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OCTOBER 31-NOVEMBER 6, 2019 Volume 30 - No. 44 • 16 Pages
T H E F I L I P I N O –A M E R I C A N C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R
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USA
DATELINE PH among world’s worst impunity offenders — report FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
UNITED States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she has called on the Philippine government to investigate the attempted murder of a Chinese-American human rights and environmental defender who was shot in Lagawe, Ifugao in August. Brandon Lee, an American volunteer of the Baguio City-based Cordillera Human Rights Alliance was shot in front of his house on August 6. “Grateful that Brandon Lee has returned home to San Francisco for refuge and care after being brutally shot in the Philippines, where he was fighting for environmental and indigenous peoples’ rights,” Pelosi said on her Twitter account. She added: “I have encouraged the Philippine government to investigate this disturbing crime.” Lee, a California native, is back in his home city. He and his mother Louise arrived in San Francisco on a medical transport last Saturday, according to social media posts of
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JUNIOR BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE BATTLE
Jerwin Ancajas set to defend IBF belt against Mexico’s Jonathan Rodriguez JERWIN “Pretty Boy” Ancajas, the 115pound fighting pride of the Philippines, is all set for the eighth defense of his IBF junior bantamweight world title this time against Mexican contender Jonathan Rodriguez. This big boxing event will happen this Saturday, November 2 at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. AncajasRodriguez will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (Spanish) starting at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT. “I am looking forward to this fight because Rodriguez brings the Mexican style to his fights, and Mexican and Filipinos make the best fights,” Ancajas said. “I want to thank Top Rank, Senator Manny Pacquiao and my manager, Joven Jimenez, for their continued support. It is going to be a war, and to my Filipino fans, I look forward to putting on a show for you in Carson.”
Nothing in writing, but Palace insists offer for Robredo to be ‘drug czar’ is serious by ALEXIS
ROMERO Philstar.com
MANILA — Malacañang on Wednesday, October 30, maintained that President Rodrigo Duterte’s offer for Vice President Leni Robredo to become the country’s “drug czar” is serious and is not meant to be an insult.
Robredo has ignored Duterte’s supposed offer for her to lead the ‘war’ on illegal drugs, saying the pressing problems in the country “should not be dealt with by being sensitive and insulting others.” Robredo, leader of the minority Liberal Party, said it would be best to find solutions to problems rather than give attention to things that are “not beneficial.”
But presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo claimed the offer was a “very good opportunity” for the vice president to show everyone that she is “not just good at criticizing.” “I was already telling her the president is serious. The fact that he said that in the national television and he said that he will write her through the execu-
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Locsin says China is not threatening war by AJPRESS FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Monday, October 28, said China is not threatening to go to war with the Philippines over resources in the South China Sea. His statement came after British journalist Bill Hayton questioned his tweet saying that China does not need the Philippines’ oil and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. gas reserves in the Philstar.com photo contested waters. “China doesn’t need our oil and gas. We do. And China is the only one offering to help develop it. A Filipino discovered humongous oil and gas just offshore Beijing. It’s rolling in minerals,” Locsin said in a tweet.
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PARTING GIFT. President Rodrigo Duterte receives a token from outgoing Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua during his farewell call to the president at the Malacañang Palace on Monday, October 28. Malacañang photo by Robinson Niñal
More than 8,000 people affected by Mindanao earthquake by AJPRESS THE National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), in its latest situation report released Wednesday, October 30, said that 1,681 families or 8,402 people in Mindanao have been affected by the magnitude 6.6 earthquake that hit Cotabato on Tuesday, October 29. According to NDRRMC, those who were displaced are from Kidapawan, Mlang, and Tulunan with 3,505 in evacuation centers, while the rest were being served outside the evacuation sites.
It said that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) central office, field offices, and National Resource Operations Center have P1,978,803,246.13 in standby funds, and added that there are 333,285 family food packs and food and non-food items for affected families. As of 6 a.m., on Wednesday, the NDRRMC placed the official death toll at five, with nearly 400 people injured. However, the Davao del Sur police reported three more deaths following the Former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. strong tremor. Davao del Sur police chief Colonel Al-
Philstar.com photo
VP poll protest: Marcos seeks deferment of deadline Kin of EJK victims ‘haunt’ Duterte, police on eve of Halloween on comment submission u PAGE 3
by NESTOR
CORRALES Inquirer.net
MANILA — Some families of victims of extrajudicial killings under the government’s war on drugs “haunted” President Rodrigo Duterte and the police on Wednesday, October 30, on the eve of Halloween and two days before “Undas.” Undas is a Filipino term for the commemoration of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2, respectively. “Magkaroon sila ng konsensya sa tulad naming mahihirap. Magkaron naman sila ng damdamin. Porke mahirap kami tiFr. Robert Reyes right) with the relatives of those killed in the Duterte administration’s drug natanggalan kami ng karapatang war. Inquirer.net photo by Nestor Corrales mabuhay, na maging kumpleto
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ang pamilya (May they have a conscience and have some feeling for poor people like us. Just because we are poor they took away our right to live, to keep our families intact),” Arlene Bitas said, whose 34-year old husband Sherwin was killed by the police in an alleged anti-drug operation in Oct. 11, 2017. Bitas was part of the group of families of drug war victims who trooped to Mendiola near Malacañang in Manila to call for justice for their slain loved ones. “They killed him like an animal,” Elizabeth Campo said of his husband, Roland, who was killed in what the police described as a legitimate drug operation on
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by NEIL
ARWIN MERCADO Inquirer.net
MANILA — Former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has asked the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) to defer the deadline for the submission of a memorandum regarding his vice presidential election protest. In Marcos’ motion dated October 22, he sought for the deadline for submission of the memorandum be deferred until his camp is able photocopy relevant reports on the revision and appreciation of votes in the three pilot provinces — Camarines Sur, Iloilo and Negros Oriental.
The Supreme Court, which sits as the PET, earlier did not rule on the committee report on the result of revision of ballots from three pilot provinces chosen by Marcos. Instead, the Tribunal asked both parties to comment on the report and submit a memorandum on other issues relating to the jurisdiction as well as Marcos’ third cause of action which seeks to nullify election results for the vice presidency in Lanao Del Sur, Basilan and Maguindanao. “Considering that the relevant report/s on the revision and the appreciation of votes relating to the three pilot protested
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OctOber 31-NOvember 6, 2019 • LAS veGAS ASIAN JOUrNAL
Locsin says China is not... PAGE 1 In response, Hayton said: “The only one? Shell and Chevron are already doing it. PRC is threatening war to prevent the Philippines developing its own resources.” Locsin replied on Tuesday morning, October 29, pointing out that the Malampaya natural gas field, operated by Shell Philippines Exploration with partners Chevron Malampaya and Philippine National Oil Company-Ex-
ploration Corporation, is running out. “Shell and Chevron’s Malampaya is running out. No it is not threatening war; we’re almost there,” he tweeted. According to Locsin, China does not see a problem in conducting joint exploration with the Philippines in areas in the South China Sea. “In undisputed areas, China sees no problem doing it explicitly
From The FronT Page under Philippine law; in disputed areas under my (memorandum of understanding) on Oil & Gas which spares either from conceding sovereign claims,” he said. Locsin also noted in a separate tweet that the Malampaya gas field had “long antedated the Arbitral Award” that invalidated Beijing’s nine-dash line claim over the South China Sea. In May 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte said that Chinese President Xi Jinping gave a threat of war should the Philippines invoke the July 2016 arbitral award. Duterte, for his part, told Xi that the West Philippine Sea “is ours and we intend to drill oil there.” “I said it is ours and I will drill the oil. And I tell them do not do it because it is ours. But I have the arbitral ruling. But they said that if you force the issue, we will go to war,” he said. n
VP poll protest: Marcos seeks...
PAGE 1 provinces consist of voluminous documents, protestant Marcos is constrained to request this Honorable Tribunal to allow him to photocopy the said report/s to enable him to comply with the directive of this Honorable Tribunal to file his comment thereon,” the motion stated. Further, Marcos also asked the PET to accredit, authorize, and allow several designated representatives to participate in the photocopying of the requested documents. Marcos also requested that any administrative expense incurred by his request for the photocopying of the necessary documents be deducted from his cash deposit. “And considering that the photocopying of the reports has yet to commence, protestant Marcos is likewise constrained to move for the deferment of his deadline to submit his comments on the said report/s on the revision and appreciation of votes until the requested photocopying of the documents reports is granted and completed,” the motion reads. Robredo defeated Marcos in the 2016 vice-presidential elections by over 260,000 votes. Marcos, however, questioned the results of the elections and filed an electoral protest. n
EARLY BIRD. A shopper inspects Christmas decor being sold in Divisoria, Manila as the country prepares for the frenetic holiday season. ManilaTimes.net photo by Gerard Seguia
Nothing in writing, but Palace... PAGE 1
tive secretary – speaks of seriousness in the tone of his offer,” Panelo told reporters. Duterte has made statements in the past, like ordering ambassadors from the European Union in October 2017 to leave the country within 24 hours, that were later walked back. He has also made comments on national television that were later explained to just be jokes. ‘It was not insulting’ “In the first place, it was not insulting. It was in fact a very kind gesture from the president that she will be given the venue and the avenue to show, as I said, her mettle,” he added. When asked why Duterte has not put the offer in writing, Panelo replied: “Who knows, he might come up with a letter tomorrow or the day after.” Duterte said Monday that he was “sending a letter to her through Executive Secretary Medialdea.” “I will surrender the power to enforce the law, I will give it to the vice president, I will let her have it for six months.” Duterte said he would ask Robredo to lead the war on drugs after the Vice President claimed the campaign is not working and should be tweaked. Panelo also insisted that he sent a text message to Robredo
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo shows a text message that he said he sent to Vice President Leni Robredo on Monday, October 28. Philstar.com photo by Alexis Romero
informing her about Duterte’s offer. He showed reporters the supposed text message which read: “May offer tabi sa imo si PRRD na mag Drug Czar ka for 6 months, will you accept (President Duterte has an offer for you to become the drug czar for six months. Will you accept it)?” Robredo previously said he has not received such text message from Panelo. Panelo even called a contact
labelled “VP Leni Robredo latest” before the media but the call was not answered. As of Wednesday, The STAR has not verified whether the number Panelo sent a message to and called really belonged to Robredo. The government does not have an official “drug czar” although the term has been used to describe the head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. n
tunay na kriminal. Huwag ninyo patayin ‘yong mahihirap lang. Pinapapatay niyo lang mahihirap. Ano po ba makukuha niyo sa amin? (You should only kill real criminals. Don’t kill the poor. You’re only killing the poor. What do have to gain from us?)” Bitas said. Arlene questioned what happened to the President’s promise to eliminate illegal drugs during the first six months of his administration. “Sabi niyan anim na buwan lang wala nang droga. Ilang taon na po ba? Bakit sobrang daming namamatay? Lalong dumadami pa ‘yung droga. Di naman naku-
kuha sa pagpatay po yan,” she said. “Yun lang kaya nila, ang mahihirap, kasi walang magagawa ang mahihirap (He said that in six months there would be no more drugs. But how many years have passed? Why did so many people die? There are more drugs now. You can’t solve that by killing. They can only go after the poor because the poor can do nothing).” According to critics of the President’s drug war, more than 30,000 people have been killed in anti-drug operations. But the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) put the number at 5,526. n
Kin of EJK victims ‘haunt’ Duterte, police... PAGE 1 Oct. 11, 2017, in Barangay 19 in Manila’s impoverished Tondo district. Wearing a white mask, Elizabeth joined more than a dozen kin of victims of extrajudicial killings under the government’s war on drugs and called for justice and rehabilitation and “not persecution.” Activist priest Fr. Robert Reyes led the event called “Bulong ng mga Kaluluwa (Biktima ng EJK): Kalinga at Hustisya.” The families lighted candles after a Mass at the Mendiola Peace Arch. “Dapat patayin ninyo ‘yong
More than 8,000 people affected by... PAGE 1 berto Lupaz said two residents of Digos City succumbed to cardiac arrest and hypertension over panic triggered by the earthquake while a resident of Barangay Tagaytay in Magsaysay was killed in a landslide. Two people were also reported missing following a landslide in Barangay Upper Bala in Magsaysay, Davao del Sur, according to NDRRMC. It said that a total of 394 people were injured —328 in Cotabato, eight in Davao del Sur, another eight in Lanao del Norte, nine in Bukidnon, 40 in South Cotabato, three in Sarangani, three in Sultan Kudarat, and one in Sultan Kudarat. It added that a total of 133 infrastructure were damaged by the quake, including 94 schools, 11 health facilities, and 20 private establishments. According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the magnitude 6.6 earthquake, which was tectonic in origin at a depth of seven kilometers, struck Tulunan, Cotabato at 9:04 a.m. on Tuesday, October 29. Listed below are the following areas that felt the earthquake: Intensity VII - Tulunan & Makilala, Cotabato; Kidapawan City; Malungon, Sarangani Intensity VI - Davao City; Koronadal City; Cagayan de Oro City Intensity V -Tampakan,Surallah and Tupi, South Cotabato; Alabel, Sarangani Intensity IV - General Santos City; Kalilangan, Bukidnon Intensity III - Sergio Osmeña Sr., Zamboanga del Norte; Zam-
The municipal hall of Magsaysay town in Davao del Sur was damaged by the strong earthquakes that hit Mindanao this month.
Students and teachers in Daig Elementary School in Tulunan, North Cotabato gather at their campus ground after their classrooms were destroyed by the earthquake. Philstar.com photos by John Unson
boanga City; Dipolog City; Molave, Zamboanga del Norte; Talakag, Bukidnon Intensity I- Camiguin, Mambajao Instrumental Intensities: Intensity VII - Kidapawan City; Malungon, Sarangani Intensity V - Alabel, Sarangani; Tupi, South Cotabato
Intensity IV - Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental; General Santos City Intensity II - Zamboanga City Intensity I - Dipolog City; Bislig City; Palo, Leyte 270 aftershocks were recorded as of Tuesday midnight, of which 50 were felt, said the NDRRMC. n
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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 31-NOVEmbER 6, 2019
Biden campaign launches grassroots Jerwin Ancajas set to defend IBF belt against... movement of AAPI supporters ON Saturday, October 26, Biden for President launched “AAPIs for Biden,” a national network of Asian American and Pacific Islander supporters working to rally the community around Vice President Biden’s record of accomplishment, and his vision to heal the damage done by Donald Trump and to rebuild the middle class. Joe knows that the AAPI community is a core part of the American story. Our country’s ability to draw hard-working, aspirational people from every culture and every nation has always made us strong. AAPIs are the fastest growing racial group in the country and one of its most diverse, representing 50 different ethnicities and 100 languages. With so much at stake in 2020 – health care, workers’ rights, immigration reform, the very soul of our nation – AAPIs for Biden will organize this key voting bloc to elect Joe and the steady, tested leadership needed to unite our country and deliver results. AAPIs for Biden will recruit, train, and deploy a growing movement of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to run phone banks, canvasses, community events, days of action, and fundraising activities in support of the campaign. Biden advisor and Olympic figure skater Michelle Kwan kicked off the new coalition this afternoon in Las Vegas, which is home to a vibrant AAPI community, and to the all-important Nevada caucus on February 22. “The AAPI vote will be decisive in choosing whom Democrats nominate to take on Donald Trump. The future of our community, our country, and the values that make us strong all depends on the movement that we build together, starting here, to elect Joe as the next President of the United States,” said Michelle Kwan, Director of Surrogates, Biden for President. “Today is a testament to Joe’s deep support among AAPIs
– and it’s just one example of the many ways in which our campaign is working to build a broad, diverse coalition that reaches every corner of this country. Joe has fought for us his whole life, and now we’re going to fight for him.” Joe has built a long record of accomplishments for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and working families – turning bold, progressive ideas into tangible results. He stood shoulder-to-shoulder with President Obama to pass the landmark Affordable Care Act, providing health insurance to 20 million people, including more than 2 million AAPIs. He fought to guarantee overtime pay, unemployment benefits, and strong workers’ rights; worked to boost teacher pay and school resources; and twice defeated the National Rifle Association to ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines. And as Vice President, he was part of an administration that re-established the White House Initiative on AAPIs, to increase economic opportunities and living standards throughout the AAPI community; and that made sure our Filipino-American World War II veterans received long-awaited compensation payments. Now, Joe is running to restore, protect, and build on that progress. As president, he’ll continue his lifelong fight for the American middle class, and make sure that everyone – including the AAPI community – comes along. Specifically, he will: Expand access to quality, affordable health care: Nearly twenty million Americans gained health coverage under the Affordable Care Act – including more than 2 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Trump now is trying to rip that coverage away. As president, Joe will protect and build on Obamacare, lowering premiums, and automatically covering the 5 million low-income
PAGE 1 The 27-year-old Ancajas (311-1, 21 KOs) is one of boxing’s longest-reigning and most active champions, as only two current world champions (Deontay Wilder and Wanheng Menayothin) have more title defenses. “I plan on taking full advantage of this opportunity,” Rodriguez said. “Ancajas is a great champion, but my time is now. It is time for a new face at 115 pounds.” The dynamic Filipino southpaw won the title in September 2016 and defended his belt three
Michelle Kwan on behalf of the AAPIs for Biden AJPress photos by Robert Macabagdal
Americans who’d be eligible for Medicaid if Republican state lawmakers hadn’t refused to expand it. And he’ll double funding for the AAPI and other community health centers that so often provide care to undocumented immigrants. Invest in education from birth through 12th grade: Joe will make sure that every child in America has the chance to realize their full potential, regardless of zip code, race, or family income. He’ll make pre-K universally available and triple funding to Title I schools, giving teachers the higher pay they deserve and narrowing the gap between rich and poor districts. He’ll expand “community schools” that serve the needs of both students and parents; and double the number of school psychologists, nurses, and counselors, giving kids the support they need to grow. Through partnerships between high schools, community colleges, PAGE 5
Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas, the 115-pound fighting pride of the Philippines, is all set for the eighth defense of his IBF junior bantamweight world title this time against Mexican contender Jonathan Rodriguez. Inquirer.net photos
times apiece in 2017 and 2018. He last fought May 4 in Stockton, California, knocking out Ryuichi Funai in six rounds. This will be Ancajas’ fourth consecutive bout in California, but the first time he’s showcased his skills in Southern California. Rodriguez (21-1, 15 KOs) is considered as a dangerous foe because has won five in a row since a split decision defeat spoiled his unbeaten record. He is coming off a career-best win June 7 in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, when he knocked out former two-
time world title challenger Felipe Orucuta in the 10th round. Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Zanfer Promotions and Peltz Boxing, tickets for this world championship event are priced at $125, $85, $65 and $30 (not including applicable fees). Tickets can be purchased by visiting AXS.com, charge by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888929-7849) and in person at the Dignity Health Sports Park Box Office (Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. PT to 6 p.m. PT). (AJPress)
OctOber 31-NOvember 6, 2019 • LAS veGAS ASIAN JOUrNAL
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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 31-NOVEmbER 6, 2019
Pacquiao challenges Mayweather in a video with Jack Ma by AJPress
Los Angeles City Hall was lit up in the Philippine colors on Friday, October 25 in a historic celebration of Filipino American History Month. Photo by Jon Duede / Streets LA
LA City Hall lights up in honor of Fil-Am History Month by Christina
M. Oriel
AJPress
FOR the first time, Los Angeles City Hall was illuminated in yellow, blue, crimson red and white to represent the Philippine flag on Friday, October 25 during a celebration for Filipino American History Month. The momentous occasion was witnessed by over 200 Fil-Ams representing local government, businesses and community organizations who gathered at the City Hall rotunda. Under the administration of Mayor eric Garcetti, there has been a record number of Fil-Ams appointed to high positions in the city, including Board of Public Works Commissioner Jessica Caloza, Board of Water and Power Commissioner Susana Reyes, and Deputy Mayor for Budget and Innovation Miguel Sangalang, who all came together to host Friday night’s event. “It was a team effort at City Hall, and I worked closely with my Filipino American colleagues to host a historic celebration that connected the community, business, and government, because it takes all three sectors to move the needle and make lasting positive change,” Caloza, who led the organization efforts, said. Caloza, who previously was director of scheduling for Garcetti, was appointed and confirmed to the Board of Public Works last spring, becoming the first Filipina in that position. Reyes, a 32-year public service veteran, was appointed by the mayor in April to sit on the city’s Board of Water and Power Commission. Meanwhile, Sangalang has served as deputy mayor since 2017. Caloza and Reyes called on FilAm community leader and Department of Building and Safety Commissioner Jocelyn GaegaRosenthal to help press the button to turn on the lights. The energy-efficient lights on the building — designed by Filipino electrical engineer Fidel Onate of the Board of Public Works — continued to be on display throughout the weekend after sunset. “They asked me to design the lighting here at City Hall…using energy-efficient lighting with the colors changing. It’s very ambitious but I said, ‘Let’s do it.’ I’m very proud to be Filipino,” Onate told the crowd. After the lights turned on, Filipino global icon Jollibee made a surprise appearance to the amusement of the crowd. A Filipino Jeepney courtesy of the Pilipino Workers Center was parked at the bottom of the steps of City Hall for photos. “From the Jollibee appearance
by ritChel
MendiOla AJPress
Board of Public Works Commissioner Jessica Caloza, Department of Building and Safety Commissioner Jocelyn Gaega-Rosenthal, Board of Water and Power Commissioner Susana Reyes, and Deputy Mayor for Budget and Innovation Miguel Sangalang pose before lighting the building up in Philippine flag colors. Photos by Jon Duede / Streets LA
to having a Jeepney present to the lighting itself, we could not have done this without the love and support of so many people and organizations. That’s ultimately what this event is about — community,” Caloza added. “Most importantly, we want to continue to make City Hall accessible to everyone and raise the bar for how we recognize the contributions of Filipino Americans who play a critical role in shaping our beautiful city, and we are truly grateful to Mayor Garcetti for his ongoing support.” With this year’s theme of “Pinay Visionaries,” Reyes highlighted how Pinays have contributed to the fabric of LA as well as the local community. “We have plenty of them here in the city of Los Angeles and they are the backbone of our community and we want to acknowledge the work of Filipino American women and men in our communities today,” she said. In previous years, the City Council has passed resolutions to
mark October as Fil-Am History Month but this is the first year that a major event to honor the Fil-Am community and its history has taken place on City Hall grounds. Councilmember Paul Koretz, LA County Assessor Jeffrey Prang and Board of Public Works President Kevin James also delivered remarks. The program included a panel about engaging different sectors with the Filipino community and investing in Historic Filipinotown featuring Caloza, Gaega-Rosenthal and Dan Lin, whose production company Rideback Ranch has set up its offices in the neighborhood. Prior to the program, guests enjoyed Filipino dishes and entertainment by Broadway performer Joan Almedilla, the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO) and a cultural dance by Malaya Filipino American Dance Arts, and a DJ set by Micah Mahinay, who goes by DJ Noodles. n
BRANDON Lee, a ChineseAmerican volunteer worker and journalist who was shot by unknown gunmen in Cordillera in August, has returned home, two members of the board of supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco in California confirmed on Saturday, October 26. According to Rappler, a crowdfunding campaign was launched to raise the money needed to airlift him from Manila. KTVU, meanwhile, reported that Lee’s family took out a loan as well as received a donation from a europe-based environmental organization for this purpose. The arrival of Lee was announced by supervisors Gordon Mar and Matt Haney. “Welcome home, Brandon!” Haney posted on his Facebook page.
“I joined the friends and family of Brandon Lee at the airport and hospital to welcome him home early Saturday morning from the Philippines. Brandon and his mom Louise Lee, who has been by his bedside in the Philippines for 10 weeks, left Manila on Thursday night (October 24), and travelled on a small air ambulance plane for 24 hours, making stops in Japan, Russia, and Alaska before they landed safely at SFO,” he added. “early Saturday morning, surrounded by friends, family, and community, Sunset native Brandon Lee arrived safely home to San Francisco on a medical transport following the assassination attempt in the Philippines that nearly claimed his life in August,” Mar said. Lee, who married an Ifugao native and sired a child while working as a paralegal vol-
unteer for the Ifugao Peasant Movement in the Cordillera, shot repeatedly on August 6 by two men in front of their house in Lagawe, Ifugao, after fetching his child from school. After a security breach at the Baguio General Hospital, where he was initially confined, he was surreptitiously transferred to St Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig. “It took a movement – here in the Bay Area and U.S.-wide, in the Philippines, and internationally – to bring him back to safety. Thank you everyone for your support and advocacy for Brandon and his family,” Haney said. Aside from a GoFundme that raised more than $15,000 of the $200,000 needed to airlift Lee, there was also a Masquerade, a Love Parade fundraiser, for him last October 25 in Oakland, California. n
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Jollibee makes a guest appearance at City Hall on Friday, October 25.
lives free from fear of deportation. As president, Biden will prioritize a comprehensive immigration reform to finally give 11 million undocumented immigrants a roadmap to citizenship. He’ll invest in smart technology at our ports of entry and streamline the asylum system, hiring more immigration judges. And he’ll ensure those seeking refuge in the United States are treated with respect and get the fair hearing they’re legally entitled to. No more ripping families apart. No more babies in cages. No more demonizing immigrants and scaring people for political gain. Biden will restore dignity to the immigration process. Give all AAPIs a fair shot at the middle class: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are the fast-
est growing racial group in the United States and a key driver of economic and labor force growth. Still, many are stuck in low wage jobs, making it harder to own a home or build wealth. As president, Biden will restore the basic bargain between workers and management, and make sure that everyone has a fair shot at the American Dream. He’ll start by restoring overtime pay to millions of workers and getting rid of non-compete clauses and unnecessary licensing requirements that make it harder to move to higher paying jobs. And he’ll continue his life-long fight for workers’ rights to form unions and bargain, including the country’s more than half-amillion AAPI union members. n
PH among world’s worst impunity offenders...
PAGE 1 Mar Gordon and Matty Haney, district supervisors of San Francisco City and County. “It took a movement—here in the Bay Area and U.S.-wide, in the Philippines and internationally to bring him back to safety,” Haney wrote on Facebook. Lee, also a paralegal volunteer of the Ifugao Peasant Movement and a contributor to
Him or me? Sen. Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Pacquiao poses with China’s wealthiest man, Jack Ma. The senator and his wife Jinkee (not in photo) visited the Chinese billionaire to thank him for his pledge of donation to Pacquiao’s foundation. The couple was also accompanied by Chinese actor and producer Jet Li. Photo from Instagram/@mannypacquiao
US human rights volunteer shot in Cordillera returns home
Biden campaign launches grassroots movement... PAGE 3 and employers, Joe will make sure that all kids have a chance to graduate with an industry credential, ready to compete in the 21st century workforce. And, he’ll provide two years of free community college, halve the cap on student loan repayments, and double the maximum Pell Grant, so lower-income students get more help for college, and many middle-class families qualify for the first time. Reform our immigration system: As vice president, Joe backed reforms that would’ve established a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants; when Congress failed to pass them, the Obama-Biden Administration created the DACA program so DReAMers could pursue their
ReIGNING World Boxing Association (WBA) super welterweight champion Sen. emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao challenged Floyd Mayweather Jr. for a rematch in an Instagram video alongside China’s richest man, Jack Ma. In the video, Pacquiao and Ma were seen hitting the pads. “Floyd Mayweather if you want a real fight, fight me. If you want an exhibition, my guy, my friend Jack Ma will take care of you. The real Manny team,” Pacquiao said. “Yeah, I’m ready anytime, anyplace. Manny team is ready,” Ma responded. “Yes, that’s right,” the senator said before ending the video clip. The video was also shared on Pacquiao’s official Twitter and Facebook page. This is the second time Pacquiao met Ma, who is the 21st wealthiest man in the world with a networth of over $38 billion, in Hangzhou, China. Meanwhile, a reliable source inside Pacquiao’s camp shared that negotiations for a possible rematch between Pacquiao and Mayweather were indeed ongoing. n
online paper Northern Dispatch was among the activists tagged by the military as alleged supporters of the New People’s Army in 2015. “Weeks and days before this incident, the 54th [Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army] frequented the Ifugao Peasant Movement office as well as the residences of Brandon and other officers of the Justice and Peace
Advocates of Ifugao conversing with them, gathering data, and intimidating them,” CHRA said in a report on the shooting by reogional weekly Northern Dispatch. The Philippines was the deadliest country for environmental and land activists in 2018, with at least 30 recorded deaths, according to watchdog Global Witness.(AJPress)
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OCTOBER 31-NOVEMBER 6, 2019 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL
OPINION On a roll
FEATURES
ARE government lawyers so incompetent, or is justice being undermined by mind-boggling wealth? Just within this year, the Marcoses have won three major cases, setting back efforts to recover billions of dollars in assets amassed during the 20-year regime of dictator Ferdinand Marcos. The latest victory was handed to the Marcoses by the Sandiganbayan’s Fourth Division, with Associate Justice Alex Quiroz penning the decision and Justices Reynaldo Cruz and Maria Theresa Mendoza-Arcega concurring. The three ruled that most of the documentary evidence submitted by state lawyers were not part of public record but “mere unauthenticated photocopies.” The ruling courtesy of the Fourth Division brings to 22 the number of civil forfeiture cases against the Marcoses and their cronies that have been dismissed. Nineteen wealth-related cases remain pending. The wholesale dismissal can be confusing when juxtaposed with established evidence that massive wealth has been accumulated illegally during the Marcos years. The Swiss government has turned over to the Philippines $680 million in assets, after determination of their illegal nature, which were deposited in Swiss banks by Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos, signing as William Saunders and Jane Ryan for the accounts. Prime pieces of real property in the United States have been seized and forfeited in favor of the government. A law has been passed, provid-
ing reparation for human rights victims of the Marcos dictatorship, to be taken from recovered stolen assets including the Swiss accounts. In the vaults of the central bank, Imelda Marcos’ eye-popping collection of expensive jewelry worthy of royalty is being readied for auction. The government is still trying to recover priceless paintings by the masters from the former first lady. There’s so much corpus delicti lying around, but how come no one has been convicted and sent to prison for illegally amassing such wealth in a country where about 30 percent of the population lives in poverty? It’s not just the judiciary that seems to have a soft spot for the Marcoses. A former official of the Presidential Commission on Good Government lamented this year that even the Anti-Money Laundering Council failed to act on a PCGG request to go after Marcos’ heirs for possible money laundering. At the rate the wheels of justice are turning in the Marcoses’ favor, one day history may be rewritten to declare that the king’s ransom accumulated by a in his time, was handed to his family as a gift by the president of this country, classified as low-income people themselves.
Editorial
The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS BREAKING NEWS: PBS reported, “The U.S. House of Representatives plans to hold a formal vote Thursday, October 31, on the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump over his alleged abuses of power while in office.” “In a letter explaining the decision, Speaker Nancy Pelosi told House Democrats that she wanted to push back on claims by Trump and Republican lawmakers that the impeachment inquiry is not valid without a floor vote. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a key Trump ally, introduced a resolution last week condemning the inquiry as ‘illegitimate’.” “While Pelosi said Monday that the Trump administration ‘made up’ the argument that the
SHORTLY after his visit to Russia, the subject of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte aka Digong visiting the United States came up. It was as though someone had been prompted to ask Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo about it. It was a reasonable question though, considering that Digong has already visited Russia twice, although the first one had to be aborted because of the Marawi crisis. He has also been to China four or five times. Panelo’s reply was that a visit to the U.S. was still “unsure” because Digong dislikes cold weather and long flights. That may be so but we know that there are other more significant reasons why Digong is averse to visiting the U.S. In my view, a visit to the U.S. may not be advisable at this time for two reasons: 1) President Trump is very much preoccupied with the impeachment process against him, the crisis concerning Syria, Turkey, Iran and the Kurds, the trade negotiations with China, not to mention his bid for reelection; and 2) the prevailing hostility toward Digong (and Trump) of the U.S. mainstream media, some members of the U.S. Congress and human rights organizations in the U.S. I think Trump would not really want a visit from Digong at this
And every judicial court will uphold the historical revision. (Philstar.com)
In demanding delicadeza, accountability, justice from public officials, there’s NO gray area: Either you call them out OR you enable them impeachment inquiry is illegitimate, she said she wanted to take the vote to ‘eliminate any doubt.’” “This week, we will bring a resolution to the Floor that affirms the ongoing, existing investigation that is currently being conducted by our committees as part of this impeachment inquiry, including all requests for documents, subpoenas for records and testimony, and any other investigative steps previously taken or to be taken as part of this investigation,” Pelosi said in the letter. MEANWHILE in Japan, BBC News reports: “Japan’s new Minister of Trade Isshu Sugawara quits after gifting melons, oranges, roe and royal jelly to constituents. “He is also said to have offered “condolence money” of 20,000 Japanese yen ($185;
Commentary
REYNALDO ARCILLA
Philstar.com photo
£145) to the family of a supporter. It is customary in Japan to give money as a condolence to grieving families - what is known as ‘incense money.’” “Japan’s election law bans politicians from sending donations to voters in their home constituency.” Despite any defense he can use, the public official resigned just the same, after being accused of violating election law. MEANWHILE in the Philippines, politicians who give away dole outs, free goodies, cash gift, abuloy sa patay, pera sa binyag, regalo sa kasal while campaigning — they usually win in elections. In fact, many voters expect this kind of generosity from politicians and are deemed to be signs of their being pro-people and compassionate. YET, voters openly say they
abhor politicians corruption, bribery, yet expect to continue to get these freebies from the elected officials who, through their salaries only, will not be able to sustain this handing out gifts and money to their constituents. But many people don’t seem to care however these public officials are able to get the funds to give away. What matters to them is that they get them. If the politician they voted for in the past do not deliver on this expectation, many of them lose their luster and popularity among many voters and get voted out in favor of new more generous political candidates. For political survival, politicians justify and rationalize corruption. And therefore, the pattern of corruption continues to be perpetuated. If we do not call out public
officials for their transgressions against the Constitution, against the rule of law, against moral decency, against the attack on the truth and our democracy, then we are in effect enabling them. If we pride ourselves of being “apolitical” , and would not speak up nor speak out and just leave it up to more politically engaged people the task of making our leaders accountable, then our silence is also complicity. This silence means we side with the aggressor, we condone the abuser. If we refuse to call out the public official we elected because we hate the “other side” of the political aisle more, or because we think it is being more patriotic to give our 100 percent loyalty to the candidate we voted for despite the transgressions, then we ourselves
are attacking the Constitution, the rule of law, our values and moral compass. Mga kababayan, the choice is ours to make. There is NO gray area here. It s either we call out our public officials for their lack of delicadeza, abuse of power, corruption, attacks to the truth and our democracy, OR, we enable, empower them more to continue committing their transgressions. WE DESERVE THE GOVERNMENT THAT WE GET.. *** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos.
Digong to visit US?
time as it could exacerbate his present problems. Also, in light of the recent report that his telephone call in April 2017 congratulating Digong for an “unbelievable job on the drug problem” left many in the White House “genuinely horrified.” One may expect those people to violently object to a Digong visit. It is no secret that several members of Digong’s Cabinet and some in his coterie of friends, advisers and businessmen would only be too happy to see him go to the U.S. to please their U.S. masters. In any case, above all other considerations, we, the Filipino people, would not want our President to be insulted and vilified while he is in a foreign land upon the invitation of its head of state, period! Digong should heed doctors’ advice I truly felt so bad and sad for Digong when I saw him in a photo grimacing in what must have been excruciating pain in front of his daughter Sara, and another photo showing him sitting down with his head bowed and propped up on his cane. The pain was caused by the motorcycle spill he had at the Malacañang grounds a few days before. Many of us who have experienced some kind of intense physical pain in the course of our lives can readily sympathize with what he was going through. Only his must have been worse. He is 74 years old — old by any standard, physically that is. And with all the problems of
the country borne on his already slightly stooped shoulder. At his age, it is also likely he had not fully recovered at the time from the jet lag he got from his trip to Russia the week before. It was, therefore, quite a relief when Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go said that Digong had consulted doctors after going to the wake of the late former senator Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. “Sabi ng mga doktor niya, mga expert ito, ang mga neurosurgeon niya before pa, ay wala daw pong dapat ikabahala. Purely muscle spasms,” Go said. “Binigyan lang po siya ng gamot, pain reliever…at kailangan po magpahinga ang Pangulo. He was advised to rest, rest, rest, kailangan talaga,” he added. Digong should heed the doctors’ advice. He still has a plateful of things to do in the remaining two-and-a-half years of his term. That is just around the corner. Digong’s Man Friday Speaking of Go, people are quite aware that Digong has not really “released” him from being his special assistant after his election as a senator. It does appear that wherever Digong is, so is Go. To the detriment of his duties as a senator? Perhaps. But, if at all, no one can fault him for that. From where I sit, I think he has become like a putative son to the President. Their very long association and Go’s work ethic did that. The President obviously feels at ease and comfortable with Go around, as he has proven himself to be an efficient and
President Rodrigo Duterte with House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano
reliable Man Friday. I quite appreciate their relationship. I was once in a somewhat similar situation with one of my former bosses. Locsin on plastics For once, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro “Tweeterboy” Locsin Jr. made a sensible suggestion in his usual acerbic manner — criminalize the sale and use of plastics in the country. “Just criminalize the production, sale, use and very possession of plastics. Period. The Philippines is the No. 3 plastics polluter. Enough talk. Just do it… No discretion on the part of government officials who take bribes like they breathe in and out,” he tweeted. Let us hope someone in Congress will pick up his suggestion. Reminders This segment is intended to remind the Duterte administra-
tion of some of its yet unfulfilled promises and matters that need attention and/or follow-up action. More importantly, the people are entitled to know what’s being done about them. 1. Digong’s promise to rid the country of foreign troops. This, of course, necessitates abrogating the untested and unproven worth to us after seven decades of the Mutual Defense Treaty with the U.S., along with the lopsided and constitutionally infirm Visiting Forces Agreement and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. 2. Reciprocal visa arrangements with the U.S. What is the Department of Foreign Affairs doing about this? Our embassy in Washington? No less than President Digong has said he wanted this done more than three years ago. Has he changed his mind? If not, Locsin should be directed to start
Malacañang photo
things moving. Needless to say, such reciprocal arrangements should also be pursued with all other countries. I know that certain offices in the government, the Department of Tourism for one, and some members of the private sector resist such a move for the cockeyed reason that it will lessen the number of tourists coming here. That’s pure hogwash! As long as we get our act together and make the country attractive to foreigners, they, including Americans, will come with or without visa fees. Incidentally, now that a modified visa upon arrival will continue to be given to Chinese nationals, we should ask China to extend the same privilege to our travelers, that is, if no such arrangement yet exists. (ManilaTimes.net)
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D ateline PhiliPPines DOH eyes ‘sin tax’ on salt to curb diseases by Mayen JayMalin Philstar.com
MANILA — After tobacco and sugar, the government may soon impose higher taxes on salt. To curb the high incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which is costing the country some P756 billion annually, the Department of Health (DOH) is considering increasing the levy on salty products. “As we have seen the positive effects on increasing taxes on sin products, the same strategy might work also for excessive consumption of salt and we did the same thing for taxing sweetened beverages,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said. Duque noted that the high consumption of salt has already impacted the health of Filipinos as indicated by the rising incidence of end-stage renal failure, hypertension and other NCDs.
Based on the findings of the Philippine NCD Investment Case, the country’s economy incurs P756.5 billion annually due to NCDs. The figure includes the direct costs of NCDs associated with treatment but also the indirect “hidden” costs arising from reduced productivity in the workplace and premature death of the workforce. Health officials said the “hidden” costs of NCDs are nine times higher than the direct costs. Aside from the possibility of exacting higher taxes, Duque said the DOH is also looking into the possibility of coming out with “low-salt to no-salt” policy in food manufacturing. Salt consumption in the Philippines is double the World Health Organization (WHO)’s recommended level. United Nations Interagency Task Force on NCDs external relations officer Alexey Kulikov said
the WHO’s recommended level is five grams of salt per day. The Philippines’ daily salt consumption is 11 grams per day. Kulikov said other agencies are working to reduce salt consumption globally by reformulating contents of food products. “They can do it gradually so it doesn’t damage the market share of these producers,” he said. “There are many approaches to cut on salt and it is quite important that there is a dialogue between the government... private sector, specifically the producers,” he added. Meanwhile, WHO country representative Rabindra Abeyasinghe said excessive salt consumption is related directly to hypertension and cardiovascular problems, thus the need for countries to come out with measures to reduce salt intake among Filipinos. n
Bernard Banac told ABS-CBN News Channel on Wednesday, October 30, when asked about PNP’s records on drug users. Banac said their records were based on the drug users who “users voluntarily surrendered and made themselves accounted for.” Asked if Duterte was misinformed, Banac said the President may have a wide source of information. “Well we can always say that because the President has wide
source of information so when he makes that estimate there could be a basis on that,” Banac said. The number of drug users was disclosed after Vice President Leni Robredo said the government’s crackdown against illegal drugs might not be working. “If you started with 1.4 million and it ballooned to seven to eight million despite the campaign, something is not working,” Robredo said in a recent interview. n
READY FOR DEPLOYMENT. Philippine Coast Guard chief Vice Admiral Joel Garcia inspects the weapons of personnel to be deployed to protect various ports nationwide as the country prepares to mark All Saints’ Day. ManilaTimes.net photo by Enrique Agcaoili
PNP records 1.5 million drug users in 3-year drug war Revilla bill requires disclosure of fees on OFW remittances by consuelo
Marquez
Inquirer.net
MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) said 1.5 million drug users have been “accounted for” since the start of the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign in 2016. This is different from President Rodrigo Duterte’s estimate of 7 to 8 million drug users. “We have accounted for 1.5 million drug users for the last three years,” PNP spokesman Brig. Gen.
by Franco luna Philstar.com
MANILA — Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. on Wednesday, October 30, filed a bill that would require remittance agents and companies to fully disclose the fees charged when OFWs send money through their services. “The OFWs’ total remittances made from April to September last
No reopening of Maguindanao massacre trial by Janvic
Mateo Philstar.com
MANILA — The Quezon City court handling the multiple murder cases filed in connection with the 2009 Maguindanao massacre will not reopen the decade-long trial as requested by the lawyer of primary suspect Andal Ampatuan Jr. Regional Trial Court Branch 221 Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes, in a five-page order released on Monday, denied the motion to reopen the trial filed by lawyer Paul Laguatan in behalf of his client Ampatuan. She noted the testimony of suspect-turned-state witness Sukarno
Badal, who denied the claim of Ampatuan that he would recant his testimony. “With the denial made by prosecution witness Sukarno Badal of his intention to recant his previous testimony given on several dates, it is crystal clear that the ground relied on by the accused-movant’s for the reopening of trial has no leg to stand on,” read the ruling. “Thus, the motion must perforce fail,” it added. With the denial of the motion, the 90-day period that SolisReyes has to rule on the case will proceed. She submitted the case for decision last Aug. 22, giving her until
Nov. 20 – or three days before the 10th anniversary of the massacre – to hand down the verdict on Ampatuan and some 100 suspects who have been arrested in connection with the incident. The camp of Ampatuan tried to defer the proceedings, first with a request that he be given three months to find a new lawyer after the withdrawal of the firm of Raymond Fortun from the case in August. When it was denied by the Senator Bong Revilla wants remittance judge, his new lawyer Laguatan companies to fully disclose fees imposed on asked for an extension to file OFWs. Philstar.com photo the defense memorandum and, later on, the motion to reopen the trial. n
CIDG raps vs Albayalde not weak — Gamboa by Darwin
Pesco ManilaTimes.net
PHILIPPINES National Police (PNP) Officer in Charge Lt. Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa said on Tuesday, October 29, the charges filed by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) against his predecessor, Gen. Oscar Albayale, were “not weak.” “No, it’s not, because bakit mabilis (why was it swift)? Because we have already evidence coming from the Senate and these are sworn statements, sila mismo nagsabi na (They themselves said) this can be used as an evidence,” Gamboa said in a TV interview. He noted that it would be up to the Department of Justice (DoJ) to reevaluate if the charges the CIDG filed were strong. “Kami lang naman ay tumutulong kung ano ang required ng (We are just helping with what was required of us by the) DoJ,
fected the morale of the PNP, but assured that there were only a few police officers involved in the drug recycling scheme, based on their watchlist. On October 21, the CIDG filed a complaint against Albayalde and 13 other police officers before the Justice department. PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said the respondents “remain innocent until proven guilty.” Though not directly involved, Albayalde was found “legally liable” for the alleged “monumental cover-up” of his men involved in drug recycling when he was provincial director of Pampanga in 2013. On October 14, Albayalde Lt. Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa ManilaTimes.net photo stepped down from his post and but remember, ultimately, it’s the went on non-duty status days DoJ who is reviewing the case ahead of his retirement. Upon resigning, he hired forand if there’s probably cause then it will go to the court,” the mer Justice Secretary Estelito Mendoza to be his counsel. acting chief said. Albayalde plans to file comMeanwhile, Gamboa lamented that the “ninja cops” issue af- plaints against his accusers. n
Sandiganbayan acquits 2 gov’t execs of graft in pork barrel scam by Gabriel
Pabico Inquirer.net
lalu
MANILA – The Sandiganbayan has acquitted two private individuals accused of graft for allegedly creating bogus non- government organizations (NGOs) which received allocations from former La Union Rep. Thomas Dumpit Jr.’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). The Sandiganbayan First Division’s decision dated October 18 stated that the demurrer to evidence filed by Godofredo Roque and Morrys Ang were granted as the prosecution failed to present convincing evidence that would prove they conspired with Dumpit and other officials accused in the case. The anti-graft court claimed that Roque and Ang merely signed official documents as incorporators of the NGOs involved — Kabuhayan at Kalusugang Alay sa Masa Foundation (KKAMFI) and Aaron Foundation Philippines Inc. (AFPI). Both Roque and Ang were co-accused in the graft and
malversation cases filed against Dumpit, after he allegedly channeled P6.5 million of his PDAF into ghost projects under the two NGOs. The projects involved were for the procurement of livelihood technology kits for farmers in Dumpit’s district. The Sandiganbayan said that since it cannot be proven that the two conspired with the public official, then the requirements for committing graft, according to Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, cannot be satisfied. “In the instant cases, the alleged participations of the two accused to commit the crimes were not adequately proven. The mere fact that accused Roque and Ang were incorporators and/ or officers of KKAMFI and AFPI is certainly insufficient to justify the conclusion that they conspired with their co-accused,” the court said. “However, aside from the articles of incorporation, general information sheets and by-laws, no other documentary evidence
nor testimony was put forth by the prosecution to show their respective participations in the unlawful disbursements of accused Dumpit Jr.’s PDAF,” it added. The court also banked on testimonies by prosecution witnesses lawyer Roscoe Agcaoili, who was with the Office of the Ombudsman that probed the case; and state auditor Gloria de Guzman who admitted that the two were not found liable by the Commission on Audit (COA). “In fact, prosecution witness Atty. Roscoe Adeppa Agcaoili testified that accused Roque did not perform any act aside from being an incorporator of KKAMFI; and that he was charged in these cases merely because he was such an incorporator,” the court’s decision penned by Associate Justice Edgardo Caldona explained. With the decision, the bail bonds posted by Roque and Ang in relation to this case were order cancelled and released, while the hold departure order against them were recalled. n
year amounted to a total of P235.9 billion based on the records of the Philippine Statistics Authority,” Revilla cited in a press release. PSA records show that 52.8% of OFWs sent their remittances through banks, while the remaining 45% course remittance money through transfer services. The other 2% opted for agencies or local offices to handle the transmissions for them. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas also reported on October 15 that remittances sent home by OFWs went up by 4.2% to $2.87 billion in August from its $2.76 billion from just a year before. If passed, remittance agents and companies will be required to be conform to the standards of the BSP, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Bureau of Internal Revenue. All such services are also expected to adhere to the real time exchange rates stipulated in the Reference Exchange Rate Bulletin of the BSP, who subject on local senders a flat rate transaction. The bill also penalizes “price gouging, or the exorbitant charging of fees for the transactions”
with imprisonment of from six to ten years and a fine ranging from P200,000 to P1 million. For Revilla, the bill declares that protecting citizens from deceptive, unfair and unconscionable acts of remittance agents and money transfer companies is a matter of state policy. “These OFWs dedicate all their labor and sacrifices for the betterment of their families. Their salaries, wages or earnings that they send home are products of love and hard work,” he said. “Recognizing the valuable contribution of our OFWs in our economy, this measure seeks to protect the hard earned money of our OFWs,” Revilla said. Revilla has managed to return to the Senate after his acquittal by the Sandiganbayan in December 2018 after four years of detention in the Philippine National Police Custodial Center. He had been charged over allegedly funnelling P517 million in his Priority Development Assistance Fund allocations into faux NGOs. The court said the prosecution failed to prove his guilt beyond reasonable doubt. n
october 31-November 6, 2019 • LAS veGAS ASIAN JoUrNAL
Dateline PhiliPPines
DOH pushing for outright ban on e-cigarettes electornic cigarettes is “alarming,â€? claiming that the product is being used even by some MANILA — The Department of elementary students. Health is pushing for an outright “If the DOH would have its way, ban on electronic cigarettes, we would go for an outright ban,â€? saying users of the product are Domingo told reporters Wednesexposed to health risks. day, October 30, in MalacaĂąang. Health Undersecretary Eric “Even if the packaging and Domingo said the rising use of promotion is enticing to the
youth, it is not for young people. These products are not good alternatives to normal or regular cigarettes,� he added. Domingo said there have been 1,604 recorded cases of EVALI or “e-cigarette or vaping product use associated lung injury� in the United States, 34 of which have resulted in deaths. He said about one percent of Filipinos are now into vaping. In contrast, 22.7% of Filipinos smoke tobacco cigarettes and 18.7% smoke daily, according to a 2015 fact sheet for the Global Adult Tobacco Survey posted on the Philippine Statistics Authority website. The government has raised excise taxes on tobacco prices, partly to discourage smoking and people are not supposed to smoke in public except in designated areas. “Let’s not wait for an epidemic like this to happen in the Philippines,� Domingo said. Domingo said his agency would back bills that would ban electronic cigarettes or vapes. “There are several countries that have now decided to ban ecigarettes. There are two tracks, to ban it or to regulate it...here, many are using and many are selling it, it’s there. So regulation would be the softer way, but for health outcomes, an outright ban The group Responsible Vapers show off their vapes at the DOH in Manila where talks on the would be the best and will definitely improve health outcomes,� rules and regulations regarding the use of electronic cigarettes are ongoing. Philstar.com photo by KJ Rosales he added. n by alexis
RomeRo Philstar.com
Government lost P234 billion to BOC corruption in 2 years by edu
Punay Philstar.com
MANILA — A House leader pushed for a legislative inquiry on the illegal practices at the Bureau of Customs (BOC) that he said had cost the government P234 billion in losses in just two years. Deputy Speaker and Sagip party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta has proposed an investigation in the House of Representatives on the controversial “benchmarking� and “tara� systems in BOC. “Benchmarking is the fastest way of clearing and releasing shipment at the port of entry aggravated by the tara system that
ing respondents of each quarterly survey whether any household member became a victim of street robbery, home break-in, or violence in the past six months. In 1992, SWS added motor vehicle theft to its list of crimes that was specifically monitored. “Victimization by common crimes reported in SWS surveys is much higher than the number of crimes actually reported to the police,� the polling firm said. According to the same survey, 3.4 percent or an estimated 846,000 Filipino families reported getting victimized by property crimes such as street robbery, burglary, and carnapping within the past six months, down by 1.0 point from 4.4 percent or an estimated 1.1 million in June. The survey also showed 2.6 percent or an estimated 640,000 families were victimized by break-
ins, while 0.3 percent or an estimated 40,000 families owning any type of motor vehicle were robbed in the past six months. About 0.5 percent or an estimated 133,000 families said they were victims of physical violence in the past six months, down by 0.7 points from 1.2 percent or an estimated 287,000 in June. The September survey also found 59 percent of Filipino adults fearful of burglary, 47 percent fearful of walking the streets at night, 38 percent noticing many drug addicts in the neighborhood. The survey, which was released on Wednesday, had sampling error margins of Âą2.3 percent for national percentages, Âą4 percent each for Balance Luzon and Mindanao, and Âą6 percent each for Metro Manila and the Visayas. (Catherine Valente/ManilaTimes. net)
allows bribes from importers and brokers as if this is normal, tolerable and acceptable,� his resolution read. Marcoleta said he personally examined BOC records and reports and found that the agency lost an estimated P234 billion in collections in 2016 and 2017 due to these corrupt practices, where values of shipment are being altered and fake commercial invoices and packing lists are being used as bases in computation of duties and taxes by customs brokers for the release of shipment to the consignee. He revealed that BOC data showed a pattern of corruption over the period from January 2016
to November 2017 and indicated some evidence of the said illegal practices. The lawmaker explained that a House inquiry is necessary to dig deeper into this issue with the assistance of the National Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Internal Revenue to conduct investigation and audit, respectively, on some 283 importers, 166 customs brokers, 272 examiners and 145 appraisers that supposedly benefited from the scheme. Marcoleta said his proposed legislative inquiry is an offshoot of the congressional investigation in August 2017 on the alleged syndicated and technical smuggling of P6.4 billion worth of shabu. n
Cayetano eyes longer term as speaker by Glee Jalea ManilaTimes.net
HOUSE Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said on Monday he
Families victimized by common crimes down - SWS ABOUT 1.4 million families fell victim to common crimes in the past six months, according to the third quarter survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS). The poll from September 27 to 30 among 1,800 Filipino adults nationwide showed 5.6 percent of families being victimized by pickpocketing or robbery, breakins, car theft, and of physical violence. This is 1.4 points higher than the 7.0 percent or 1.7 million families reported in June 2019, and is the lowest since the 5.3 percent in June 2018. “Except in March 2013 and June 2016 when it was at 10.5 percent and 11.4 percent respectively, victimization of families by any common crime has been at single-digit levels from March 2012 to September 2019,� SWS said. Since 1989, SWS has been ask-
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House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano ManilaTimes.net photo
was willing to serve as full term leader of the lower chamber if Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco would forego their termsharing pact. “Well I’m open to the possibility if Congressman Velasco himself would say, ‘You do it.’ I won’t convince him otherwise anymore,� Cayetano told the media in English and Filipino. Under the deal, Cayetano would sit as speaker for 15 months while Velasco would have 21 months. “Having said that, [Velasco] has his own leadership, following, and he also heads the party of our President (Rodrigo Duterte) so I have to also respect that,� Cayetano said, referring to the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) headed by Velasco in the House. Cayetano still has 12 months to
serve as speaker. “I am planning for 12 more months. So hopefully, we can work on full blast during that time and until that time, it would be good to focus on what we need to do because if not, there will likely be disunity,� he said. Cayetano, who was appointed speaker in July, garnered a 64percent approval rating and a 62-percent trust rating in the third quarter survey of Pulse Asia. Some of his allies in the lower chamber attributed these high ratings to his strong leadership. “I’m very proud of the 18th Congress, but we have an agreement. And so far, the President is not changing it,� Cayetano said. The Manila Times reached out to the camp of Velasco but has not gotten any response as of posting. n
Peralta bares program for a ‘better judiciary’ by William
dePasuPil ManilaTimes.net
CHIEF Justice Diosdado Peralta on Monday, October 28, laid down a 10-point program that he said would bring the judiciary to “greater heights.� Attending his first flag ceremony as chief magistrate, Peralta pledged to uplift the judicial system and improve public service. “My 10-point program is just the beginning and is not exclusive. There is still much to be done and accomplished as re-
gards to court adjudication and court administration,� he said. Topping his program of action is unclogging court dockets, including the Supreme Court’s. “In order to achieve this point, clerks of court will be required to conduct periodic inventory of all the cases pending in their divisions and consult the Court en banc on how to solve the issue of backlog and other concerns,� Peralta said. He also proposed the creation of a security system patterned after the United States Marshals to protect justices and judges.
Likewise, he vowed to run after misfits in the judiciary; implement a duly-approved revised rules of court; automate court processes; strengthen the Office of the Court Administrator; set up a help desk in the Office of the Chief Justice; monitor the performance of all courts; improve the procurement process; and create a strategy planning management unit. As he called for the support of the judiciary, Peralta vowed to lead by example. Peralta will serve as chief justice until March 27, 2022.
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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 31-NOVEmbER 6, 2019
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OCTOBER 31-nOvEmBER 6, 2019 • LAS vEGAS ASIAn JOURnAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678
VEGAS&STYLE
Journal Fil-Am musical drama ‘Yellow Rose’ picked Barretto family feud makes it to international news up by Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions by Jan
Milo severo Philstar.com
by AJPress SONY Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (SPWA) announced on Thursday, October 24 that it has acquired all worldwide rights, excluding the Philippines, to the film “Yellow Rose,” directed by Filipina American Diane Paragas in her narrative feature debut. “Yellow Rose” is a timely story about a Filipino teen from a small Texas town who fights to pursue her dreams as a country music performer while facing the threat of deportation. The film stars two-time Tony Award Nominee Eva Noblezada (Hadestown, Miss Saigon) in her feature film debut, Tony Award Winner Lea Salonga (Once on this Island, Miss Saigon), Princess Punzalan (Mula Sa Puso), Dale Watson (Friday Night Lights), Gustavo Gomez (The Walking Dead), Libby Villari (Boyhood), and Liam Booth (Ghosts Never Sleep). Eva Noblezada received her most recent Tony nomination for her portrayal of Eurydice in “Hadestown,” which won eight Tony Awards including Best Musical. She received her first nomination for portraying Kim in the revival of “Miss Saigon.” Lea Salonga won the Tony Award for her portrayal of the same role in the original production of “Miss Saigon.” “’Yellow Rose’ has been a labor of passion for over 15 years and I’m thrilled that we can now share this very relevant story with the world,” says Paragas. “We have the added honor of representing
Eva Noblezada as Rose in “Yellow Rose.”
the real experiences of Filipino Americans, Asian Americans, and all immigrants seeking a better life in America.” Yellow Rose features original songs developed for the film, written and composed by Watson, Paragas, Noblezada, and Thia Megia. The film is written by Diane Paragas, Annie Howell, and Celena Cipriaso, based on a story written by Paragas and Andy Bienen. The film’s producers include Lead Producer Cecilia R. Mejia, Rey Cuerdo, Orian Williams and Paragas. Executive Producers include Carlo Katigbak, Olivia De Jesus, John D. Lazatin, and Juan Miguel Sevilla from ABS-CBN Global and Cinematografo Originals, Karen Elizaga, Gail Alvarez,
File photo
Victor Alvarez, and Dale Watson. Co-Producers include Jeremiah Abraham, Courtney Jones, and Thea Kerman. The film premiered at this year’s Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival where it received the Grand Jury Award and the Breakout Performance Award for Noblezada’s outstanding performance. Already having won a total of five Grand Jury Awards, the film is scheduled to screen at Austin Film Festival Monday, October 28 as well as the Hawaii International Film Festival in November. “Yellow Rose” will be distributed in theaters in the Philippines by ABS-CBN. Paragas is managed by LBI Entertainment and is represented by Morris Yorn Barnes & Levine.
JM refuses to label relationship with Ria by Maridol
rañoa-BisMark Philstar.com
JM de Guzman’s dreams are vivid, and, to borrow the title of his upcoming film for Cinema One Originals – lucid. He recalls details as if they happened yesterday, not many nights before. “There was war. Anarchy. I still remember the sounds. Submarine-like planes fell from the sky. Suddenly, there came a strong electric force. Alleys were flooded. Children from the streets were everywhere. There were killings, and the dead lay cooped up in a house. Darkness reigned,” he narrated. Following his doctor’s instructions, JM tried to write down the details of his dream. But he can’t. So he sketched the figures he saw instead. The medical expert declared it was no ordinary dream. It was a nightmare. It wasn’t JM’s first brush with the surreal. The Kapamilya actor admitted undergoing out-of-body experiences in his quest for ways to focus and relax his mind. That’s why it would be easy to say these surreal encounters moved director Victor Villanueva to tap JM for the role of someone who challenges Alessandra da Rossi’s character to turn her dreams into reality in “Lucid.” But JM said the connection between the real and the reel doesn’t exist in this case. Besides, dark dreams are not all there is to JM. He loves day-
JM de Guzman Photo from Instagram/@1migueldeguzman
dreaming about a happy home 10 years from now. He’ll be more stable. He’ll share a house of his own with his wife and the rest of his family. The children will be well-provided for. They will go to good schools, their father’s struggles behind them. “I will apply the lessons I learned after what I’ve been through. I will spare my family the struggles that were part of my life,” he vowed. Is actress Ria Atayde part of that future? JM refused to label their relationship, only saying that they bring out the best in each other. She eases his anxieties by listening to, and talking to him. JM described Ria as “a rare find,” a
good influence. It can be recalled that an interview with “Tonight with Boy Abunda” early this month, Ria clarified that she and JM are “friends” and are “getting to know each other.” Her mother, award-winning actress Sylvia Sanchez, openly shows her fondness for JM. In fact, he convinced her to partner with him (and Ria) in a mixed martial arts gym they plan to open in Katipunan, Quezon City. The business is apt for someone who’s into martial arts like JM. Ria’s father, Arturo Atayde, on the other hand, is a lot more cautious. JM shared how Ria’s dad stared at him and asked if the actor has indeed changed for the better. “Makukulong ka,” Ria’s dad deadpanned (referring to JM’s pending court case, for which he filed counter charges). But JM isn’t bothered, knowing that like most dads, Ria’s is protective of his daughter. JM’s relationship with Arjo, Ria’s brother, on the other hand, is strictly professional. They’re friends, yes. But their conversation revolves around the professional –acting and others. They don’t talk about Ria and personal issues. As for his family members, Arjo said the De Guzmans are already urging JM to marry Ria. Until then, the industry is all the better because of the intensity JM brings to his role, and the passion he gives to his work.
Boy’s age is ‘classified information’ by ronnie
CarrasCo ManilaTimes.net
iii
TUESDAY, October 29 exactly marks the birthday of Boy Abunda, hailed as the Asia’s King of Talk no less. For many years, Kuya Boy — as I address him — won’t be here around which time when his close friends in the biz eagerly expect him to throw parties more lavish than his outfits. He prefers taking time off with long-time partner Pagcor executive Bong Quintana — who is now in New York — in some foreign land. Kuya Boy isn’t actually a party animal despite projecting a gregarious image and possessing such an impeccable savoir faire he’s known for. Let me just clear that this piece may sound a bit of sycophant pandering, but definitely it is not meant to poke “pang-ookray” (showbiz term for funny ridicule) at one of the very few showbiz characters whom I’ve treated with utmost respect if reverence. Rather this is about our friendship that has transcended work boundaries without having to spend as much time together as PAGE 12
Boy Abunda
ABS-CBN photo
THE Barretto sisters have made it to international media as Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported the ongoing feud among sisters and actresses Gretchen, Marjorie and Claudine. In its online edition last October 27, South China Morning Post published the article “How Gretchen and Marjorie Barretto feud shocked Rodrigo Duterte and transfixed Filipinos.” “A brawl that began at the wake of late businessman Miguel Barretto, in front of the Philippine president, has spiralled into a battle between the women of his family on social media,” the newspaper said. “Filipinos have been transfixed by the outbursts and confessions by actresses Gretchen, Marjorie and Claudine over men and money,” it added. The article, written by Alan Robles, also reported how President Duterte got shocked when the brawl erupted in front of him that it needed the Presidential Security Guard to separate the sisters. The report also showed how Filipinos are transfixed to the issue as the Philippines’ Department of Transportation needed to issue a warning for Filipinos to keep their eyes on the road and not on their smartphones to know the latest happenings on the Bar-
The Barretto sisters (from left) Claudine, Gretchen and Marjorie.
retto sisters. Meanwhile, the ongoing family feud looks like to be on ceasefire as Gretchen was recently silent in her Instagram account. She is yet to post an Instagram story today. Marjorie, meanwhile, posted a photo on her Instagram account. The photo shows her bonding with their mom, Inday, daughter Dani and niece Nicole over the weekend. “There are good days, and there are bad days... yesterday was good. Thank you Lord,” she captioned the photo. It can be recalled that during last week’s interview with Noli de Castro of “TV Patrol,” businessman Atong Ang, who Marjorie blamed to be the alleged cause for the fight at the wake, pleaded the family to stop fighting.
Inquirer.net file photos
When asked what’s his message for the Barrettos, Atong said they should start talking and making peace for the sake of their mother. “Sa inyong mga Barretto, since naging parang family ko kayo, nilalahat ko na kayo: Namatay na ‘yung tatay niyo. Ngayon, nag-iisa na ang nanay niyo. Magtulongtulong na lang kayo, magbigay kayo ng pera, buhayin niyo, pilitin niyong maka-survive ang nanay niyo,” he said. “Kung ako kayo, magkabati-bati na kayo. Tutal, ang media naman natutuwa lang pag nagkakagulo kayo, e. Anyway, nakakatulong naman kayo, nagkakaroon ng libangan ang mga tao. Kung gusto niyo ituloy ‘yan, mga artista naman kayo, ituloy niyo. Pero suggestion ko lang, tigilan niyo na.”
‘Eerie, creepy’ shoot triggers Carmina’s anxiety attacks by Marinel
Cruz
Inquirer.net
CARMINA Villaroel, who has not been seen on the big screen for two years, said she experienced anxiety attacks while making her latest film project, the horror flick “Sunod.” “I can’t reveal what the scene is all about. Let’s just say my character is with her daughter there. I already knew what I was supposed to do when I read the script and practiced our blocking for the scene, but for some strange reason, while doing it, I suddenly couldn’t breathe and felt anxious. You see, ours isn’t your typical Pinoy horror film. Its attack is very different. It’s eerie and creepy,” she told the Inquirer. Carmina said she had asked that they stop shooting for a while. “I already know what to do during panic attacks. So, I just had to pause and do some deep breathing. I also applied aromatic oil on my forehead,” she explained. “Sunod,” with Carlo Ledesma at the helm, is a replacement of the horror movie “(K)ampon” as an entry in the 2019 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) in December. “I only found out that we’re included in the lineup on the day
it was announced, and that we’re the only horror film entry. I’m super excited,” the actress said. “I grew up watching ‘Shake, Rattle & Roll.’ Matatakutin ako (I get scared easily). It’s been a while since I made a horror film, and when I read the script, I said it was time to face my fears.” Asked whether she felt that her performance in “Sunod” would warrant an acting award, the 44-year-old actress said she would like it better for the film to do well in the box-office race than get trophies. “Doon ako sa producer’s side. I don’t have expectations. The fact that we got included as an entry already made me happy,” she said. “I just want to say that I hope the audience will give the film a chance. The festival is long, anyway, and there are only eight films to choose from. Even during the years that I wasn’t part of the MMFF, I supported it by watching as many films as I could.” Despite always getting scared of horror movies, Carmina said she hoped to make more in the future. “Kahit hindi horror. There’s a different kind of fulfillment in making a movie. I’m happy to be working with Team Ten17P (Films, producer of ‘Sunod’) and with Direk Carlo,” she declared.
Carmina Villaroel
Inquirer.net photo
“Sunod” was shot inside the old Quezon Institute, which was built in the 1930s. Carmina said she was excited to see the film with her husband Zoren Legaspi and their twins Cassy and Mavy. “Ako na ang pinakaduwag sa amin. They’re all super excited, since this also shows the relationship of a mother with her daughter. We’re just not sure what its rating will be.” “Sunod” also features Mylene Dizon, Susan Africa and Kate Alejandrino.
Lovi’s dating rules by allan
PoliCarPio Inquirer.net
THAT person has to accept the path I’m taking—that career is one of my priorities,” Lovi Poe said of her nonnegotiables when it comes to dating. “That should be automatic. I shouldn’t need to tell him that.” “I don’t want someone dictating, asking me to stop what I’m doing. I can’t see myself sacrificing my career for love,” she told reporters at a recent press conference for the upcoming dramatic flick, “The Annulment,” which opens in cinemas on Nov. 13. Sense of humor is also a must, she added. “He has to be funny.”
Lovi Poe
But looks and other physical aspects? Not so much. “You have to be a good person. You have to have the heart and the soul, the right amount of love, loyalty and understanding,” she said. The 30-year-old actress is currently in a long-distance relationship with Monty Blencowe, a Los Angeles-based English movie producer and medical researcher. She described him as an “old soul,” a “nice and good person.” “I met him in Los Angeles a while back. And our friendship just grew,” she said. “We’re sharing this moment together. And while we’re far
away from each other, we make sure to be part of each other’s life,” related Lovi, who was just on a five-month vacation in the United States, where she and Monty got to spend some quality time together. “We’re just hoping for the best.” In Monty’s first visit to the Philippines, Lovi showed him some of the country’s most scenic and popular tourist spots, like Samal Island in Davao and Boracay. “He has already met my mother, who has nothing but good words for him,” she related. Meanwhile, Lovi clarified that she and her Filipino-French exPAGE 11
Photo from Instagram/@lovipoe
COMMUNITY JOURNAL
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Log off and enjoy your hot chocolate
Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA THIS is one of my favorites since I constantly have to remind myself about the wisdom of logging off and living in real time. So here goes — Once more with feeling …… I am doubling down and taking my own piece of advice. Unless absolutely necessary, I intend to be logged off for longer periods of time. How else can I SAVOR THE MOMENT except by living real life in real time with as fewer hours as possible spent on the internet? Plus my eyes are getting fried with too much screen time and I am bent out of shape. Communication has become efficient, almost done by rote, and sometimes borders on the cold and impersonal. I still don’t enjoy being part of a global network to be used for someone’s nefarious purpose. I REFUSE TO BE A PRODUCT TRADED ON WALL STREET. Yes, I am kicking and screaming. There’s a stubborn part of me that rebels and chafes at becoming part of a statistic. I resent being used for the purpose of advancing some corporate, progressive, manipulative, globalist, evil agenda. There are giant companies who really don’t produce anything of real value. These are companies who mine data, yours and mine, from social networking sites. They store this gigantic hoard of public information in mega databases. These are then sold to interested parties as valuable psychographic information. Companies package, repackage and sell personal information with the sole purpose of manipulating the mass behavior of citizens in a free society. It stinks to high heaven when the powers that be use information for social engineering and political purposes. We don’t have journalists seeking truth. We have “narrative engineers” spin doctoring, hoaxing and scamming entire populations. Information has become gold nuggets. He who controls information has POWER. In the hands of evil manipulators, information has become a tool that can be used by network owners to enrich themselves. They can skew election results to grab and stay in power and ensure the flow of money into their bank accounts. With blatant, unlawful NSA snooping on anything electronic by any citizen these days, can the Gestapo thought police be far behind? I doubt if my opinions on a twitter account holds any gravitas to twitterverse users. Saying something by tweeting on anything can and will be held against you. A screen grab of your comment makes it permanent. Why give anyone any ammo? The number of users following you is supposed to be an indication of your fan base. Few things on the net, particularly regarding the ego, are real, however. I heard some enterprising
“The happiest people don’t have the best of everything… They just make the best of everything that they have.” —Author Unknown company lets you claim thousands of fake twitter followers who purportedly follow your tweets. That goes for a fee, of course. The internet has become the de facto hothouse for growing gigantic egos. We’ve all become easy targets for privacy intruders. Nothing seems sacred or private anymore. There’s more than enough out there in the public records to fill a dossier on anyone with an SSN or a pulse. We are living in the throes of the Information Age and the currencies being traded are bits and bytes of information. It’s like living in glass houses these days. There’s too much naked transparency. As an ordinary, private individual, I am downright resentful. Celebrity is now a curse rather than a blessing. Witness the public meltdown of Hollywood celebrities whose lives more often than not, serve as cautionary tales. Because obscurity is becoming rare these days, it has become all the more precious. The lesser known you are, the better for you in many instances. No wonder our sense of mystery and awe at anything in this life is fast eroding. I regard social networking with a bit of trepidation and suspicion. And frankly, who’s got the time? I am probably one of a vanishing breed, always itching to get out of the virtual world and into the real world of doing things in private, without fanfare: creating, fixing, cooking, gardening, making memories and connecting personally and laughing until my sides are nearly split. By choice, I would prefer to be offline and often unwired on the weekends. My personal motto: LOG OFF AND LIVE. There’s so much living yet to do: so many recipes to try, seeds to plant, topiaries to shape, weeds to pull, walls and blank canvasses to paint, places to see, photos to shoot, plays to watch, games to play, puzzles to solve and mysteries to unravel, books to read, people to meet, goals to achieve, skills to learn and courses to take, stuff to give away, stories to write, naps to take and a thousand and one more things to feel, see, touch, taste, hear and soak in before the end game. With all that’s in the past, life still feels like a tabula rasa —lots of living to do, so little time. BIG SIGH … I am picking and choosing from the constant flow of messages in my inbox, only this one below. Some of these forwarded messages are for laughs, others inform while some can make you think harder or even move you to take action. Pet peeves are those that are pure drivel and chain emails with a punitive clause, like a curse of bad luck, if you
fail to forward. For malevolent messages and all the rest of the junk from scammers promising riches, simplify your cyberlife and hit DELETE. DO NOT ENGAGE. Better yet, mark them as SPAM. Sometimes a golden nugget comes through that deserves to be amplified. So simple, it hits you right between the eyes. I searched for the author’s name but like many other pieces flung by anonymous, creative beings in Cyberville, authorship is largely unknown and unclaimed. To the originator of this metaphor then, whoever you are and wherever you may be, please accept a profound THANK YOU, from the rest of us. Here it is. THE HOT CHOCOLATE STORY A group of graduates, well established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired. During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their work and lives. Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an assortment of cups-porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite -- telling them to help themselves to the hot chocolate. When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor said: ‘Notice that all the nice looking; expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. The cup that you’re drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was hot chocolate, not the cup; but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each other’s cups. Now consider this: Life is the hot chocolate; your job, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life. The cup you have does not define, nor change the quality of life you have. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate we have. The happiest people don’t have the best of everything… They just make the best of everything that they have. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. = LOG OFF. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com
WGU honors veterans, military personnel, and their families with $3,000 scholarships Top military-friendly university announces offering in celebration of Veterans Day LAS VEGAS/RENO — In recognition of the commitment and sacrifice of America’s military personnel and their families, Western Governors University (WGU) is offering the Salute to the Armed Forces Scholarship. The scholarship is worth up to $3,000 toward a bachelor’s or master’s degree in IT, business, K–12 education, or healthcare. Applications are now being accepted through December 31, 2019. Open to U.S. military veterans, active-duty servicemembers, reservists, and military family members newly enrolling in a WGU degree program, scholarships will be awarded at the rate of $750 per six-month term, for up to two years. For most programs,
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that means a reduction in tuition cost of approximately 20 percent. This is a competitive program, and scholarships will be awarded based on a candidate’s academic record, financial need, readiness for online study at WGU, and current competency, plus other considerations. Nonprofit, competency-based WGU is consistently ranked among the nation’s most militaryfriendly colleges and universities, offering online degree programs that provide the flexibility, portability, and job relevance our nation’s military personnel, veterans, and their families need. In addition, WGU’s affordability and financial aid opportunities—including military tuition assis-
tance and GI Bill benefits—put a high-quality WGU education well within reach. At WGU, students can take advantage of their existing knowledge and experience to move quickly through material they already know, so they can focus on what they still need to learn. WGU faculty members work oneon-one with students as mentors, offering guidance, support, and individualized instruction. While WGU’s degree programs are rigorous and challenging, competency-based learning makes it possible for students to accelerate their progress, saving both time and money. To learn more or to apply, visit www.wgu.edu/salute.
Lovi’s dating rules
boyfriend, Chris Johnson, are still on good terms. “He has been good to me. He’s a friend, still. It has always been nice, and I have nothing but good words for him. It just didn’t work out,” she said of Chris whom she dated for two years. While she does feel “inspired” seeing and being surrounded by happily married couples, Lovi said the idea of settling down has yet to cross her mind. “I believe in people who love each other, and make things work
after making that commitment,” Lovi said. “But there’s still a lot of things I want to do … It’s inspiring seeing people who are so in love. It makes you think that it really is possible.” Besides, more and more people nowadays, Lovi observed, are no longer in a mad rush to get married. “People take their time now. The world has become more open—traveling is easier and you meet new people. So it’s just about finding that one person whom you click with,” she pointed out. “The Annulment”—produced
by Regal Entertainment and directed by Mac Alejandra—follows the lives of Gari (Lovi) and Sherwin (Joem Bascon) whose whirlwind romance leads to marriage. The relationship starts to crack shortly after, prompting Gari to seek annulment. “Making this movie made me realize just how hard it is to keep a relationship going. You have to make sure that you’re right for each other,” she said. “What happens to our characters is something I wouldn’t wish even on my worst enemies.”
LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 31-NOVEMBER 6, 2019
Health@Heart PHILIP S. CHUA, MD, FACS, FPCS SEX could be deadly Sleeping around, or having multiple sex partners, can be hazardous to health and deadly. A perfectly healthy-looking person could be walking around with HIV, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and other STDs (sexually transmitted diseases), including Syphilis. And no matter how normal looking the sexual organs of the women or men are, they could be harboring bacteria, fungi, viruses, and sometimes, even parasites, not obvious to the naked eye. Only a medical check-up and laboratory tests could confirm their presence or absence. STD infections in general, affecting the sexual organs, and of the eyes and mouth, are common. Be smart. You do not want a 15-minute of pleasure to risk your health and life for weeks, if not years, of agony and shame. A internet message said, “unlike love, herpes is forever.” That may sound funny but herpes is really for keeps. Sex is a major and serious responsibility, not only to our body and health but to our family and friends, to all our loved ones. Infection from CPAP masks, etc. The most effective evidencebased therapy for Sleep Apnea is CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure), but the mask (full-face or nasal pillows) and tubing must be sanitized daily or respiratory infection (from bacteria, viruses, molds/fungus) could ensue. One sanitizer using UV-C lamp (without the foul-smelling ozone) that I have discovered, costs less than $48, the SterileTote UV-C Light UV Cleaner Sterilization bag on amazon. com, compared to the $300 or more costly Lumin (UV-C light) or the ozone box, SoClean, about $250-$300. UV-C light sterilizer is what is used (FDA approved) to sanitize dental and surgical equipment, the entire ICU or operating rooms. At home, this SterileTote bag could be used safely to sterilize pacifiers, toys, toothbrushes, cups, glasses, jewelries, cellphones, even food items, or anything that will fit in the bag. It automatically shuts off after 5 minutes, to allow sanitation of other items. The germkilling power of this bag is a valuable tool to disease-prevention and a healthier lifestyle. For more info, email: steriletote@ hotmil.com Healthy dish Omega 3 Fish Oil (Omega
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Indiscriminate sex and more
3 fatty acids DHA and EPA) is a popular supplement to eating fish for its cardio-protective benefit. It can lower blood pressure, help new brain cells regenerate and reduce the risk of the development of Alzheimer’s, minimize inflammation, and is a great aid in the management of cholesterol and arthritis. It also boosts the immune system. When digested, fish oil breaks down to hormone-like ingredients called prostaglandins, which reduced inflammation, like in arthritis (inflammation of the joints). This leads to lesser need for pain medications, as it also lubricates the joints. Fish oil is also good for auto-immune diseases. Indeed, a versatile supplement. Daily exercises, eating fish and vegetables at least 3 times a week, and abstaining from red meat and egg yolk is the healthy way to go, for children and adults alike. Veggies Protect the Stomach Those taking NSAID drugs like ibuprofen, and other anti-arthritis pain medications regularly can be victims of stomach irritation which could result in ulcers and bleeding complication. To prevent stomach ulceration, ingesting 8 to 10 ounces of vegetables a day can work wonders by protecting the stomach wall lining, according to a researcher at Sweden’s Uppsala University. However, nightshade veggies (potato, eggplant, peppers, paprika) are not good for those with arthritis. Veggies are very potent antioxidants and anti-cancer foods, which also boost our immune system to reduce our risk for all major illnesses, including Alzheimer’s. Phyto-chemical brain food If you want a healthy snack, one that keeps your brain sharp and reduces your risk for the development of Alzheimer’s, nothing beats crunchy celery, cucumber, carrot, broccoli, cauliflower, olives, bell peppers, and other veggies. Eating them uncooked preserve all the phyto-chemicals in them, like luteolin, which prevents brain inflammation, a common condition linked to ageing, chronic brain syndrome, multiple sclerosis, etc. So, to stay young, with a sharper mind, stay away from the high carbo snacks, including soft drinks, and savor the benefits from these crunchy veggies. Even your looks and your complexion will shine, with your favorite moisturizer, and without the use of glutathione or other expensive herbal products, which may even be dangerous after chronic use. Veggies are in, especially among teenagers. We, adults, should learn from the younger generation.
Calendar of Events across
Laughter: A Healer Living a healthy lifestyle includes laughter. The more we laugh in life, the healthier we are. Indeed laughter is “the best medicine.” Laughing increases our T-cells in the body which boost our immunity. Laughing also lowers the cortisol (stress hormone) level allowing us to minimize stress and its adverse effects on our system. It also blocks out bad emotions within us, giving us a better outlook and perspective in life. Even nothing is funny, laugh anyway, because the act of laughing in itself brings out all those benefits. And don’t worry if people think you are crazy and laugh at you. You are doing them a favor anyway, by helping them get healthier. Medical advances Instead of the cumbersome, uncomfortable diagnostic procedures now available for detecting lung cancer, the University of Texas researchers are developing a new lung cancer test that allows the use of “a simple mouth tissue sample, which compares the changes that takes place 95% of the time in both mouth and lung cells” among those individuals with lung cancer. This would be a fantastic progress in our fight against lung cancer and cancers in general. A non-invasive “virtual biopsy” technology (using harmless electrical current to better detect skin and cervical cancer (and eliminate need for surgical biopsy) has been developed by an Australian scientist. A new ultrasound, “which can catch tiny tumors earlier,” is being evaluated for clinical use. Catching any cancer in its early stage can lead to complete cure, among most cancers. Progress in science, in every sphere of human endeavor, benefits mankind as a whole. We are indeed lucky to be living in this world of today, in spite of all its imperfections and problems, most of which are man-made. For world peace and prosperity, where there is no war, poverty and hunger, all we really need is love, tolerance, and respect for each other. And the best place to start is in our own home. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com
America
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Oil filter exchange event in Alhambra, CA ATTENTION ALL ALHAMBRA RESIDENTS – Free Oil Filter & Motor Oil Recycling Event on Saturday, November 2! Everyone is invited to bring in their used motor oil and used oil filters. All those who recycle their used oil filter will receive one FREE new Oil Filter. Recycling motor oil and filters helps save our environment and keeps our water clean. So don’t miss out – we’re making it easier for you to keep your car running smoothly and efficiently. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at O’Reilly Auto Parts (800 E. Valley Blvd. Alhambra, CA 91801).
N OV E M B E R 22-24
World Education Summit on Sustainability and Transformation in Las Vegas AThe World Education Summit on Sustainability and Transformation is a call to action and transformation to finding solutions to the challenges of our times. Join on November 22-24 for three days of activities, learning, networking and events, such as panel discussions and presentations, industry leader keynote speeches, and a dinner and gala featuring an eco-fashion show. The summit aims to gather stakeholders from educational institutions; business and civic organizations; government agencies and international development organizations to galvanize collaborative and strategic partnership to achieve a common goal in environmental sustainability. We are expecting delegates from different countries. The Summit will serve as a collaborative platform to achieve a unified mission. The venue is The Convention Center at The Orleans Hotel (4500 W Tropicana Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89103). For more information and to register, please visit http://worldsummit.info.
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Kalayaan Incorporated’s Christmas Party and induction of officers in Monterey Park, CA Kalayaan Incorporated’s Induction of Officers 2019-2020 will be held during its Christmas Party on Sunday, Decemeber 1, from 12 to 4 p.m., at the Monterey Hill Event Center. The hilltop venue offers a spectacular view of the San Gabriel Valley, and is located at 3700 Ramona Blvd., Monterey Park, Calif. 91754. Kalayaan Incorporated, a non-profit public benefit corporation in the State of California, classified as a public charity organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, holds the annual celebration in Southern California of the anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence. Chairing the Induction and Christmas Party is Violet Mislang with Lady Hope Robillos, Co-chair, and Nonie Belarmino, Program Coordinator. Cost of lunch is $40.00. For more information, please contact Violet at (562) 644-4073, vmislang@gmail.com; Lady Hope at (310) 500-0917, lhopepr@yahoo. com; or Nonie (310) 357-0222, Idancenonie@outlook.com.
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Getting to know Cory Booker’s State Director Phil Kim AN organizer at heart who is honored to be part of the Nevada AAPI community, Phil Kim is the Nevada State Director for presidential candidate Senator Cory Booker. Having come from a workingclass family of first generation immigrants, Phil grew up in California’s San Gabriel Valley and went on to be the first in his family to earn a college degree at UC Berkeley. After college, Phil went on to travel around the country as an organizer for campaigns, staffer and political operative in Washington DC, and school teacher in Mississippi. Wherever Phil was based, he sought to engage and organize the AAPI community and quickly learned how few engaged AAPI voters, volunteers, and political staffers there were across the country. Now, as the Nevada State Director for Senator Cory Booker’s presidential campaign, Phil has a vision for helping Nevada’s AAPI community reach the next level of civic engagement, recruiting and mentoring AAPI political talent, and ensuring all presidential campaigns treat the AAPI community with the utmost respect. With less than 125 days left to go until the Democratic caucus in Nevada, Phil shared with Asian Journal a little bit about himself and his views on the AAPI community. Life in San Gabriel Valley and leaving California “Growing up in Arcadia, where over 60% of the population identifies as AAPI, I didn’t realize how fortunate I was to have AAPI role models in local, state, and federal government until I left for Berkeley,” said Phil. “At Berkeley, I had my first opportunity to experience what it felt to be a leader for both the Korean and AAPI community as a whole when I was involved in student government.” Phil went on to discuss how spending his formative years surrounded by AAPI friends, family, and mentors inspired him to become an advocate and leader for
the community. “When it was time for me to decide what I wanted to do after college, I thought about how much the AAPI community in California and New York had progressed since the beginning of the Asian American movement in the 1960s. I saw two paths in front of me, stay in California and build upon what others had started before me, or branch out and help other AAPI communities find and develop their voice.” “I was one hundred percent in, (to supporting the AAPI community) I just needed to figure out where and how.” Campaigning and increasing AAPI representation As Phil traveled around the country campaigning, he noticed that he could usually count on one hand how many AAPI staffers there were, instilling into him a guiding tenant to increase inclusivity in the political space for AAPIs. “I’ll be honest, it was lonely in the beginning,” said Phil. “If you ran into another AAPI in the political space, you kept each other close.” He added, “I’m forever grateful to those in the community who were already established and decided to take a chance and invest in me to help me get to where I am today. It’s an honor to now help carry that torch and do the same for our next generation.” With Senator Booker’s central campaign tenant of inclusivity on all levels, Phil saw the opportunity to create space for the next generation just like others had done for him in the past, bringing on talented young AAPI staffers like Cheska Perez, Cory’s Nevada Data Director and Las Vegas native, and Allen Chen, their Regional Political & Organizing Director. Phil’s Nevada, Round 2 Because Phil already has deep
roots in Nevada, having organized the AAPI community in Las Vegas for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in 2016, we wanted to hear what he had in mind for his second stint in the Silver state and his thoughts on what’s next for Nevada’s AAPI community’s civic engagement. “Since my first deployment here in 2015, our AAPI community has made tremendous strides in organizing ourselves to be an influencer on Nevada’s political landscape, but there’s still much more to be done,” said Phil. Phil elaborated, “That’s why I’m so proud to work for Cory Booker -- who’s been committed from day one of his campaign to engaging and valuing AAPI voices. Cory was one of the first candidates to be hosted by the AAPI community for a dinner in Las Vegas, and from labor to immigration issues the campaign has worked to ensure that AAPI voices have a seat at the table.” “With Cory emphasizing the need to ‘meet people where they are,’ our campaign has made great efforts to have AAPI staffers in every part of our operation and both our campaign and the community are already seeing results from this investment as both sides are engaging with each other on a deeper and more meaningful level.” When asked on what he hopes to accomplish with the Booker campaign, Phil had the following to say: “With Cory’s beginning as a tenant’s rights lawyer and organizer in the often forgotten communities of Newark, I hope to use my platform as his Nevada State Director to invest resources in traditionally forgotten AAPI communities. We are going to utilize community brick by brick and our campaign’s resources to help work to bring new AAPI activists build capacity within the AAPI into the fold.”
Boy’s age is ‘classified... PAGE 10 regular buddies would, or burning telephone lines in lieu of face-toface encounters. It was in 1995 when Kuya Boy and I finally had a chance to work together. He was host of “Startalk” while I was one of its writers.
EMPLOYMENT
Although I had known him before that as the moving force behind Backroom, Inc., it was in “Startalk” where I became more accepting of and more adjusted to some of his forgivable quirks. Age when asked seems to be a big deal for Kuya Boy as it does
for most women. I remember having chanced upon a celebrities’ profiles boxed section in a glossy magazine published many years ago. “Classified info” is what was stated corresponding his age. On the contrary, says he, “It’s
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not the age, it’s the mileage.” The ability to do multi-tasking must have propelled Kuya Boy to achieve that mileage. Understandably a busy person who wants a lot of productive things accomplished in one fell swoop, this anecdote reveals just that. Back when radio talk programs hadn’t become televised as they are popularly now, once on his
Final thoughts individual in our community. It’s “At the end of the day, it’s not about what every one of us can do just about one campaign or any for our community,” said Phil. “The Boy Abunda Radio Show” on DZAR Angel Radyo, he came to the booth with a pedicurist in tow. While having his toenails done, a totally impervious Kuya Boy simply went on with his board work. Without hinting at the simultaneous business, he announced: “This is what I love about radio!” Not because he wasn’t seen by
SERVICES
his daily listeners did Kuya Boy have a convenient excuse not to come in dressed to the nines. Lasting for more than a year, that radio experience was nothing less than a runway for Kuya Boy who donned his expensive signature get-up which he proudly does to this day. To Mr. Eugenio “Boy” Abunda, happy nth birthday!
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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 31-NOVEmBER 6, 2019
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#MagandangMorenx: How Asia Jackson is igniting a mission to end colorism and challenge Filipino beauty standards IntervIew by ChrIstIna M. OrIel / AJPress BY 2024, the skin lightening market is projected to reach $31.2 billion as the popularity of these products continues to soar in Asian countries like the Philippines, Korea and Japan. In the Philippines, products ranging from creams to pills still get smuggled in and have reportedly been found to have dangerous amounts of mercury, which causes side effects such as skin infections and kidney failure. If you’re stuck in traffic in the capital city of Manila, you’ll see massive billboards promoting such products and glorifying fairer skinned celebrities, continuing to drive this systemic cultural perception that lighter skin tones equal beauty and success. This notion hasn’t been confined to the Philippines. Filipino Americans share stories of hearing seemingly harmless comments about not staying outside for too long in fear of getting “too dark” or being scrubbed with papaya soap. There’s one half-black and halfFilipina millennial who’s trying to challenge colorism— the prejudice or discrimination against individuals with a dark skin tone, typically among people of the same ethnic or racial group. “Colorism runs rampant amongst cultures all throughout Asia but it is especially pernicious in countries that were colonized by Europeans,” actor, YouTuber and activist Asia Jackson wrote on Twitter. “Philippines was under Spanish rule
for 333 years. During that time, the Spanish established a caste system the way they did in Latin America.” It’s been three years since the 25-year-old started “#MagandangMorenx” — meaning “beautiful brown skin”— during Filipino American History Month to open up a conversation and highlight the skin diversity within the Fil-Am community. Born to a black father in the military and a Filipina mother from Baguio, Philippines, Jackson heard a lot of microaggressions about her skin while growing up and moving around places like the Philippines, Japan, Montana and Texas. “While brainstorming, I just kept going back to when I was living in the Philippines and being bullied for having darker skin. It also reminded me of my Filipino friends here in the U.S. whose moms would tell them, ‘Don’t go outside because you’ll get dark’ or would give them papaya soap to whiten their skin,” Jackson said. “I remember all the skin whitening ads and things like that and no one was really talking about it so I decided to create my own conversation with the hashtag on Twitter.” Little did she anticipate that #MagandangMorenx would become a global movement that Filipinos, regardless of location or gender, would chime in and share their own episodes of skin discrimination. “I didn’t think it would single-
The launch of Asia Jackson’s zine and line collaboration with Asian American, woman-owned streetwear brand Uprisers was held on Sunday, October 27. AJPress photos by Christina M. Oriel
handedly end colorism but I wanted to get people talking and social media is a place where we could engage young people,” Jackson told the Asian Journal. For this year’s #MagandangMorenx Day, Jackson collaborated with Uprisers, a Los Angeles-based streetwear brand started by Japanese American Michelle Hanabusa, to create a capsule collection of clothes and accessories with messages like “morenx” and “You Can’t Tell Me Who I Am.” Underneath the shirt with the “morenx” logo are symbols meaning “maganda (beautiful)” in Baybayin, an ancient pre-colonial Filipino script. “I wanted people to be able to put something on and feel represented. I want the world to see that I am proud of who I am and being in my skin color,” Jackson said, adding that Uprisers was a fitting brand to do this with given Hanabusa’s similar mission. Jackson also made it a point to include South Asian, Southeast Asian and mixed Asians in the photoshoots for the line. “It is part of my purpose as an entertainer and as someone with a platform. I noticed that there has been an imbalanced representation of Asian people in western media. Usually, it’s East Asian or even within that, mixed Asians are usually mixed with white. In any way, I want to get South and Southeast Asians and Asians that are mixed with black or Latino the representation that they deserve,” she said. Along with the collection, Jackson released a zine entitled ‘Cool
Asia and her mom Melinda proudly show off the zine.
Asians Doing Things,’ featuring the stories and quotes from several Asians, including fellow Fil-Ams, actor Megan Batoon, entrepreneur Vanessa Lee, and artist Kristian Kabuay. Recognizing the platform she has, Jackson hopes to help others become comfortable in their own skin, as well as educate why it’s problematic to perpetuate this colonial mentality. A current video she’s working on for her YouTube channel (where she shares fashion, skin care and self-care tips to over 360,000 subscribers) is why skin whitening and tanning aren’t the same concepts. “The sociopolitical context and histories are different so I wanted to create a video around that because that’s a common misconception people have,” Jackson explained. “Colorism is systemic whereas tanning is something people do to look or feel prettier. With colorism, you can lose your job for having darker skin or you can not get a job because of your skin color, whereas with tanning, I’ve never heard a white person say, ‘I lost my job because I forgot to apply tanner.’ It’s important to make that distinction.” In addition to her vlogging and activism, Jackson is also a budding actor with credits including “Superstore,” “Modern Family,” “The Young and the Restless,” and “The Goldbergs.” She recently completed filming an Amazon movie set to be released next year. Through acting, she sees it as contributing to multicultural representation, as she didn’t see many faces that looked like her growing up. “A lot of projects that are in production right now that are very progressive, especially for young people and that is amazing because those are the types of projects I want to be in,” Jackson added. AJ: What has surprised you the most about this hashtag movement? People of various backgrounds and genders have joined in the conversation. Asia: It was more than self-identified females using the term. One of the reasons why I used ‘x’ was so men and women could join in at the same time, but also those who are non-binary. I wanted to be inclusive of all genders and it was cool to see people respond really well to that. To be clear, the responses to the hashtag have been very positive for the most part but it was still interesting to see how many Filipinos from
Asia in Uprisers ‘morenx’ tee
the Philippines deny that colorism exists. To me, it was very apparent because I had experienced it firsthand and also the fact that there are so many skin whitening ads should’ve been the biggest clue. AJ: Your time in the Philippines was really formative. How long were you living there? Asia: I was only [living] there for a year, but before that, we went back during the summers almost every year. I’m so glad my mom made it a priority to go back because I feel connected to the culture in a way that a lot of Filipino Americans don’t. It’s a privilege to have been able to do that. AJ: How have you challenged the remarks you got growing up? Asia: Thankfully, my family was very understanding of the fact that I was half black and they didn’t make comments about my skin color like that. It was usually my classmates. Even being here [in the U.S.], my best friend from high school is Cambodian and colorism is a huge issue in that community as well. Sometimes when I’m hanging out with her and her sister would go outside, she’ll tell her, ‘Don’t be outside too long because you’ll get darker.’ It is so normalized in the culture that she didn’t even realize what she was saying so I made a comment questioning what was wrong with being darker and she didn’t really have anything to say after that. Just questioning what they said — not even in an aggressive way or in an ill-intentioned way — and hearing how they respond to it and creating a conversation around that. I’ve found some success in that, especially with the older
generation. AJ: Has this movement reached the attention of any makeup/skincare brands? Asia: That’s something I definitely want to work toward in the future because I’ve thought about it. Last May, there was a Filipino skin whitening brand called SkinWhite that created an advertisement that I thought was ridiculous because the messaging behind it was ‘Dark or white, you’re still beautiful.’ I felt like that was so hypocritical of them to try to hop on this movement when they themselves are creating skin whitening products for people to whiten their skin. I created a video talking about it and it was very well received. In the comments, a lot of people disagreed with what I had to say but what’s important was that it created conversation. AJ: We’re seeing a lot of Filipinos highlighted for pushing the barriers in different industries and sharing their stories on social media more than ever. Asia: There are so many Filipinos across industries — like the head of global marketing for Revolve is Filipina, Raissa Gerona. When I was growing up, I didn’t really see that and a lot of it now is thanks to social media. You can see that, ‘Oh, the person who does this for my favorite brand is Filipino.’ I can go on their Instagram and see the cool things they are doing. My mom loves watching Bretman Rock and Patrick Starrr, and even though they’re younger than she is, she has a connection to them because they’re Filipino and she loves seeing their moms in their videos. I love what social media has done to the world. There is a PAGE 14
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Asian Community Development Council hosts Family Day and Citizenship Fair at Shanghai Plaza Las Vegas, NV — The asian Community Development Council (aCDC) on sunday, October 27, hosted a fun-filled and “spooktacular” Family Day and Citizenship Fair at shanghai Plaza. Multiple community health organizations and businesses provided free health screenings and checkups, flu vaccinations, and other health resources and services. some of the organizations that were involved are: Humana, Immunize Nevada, Rawson Neal Hospital, Roseman University, silver summit Health Plan, sunny Health DPC, UNLV aPI Dental, and Wongu University. With the 2020 Open enrollment Period for health insurance beginning on November 1st and lasting until December 15th, aCDC’s state-licensed Healthcare Navigators informed families of the free health insurance navigation service they provide. aCDC also provided free assistance to individuals applying for citizenship. assemblywoman Brittney Miller attended the event to briefly talk about the upcoming 2020 census and the importance of being counted. Miller also encouraged the attendees to register to vote with aCDC’s canvassers.
#MagandangMorenx: How Asia...
PAGE 13 lot of negativity but for the most part, it has opened doors for so many people. I’m so glad even just for women in general, women from working-class backgrounds have been able to succeed without any prior connections or nepotism. In the beauty industry, for example, we see women from working-class backgrounds creating empires just because of how they’ve done on social media. AJ: Do you think the accessibility of social media has changed what the American Dream means? asia: What people think of ‘american’ is just changing in general. With that, the american Dream changes. Now, we’re able to pursue things that we’re passionate about more than our parents could have. Our parents have sacrificed so much with the limited resources that were available to them. Now with social media, it’s provided so much for everyone. Other people have been able to create better lives for themselves and a better world for others. AJ: It’s been a common experience for many Filipino Americans of having to balance two cultures and identities. Being biracial and multicultural, how has that shaped your identity and how you’ve defined yourself? asia: Being biracial is a whole thing. My parents didn’t really have conversations about what it was like to have a mixed identity, mostly because I don’t think they thought anything of it. They loved each other and had a child and made a family. as a child, I knew my parents looked different and I knew that I looked like both of them but neither of them at the same time. It didn’t really mean to me at the time, but as I got older and started to realize the way my environment was interacting with me was when I realized I was different from everyone else. AJ: You moved around a lot growing up. Did that also form the way you viewed yourself? asia: I didn’t find out I was black until I was in the second grade. I was living in a small town in Montana and one of my white classmates referred to me as african american. I remember being super confused because my dad is black and I knew I was black because I looked like him, but I was being referred to as african american when my mom is asian. Why am I being referred to as one thing when I’m something else too? When I moved to asia — I lived in Japan and the Philippines — people made it very clear there that I was half-black because they would make fun of my skin color and hair. When I moved to Houston, Texas, my school was predominantly black and Latino and the black students didn’t consider me as one of them because culturally I wasn’t black the way they were. It wasn’t until I moved to Long Beach, which is very diverse and had a lot of mixed kids so that’s when I realized that it’s okay to be this — it’s okay to be black and Filipina at the same time. That’s when I started to be comfortable with my mixed identity. as far as Filipino versus american culturally, that was interesting because when I lived in Long Beach, I met other black asians but they were born and raised here and had no connection to their Korean or Filipino or whatever culture. They didn’t speak the language or know what it’s like buy Boy Bawang at the sari sari store. It was interesting being able to relate to them based on our ethnic or racial background but not on a cultural level. as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that it’s not inherently problematic that we’re culturally different, it’s just a different experience. Diversity is a gift in every community. AJ: Going back to the zine you launched, what was the production of that and the storytelling you wanted to convey? asia: The funny thing with pro-
ducing is that you have to reach out to so many people to get one response. I hand-selected a long list of people that I felt would be perfect to be in the zine…I specifically chose southeast asians, south asians, east asians, asians that were mixed with white, asians that were mixed with Latinos, asians that were mixed with black, LgBT asians and there is also body diversity. I wanted to include a wide variety of people to get their stories out there. I feel like it’s super inspiring for young people to see something like that because when I was growing up, my idol was apl.de.ap from Black eyed Peas because he’s black and Filipino also. That helped me embrace who I am and it made me realize that being myself is my superpower. No one can be me and my own unique experiences are what make me, “me” and they go into my art and what I create. We asked each person advice they would give their younger selves and young people who are reading the zine. AJ: What would you say to your younger self? asia: I would say what I keep saying: It’s okay to be different. It’s okay to be yourself because that’s your superpower. You don’t have to emulate another personality or try to be another person to be well-liked or successful. AJ: Where do you see the beauty and skincare industry going as conversations like yours are becoming more prominent? asia: I think the beauty industry, in general, is moving away from makeup and there’s a big emphasis on skincare right now. When that change started happening, the emphasis was on better-looking skin and now I’m seeing it shift in focus on healthy skin, which I think is important. When your skin looks better, it’s not necessarily healthy so I’m really glad that there are companies that are focusing on maintaining a healthy skin barrier and are putting out products with ingredients that are beneficial for the skin. There are also a lot of beauty companies that are not retouching their photos. It’s important to see skin texture, pores and breakouts because most of us deal with it and I personally like to see that in advertisements. I think we’re moving in the right direction. AJ: You talk about the privilege of having these close relationships with your Filipino side of the family and getting to go back to the Philippines and learn about where your mom is from. For some Fil-Ams who didn’t have those opportunities but want to learn about their heritage and culture, how can they go about that? asia: getting involved with Filam organizations and events is a great way to stay connected to the culture. But what I would like to see in the future is expanding beyond food and dance. Food is such a staple in every culture and it’s amazing to see Filipino food getting so popular. sometimes we’ll showcase dances like the tinikling but not everyone in the Philippines dances that. The Philippines is so diverse and how can we broaden the conversation and get Filipino americans to understand that there are many different indigenous groups? There’s the Bontocs, the aetas, and so many other groups of people. How can we teach them about that in a way that they’ll be excited about it? How can we make learning about that as fun as dance and food? AJ: With your work, what kind of legacy and impact do you want to leave? asia: In a general sense, I want to leave the world in a better state than when I came in. Colorism is such a huge issue for me and it’s something I will continue to be passionate about. In my lifetime, I would like to see skin whitening companies disappear. I want to work as hard as I can to make sure that no one feels bad about their skin color. That’s the legacy I want to leave in this world.
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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 31-NOVEmBER 6, 2019
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OCTOBER 31-nOvEmBER 6, 2019 • LAS vEGAS ASIAn JOURnAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678