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S E PTEMBER 6 -12, 2019 Volume 12 - No. 46 • 16 Pages 133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 • 2500 Plaza S. Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, NJ 07311 • Tel. (212) 655-5426 • Fax: (818) 502-0858
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Duterte fires Faeldon for ‘disobeying’ order by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, September 4, fired Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Nicanor Faeldon for disobeying his order not to release convicts supposedly eligible under the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) law. “Faeldon has to go because Faeldon disobeyed my order,” he said in a press briefing on Wednesday night. When asked if he had completely Gen. Nicanor Faeldon arrives at the Senate for the GCTA hearing on Monday, September 2.
DATELINE
Inquirer.net photo by Marianne Bermudez
USA
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
Civil rights coalition offers proposals to combat injustice in education
LEADERS of a coalition of civil rights organizations have revealed plans to update the 1965 Higher Education Act (HEA), a law that advises on higher education issues. The Leadership Conference Education Fund (LCEF) is seeking an update to the law by “forging a united front to promote policies that address disparities that students of color, lowincome students and students with disabilities and other marginalized groups” face in the pursuit of higher education in the United States. The reasoning behind the changes is largely due to “significant changes to the student body in the country” and as such, “every student regardless of what they look like, where they came from or their disability status deserves to pursue their dreams,” said Liz King of the LCEF in a teleconference hosted by Ethnic Media Services on Friday, August 30. The affordability factors to achieving higher education is a main component of the coalition’s mission. The LCEF said that one of the
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DUTERTE IN CHINA. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte witnesses the program proper during the opening ceremony of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 at the National Aquatics Center in Beijing, People’s Republic of China on Friday, August 30. With Duterte is People’s Republic of China President Xi Jinping. Malacañang photo by Robinson Niñal
Duterte not satisfied with Xi response on South China Sea by ALEXIS
ROMERO Philstar.com
MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, September 4, admitted he was not satisfied with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s response when he raised the landmark arbital ruling on the South China Sea during their meeting in Beijing last week. Speaking to reporters, Duterte said he
asked Xi how they can talk and solve the maritime dispute peacefully. “He (Xi) said, ‘You know, our statement was we will not budge.’ We do not want to talk about that. We own the property. Why should we talk to you? It was like that. But almost in whisper,” the President said. “I said it would remain a problem. It
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Senators not supportive of SOGIE bill, says Sotto by BERNADETTE
TAMAYO ManilaTimes.net
Senate President Vicente Sotto III ManilaTimes.net photo
SENATE President Vicente Sotto III believes that majority of the senators do not support a proposed bill prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression (SOGIE). “I hate to say this but I have to. If you are a man, you will never be a woman no matter what you do because you cannot reproduce, you cannot give birth. You do not have ovaries, you will never be a woman,” Sotto said in a chance interview on Wednesday, September 4, during a public hearing conducted by the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality headed by Sen. Ana Theresia
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Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat (3rd from left) together with Jollibee Food Corporation officials lead by its CEO Ernesto Tanmantiong (2nd from left) indulge in the Filipino boodle feast during the DOT and Jollibee launch of “Eats. More Fun in the Philippines” at the Islas Pinas Food & Heritage Village, Double Dragon Plaza in Pasay City on Saturday, August 31. The campaign highlights the top dishes the country has to offer. PNA photo by Gil Calinga
DOT, Jollibee launch tourism campaign by AJPRESS
THE Department of Tourism (DOT), in partnership with Filipino fast food chain Jollibee, launched the “Eats. More Fun in the Philippines” campaign over the weekend in a bid to take the promotion of the country’s food tourism to the next level.
The campaign is aimed at inviting food enthusiasts and tourists alike to visit the Philippines and try its unique Filipino cuisine. “We feel that this is an opportune time to put the spotlight on Filipino food and flavors — and we’re more than glad to share the same senti-
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From the Front Page
Duterte Faeldon for ‘disobeying’... PAGE 1 lost his trust and confidence in Faeldon, Duterte answered: “That is a matter between me and Faeldon.” He also revealed that Faeldon wanted to talk to him, but he declined. “He should have echoed my order to him. No releases until further notice by higher authority. Higher authority,” Duterte stressed. According to him, instead of obeying his order, Faeldon attempted to justify the computation of good conduct time allowance that shaved time off the convicts’ sentences. “I said no releases but what he said was a computation. There was already a fire, and I was trying to provide the fire extinguisher so that the people will not have doubts,” Duterte said. “No releases. If he said that, there would have been no problem. But what he did was he tried to justify their computation,” he added. The President also pointed out that Faeldon’s computation based on the GCTA law may be
correct, however his no-release order was clear. “The problem is there was a fire burning. When the President says wait until further orders, that means I’ll be investigating in a jiffy,” Duterte said. “His problem is, the next day he came up with a statement with his own computation. If he just echoed what I said, there would not have been a problem,” he added. Faeldon, for his part, said he would comply with Duterte’s order. “My Commander in Chief/appointing authority has spoken. I am a Marine and a Marine does what he is told. I most humbly bow to my Commander in Chief’s order without any hard feelings,” he said in a statement. Ombudsman investigation Duterte said he will have the other BuCor officials and the committee responsible for allowing the release of the 1,700 heinous crimes convicts investigated under the Office of the Ombudsman. “I will not suspend them but
they will be investigated… They will go straight to the Ombudsman. This is a prima facie case. There’s an admission that they were remiss in their duties,” he said. Duterte also wanted the convicts released to surrender themselves and register with the BuCor so that their records could be investigated and recomputed. “I will give you 15 days liberty provided you make yourself available anytime that you will be called for investigation to have a recomputation or if there’s an investigation of corruption that you cooperate fully,” he said. He added that those who will refuse to surrender will be treated as fugitives. “If you do not, then beginning at this hour, you are a fugitive from justice. And you will be treated as a criminal who is evading the law and well you know things can go wrong. If I were you, you surrender to the nearest police or military detachment wherever you are now,” Duterte said. n
INTERCONNECTIVITY LAUNCH. Department of Science and Technology-Advance Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI) launched the Philippine Research, Education and Government Information Network (PREGINET)-SingAREN link in Diliman, Quezon City on Tuesday, September 3. DOST-ASTI Acting Director Dr. Joel Joseph S. Mariano Jr. provided details on the work of their respective networks that could benefit the bioinformatics community, as well as strengthening international connectivity. PNA photos by Ben Briones
Duterte not satisfied with Xi response on... PAGE 1 will be a, you know, thorn. Just like a sore thumb that sticks out painfully everyday,” he added. Duterte said Xi shifted to another topic after hearing his reply. “Out of courtesy, I said, ‘I will not maybe insist on your answer now. I am not satisfied with your answer but I will not ask for any other answer. I’ll just remain where I am, where I started, considering that you are under stress by the incidents in Hong Kong,” the President said, referring to the unrest at the Chinese special administrative region. “They have a problem. So they may be grumpy. Your timing should be right. The art of diplomacy, you play your cards,” he added. ‘Assert arbitral court ruling’ Maritime experts said the President should not stop asserting the 2016 arbitral court ruling that favored the Philippines’ position on the South China Sea
dispute over China’s. Renato de Castro, professor of international studies at De La Salle University, described as “superficial” the way Duterte “apologetically” raised the arbitral ruling during his recent meeting with Xi. “What’s the point of basically raising it, expecting that it will be rejected, then saying it will be the last time that it would be raised? That’s simply going through the motion,” he said in an interview with The Chiefs aired on Cignal TV’s One News on Tuesday night. “We should continue asserting it… You would continue repeating it whether the other side would object to it or not. What we did was basically say this is the last, so we lost in that game,” he added. Asserting the arbitral ruling, he said, should be done the same way as the Chinese were asserting the Shanghai Communiqué for the United States to acknowledge the one-China
policy. Jay Batongbacal, director of the University of the Philippines Institute for Maritime Affairs and the Law of the Sea, said the statement of Malacañang that it would no longer raise the ruling would not be helpful to the Philippine position and to international law in general. “The statement of the Palace that it essentially has already done its job by raising the arbitration as promised by the President, that really runs counter to the whole idea of the arbitration basically being part of the international law already as they say,” he said in the same program. “If it is really part of international law, then they should be raising it every time it is relevant,” he added. Batongbacal stressed that the issue should be asserted whenever relevant issue or activity arises between the two countries. n
Senators not supportive of SOGIE bill...
PAGE 1 “Risa” Hontiveros. “To me this SOGIE bill is a bill against women’s rights. It is giving transgender rights, so it is class legislation,” the Senate chief added. When asked whether he shares the sentiment of the majority of senators, Sotto said, “I think so.” Sotto and Sen. Maria Lourdes ‘Nancy’ Binay are more supportive of a similar anti-discrimination bill proposed by Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara that they described as more comprehensive. “If we will come up with [a] measure like the version of Senator Angara, which is anti-discrimination generally,
not to discriminate against the elderly, children [it will be more acceptable]. But [it is a different matter] if we talk about the contents of the Sogie especially for LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer plus),” Sotto said. Addressing pro-family and pro-life organizations that expressed opposition to the bill, Hontiveros said the Sogie Equality bill will “take into consideration religious and faith-based sensitivities.” “We are here to work together. Let’s remind ourselves of our unities: We are all against any form of discrimination, that we want what is best for each other and we want to preserve our values
and the Filipino family. We are here to hear all sides, and to better the SOGIE Equality bill,” she added. Hontiveros renewed her call to end discrimination based on one’s SOGIE. “We cannot deny that the LGBTQ+ [community] suffers discrimination everyday. Let’s start with that,” she said. “How do we protect LGBTQ+ persons from discrimination without violating our religious and academic freedoms?” Hontiveros asked. She expressed concern about heated discussions online that practically condemn LGBTQ+ persons. “As a mother, I cannot accept this hate rhetoric.” n
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Two men charged with murder of missing Fil-Am West Covina firefighter by Rae
ann VaRona AJPress
TwO men were charged on Thursday, August 29 for the murder of a Filipino American firefighter in west Covina, California who was reported missing last week. Prosecutors said that Elijah Thomas Rouse, 18, of La Verne and Shaun Cardarelli, 37 of San Gabriel were both charged with the killing of 28-year-old John Brian Mananghaya Aguila, and alleged that they killed Aguila with a knife while robbing him. Investigators are still working to determine if a burned body found at the scene of a brush fire in Upland last Friday (August 23) morning was that of Aguila. Family members of Aguila reported him missing after he was last seen leaving his girlfriend’s home on Thursday, August 22 in La Puente. working as a part-time firefighter with the Bureau of Land Management, Aguila failed to report to work and never came home — conduct his family said “very uncharacteristic of
The slain 28-year-old John Aguila, a firefighter from West Covina, California Photo courtesy of West Covina Police Department
him,” according to Rudy Lopez, Public Information Officer of the west Covina Police Department. A day after Aguila was last seen, investigators were able to locate Aguila’s white 2017 Honda Civic at an impound in the city of San Dimas. Video surveillance revealed a male walking away from the car, but investigators determined that it was not Aguila. Upon searching the car’s trunk, investigators found gloves and clothing with enough blood to suggest that
someone was hurt. Fingerprints found inside the car eventually led investigators to Rouse’s apartment in La Verne early Tuesday morning. There, SwAT members served a search warrant and found enough evidence to arrest both Rouse and Cardarelli. An autopsy has not yet been conducted on the burned body found in Upland, but investigators said that there was enough evidence found at the apartment to connect the fire to Aguila’s disappearance. “The checking of the location revealed some information that led us to believe that the incident that we’re investigating is connected to the body that was found burned in the city of Upland,” said Lopez. Bail for Rouse and Cardarelli is currently set at $1 million each. If convicted as charged, both face the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole, according to the LA County District Attorney’s Office. whether capital punishment should be sought will be decided at a later date. n
dents face is “at the center of what the HEA was created to do,” said Roman. Another update that the coalition has proposed to the existing law involves disaggregation of data, i.e. providing a more granular examination of students’ demographic information . The categorization is often marked by race, and that poses a problem in intersectionality, especially within the vast and diverse Asian student population. Quyen Dinh, executive director of the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC), noted that although data suggests that students who identify as “Asian” are relatively better off, there are “extreme challenges” faced by Cambodian, Laotian and Vietnamese students, the largest refugee community in the U.S., according to the Migration Policy Institute. “The first step to addressing inequities for these students is to be seen,” Dinh said. As such, one of the recommendations offered by the LCEF involves ensuring language inclusion and culturally competent resources, especially in financial aid information. The LCEF posits that Limited English Proficient students and parents should
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WORLD PEACE BELL. Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexie B. Nograles (second from right) and Presidential Adviser on Peace Reconciliation and Unity Carlito G. Galvez Jr. (third from right) lead the ringing of the world peace bell to kick off the 2019 National Peace Consciousness Month during a ceremony held at the Quezon City Memorial Circle on Monday, September 2. During the event, both Nograles and Galvez highlighted the Duterte administration’s peace achievements, including the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. PNA photo by Rico H. Borja
US, ASEAN maritime drills ‘not directed to anyone’ by PatRicia LouRdes Philstar.com
ViRay
AMID Beijing’s latest actions in the disputed South China Sea, washington maintained that the inaugural ASEAN-U.S. maritime exercise “is not focused or dedicated against or towards anyone else.” China has been deploying survey ships, coast guard vessels and warships on the waters of other South China Sea claimant states, includbe able to access financial aid ing Vietnam and the Philipinformation in the language pines. “with which they are most U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Murcomfortable.” ray Joe Tynch III, commander These recommendations, of the logistics group in the if applied, would be the first western Pacific, stressed that changes to the HEA since the first-ever ASEAN-U.S. 2008. King noted that the cur- Maritime Exercise, or AUMX, rent administration has cre- is focused on strengthening ated “opportunities for exploi- skills that would be applicable tation of students” and those throughout international wawho stand in opposition of the ters for maritime security. LCEF, including Rep. Virginia “It’s to enhance the skills of Foxx (R-NC) who heads the ASEAN and the U.S. working House Education and Labor Committee, continue to undermine “all the issues that we speak to in our principles and in our policy recommen- PAGE 1 ment with the country’s numdations. “we have seen opposition ber one food chain, Jollibee,” to the rights of immigrants said Tourism Secretary Bernaand the rights of language dette Romulo-Puyat. “And through this campaign minorities,” King said. “we have seen opposition to LG- we’ll highlight the uniquely PiBTQ people [in reference noy dishes that will make our to the gendered bathrooms country a prime food destinacontroversy in North Carolina tion for travelers all over the schools] and people with dis- globe,” she added. During the launch, DOT abilities. we have seen opposition to black people, other and Jollibee introduced “The people of color and to native Pinoy’s Table,” an omnibus aupeoples’ success in the coun- dio-visual presentation (AVP) try. But we are confident that that showcases the country’s if we all come together, we rich cuisine and dining culture. will be able to advance higher It headlines notable chefs, JP education policy that ensures Anglo and Filipino-American equity and equal opportu- celebrity chef Jordan Andino, nity.” (Klarize Medenilla/AJ- as well as YouTube creator and comedian Mikey Bustos. Press)
Civil rights coalition offers proposals... PAGE 1 biggest modern challenges of education pursuit is the rising student debt — propagated by for-profit institutions and predatory lenders — that often hinder students’ financial wellbeing while studying and after graduating. For many of these students who exist in multiple marginalized demographic groups, especially low-income students of color, “the barriers to higher education begin long before they become a high school senior,” which greatly hinder these students’ abilities to pay their bills and raise a family, said Adrienne Elliot of the National Indian Education Association. Millennial and Gen-Z students who belong to minority racial and ethnic groups are often the first in their families to attend a college or university, and in order to fund their admission, must take out loans which pose “serious implications” to their success and “social mobility,” Stephanie Roman of UnidosUS said. For many families of color, higher education is seen as the gateway to securing a wellpaying job and ascent on the social ladder, and knocking down the financial, social and political barriers minority stu-
Dateline USa
together,” Tynch said in a telephone press briefing Tuesday, September 3. The U.S. Navy official added that the joint exercise of 11 countries seeks to build capacity, as well as relationships. “So, the concept of the AUMX this year is to enhance situational awareness and interoperability for all of ASEAN and for the U.S. as well,” Tynch said. The navies of the U.S. and Southeast Asian countries officially kicked off the AUMX in Thailand on Monday, September 2. Eight warships and four aircraft from seven countries, in addition to more than a thousand personnel from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam. The Philippine Navy had sent offshore patrol vessel
BRP Ramon Alcaraz and its crew to participate in the naval drills. The U.S. Navy and the Royal Thai Navy will be leading the exercises, which will consist of pre-sial activities in Thailand, Singapore and Brunei. The ASEAN and U.S. joint maritime forces will also go through international waters in Southeast Asia, such as the Gulf of Thailand and the South China Sea. The drills will then end in Singapore. Thai Navy vessel HTMS Krabi (OPV 551) will serve as the headquarters, where representatives from the participating countries will be aboard. During the exercises, the participants will undergo scenarios designed to reinforce interoperability in visit, board, search and seizure; maritime domain awareness; division tactics and maritime asset tracking. (Patricia Lourdes Viray/Philstar.com)
DOT, Jollibee launch tourism... According to Puyat, this is only the beginning of their three-year campaign, which is fully funded by Jollibee. “we are very proud and happy to support the team of DOT led by Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat on this noteworthy campaign. we believe that Filipino food truly has what it takes to be a globallyknown cuisine—this is what we have been championing as a brand as well. Even as Jollibee has been bringing langhap-sarap food to countries all over the world, we want to do our part as a proudly Filipino company to make people more aware of the many unique and sumptuous Pinoy dishes we have,
and in doing so invite travelers to taste the Joy of eating first-hand,” Jollibee Global Brand Chief Marketing Officer and PH Marketing Head Francis Flores said. Puyat also said that one of the campaign’s aims is to highlight Filipino cuisines from lesser known destinations. “I’ve always wanted to highlight the lesser known destinations and I think one way is to show the cuisine. People really travel for food,” Puyat said. The tourism chief also said that the partnership with Jollibee is just one of the many partnerships it has with the private sector, which shows a form of nationalism. n
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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 6-12, 2019
OPINION
FEATURES
Digging for water SINCE 2003, according to satellite monitoring, Pampanga and Bulacan have been sinking by four to six centimeters or about 1.5 to 2.4 inches every year. The consequences are not confined to the two provinces. The impact is being felt around Manila Bay, where scientists say the sinking is raising the water level so that brackish water is surging inland, inundating entire communities. Even without this problem, the city of Manila has been steadily sinking gradually. Climate change is accelerating the process, and it can only be aggravated by the problem in neighboring Bulacan and Pampanga, where the principal cause has been traced to groundwater extraction. A report last week showed that in some parts of Bulacan, the sinking has become so serious that certain villages are now permanently submerged, displacing thousands. The few people who have remained now rely on boats to move around their communities. In Metro Manila, the government has imposed a moratorium on groundwater extraction
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through deep wells since 2004. Geologists have warned that foundations are being weakened by the deep wells, causing subsidence or caving in of the ground and threatening communities. The deep wells were common, especially in cities and towns that now constitute southern Metro Manila, before the two private water concessionaires began upgrading the water distribution network in the National Capital Region. With serious water supply disruptions this year especially in the eastern NCR service area, however, people are again reviving deep wells to augment water supply. Outside the NCR, deep wells are also used for farms, factories and household water needs. In some communities, communal deep wells are the principal sources of fresh water. Most of the wells are unregulated. With an ever-growing population and increased economic activities, and with no corresponding expansion of fresh water services, extracting water from the ground could continue unabated. The National Water Resources Board is tasked
Editorial
Philstar.com photo
to enforce the prohibition on groundwater extraction, but the agency has an acute lack of personnel to do this. In areas threatened by subsidence compounded by climate change, the NWRB can coordinate with local government units to enforce the moratorium on deep wells.
Water, however, is the most basic requirement for survival. Unless the government can provide access to a network of safe water supply, people will seek their own sources, even from the ground. They will likely believe that this can cause the ground to collapse only if it actually happens. (Philstar.com)
Americans overwhelmingly support Arbitral award vs China: We shot ourselves in the foot stricter gun control laws to avoid more Commentary mass shootings — and the youth are doing what Republicans won’t do
The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS ENOUGH of gun violence and mass shootings in America! This is the overwhelming sentiment of Americans as revealed in a new Quinnipiac Poll conducted on August 2126, 2019. After the mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio — added to the already troubling strings of massacre using guns in the United States —Americans have spo-
ken out loud and clear. The Quinnipiac Poll asked these questions: Q: Do you support or oppose stricter gun laws in the United States? A: Support: 60 percent Republican support: 30 percent Democrats support: 89 percent Independents support: 61 percent
Q: Do you support or oppose requiring background checks for all gun buyers? A: Support: 93 percent Republican support: 89 percent Democrats support: 97 percent Independents support: 94 percent Q: Do you support or oppose a nationwide ban on PAGE 10
MORE precisely, not really “us” but former President Benigno Aquino III and his incompetent foreign secretary Albert del Rosario who shot our Republic in the foot by filing in 2013 the arbitration case against China, invoking the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos). They didn’t even consult Congress or any other body for this very important foreign-policy move. If not for President Duterte’s bold move to put the brakes on it, it would have resulted, and I am not exaggerating, in an economic disaster for us — to the advantage of our neigh-
RIGOBERTO TIGLAO bors like Vietnam, which also have territorial disputes with China, but weren’t as stupid as filing such a case against Beijing and adopting an antiChina foreign-policy stance. It is another testament to the tremendous power of US media in molding our people’s minds that the arbitration has been projected as a “victory,”
exploiting the embers of antiChina xenophobia here. It is part of a huge propaganda machine to portray China as the evil empire in our region (which I will discuss fully in this series), which is a major component of the American “Pivot to Asia” policy that President Obama started in 2011. It obviously also takes advantage of the “my-countryright-or-wrong” thinking of small, or lazy minds. Indeed, there is much truth in that adage, “Patriotism is the refuge of the scoundrel.” But we cannot undertake a PAGE 8
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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Dateline PhiliPPines
Napoles’ camp argues: Plunder case should be dismissed if main plunderer wasn’t pinpointed by Gabriel
Pabico Inquirer.net
lalu
MANILA — Plunder convict Janet Lim Napoles continued to question being charged as a plunderer in the pork barrel scam, saying the information filed against her and accused Jinggoy Estrada did not identify who the main plunderer was. Filing a motion to dismiss the case because the main plunderer has not been idenGOODWILL VISIT. Members of the Philippine Navy band welcome the arrival of Spanish Navy (Armada Española) ship Mendez tified, Napoles pointed to the Nuñez (F-104) for a goodwill visit at the Pier 15, Manila South Harbor on Thursday, September 5. This is the first visit of a Spanish plunder case against former Navy ship in the country in over a century since the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War that marked the end President Gloria Macapagal of Spain’s colonial rule over the Philippines in 1898. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon Arroyo as jurisprudence that would show a key error in the charge filed against her. The anti-graft court Sandiganbayan’s Fifth Division, however, said it was not necessary to pinpoint the main plunderer as in plunder cases, by Deni afiniDaD-bernarDo failure to submit an incident until the violation has been the accused public official, Philstar.com report within 24 hours; no addressed. in this case former senator It can be recalled that Eddie Jinggoy Estrada, is automatisafety officer during the time MANILA — The Depart- of the taping and the accident; tripped in a cable wire and cally charged as the main ment of Labor and Employ- and inability to provide a first broke his neck while taping a gun fight scene in Tondo, ment (DOLE) has found that aid responder on the set. When Brosas asked if DOLE Manila, for the now-shelved TV network GMA has committed three violations on work has imposed penalties for GMA series, “Rosang Agisafety that led to the accident such violations, DOLE did not mat.” He was in a comatose state for over a week before and eventual death of award- provide an answer. Mirasol explained the TV passing away last June 20 at winning actor and director network has asked for an 90 years old. Eddie Garcia last June. Following Garcia’s death, During the House Appropria- extension in sending their GMA released a statement tions committee’s hearing last answer to the findings. GMA and DOLE, she said, in June, saying: “It has been the Wednesday, September 5, on the Labor department’s pro- already scheduled a confer- the network’s practice to posed Php14.42-billion budget ence on September 16, before have medical personnel and next year, Gabriela party-list the department can release a ambulance crew on standby whenever the production is Rep. Arlene Brosas asked DOLE resolution. Under Republic Act No. executing big action scenes for updates on its probe regard11058 or the Occupational during taping. This has been ing Garcia’s accident. DOLE National Capital Re- Safety and Health law, em- likewise the practice of other gion director Sarah Buena ployers, contractors and GMA programs.” According to the network, Mirasol then shared their subcontractors who expose employees to serious injury, it has completed its own findings. According to Mirasol, the illness or death due to their probe on the accident, but department has found that failure to follow occupa- will release the findings to GMA and its contractors com- tional health standards can the actor’s family first before mitted the following violations: be fined Php100,000 daily sharing it to the public. n
Labor department on Eddie Garcia’s accident: GMA committed 3 violations
Duterte won’t abolish POGO: We need it by alexis
romero Philstar.com
stand on the controversial POGO, which has been flourishing in the country, employMANILA — Despite warn- ing thousands of foreigners ings — including from Beijing mostly mainland Chinese. — that it can worsen criminalDuterte noted that the liveliity, Philippine offshore gam- hood of many people would ing operations (POGO) will be affected if he bans online continue because “it is good gambling. for the country,” President “I decide we need it. Many Duterte said. will lose livelihood. It’s governThe Chief Executive made ment-controlled,” he added. his position clear at a press But he warned operators of briefing last night at Malaca- POGO hubs to pay the right ñang when asked about his taxes or be “shuttered. “
“To the concessionaire, if you commit a mistake, you will be shuttered. Then we will talk,” the president said. Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo previously said online gambling, which employs about 130,000 Chinese nationals in the Philippines, was one of the topics tackled during Duterte’s bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping last week in Beijing. PAGE 10
Janet Lim Napoles
plunderer. Napoles said in Arroyo’s case, which led to dismissal, the main plunderer had been identified. “The riveting question now is whether or not the Information in this case expressly identified accused Estrada as the mastermind or the main plunderer,” said Napoles’ motion to dismiss released to media on Thursday, Sep-
Inquitet.net photo
tember 5. “If accused Estrada is not expressly identified in the Information as the mastermind or the main plunderer, the instant case should be dismissed,” said Napoles. She said the information filed against her and Estrada, who is out on bail, was defective from the start and should be disregarded for failure to PAGE 10
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Dengue cases near DOH’s year-end projection of 240K by Jovic
Yee Inquirer.net
MANILA — Despite the government’s declaration in August of a national dengue epidemic to better address the spread of the disease, the number of infected individuals continued to rise, inching closer to the Department of Health’s (DOH) projected yearend total of 240,000 cases. Based on the DOH monitoring, the number of dengue cases across the country as of Aug. 17, had risen to 229,736, with 958 deaths. This figure not only represents an increase of 107 percent from the same period last year but is also the highest since 2012. Last month, the DOH declared a national dengue epidemic to help identify areas where local response was needed and to enable local governments to use their quick response funds to address the situation. But while there are efforts to curb the rising number of dengue cases, Dr. Ferchito Avelino, chief of the Epidemiology Bureau, said on Tuesday that it was imperative for local governments to conduct activities like searching and destroying mosquito breeding grounds in a “coordinated” manner. “The problem is if it’s not coordinated, there is still a
A ward at Eastern Samar Provincial Hospital in Borongan City is full of dengue patients and their families. In July, the provincial board of Eastern Samar declared the province under a state of calamity due to the rising number of dengue cases. Inquirer.net photo
potential for mosquitoes to breed. If one municipality will act but the other won’t, the mosquitoes would just transfer,” Avelino said. Frogs, rice He noted that other initiatives, such as releasing frogs in sewers or giving rice in exchange for a number of mosquitoes killed, would not make much of a difference in addressing the epidemic. “You’re only targeting the adult mosquitoes. What about the larvae? Our focus should be on source reduction. Our interventions should be synchronized, systematic and regular, not just one-time,” Avelino said. Earlier, Health Secretary
Francisco Duque III warned that dengue cases may reach 240,000 this year. It appears, however, that total cases may surpass that estimate, as the peak season for the disease has only begun and is expected to last till November. The last time the country saw a surge in dengue cases was in 2016, with 220,518 cases and 1,092 deaths recorded for the year. Based on DOH data, this is the first time since 2012 that the country is expected to breach the 240,000 mark. In the last seven years, fullyear cases range from a little over 113,000 to more than 220,000. n
Arbitral award vs China: We shot ourselves...
Lombard By The Bay is a joint venture development project between Premier Asia Pacific Real Estate and Development Corp. and Omnicor Industrial Estate & Realty Center, Inc.
PAGE 5 correct and realistic foreign policy based on massive misinformation on such a crucial issue as our territorial dispute with China. I promise to publish unedited in this space the arguments that I hope del Rosario, or any of his ghost writers and highly paid academic mercenaries, will present to disprove the points in this piece. One of the three “core” claims made by the Philippines in its arbitration case was that our Bajo de Masinloc Island (Scarborough Shoal) and the seven reefs in the Spratly Island Group occupied by China are not “islands” and therefore under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea do not have the 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone entitlement. The intention of such a claim was that this would invalidate China’s occupation and ownership of these areas, first since Scarborough Shoal, just 130 nautical miles from our mainland, is clearly within
(EEZ). Two of the Spratly reefs held by China (Mischief Reef and Second Thomas Shoal) are within our EEZ and within our Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), which Marcos declared as part of our sovereign territory under his Presidential Decree 1591 of 1978. Five reefs aren’t within our EEZ, but are within the KIG: Fiery Cross, Subi, McKeenan, Johnson and Cuarteron. The tribunal did uphold the claim that the Chinese-occupied reefs are “low-tide elevations,” and within the Unclos definition do not generate entitlements to a territorial zones and EEZs. The only valid EEZ covering two of these reefs — Mischief Reef and Second Thomas Shoal — are those of the Philippines. This of course, made the Yellows, and their propagandist Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio ecstatic and jumping all around the country, demanding that the Duterte administration enforce the award or, as del Rosario had the gall to say the
traying the public trust. For one thing, a crucial point which all of the Yellow writers and even former chief justice Artemio Panganiban have been missing is that the tribunal was totally silent — as it should be — on China’s territorial claims (as opposed to maritime entitlements, such as EEZs), over the Spratlys which it calls the Nansha Island, made not because of just some medieval era maps, but on the basis of declarations made before World War 2, as well as in its 1950 and 1992 laws. (Our claim on the other hand was made in 1978 by a Marcos decree.) More importantly for this discussion, the Yellows have been absolutely quiet over the arbitral tribunal’s ruling made in connection with the Philippines’ “submission” regarding reefs occupied by China (“Dispotif,” paragraph 1203, section B (7): “a. That none of the hightide features in the Spratly Islands, in their natural condition, are capable of sustaining
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Arbitral award vs China: We shot ourselves... PAGE 8 human habitation or economic life of their own within the meaning of Article 121(3) of the Convention; b. that none of the high-tide features in the Spratly Islands generate entitlements to an exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.” This means that the tribunal ruled that none of our eight islands in our Kalayaan Island Group — the largest of which, Pag-Asa, have bunkers, semipermanent residents, and an airstrip — are islands, but are mere “rocks” and do not generate a territorial sea nor an EEZ. If we are to comply with the tribunal’s ruling to the letter, we have to rename what we have called islands since 1978, as “rocks.” How can a “group of rocks” constitute a municipality of Palawan? Islands under Unclos are entitled to a 200-nautical mile EEZ. Rocks do not have such a zone and have only a 12-nautical mile territorial sea. If there had been no such arbitration ruling, we could have argued that Pag-asa — the second biggest feature in the Spratlys — is an island and therefore entitled to an EEZ. This would have extended our existing EEZ, which as of now is measured from baselines in Palawan, and ends near to half of the area covered by the KIG. It gets worse. The tribunal’s ruling also means Vietnam’s six islands are not islands; Taiwan’s Taiping Island (the biggest in the Spratlys, with an airport that can accommodate even C-130s, and a tourist hotel) is not an island, and Malaysia’s Layang-layang island (a world-class dive resort) is not an island. But guess what? The tribunal’s ruling applies only to us, as it wasn’t a court but merely an arbitration panel, the ruling of which applies only to the
parties involved in the arbitration. (But the other party, China, had refused to join the arbitration.) The ruling therefore doesn’t apply to Vietnam’s six islands, and those of Taiwan and Malaysia. They can argue in the future that these islands have a 200-nautical mile EEZ, and that the panel of experts the tribunal contracted to decide what is a rock and what isn’t was wrong. The ruling applies only to us. The Filipino idiom to such colossal stupidity is more vivid: Kumuha sila ng bato at pinukol sa sariling ulo. It is as if one landowner brought a case to an arbitration court, to claim that another party has no legitimate claim to an adjacent land he occupies. The arbitration panel upholds his claim, but also rules that the title to his land is just title to a communityheld lot he is legally merely overseeing. The ruling though adds to the legal shield needed by one superpower that wants to maintain its hegemony over the South China Sea and Asia: the U.S. It can claim that the tribunal ruled that none of the occupants of the Spratlys — especially China, of course — can claim a 200-EEZ nor even a 12-nautical mile territory. If they were allowed to do so, their EEZs would occupy most of the South China Sea, requiring that U.S. warships would need to ask permission to enter. That would practically leave very little international waters in the South China Sea, restricting U.S. warships’ movement. But that isn’t really the main impact of the arbitration ruling. It is mainly a U.S.planned, sophisticated and massive propaganda operation to portray that China is an aggressive superpower in Asia (which therefore needs the US to counter it), which absolutely has no valid claims
in the South China Sea. The propaganda operation has indeed been so successful. Imagine, one of our highest ranking diplomats — our ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez — wrote, in a breach of diplomatic protocol, in his Philippine Star column what is nearly word for word the U.S. messaging in the arbitration plot: “The Philippines obtained a favorable ruling over a maritime dispute from the UN tribunal which invalidated the sweeping claims of China (premised on its nine-dash line… covering some 90 percent of the disputed waters), saying the giant nation had no legal basis to claim historic rights over the South China Sea.” Duterte should remove Romualdez as a diplomat — by definition his alter ego in the U.S. — for undermining his foreign policy towards China, acting not as an ambassador to the U.S., but as the U.S. government’s spokesman, and an ignorant one to boot. First, it wasn’t a UN tribunal that made a ruling. The arbitral panel had no connection whatever to the United Nations. See my long piece on this: “Fake news? No such ‘PCA decision’ on suit vs China.” Second, the tribunal indeed ruled that China’s “nine-dash line” has no validity within Unclos provisions. But Romualdez did not explain — or perhaps it was beyond his comprehension — that China’s claims in the South China are not entirely based on the nine-dash line which the Kuomintang Party first drew on China’s maps. China can just junk that nine-dash line nonsense and still have arguable claims for its sovereignty over the Spratlys. This issue will be discussed in detail in subsequent instalments of this series. (ManilaTimes.net)
Duterte won’t abolish POGO... PAGE 7 Panelo said Xi expressed appreciation for the Philippines’ move to suspend new POGO applications but said China would appreciate more if online gambling operations were completely halted. Xi had earlier warned Duterte of online gambling’s role in spawning crimes specifically money laundering, as he emphasized that all forms of gambling are illegal in China. The Bureau of Internal Revenue has reported P200 million
in taxes from foreigners working for POGOs. The finance department previously said the government forgoes about P24 billion a year for every 100,000 POGO workers who do not pay taxes. Duterte’s pronouncement came on the heels of assertion by some of his officials that the local economy has been benefiting significantly from online gambling. Based on Philippine Gaming and Amusement Corp. projections, revenues from POGO
– especially from royalties and licensing fees – could reach P8 billion this year from last year’s P6 billion. Earlier, Ambassador to China Jose Santiago Sta. Romana said Beijing has no authority to order the Philippine government to shut down POGO operations employing Chinese nationals. “They cannot dictate on us. Those are sovereign decisions. That is where we stand,” Sta. Romana said in Beijing during Duterte’s China visit. n
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Napoles’ camp argues: Plunder case should... PAGE 7 identify the mastermind. Napoles cited a Supreme Court decision on the plunder case against Arroyo requiring that plunder cases identify the main accused. She said the Office of the Ombudsman or the court was aware that the main plunderer must be expressly identified in the information “as an essential element of the crime of plunder.” The Sandiganbayan, however, said Napoles’ reference to the Arroyo case was like comparing apples and oranges. The court said all the accused in the Arroyo case were government officials so
there was a need to be explicit about who the main plunderer was. “The eyes are useless when the mind is blind,” said the court. “It is apparent that the Information refers to Estrada as the mastermind of the PDAF scheme or the main plunderer. The main plunderer is a public officer,” the court resolution said. Napoles had been convicted of plunder over ghost or overpriced pork barrel projects paid by the government through legislators. The entire scam cost at least P10 billon in funds wasted on nonexistent or overpriced projects. In the case she shares with Estrada
alone, Napoles had been accused of giving nearly P56 million in kickbacks to the former senator, well beyond the P50 million threshold for plunder cases. Napoles’ other case, also plunder with her co-accused Edgar Valdez, a former partylist lawmaker, was moving along after the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division rejected Napoles plea for demurrer of evidence, a legal tactic to abort trial of the case by convincing the court that evidence was weak. In her case involving Valdez, Napoles also argued that the main plunderer had not been identified. n
Americans overwhelmingly support stricter... PAGE 5 the sale of assault weapons? A: 60 percent support THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS have been the response of Republican lawmakers in Congress through decades, who had been blocking attempts by Democrats to enact sensible legislation to end the senseless deaths due to gun violence in the country. Thoughts and prayers until the heat and opposition against gun violence cool down, a dirty tactic they have used to manipulate the American people. In fact, a bipartisan comprehensive gun bill has been passed by the Democrat-led House, but Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell would not even debate nor vote on it on the floor. McConnell refused to do so because he said he would not subject a bill to a vote that President Donald Trump would not support and sign into law. Ayaw kumilos ng matatanda para matigil na ang mass shooting at gun violence, hayaan nating mamuno ang mga kabataan. Ito ang proposal nila sa kanilang “Peace Plan”: This plan is spearheaded by students and survivors of the mass shooting in February 2018 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. They hope this “Peace Plan” will be considered by President Trump as well as his Democratic presidential rivals. These young people also aim at making this plan serve as a catalyst for a surge of youth voters in the 2020 presidential elections. “I think similarly to a lot of the country, I’m in a lot of pain right now,” lamented David Hogg, 19, a co-founder of March for Our Lives and a
survivor of the shooting on February 2018. “You see these shootings on TV every day and very little happening around it. It’s painful to watch. And I think it’s been really hard for me and many of the other students and people that we work with to find hope in this time.” The youth group March for Our Lives has channeled their grief, frustration and anger to working hard toward a solution to gun violence, focusing on voter registration and outreach across the United States over the past year and a half, building a national infrastructure with more than 100 chapters centered on grass-roots organizing. They hope to turn that into droves of voters at the polls next year. As the Washington Post reported: “The Peace Plan would create a national licensing and gun registry, long a nonstarter with gun rights advocates; ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines; implement a mandatory gun buyback program; and install a “national director of gun violence prevention” who would report directly to the president and coordinate the federal response to what advocates call a national public health emergency.” “It would dramatically increase restrictions around owning guns in ways sure to spark fierce blowback, including raising the age to 21 from 18 for those who want to buy guns. It calls for a ‘multistep’ gun licensing system, overseen by a federal agency, that would include in-person interviews and a 10-day wait before gun purchases are approved. The license would be renewed annually.”
“In the vein of the Green New Deal, the Peace Plan takes a holistic approach to gun violence by also calling for automatic voter registration when those eligible turn 18, along with the creation of a ‘Safety Corps,’ which the authors compare to a Peace Corps for gun violence prevention. The plan also proposes community-based solutions like mental health services, as well as programs to address and prevent suicide, domestic violence and urban violence.” VOTE OUT people running for office who would not support it. They do not work for the interest of the American people but are paid puppets of the National Rifle Association (NRA), the powerful lobby group who have invested millions of dollars in the campaigns of these Republicans now seating the White House and Congress. These supposed public servants are the NRA’s co-conspirators in spreading misinformation about proposed gun laws that are already working in other industrialized countries in preventing gun violence. They manipulate the American people by instilling fear that their Second Amendment rights will be violated and that their guns will be taken away from them! USE THE POWER OF YOUR VOTE! The United States is a government of the people, by the people, for the people. *** 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
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COMMUNITY Journal
New ‘public charge’ regulations could result in more denials
Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ
“ABANDONED” PETITION SUCCESSFULLY REOPENED 10 YEARS LATER BY ATTY. MICHAEL J. GURFINKEL. Elsinore (left) was petitioned by his father back in 2001. However, when his younger sister, Elvie (center), checked the petition status online in 2005, she found out it was denied due to “abandonment.” USCIS had sent a notice to petitioner’s old residence requesting additional documents, but the petitioner never received the notice because he had moved, and therefore did not respond. Their first lawyer’s motion to reopen was denied for being untimely, so their mother, an avid viewer of “Citizen Pinoy,” suggested they retain leading U.S. immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel. Watch this success story on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)
Ma-Yi theater company extends world premiere of ‘Felix Starro’ to September 21 First Filipino Musical Off-Broadway Opens Ma-Yi’s 30th Anniversary Season
IN response to popular demand and critical acclaim, Ma-Yi Theater Company is pleased to extend the world premiere of Felix Starro, a new musical by Jessica Hagedorn and Fabian Obispo, to September 21. Based on a powerful short story by acclaimed writer Lysley Tenorio, Felix Starro, which opened on September 3, marks the first-time-ever a musical created by Filipino Americans will be presented Off-Broadway. Directed by Ma-Yi’s Producing Artistic Director Ralph B. Peña and choreographed by Brandon Bieber (FX’s Fosse/ Verdon), Felix Starro explores issues of faith, family, love, loss, betrayal, and what it means to be an undocumented immigrant in America. Opening Ma-Yi’s 30th anniversary season, Fe-
Photo by Richard Termine
milestone in Ma-Yi’s distinguished history of creating new work that shapes the national discourse about what it means to be Asian American today. Jesse Green of The New York Times found the music “moving and timely” and noted that Felix Starro’s expan-
is “a miracle worth believing in.” In Time Out New York, Raven Snook found Felix Starro “universal in appeal” and also “unique to Filipino culture.” In Theater Pizzazz, Carole Di Tosti called the musical “riveting” and “richly profound,” while Darryl Reilly in TheaterScene.
THE Trump Administration recently announced new regulations on public charge, to be effective October 15, 2019. The plan is to deny green cards unless the person proves they are self-sufficient or relies on family for support, and not on public assistance. USCIS will be evaluating whether a person would be considered “inadmissible” to the U.S. “based on his or her likelihood of becoming a public charge at any time in the future…”
“Public charge” means a person had received certain public benefits for over 12 months in a three-year period. These benefits include: - Supplemental Security Income (SSI) - Cash benefits for income maintenance - Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) - Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP or food stamps) - Medicaid and certain housing benefits. (Medicaid for aliens under 21, pregnant women, and emergency medical services would not be considered against the person.) As part of the public charge evaluation, USCIS will consider the alien’s age, health, assets education, etc., to determine the
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likelihood that the person will become a public charge at any time in the future. Some of the “negative factors” include if a person is over 60 or under 18 years of age. Aliens must also submit a Declaration of Selfsufficiency (Form I-944). According to USCIS, “self-sufficiency has been a core tenant of the American dream. Self-reliance, industriousness, and perseverance laid the foundation of our nation and have defined generations of hard-working immigrants seeking opportunity in the United States ever since.” In other words, the Trump administration wants to stop situations where a person is petitioned for a green card, and as soon as they get that PAGE 12
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Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA ELAINE placed sunflowers on her husband’s gravesite and quietly said a prayer. She stood alone on a gentle slope on the windswept hill. It was getting chilly and Elaine instinctively wrapped her shawl tightly about her. It was early evening in late spring and the sun was beginning to sink in the horizon. She knew she would have to leave soon. The memorial park will soon be closing its gates to visitors. She caught sight of the roving guards in their vehicle at the corner of her eye. She took one last look at her husband’s gravesite and got into her car and drove down the meandering road downhill to go home before dusk finally sets in. She needed to prep her mind and body for her work tomorrow as quality control chief of semiconductor parts, just as she had done so, for the last two decades in the company that valued and kept her as a great worker. Elaine was a woman of great substance. She was loyal to the bone in both her home and work life. She did the best she could in every situation emptying herself in the process. She honestly thought everybody did so and was just like her. Elaine never considered herself a rarity — which she was. Elaine just was that kind of person. It has been 12 years since her husband Neil passed away after a long bout with lung cancer. When the end came, she went through the motions of climbing the wall of grief that comes with permanent separation. Elaine didn’t know at the
Once UpOn a Time SerieS
meet elaine, The rock (Part 1 of 2)
“…Opposites do attract but likes stay together…” time if she could handle the sole responsibility of bringing up their two young children as the surviving parent and the sole breadwinner. To Neil’s credit, he had the foresight to buy life insurance that proved to be of great help in the interim. For that one act alone, Elaine remains deeply grateful to Neil’s memory. His foresight and love for their family ran deep. Neil wasn’t perfect — not by a long shot — but then she realized, neither was she. It was a struggle during the early years and the recurring friction would sometimes be unbearable. They were a study in contrasts. “Opposites do attract but likes stay together,” her mother used to tell her as a teen-ager. But she was too young, too naïve and very much in love with Neil to understand. She was stubborn and headstrong. When the going got tough as it often did early in their marriage, she wished bitterly she had the humility and the emotional smarts to remember her mother’s words of wisdom. She remembered how their marriage was rough going for a while and they came very close to calling it quits quite a few times. Their marriage counselor and even her confessor priest advised her that it may be in their best interest to go their separate ways. The advice fell on deaf ears. There were these two children whose well-being
depended on them. She had this stubborn streak that kept her going. She persisted. She prayed on her knees. And in God’s perfect timing, her prayers were answered. She has no regrets over the choices she made, even if sometimes, she had the nagging feeling, she chose poorly. Others would say, stupidly. There were happy times too when the laughter rang out and she chose to dwell on them. Elaine imagined herself to be like a film editor retaining and splicing together the reels of fun and gaiety they had. She still smiles broadly recalling their wedding, two normal childbirths, flying kites in the open fields and on the beaches when the children were growing and just countless fun times they shared and recorded in fading photographs and video clips. And like the editor of her life, she chose to gloss over and edit out the ugly parts and leave them on the cutting room floor, swept in a bin and zapped away from memory. Poof. Gone. Forgiven and Forgotten. This is just how I cope and how I choose to remember my life and times, Elaine thought. (Continued next week…) * * * Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@asianjournalinc. com.
new ‘public charge’ regulations... PAGE 11 green card, they apply for as many public benefits as possible, considering those benefits to be “free,” but in reality, are being funded by taxpayers. Trump doesn’t want new immigrants living off of taxpayers. Instead, they either must support themselves or seek support from their family members, especially from the one who signed the affidavit of support. Along with being strict with aliens who received
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certain public benefits, the Trump administration also wants to start enforcing the terms of the affidavits of support if the alien received such public benefits. But what will now happen when people petition their elderly parents as immediate relatives? It’s likely the parents are retired or over 61, such that the USCIS (or the Embassy) could deny the visa, based on the “likelihood” of becoming a public charge at any time in the future.
If you’re considering petitioning family members, you should do so as soon as possible, because any application or petition already pending with USCIS as of the effective date will still be evaluated under the old, more lenient standards on public charge. You should also seek the advice of an attorney in connection with petitioning family members and/or preparing affidavits of support, as the attorney could help evaluate and identify
Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards in ‘Hello, Love, Goodbye’
Photo courtesy of Star Cinema
‘Hello, Love, Goodbye’ officially highest grossing pH film By Christina alpad ManilaTimes.net
THE “untried and untested” teamup of ABSCBN’s Kathryn Bernardo and GMA Network’s Alden Richards definitely struck gold as “Hello, Love, Goodbye” is officially the highest grossing Filipino film of all time. ABS-CBN’s film outfit Star Cinema announced Tuesday night that the Cathy Garcia-Molina movie
hit P880, 603, 490 at the box office on September 3, a staggering figure that is expected to rise even more what with international screenings still ongoing. Said record was previously held by “The Hows of Us,” Star Cinema’s 2018 blockbuster film which also starred Bernardo opposite real life beau Daniel Padilla, and likewise directed by Garcia-Molina. Already, fans of the movie are asking if there will
soon be a second part to the movie given the open ended conclusion of HLB. Richards, at a media conference in GMA Network on Tuesday, admitted this may take some time. “Mahaba pa po ang magiging proseso pero kami po nina Kath and Direk Cathy, we all agreed na kung magkakaroon man ng Part 2, dapat kung sino yung mga nakasama sa Part 1 sila pa rin ang makikita sa Part 2.”
Ma-Yi theater company... PAGE 11 net found Felix Starro “engrossing” and “impressive.” In Felix Starro, protagonist Felix is a famous faith healer in the Philippines, whose clients once included celebrities and big politicians. After falling on hard times, Felix decides to go to San Francisco for one last healing mission with ailing Filipinos in the Bay Area. Junior, Felix Starro’s nineteenyear-old, orphan grandson, goes along as his assistant. Unbeknownst to Felix, Junior has plans of his own. The cast for Felix Starro includes Alan Ariano (The King and I, Miss Saigon) as Felix Starro, Caitlin Cisco (The Hundred We Are) as Crystal, Francisca Muñoz as Mrs. Delgado, Ryan James Ortega as Bobby/Ramon, Diane Phelan (School of Rock) as Charma, Nacho any potential public charge issues, which could result in a denial. * * * 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
Tambunting (NBC’s Rise) as Junior, and Obie and Lortel award-winner Ching Valdes-Aran as Flora. The creative team also includes Obie award-winner Marsha Ginsberg (scenic design), Becky Bodurtha (costume design), Oliver Wason (lighting design), Julian Evans (sound design), Paulo K Tiról (orchestra tions), Ian Miller (musical director), Cristina Sison (production stage manager), and Jorge Z. Ortoll (executive producer) Performances of Felix Starro will now take place through September 21 at Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street in Manhattan). Performances run Tuesday–Sunday at 7pm and Saturday & Sunday at 2pm. Tickets, priced at $52–$102, can be purchased by visiting mayitheatre.org or by calling Telecharge at 212239-6200.
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 attorneyclient relationship is, or shall be,
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Paolo: ‘I’m not hiding anything’ By Boy aBunda Philstar.com
MOST people, if not all, still remember that Paolo Ballesteros made headlines for his makeup transformations on Instagram. Through his artful makeup skills, Paolo was able to look like Angelina Jolie, Julia Roberts and many other big-name stars. He all the more became popular with his portrayal of Trisha in Die Beautiful that earned for him a Best Supporting Actor Award at the Gawad Urian and Tokyo International Film Festival. With his many “different faces,” perhaps, only those close to him know about Paolo’s true persona. Apparently, the actor shared quite a mouthful of truths about himself without any hesitations for the first time on the hot seat of Tonight with Boy Abunda. He initially shared that his interest in makeup transformations began when a friend sent him a message asking him to check makeup transformation videos on YouTube. “Una kasi nag-drawdrawing drawing lang ako, but after watching that video of an Asian girl doing a makeup transformation, I said I can also do it so my first try was to get the look of Angelina Jolie but then it resulted to
Paolo Ballesteros Photo from Instagram/@pochoy_29
my looking more like Eula Valdez (laughs), naging kamukha ko bigla si Tita Eula,” began Paolo who also revealed that it took him three weeks to copy Beyoncé’s face perfectly. Without makeup and away from the cameras, Paolo is back to his normal self. “Ako, I keep to myself. Sa bahay lang, tahimik. ‘Pagkatapos ng work, bahay.” He was game to tell what he meant when he said before the press, “I
am a lady” during a media gathering for Panti Sisters that he topbills with Martin del Rosario and Christian Bables. Paolo was forced to answer the question referring to his sexuality to finally silence his haters. “Because I am a lady, hahaha,” he blurted out. “I mean, I am already 36 years old (and) I don’t care about mga gender-gender kasi kahit anong sabihin ko, ‘pag sinabi kong hindi, may mag-re-react. ‘Pag sinabi kong oo, s’yempre sasabihin naman hindi naman na isyu ‘yan (kasi) tagal na, di ba? So, I’d rather not answer that.” He added that he’s been open about his life saying, “kung anuman ‘yung ginagawa ko di ko naman tinatago.” Even his daughter understands him, “Walang tanung-tanong; gets na n’ya. Keira is 10 years old and we share the same birthday, Nov. 29. She’s studying in Baguio with her mom. She’s very smart at gusto din n’yang magartista.” On questions regarding his love life, Paolo admitted to falling in love so easily that he already lost count of the people he fell in love with in the past and he is often left heartbroken “because I easily get jealous. Seloso ako, loyal kasi PAGE 15
Janine: No regrets on failed relationships By rito P. aSilo Inquirer.net
JANINE Gutierrez has been in bad relationships that she doesn’t regret having gone through. “When I think about a bad relationship, I go, ‘Sh*t, paano ako naging ganun katanga (how did I get so stupid)?’” the actress said at a recent press conference for her upcoming movie “If We Don’t Make It.” “But I don’t regret having experienced it because kinailangan n’yang mangyari para mabawasan ang katangahan ko (laughs)—it made me realize how relationships should be and shouldn’t be.” The romantic drama is Janine’s first team-up with Paulo Avelino and follows
Harold (Paulo) and AM (Janine), who meet again many years after leaving contentious issues unresolved and emotions unshared. For Janine, the film is a fitting follow-up to Joel Ferrer’s “Elise,” one of 2019’s finest films. The 29-year-old actress may not figure in “trending” stories these days as prominently as other social media-savvy celebrities, but that’s all right. She prefers to keep herself “on the radar” with issues and projects that truly matter, like starring in “Elise.” In Prime Cruz’s “If We Don’t Make It,” Janine is thrilled to be working with Paulo as she brings to life another character she says she can readily relate to.
Janine Gutierrez Photo from Instagram/
Arci opens up about open relationships
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By Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com
ACTRESS Arci Muñoz cried during a recent interview with TV host Boy Abunda, admitting that she and nonshowbiz boyfriend Anthony Ng called it quits. During Abunda’s late night show “Tonight With Boy Abunda,” the host asked Arci if the rumors of the breakup were true, and she answered that she needed a sad background music to answer the question. While singing I Belong To The Zoo’s “Sana,” she broke down and covered her face with her hands. “I always keep this private life private. I want to keep it that way. Thank you po,” Arci said. Before her guesting in the show, the actress-rock star admitted that she and Anthony decided to split. She said this during the recent press conference of her upcoming ABS-CBN teleserye “Pamilya Ko.”
Arci Muñoz
Photo from Instagram/@ramonathornes
But she clarified that there was no third party involved and the decision was mutual. “No, no, nothing like that po. It’s shallow. It’s just really... Maybe it’s not the right time,” the actress shared. Arci was a guest in “Tonight With Boy Abunda” to promote her upcoming movie with JC Santos, “Open,” a
Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino entry about a couple who entered an open relationship. During the press conference of the movie, Arci said she has no plans of trying an open relationship. “Gusto ko long-term. Committed talaga ‘ko, so wala akong balak. Para po kasi sa akin it’s cheating with consent,” she stressed.
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SEPTEMBER 6-12, 2019 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL
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people events arts culture entertainment
FRESH FACE AT THE US OPEN Filipina Alex Eala makes her US Open Juniors debut BY
MOMAR G. VISAYA / AJPRESS
A
lexandra Eala, the 14-year-old teen tennis star from the Philippines, made an impressive US Open Juniors Championship debut on Monday, dismissing her Australian opponent in straight sets with a commanding 6-1, 6-0 score.
Alex Eala, the teen tennis sensation from the Philippines, made her US Open debut this week and reached the second round of both singles and doubles competitions. AJPress photo by Troi Santos
Alexʼs dad, Mike Eala
Coach Daniel Gomez
Friends and family trooped to the Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens to watch Alexʼs matches. In this photo taken after her first singles match, Alex is with Coach Daniel Gomez from the Rafa Nadal Academy, Ricky Maniego, Chay Sebastian, Mike Eala and Joan Maniego. AJPress photos by Momar G. Visaya
Eala made it to the main draw of Juniors Girls Singles as one of the eight qualifiers who had to win two times at the Cary Leeds Tennis Center in the Bronx, before moving to the main site at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens to be among 64 teens running after the title. “This win is definitely a stepping stone to where I want to be in the future, which is to play pro, obviously, so I’m going to be working hard and practice more to achieve that goal,” Eala told the Asian Journal after the match. “I knew it was going to be hard today, all the matches are going to be hard, so hopefully I’d perform well in the next few matches.” She won over the top seed in the qualifying matches and made it through both without dropping a set. “It’s the same every match. I get out, give my best and try to get the best results I can,” she shared. Getting into the US Open Juniors main draw for juniors is a dream-come true for Eala. “It is a very prestigious tournament, high level and under-18 and I worked very hard to accomplish this so I am definitely going to make the most out of this,” she added. Notching her first win at the Open was quite an experi-
ence for her and she credits her training regimen where she gets to give it all. She trains every day except Sunday, which is her rest day. “It gets mentally and physically tiring so I think that helps me grow as a person and as an athlete,” she said. Her coach Daniel Gomez da Costa and her dad Mike Eala were both at the sidelines watching the match. “She was very calm comparing with the situation that she has to face. At only 14 years old, she shows very good behavior and attitude,” Gomez said. “She played with good intensity and she served really well.” The following day, she and her doubles partner and fellow Rafa Nadal Academy (RNA) scholar Elvina Kalieva, came from behind and aced a straight sets win, 7-5, 6-1. Rafa Nadal Academy Alex won a tournament in France in 2018 and scouts from the RNA in Nadal’s hometown of Manacor, on the island of Mallorca, Spain approached them and discussed a b o u t E a l a
training with them. She ended up getting a full scholarship there. The Academy is a high performance tennis center, the former training ground of Nadal himself. Nadal and his team opened it in 2016 and created a unique training system based on the experience he has acquired through the years competing in the ATP circuit. The international tennis academy combines tennis and education so that the students and aspiring athletes can continue to build their tennis careers without sacrificing their academic studies. “At the international school, we are going to help them make that transition to the best universities possible and prepare them for life,” Nadal told Reuters in a 2017 interview. “It is a great opportunity to train there because they provide really good training there. I have improved a lot since I went there. You get a lot of ex-
posure and it’s very professional,” she said. Because of rain delays, their match which was supposed to be played in the afternoon, began around 6:30 pm and Rafael Nadal was set to play his Round 4 match against Marin Cilic at Arthur Ashe Stadium around 7:00 pm. After she won and finished interviews, photos and some autograph signing, her coach called her and showed two tickets to Nadal’s box. They rushed to Ashe just in time for the third set, and witnessed Nadal win in four. The proud dad posted a photo on social media of Alex on the box with her coach and Nadal’s parents and the coaches led by Carlos Moya. “I’m so happy t h a t s h e came to the Nadal Academy and we look forward to achieving bigger PAGE 15
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XOXO: New generation divas on the block
By Iza IglesIas ManilaTimes.net
A NEW roster of powerhouse performers has just been launched by GMA Network via an all-female quartet called XOXO. Composed of Riel, Dani, Lyra, and Mel, this young and fresh group is raring to show what they’ve got — chandelier breaking vocals, lots of soul for R&B hits, and even classical training for traditional kundiman. Former contestants of the network’s original singing competition “The Clash Season 1,” these promising artists are combining their talent and edgy personalities to form beautiful harmonies and a magnetizing image. Riel, who hails from Cagayan de Oro, has come a long way after The Clash. For the group, she showcases her superb vocals and strong yet lovable personality XOXO’s “The Diva” with musical influences from Beyonce and Jennifer Hudson.
XOXO is composed of Riel, Dani, Lyra and Mel
A proud Cebuana, Dani is “Fierce and Sexy.” Her sultry looks and groove are inspired by her idol, Mariah Carey. Lyra is dubbed as the “Tough Girl” just like Alicia Keys and Rihanna. This Davaoeña is poised to bring her graceful attitude to the group with her sizzling performances. Finally, Mel — with her love for broadway and kundiman — served as the soul of the group and dubbed “Sweet Girl.” She wants
to make her hometown of Bulacan proud by pouring ourher heart and soul for XOXO. According to the group — who have since been noted by netizens as local versions of Hollywood and UK’s Little Mix, Spice Girls and Destiny’s Child — The Clash opened many doors for each of them even as they didn’t win the competition, case in point is landing a spot at the newest girl group on the block. “Pagkatapos ng “The
Janine: No regrets on... PAGE 13 “I play a music producer in the movie,” Janine shares. “While she’s kalat, she’s also very optimistic. She believes she can get whatever she wants if she sets her mind to it. Diyan kami nagkakaiba ni Harold, whom I first met when we were in college. “I like my character because she isn’t the typical good girl—she’s very relatable and doesn’t have clearcut plans of what she wants to do with her life. “Nakaka-relate din ako sa kanya because naniniwala din ako that you can make things happen if you visualize something hard enough, except perhaps if it’s about another person (laughs).” Janine says she also likes the film because of its music-enhanced story and
theme. “I have not had any experience with musicals,” the actress admits. “But my favorite movie is Cameron Crowe’s ‘Almost Famous’ (starring Kate Hudson), whose main draw for me is its music. I love films that use music as a tool to tell its story.” Janine says she also likes the spin the film utilizes to play out its tale. “I am fascinated with the idea of showing a scene without verbalizing everything the character feels,” she explains. “Mas mahirap ang mga eksena na hindi mo kailangang sabihin, pero kailangang mararamdaman mo. We’re so used to watching telenovelas where characters are shown crying their hearts out when they’re sad, or shouting
their lungs out when they’re angry. This film is anchored more on what happens in real life because you can’t always shout or ‘indicate’ your emotions when you get your heart broken. It is subtle and is anchored on truth. “More than that, it’s always hard to show what you truly feel when you aren’t sure how the other person feels about you. Kung hindi ka sure kung gusto ka n’ya, medyo alalay ka rin sa sinasabi or ipinapakita mo. I-check mo kung masyado kang maagang mag-reply sa texts n’ya (laughs). AM and I are similar in that aspect. “That’s why I am excited to do this film because, like ‘Elise,’ there’s always going to be a fresh take on love— this universal feeling that happens to everyone.”
Paolo: ‘I’m not hiding anything’... PAGE 13 ako when I’m in a relationship.” Thus, he reminded that we should never expect too much from our partners for it will only cause pain in the end, although he denied having fallen in love with a fellow actor in
the past. Paolo said that he’s in a good state of mind, “I’m happy and I’m good.” In Panti Sisters, Paolo plays one of the three gay brothers whose father asks them that whoever is able to give him a grandchild will receive millions of pe-
sos. The movie is one of the entries to this year’s Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP). “Tinatanong pa ba ‘yon?” he quipped when asked who among his co-stars is the most beautiful in real life and revealed that Martin is the kindest.
GMA photo
Clash”, nagkaroon po kami ng mga guesting, mga mall shows and nagkaroon din po kami ng chance na makapag-act sa mga teleserye. Sobrang nagpapasalamat po kami sa mga workshops na ibinibigay ng GMA Artist Center dahil sa mga
workshops na iyon, doon po nabuo ang XOXO,” Dani said in this interview. Lyra agreed saying, “Before po kasi kami nabuo, nagbigay po yung GMA Artist Center ng workshop. Syempre po after ng “The Clash”, hindi naman po kami perfect na singers at kailangan pa din po namin ng improvements. So yung ibinigay po na workshop ng GMA, nagka-idea po sila na bumuo ng girl group. Based on vocals, chosen po kami na magbuo ng group. But we still had to go through a series of auditions.” While there are numerous girl groups popping up everywhere thanks to the influence of K-Pop acts, XOXO say they’re ready for comparisons with the forerunners, and believe their
unique mix and styles will see them through these early days. “Iba-iba po kasi yung genre na nakasanayan namin and ngayon kailangan na namin maging isa. Over the course of the training, we learned keep our own styles way but still be united in sound. That’s the difference we bring to the table as a girl group,” Mel pointed out. Ultimately, XOXO says they want to impress a positive vibe on the public with their music. “Ang meaning po kasi ng XOXO ay ‘hugs and kisses,’ diba? So with our group, we want to evoke everything that’s positive — friendship, sincerity, faith, love and women empowerment,” Riel ended.
Fresh face at the US Open...
PAGE 14 things,” Coach Gomez said. “She’s too young and we need to keep working hard, but of course, she has the chance, the possibilities, specially because she’s very humble, a hard worker and very good discipline.” After her stint here in New York, she will go back to Mallorca because she just received another year of scholarship in the academy. At RNA, she goes through a rigorous training regimen. A typical day would have her waking up at 7:00 am, have breakfast and train at around 8:00 am, followed by fitness. Around noon, she goes to school at the American International School inside RNA until late in the afternoon. That’s a total of about four hours of training every single day. Alex is all praises for Nadal, her idol and fellow leftie. “I love the way he plays. He is very strong mentally,” she said about the 8-time major singles winner. For the women’s side, she idolizes Simona Halep for her aggressiveness and the way she plays. Tennis and growing up “Alex started playing tennis because her older brother Miko, plays tennis,” Mike said. “She was just two years old then and she was already on court, at first just watching her kuya. Later on, she told us she also wanted to compete.” He added that their grandfather, Bobby Maniego, fa-
ther of his wife Rizza, was actually instrumental in getting his kids into tennis. They were small kids when they started. At the age of 8, Alex made her international debut at the Little Mo competition in Dallas, where she eventually took home the trophy. Little Mo is named after Maureen Connolly, who in 1953 became the first woman to win a tennis Grand Slam. Both Eala siblings now train at the Nadal Academy. As parents, Mike and his wife supported their children’s dreams. Which is why he said watching Alex notch her first US Open was such a pleasure for him to witness. “The fulfillment of being able to get here in itself, is already something big for us, and to be able to win the qualifying matches, get here and win her first match, is a better and more satisfying result,” he said. “This is the best way to experience the US Open!” Atty. Antonio Cablitas, president of the Philippine Tennis Association, is happy to see a young Filipina teen making it on the global stage, particularly in one of the grand slam tournaments. “We’re focused on looking at young talents not just in the Philippines but also around the world, the future of Philippine tennis and Alex is a prime example of that,” he said as we chatted outside the Arthur Ashe Stadium. Cablitas credits Alex’s tal-
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ent and determination for her to be on this stage despite her very young age. “But of course we need to credit the parents, Mike and Rizza. Their support has been immense and they play a big role here,” Cablitas added. Dealing with losses On Wednesday, Sept. 4, Eala’s dreams of getting deeper into both the Junior Girls Singles and Doubles competitions came to a screeching halt as she lost in straight sets to her Thai opponent, Mai Nirundorn in the morning and fell, 6-3, 6-3 with her doubles partner Kalieva to their French opponents. “We were super happy with the win on Monday but we knew it’s going to be a long road,” Alex’s dad Mike said. “We will learn from this experience and use it to make her stronger.” Her coach said that Alex had a good singles match, it was just that the Thai opponent was playing really well, too. After losing the first set, 7-5, Eala won the next three games at 3-0. Nirundorn stepped it up and came from behind to win the next six games, the set and the match. “I’m proud of what I achieved here at the US Open and I am gonna come back stronger next time,” Eala told us outside Court 5, after they lost their doubles match. “I’ll take what I’ve learned here and I will work harder in maintaining my intensity during matches.”
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