103118 - Southern California Midweek Edition

October 31-November 2, 2018 Volume 28 - No. 85 • 3 Sections - 20 Pages

Trump declares he can end birthright citizenship through executive order AAPI leaders respond to proposal at odds with the 14th Amendment which guarantees “equal protection of the laws” by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA AJPress

UNITED States President Donald Trump on Tuesday, October 30 announced that he is preparing to issue an executive order that would eliminate birthright citizenship in the U.S., a concept that is widely interpreted as a

constitutional guarantee. In an exclusive interview with Axios, the president falsely claimed that, “for 85 years,” the U.S. is “the only country in the world where a person comes in and has a baby, and that baby is essentially a citizen of the United States...with all the benefits.” But 38 other countries do grant

birthright citizenship, including Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and many other countries in the American continents. Trump’s announcement a week before the midterm election was met with intense pushback from both sides of the aisle. CAYETANO’S BIRTHDAY. President Rodrigo Duterte and People’s Republic of China State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi exchange pleasantries House Speaker Paul Ryan (R- during the thanksgiving dinner and 48th birthday celebration of Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano held at the Marco Polo Hotel in

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FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

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US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo congratulates Teodoro Locsin Jr. WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called new Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Thursday, October 25 to congratulate him on assuming his new post. Locsin was previously the PhilipU.S. Secretary of State Mike pine representaPompeo Photo from State.gov tive to the United Nations. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said Pompeo reaffirmed the longstanding U.S.-Philippine alliance and recognized the Philippines’ important role in the Indo-Pacific region. They discussed ongoing efforts to address regional issues such as the South China Sea, North Korea and counterterrorism. (Jose Katigbak/Philstar.com)

Malacañang photo by Robinson Niñal

Fil-Am mail bomb suspect reportedly kept list of over 100 potential targets

DATELINE Election rundown: Midterms 2018 edition A BARRAGE of texts from unknown numbers letting you know about a candidate or asking if you support a certain cause. Piles of glossy campaign ads lauding the promise of lowering taxes. News articles of the latest polls filling up your social media timelines. Election season is in full swing, and the 2018 midterm elections on Nov. 6 are shaping up to be one of the most critical elections in American history. On the right, Republicans are putting in their last-ditch efforts to secure and maintain majority in Congress in order for their agenda to have traction. On the left, Democrats are looking to unseat many Republican Senate and House seats to gain majority in at least one of the chambers. Historically, the midterm election turnout has not been great to put it lightly. The 2014 midterms saw an abysmal voter turnout at 36.4 percent national participation; young

Davao City on Sunday, October 28, 2018.

Sayoc makes first court appearance

by RAE

Cesar Sayoc Jr., the suspect who mailed the bombs to various Democratic officials last week. Photo courtesy of the Broward County Sheriff

ANN VARONA AJPress

CESAR Sayoc, the man suspected of sending at least 15 potentially explosive devices to high profile Democrats and Trump critics, had a list of over 100 potential targets, according to recent reports. The reports came as the 56-year-old half-Filipino, half-Italian U.S. citizen

appeared in federal court in Florida for the first time on Monday, October 29 where he was ordered held without bail after being arrested by FBI last Friday, October 26. Sayoc faces five federal charges— interstate transportation of an explosive, illegal mailing of explosives, threats against former presidents, threatening interstate communica-

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Barely a week after reopening, litter found on Boracay beach by NATHALIE

ROBLES

AJPress

THREE days after its reopening, Boracay island once again faced problems as visitors flocked the world-famous destination. Piles of trash were seen along its coastline while businesses and establishments were fined for violating environmental laws. Tourists and locals witnessed the improper trash disposal seen on the newly-rehabilitated island, which had been closed for the past six months. A report from The Philippine Daily Inquirer stated that first-time Russian visitors were dismayed by a pile of uncollected trash they saw on the roadside of D’Mall Plaza at

The bureau is being put in the hot seat after former commissioner Isidro Lapeña admitted magnetic lifters seized by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in August may have contained at least P6.8 billion worth in shabu. Philstar.com photo

Duterte orders military takeover of Customs by NATHALIE

ROBLES

AJPress

Island visitors walk through the temporary port set up by the Boracay Inter-agency Task Force. PNA photo by Jay Rome Pablo

Barangay Balagbag. Aside from that, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has yet to enforce

a ban on single-use plastics on the said island. Stores and restaurants still contain their food and drinks

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte announced the takeover of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on the Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Sunday, October 28, days after he fired BOC officials and executives. “They will be replaced, all of them, by military men. It will be a takeover of the Armed Forces in the matter of operating in the meantime while we are sorting out how to effectively meet the challenges of corruption in this country,” Duterte said as reported by The Manila Times. The president noted that he was forced to make the decision due to the corruption rampant in the department. He revealed his decision during the birthday celebration and thanksgiving party of former Department

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Mayor Garcetti joins Fil-Am leaders for Fil-Am History Month celebration by CHRISTINA

M. ORIEL

AJPress

LOS ANGELES — With October as Filipino-American History Month, Fil-Am communities across the United States have marked the past four weeks with various celebrations. Considered the home of the largest concentration of Filipinos outside of the Philippines, the greater LA area hosted several events this month, from a festiLos Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti visits the Philippine Consulate office on Friday, val highlighting Filipino food to a October 26 during a celebration for Filipino-American History Month hosted by speaker panel of Fil-Am personthe LA-Makati Sister City organization. AJPress photo by Ding Carreon alities inside City Hall.

Together with the LA-Makati Sister City, the Philippine Consulate hosted a reception with Mayor Eric Garcetti on Friday, October 26, marking the first time any sitting LA mayor has stepped foot inside the Consulate. “To be the first mayor in the Consulate, this is a moment of history and I’m so honored...to be a part of writing this history,” Garcetti said. Over 600,000 Filipinos are said to be living in the greater LA area, as of the last Census. “I look at Los Angeles not just as a diverse city...I often say, this

is a very Filipino city. To know Los Angeles, you have to know Filipino culture,” Garcetti remarked. LA-Makati Sister City President Abraham Lim said that the organization hosted the event to “represent the Filipino American community in recognizing and thanking [Garcetti] for his efforts in the founding of Historic Filipinotown.” When he was still a city councilmember in 2002, Garcetti pushed for the creation of Historic Filipinotown. In his remarks,

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Barely a week after reopening... PAGE A1 on disposable materials such as plastic plates, cups and straws. DENR Undersecretary Benny Antiporda said that the strict implementation of the ban would start after November 2. As of this writing, Boracay has five garbage collection points wherein tourists and locals would drop their segregated trash and will be collected from 2 am until sunrise. A “no segregation, no

collection” policy has been implemented by Alberto Rodriguez who oversees the disposal. “If I say I will not accept their garbage, they cannot do anything. I am just doing my job,” Rodriguez said as reported by the Philippine Daily Inquirer. DENR fines 219 businesses A hefty amount of P43 million worth of fines was collected by the DENR’s Pollution Adjudication Board (PAB) on 219 businesses

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From the Front Page and establishments in Boracay for violation of environmental laws just days after they resumed operations. DENR Undersecretary and PAB’s presiding officer Rodolfo Garcia said that the collected fines ranging from P10,000 to millions depending on the weight of the offense. “We at the DENR believe that anyone who pollutes or destroys the environment must pay the cost for that destruction,” Garcia said as reported by The Manila Times. Garcia was adamant on the reprehension of those who fail to follow the rules and guidelines of the rehabilitated island. He added that the other branches of the government are in support of the said move to rid the destination of people with no regard for the environment. “The DENR, together with other concerned government agencies, is firm in its resolve to clean not only the waters and air of Boracay and to manage its solid waste. It also wants to clear Boracay of irresponsible and greedy business people who have placed care for the environment their least priority,” Garcia said. The PAB officer also stated that the institution will maintain the guidelines and disciplinary actions so that the businesses and establishment will continue to abide by them “We will continue to monitor all establishments and impose the necessary penalties should they be found breaking laws,” Garcia added. More than half of the fined establishments violated the Clean Air Act of the Philippines which requires a permit to operate all sources of air pollution from the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB). The 110 businesses fined a total of P1.5 million. A total of P2 million was collected from 72 establishments for violating The Philippine Clean Water Act. Another P39 million was collected from five businesses that discharged untreated wastewater. President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the cleanup and rehabilitation of the famous tourist spot due to the widespread disregard for cleanliness exhibited on the island. Government officials recommended a month-long shutdown of Boracay annually to reestablish its beauty amid the influx of tourists it welcomes on a regular basis. n

READY FOR UNDAS. A total of 32,092 police officers will be deployed nationwide to keep the public safe during the observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day on Thursday, November 1 and Friday, November 2. An estimated 14.6 million people are expected to visit 4,667 public cemeteries and memorial parks and 76 columbaria around the country, Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde said on Monday, October 29. ManilaTimes.net photo

Trump declares he can end birthright... PAGE A1 Wisconsin) said in a radio interview with WVLK in Kentucky that Trump “obviously” does not have the power to eliminate birthright citizenship. “I’m a believer in following the plain text of the Constitution, and I think in this case, the 14th Amendment is pretty clear, and that would involve a very, very lengthy constitutional process,” Ryan explained. Trump’s announcement directly coincides with his longdesired mission to cut family reunification (wherein family members who are U.S. citizens can petition undocumented relatives) and prevent the proliferation of “anchor babies,” a pejorative used to describe children born on U.S. soil to undocumented parents. Birthright citizenship has been widely accepted as law since the implementation of the 14th Amendment. Ratified in 1868 after the abolition of slavery, the 14th Amendment guaranteed citizenship, and the rights that come with it, to all persons born on U.S. soil. Section 1 of the amendment states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United

States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” In 1898, Chinese-American Wong Kim Ark, who was born in California to Chinese nationals, won a Supreme Court case that ruled that he was a citizen, a milestone that established an important precedent and laid the foundation for modern interpretation of the Citizenship Clause in the 14th Amendment. Though nearly all of the Trump administration’s immigration practices and proposals have sparked outrage across the country and the world, the president’s declaration of ending birthright citizenship brought upon notably angered responses, especially from the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. “Denying children their birthright citizenship would have a devastating impact on the AAPI community by making it harder for immigrant families to integrate and pursue the American

Dream,” John Santos, AAPI media director for the Democratic National Committee, offered in a statement. “This proposal is just one of many anti-immigrant ideas that have been introduced by Trump in order to distract voters from his administration’s failed policies.” The National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA), a Washington-based coalition of national APA groups also chimed in on the issue, interpreting the announcement as a “stunt” and reminded the president that the APA community and other communities of color “aren’t going anywhere.” “Under normal circumstances, we would likely not respond to obvious, incendiary political stunts that are intended to provoke and polarize, rather than unify; however, these are not normal circumstances,” Gregg Orton, national director of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, said in a statement. “If President Trump is serious about his proposal, and this is not a desperate attempt to galvanize his political base a week before the elections, he should release it, so all the world can see that there is no question that white nationalism has found a home in the White House.” n

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Election rundown: Midterms 2018 edition

PAGE A1 voters between the ages 18 to 29, in particular, accounted for a 13 percent turnout. However, 2018 promises to be different. A new poll from the Harvard university Institute of Politics found that 40 percent of voters in that age range will “definitely vote” in the 2018 elections, a near-historic high for young voters. the Asian American community, too, promises a higherthan-usual voter participation, as reported by the Asian Journal. According to APIA Vote, 48 percent of Asian American voters are “more enthusiastic about voting this year,” including 92 percent of Filipino Americans. United States Senate u.s. senators play one of the most crucial roles in all of American government. senators propose, co-sign and vote on legislation and sit on important committees like those of the judiciary, education, public health, science and technology, etc. the incumbent Dianne Feinstein has impressively held her post since 1992 and is generally seen as a moderate Democrat, even negotiating with Republicans on some issues and legislative decisions. Her opponent, California senate President Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles), however, has been campaigning on the message that he is more progressive and promises to be tougher on the trumpian conservatism that has permeated throughout Washington. In an interview with the Asian Journal last spring, de Leon believes that Feinstein does not represent the current state of California, telling the Asian Journal in an interview earlier this year, “I think these are very tumultuous and dangerous times in our nation’s history, and I think that the current Democratic establishment is not reflective of the diversity of today’s California.” Earlier this year, the California Democrats endorsed de Leon, but Feinstein has maintained her lead ahead of de Leon; as of Oct. 21, Feinstein is 15.3 points ahead of the progressive state senator. Governor In the famously liberal haven that is California, it’s no surprise that Democratic candidate Gavin Newsom has maintained a comfortable lead ahead of businessman and Republican candidate John Cox. As of Monday, Oct. 29, Newsom holds a 15.3-point lead, according to RealClearPolitics’

aggregated polling data. Newsom, 51, is currently California’s Lt. Gov, but before that he was the mayor of san Francisco. As mayor, he legalized gay marriage in 2004 in the city, a move which shocked the country. He’s been a fierce critic of the trump administration and supports single-payer health care, immigrants rights and other progressive issues and causes. Former President Barack Obama is among the long list of liberal endorsements for Newsom. Cox, 63, is a Chicago-native who founded a law firm specializing in corporate law and tax planning in 1981. His political aspirations began in 1976 when he unsuccessfully ran for a delegate position at the Democratic Convention. A trumpian Republican, Cox has been endorsed by President Donald trump Lieutenant Governor In a nutshell, the lieutenant governor is the state’s second ranking position right below the governor. similar to the vice president, the lieutenant governor is the President of the state senate and takes the governor’s place if the governor is killed or becomes disabled. Both candidates for lieutenant governor this election are Democrats. Eleni Kounalakis, a GreekAmerican native of sacramento, is the former ambassador to Hungary, and she was a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign as well as a figure in Clinton’s foreign policy advisory team. During the June primaries, Kounalakis, 52, won the majority vote (24.2 percent) Her opponent, 61-year-old Edward Hernandez, is a Montebello-native and current California state senator for the 22nd District (san Gabriel Valley). He is also a member of the California Latino Legislative Caucus and, because he’s an optometrist, also chairs the senate Committee on Health. Attorney General state attorneys general (AG) act as the top legal officers of the state and are often referred to as the “People’s Lawyer” for the state’s residents. some AGs are appointed by the governor, but most are elected, and Californians will vote on an AG this coming election. the incumbent, Xavier Becerra, became the first Latino AG of California when he was appointed after former AG Kamala Harris was elected to the u.s. senate in the 2016 elections. As AG,

Becerra, a Democrat, has taken a strong stance against the trump administration for its policies and proposals, filing 40 lawsuits against the federal government. His opponent steve C. Bailey is a Republican and retired California judge condemned the lawsuits and opposes net neutrality, the principle that internet service providers should allow access to all content and should not favor/ block certain content. Secretary of State the secretary of state (sOs) serves as the chief election officer and the handler for the state’s key documents like the constitution, Great seal and archives. the sOs also registers businesses with the state, commissions notaries public and overlooks state ballot initiatives. Democrat Alex Padilla, 45, is the incumbent running for reelection. Padilla was first elected in 2014 after working as on Democratic campaigns, including those for sen. Dianne Feinstein, former state sen. Richard Alarcon and LA City Councilor Gil Cedillo. Padilla’s opponent is Republican Mark Meuser, who previously ran an unsuccessful campaign for the California senate in 2012. Controller the state controller acts as the Chief Financial Officer of the state. the controller has more “big picture” responsibilities than the treasurer (who handles more specific finance-related duties) such as holding authority over every dollar the state spends a la an accountant and bookkeeper. the incumbent is ChineseAmerican Democrat Betty Yee, who has held the post since 2015. Previously, she was a member of the California state Board of Equalization from 2004 to 2015 when she successfully led the effort to force online marketplace Amazon to collect sales taxes. As state controller, Yee has advocated for investing in alternative, green energy and tax reform, specifically ending Gov. Brown’s temporary tax increases. Yee’s opponent, Republican business owner Konstantinos Roditis, supports Prop 6 which repeals the gas and car tax increases (he co-chairs the Yes on Prop 6 organization), defunding the proposed high-speed rail and ending the new service and labor tax. Previously, the GreekAmerican CFO has served as the city commissioner for the City of Anaheim. PAGE A7

CA Lt. Gov. and gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom joins congressional candidate Gil Cisneros during an AAPI business tour on Saturday, October 27. AJPress photos by Klarize Medenilla

Cisneros campaign heats up as high profile Dems endorse the first-time candidate by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

Just 10 days before the midterm elections, Democratic congressional candidate for California’s 39th District Gil Cisneros made a last-ditch effort to appeal to the district’s rich Asian American constituency. On saturday, Oct. 27, the Cisneros campaign met with small Asian-owned businesses in Hacienda Heights to better know the commercial operations of the district, which spans from the southeastern region of the san Gabriel Valley in Hacienda to northeast Orange County. As previously profiled by the Asian Journal, Cisneros is a firsttime candidate running a grassroots campaign, which means he has not accepted funds from corporations or political action committees (PACs). Cisneros is up against KoreanAmerican Young Kim, who has the solid support of the current representative Ed Royce who has represented the 39th since 1993. “One thing that we know is that Ed Royce has kind of forgotten about this district for a long time. He hasn’t done a town hall in seven years, he hasn’t really taken care of his constituents,” Cisneros told the Asian Journal on saturday. “People want change. they want someone who’s going to represent that people of the 39th and that they get the constituent services they haven’t had in a long time and someone who is going to hold the president accountable and who is going to fight for education, health care, immigration reform and common

sense gun legislation, and I believe I’m the one to do it.” since launching his campaign, Cisneros has garnered a long list of endorsements from organizations like the sierra Club and Planned Parenthood and politicians like former President Barack Obama, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom. “It was probably one of the easiest decisions to make,” Newsom said of his endorsement of Cisneros, addressing reporters in Hacienda Heights, adding that he believes Gil is committed “to mitigate the issue of gun violence in this country that was, again, highlighted today in Pittsburgh.” Newsom, who is leading the gubernatorial race in California, added that Cisneros understands the importance of small business and has plans to improve California’s public school system. “And if you contrast that with his opponent, it’s not even close from my perspective. the choice is an easy one. Gil Cisneros is exponentially better suited to represent his district and his constituency on all the critical issues,” Newsom said. After the business tour, Newsom joined Cisneros at a rally

at uFCW 243 in Buena Park to pump up canvassers and those who volunteered for the Cisneros campaign. “the stakes have literally not been higher. that’s not just cliche it is a fact. the stakes have never been higher. this is not just about you, it’s not just about Orange County, not just about California and it’s not just about the united states. It’s about what we represent to the world. And let’s not forget: Orange is the new blue,” Newsom told the diverse crowd of cheering volunteers. Cisneros is currently leading the race against Republican Young Kim, a former state assemblymember, by 1 point, according to RealClearPolitics. Although Orange County has leaned Republican for decades, surveys show that that is slowly changing. In 2016, a majority of Orange County voted for Hillary Clinton in the presidential election (as well as Democratic senate candidate Kamala Harris), the first time a Democratic presidential candidate has won the county since the Great Depression. Whereas in 2012, the district gave Mitt Romney the majority vote. n

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Diwata-2 microsatellite launched into orbit Mayor Garcetti joins Fil-Am leaders for... by RainieR

allan Philstar.com

Ronda

Diwata-2, the second microsatellite designed and constructed by a team of Filipino engineers, was successfully launched into orbit on Monday, October 29. Engineer Marc Caesar talampas, program leader of the Department of Science and technology (DOSt) Development of Philippine Scientific Earth Observation Microsatellite program, said the launch was done via Japan’s H-iia F40 rocket from the tanegashima Space Center at 12:08 p.m. in Japan. the Diwata-2 microsatellite was separated from the rocket some 621 kilometers from Earth and started its orbit. the DOSt said Diwata-2 boasts of added features from the previous Diwata launched into orbit in april 2016, with a deployable solar panel, enhanced resolution cameras, a sun-synchronous orbit that will allow a fixed revisit interval and a larger area of coverage, an amateur ham radio unit for emergency satellite radio communications, an experimental altitude determination mod-

The Diwata-2 microsatellite was separated from the rocket some 621 kilometers from Earth and started its orbit. Philstar.com photo

ule and an omnidirectional sunaspect sensor. Like Diwata-1, it also carries a wide field camera, a middle field camera, a high precision telescope and a space-borne multispectral imager, with liquid crystal tunable fulter. all the mission instruments have undergone rigorous ground calibration and testing by Filipino engineers and scientists who designed them at tohoku University and Hokkaido University to ensure that they will perform

optimally at the new orbital conditions of Diwata-2. Both Diwata-1 and Diwata-2 are Earth-observing microsatellites capable of capturing images from Earth for environmental assessment. the satellite control, operation and acquisition of experimental data will be done at the Philippine Earth Data Resource Observation Center ground station at the DOSt-advanced Science and technology institute in Diliman, Quezon City. n

PAGE A1 he shared the process that it took for the neighborhood to become the first official geographic designation honoring Filipinos in the U.S. — that meant unifying the local Fil-am community. “[Historic Filipinotown] is still there and will be there for centuries to come because of Mayor Garcetti,” state assemblymember Rob Bonta (D-alameda) said. “it is important...to not be erased from history, to give our voice. we will always remember where our families took root and built a new beginning.” Other Fil-am elected officials and leaders from various community organizations were in attendance, such as La Deputy Mayor for Budget and innovation Miguel Sangalang, Culver City Mayor thomas Small, Sierra Madre Vice Mayor Rachelle arizmendi, west Covina Councilmember James toma, and La Board of Public works Commissioner Joel Jacinto. Noting that Makati has been La’s sister city since 1992, Garcetti said he hopes to visit the Philippine city one day. “it’s time for us to see if a mayor from Los angeles might actually come out and visit Makati City. it is on my shortlist,” the mayor added. Fil-ams who work in City Hall, as well as the community’s contributions to the city, were also mentioned. “i was joking that the two most important things of any elected official’s life [are] time and money and so my director of scheduling

Consul General Adelio Cruz, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti, and LA-Makati Sister City President Abraham Lim with a cake commemorating Fil-Am History Month and the sister city relationship between LA and Makati.

Consul General Adelio Cruz, Annie Cuevas Lim, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti, LA-Makati Sister City President Abraham Lim, and former LA City Councilmember Tom LaBonge pose with a recreation of the Historic Filipinotown sign at the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles on Friday, October 26.

is a...Filipina american as is the deputy mayor who oversees the entire budget for the city of Los angeles. i think both may be the

California Assemblymember Rob Bonta (D-Alameda, center) meets Fil-Ams who work at City Hall, including (L-R) Max Reyes, Economic Policy Manager at the Office of Economic Development; Jessica Caloza, Deputy Mayor for Budget and Innovation Miguel Sangalang; Los Angeles Filipino Association of City Employees President Rea Lazo; Susana Reyes and Joan Tagle of the LA Department of Water and Power; and Board of Public Works Commissioner Joel Jacinto. AJPress photos by Ding Carreon

first Filipino americans to hold those positions. i feel so lucky to work alongside them...we want to make sure the Filipino-american perspective is everywhere,” Garcetti said. But beyond the connection to the Fil-am community as an elected official, Garcetti shared his personal ties to the Philippines. His grandfather Salvador Garcetti — “a dreamer before they had that term” — fought in in the Philippines during world war ii and received a pathway to american citizenship. after the program, the mayor greeted attendees and was given special mementos, including framed Philippine woven fabrics and Filipino pastries. “the reason why the Philippines is more than just the friendships...it’s because i wouldn’t be here without the Philippines,” Garcetti said. n

Fil-Am mail bomb suspect reportedly kept...

PAGE A1 tions, and assaulting federal officers — and could receive up to 48 years in prison if convicted. Federal authorities have not yet publicly released the names of the targeted individuals and organizations on the list, but have begun privately notifying those listed. the associated Press reported that more elected officials were included in the list. the FBi also reported early Monday that authorities intercepted a suspicious package on Monday that was addressed to CNN’s office in atlanta. they said the package looked “similar in appearance to the others” that were previously addressed to other intended targets. “the FBi has confirmed a package has been recovered in atlanta, similar in appearance to the others, addressed to CNN,” tweeted the FBi Monday afternoon. FBi Director Christopher wray said Friday that each mailed de-

vice contained six inches of PVC pipe, battery, a clock, wires, and potentially explosive material. CNN’s president, Jeff Zucker, said in a statement on Monday that there was “no imminent danger” to CNN Center. the New York Times on Monday also reported that Sayoc may have been considering threatening other media outlets, as one of the names on the list recovered by authorities Monday was an editor for the times. “while the agents urged the employee to exercise caution, they also played down the likelihood of any imminent threat,” the Times reported. authorities were led to Sayoc last week via DNa from fingerprints, and social media posts. He was later revealed to be a half-Filipino registered Republican with a long criminal background dating back to 1991. Officials said that as of Friday, October 26, authorities intercept-

ed 14 packages sent by Sayoc to potential targets, many of which were sent through the U.S. mail system. Potential political targets revealed earlier included former President Barack Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Cia director John Brennan, and Rep. Maxine waters (D-Calif.), and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), among others. the first of last week’s 14 packages was found in billionaire Democratic donor George Soros’ mailbox in New York. a number of law enforcement officials said that federal authorities believed it to have been left by someone, and not delivered by mail. Sayoc, as of Monday, was being held at a federal detention center in Miami. His next hearing is slated to take place on Friday in New York where many of the explosives were sent, and where prosecutors are seeking to transfer him. n

Duterte orders military takeover of Customs PAGE A1 of Foreign affairs (DFa) Secretary alan Peter Cayetano at the Marco Polo Hotel, Davao City. “we cannot just move on because we want to be lawfully correct so we have to take things slowly. But, with this kind of games that they are playing, dirty games, i am forced now to ask the armed Forces to take over,” the president added. Duterte recognized the difficulty that might arise with the weight of his order. However, he emphasized the gravity of corruption in the said bureau and made apparent the necessity of the mandated takeover. “(we) cannot just dismiss them, even as we deal with the day-today reality. almost all of them there have been – in one way or the other – charged with corruption,” Duterte argued as reported by the Philippine Star. “i’ll have to file a case which could – appeal after appeal – last for another 10 years. (By that time), we have lost so many billions and you are destroying my country,” he added. Officials support Duterte’s order Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo justified the order of the president noting that the leader has the right to implement such decision with the authority vested to him by the 1987 Constitution. “the Constitution provides that the President is the head of the government, head of state and

the Commander in Chief of the aFP. the Constitution also provides that he has control over all executive offices and BoC is one of them. with respect to being Commander in Chief, he is authorized under the law to direct the movements of the members of the aFP in any manner he deems fit,” Panelo said. the presidential spokesperson explained that the takeover was ordered to rid the bureau of the questionable officials and to put a stop to their corrupt activities. “He said the people he had placed at the top were men of integrity and he trusted them completely. But somehow, because of the rotten system [there], things slipped past them. in other words, those below are the problem. Precisely why he wants troops there, to help out inside,” Panelo said. Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Menardo Guevarra supported the president’s decision stating that it is legal and constitutional. He emphasized the need for the aFP’s monitoring as the shipment of drugs would “threaten public safety.” “Certainly, it will not violate the civilian supremacy rule under Section 3, article ii of the Constitution because the BOC chief is a civilian and the BOC remains under the Department of Finance, which is still under the President,” Guevarra explained. “Putting the (BOC) under the watchful eye of the aFP is a temporary measure to ensure that the massive entry of illegal drugs,

which threatens public safety, is immediately stopped,” the justice secretary stressed. Senate President Vicente “tito” Sotto iii expressed his support of Duterte’s mandate as he tweeted that takeover is “needed” as a disciplinary measure to BOC. “it will be very interesting how things turn out in the BOC with this move. i believe drastic measures are needed to finally crack the whip in the bureau,” Sotto said. Critics oppose the takeover Senators were quick to air their sentiments regarding the sudden announcement of military rule in the BOC. Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan shared that the aFP might not be knowledgeable with the ins and outs of the bureau while Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson likened the situation to an incident that happened in the 60s. “what does aFP know about collecting taxes and tariffs? the bureaucracy is becoming militarized,” Pangilinan said. “in the early 60’s, some young, idealistic aFP officers were put in charge of the BOC operations. they learned fast, they couldn’t be bribed or intimidated. the smugglers used equally young, beautiful women to influence them. the rest is history. we don’t want to remember,” Lacson said. Duterte recently appointed aFP chief of staff Rey Leonardo Guerrero to replace the now technical Education and Skills Development authority (tESDa) secretary isidro Lapeña. n

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Duterte: ‘No martial law, but strongest tools to impose law, order’ by alexis

romero Philstar.com

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte is not keen on imposing martial law in the whole country but is bent on using the “strongest” political tools to promote law and order and counter security threats. Duterte said while he does not intend to place the country under military rule, criminals should not force him to do something drastic. “I will not declare martial law ‘JESUS IS LORD’ ANNIVERSARY. Millions of ‘born again’ faithful flock to the Quirino Grandstand at Rizal Park in Manila to celebrate the 40th anniversary but just like what I’m doing, I will of the Jesus is Lord Church founded by televangelist Eduardo Villanueva. Portions of Roxas Boulevard were closed for the event. ManilaTimes.net photo by DJ Diosina go for the strongest tools – political tools in my hand,” the President said during the birthday party of former foreign affairs secretary Alan Peter Cayetano by Bernadette tamayo “A person shall be considered candidate only during the entire held at the Marco Polo Hotel in ManilaTimes.net a candidate the moment he files campaign period. Davao City last Sunday. The said law in effect decrimihis certificate of candidacy (CoC) “If I cannot do miracles for this SENATORS Aquilino “Koko” within the period provided by nalized “premature campaign- country, then I will just say that, Pimentel, Richard Gordon, and the Commission on Elections,” ing,” SB 2064 pointed out. you know, let us just respect Leila de Lima have pushed a the report said. “The unfair repercussions measure that seeks to criminalize This means that any form of of this rule are far and wide. It premature campaigning. partisan political activity by a propagates political inequality Pimentel, Gordon, and de Lima candidate prior to his filing of as it unduly favors rich or popuauthored Senate Bill 2064, under CoC or before the start of the lar candidates over poor or less Committee Report 492, which official campaign period will be popular candidates,” Gordon aims to severely punish prema- considered “premature cam- said. ture campaigning. “It also negates transparency paigning and therefore unlawThe measure also redefines ful.” and accountability as it shamethe term “candidate.” Pimentel, Premature campaigning is an lessly excludes such premature chairman of the Senate Com- election offense punishable by campaigning from the regulamittee on Electoral Reforms and imprisonment of not less than tion of campaign finance and the People’s Participation, will spon- one year but not more than six limitations on election campaign sor SB 2064 when regular ses- years, as well as disqualification and expenditures,” he added. sions resume on November 12, from holding public office and “The barrage of political ad2018. deprivation of the right of suf- vertisements on TV and radio In its committee report, the frage under Section 80 and Sec- and the obvious electioneering panel seeks to restore the provi- tion 264 of the Omnibus Election or campaigning by many candision found in the Omnibus Elec- Code of the Philippines. dates way before the start of the tion Code of the Philippines that Under the existing law, RA official campaign period in the prohibits campaigning before the 9369, a person seeking an elec- last elections were too much to election period had set in. tive position is considered a be ignored,” the senator said. n

Senators: Criminalize premature campaigning

Deployment of OFWs to Saudi slows down

nine percent lower than the 2016 figure of 460,121. It is projected to further decrease to 10 percent THE deployment of Filipino this year following a slow down workers to Saudi Arabia had in hiring in the construction slowed down but that country re- and services sector, and also mains the top destination of mi- because of the “Saudization” grant Filipino workers, records program that gives employment from the Philippine Overseas priority to Saudi nationals. Employment Administration However, the kingdom contin(POEA) showed. ues to be the largest market for In 2017, total deployment to Filipinos despite the decline in Saudi Arabia reached 417,411, deployment. by William

depasupil ManilaTimes.net

Figures showed that about one in every four Filipinos deployed abroad or 23.8 percent worked in Saudi Arabia. The other preferred destinations were United Arab Emirates (15.9 percent), Europe (6.6 percent), Kuwait (6.4 percent), Qatar (6.2 percent), Hong Kong (5.6 percent), Singapore (5.6 percent), other countries in Asia (21.5 percent), North and South America (5.6 PAGE A7

each other... Huwag ninyong sobrahan (Don’t go too far). Do not force me to do something,” he added. Duterte went on to warn the groups that he said are posing threats to the country’s security. He said communist fronts are prodding people to seize idle lands and unoccupied houses. He cited the urban poor group Kadamay’s occupation of Bulacan houses intended for soldiers and the supposed takeover of land in Sagay, Negros Occidental that resulted in the death of nine farmers. Activists have blamed government forces for the death of the farmers but the military claimed the victims were used as bait by communists to discredit the government. “I am telling the left, to the communists: do not do it ever again because I have issued an

order to the police and to the armed forces. If you insist on occupying an area just like what happened in (Negros Occidental), this time I will order your arrest,” Duterte said. Duterte said he has ordered the military and the police to shoot those who sow disorder, including those who are forcibly taking over agricultural lands. “Once you begin to resist violently he can do his thing. If the police or the soldier — I’m addressing now the nation... if you resist violently, you pick a fight, then my order to my soldiers and policemen is just simply to shoot. And if they are in danger, shoot them dead,” Duterte said. “From now on, there will be no confiscation of other people’s or somebody else’s property. Do not do that because you are sowing anarchy,” he added. Duterte said the communists PAGE A7

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OPINION

Military takeover

FEATURES

UNDER two former military officers, the Bureau of Customs saw traffickers smuggle billions of pesos worth of shabu last year and in mid-2018 through the Port of Manila, home of the BOC main office. The head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency says that over a ton of smuggled shabu has found its way to the streets of Metro Manila. Now another retired military officer has been named BOC chief, with key Customs officials relieved and replaced — temporarily, according to Palace officials — by military officers in the active service. President Duterte has explained that unlike bureaucrats, military officers follow orders quickly and mostly without question from their commander-in-chief. The military officers will be on temporary deployment in the BOC, with their main task to ferret out the corrupt, particularly those responsible for shabu smuggling. It’s the Philippine National Police, not the military, that is carrying out the brutal Oplan Double Barrel against drug personalities. But perhaps the military presence can scare the crooks in the BOC. The scare tactic, however, must be accompanied by a relentless effort to implement structural reforms that will eliminate opportunities for corruption. Even military officers can be vulnerable to bribery, especially where massive amounts of drug money are involved. Certain former BOC officials have said that opportunities for corruption can be plugged by re-

ducing to a minimum human intervention and individual discretion in valuation and other Customs procedures. Equipment such as x-ray machines can also be upgraded to improve the capability to detect contraband. Reforms must come not only from within the BOC but also from the public. Politicians must also avoid pulling rank to break the law and BOC rules. Corruption is a two-way thing; those who do business with the BOC must avoid paying bribes. Many, however, are compelled to pay “facilitation fees” because of the red tape that is designed into BOC procedures precisely to compel the payment of grease money. The takeover of BOC posts by military officers must not result in worse red tape and further delays in shipment processing, which could increase the need for “facilitation fees.” The Christmas season is the busiest time for the BOC, with shipments piling up in the country’s principal port. Efficiency in BOC processes is a premium requirement at this time. Efficiency must not be compromised as military officers take crash courses on a complex system that is critical in trade and industry. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Trump to subvert the Constitution by terminating birthright citizenship using an executive order

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS ONE WEEK before the consequential midterm elections — amid the news cycle being dominated by criticisms against the massacre of 11 people in a synagogue Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; the sending of pipe bombs via mail to prominent Democrats critical of Trump, including news organization CNN by a Trump fanatic Filipino-Italian American; the deaths of two black men killed because of the color of their skin; and the threat of sending the military at the border to stop the asylum seekers from Central America hoping to save their families from violence and hunger in their countries — Trump is at it again, this time, reigniting the contentious issue of birthright citizenship. In an interview with Axios on HBO, the president said, “that he has run the idea of ending birthright citizenship by his counsel and plans to proceed with the highly controversial move, which certainly will face legal challenges.” “It was always told to me that you needed a constitutional amendment. Guess what? You don’t,” Trump said, declaring he

can do it by executive order. When told that’s very much in dispute, Trump replied: “You can definitely do it with an Act of Congress. But now they’re saying I can do it just with an executive order.” He continued, “We’re the only country in the world where a person comes in and has a baby, and the baby is essentially a citizen of the United States ... with all of those benefits. It’s ridiculous. It’s ridiculous. And it has to end.” (More than 30 countries, mostly in the Western Hemisphere, provide birthright citizenship.) “It’s in the process. It’ll happen ... with an executive order.” The truth and facts: Trump CANNOT terminate birthright citizenship using an executive order as this is stipulated and protected by the 14th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due

process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” (Fourteenth Amendment, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution ) The Fourteenth Amendment was adopted on July 5, 1868, and as history.com chronicled, “was one of three amendments passed during the Reconstruction era to abolish slavery and establish civil and legal rights for black Americans.” This law has been challenged in court and upheld by the Supreme Court for more than 200 years. The only way to terminate it would be through Congress. However, despite efforts by the GOP to end birthright citizenship through bills filed in Congress, these never advanced even during the times when the House or Senate was under Republican control. TRUE. There are those who abuse this system, even among our kababayans. “Sa States ka na manganak para U.S. citizen na and anak mo at puwede kang mapetisyon,” is an advise many Filipinos give to those who want to seek better opportunities for their families. Valid argument to look into this abuse of the system by some, but Trump’s way to do it is unconsti-

President Donald Trump

tutional. And now the president is pushing to knowingly subvert the Constitution of the United States by issuing an executive order. CNN reported that Trump’s own party mate, House Speaker Paul Ryan, refuted in a radio interview the president’s claim that he can end the right to citizenship for the children of noncitizens and unauthorized immigrants born on U.S. soil. “As a conservative, I’m a believer in following the plain text of the Constitution and I think in

White House photo

this case the 14th Amendment is pretty clear,” Ryan said. Critics ask, what is Trump up to in spewing more of these antiimmigrant statements just days ahead of the midterm elections? A desperate attempt to fire up his base to win, win, win, at the expense of dividing the country even more? Omar Jadwat, director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, had this to say: “The president cannot erase the Constitution with an execu-

tive order, and the 14th Amendment’s citizenship guarantee is clear. This is a transparent and blatantly unconstitutional attempt to sow division and fan the flames of anti-immigrant hatred in the days ahead of the midterms.” *** 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

Immigrants make our nation strong

Commentary

ATTY. KATIE PORTER EVER wonder why donuts in Southern California always come in pink boxes? The answer, as with so many American success stories, is because of immigrants. In the 1980s, Cambodians who came here as refugees began training and supporting each other to open donut shops all over Southern California. They chose pink boxes because they were a few cents cheaper, which makes a big difference when you’re selling thousands of doughnuts a day. With that business savvy and a lot of hard work, these immigrants built an industry so successful that today those pink boxes are a beloved sight to us all. Southern California has an immigrant community like nowhere else in the world. Residents of

Orange County, where California’s 45th Congressional district is located, speak more than 108 different languages. People move here for work, for school, for family, and for a chance at a better life. Opportunity, above all else, draws people to California. But since the 2016 election, we’ve been challenged by an administration in Washington, D.C. that is trying to take those opportunities away. I’m running for Congress to make sure that doesn’t happen. In talking with people during the past 20 months of my campaign, I’ve heard disappointment and real fear about Donald Trump’s policies—and frustration that our Congressional representative Mimi Walters votes 99 percent of the time with him. These policies—on immigration, taxation, education, healthcare, and so much more—don’t represent Orange County values. They don’t reward hard

work—they penalize it, by taking money from the pockets of hard-working, middle class families who own a home or send their kids to college. Even worse, it feels like Trump and Mimi’s policies are designed to hurt Californians for things we’re proud of: the languages we speak, the way we look, and where we or our families were born. These policies are antiimmigrant and therefore, by definition, un-American. Why would our elected leaders work against Americans? The answer is to reward big corporate donors and special interests. The ultra-wealthy and multinational corporations get a $1.5 trillion tax giveaway. What do Orange County families get? Higher taxes on our homes and businesses, threats to Medicare and Social Security, and $1.9 trillion added to our nation’s deficit. Mimi Walters even tried to take away tax breaks for graduate

students, and for public school teachers who buy supplies for their own classrooms. Tax relief for medical expenses, help with high-cost student loans, aid to those hurt by wildfires, rebates for electric vehicles—Mimi voted to get rid of it all. Our schools are America’s engines of opportunity. We must support and improve our public school and universities. We must make sure everyone who is able to attend college has a space in our classrooms. We should prioritize policies that allow small businesses in Orange County to keep innovating and growing. We must help those who arrive in this country to start small businesses because their efforts create jobs. This election is also critical for our nation’s investments in healthcare. Without a new Democratic majority to keep him in check, Congress will push forward with Trump’s plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act,

deny insurance to seniors and people with pre-existing medical conditions, and gut Medicare and Medi-Cal. Even with the Affordable Care Act, healthcare costs in America are rising. Big insurance and pharmaceutical companies purposely make our current system too complicated to force us to pay them more for our care. I had to have emergency surgery this summer, and I’m currently fighting my insurance company because they said I should have asked—while sedated and on the operating table—whether my surgeon was in-network with my insurance plan. So I’m fighting for Medicare for All, so that everyone has quality healthcare they can afford. In Congress, I want to be a representative for everyone in this district and to recognize the diversity that makes us great. California leads the world in technology, healthcare, education, and agriculture. Without

immigrants, California’s excellence in these industries would be impossible. I’m committed to fighting for policies that foster innovation and keep families together, including comprehensive immigration reform and protections for DREAMers. I live in Irvine, I work at the University of California, and I send my kids to our public schools. I love this community and Orange County. I know who my neighbors are and I’m glad they’re here, including those who immigrated from around the world. I want to be the one to fight for them, and for all of us, in Washington. That pink box of doughnuts sitting in my campaign office right now—I know why it’s there, too, and I’ll never forget the immigrants who started it all. *** Atty. Katie Porter is University of California Irvine Law Professor. She is also consumer attorney and CD-45 Congressional candidate

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

SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • OCtObeR 31-NOvembeR 2, 2018

Election rundown: Midterms 2018 edition Duterte: ‘No martial law, but strongest...

PAGE A3 Treasurer As the name suggests, the state treasurer functions as the state’s chief investment officer and banker. Generally, the treasurer receives and deposits state monies and observes the state’s budget, surpluses and deficits. Republican candidate Greg Conlon is a businessman and certified public accountant (CPA) and has served as the president of the California Public Utilities Commission and also served on the California Transportation Commission. Conlon’s opponent is Democrat Fiona Ma, a CPA with experience in tax law and budget balancing and currently serves on the California Board of Equalization. Ma, a Chinese-American, was also a state assemblymember from 2006 to 2012 and became the first Asian American woman to serve as the Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore, the second highest ranking member of the Assembly. Insurance Commissioner As the title denotes, the insurance commissioner oversees and manages the services of the Department of Insurance, including licensing and regulating insurance companies, enforces laws according to the California Insurance Code and, in general, provides a check on the insurance industry. Ex-Republican Steve Poizner was elected as insurance commissioner as a conservative and served from 2006 to 2010, and he is running again this election — this time, without any party affiliation. Consequently, Poizner — who donated $1 million of his own money to his campaign — is running a campaign touting nonpartisanship in a state in which no-party-preference is becoming more prevalent. Poizner faces off against Democratic CA Sen. Ricardo Lara (DBell Gardens), who has been a

fierce proponent for immigrant rights, especially in the realms of education and public safety. Voters may have seen television attack ads airing anti-immigrant statements Poizner made in a 2010 election, in which he uses the derogatory “illegals” in reference to undocumented immigrants. If elected, Lara would be the first openly gay office holder in California. Key congressional races Congress is the de facto spotlight of the 2018 midterms. When Republicans took majority of both chambers of Congress, people across the country were shocked. The legislative branch is the body responsible for proposing and passing federal laws, and provides a check to the other branches of power. Whichever party earns the majority gains more momentum in passing laws and confirming presidential appointments among other duties. Currently, the House of Representatives contain 235 Republicans and 193 Democrats. But according to RealClearPolitics, Democratic House candidates have an average 7.6-point lead ahead of Republican candidates, making the so-called “blue wave” possible. California’s 39th Congressional District Communities affected: parts of the cities of Fullerton, La Habra, La Habra Heights, Brea, Buena Park, Anaheim Hills, Placentia, Yorba Linda, Diamond Bar, Chino Hills, Hacienda Heights and Rowland Heights. The district’s current representative, Republican Ed Royce, is not running for re-election and has endorsed Korean-American candidate Young Kim, a Republican. A former state assemblymember, Kim is running a platform centered around breaking the partisan “gridlock” of Washington, immigration reform and “empowering teachers and

investing in our schools,” particularly increasing funding for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. Kim’s challenger is first-time candidate Gil Cisneros, a progressive Democrat who has been endorsed by former U.S. President Barack Obama, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Eric Garcetti other Democratic leaders. Cisneros is running a campaign focused on universal health care, increased funding to public education and providing a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, especially recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). According to polls from the New York Times and UC Berkeley, Cisneros is leading the race by 1 point. California’s 21st Congressional District Communities affected: San Joaquin Valley, including areas of Fresno, Kern, Kings and Tulare counties. The Republican incumbent, Rep. David Valadao, is facing off against Democratic challenger TJ Cox, who is half-Filipino and an engineer and small business owner. In a recent debate, Cox slammed Valadao for his vote on the Obamacare repeal which would have wiped health care away from half the district and voted for sharply cutting MediCal. Cox also argued that Valadao has been soft on immigration solutions and slammed the federal government for its “failed leadership” in not aiding Guatemala and Honduras, from which most of the Central American “migrant caravan” has fled. In 2016, 55.2 percent of the 21st District voted for Clinton and, as of 2017, the district leans more Democratic, but Valadao leads the race by 15 points. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

Deployment of OFWs to Saudi... PAGE A5 percent), Europe (6.6 percent), Australia (1.4 percent), Africa (1.4 percent), other countries (0.03 percent). Recruitment and migration expert Emmanuel Geslani said Saudi Arabia is embarking on 10 major projects worth $1 trillion to be implemented from 2018 to 2030. The projects, he said, include

the construction of new cities, expansion of the Grand Mosque, construction of one of the largest malls in the world, medical centers and security compound of the royalty, which will all need the expertise of Filipino workers who may be hired by International contractors from the United States, Korea and France. Saudi Arabia continues to

hire Filipino nurses and medical staff. Skilled labor like maintenance personnel are also in demand. POEA Administrator Bernard Olalia on Sunday said the POEA is now accepting applicants for 1,000 female specialist nurses in all areas for the Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia under the two countries’ government to government hiring program. n

PAGE A5 got angry with him after the Cabinet members they endorsed were rejected by the Commission on Appointments – Rafael Mariano of agrarian reform and Judy Taguiwalo of social welfare. Duterte also asked Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison to give him reason to resume the peace negotiations. “Jose Ma. Sison, give me a good reason to go back to the bargaining table. If there is none or if it’s just a repeat of what we have discussed earlier, then that will not suffice,” he said. The President terminated talks with the communists last year after he accused them of pushing for a coalition government, a power-sharing setup that he said is not allowed by the Constitution. Sison earlier alleged that Duterte would declare martial law nationwide by January next year. But the President insisted such talks have no basis. Sison claimed on Sunday that Duterte wants to declare martial law nationwide before the May 2019 elections to ensure that the

results are in his favor. Sison, chief political consultant of the National Democratic Front (NDF), said that from inside Duterte’s ruling clique, the latest report is that Duterte himself and his innermost cabal are hell-bent on ensuring their stay in power through a presidential proclamation of martial law nationwide before the May 2019 midterm elections. “They have decided to make the martial law proclamation as early as January 2019 in order to ensure that they control and determine the results of the elections. In accordance with their decision, they are mobilizing government agencies to hype the threat of a supposed rolling ouster plot by Reds, yellows and unreliables within the AFP and PNP and to step up the vilification campaigns, intrigues and repressive actions,” Sison said. He said that while being panicky and violence-prone, Duterte and his allies underestimated the extent and rate of the people’s rejection of the Duterte regime. An official of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Zamboanga City, however, said that

A

the declaration of martial law in Mindanao would help in the maintenance of peaceful elections in the region. Stephen Roy Cañete, District 1 election officer, said yesterday that martial law would secure election hotspots. “The election is expected to be going smooth because of the martial law implementation,” Cañete said. Martial law was extended since October last year and will end on Dec. 31 this year. However, there were calls to again extend martial law, with the military saying the threat of terrorism is continuously being addressed in Mindanao. Armed Forces chief Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr. had earlier expressed optimism that there will be peaceful elections in the perennial hotspots in Sulu and other trouble areas. Cañete said the Comelec would train policemen who could be deputized as election officers in areas where teachers face security threats.(With reports from Jose Rodel Clapano, Edith Regalado, Roel Pareño/ Philstar.com)

A OctOber 31-NOvember 2, 2018 • Socal ASIAN JOUrNAL

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SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 31 - NOVEMBER 2, 2018

B

Banking sector sustains growth in H1 by Mary

grace Philstar.com

Padin

THE Philippine banking system sustained its growth in the first semester of the year, reflecting the financial system’s resilience amid global volatilities and uncertainties, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported Friday, October 26. In a statement, the BSP said the banking system showed continued positive performance in the first semester on the back of financial sector reforms, strong macroeconomic fundamentals and positive investor sentiment. “The Philippine financial system, with the banking system at its core, continues to provide financial intermediation to further boost the domestic economy,� the central bank said. According to data from the BSP, the banking system’s total assets as of end-June expanded by 10.3 percent to P15.704 tril-

In a statement, the BSP said the banking system showed continued positive performance in the first semester on the back of financial sector reforms, strong macroeconomic fundamentals and positive investor sentiment. Philstar photo by Edd Gumban

lion from a year ago, mainly driven by loans which grew by more than 16 percent to P9.352 trillion. Gross financial assets also increased by 15 percent to P3.237 trillion, while deposits grew by 10.3 percent to P12.15 trillion. The banking system’s capital also continued an upward trend, rising by 14.6 percent to P1.691 trillion. As of end-June, banks have established a total network of

u PAGE B3

DoF chief open to Bataan plant revival

Bataan Nuclear Power Plant. by MayVeLin

U. carabaLLoi

Manilatimes.net photo by Rene H. Dils

In a recent interview, Finance Manilatimes.net Secretary Carlos Dominguez 3rd said “we have all the safety meaTHE government should con- sures� for the revival, adding sider reviving the 34-year-old that updating the instrumentaBataan Nuclear Power Plant tion of the mothballed facility in (BNPP) to lower electricity costs, Bataan province’s Morong town according to the Finance depart- would reduce power rates. ment. u PAGE B5

Jollibee pursues aggressive push in US, Canada Jollibee and JFC North America president Jose MiĂąana (right) mingle with the crowd who queued up for as long as 20 hours and braved the heavy rains as well as cold weather to witness the opening of its first store in Manhattan, New York. Philstar.com file photo by Lawrence

agcaoiLi Philstar.com

NEW YORK — From London last week, the busy bee has flown to the “City that Never Sleeps.� As it moved to aggressively expand in the United States and Canada and be among the top five restaurant chains in the world, popular fast-food restaurant Jollibee took another bite out of the “Big Apple� when it opened its first store in Manhattan in New York City last Saturday morning.

Jose MiĂąana, Jollibee Foods Corp. (JFC) group president for North America, led the opening of its second store in New York state after the first in Woodside, Queens in 2009. The opening drew long lines of customers who queued for hours and braved the heavy rains as well as the three-degree-Celsius temperature to be among the first to finally get their hands on the “crispyliciousâ€? and “juicyliciousâ€? Chickenjoy. Justin Callan of Coney Island in New York and his Filipina fiancĂŠe Faye Javier

of Taytay, Rizal in the Philippines waited for about 20 hours, beating the 18-hour waiting time during the opening of the Jollibee store in London last Oct. 20. “I have never seen any opening and we have never opened in the history of Jollibee somebody who has lined up the morning before, it is the night before, the day before but not the morning before,â€? MiĂąana said. The couple, who queued at exactly 11:58 a.m. last Friday, has been to different Jollibee stores around the world, including the Philip-

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ADB prioritizes speed of implementation, climate resilience in project funding by czeriza

VaLencia Philstar.com

SPEED and efficiency of implementation and climate resilience will be the top priorities in the delivery of projects under the new long-term strategy of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The Manila-based multilateral bank recently held the Forum for Successful Project Design and Implementation: Implementing

Strategy 2030 on the Ground. This year’s forum brings together more than 100 representatives from 37 ADB member countries. During the forum, ADB president Takehiko Nakao highlighted six areas in which ADB is collaborating with executing and implementing agencies to deliver successful projects. On top of the priority list is ensuring speed and efficiency in project delivery, supported

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The Manila-based multilateral bank recently held the Forum for Successful Project Design and Implementation: Implementing Strategy 2030 on the Ground. Philstar file photo by Michael Varcas

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

B OCTOBER 31 - NOVEMBER 2, 2018 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

Business news

China to finance P743-B in PH infra projects At least 2 loan agreements to be signed when Xi visits Manila in Nov. by Ben

O. de Vera Inquirer.net

INFRASTRUCTURE to be financed by Chinese loans and grants are moving toward implementation ahead of the forthcoming visit of President Xi Jinping in November even as China has yet to provide the Philippine government with a shortlist of contractors for some projects, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) documents showed. Based on the pipeline of programs and projects for official development assistance as of Sept. 28, 18 projects and programs worth a total of P743 billion would be rolled out using Chinese financing—16 worth P740.5 billion through loans on top of two projects with a combined project cost of P2.5 billion through grants. Government sources said at least three loan agreements would be signed on the sidelines of Xi’s visit to Manila, of which financing for two projects were ready for signing—the P175.3billion North-South Railway Project (NSRP)-South Line (Long Haul) as well as the P12.2-billion New Centennial Water Source-

What’s New Arlene Al-os, CPA, MBA AMOUNTS for tax returns in 2018 are compared with amounts in 2017. Exemption credits: a. $118 from $114 - Single, Married filing separately, Head of Household. b. $236 from $228 - Married filing jointly. c. $367 from $353 - Dependent. d. $118 from $114 - Age 65 or older. You are considered to be 65 at the end of 2017 if you turn 65 in January 1, 2018. Exemption credits are phased out by $6 or $12 for each $1,250 or $2,500 that federal AGI exceeds certain amounts over $194,504 from $187,203. Itemized deductions are also phased out if federal AGI exceeds certain amounts over $187,203

Kaliwa Dam Project. To be implemented by the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the NSRP-South Line involves the construction and subsequent operation and maintenance of a 581-kilometer standard-gauge long-haul railway operations from Los Baños to Matnog and a branch line from Calamba to Batangas, NEDA said. The railway project “aims to achieve less than five-hour travel time from Manila to Legazpi,” NEDA added. As of last month, procurement of the project management consultancy contract worth P14.8 billion was ongoing, according to NEDA. The Kaliwa Dam project to be rolled out by the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, meanwhile, involves the construction of a dam and conveyance tunnel that will provide additional 600 million liters of raw water to ensure water security in the whole of Metro Manila and parts of Cavite and Rizal, NEDA said. So far, bidding for design and construction works has been completed and post-qualification process is ongoing for the dam

project, according to NEDA. Also under negotiations for loan from China was the BCDA’s P57.2-billion Subic-Clark Railway Project that will connect the two freeport zones in Central Luzon. It is in pre-procurement stage as the BCDA and the DOTr prepare the contract and bidding documents ahead of the targeted signing of commercial contract in November. The following projects led by the Department of Public Works and Highways will also secure Chinese loans: P13.7-billion construction of five bridges across the Pasig-Marikina River and Manggahan Floodway; P39.2billion Ambal-Simuay River and Rio Grande de Mindanao River Flood Control Projects; feasibility studies for the P25.6-billion Davao City Expressway Project, P97.3-billion Panay-GuimarasNegros Island Bridges, P56.6billion Cebu-Bohol Link Bridge, P44.6-billion North Luzon Expressway East Project, P47.4billion Dinagat (Leyte)-Surigao Link Bridge, P57.6-billion LuzonSamar Link Bridge, P72.1-billion Bohol-Leyte Link Bridge, P14.4billion Negros-Cebu Link Bridge, and P2.3-billion Camarines Sur Expressway Project. n

California tax rates and exemptions for 2018 tax returns from $182.459. Standard deductions: a. $4,401 from $4,2,36 - Single and filing married filing separate. b. $8,802 from $8,472 - Married filing joint, head of household, surviving spouse. c. $1,050 from $1,050 - Minimum standard deduction for dependents. Non-refundable renter’s credit: a. $60 - Single or married filing separate with California AGI of $41,641 or less from $40,078 or less. b. $120 - Married filing joint, head of household, or surviving spouse with California AGI of $83,282 from $80,156 or less. Individual tax rates: a. 12.30% - Maximum rate for regular income tax. b. 7.00% - Alternative Mini-

mum Tax (AMT). c. 1.00% - The Mental Health Services Tax Rate for taxable income in excess of $1,000,000. Corporate tax rates: a. 8.84% - Income tax rate for regular C corporations. b. 1.50% - Income tax rate for S corporations. c. 6.65% - AMT rate for regular C corporations. AMT exemptions: a. $47,685 from $45,895- Married filing separate, estates, and trusts. b. $71,531 from $68,846 - Single and head of household. c. $95,373 from $91,793 Married filing joint, surviving spouse. FTB (Franchise Tax Board) recovery fees: a. $81 - Personal income tax filing enforcement fee.

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http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA (Continued from last week’s issue …) “Pay attention, Icarus. Stick close behind me and watch your altitude. Fly too low and the sea with its moisture will make your wings too heavy. Fly too high and the heat of the sun will melt the wax in your wings. Take heed and stay close.” Icarus nodded agreement but he was far too excited and his mind was already in the sky. Daedalus took off flapping his wings faster and faster to get vertical lift-off and escape gravity. Icarus followed suit and took off shortly after. As they flew, the people on the ground in Crete watched in amazement wondering whether the winged creatures are the gods themselves flying. Icarus trailed his father closely at first, following his flight pattern and struggling to take heed of his father’s admonitions. But feeling an overwhelming sense of growing power in his ability to fly, reveling in his freedom and giving in to his impetuous, youthful nature, Icarus deviated a little

Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes ESTABLISHING parentage rights for Moms is a lot easier than establishing one for unmarried Dads. Moms can establish this by simply showing proof of her having given birth to the child. Family Code §7610. Establishing parentage rights, including custody and visitation rights, becomes more problematic with unmarried Dads because proving yourself as the biological father does not automatically make you the natural father of the child. Under the family code, there are competing presumptions of paternity which allows the non biological father to be deemed the natural father of the child. A typical situation is when boyfriend gets girlfriend pregnant. Girlfriend for some reason decides to exclude boyfriend

Children just like you (2 of 2 parts)

“The deepest definition of youth is life as yet untouched by tragedy.” —Alfred North Whitehead at first, taking little swoops and side trips and catching up with his father who was intently flying on a steady speed and altitude. As Icarus swooped, dived and indulged frivolously in his aerial acrobatics, Icarus soon forgot his father’s words and flew higher and higher towards the noonday sun. Then the wax in his wings melted, the wooden framework broke apart and the feathers blew away. Wingless and panicking, Icarus plunged headlong like deadweight into the blue waters. Daedalus swooped down in hot pursuit to save his son but it was much too late. All he saw were a few feathers floating on the surface. Daedalus, with a heavy heart at the tragic loss of his beloved Icarus, managed to fly to Sicily. In his grief, Daedalus retired his wings, lost his love for life and never flew again. Over and over again through the generations, we see this ten-

dency of some of the young ones to “forget” the things they have been taught and allow hubris and folly to rule. Some throw away everything they have learned and painstakingly worked for in one impetuous decision or action. It is as if their overwhelming sense of freedom, newly-attained independence and sense of power goads them to “fly close to the sun.” Humility gets torpedoed and overweening pride rules. They feel they no longer need guidance from anyone. Sometimes a good scare or a tiny thorn of bad experience can be humbling and worth more than a lifetime of warnings, advice and admonitions to nudge prideful youth back to reality and on the straight and narrow. While we may think that this tendency of the youth today is unique to our times, we only have to look back several thou-

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How to obtain custody and visitation rights for unmarried dads from baby’s life so she breaks up with boyfriend, does not give the boyfriend any information about her delivery, and does not state the boyfriend as the father in the birth certificate or decides to name someone else as the father. Girlfriend does this because her parents disapprove of the ex boyfriend. One way a presumption of Paternity is created is by executing a voluntary declaration of paternity. A Voluntary declarations executed before 1997 give rise to a conclusive presumption of paternity and can be overcome only by blood or genetic tests ordered on noticed motion by the mother or presumed father must be made within three years of the date of execution of the voluntary declaration Family.Code. 7576; Kevin Q. v. Lauren W. (2009) 175 CA4th 1119, 1133, 95 CR3d 477, 485 If the voluntary declara-

tion of paternity is executed after 1996, it is not characterized as a conclusive presumption. Instead, it “shall establish the paternity of a child and shall have the same force and effect as a judgment for paternity issued by a court of competent jurisdiction” and trumps 7611 presumptions discussed below. A post 1996 voluntary declaration of paternity “shall be recognized as a basis for the establishment of an order for child custody, visitation, or child support.” Family .Code 7573, 7644; Kevin Q. v. Lauren W., supra, 175 CA4th at 1132, 95 CR3d at 485; In re J.L. (2008) 159 CA4th 1010, 1019, 72 CR3d 27, 33. Another way of establishing presumed father status is if you fall under any of the categories listed (a) to (f) under family code 7611:

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BUSINESS NEWS

(818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 • http://www.asianjournal.com

Senior needs Chapter 13 to protect house from creditors of a failed business THE client is 71. Her husband died five years ago, so she lives with her unmarried son who does not have full time or steady employment. She has a large equity in her residence of about $400,000. For her age, the equity exemption for homestead is $175,000. She was a registered nurse when she was still working. Her social security is $2,200, while her mortgage payment is $1,100. She has no other income in addition to social security. Considering son is not gainfully employed, she has to rely on herself. She says, in response to my question, how she feels, that she still feels the same as when she was young, but when she looks at the mirror, she says that she has become old. Well, how true that age is only in the mind. An older person actually is like an older model car that is well kept and maintained. It still runs well and looks like a car, but the new cars sort of stand out when they are placed side by side. Just put your well-maintained 1995 Camry beside a 2018 Tesla model 3, and the difference in appearance is obvious. But both cars will get you where you want to go. The Camry will be noisier because of its gas engine. The Tesla will be very quiet because it has no mechanical engine. It’s electric. It looks sleeker than the Camry. The client had $300,000 in her 401K when she was still working and younger. However, she liquidated the entire amount with penalty. Why did she do this, I asked. She said she invested half, $150,000, in a business which did not succeed. The other $150,000 she put in something else. In other words, right now, at age 71, the $300,000 is gone. Would have been nice to have that $300,000 around now that she is retired, right? Anyway, this is water under the bridge. The investment mistake has been made and cannot be reversed. Well, “what’s the problem now?” I ask. She says that the business had two loans that she guaranteed personally. She thinks the two

Debt Relief

ATTY. LAWRENCE YANG loans are about $20,000. How many times have I said, never personally guarantee a business loan. I must have said it a hundred times before. If the business folds, just put the company, LLC or corporation, in Chapter 7 liquidation and let the business creditors file their claims in the bankruptcy estate of the business, and forget about them. You, as owner or officer, will not be personally liable for those business debts, unless of course, you give the creditors your personal guarantee, then most assuredly, you are on the hook, including your beloved house. Certainly, the client does not want the business creditors to touch her house. How can they do this? They can sue her on her personal guaranty; get a judgment and subsequently a judgment lien on her residence. Unfortunately, judgment creditors can literally force the sale of her house in due time unless she protects herself and her house now with Chapter 13. She can’t do a Chapter 7 because her home equity is a lot more than $175,000. It doesn’t make sense to lose your house to the Chapter 7 trustee who can sell her house, give her $175,000, and use the rest of the sale proceeds to pay the $20,000 and pay trustee fees as well as trustee legal fees, which can be a lot. Just the trustee motion to authorize the sale of the house can cost $25,000 to $30,000. The trustee lawyer gets his fees as well as the trustee CPA. After all debts and expenses are paid, in addition to the $175K given to her for her home equity exemption, not much more will be left to be given to her. This means that with Chapter 7, she could lose her house for $20,000 of business debt that she guaranteed personally.

But in Chapter 13, the trustee doesn’t have the power to sell debtor’s residence. Chapter 13 protects the debtor and her house be preventing the creditor lawsuits and judgment liens on her residence from ever happening. However, the Chapter 13 plan, in her case since she has a big amount of nonexempt equity, the $20,000 must be paid over 60 months in equal monthly installments. That would be about $350 a month, more or less for 60 months. Once the case is filed, the creditors cannot sue her on her personal guarantee. Therefore, they cannot get a judgment lien on her residence. Chapter 13 protects her residence. How can she “Age Well” with a judgment lien on her residence? If you add attorney fees, interest and costs, the judgment lien would be about $30K, not $20,000, which is just the principal owed. Creditors have to pay lawyers to file the lawsuits and get the judgment and liens. They cost money as everyone knows. Trump paid his personal lawyer Cohen hundreds of thousands of legal fees. Lawyers cost money. That’s a fact of life. Judgments earn legal interest of 10 percent a year. So, soon enough the $20,000 of business debt becomes $60,000 of judgment lien on client’s house. We don’t want that to happen. Certainly not. Her business is an S corporation with several stockholders. That corporation can file it’s own Chapter 7 to handle all of its business debts. These debts have nothing to do with the client because she only gave her personal guarantee on $20,000 of those business debts. *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy, business, real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S. Fremont Ave, Mailstop 58, Building A-1 Suite 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803. (Advertising Supplement)

Jollibee pursues aggressive push...

PAGE B1 t

pines, Toronto and Hawaii. “We came in yesterday morning, we just wanted to be out here, experience this in person and we powered through it between the rain and the weather was alright. Jollibee is all about family and love,” Callan said. Callan and Javier received a one-year free supply of Chickenjoy, a limited edition Jollibee Funko Pop figures, Jollibee dolls and other collectibles. The line of customers stretching along 8th Avenue and 40th street braved the heavy rains, strong winds and cold weather leading to the opening of the Manhattan branch at 8 a.m. of Saturday. Paolo Bautista, another Filipino from Malabon City and whose family is now based in New York, queued wearing his Jollibee costume at around 4 a.m. or four hours before opening time. Bautista, together with other customers who wore Jollibee costumes, were rewarded exclusive Jollibee Funko Pop figures. Barely two hours after it opened its doors, the new store was already servicing its 150th customer. Miñana said Jollibee’s Manhattan branch opening brings the number of Jollibee stores in North America to 41 – 37 in the U.S. and four in Canada. Maribeth dela Cruz, vice president and general manager for JFC North America, said the store in Manhattan has 67 employees, of which 15 are foreigners and the rest are Filipinos. “We hope that the people of Manhattan will come and experience for themselves why people line up for a taste of Jollibee,” she said. Jollibee opened its first store in London, where there are around 125,000 Filipinos, last Oct. 20. The largest restaurant company in the Philippines and Asia, however, is not about to stop yet

serving the world-famous Chickenjoy, Jolly Spaghetti and Peach Mango Pies to about 3.5 million Filipinos in North America, according to Miñana. “Definitely we have aggressive plans to expand both in the US and Canada. We are finalizing our plans in terms of the number, etc., but we are laying out our plans looking at sites in different areas,” he said. Jollibee opened its first store in North America in Daly City, California in 1998. Now, it has presence in the states of Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, Texas, Washington and Virginia in the US as well as Manitoba and Ontario in Canada. Miñana said Jollibee is opening another store in Las Vegas next month as it continues to look for additional sites in the U.S. and Canada. “We are opening still a few more this year. We are opening in Las Vegas this November, and next year, we will also be opening a good number in the U.S. and Canada. This will continue in the next five years,” he said. Jollibee has 222 international branches in the U.S., Canada, Hong Kong, Brunei, Vietnam, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Italy, Macau and the United Kingdom. It has more than 1,000 stores in the Philippines. “We are excited to finally open our doors in the heart of bustling Manhattan, which is not just a center of business and finance but a major cultural entertainment hub that receives millions of visitors from around the world each year. The diversity of the food culture and the fast pace of living here make it perfect for our new Jollibee store location,” he said. Miñana pointed out that the company is also targeting to cross to non-Filipino customers. “This is one step toward that,”

he said, referring to the Manhattan branch opening. “There are only 10,000 Filipinos here in Manhattan, but we are beside the Port Authority and the subway to capture those from Jersey and Queens who come here. Filipinos can bring other friends,” he said. The Jollibee Group, including Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal, Yonghe King and Hong Zhuang Yuan, currently has 4,200 stores in 20 countries worldwide amid its aggressive international expansion plan. It plans to open 50 stores across Europe in the next five years, with 25 in the United Kingdom alone, while the other half will be scattered across the continent with Madrid or Barcelona in Spain as the next targets. The fast-food giant also plans to expand in Asia, including Vietnam, Brunei, Singapore and Hong Kong. It also plans to expand to Malaysia, particularly in Kota Kinabalu this year. “We have our dream and vision to become one of the top five restaurant companies in the world. When our founders said they wanted to be number one in the Philippines, with the giants, and we are. Later on, we said we wanted to be number one in Asia and then we are. So, now we want to be one of the top five in the world,” Miñana said. JFC recently acquired an 85percent stake in Smashburger as well as a 60-percent stake in SuperFoods Group that owns Highland Coffee and PHO24. It recently entered into an agreement with award-winning chef Rick Bayless to build a Mexican casual restaurant business in the US. JFC has investments in Titan Dining LP, the ultimate holding company of Tim Ho Wan Pte Ltd., the master franchisee of Tim Ho Wan in the Asia-Pacific region, excluding Hong Kong.■

Banking sector sustains growth...

PAGE B1 t

581 head offices and 11,485 other offices. The banking system booked a total net income of P86 billion as of end-June, 5.8 percent higher than last year’s level. The BSP said banks’ profitability was buoyed by the 14.1 percent growth in their net interest income to P238.5 billion during the period. “Overall, the double-digit yearon-year growth of the banking system’s assets, loans, investments, deposits, capital accounts and core income showcases resilience amid global volatilities and ensures another pillar to support the economy’s progress,” the BSP said.

“While the banking system continues to expand its reach to extend credit to borrowers, prudent lending resulted in satisfactory asset quality with non-performing loan ratio at a low of 1.9 percent as of end-June 2018,” it said. The BSP said its financial soundness analysis of the banking sector—which includes capital adequacy, asset quality, earnings, liquidity and sensitivity to market risk—also showed the banking system remained stable in the first half. However, the central bank assured it would continue to monitor risks to the system, particularly on lending. “Intense supervisory engage-

ment with banks should continue to supplement the close monitoring and surveillance activities currently being employed for these types of credit exposure,” the BSP said. Meanwhile, the BSP said the foreign currency deposit system, trust operations, quasi-banks and other non-bank financial institutions also posted steady growth in the first half, contributing to the strong performance of the financial system. The central bank said this dynamism in the financial system justified the strong positive outlook of presidents, chief executive officers and country managers on the sector based on the Banking Sector Outlook Survey. ■

SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 31 - NOVEMBER 2, 2018

Calendar of Events across

America

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FASGI presents FAIR art exhibit in Los Angeles FASGI is pleased to announce FAIR – FASGI Artists Impressions & Reflections – an art exhibit to be held from October 9, 2018 to November 9, 2018 at the FASGI Bayanihan Center (135 N. Park View St., Los Angeles, CA 90026). FAIR is presented as part of FASGI’s Arts Incubator Program. FAIR will showcase five internationally-acclaimed artists who will unveil new and original artworks: Rafael Maniago, Cesar Devera, Johnny Otilano, Mat Relox, and Tiinz Taruc. FASGI’s Arts Incubator Program was created in 2016 to promote and uplift Filipino and Filipino American arts and culture. The program’s mission is to: (1) help Filipino American artists to be properly recognized and given economic opportunities for advancement; (2) enable Filipino Americans to get in touch with their culture; and (3) to educate mainstream America on Philippine/American art. The program currently includes a permanent gallery, special exhibits, portraiture, parol-making, and an artist-in-residence program. Art workshops, instruction, and live projects are currently being planned for commencement in 2019.

O C TO B E R 3 0 - D EC E M B E R 1 2

JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles features Sou Fujimoto: Futures of the Future exhibition JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles is pleased to announce the upcoming SOU FUJIMOTO: FUTURES OF THE FUTURE exhibition, taking place Oct. 27 - Dec. 12, 2018 at JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles, located at Hollywood & Highland. Named the Wall Street Journal’s Architecture Innovator of The Year in 2014, Fujimoto has designed public and private buildings around the world since establishing his atelier in 2000. This exhibition is a showcase of over 100 models and large-scale photographs of past and current projects by the celebrated Japanese architect. Fujimoto addresses many opposite concepts, including the recurring theme the “primitive future.” This apparent contradiction refers to the primordial, intuitive moments that reconnect us with our own humanity, and open us up to new possibilities. His designs often feature juxtapositions of outside and inside, nature and urbanity, objects and spaces, public and private. And, his work considers the macro and micro: when does an object become a space? Exhibition dates from Oct. 27 to Dec. 12 are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, except Sunday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Closed Thanksgiving Day 11/22). JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles is located at 6801 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028 (inside Hollywood & Highland). Admission is free. For more information, please call (800) 516-0565 or visit https://www.japanhouse.jp/losangeles/events/.

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SIPA hosts halloween carnival in Los Angeles SIPA is having its Halloween Carnival once again! Come by on Halloween, Wednesday, October 31 from 5-9 p.m. for some spooky fun! Children and families can have fun with our bouncy house, games, arts and craft booths, food, performances, and Haunted House! Candies and treats will be given to attendants! Open to all. Admission is free. Booths and attractions may cost some money. We accept cash, card, or venmo. The address is 3200 W. Temple Street, LA, CA 90026 at the Robinson St. and Temple St. parking lot. Limited parking is available for attendants on Dillon St. and Temple St. The Facebook event page can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/events/173670190179734.

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Association of Calambeños of Southern California holds gala night in Monrovia, CA The Association of Calambeños of Southern California (ACASCA) invites you on Saturday, November 3 to its gala night at The Courtyard by Marriott (700 W. Huntington Dr., Monrovia, CA 91016). Entertainment and music will be provided by Maricar and the 4700 Band with Val Villar. The attire is formal and cost for prepaid ticket is $55. For tickets, please contact Marcie Reyes at (323) 528-5672 or Junea Carritos at (818) 235-4155. For souvenir book sponsorship, please email fides.nagpala@cox.net. For more information, please visit http://acasca.org.

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Art exhibit inspired by Filipino food movement in Santa Ana, CA In “Super Sarap” — from November 3 to December 15 at Gallery 6/67 — three artists Mik Gaspay, Jeanne Jalandoni, and O.M. France Viana revisit commonplace objects and food within Filipino cooking. Through sculpture and photography, the artists elicit personal and collective memories and offer cultural connections that go beyond the Philippine diaspora. The exhibition title, “Super Sarap,” fuses both English and Tagalog together, to hold multiple meanings. It can convey something that is extremely delicious, an expression of excitement and affirmation. Artists in “Super Sarap” play with these definitions and mutate symbols, making them both strange and familiar, challenging the expectations of cultural norms. It is guest curated by Patricia Cariño Valdez, an independent curator based in Oakland, CA. In addition to the exhibit, there will be two art and culinary events: an intimate four-course gourmet dinner prepared by acclaimed Orange County Chefs, Ross Pangilinan of Mix Mix Kitchen Bar on November 15 and Chef Ryan Garlitos of Irenia Restaurant on December 9 combined with an exhibition walk-through. The opening reception for Super Sarap will be on Saturday, November 3 from 6 to 9 p.m. Gallery 6/67 is located at 404 West 4th St., Suite K (2nd floor), Santa Ana, CA 92701. Gallery visits are by appointment. For more information about the exhibit and related events, visit https://www.gallery667.com.

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2nd annual Cinematografo International Film Festival in San Francisco The second annual Cinematografo International Film Festival will be held from November 8 to 11 in San Francisco. The Cinematografo International Film Festival is the premier event for Filipinos abroad to tell their stories and the platform to bring these films to the world stage. The festival is an annual celebration of film and culture, highlighted by Cinematografo Originals – a co-production initiative to help filmmakers realize their stories on the big screen. On its second year, the festival’s theme is “Breaking Down Walls,” which refers not only to divisions along global political lines but also aims to empower storytellers in breaking through barriers in film and story whether in terms of subject matter, representation and cultural limitations. For more information, please visit https://cinematografofilmfestival.com/.

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PUPAA-USA Inc. to host dinner/dance and installation of officers in Glendale, CA The Polytechnic University of the Philippines Alumni Association-USA, Inc., (PUPAA-USA), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, will hold its installation of officers and board members on Saturday, November 10, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. at the Pacific Community Center (501 S. Pacific Avenue, Glendale, CA 91204). This will be a dinner and dance and membership night, holiday celebration. The net proceeds from this fundraising event will go to the PUPAA Scholarship Fund. This is a great opportunity to get together with former classmates, colleagues, friends, families and supporters. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn and get inspired of what PUPAA, USA Inc. has done and contributed to our Alma Mater and what it can offer for you! The Officers and Board Members to be installed are: Chairman of the Board, Dr. Oscar Jornacion, Vice Chairman of the Board, Dr. Henry Divina; President, Monette Santillan-Rivera; Executive Vice President, Vee Cristobal; Vice President-Job Placement, Honeylette Deleon; Vice President-Finance, Jun Mapoy; Vice President-Public Relations, Rosemarie Mejia; Vice Presidents-Membership, Evangeline Codilla and Sandra Dollano; Vice President-Ways and Means, Aimee Sarmiento; Secretary, Marissa Palanca; Treasurer and Accountant, Dr. Gerry Fernando; Auditor, Linda Santos; and Assistant Public Relations Officers, Connie Acosta and Virginia Herbito. For other related questions, please contact Monette Santillan-Rivera at (818) 970-8317, Sandra Dollano at (213) 570-3179 and Vangie Codilla at (818) 468-3386.

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How to obtain custody and visitation...

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(a) He and the child’s natural mother are or have been married to each other and the child is born during the marriage, or within 300 days after the marriage is terminated by death, annulment, declaration of invalidity, or divorce, or after a judgment of separation is entered by a court. (b) Before the child’s birth, he and the child’s natural mother have attempted to marry each other by a marriage solemnized in apparent compliance with law, although the attempted marriage is or could be declared invalid, and either of the following is true: (1) If the attempted marriage could be declared invalid only by a court, the child is born during the attempted marriage, or within 300 days after its termination by death, annulment, declaration of invalidity, or divorce. (2) If the attempted marriage is invalid without a court order, the child is born within 300 days after the termination of cohabitation. (c) After the child’s birth, he and the child’s natural mother have married, or attempted to marry, each other by a marriage solemnized in apparent compliance with law, although the attempted marriage is or could be declared invalid, and either of the following is true: (1) With his consent, he is named as the child’s father on the child’s birth certificate. (2) He is obligated to support the child under a written voluntary promise or by court order. (d) He receives the child into his home and openly holds out the child as his natural child. (e) If the child was born and resides in a nation with which the United States engages in an Orderly Departure Program or successor program, he acknowledges that he is the child’s father in a declaration under penalty of perjury, as specified in Section 2015.5 of the Code of Civil Pro-

cedure. This subdivision shall remain in effect only until January 1, 1997, and on that date shall become inoperative. (f) The child is in utero after the death of the decedent and the conditions set forth in Section 249.5 of the Probate Code are satisfied. An alleged biological father who does not meet any of the 7611 conditions for presumed father status has no constitutionally-protected “liberty interest” in establishing a parentage relationship with a child as against the rights of a presumptive father who has an extant parentage relationship with the child. Dawn D. v. Super.Ct. (Jerry K.) (1998) 17 C4th 932, 940–942, 72 CR2d 871, 876–877 The facts get even more complicated if the girlfriend, whom boyfriend gets pregnant is married to another man because the law provides a conclusive presumption of paternity to the husband of the girlfriend. Under Family Code 7540, the child of a wife cohabiting at time of conception with her husband, who is not impotent or sterile, is “conclusively” presumed to be a child of the marriage. This conclusive presumption may be challenged by showing that the husband was sterile. It may also be challenged by filing a motion for blood or genetic testing under Family Code 7541 but this has to be done within 2 years of the childs birth. In addition, only persons with standing can bring this motion which is limited to the husband, child, mother and a presumed father as listed in Family Code 7611 and 7612. Even absent a recognized rebuttal, the court has discretion as a matter of due process not to apply 7540 conclusive presumption of paternity when it would not further the statute’s underlying policies of preserving the integrity and stability of an extant marital family, protecting children from

the stigma of “illegitimacy,” and promoting individual rather than State responsibility for child support ... as where the ostensible 7540 presumptive father never developed a parental relationship with the child and the only established parent-child relationship is with a third person. Brian C. v. Ginger K. (2000) 77 CA4th 1198, 1200–1201, 92 CR2d 294, 296; In re Kiana A. (2001) 93 CA4th 1109, 1115, 113 CR2d 669, 675. Procedurally, the ex boyfriend should file a Petition for Parentage as soon as the child is born. While the case is pending, the ex boyfriend may seek temporary visitation order although this may be on a limited or even monitored basis. If successful in proving parentage, the ex boyfriend may be granted custody and visitation rights. However, the ex boyfriend would also have the obligation of paying child support based on California guidelines. *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com. (Advertising Supplement)

California tax rates and excemptions... PAGE B2 t b. $266 - Personal income tax collection fee. c. $100 - Corporation filing enforcement fee. d. $365 - Corporation collection fee. Miscellaneous credits a. 2% of California taxable income or maximum credit of $1,434 from $1,380 - Qualified senior head of household credit

with maximum California AGI of $76,082. b. 30% of net tax or maximum credit of 451- Joint custody head of household credit/dependent parent credit. *** Disclaimer: Any accounting, business or tax advice contained in this communication is neither intended as a thorough, in-depth analysis of specific issues, nor a substitute for a formal

opinion, nor is it sufficient to avoid taxrelated penalties. *** Al-os & Associates Accountancy Corporation provides accounting and tax services to individuals, corporations, LLCs and business entities. The Firm has a niche in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS and other governmental agencies. (Advertising Supplement)

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DoF chief open to Bataan plant revival

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“That is something that we should consider if we want to bring down power rates. It might be a good investment; it’s already 600 megawatts,” he said. The Finance chief also said he would encourage Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi to further study the possible revival to see if it was really safe and made economic sense. “Incidentally, the exact sister plant of BNPP has been running in Slovenia for the past almost 50 years with no problems,” he noted. Cusi would also be the right person to ask how much the government would spend on the possible revival, Dominguez said.

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For Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno, cutting electricity costs is important, but any plan to revive the plant must be carefully scrutinized. “All options should be considered in order to lower power rates. The costs and benefits should be looked into before the decision to operate BNPP is taken,” he told The Manila Times in a text message on Sunday, October 28. The 620-megawatt BNPP was constructed in 1976 under the regime of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos. It was completed in 1984, but Marcos’ successor, the late Corazon Aquino, opted not to activate the plant following the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

Plans to revive the facility have cropped up in succeeding administrations. During the administration of Benigno Aquino 3rd, a bill aimed to rehabilitate the BNPP was approved by the House of Representatives Committee on Energy. But it got stalled after an earthquake and tsunami triggered the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant disaster in Japan in March 2011. In 2016, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered a study on the possibility of reopening the BNPP. Earlier this year, the Energy department said Russian, Slovenian and South Korean nuclear experts recommended the plant’s revival. n

dom, no real learning is possible. There are lives all around us who can serve as models that we can emulate and cautionary tales we can learn from. On the part of adults who have been there and done all that and have the scars to show for it, achieving perspective and an empathetic bone are needed to remember we were once just as young, just as foolish, or perhaps even more so. But that we praise the God of our being and with all humility admit that we were the lucky ones who got a pass because life was magnanimous enough to let us get past that harrowing stage of youthful folly, with barely a scratch and live long enough to see the cycle repeated in our children. DEEP SIGH… Picture a flashback. You can almost see your mother, her eyes rolling upward, throwing her hands in the air in sheer frustration after you’ve committed a stupid, arrogant stunt or acted

like a mindless jackass for the nth time when you were young, quipping a line that sounds like a curse, “May you have children just like you!” Of course, it works just as well on the flip side of the coin. When you have children who have finally become wise after being foolish, you can say the same line as a blessing and heave a sigh of relief. Take heed, young ones. One day, you will become adults who will have children of your own. Then you’ll know that what goes around, definitely comes around.

Children just like you

sand years to know that the scenario may have changed, the cast of characters in every generation in every nation may be different, but the predilection for hubris particularly in the young, remains the same. Notice the youth within your immediate daily orbit. With few exceptions, you might see that the egocentric self-absorption that consumes the severely distracted young these days is borne of hubris that a modern, tech-savvy culture seems to engender with short-cuts that only serve to short-circuit. Self-confidence and a healthy self-esteem come only after the young have paid hefty dues in life’s lessons learned in the process of becoming. Humility, erroneously perceived as meekness these days, is scoffed at and swept under the rug. And yet without humility that instinctively knows and accepts that one needs to learn from others to grow in wis-

*** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com. To read past articles, click on the link Online: http://issuu.com/ asianjournaldigitaledition” http://issuu. com/asianjournaldigitaledition or you can do searches in the least invasive search engine duckduckgo or bing or yahoo even before agenda-driven google.

ADB prioritizes speed of implementation...

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by recent procurement reforms and new mechanisms for project readiness. Another priority is incorporating climate change mitigation and adaptation, disaster risk, and environmental considerations. ADB and partner agencies must also always consider ways to include gender elements into projects and programs. Innovation and the use of advanced technologies must like-

wise be promoted to address complex problems. Financial management must also be strengthened to ensure accountability and financial sustainability. Sixth is aiming to increase the use of country systems in procurement, and environmental and social safeguards. ADB begins the implementation of Strategy 2030 this year, setting the future direction for the bank’s efforts to respond to

the region’s changing needs. The bank is expected to commit $61.8 billion across 428 sovereign and non-sovereign projects over the next three years. Infrastructure investments— particularly those that are green, sustainable, inclusive, and resilient—would remain a key priority. At the same time, ADB is expanding operations in social sectors, such as education, health and social protection.n

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cover story The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - October 31, 2018

Gina Ortiz Jones could be the first Filipina in Congress by MoMar

G. Visaya / AJPress

FOUR Filipino Americans have a chance to make history and be elected to the United States Congress in the upcoming midterm elections next month. Jennifer Zimmerman, who immigrated to the United States 25 years ago, will face Republican Matt Gaetz for Florida’s District 1 seat. Zimmerman — or Dr. Z as she is known in her community — was born in the Philippines to a father who was a prisoner of war during World War II and a mother who was not allowed by her father to attend school. The eldest of six children, Zimmerman received a full academic scholarship to attend the University of the Philippines, where she majored in Zoology. She obtained her medical degree at the University of the East before moving to the United States where she completed her residency training in Pediatrics at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York. Zimmerman has been a resident of Florida since 1997. TJ Cox, another congressional candidate, is up against a three term Republican for California’s 21st Congressional District, which covers a large

part of San Joaquin Valley in Central California. Cox’s mother Perla De Castro migrated from the Philippines, while his father, who is mixed Chinese and European, migrated from China. Also running for a congressional seat in California is Cristina Osmena, a great granddaughter of Sergio Osmena, the second President of the Philippines. She and her family moved to California when she was only 6 years old. Her family opposed, then fled the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos, according to her website. Osmena is running against a Democratic stalwart, Jackie Speier, whose political career spans nearly four decades. Speier has been representing California’s 14th Congressional District, which includes most of San Mateo County, since 2008. Making History Gina Ortiz Jones will be up against incumbent, two-term Representative Will Hurd in Texas. If she wins this tightly-contested battle, she will make history in the United States by becoming the first Filipina-American to be elected to the US Congress and the

Gina Ortiz Jones with (from left) actress and martial artist Diana Lee Inosanto and restauarateur and White House appointee Billy Dec. AJPress Photos by Momar G. Visaya

Gina Ortiz Jones is running to become the first Iraq War veteran (who served under Don’t Ask Don’t Tell) and Filipina American to represent the 23rd Congressional District of Texas.

Gina with Jersey City Council President Rolando Lavarro, Aries dela Cruz, Manhattan Regional Representative for Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and Gil Quiniones, President and CEO of the New York Power Authority at a reception in New York City. AJPress Photo by Momar G. Visaya

first openly gay, first Iraq War veteran and first woman House representative from the 23rd District of Texas. “This is an election that is going to be based on our values. If you think your values align with a president who calls immigrants animals, somebody that is okay with separating families at the border and holding them like animals,” said Ortiz Jones as she delivered a short speech recently before members of the Filipino American community in New York. Since winning the primaries, Ortiz Jones has been through an extremely busy schedule, raising funds and campaigning for votes. “This is a district that Hillary won by three points and so that means we have to travel the district extensively and we will continue travelling this massive district to talk to as many voters as possible, explaining to them what is on the line, the real choice that is available to them in November and why I am best suited to represent them,” she explained. The candidate also expressed to feeling a little pressure, especially knowing what’s on the line if she wins. “I would be honored to be the first but it is important that I am not going to be the last because I am only here because of the opportunity my community, my country afforded for me. This is very much about protecting those opportunities for others that are just as talented, just as hungry and need a little bit of help,” Ortiz Jones said. Ortiz Jones believes that it is districts like theirs, which is key to flipping the House. The 23rd District runs from San Antonio to El Paso and about 538 miles across, roughly the distance from Manhattan to Raleigh in North Carolina. Forty percent of the US border with Mexico is in this district. It is a majority minority district, something that this country will be in 2040. On October 1, former President Barack Obama endorsed Ortiz Jones and other

Texas Democrats. “Our incredible array of candidates up and down the ticket, all across the country, make up a movement of citizens who are younger, more diverse, more female than ever before,” Obama said in a news release. “They’re Americans who aren’t just running against something, but for something. They’re running to expand opportunity and restore the honor and compassion that should be the essence of public service.” Why She’s Running Ortiz Jones’ story started 40 years ago when her mother, Victorina Ortiz came to the United States. A graduate of the University of the Philippines Diliman, she became a domestic helper because that was the available opportunity for her then to chase her own American dream. “Like so many people that you and I know, they humbled themselves and came here in that capacity. She would go on to raise my younger sister and I by herself and we were reminded every single day that our trajectory in life was in so small part to be born in this country,” she said. This is why she went into public service while her younger sister is in the US Navy, a proud member of the “Filipino mafia” there. Her current beliefs, she says, were shaped by how she was raised. “Why do I think reduced lunch is important? Because I needed it at some point. Why do I think subsidized housing is important? Because I needed it at one point. All of those were critical investments - not handouts, investments - that allowed me to earn a four-year Air Force/ROTC scholarship that took me to Boston University,” Ortiz Jones said. She then went to the Air Force to serve as an intelligence officer and was deployed to Iraq in the time of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”. She also served in the intelligence community for a decade advising on operations in Africa and Latin America.

Photos from ginaortizjones.com

Ortiz Jones recently wrapped up her career in the Executive Office of the President working on economic and national security issues. “I’ve been honored to serve our country in and out of uniform in a number of different ways - the frontline in Iraq, the frontline in Africa and the frontline of what I think to be the most important portfolio moving forward, how do we understand our economic and national security interests,” she said. While working at the White House, she would sometimes pinch herself when she would walk into the Executive Office because she knows that not

a lot of kids would go from reduced lunch to the Executive Office of the President. “I studied hard and worked hard but my country and my community invested in me. That is what this race is about,” she emphasized. One of her earliest memories is quizzing her mom on her naturalization test and right to this day, she says she remembers Patrick Henry said ‘Give me liberty or give me death.’ “We are being tested as Americans. What does it mean for us? What kind of future do our children deserve? I am stepping up to serve again. I look forward to winning this race,” she said.

Prayers, sympathies pour after Nora: Does one have to be subservient to gov’t to become a nat’l artist passing of OPM legend Rico J. Puno by rosette

by Marinel

adel

Philstar.com

SEVERAL celebrities and personalities on Tuesday extended their deepest condolences and prayers after veteran singer Rico J. Puno passed away. He was 65. Puno, also an incumbent councilor of Makati City, died of cardiac arrest. This was confirmed by his daughter Tosca Camille Puno-Ramos. Prior to his death, the veteran singer experienced heart problems. He underwent open heart surgery and angioplasty in 2015 and December 2017, respectively. He also recently got a pacemaker. Rico’s sister-in-law, Anna Puno said the former was brought to the intensive care unit but failed to make it. Just recently, Anna also said it was “serendipitous” that Star Media recently held a solo 40th anniversary concert for him as well as a United States tour. “Little did I know that this is his final bow in the live entertainment world,” Anna said on her Instagram post. “We will forever miss the total entertainer but his songs will forever cherish in our hearts,” she added.

r. Cruz

Inquirer.net

Rico J. Puno

Anna called on Rico’s fans and colleagues to say a prayer for the OMP legend. The news on Rico’s passing saddened and shocked celebrities from the entertainment industry as well as other personalities. They paid trib-

ABS-CBN photo

ute to the hitmaker by posting their memories with Rico and extending sympathies online. Rico popularized OPM hits such as “Macho Gwapito,” “May Bukas Pa,” “Sorry Na Pwede Ba,” “Magkasuyo Buong Gabi,” among others.

“LET’S all move on… If God does not will it, it will not happen.” This was the gist of the official statement of veteran actress Nora Aunor, who was once again excluded from the list of 2018 National Artist awardees. President Rodrigo Duterte conferred on seven individuals the National Artist award on Wednesday, and the veteran actress was conspicuously not among them. “Just let it be,” said Aunor, addressing her supporters, whom she calls Noranians, and members of the show biz press. “Let’s just forget about it, move on and start anew with our goal to do good for others.” Aunor, however, admitted that she felt bad about the Malacañang decision. “I’m sad for my Noranians and for all my friends who had helped, believed and fought for me since I joined the business through ‘Tawag ng Tanghalan’ … 51 years [ago].” She added that life goes on for her, whether or not she is declared a national artist. “I’m thankful to God because I still have work and am still be-

Nora Aunor

ing idolized and loved by my supporters and friends who cared for and defended me endlessly.” Aunor was first recommended to be a national artist in 2014, during the term of former president Benigno S. Aquino III, who rejected her nomination due to her alleged links to illegal drugs while in the United States. “I was shocked when I learned that he removed my name from the list. I asked

GMA photo

myself why. This happened even though I’ve repeatedly said that the drug case against me was untrue,” she stressed. Aunor said she had opted to keep quiet then. The actress was again nominated for the same award recently. Sabrina Tan, project coordinator of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) said Aunor Continued on Page 3

entertainment 3 Sharlene and Nash are all grown up The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - October 31, 2018

by RICKY

CALDERON ManilaTimes.net

TEENAGE actress Sharlene San Pedro didn’t expect she’d get the lead role in “Class of 2018,� an upcoming horror flick from T-Rex Entertainment. A former children’s gag show star of long-running ABSCBN Sunday program, “Goin’ Bulilit,� Sharlene told Roving Eye she went to audition for any role on the youth-oriented project but was overwhelmed to learn the outcome. As the story goes, the young actress was already assigned a supporting role following her tryout but was surprised when she heard the film’s director, Charliebebs Gohetia, had something else in mind for her: the lead role with fellow Goin’ Bulilit partner Nash Aguas. Both young adults now, fans who grew up with their tandem on the gag show have apparently stayed loyal to them through the years, which gave T-Rex and Gohetia the idea to give in to the longstanding clamor to see NashLene on the big screen. Asked to describe her surprise role, Sharlene excitedly shared she tackled a good number of action scenes in Class of 2018. She admits feeling frightened at times but on the whole, she enjoyed the adrenalin of fighting it out for the camera. “I’ve been dreaming to do an action movie but actually, I had this feeling I would never

Sharlene San Pedro and Nash Aguas

be able to because I’m frail,� said the 19-year-old who grew up before the public’s eyes. “There were times I got hurt accidentally but it was all worth it,� Sharlene enthused. “I made sure I was physically ready for the part so I went on a diet and got leaner. Hopefully I look sporty on screen too.� Clearly both excited and proud of Class of 2018 which she described as a “different kind of horror film.� Meanwhile, Nash Aguas is just as grateful as Sharlene to land the lead in their first movie team up.

ABS-CBN photo

Noted Nash, “It’s also pretty cool they thought to launch our love team with a horror movie rather than a rom-com as everyone usually does. But of course, besides the horror, this film also has elements of drama, comedy and romance all rolled into one.� He also admits feeling pressured that their launching movie is coming up in less than two weeks, as they make that huge leap from Goin’ Bulilit to a full-length movie. “But it’s all good! Kahit na nasuntok ako ni Sharlene sa mukha,� he ended jokingly.

Nora: Does one have to be...

From Page 2 had earned an “automatic� nomination because she was already previously nominated. The members of the joint boards of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the NCCA are tasked to submit a list of names to the Office of the President for possible proclamation as national artists. “What happened to me during PNoy’s time happened again during the Duterte ad-

ministration,� Aunor pointed out. “I asked myself once again, ‘What does it really take to be a national artist?’ What are the criteria that the NCCA and CCP go by? Why did they include me if they thought I was not worthy to be one, in the first place? Does one have to be obsequious to the administration to get this award?� In a statement sent to the Inquirer, Aunor also said: “In my opinion, we do have pillars

in this industry, those who have served as its vanguards, who are truly deserving of the award, just like (the late comedian) Dolphy. I was just lucky to have achieved things as an artist and singer, and that a lot of people took notice.� She ended her message by addressing her loyal Noranians. She said: “For now, I can only offer you ‘Onanay’ (her drama series on GMA 7). Don’t forget to watch it. I love you all.�

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entertainment The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - October 31, 2018

Andi takes a break from her provincial life by Ricky lo Philstar.com

AnDi eigenmann is one of a kind. Unlike her colleagues who find pleasure in hoarding material things (jewelry, branded accessories, etc.), she has “downsized” (read: “simplified”) life by selling most of the properties she had acquired through her showbiz earnings and retreated to the countryside, initially in Baler, Quezon, where she met her (now exboyfriend) emilio Arambulo and where she’s reportedly building a house; and then to Siargao where she has found not just a new paradise but also a new boyfriend, philmar Alipayo, a champion surfer resident of the island. Taking a break from her leisurely provincial life, Andi was lured back to the limelight by Viva Films and AliUD entertainment to star in “All Souls night,” an imagineperSecond Halloween thriller conceptualized by Yam laranas and co-directed by Aloy Adlawan and Jules Katanyag. (laranas is the director of another thriller, Aurora, an official 2018 metro manila Filmfest entry starring Anne curtis.) “All Souls night” follows the story of Shirley (Andi), an all-around housemaid who answered an ad for a quick three-day job to take care of a sick man. ellen, the hospitable wife, readily tells Shirley the three important house rules: 1). Keep the doors and windows shut; 2). Stay locked inside the house; and 3). Don’t get inside their room without permission. Before long, Shirley will unravel the mystery that will give her the biggest scare of her life. in the following conversation, Andi talks about her life “out in the country” and why she decided to resume acting (“my passion,” she said). What’s so special about the province that you decided to live there (first in Quezon and now in Siargao)? “it’s the simplicity of it all. living by the ocean and being

Andi Eigenmann

surrounded by nature every day keeps me grounded and happy. i like who i turned into because i placed myself in that type of environment. i feel like i really found myself there, and that’s where i belong.” Is it a matter of going where your love is (from Quezon to Siargao)? “if by ‘my love’ you mean myself, then yes. it’s choosing to stay where i am at my happiest. it was also when i found the genuine joy that i feel as i became the best mother i could be for ellie. So i know i’m doing it right.” How and when did you develop your love for sand, sea and surf(ing)? “ever since i was a little girl. i think my family can vouch for me on that, hehehehe!!!” You could just have taken a break from the hurly-burly of showbiz. But why did you sell your belongings on which you invested most of your earnings? No regrets? “i sold the luxury items that i felt had no purpose in my life anymore. i kept those with sentimental value and the time-

Photo from Instagram/@andieigengirl

less pieces i know i’d always love to have or wear. What’s the point in having 200 pairs of high heels when you live in the island half of the time? Hahahaha!!! if there’s something i regret, it’s ever buying those things.” Describe a typical day of your life “out there.” “i wake up super early, sometimes to catch the sunrise by walking to the cloud 9 Tower. i go surf, have breakfast, go surf again or watch my friends catch lunch! cook with all our friends and eat together, hang around or go around (there’s so much to see), take walks or visit new cafés around town, head to the ocean to surf some more, watch the beautiful sunset, exchange stories with island family and friends, and head to bed feeling super fulfilled.” What about your daughter Ellie, who’s taking care of her while you are away? And what’s the role of Jake Ejercito, Ellie’s dad? “Jake and i share time with ellie. She studies in manila and Continued on Page 5

Bretman rocks Darna costume for Halloween by Rosette

Adel

Philstar.com

FilipinO-AmericAn social media personality Bretman rock once again made buzz online as he donned the wellloved Filipino superheroine costume, Darna, in this year’s Halloween. The ilocano-born rock said he chose Darna as his costume as he always identified with her given the superheroine’s personality. He also described Darna as “a picture of a strong Filipino woman.” “This year i wanted to pay tribute to my Filipino Super Hero – Darna,” rock wrote on his instagram post. “Growing up i watched all of her Shows and movies and i have always identified with her,” he added.

Darna is a fictional female superhero character created by comic artist mars ravelo. Her human form is narda who is known for swallowing a magic white stone as she transforms into a fierce superheroine clad in a red and gold sexy two-piece outfit by shouting “Darna!” rock, known for being a beauty influencer and for his humorous posts, uploaded video of him showing off his Darna costume across his social media accounts. He even used Kamikazee’s “narda” as background music as he modeled the superheroine costume. The video has since been viewed by over 1.7 million times on instagram, over 133,000 times on Facebook and more than 780,000 on Bretman Rock Twitter. Photo from Instagram/@bretmanrock

Regine Velasquez reveals title of new ABS-CBN show by JAn

Milo seveRo Philstar.com

“ASiA’S Songbird” regine Velasquez teased her instagram followers with her new show in ABS-cBn. The singer and actress posted a photo of the new show in which she will presumably serve as judge: “idol philippines.” “Soon!!!! #idolphilippines” she wrote in the caption. Apart from the reality singing contest, reports said regine is scheduled to sing the official theme song of the ABScBn’s upcoming teleserye “The General’s Daughter,” starring Angel locsin, and will sing the station’s christmas iD. ABS-cBn is the third network that will show the philippines’ version of one of the most successful singing competition franchises of all time. “philippine idol” was aired in 2006 on TV5, while “pinoy idol” was aired on GmA in 2008. During her “Gandang Gabi Vice” guesting last Sunday, regine jokingly told the show’s host, Vice Ganda, that if the

Regine Velasquez

latter will decide to take a break from show business for a while, she is willing to replace him in the talk show and will rename it “Gandang Gabi Velasquez.”

Philstar.com photo

Vice, however, kiddingly told regine that it was a bad joke because the network management might take it seriously, drawing laughter from the studio audience.

Janno a certified Kapamilya by Boy

ABundA Philstar.com

AFTER appearing in such ABS-CBN shows as ASAP and FPJ’s “Ang Probinsyano,” Janno Gibbs is now a certified Kapamilya singer as he recently signed up with the network’s music label Star Music. It’s a homecoming of sorts for the singer-actor and comedian whose tandem with Ogie Alcasid, via Small Brothers, was born in ABS-CBN. His return marks an exciting turn of his career with him articulating that it’s a good time to push himself to do something different. “I think I need to shake things up. I need to challenge myself.” By challenging himself, Janno is bent on making his song compositions relevant to what are trending in this day and age of millennials. Apparently, many people from the said generation are clueless that he is the son of veteran actor Ronaldo Valdez. Janno could only laugh about it and said that he knew the reason why “because some would say, ‘Ay, bakit mestizo (si Ronaldo)?’ or ‘Ay, bakit hindi matangos?’ Pero ito (referring to his nose) naman matangos, malapad lang (laughs).” What cannot be denied is that Janno is the dad of two beautiful daughters Alyssa and Gab with wife Bing Loyzaga. The proud father shared some similarities with his daughters. “The coolness and vanity, they got them from me obviously. The make-up styling and fashion, they would often tell they got them from me. I never had a stylist ever since. I do my own make-up. Alyssa is a lot more like Bing in looks but her character is very me. Si Gabby medyo hawig ko, hawig ng sister ko si Melissa pero ugali

Janno Gibbs

Philstar.com photo

ng mommy n’ya.” He also revealed that Alyssa is now engaged without him feeling any sadness about the reality of his daughters starting a family of their own someday. “I think it was very easy for me to accept because the boyfriend (of Alyssa) has been part of the family for years already.” Even before, Janno was used to seeing suitors of her daughters visiting them at home. Thus, he welcomes the idea of becoming a grandfather in the near future by humorously telling that being a lolo won’t affect his looks. His being young at heart also reflects in his first single Feeling JKL under Star Music. “Feeling JKL actually means feeling JaDine, KathNiel and LizQuen, the loveteams I mentioned in the song that I also composed. If you listen to the song, it speaks of love appropriate for my age because I am telling that I’m not young anymore but whenever I’m with my love, it feels like the

Andi takes a...

From Page 4 since school has begun she has to be with her dad and then half of the time I would be in the city with her. But not like before anymore. Now nobody ever knows if I’m in town because it’s just all about me and Ellie when I’m in town. No publicity.” Everybody thought that you were turning your back on showbiz. What made you change your mind? “Actually, I didn’t really change my mind about anything. I quit showbiz, in a sense, because I felt that I was not fit for that lifestyle. But I’ll always be an actress. I’ll always love filmmaking. I’ve always said that it’s not about turning my back; it’s just that I didn’t want it to be my whole life anymore.” What’s so interesting about All Souls Night that it brought you back to acting? “For one, it’s a horror film. And I love horror films just like a lot of Pinoys do. And second,

it’s a story with a strong female main character. I appreciate how the creators want to present a story that shows that we don’t need a male lead, or a man to fight for us or to get through such obstacles. We can protect and defend ourselves just as much as men can.” Describe your role and what you find attractive about it. “Shirley is a strong, independent college student who accepted a side job to be a household assistant in order to help pay for her tuition for the coming semester. I love how when faced with the problem, it wasn’t just about saving herself, or simply getting through it. She made sure to help the people around her and create a solution that would put an end to the problem.” Are you back for good or are you going back to Siargao? “I will keep going back and forth for now.”

first time.” He continued by singing, “Feeling JaDine ‘pag ikaw ang kapiling. Feeling ko ako’y si Daniel at ikaw si Kathryn, feeling LizQuen like I’m young all over again ‘coz whenever I’m with you feels like the first time…” At the end of the song, Janno said that he also mentioned other loveteams like MayWard, JoshLia and Kimerald (perhaps, Janno doesn’t know that it’s now KimXi). But he definitely knows how to keep his marital relationship intact. Never mind if Janno and Bing were reported, for so many times, to have broken up. Problems crop up at times but Janno said that they were able to patch things up. “Apart from love, I think the keyword is respect that’s what keeps us together. ‘Pag may kasalanan ako tya-tyagain ko ulit, manliligaw ako.” And it worked since the two didn’t give up on each other even while there was a controversy involving Janno whose alleged sexy photos circulated online. Janno said it’s not him and he found it funny to a certain extent. “Nakakatawa lang na, ako? But it was embarrassing for me because of my kids. Probably if I am single, I’d just let it pass but I have two girls. There were two photos, definitely ‘yung isa ako because of the face but the other one, I don’t know. I felt offended. It was foul.”

entertainment

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - October 31, 2018

Photo from ManilaTimes.net

Pia Wurtzbach gets her Miss Universe body back by MJ

MArfori ManilaTImes.net

#BRINGSEXYBACH, Pia Wurtzbach really did, following a promise that after a year of letting go a bit, she’d shape up again into her Miss Universe bod. Her social media platforms are smoking hot these days,

and best of all, Queen P is even sharing fitness routines and healthy habits to inspire her followers. Her voluptuously fit silhouette had jaws dropping at the last ABS-CBN Ball, and before the weekend, she was launched as a liquor brand’s 2019 calendar girl. Asked what made her

decide to get fit and even more fab, one of the most beautiful women in the world replied, “Well one day I woke up and said that I choose to be healthier for myself because it makes me feel good. And if I can do it so can other people right? Hindi na ako bibitaw! Hahaha! It’s a healthy lifestyle that I’m getting used to that’s working for me.”

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - October 31, 2018