertised to obvious signs of aging: sags, all over the globe and warn the public against this fraud. All the bulges and wrinkles, gray hair, loss of muscle, bone and nerve infomercials currently floodintegrity, impairment of hearing ing the market and media are bunk, aimed at deceiving the and vision, incompetence of various sphincters (bladder and unsuspecting public for a fast buck. anal, etc.), lowered immunity What is the danger of tryand resistance, and increased ing some “anti-aging” drugs? susceptibility to diseases and Some of these drugs have infections. The arteries all over adverse side effects that could the body undergo severe artelead to illnesses. Some may riosclerosis (hardening) which leads to circulatory and oxygen not have bad effects but are deficits in various organs (brain, simply worthless, useless, heart, glands, legs, etc) causing ineffective in what they are purported to do. Taking them is stroke, heart attack, reduced like taking an empty capsule or libido and other hormonal a capsule filled with water from deficits. the faucet. And they are invariCan we delay or reverse ably very expensive. So, if you the aging process? wish to give away your hard There have been so many earned money, it is best to stay claims made, especially by away from these fraudulent unscrupulous manufacturers
vendors of deception, and instead you can donate it to your favorite charitable organization to aid our underprivileged fellowmen. This will definitely give you genuine joy and sense of fulfillment and inner peace, which could make you feel great and younger, without being deceived and cheated. How about herbal anti-aging medications? The same is true with herbs and “natural products” being marketed out there as anti-aging agents. They are worthless. The multi-billion dollar “anti-aging miracle” industry is so effective in their marketing schemes that gullible people all over the globe are duped into buying their products, only for the defenseless victims to realize a bit too late that have simply wasted their money. I would like to underscore the fact that to date, there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that will slow down or reverse the aging process. Simply modifying your lifestyle to a healthier one, which will not entail added expenses (and in many instances even save you money), can make you look and feel younger, safely and wisely. What about growth hormones? Growth hormones (hGH)
US citizen husband is considered “parent” of wife’s extramarital child, entitling that child to US citizenship
ON August 13, 2018, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, which is just below the U.S. Supreme Court, saved a person from deportation by concluding his “father” was a U.S. citizen at the time of his birth, even though his mother had cheated, and the U.S. citizen was not his biological father. The court ultimately ruled that “a child born into a lawful marriage is the lawful child of those parents, regardless of the existence or nonexistence of any biological link.” There may be many children who may not necessarily be the biological child of a U.S. citizen, but if they were born during the marriage, they would still be considered the U.S. citizen’s “child” and might be eligible for U.S. citizenship. In that case, the person was born outside the U.S. in 1972. His mother was married to a man who became a U.S. citizen in 1961, which was before the person’s birth. Apparently, during the marriage, his mother cheated, and had an extramarital affair with a different man, who was even listed as the person’s father. (Apparently, the U.S. citizen husband was very forgiving, as the couple had seven children together and remain married for 47 years, until the U.S. citizen died in 1999.) Eventually, this person was convicted of criminal possession of drugs, and was placed in deportation/removal proceedings. He argued he was not
deportable/removable because his “parent” (father) was a U.S. citizen, thereby conferring U.S. citizenship on him. Therefore the government cannot deport a U.S. citizen. The government argued there must be some form of biological or blood relationship in order for the citizen to be considered the child’s parent. The court disagreed. In its ruling, the court pointed out that the law in effect when the person was born did not define the word “parent.” Under ordinary or common law meaning, a child born into a lawful marriage is the lawful child of both parents, whether or not there is a biological and blood linkage. There was no requirement in the law when this person was born that the U.S. citizen be a biological parent to transmit citizenship. In other words, “a child born into a legal marriage is presumed to be the child of the marriage.” If you know of someone with a situation similar to this, it could be possible they may have a claim to U.S. citizenship. (i.e. non-citizen wife cheats on U.S. citizen husband, or noncitizen husband cheats on US citizen wife, and has a child with someone else during the marriage.) But it depends on the date they were born (as the law
was constantly changing and you have to apply the law in effect at the time of their birth), and if other requirements are met. That’s why you may want to consult with an attorney to determine if you may possibly be a U.S. citizen. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES
level, like other hormones naturally produced by our body, drop with age. Infomercials mislead the uninformed public into thinking that ingestion of the commercially available hGH will “normalize” the level of hGH, slow down or reverse aging, and restore vigor, sex
drive, muscle tone, and a youthful appearance. This is not so. Taking hGH may make someone feel better but it is downright dangerous. Anyone who claims they can reverse the aging process is lying, according to S. Jay Olshansky, demographer of the University
of Chicago. Can these drugs cause cancer? “Youth-enhancing” hormones, like DHEA, estrogen and testosterone, which are massively promoted as a miracle cure that will reverse Continued on Page SF6
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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - August 31, 2018
Morisette Amon’s rise to diva ...
From Page SF2 at Solaire. Although the two try to keep mum about what to expect, one can assume of a show featuring Lani and Morissette’s personal hits, favorites, collaborations and surprise song choices that narrate their tales as artists. Aside from the Solaire Resort & Casino show, Morissette has something up her sleeve for fans. “Amidst all the traveling (I make), I’m trying to make new music,” she said. “Hopefully, it will be out very, very soon. Ayaw ko kasing maiwan yung mga tracks, yun yung mag-stay talaga, aside from the perform-
ances and live shows, yung music (I want to focus on recording tracks because they, as well as the music, are ones that will stay).” All this boils down to the fact that the singer has made her niche and found her voice. Morissette is grateful for that. Her success does not rest on her shoulders alone. It’s a collaborative project with dedicated people in it. “I think it’s a big factor that I’m with my family because they keep me grounded,” she said on how to handle fame. “Oh yes, sometimes, I feel guilty of that… (that’s when) I appreciate people who are true to me, they
really tell me (the truth). I have my family, my friends, my management (team)… I’m grateful to have people like (them).” Asked how she maintains her vocal power and keeps her love for music strong, Morissette said: “I think (I’m) just being true to myself,” she said. “If I was just following a certain (path), I think I would eventually break away from it. As I have shared, it’s a big factor that I’m enjoying it (singing) as an artist. We, artists, have that thing that we really like to reinvent ourselves but at the same time, we don’t want to lose who we really are in our craft.“
Delay aging...
From Page SF5 aging and make people years younger, have been suspected of raising the risk of cancer of the breast and prostate. When is growth hormone used? Growth hormones are medically prescribed as a part of the treatment regimen for some growth disorders in children, but some use them to reduce body fat and improve muscle tone. These hormones can “stimulate” the growth of tumors in the body. Additional bad side effects include excess bone growth, kidney problems, diabetes, carpal tunnel syndrome, lung and heart failure, and possible premature death. Do antioxidants have antiaging effect? Unfortunately, they do not. Antioxidants, like Vitamin C, E, and A (beta carotene), are widely advertised to reverse aging and prolong life to age 120 years. Scientists are astounded and angry about this claim by marketers of these and other “food supplement” products, because the claim is unfounded and medically baseless. However, scientists the world over recognize that anti-oxidant rich foods such as fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk
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of illnesses like heart disease, cataracts and macular degeneration, and cancer. Megadoses of vitamin E and selenium can cause bleeding that could be fatal, and that of beta carotene may increase the risk of cancer. Beware: some food supplements on the market may have serious, sometimes even lifethreatening, side effects. How then can we “stay and feel” young? The process and effects of aging are faster in some individuals, slower in others. To some extent, the changes are within our control. While there is nothing to reverse or slow down the aging process, there are things we can do to protect our body, minimize natural wear and tear, and make us feel and look “younger.” Self-abuse (like smoking, drinking more than two alcoholic beverage a day, not doing exercises, eating high-fat, low-fiber diet, not having adequate hydration, not getting enough sleep and relaxation, not having peace of mind, taking everything in life too seriously) speeds up the aging process in our body, literally (anatomic and physiologic) and figuratively speaking. Putting an end to self-abuse and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, plus
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“Phlavor of Success” in Van Nuys, CA “Phlavor of Success” on Tuesday, August 28 will feature and expert panel on food retail at the business mixer hosted by the Filipino-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Los Angeles (FACC-GLA) at the Van Nuys State Building Auditorium (6150 Van Nuys Blvd, Suite 300, Van Nuys CA, 91401). Networking and light dinner at 5:30pm, program at 6:30-8:30pm. $15 for members, $25 for non-members, tickets available at www.faccgla.org Street parking, or $10 at State Building on Calvert St.
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the prudent use of protective cosmetic products (to ensure proper hygiene and facial and skin moisture) tones not only our sagging dermal state but our mental and spiritual state as well. In addition, once-a-day multivitamins and minerals plus whatever prescription drugs we take will certainly help us live a healthier life. Taking delicate care of our body by living a healthier lifestyle, without unwisely throwing money down the drain, will most assuredly make us look and feel younger and better. After all, our body and our pocketbook both deserve that. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indianwa and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. For more data, visit philipSchua. com; comments questions: scalpelpen@ gmail.com.
Philippine-American Society of Certified Public Accountants holds induction of new officers and members in Anaheim, CA Join the Philippine-American Society of Certified Public Accountants (PASCPA-LA) on Saturday, September 1 for an exciting night of networking, dinner, dancing and fun, as it welcomes the organization’s newest members and officers for the upcoming year. This event will include appearances from the accounting profession’s most honorable guest speakers and sponsors. Like previous PASCPA events, this will be a great networking opportunity for all accounting students, young professionals, and seasoned veterans. It will be held from 6 to 11:30 p.m. at the Anaheim Marriott (700 West Convention Way, Anaheim, CA 92802). The program begins at 6:30 p.m. and the fee is $65 (no host bar). Attire is formal. To RSVP, please go to www.installationofofficers.eventbrite.com.
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SIPA hosts 8-session Entrepreneur Training Program (ETP) in Los Angeles The Entrepreneur Training Program (ETP) is an 8-session skills building training program designed for startup entrepreneurs covering the A to Z of starting and running a successful business. This is open to all! If you want to start your own business and don’t know where to start or how to start, this program was made FOR YOU! Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to learn from the experts and from business owners themselves on how to build the business of your dreams! Program details: One time fee of $100 covers food and beverage and training materials for all 8 sessions; 5 FREE slots are available for College/University students and low income families; FREE Parking on site. Parking lot is accessed on Robinson St.; Includes FREE one-on-one business counseling with SIPA’s counselor, Fidji Victoriano; and you will receive a Completion Certificate at the end of the program. The eight sessions will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the whole month of September 2018: September 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25 and 27 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Program will be held at the SIPA Multipurpose room at 3200 West Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 (through Robinson St. entrance). For any questions or to register in person, please contact Fidji Victoriano at (424) 235-5011 or e-mail at fvictoriano@esipa.org. This program is brought by Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) in collaboration with the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce Hollywood (FACCHO) and the support of Asian Pacific Islander Small Business Program (APISBP) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, please email us the details at info@asianjournalinc.com or calendar@asianjournalinc.com
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Coronation of 2018-2020 Miss Pangasinan highlights 50th Golden Pangasinan Day celebration SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - As expected, a standing room only capacity graced the United Pangasinanes of America, Inc.’s (UPAI) 50th Golden Pangasinan Day and Miss Pangasinan coronation banquet and ball held at the Grand Ballroom of the SF Airport Crowne Plaza Hotel. The final phase of the biennial talent and beauty pageant saw Angeline Noguera from the town of Agno being crowned Miss Pangasinan 2017-20. She was also judged Miss Talent and her peers chose her as Miss Congeniality as well. Ericka Burwell representing the town of Alcala was chosen First Runner Up while Aubrey Gaceta from the town of Tayug emerged as the Second Runner
Up. Judging from the audience reaction, members of the Panel of Judges delivered a well thought decision. Past president and executive chairman Fred Almeron, expressed his approval and delight with the outcome of the event together with co-chair Caridad I. Aquino and Search Committee chair Marita N. Padilla. San Francisco Bay Area retired executive Mario Cendana-Panoringan, the current president of the United Pangasinanes of America, Inc. echoed the same sentiments. “Let’s give credit to all the members of our Executive Committee who have worked tirelessly to deliver a truly suc-
cessful event, they are the ones who deserve all the credit,� he added. “I am so blessed to be surrounded by great members who are proven leaders.� Members of the panel of judges included Francis Espiritu, President of Philippine News, Gemma Nemenzo-Ver, journalist and editor of Positively Filipinos, Mary Ann Laurel, executive director of Apollo Adult Day Program, Liezel Dizon-Villacarte, Miss Pangasinan 1996-98 and Richard James White, CEO/ owner of Realty World Agency. Panoringan also expressed his thanks and gratitude with the print and broadcast media, Fil Am Star News, Fil Am Star Talk, Asian Journal and Philippine News.
community SF Barbie couldn’t ask for more... The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - August 31, 2018
From Page SF2 optimistic attitude has already infected Forteza. “Along the way, lalo na pag nasa set kapag at hindi ko pa scene, minsan nagiging Happylou na rin ako, yung pagpapatawa ko ganun na rin katulad sa kanya. Pero nakakatuwa yun kasi ibig sabihin Happylou is already very close to my heart.� Understandably, Barbie— and the Happylou in her—is ecstatic the show has been extended for another season. Reason for celebration In the coming weeks, viewers can look forward to bigger revelations and new characters in the series, portrayed by Jean Garcia, Kyline Alcantara, and Kim Domingo. The last season ended when Amanda (Gladys Reyes) successfully amassed everything that Philip (Ricky Davao) owns, forcing Happylou and her family to return to Manila and start over. As they rebuild a new life
this season, Philip is reunited with Florence, an “old flame�(Garcia), who will help him put up a small business. Philip’s girlfriend Marta (Manilyn Reynes), however, feels threatened. As a love triangle ensues between Florence and Marta, viewers will be treated to funny banter and explosive catfights between the two senior actresses. “I think nakuha namin yung kiliti ng tao kaya kami na-extend, kasi we tackle current events and other issues—from demolition to bagyo and baha—kaya nakaka-relate lahat ng tao,� Forteza offered when The Manila Times asked for their recipe in winning the audience and even the social media. “Tapos yung visuals, napakaganda and yung bawat character very relatable at kapag relevant sa viewers ang characters, madaling makacapture ng show ang puso ng
mga tao,� the actress added. Happy heart Beyond the set, Forteza is also a picture of happiness what with her ongoing romance with former screen partner and now real-life boyfriend, Jak Roberto. As of late, the two Kapuso stars have been more open about their relationship, posting their sweet moments for their millions of followers to see. And while she claims that work is still her focus, Forteza admitted it doesn’t hurt to have some time for the heart. “Sa ngayon, masasabi kong nasa stage ako ng buhay na wala na akong mahihingi pa. Ang showbiz, alam naman nating magulo yan, na kahit walang mali sa iyo hahanapan ka nila ng mali but surprisingly walang nangingi-alam, walang namba-bash, walang humahadlang, walang problema, so sobrang saya ko lang!� she ended.
The Bucket List...
Angeline Noguera, Miss Pangasinan 2018-20
UPAI president Mario Cendana-Panoringan
(L-R) Ericka Burwell, Angeline Noguera and Aubrey Gaceta
Canepa: San Mateo County first to accept diesel free by ’33 challenge Board votes to join Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s challenge to reduce diesel emissions to ‘zero’ by the year 2033
REDWOOD CITY – On Tuesday, August 7, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution unanimously to accept the Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s challenge to public agencies to reduce diesel emissions to “zero� by 2033. The resolution was co-sponsored by supervisors David J. Canepa and Carole Groom. “We know that diesel emissions are dangerous to the public’s health and directly contribute to climate change,�
Supervisor David J. Canepa said. “I’m proud San Mateo County is the first in the Bay Area to embrace this challenge.� Canepa serves District 5 which includes the cities of Daly City, Colma, Brisbane, portions of South San Francisco and San Bruno and the unincorporated Broadmoor Village. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District, in affiliation with the Governor’s Global Climate Action Summit targeting climate change prevention
through reducing greenhouse gas emissions, will hold an event on Sept. 12, 2018, entitled, “United Against GHGs – Diesel Free by ’33.� Additionally, they will hold a Climate Tech Marketplace on Sept. 13, 2018, both taking place at the Bay Area Metro Center in San Francisco during which city and county elected officials and business leaders worldwide will be asked to sign a Statement of Purpose that commits them to going diesel free by the end of 2033.
From Page SF4 have become truly wise over the years, many of us know without a doubt that a great sense of humor and more importantly, our unflinching faith in the goodness of God and the people who love us, sustained us and got us this far. No one really gets far without help. We all know, even without the details, that each one’s life is fraught with joy and beauty mixed with the untold tales of struggles, challenges and problems that tend to overwhelm. No one is spared the latter. Life can be an equal opportunity tormentor. Very few have charmed lives. It is how we deal with what life throws at us that define who we are. These twists, turns and blows every life goes through shape and mold us as they structure
and restructure our innards and voila, here you are, warts and all. Yes, you have ARRIVED. Let me paraphrase what Friedrich Nietzsche said along these lines. Somehow, if these failures and setbacks don’t break us, they only make us stronger, more pliable and in the end, victorious. Yes, you can say quietly to yourself that, yes, somehow you have arrived. We are still students of life learning from one another as we laugh and compare notes, celebrating moments and grieving quietly at times — a little wiser, and a little wider perhaps. Mark my words, there will be a lot of humble bragging. Don’t get annoyed. It is part of reunions. We let people take a bow, maybe even take a victory lap. We are each a built-in
audience for one another. We still need each other’s approbation. And if we have truly grown older gracefully, we ought to be big-hearted enough to be generous with sincere praise. Reunions allow us to reconnect with those we chanced to walk with years ago. Life seemed lighter then. It was an innocent time when the sounds of youthful laughter filled the air after the last bell has rung to signal the end of a day in class. Someday, if we are so blessed, we can be reunited once again, perhaps, in another lighter, gravity-defying dimension, free of all cares and pretensions in that place we call heaven. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com
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
Please call QTS Tour and Travel NOW at 1 (714) 288-0800 or (714) 761-6280 1095 N Main St. Suite O, Orange, CA 92867
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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - August 31, 2018