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Volume 16 - No. 44 • 3 Sections – 20 Pages

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USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

New York City bike path terror attack: What we know 8 killed after driver plows through cyclists and pedestrians near World Trade Center A MAN driving a rental truck rammed through a bike path on Tuesday, October 31, killing eight people and injuring more than a dozen in the deadliest attack in the city since 9/11. At about 3:05 p.m., the suspect sped in a Home Depot flatbed pickup truck for nearly a mile down a popular bike path on West Houston Street in lower Manhattan just blocks away from the World Trade Center. “The Home Depot truck starting running people over,� said witness Nelson Arroyo, 58, according to various reports. “I heard a boom boom, a crushing noise from the bikes. People were sitting down crying. I saw two areas of blood.�

N O V E MBE R 3 - 9 , 2 0 1 7

Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY

Duterte to deal with Trump in ‘most righteous way’ Two leaders reportedly have ‘warm rapport’ by RAE

ANN VARONA AJPress

U.S. President Donald Trump looks forward to meeting with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, in a controversial move he sees as a success over the last administration. The two leaders are said to have a ‘warm rapport.’ “You remember the Philippines — the last trip made by a presi-

dent that turned out to be not so good,� said Trump on Wednesday, November 1. “Never quite got to land.� A day before, the president said, “We’re going to the Philippines which is a strategically important location where the previous administration was not exactly welcome, as you probably remember.� Trump’s remarks come as state-

ments by a White House senior administration official, who also on Tuesday, October 31, signaled that Trump and Duterte have a good relationship. “President Duterte, he’s spoken with, they’ve had exchanges of letters,� said a senior administration official to reporters on Tuesday. “I think there’s a warm rapport there, and he’s very much looking for-

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PH Pres. Rodrigo Duterte and U.S. Pres. Donald Trump MalacaĂąang, White House photos

USAID programs in PH ‘not conditional’

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by AJPRESS

US running out of nurses, Philippines a historical source AN editorial by The New York Times once expressed in 1956 that, “The nationwide shortage of nurses is likely to reach crisis proportions.� Now over six decades later, the shortage again seems far from being resolved due to a rising elderly population, a large amount of retiring nurses, and the challenge to recruit new nurses. With over three million registered nurses (RNs), and over 800,000 licensed practical nurses (LPNs) in the United States, nursing is said to be among the nation’s fastest-growing occupations. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of registered nurses is expected to see a growth of 15 percent from

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BACK WITH INVESTMENTS. President Rodrigo Duterte runs down the various developments following his successful visit to Japan during his arrival speech at the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City on Tuesday, October 31. He noted Japan’s pledge of assistance amounting to almost $9 billion, as well as the economic, defense and security cooperation between Philippines and Japan. Malacaùang photo by Joey Dalumpines

by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

L. PERALTA

AJPress

SAN FRANCISCO — The Philippine Department of Tourism office in San Francisco formally launched the “Bring Home A Friend (To The Philippines)â€? program in the Bay Area last October 27, 2017 at the Kalayaan Hall in the Philippine Center Building. Tourism Undersecretary Katherine De Castro was a special Guests and ofďŹ cials pose with Tourism Undersecretary Katherine De Castro at the conclusion guest at the formal launching, of the launching of “Bring Home A Friendâ€? at the Kalayaan Hall in San Francisco last October which was also attended by Tour27.

AJPress photo by Joseph L. Peralta

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Bongbong Marcos scores in new PET order vs Comelec the overseas storage of election materials related to the protest Inquirer.net of former senator Ferdinand THE Supreme Court sitting as “Bongbong� Marcos against the Presidential Electoral Tri- Vice President Leni Robredo. bunal (PET) has ruled that the The PET made the ruling in a Commission on Elections (Com- resolution made public Monday, elec) should pay for the cost of u PAGE A4 by TETCH

Incoming Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Inquirer.net photo

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Incoming Presidential Spokesperson Roque warns: Palace can get ‘explosive’

DOT launches ‘Bring Home A Friend’ Program in Bay Area by JOSEPH

THERE are no conditions attached to the programs of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the Philippines, Washington’s top diplomat said last U.S. Ambassador Sung Kim week. Philstar.com photo In a forum with the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP), U.S. Ambassador Sung Kim affirmed that the USAID programs are also unaffected by the U.S.’ concerns over the alleged human rights issues in the Philippines. “Our USAID program is not conditional,� Kim said on Thursday, October 26. “In fact, we have a long history of providing very significant foreign assistance to the

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WITH a tough-talking presi- incoming Presidential Spokesdent soon having a fiery litigator person Harry Roque himself as his mouthpiece, things may warned. get “explosiveâ€? in MalacaĂąang, u PAGE A3

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november 3-9, 2017 • norCAL ASIAn JoUrnAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

From the Front Page

Duterte to deal with Trump... PAGE A1 t ward to his first in-person meeting with President Duterte.” Around two weeks ago, the White House announced that Trump would meet with Duterte during his upcoming tour of Asia slotted to take place Nov. 3-14. Countries included in the Asian tour are Vietnam, China, South Korea and Japan. The U.S. leader is expected to participate in the special gala celebration of the 50th anniversary of ASEAN and the ASEAN-U.S. meeting in Manila but will skip the East Asia Summit (EAS) on November 14 in Pampanga. In a media briefing on Sunday, October 29, Duterte said that during the forthcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, he intends to discuss with Trump issues of terrorism, relations between the two countries, and the ongoing fight against drugs. He also expressed camaraderie with the U.S. president and said,

“I would deal with President Trump in the most righteous way, welcome him as an important leader.” “I would have to also listen to him, what he has to say,” Duterte added. Duterte has openly expressed criticism towards the United States before, once accusing Washington of treating the Philippines “like a dog with a leash.” Upon being criticized for his extrajudicial killings by the former Obama administration last year, Duterte called former U.S. President Barack Obama a “son of a whore,” which led Obama to cancel his meeting with Duterte. Just a year ago in October 2016, Duterte voiced his intention to end cooperation with the U.S. while also expressing intent to side with Beijing. “In this venue, your honors, in this venue, I announce my separation from the United States,” said Duterte to Chinese and Philippine business people, as reported

by Reuters. “Both in military, not maybe social, but economics also. America has lost,” he added. The controversial Philippine president, who was sworn into office in June of last year, has long been condemned by international leaders and human rights groups for his war on drugs which has claimed thousands of lives. Trump, on the other hand, has been noted to have taken a different approach when engaging with Duterte which many have criticized. “Trump’s explicit eagerness to meet with the architect of a killing campaign that has resulted in the deaths of more than 12,000 men, women and children over the past 16 months is more than grievous insult to injury for family members of victims,” said deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch, Phelim Kine, as quoted by The Guardian. In May, leaked phone conver-

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DOT launches ‘Bring Home A Friend’... PAGE A1 t ism Attaché Purificacion Suanding-Molintas, Deputy Consul General Jaime Ramon Ascalon and other officers and staff of the Philippine Consulate General. Invited guests, travel agents and community leaders had a chance to listen to the mechanics of the “Bring Home A Friend (To The Philippines),” which was a successful project in the 1990s for the Department of Tourism headed by then-Secretary Mina Gabor. According to a video presentation shown at the event featuring celebrity Piolo Pascual, joining the program is very easy – just Invite, Accept, Travel and Register! Filipino citizens (Filipinos with dual citizenship living in the Philippines or abroad as residents or contract workers, or expatriates living in the Philippines permanently or temporarily for at least six months prior to the raffle) can invite their friends and become a sponsor, and log on to www.bringhomeafriend.online. Their invitees, who must be Filipino dual citizens or any foreign passport holder who are not residents of the Philippines, can accept their invitation and qualify as an invitee. The invitees must travel to the Philippines within the specified period in order to qualify for this promotion. After travel is completed, invitees must complete the registration process by uploading travel documents such as their tickets or boarding passes. Once registration is successful, invitees will receive a notification, along with an electronic coupon. The number of coupons will depend on the invitee’s point of origin: Asia gets 1 entry; Middle East and Australia/Oceania gets 2 entries; Africa and Europe gets 3 entries; and North/South America also gets 3 entries. The grand drawing will be held in April 2018, with winners selected via electronic raffle draw. Prizes for the “Bring Home A Friend (To The Philippines)” program are as follows: (For Sponsors) 1st prize, Megaworld’s Eastwood Le Grand condominium unit; 2nd prize, brand new Toyota Vios; 3rd prize, Duty Free gift certificate worth P200,000. Invitees will also be awarded prizes: 1st prize – two roundtrip

At the launching of “Bring Home A Friend (To the Philippines)”: (from left) Dell Merano of Philippine Airlines, Deputy Consul General Jaime Ramon Ascalon, Tourism Undersecretary Katherine De Castro, Tourism Attaché Purificacion Suanding-Molintas.

international business class tickets, two roundtrip domestic tickets to Palawan, 6day/5night stay at El Nido Hotel & Resort; 2nd prize – two roundtrip premium economy class tickets, two roundtrip domestic tickets to Cebu, 5day/4night stay at Jpark Island Resort & Waterpark; 3rd prize – two roundtrip international economy class tickets, two roundtrip domestic tickets to Davao, 5day/4night stay at Pearl Farm Beach Resort. Undersecretary De Castro told the Asian Journal that current Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Tulfo-Teo and her team brought back the “Bring Home A Friend” program due to the Secretary’s experience with the program and what she saw as the program’s success in the 1990s when it ran for a few years. The program is expected to add significantly to the Department’s target of 7 million tourist arrivals for 2017, a mark which the Undersecretary revealed they are close to hitting. According to De Castro, the program is an appeal to Filipinos from all over the world to become tourism ambassadors for the Philippines. “Alam naman natin na ang magaling talaga mag-invite ng mga foreigners are the Filipinos themselves,” she related. “If you have employees who are Filipinos, they would invite their boss. I’m really, really excited about this. The Middle East has given a really wonderful reaction to the program, and I hope that North America will follow suit.” Undersecretary De Castro said that while this leg of the “Bring Home A Friend (To The Philippines)” program ends on April of 2018, there is a second leg that will start around May of 2018

Tourism Undersecretary Katherine De Castro AJPress photos by Joseph L. Peralta

and end in October of the same year. “If this becomes successful, who knows, it may run for three years like back in the nineties,” she said, while adding that the prizes offered in this iteration of the “Bring Home A Friend (To The Philippines)” are bigger and grander than what was given out in the 1990s. Undersecretary De Castro said that the recent inclusion of Conde Nast Traveler of Boracay, Cebu & Visayan Islands and Palawan in its Best Islands in the World list has helped generate more interest in the Philippines and the “Bring Home A Friend (To The Philippines)” program. “We’ve been getting a lot of queries from foreigners themselves asking the Department of Tourism how they can go these places, what is the best way to fly to these places, especially for Palawan… there’s a huge interest right now for Palawan,” De Castro related, while adding that security concerns have been addressed by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte as evidenced by

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From the Front Page

(650) 689-5160 • http://www.asianjournal.com

New York City bike path...

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The truck then rammed into a school bus on Chambers Street, injuring two adults and two children inside. He then exited the truck, wielding pellet and paintball guns as panicked bystanders began fleeing the scene. The suspect began shouting, “Allahu Akhbar (God is great)” as a uniformed police officer chased him down and fired at least five shots at the suspect. The suspect fell to the ground, but did not die. The attack resulted in six people dying immediately on the scene and two dying later in hospitals. Victims that have been identified include six Argentinian high school students, two young American men and a Belgian mother, according to the NYPD. Several knives were found in and around the truck used in the attack. NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio immediately classified the attack as an “act of terror” in a press conference held later that day. “This was a cowardly act of terror. It was intended to break our spirit. But New Yorkers are resilient. We will be undeterred,” de Blasio tweeted on Tuesday. Ties to the Islamic State The suspect has been identified as 29-year-old Sayfullo Saipov, a native of Uzbekistan who came to the U.S. in 2010 through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, a program that distributes nearly 50,000 visas to countries with low rates of immigration to the U.S., the Department of Homeland Security confirmed on Wednesday, Nov. 1. On Wednesday afternoon, the federal government filed terrorism charges against Saipov. Specifically, he is being charged for providing material support to the Islamic State (IS), violence and destruction of motor vehicles. Investigators spoke with Saipov from his hospital bed, where he was getting treated for a gunshot wound, and confirmed that he was inspired by truck attacks from IS videos. He said he rented a truck on October 22 to “practice making turns” and specifically chose Halloween for the attack “because he believed there would be more civilians on the street for the holiday.” John Miller, NYPD deputy commissioner for intelligence and counterterrorism, said that Saipov, a resident of New Jersey, had been planning the attack for weeks and “did this in the name of ISIS,” as evident from a note written in Arabic found near the scene. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday morning that Saipov had been “radicalized domestically,” and that “the evidence shows — and again, it’s only several hours, and the investigation is ongoing — but that after he came to the United States is when he started to become informed about ISIS and radical Islamic tactics.” Immediate response and aftermath As Americans attempt to grapple with yet another terrorist attack, the White House has

announced several initiatives to prevent another attack. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the United States must “come up with punishment that is far quicker and far greater than the punishment these animals are getting right now.” He added: “We need quick justice and we need strong justice much quicker and much stronger than we have right now. Because what we have right now is a joke and it’s a laughing stock.” During a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the president announced plans to bring a proposal to Congress asking to eliminate the Diversity Visa Lottery, which was signed into law in 1990 to promote immigration from countries which have little representation in the U.S. “I am going to ask Congress to immediately initiate work to get rid of this program, diversity lottery, diversity lottery,” Trump said at the meeting. “Sounds nice, it is not nice, it is not good. It hasn’t been good and we have been against it.” Trump has also announced that he’s considering sending Saipov to the U.S.-run Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba, a move that many critics disagree with. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) was quick to condemn the president’s “rushed” response to send the suspect to the controversial Guantanamo Bay as well as his “reactionary” proposal to impose major changes to the country’s immigration standards. “Sending Saipov to Guantanamo or treating him as an ‘enemy combatant’ would violate due process and the rule of law,” Anthony D Romero, executor director of the ACLU, said in a statement on Wednesday. “It’s a shame that Trump is using this attack as a platform for pushing his anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim agenda.” Wade McMullen, an attorney at the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Center, said that “it’s not even worth reacting to whether the president’s suggestion of sending this suspect to [Guantanamo] is legal or even effective - it’s clearly neither.” McMullen cited the president’s universally panned response to the attack at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in August which resulted in the death of counter-protester Heather Heyer. He criticized the president’s hurried response to the New York attack in comparison to his lukewarm response to the Charlottesville attack. “What we should be asking is why is this president is quick to use such radical, extreme language in the wake of the tragedy in New York, but after the terror attack in Charlottesville, could only muster something about how ‘there were very fine people on both sides’,” McMullen said. “Racism and Islamophobia will never result in sound, legal or effective counterterrorism policy.” (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

US running out of nurses...

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2016 to 2026 — a growth the bureau says is “much faster than the average for all occupations.” The current outlook, though, has many worried that the supply of registered nurses won’t even be able to keep up with the demand. At the forefront of issues driving the shortage are Baby Boomers. Once spiking in births between 1946 and 1964, the baby boomer generation is again showing a significant rise in numbers of those entering retirement. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of people ages 65 and older in the U.S. is projected to increase to 55 million in 2020, around 70 million by 2030, and to 88.5 million (or 20 percent of the population) in 2050. As put by American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), the U.S. population of adults aged 65 plus will have almost doubled from 37 million to 71.5 million between 2006 and 2030. The bureau also found in 2010 that the 65 and older population in the U.S., who had a growth increase of 15.1 percent, grew at a faster rate than the whole U.S. population which grew at 9.7 percent. From 2000 to 2010, the 65 and older population saw an increase of 5.3 million people. These numbers are especially alarming to the healthcare industry as it prepares to provide care to the growing demographic. Eighty percent of adults 65 or older have at least one chronic condition, while 6.8 percent have at least two, according to the National Council on Aging (NCOA). Top chronic conditions are hypertension, high cholesterol, coronary heart disease (ischemic heart disease), and diabetes.

Patients aren’t the only ones aging. Many current U.S. registered nurses are reaching retirement age as well, and are in turn leaving behind many job vacancies. Statistics by the American Nurses Association (ANA) project that an estimated 690,000 nurses will leave the workforce through 2024, resulting in a net nurse vacancy of around 1.2 million. In a survey of over 130 healthcare facilities from 29 states, nurse recruitment and retention firm NSI Nursing Solutions Inc., found that facilities have been experiencing increasing vacancy rates since 2013. While close to 50 percent of facilities had a vacancy rate of five percent or less in 2013, 18.2 percent did in 2017. In other words, close to 80 percent of facilities were finding vacancy rates over five percent. It doesn’t help that the recruitment of new RNs has been challenging. The average time to recruit an RN ranges from 55 to 119 days, depending on specialty. The longer a vacancy remains open, the more quality of care becomes an issue — fewer nurses usually means higher patient loads. A report by Reuters that interviewed more than 20 hospitals including some of the largest chains, said that many hospitals have resorted to spending billions of dollars collectively in recruiting and retaining nurses to avoid risking patient safety or closing down departments. It wasn’t uncommon for hospitals to offer higher salaries, make retention and signing bonuses, offer incentives like student loan repayments, or provide free housing in order to stay afloat. Many hospitals, especially

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USAID programs in PH...

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Philippines.” While maintaining that Washington’s stances on human rights, rule of law, and due process remain unchanged, Kim reaffirmed the U.S. government’s commitment to helping the Philippines, especially the war-stricken city of Marawi. Earlier in September, Kim announced that the U.S. government has donated P730 million ($14.3 million) for the rehabilitation of Marawi City in the southern Philippines—which was besieged by Islamic State (IS)inspired militants for five months

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since May—under its USAID programs. “The work of rehabilitation is critically important,” the ambassador added, saying that the U.S. wanted to “support the Philippine government as much as we can.” He also affirmed that the U.S. will continue to provide assistance to the Philippine army in addressing security threats. “We continue to provide very important assistance to the Armed Forces of the Philippines in terms of training, equipment and sharing intelligence,” he said.

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • NOvembeR 3-9, 2017 While USAID programs in the Philippines are not conditional, the U.S. envoy noted that the reported human rights issues affect Washington’s provision of firearms to Manila. “What has been affected by our concerns over human rights issues is that we have been much more cautious about providing lethal weapons to the Philippine National Police (PNP), elements that are directly involved in the anti-drugs campaign,” Kim said. A few weeks ago, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to be the “sole agency” to conduct all the government’s campaigns and

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operations against illegal drugs. Under the new order, Duterte once again removed the PNP from the forefront of the so-called drug war amid public outrage over alleged police abuses and deaths of thousands of suspects. More recently, the Philippine government announced that it would no longer accept grants with conditions perceived to affect the country’s sovereignty from the European Union (EU) and other nations. Duterte has slammed the EU over criticism from a seven-member delegation of international parliamentarians on the administration’s war on drugs. The bloc later clarified that the delegation does not represent the EU. n

Incoming Presidential Spokesperson...

Roque, a human rights lawyer known for his tirades and outspoken opinion, is set to replace Ernesto Abella as Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesperson on November 6. Speaking to reporters on Monday, October 30, Roque said he has warned the president about his personality. “I think it’s because I’m even more controversial than him (Duterte) so together we could be explosive. I warned the president about that and he says fine,” said Roque, who’s also the Kabayan Party-list representative. Last week, Duterte confirmed that Roque will succeed as his new spokesperson. The president remarked that the solon fits in his new role since both of them “speak in a

playful language.” He added that Roque will also be given a rank of “secretary.” Duterte, however, failed to cite specific reasons for dismissing Abella, who has a rank of undersecretary and is a pastor by profession. He insisted that changing his spokesperson was his “personal decision.” “That is my personal decision. I am not about to explain why I did it,” a tight-lipped Duterte said. Roque served as the lawyer of the victims of the Maguindanao massacre in 2009, wherein 58 people killed—32 of which were journalists. He also served as the legal counsel of the family of transgender Jennifer Laude, who was killed by American Joseph Scott Pemberton in Olongapo in 2014. Likewise, Roque represented

the Malaya Lolas—who were victims of systematic rape and abuse by the Japanese Imperial Army—as well as the family of murdered Palawan-based environmentalist and media practitioner Gerry Ortega. Same human rights conviction Even with his new post as Duterte’s spokesperson, Roque said he would continue to advocate human rights. Duterte, who assumed presidency last year, has been criticized by local and international organizations over the alleged human rights abuses in his antiillegal drugs campaign. He was also accused of endorsing the killings of drug suspects. For his part, Roque made clear that his “mandate as an advocate of human rights is to protect and promote human rights.”

“You cannot change overnight. You cannot be a completely different person. I am the same person. My convictions remain the same. I accepted the post thinking this could be the best avenue for me to influence this administration on matters involving human rights,” the solon said. “As long as I have questions to answer from the media on human rights, I would continue asking them (security forces) questions as well,” he added. Despite this, Roque warned critics that he will not tolerate any disrespect to the president. “If, in the past, you were able to throw stones without anyone hitting back, be warned that if you throw stones, I won’t just throw stones but hollow blocks,” he said. “Just wait for the ado-

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november 3-9, 2017 • norCAL ASIAn JoUrnAL

From the Front Page

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS Certifying Office: Debbie Potter, Director Community Development Address: 2263 Santa Clara Avenue, Room 190, Alameda, CA 94501 Email: DPOTTER@alamedaca.gov Responsible Entity: City of Alameda Address: 2263 Santa Clara Avenue, Alameda, CA 94501 Contact: Lisa Fitts at lfitts@alamedahsg.org or (510) 747-4349 These notices shall satisfy two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by Eden Housing for two developments called Alameda Point Site A Family Apartments and Alameda Point Site A Senior Apartments. REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS On or about November 30, 2017, Debbie Potter, Director of Community Development for the City of Alameda will authorize the Housing Authority of the City of Alameda (AHA) to submit a request to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), for the release of HUD-Section 8 funds under Title 1 Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937, as amended by Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 and HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) as authorized by the National Affordable Housing Act of 1990, Title II, as amended, to undertake two projects known as Alameda Point Site A Family Apartments and Alameda Point Site A Senior Apartments. This activity is being undertaken by Eden Housing for the purpose of providing rental assistance for qualified low and very-low income seniors in 20 of the project’s 130 units as well as for qualified low and very-low income families in 15 of the project’s 130 units. AHA will be providing assistance to Eden Housing for Alameda Point Site A Senior Apartments in the form of Project Based Vouchers (PBV) for 25 units for low and very-low income seniors and also to Alameda Point Site A Family Apartments in the form of PBV for 15 units for low and very-low income families. Housing assistance payments to be made to Alameda Point Site A Senior and Family Apartments on behalf of the 40 PBV units will be used for operating costs. Housing assistance will be provided for an initial contract term up to 20 years with an option to renew for up to an additional 20 years, subject to annual appropriations from the Federal government and AHA’s determination that the owner in compliance with the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract and other applicable HUD requirements for a total of up to forty (40) years. The estimated amount of total funding rental subsidy is $7,900,000 for Alameda Point Site A Senior Apartments and $4,800,000 for Alameda Point Site A Family Apartments during the initial term of the Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) contract, which is subject to rent reasonableness study prior to the execution of the HAP contract, and contingent upon the availability of Section 8 funds as allocated by the Federal government. If funding is available, these two projects may also be awarded HOME funds. Alameda Point Site A is a 68-acre mixed-use development that has been approved for the former Naval Air Base that consists of the rehabilitation, reuse and new construction of approximately 5.5 million square feet of commercial and workplace facilities. Within the Site A development, Block 8 is a project that would include 130 units of affordable housing. The project will be funded in part by HUD funds issued by the Housing Authority of the City of Alameda and thus requires environmental review pursuant to NEPA. The project would include 60 permanently affordable rental units for low and very-low income seniors and 70 units for low and very-low families in two buildings on a 1.74-acre rectangular site at the western end of the City of Alameda. The project would provide approximately 14,900 square feet of common open space in the form of podium-level landscaped courtyards and roof decks. Ground-level auto parking with 98 spaces would be provided within the interiors of the buildings. Parking for 95 bicycles would also be provided.

FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT Debbie Potter, Director of Community Development, has determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR) on file at the Housing Authority of the City of Alameda 701 Atlantic Avenue, Alameda, CA 94501 and may be examined or copied Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

PUBLIC COMMENTS Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to the City of Alameda Department of Community Development, 2263 Santa Clara Avenue, Room 190, Alameda, CA 94501. All comments received by 5:00 p.m. on November 29, 2017 will be considered by the City of Alameda Department of Community Development prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which Notice they are addressing (either the Finding of No Significance or the Request for Release of Funds).

ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION The City of Alameda certifies to HUD that Debbie Potter, in her capacity as Director of Community Development, consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows Eden Housing to use Program funds.

OBJECTIONS HUD will accept objections to the Responsible Entity’s (RE) Request for Release of Funds and Environmental Certification for a period of fifteen days following the submission date specified above or the actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the RE; (b) the RE has omitted a step or failed to make a determination or finding required HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58 or by CEQ regulations at 40 CFR 1500-1508, as applicable; (c) the RE has omitted one or more steps in the preparation, completion or publication of the Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Study per 24 CFR Subparts E,F, or G of Part 58, as applicable; (d) the grant recipient or other participant in the development process has committed funds for or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before release of funds and approval of the environmental certification; (e) another Federal, State or local agency has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Community Planning Development at One Sansome Street, Suite 1200, San Francisco, CA 94104. Potential objectors should contact HUD to verify the actual last day of the objection period. Debbie Potter, Director of Community Development City of Alameda Department of Community Development

PROVISIONS FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES If any person with an interest in participating in the above process is a person with a disability as defined by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1974 who requires an accommodation to participate or take interest, that person must make a request for accommodation to Tonya Schuler-Cummins at (510) 747-4342 or email ra@alamedahsg.org. Such request shall include a description of the accommodation sought, along with a statement of the impairment that necessitates the accommodation. Any request for accommodation shall be reviewed and a response provided within five business days of receipt of such request. Notice of any accommodation granted will be promptly provided to the requester. The Section 504 coordinator for the AHA is Tonya Schuler-Cummins. A copy of the AHA’s 504 grievance procedure can be found online at www.alamedahsg.org.

PROVISIONS FOR NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING RESIDENTS The City of Alameda has a network of employees speaking some 45 languages who can act as interpreters for residents seeking information regarding federal programs. If notified five business days in advance, the City will arrange to have an interpreter available. Please contact the City at (510) 747-4349 (Voice), (510) 522-8467 (TDD), or email lfitts@alamedahsg.org.

NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY Federal law prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, familial status, and disability. The California Fair Employment and Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on these same bases, as well as gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, ancestry, source of income, and genetic information. The AHA will comply fully with all federal, state, and local nondiscrimination laws, and with rules and regulations governing fair housing and equal opportunity in housing and employment.

RAINY FEAST. People troop to the North Cemetery in Manila on All Saints’ Day on Wednesday, Nov. 1 to visit the graves of their loved ones, despite rainy weather. Heavy rains were forecast for Metro Manila and neighboring areas because of Tropical Depression ‘Ramil.’ ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma

Bongbong Marcos scores... PAGE A1 t October 30. The poll body earlier told the PET that Marcos should shoulder the storage fees for ballot boxes and other election materials kept abroad because those could not be shipped back to the country following the Precautionary Protective Order (PPO) issued by the PET. For New York and Hong Kong alone, the incurred storage fee has amounted to over P4.5-million, Comelec said. Comelec claimed that since the PPO instructed them to preserve and safeguard the integrity of the ballots and other election materials, they could not bring them back to the Comelec office in Manila within the required period and so the same had to be stocked in the foreign posts which resulted in additional costs. But the PET rejected Comelec’s argument saying the PPO did not prohibit them from transferring the ballots and other election-related materials to

Manila. “There is nothing in the PPO that prohibited the physical transfer of the election materials and paraphernalia; the Comelec was merely required to preserve and safeguard their integrity. Thus, the Comelec’s proffered reason that its faithful compliance to the PPO has no basis,” the PET resolution stated. It further ruled, “(a)s mentioned, the PPO is clear in that the Comelec and its agents were ordered to preserve and safeguard the integrity of the election materials and paraphernalia which could be done even if they needed to be transmitted to Comelec Central Office.” In fact, on several occasions, according to the Tribunal, the Comelec despite the PPO, had moved and was granted permission by the Tribunal to move election materials. This is the reason why, stated the Tribunal, it could not understand why the Comelec did not make a similar move on the ballot materials in the custody of foreign posts.

Former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. Inquirer File by Joan Bondoc

“As to why it would treat differently materials and paraphernalia in the custody of the Posts escapes this Tribunal as the PPO did not make such distinction. Indeed, the Comelec could have simply secured permission from the Tribunal for their transfer to the Comelec Central Office. The Comelec made no such request,” it said. n

Duterte to deal with Trump... PAGE A2 t sations between the two leaders revealed Trump congratulating Duterte on his controversial war on drugs. “I just wanted to congratulate you because I am hearing of the unbelievable job on the drug problem,” said Trump in a leaked

April 29 phone call transcript obtained by The Washington Post and The New York Times, and published by The Intercept. “Many countries have the problem, we have a problem, but what a great job you are doing and I just wanted to call and tell you that,” he added. Duterte’s biggest and most

persistent adversary, Philippine Senator Antonio Trillanes, recently visited the United States where he met with U.S. Senator Marco Rubio. Upon returning to the Philippines, Trillanes denied reports that he tried to persuade U.S. government officials into convincing Trump to cancel his Manila visit. n

DOT launches ‘Bring Home A Friend’... PAGE A2 t the administration’s seriousness in providing security to Filipinos and people visiting the country, and a more visible police presence. Undersecretary De Castro said that the choice for Piolo Pascual as the program ambassador was easy as the latter is both relatable and recognizable to Filipinos overseas. “He has been very vocal in wanting to help out the Department of Tourism. He is a scuba diver himself and he’s into sports

tourism. He’s a perfect fit for ‘Bring Home A Friend’,” De Castro stated. She did reveal that Philippine Senator Manny Pacquiao has already committed to promoting both sports tourism and the “Bring Home A Friend (To The Philippines)” program, and that they are also looking to connect with and tap other celebrities like Jo Koy and Liza Soberano as future program ambassadors. Undersecretary De Castro has a message to kababayans in North America: “To all our

Filipino Americans in the United States, I hope you can support the Department of Tourism by being a part of ‘Bring Home A Friend’ and become tourism ambassadors. We can always count on FilAms to spread the good word and to spread positivity for the Philippines’ image.” [For more information on the “Bring Home A Friend (To The Philippines)” program, log on towww.philippinetourismusa. com, or send your questions to team@philippinetourismsf.org. Or call (415) 956-4060.] n

Incoming Presidential Spokesperson... PAGE A3 t be and hollow blocks that I will throw at you.” Concerning his relationship with the press, Roque expressed optimism as he noted that he has not had a negative history

with members of the media. Noting that he “believed in the free marketplace of ideas,” he remarked that the “free market of ideas” must be allowed to “flourish.” He went on to say, “I have

US running out of nurses...

PAGE A3 t

those in regions where the demand for nurses can be exceptionally dire, further shelled out money for temporary nurses and travel nurses whose assignments typically range from 13 to 26 weeks. Global advisor on staffing and workforce solutions Staffing Industry Analysts, found that the cost for travel nurses in 2017 almost doubled over three years to $4.8 billion. Philippines’ long history of supplying a needed demand Foreign nurses often provide relief. A June 2016 report by the Institute for Immigration Research at George Mason University and the Immigrant Learning Center, found that foreign-born nurses made up 15 percent of registered nurses in the U.S. The Philippines has long been a source of nurses, and has been since the country’s colonization by the U.S., as explored by Catherine Ceniza Choy, professor of Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies at the University of California Berkeley, in her book “Empire of Care: Nursing and Migration in Filipino American History”. Filipino nurses first arrived in

large numbers through The Pensionado Act of 1903 which allowed pensionados (government sponsored scholars) to study in the U.S. through a government subsidized scholarship. Nursing students either stayed in the U.S to work, or returned to the Philippines where they helped establish nursing schools. Many graduates who would again immigrate to the U.S. to work. In 1928, the Philippine Nurses Association of New York was founded — Its first president, Marta Ubana, completed her B.S. in Nursing at Teachers College, Columbia University. More nurses came in 1948 through the United States Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948, also known as the Smith-Mundt Act, which allowed interchanges of students, trainees, teachers, guest instructors, professors, and leaders “in fields of specialized knowledge or skill” between the U.S. and other countries. By 1961, the Philippine Nurses Association of Northern California was created just a few years before many nurses again came to the U.S. in numbers as a result of laxed immigration laws. Since then, many Filipinos

been working with the media for the past 15 years at the very least. I’ve represented media in libel cases. I’ve represented heirs of media victims when they were killed. I look forward to this kind of partnership.” n have continued to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), or complete Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) qualifications in hopes of working in the U.S. By 2007, the number of Philippine-educated nurses in the U.S. reached its peak and accounted for more than 30 percent of the U.S. foreign-educated nurses, according to a study by Health Services Research. Yet as soon as the wave went up, it was followed by a drastic decrease in the following years. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found in 2016 that while approximately 10,000 nurses came to the U.S. in 2007, less than 2,000 have been recorded each year from 2011 to 2013. The decrease may have been attributed to the U.S.’ own attempt at churning out nurses. According to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), close to a million nurses graduated from U.S. nursing schools from 2006 and 2011. But in light of the current shortage situation, foreignsourced nurses may once again be needed to provide relief. (Rae Ann Varona/AJPress)

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 3-9, 2017

DATELINE PHILIPPINES

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PH, Japan sign $6 billion business deals by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

THE Philippines has signed 18 business deals with Japanese firms that will yield at least $6 billion worth of new investments, Philippine Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez announced. Lopez said Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was present during the signing of agreements on Monday, October 30, in Tokyo. According to the trade secretary, firms will invest through joint ventures and the expansion of operations in the Philippines in manufacturing (shipbuilding, iron, steel); agribusiness, power, renewable energy, transportation, infrastructure, mineral processing, retailing, information technology, among others. “[Duterte] met several Japanese companies and witnessed several B-B MOUs (business-tobusiness memoranda of understanding) and letters of intent on Investment plans, joint ventures and expansion of operations in the Philippines,” Lopez said. “Total new investments (are expected to reach) $6 billion,” he added. Among the Japanese companies that pledged investments to the Philippines were Marubeni Corporation; Itochu Corporation; Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.; Taiheiyo Cement Corpora-

President Rodrigo Duterte and Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shake hands after delivering their joint press statement following the summit meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office on Monday, October 30. Malacañang photo by Richard Madelo

tion; Tsuneishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.; Japan Tobacco Inc.; Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd.; Ministop Co., Ltd.; and Lawson Inc. Also included were Ubicon Holdings, Inc.; Advanced World Solutions, Inc.; Densan System Co. Ltd.; Hitachi Asia; Hitachi Ltd.; Subic Smart Community Corporation; Nomura Real Estate Development Co., Ltd.; Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd.; Federal Land, Inc.; and Yamato Kogyo and Itochu Corporation. Meanwhile, Philippine firms which expressed intention to engage in joint ventures with Japanese companies were Alsons/

AWS Information Systems, Inc.; CIS Bayad Center, Inc.; Meralco; Newcoast Southbeach Realty, Inc.; Federal Land, Inc.; SteelAsia Manufacturing Corporation; and Metro Pacific Investments Corporation. Lopez added that he also met with his Japanese counterpart Hiroshige Seko and discussed ways to improve market access and lowering tariff for Philippine agricultural products like banana, pineapple, and mango. They also discussed Japan’s support for Industrial Cooperation Dialogue and improving PAGE A7

DOH chief backs passage of medical marijuana bill by SHEILA

CRISOSTOMO AND JANVIC MATEO Philstar.com

MANILA — For Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, medical marijuana for compassionate use should be allowed in the country. According to Duque, he supports the use of cannabis for selected medical cases but security measures must be in place to prevent abuse. “Medical marijuana, as the bill is described, is for compassionate use. So, it should never be used by just anyone. There are people who qualify to benefit from medical marijuana,” he said, referring to House Bill No. 180 or the proposed Philippine Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act.

Duque noted that in medical marijuana, “there must be very narrow applicability and must be strictly regulated.” The heath chief gave assurance that the Department of Health (DOH) is working closely with legislators on the technical aspects of the bill. “There are continuing consultations where we provide them our technical positions in order to ensure that the final version of the law will be clear and acceptable,” he added. Aside from this, the DOH is also making sure that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be fully capable of implementing the law if and when it

gets approved. Last September, the House committee on health approved the bill which seeks the legalization and regulation of medical use of marijuana for some chronic conditions like cancer, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis or similar chronic autoimmune inflammatory disorders and epilepsy. Under Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, marijuana or cannabis is classified as a dangerous drug. ‘Drug-free’ PH by 2022 Government policymakers are not giving up on fulfilling President Duterte’s campaign promise of solving the illegal drug PAGE A7

BACK TO BARRACKS. Cotabato City and Maguindanao residents with school children wave small Philippine flags to returning Army troops as their convoy arrives at Camp Siongco. Major Gen. Arnel de la Vega, 6thID commander, thanked the personnel of the division’s 61st, 62nd and 63rd Reconnaissance Companies that helped in liberating Marawi City from the IS-inspired terrorists. ManilaTimes.net photo

Alvarez to Sereno: Show up at impeachment hearing by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

HOUSE Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said Philippine Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno should personally appear during Congress hearings so she could be given the opportunity to cross-examine witnesses in the impeachment complaint against her. In a statement, Alvarez claimed that Sereno’s failure to appear before Congress amount to the waiving of her right to cross-examine witnesses. Citing the rules of procedure in impeachment proceedings, Alvarez insisted that defense lawyers cannot cross-examine witnesses themselves. “She should appear because she is the accused. Otherwise, her right to cross-examine the witnesses would be waived. If she does not appear, her lawyers have no right to cross-examine the witnesses,“ the House speaker said over the weekend. Sereno’s camp recently filed a motion asking the House Committee on Justice to allow her lawyers to question the witnesses in the impeachment proceedings against her. In the motion filed last week, the chief justice’s counsel asked the panel to “recognize her con-

stitutionally guaranteed rights to be represented by a legal counsel and to confront the witnesses against her through lawyers representing her.” “The right to be heard and be defended by counsel in all stages of a criminal proceeding is a very basic right of an individual, which not even this Honorable Committee, indeed Congress, can take away from a respondent in an impeachment proceeding,” the motion further read. Expressing disagreement with the House speaker, Sereno’s camp insisted that her lawyers have the right to cross-examine the resource persons as a matter of due process. Defense counsel Josa Deinla, one of Sereno’s spokespersons, warned that the impeachment proceedings against the chief justice might turn into “onesided” affair if their camp would be barred from cross-examining witnesses. “What will happen is that the determination of probable cause will be a one-sided affair and we think that it should not be the picture seen both by the public and the members of the committee,” Deinla said in a radio interview. Deinla said they would insist on their motion to recognize Sereno’s “constitutionally guar-

anteed rights” when the hearing resumes on November 20. “Under our Constitution, since she is the accused, Sereno has the right to be defended by her lawyers,” he pointed out. “Only she has the right to decide whether or not to exercise this right since she is a respondent, who is similar to an accused, and not just a witness or resource person invited by Congress,” he added. Last month, the House justice committee found the impeachment complaint filed by Lorenzo “Larry” Gadon to be sufficient in form and substance. He accused Sereno of culpable violation of the Constitution, corruption, other high crimes and betrayal of public trust. Among the grounds in Gadon’s impeachment rap include Sereno’s “whimsical” and “excessive” purchase of a Toyota Land Cruiser amounting to P5.1 million, and misuse of judiciary funds when attending local and foreign conferences. He also accused Sereno of failing to be truthful in declaring her statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN), as well as obstructing justice when she ordered Muntinlupa judges to not to issue arrest warrants against Senator Leila De Lima, among others.

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NOVEMBER 3-9, 2017 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPINION

FEATURES

Asian allies

THE Philippine economy is booming. With more foreign players starting to invest in the country, there is no better time to harness the good prospect of doing business in the Philippines than now. Despite some tough times, the country is still able to offer the best investment opportunities. The country is entering a “golden age of strategic partnership” with Japan, as both sides have agreed to further strengthen cooperation in various areas of mutual concern. This was how Pres. Rodrigo Duterte described his recent two-day sojourn to the Land of the Rising Sun on Oct. 30-31, where he met with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko to reaffirm bilateral partnership between the two Asian nations and deepen their cooperation in areas of mutual interest. When he returned home on Tuesday, Oct. 31, Duterte brought home with him multi-billion dollars worth of pledges of assistance and investments from Japan. The Japanese government reiterated its full commitment to assist the Philippines in its economic and infrastructure development in the next five years by pledging close to $9 billion through a special fund. “This covers huge impact and high-value infrastructure projects that my country needs to sustain and spur our economic growth. There will be some of the most ambitious and groundbreaking projects, including the Metro Manila Subway project, and major developments in the regions and prov-

inces,” Duterte announced. Prime Minister Abe also vowed “maximum support” for the restoration of Marawi and further strengthen support for Mindanao’s peace and development and its efforts toward the establishment of an autonomous government. He said it was a great honor to welcome Duterte whom he described as “dear and cherished friend.” “I conformed with President Duterte that we are both maritime nations sharing basic values and strategic interests. And as such, Japan and the Philippines will cooperate to address common issues such as North Korea nuclear and missile issue and the only resolution of the abduction issue and realization of a free and open Indo-Pacific and also counter measures against terrorism and illegal drugs,” Abe said. Aside from the whopping amount worth of investments, the two leaders also vowed to further promote bilateral cooperation in energy, employment creation, information and communication technology, environment, agriculture and disaster reduction. Six decades have passed since the reconciliation of the Philippines and Japan after the dam-

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

age brought upon by the Japanese Military in the country during World War II. Since then, Japan has been one of the Philippines ’ top donors by continuously providing the country with grants and soft loans. Duterte’s recent trip from Japan brought not

only good news but also generated a certainty about the future path of cooperation between the two countries. Japan—being an adherent of globalization—expressed its confidence in the Philippines and has always provided ways to help the country gain its full economic potential. (AJPress)

Russia collusion case vs Trump campaign moves forward with indictments and a guilty plea THE TRUMP administration has claimed The Fil-Am that the independent probe by Special Perspective Counsel Robert Mueller on the alleged collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign to interfere in GEL SANTOS-RELOS the 2016 U.S. presidential election is ending because of lack of evidence. However, the fact is: the case has moved forward with the indictment of Trump’s former top campaign aides and his one-time foreign policy adviser pleading guilty to lying to the FBI about his Kremlin-related contacts. President Donald Trump downplayed the significance of this development and his administration said this has nothing to

do with the campaign and proves nothing about its alleged conspiracy with Russia to influence the elections by hurting Hillary Clinton’s chances in order for Trump to win. Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and the latter’s business associate, Rick Gates, pleaded not guilty to charges against them which include money laundering. Trump used Twitter to call this development “Fake News,” stating that according to Manafort’s lawyer, there is no collusion and that what was being charged against his former campaign chief took place before he joined his campaign. However, according to BBC News, the

indictment of the Mueller investigation alleges that Manafort and Gates conspired on financial crimes from 2006-2017, which covers the period over the summer when Manafort played the important role as campaign manager of the Trump campaign. Trump also lambasted the credibility of George Papadopoulos through Twitter, calling him a “liar” and a “low-level volunteer” when in the past he would describe him as an “excellent guy” when he served as his campaign’s foreign policy adviser. BBC News reported further that Papadopoulos was in a photo that Trump tweeted of himself in March of 2016 hosting a national security meeting with his foreign policy team. According to NBC News, court documents in the case revealed that based on

evidence gathered by the Mueller investigation, the Trump campaign officials were aware that Papadopoulos was trying to set up a meeting between Trump and the Russians, with one of them being Manafort, who wrote a key email about what Papadopoulos was trying to arrange. The Manafort email stated in the court documents stated, “We need someone to communicate that DT is not doing these trips. It should be someone low level in the campaign so as not to send any signal”. As NBC News reported, the court documents revealed how Papadopoulos lied when questioned by the FBI regarding communications with foreign nationals with ties to the Russian government who were seeking to establish a relationship with at least one Trump campaign offi-

cials, offering “dirt” on Hillary Clinton. THEREFORE, for the Trump and his administration to continue to say the charges against the Trump campaign is a witch hunt and that the Mueller investigation is folding for lack of evidence is FAKE NEWS. Mueller will weigh how this and the other evidence regarding the communications and ties of other Trumpan campaign members with Russia tell the whole and factual story. We, the American people, deserve to know no less than the truth. *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos

America faces deadliest drug crisis in its history: Why is the world not butting in? Opinion

YEN MAKABENTA LAST Thursday, October 27, according to The New York Times and news agencies, U.S. President Donald Trump directed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to declare the opioid crisis a public health emergency, taking longanticipated action to address a rapidly escalating epidemic of drug use. Speaking from the White house, Trump said: “No part of our society—not young or old, rich or poor, urban or rural—has been spared this plague of drug addiction and this horrible, horrible situation that’s taken place with opioids.” The elaborate and emotional ceremony was attended by families affected by opioid abuse, members of Congress and administration officials. Facts of US drug crisis It’s useful even for Filipinos to understand the ramifications of the U.S. drug crisis, because it can help us understand our own embattlement. Trump said in his announcement: “Effective today, my administration is officially declaring the opioid crisis a national public health emergency under federal law. I am directing all

executive agencies to use every appropriate emergency authority to fight the opioid crisis. “We can be the generation that ends the opioid epidemic.” Opioids are a type of drugs that include illegal substances, such as heroin, and legal painkillers—medications such as oxycodone, codeine and morphine are all types of opioids. According to the latest figures from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), deaths from opioid overdoses— either prescription or illegal— have quadrupled in the US since 1999. The CDC recorded 33,091 deaths in 2015.Since 2000, more than 200,000 Americans have died from overdoses of prescription opioids. The opioid epidemic or opioid crisis is the rapid increase in the use of prescription and non-prescription opioid drugs in the United States and Canada in the 2010s. Opioids are a diverse class of moderately strong painkillers, including oxycodone (commonly sold under the trade names OxyContin and Percocet), hydrocodone (Vicodin), and a very strong painkiller, Fentanyl, which is synthesized to resemble other opiates such as opium-derived morphine and heroin. The potency and availability of these substances, despite their high risk of addiction and overdose, have made them popular both as formal medical treatments and as recreational drugs. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, “overdose deaths, particularly

from prescription drugs and heroin, have reached epidemic levels.” In 2016, 62,000 Americans died from overdoses, 19 percent more than in 2015. Mention of the drug Fentanyl will ring a bell with Filipinos. The drug is being used by DU30. A newer synthetic opioid painkiller, Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and 30 to 50 times more potent than heroin. In 2016, the medical publication STAT reported that while Mexican cartels are a main source of heroin smuggled into the US, Chinese suppliers provide both raw fentanyl and the machinery necessary for its production. In British Columbia, police discovered a lab making 100,000 fentanyl pills each month, which they were shipping to Calgary, Alberta. Silence of the meddlers Now, here’s the remarkable part. As America struggles against its deadly drug crisis, the United Nations has not noticed. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have not said a single word in comment. The European parliament has kept it silence. Here in the Philippines, after President Rodrigo Duterte declared the existence of an alarming drug crisis here at home, and then decided to use state powers to wage war on illegal drugs, by arresting or even killing people engaged in the drug trade and taking into custody drug users, they took notice. After he started to show results, with casualties

in the drug war, they got even more interested. They started taking part in home-based efforts to stop DU 30 and his campaign. I am mystified why the drug epidemics in America and the Philippines have produced totally contrasting responses from foreign countries and groups. With one, they are unconcerned and do not care. With our problem, they have no hesitation in meddling and even prescribe what we should be doing instead. Is this the recrudescence of colonialism? I think it has more to do with the difference in our political cultures and the current state of national politics in our two countries. Americans unite against epidemic In the U.S., both Democrats and Republicans support Trump’s declaration of a health emergency because of the opioid crisis. Democrats were disappointed only by the fact that Trump did not appropriate federal funds to combat the crisis. “America is hemorrhaging lives by the day because of the opioid epidemic, but President Trump offered the country a Band-Aid when we need a tourniquet,” said Sen. Edward J. Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts. Republicans stand squarely behind the emergency declaration. The chairperson of the Republican national committee

issued a strong statement: “Last year more than 64,000 Americans in every corner of our country were lost to drug overdoses. That’s 142 people each day. For too long we have not faced this growing crisis head-on. And while we’ve lost so many, we must also remember the innocent children born to addicted parents who are exposed to the dangers of this crisis from their first breath. According to a Center for Disease (CDC) report, the number of babies born addicted to opioids has tripled in the US in 15 years. It won’t be easy, but we can be —and must be—the generation that puts an end to this crisis, and that starts with our politicians in Washington. Because addiction is a disease, not a moral failing, we must treat it as such. Every moment we wait to act, the crisis gets worse.” Why foreign groups meddle in our affairs Foreign countries and international NGOs meddle in Philippine efforts to combat the drugs epidemic, while shying away from intervening in the US, not because Americans will only laugh at them, but because the Filipino political opposition actively lobby for them to intervene and make life miserable for Duterte and his administration. Foreign intervention in our affairs may be the only card of the opposition now. They once had hopes in the CIA doing some mischief, but now it’s out of the

business of regime change under Donald Trump. What the opposition relies more on now is the noise that can be readily provided by human rights groups, that seek mainly to raise funds from donors. Some countries, especially in Europe, can be counted on to issue statements. And then there are the international media organizations, which are always in the hunt for a good story and a cause to champion. The Philippine drug war has become a convenient target of criticism and propaganda. It’s a sign of the superficiality of the criticism that international critics and agitators do not see the drug problem in the Philippines at all. They are fixated on the so-called extra-judicial killings (EJKs), which have not been documented. It‘s only Duterte’s oftentimes wild statements that give them currency. The opposition looks overmatched in the battle for hearts and minds. When the Liberal Party shifted colors from yellow to white, it was seen by most Filipinos as the waving of a white flag. Administration communicators have only to remind the public about Noynoy Aquino to rev up government support. When the AFP and the government ended the IS-inspired siege of Marawi this month after five months of urban warfare, they recorded a victory that will translate to a new reserve of strength for the Duterte presidency. No one will meddle in Philippine affairs for a while. (ManilaTimes. net)

The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.

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VP Robredo seeks prayers for slain Marawi troopers

terrorists in Marawi and proposed U.S. to aid Europe after World War stronger cooperation between the II would supercharge growth and two countries in fighting terror- development not just in Marawi, but also in the entire Mindanao MANILA — Vice President Leni ism. During the meeting, discus- region, according to Camarines Robredo has urged Filipinos to offer prayers for soldiers who died sions between the two sides also Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte. The administration lawmaker in the five-month battle between covered a wide range of areas for estimated the rehabilitation cost government forces and the Is- bilateral cooperation. For lawmakers, economic man- to exceed P90 billion. lamic State-inspired Maute terror agers of the Duterte administraAllies of President Duterte in group in Marawi City. “Let’s use this occasion to tion should spearhead and craft a the House of Representatives thank them and their families for mini-Marshall Plan for purposes have also called on the Chief Extheir sacrifices to achieve peace of rebuilding and rehabilitating ecutive to appoint a czar whose only mandate is to ensure the rein Marawi,� Robredo said in her Marawi. A plan similar to the massive re- building and rehabilitation of the message for this year’s commemconstruction effort initiated by the war-torn city. n oration of All Saints’ Day. Robredo is set to visit Marawi to personally check the needs of residents who returned from evacuation centers. She said she would meet with Angat Buhay partners before flying to Marawi. Angat Buhay is the Office of the Vice President’s antipoverty program. Robredo said her chief of staff Undersecretary Philip Dy had met with officials from Task Force Bangon Marawi and the local government to discuss areas of collaboration. Reports said about 300,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes and stay in temporary shelters outside the city as hostilities broke out last May 23. President Duterte placed the whole of Mindanao under martial 9LVD\DV 0LQGDQDR 6HSWHPEHU law following the siege. Preserving the ruins Robredo clarified her earlier /X]RQ % & 2FWREHU suggestion to preserve the ruins of the war-torn city, saying it /X]RQ $ 2FWREHU came from renowned urban planner Jun Palafox. “For me, I think this is worth 0HWUR 0DQLOD 2FW 1RY looking into. But we’re not pushing for it,� she said, noting the importance of the ruins in the country’s history. “One example of what can be preserved is the biggest mosque in the battle-ridden city,� Robredo said. The Vice President drew flak for the proposal but said the ruins could serve as a lesson on terrorism and the cultural divide. In an interview last Oct. 24, Robredo suggested the preservation of city ruins to stand as a monument for the soldiers’ bravery. A total of 165 government troops were killed in the fivemonth battle in Marawi, along with 47 civilians and 920 terrorists. President Duterte had said rebuilding Marawi would cost more than P50 billion. Rehabilitation czar Spain commended the Philippines’ recent victory against the by Helen

Flores Philstar.com

PARADE OF SAINTS. Children dress as saints on the eve of the feast of All Saints at San Fernando de Dilao Parish in Paco, Manila. Clerics are encouraging kids to put on saintly costumes instead of dressing up as ghosts, ghouls and goblins for Halloween. ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma

PH, Japan sign $6 billion business deals PAGE A5 supply chain for the benefit of small and medium enterprises in the Philippines. $1-billion loan The Japanese government likewise pledge $1.143 billion or 129.857 billion yen worth of loans to fund key infrastructure and development projects in the Philippines. According to a statement released by the Japanese foreign ministry, the loan will partly fund three Philippine projects, which include the Metro Manila Subway Project; the arterial road bypass project; and the Cavite Industrial Area Flood Risk Management Project. Citing the robust ties between the two countries, Lopez said the

terms of loans are friendly. “It’s really development assistance. It’s like giving a friend a very good deal,� Lopez told reporters. “It’s like a friend helping another friend.� Japan is providing as much as 104.53 billion yen to support the first phase of the Metro Manila Subway Project, which has an interest rate of 0.1 percent per annum and repayment period of 28 years after a 12-year grace period. The subway—which seeks to help address the traffic congestion in Metro Manila—is expected to run from Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City to FTI complex in Taguig City, with an additional line extending towards the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminals in Pasay City.

Meanwhile, about 9.399 billion yen will be used to fund the third phase of the arterial road bypass project, which has an interest rate of 1.5 percent per annum and repayment period of 20 years after the grace period of 10 years. The bypass project aims to relieve traffic congestion in Plaridel City by constructing a highway directly linking Central Luzon and Metro Manila. Japan will also provide 15.928 billion yen loan to fund the Cavite Industrial Area Flood Risk Management Project, which seeks to reduce flood damage in the province. It has an interest rate of 0.3 percent per annum and repayment period of 30 years after a 10-year grace period. n

DOH chief backs passage of medical... PAGE A5 problem in the country. But instead of the original “three to six months� promised by the Chief Executive during the campaign period in last year’s national elections, the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) has set a more realistic target: a “drug-free� Philippines by the end of Duterte’s term in 2022. Based on the draft copy of the Philippine Anti-Illegal Drug Strategy (PADS) released by the DDB this week, being “drug-

free� means that the country “has significantly reduced to manageable level the prevalence of drug use through expanded access to quality and evidence-based drug prevention and treatment interventions.� The document underscores five pillars of action to address the drug problem in the country, including drug supply reduction, drug demand reduction, civic awareness and response, alternative development and in-

ternational cooperation. PADS, which is awaiting approval of the President, also highlights various priorities to achieve the objective of having a drug-free country by 2022. Priorities include institutionalization of community-based drug prevention and treatment and rehabilitation program, government subsidy for admission to rehabilitation center, random drug testing for students, review of existing policies and full implementation of existing laws. n

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november 3-9, 2017 • norCAL ASIAn JoUrnAL

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BUSINESSJ& COMMUNITY OURNAL

‘I came to the US with my undocumented family, and am being charged with alien smuggling’ THE phrase “alien smuggling” often conjures images that Hollywood has dramatized. Movies depict unsavory people paid to sneak people into the country, as well as armed henchmen playing cards and hired to play a part in a major international human trafficking ring. Recently, a truck driver in Texas was caught transporting at least 100 undocumented Mexican nationals in the back of his tractor-trailer. Sadly, ten died, and about 30 were hospitalized for heat stroke and dehydration. What many people do not realize, however, is that alien smuggling can be charged against those who travel with family members who are entering the country unlawfully. It can also charge those who pay and arrange for the smuggler to help people enter the U.S. illegally, regardless of whether the smuggler was physically present at the time of planning the entry. There is no requirement of monetary exchange or ill-intention before the individual is charged. On February 20, 2017, an executive memo was released directing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to take action against parents, family members, and others who have directly or indirectly facilitated the illegal smuggling or trafficking of an alien child into the US. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers may ask questions about undocumented family members or travel companions, and find that a person is a smuggler even if the person does not admit to it. ICE has confirmed that it has begun to target individuals in the US who may have paid to smuggle family members into the U.S. The definition of alien smuggling for immigration purposes is broad. It includes any person who has knowingly encouraged, induced, assisted, abetted, or aided any other person to enter, or try to enter, the U.S. illegally. Case law explains that the person must have knowingly and affirmatively acted in order for

Your Immigration Solution NANCY MILLER AND AMANDA KWONG the conduct to constitute alien smuggling. The key is that the assistance must have been given knowingly that the person was entering unlawfully. For example, if money remittances were sent to help with finances, and a portion was saved by the recipient who then used that money to pay to enter into the country illegal, there may be no alien smuggling if there was no knowledge. Depending on the facts of the case, there is a thin line between being charged with alien smuggling and fraud—which could open the door to different problems and potential avenues of relief. Once found to be an alien smuggler, the individual is not only inadmissible, or alternately deportable, from the United States, but she can also be barred from certain forms of relief that require good moral character for the statutory period required. Good moral character is a requirement to apply for citizenship, self-petitioning and cancellation under the Violence Against Women Act, and cancellation of removal for non-permanent residents before an immigration judge. Additionally, a smuggler can be charged criminally for that offense and, if convicted, will be an aggravated felon and subject to removal from the United States. Clearly, the consequences of alien smuggling are serious. Nevertheless, there may be hope for relief through a discretionary waiver. The waiver for inadmissibility requires that the person be either a lawful permanent resident who temporarily and voluntarily traveled outside of the U.S., and is otherwise admissible, or someone who is applying for permanent residence based on cer-

tain family-based petitions. The person must also have smuggled only her spouse, parent, son, or daughter. Additionally, the person must show that the waiver is warranted for humanitarian purposes, for family unity, or for reasons that are otherwise in the public interest. Other waivers available for alien smuggling are the general waivers for those who are applying for U or T nonimmigrant status, as well as for special immigrant juveniles, aslyees, and refugees applying for adjustment of status. The rules differ if the person is charged under deportation grounds. The person is deportable if she committed alien smuggling before, during, or within five years of any entry into the United States. There is defense to this charge if the person engaged in the conduct over five years after her last entry. Similarly, if charged under this ground, the person may request the discretionary waiver if the smuggling was only of her parent, spouse, son, or daughter, who had that family status at the time of the smuggling. Alien smuggling is extremely complex area of law; the ramifications of being charged can be devastating. Additionally, each fact changes the possible outcome of the case. Therefore, anyone who believes she may be subject to this charge should consult a knowledgeable and experienced immigration lawyer as soon as possible. *** Reeves Miller Zhang & Diza is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration firms in the United States with offices in Pasadena, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Manila and China. Telephone: (800) 795-8009 E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com website: www.rreeves.com *** The analysis and suggestions offered in this column do not create a lawyer-client relationship and are not a substitute for the personalized representation that is essential to every case. (Advertising Supplement)

NIA eyes dams as tourist spots by REICELENE JOY IGNACIO ManilaTimes.net

CLARK airport is too far from Manila to be an alternative to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, a senior International Air Transport Association official said on Friday, October 27. “Clark is too far to be the key hub for the city,” IATA Director General and CEO Alexandre de Juniac said in a press conference during the Philippine Aviation Day held in Makati Shangri-la. “Clark is too far to be the key

hub for the city,” IATA Director General and CEO Alexandre de Juniac said in a press conference during the Philippine Aviation Day held in Makati Shangri-la. “We should build a third airport closer to Manila,” de Juniac added. Asked if the construction of a railway connecting Manila to Clark would help in making the Clark International Airport (CRK) as a good alternative, de Juniac replied “we don’t think so.” He said that ideally, an alternative airport should be at most

60 kilometers away from a city. Clark is nearly 100 kilometers from Manila. De Juniac said that NAIA — which IATA has said is in need of a major upgrade along with Jakarta and Bangkok’s main terminals — should instead be expanded and updated. “If the infrastructure is implemented, the economic impacts would be the following: aviation would support 3.4 million jobs, it would generate $23 billion of GDP (gross domestic product,”

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US apparel, footwear firms show renewed interest in PH by RICHMOND

MERCURIO Philstar.com

Appareland footwear firms from the U.S. are showing renewed interest in the Philippines following the expansion of the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) coverage and a potential free trade agreement (FTA) between both countries, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said. The DTI said more investment interests were generated during a recent meeting between Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez and American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) officials. The AAFA represents more than 1,000 famous name brands with retail sales in the U.S. amounting to $384 billion annually. Lopez said easier market access to another country encourages producers and exporters to locate in the source country.

Photo from fasttrack.com

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Community Journal

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Atty. LiLLi B. BAcuLi

New USCIS policy: Adjustment interview for Employment-Based petitions

IN the past few months, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that, beginning October 1, 2017, it will expand in-person interviews for employment-based adjustment of status (“AOS” or “green card”) applicants. Historically, since the 1990s, USCIS adjudicated employment-based green card applications at service centers, without in-person interviews. The recent change in policy and practice is part of USCIS’s efforts to comply with Executive Order 13780, “Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States.” Now, all employment based AOS applications will be scheduled for in-person interviews at local field offices. The USCIS Ombudsman’s Office held a teleconference with USCIS on September 28, 2017 to discuss this new policy. Below are some FAQs:

I am an Employment-Based green card applicant. Should I expect to be interviewed? Yes, if your adjustment application was filed after March 6, 2017. All employment-based AOS cases based on an approved Form I140 petition will be scheduled for an interview if the AOS was filed after March 6, 2017. However, it is possible that some AOS cases filed after March 6, 2017 may still be approved without interview until this new policy is fully enacted. Notably, USCIS specifically mentioned only Form I-140 based AOS applications in the EB-1, EB-2, or EB-3 categories. What will the interview be like? What kinds of questions will be asked? The purpose of the interview is to verify the supporting documentation and information presented in the approved I-140 petition, not to re-adjudicate the petition. Nevertheless, applicants must accurately describe their employment, explain

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their job duties, and how they meet the experience and education requirements that qualified them for the Form I-140 petition. Officers will seek to ensure that the approved Form I-140 petition was credible. Additionally, as with all other AOS interviews, applicants must demonstrate they are otherwise admissible and do not have any criminal issues, immigration violations, or other facts that would preclude becoming a permanent resident. Will this affect processing times? Will it take longer for my case to be approved? USCIS estimates that these cases will represent a significant increase in the Field Office workload. Despite optimistic statements that USCIS will adjust staffing as needed, the increased number of interviews will necessarily lengthen processing times for all types of AOS applications. Premium processing service is only

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAgLAyA (Continued from last week...)

ON the night of October 1st 2017, Stephen Paddock, 64, a self-made millionaire who made his money largely through video poker gambling, mass murdered 58 country music concert goers and injured over 500 from a crowd of 22,000 from his vantage point of 2 adjoining corner suites on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel along the Las Vegas strip. His motive is still unknown. With the official narrative and the timeline changing every which way like the shifting sands of the Sahara, it looks like the truth will be held hostage in the biggest domestic terrorism on US soil. Many seem to think that a coverup seems likely. A lesser known incident in 2015 was the mass murder of 9 Christian students in Umpqua Community College in rural u PAGE CJ4 Roseburg in Oregon by a demented, twisted young man. In both instances, left leaning politicians with an agenda were quick to make political hay of these tragic events. This is why career politicians may be going the way of the dodo. Empathy and sympathy, the genuine kind, are quickly set aside to push gun control with the thinly disguised end game of subverting second amendment rights mandated by the Constitution. This makes a good argument to impose term limits and put an expiration date on political careers of the same group of elites and families of both Democrat and Republican parties who have gravitated, banded together and colluded over the last three decades with agendas to destroy middle America while enriching themselves and preserving their multigenerational political influence. In Oregon, the college where the perpetrator carried his heinous, dastardly deed was a

Health@Heart PhiLiP S. chuA, Md, FAcS, FPcS

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AT the 103rd Annual Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) last week in San Diego, California, I met several surgeons from the Philippines who flew in to attend congress. As a Fil-Am surgeon, I always enjoy and savor meeting my colleagues from my native land. One of them happened to be an old friend, Dr. Enrique T. Ona, former Secretary of Health of the Philippines. This yearly continuing surgical education event attracts hundreds of surgeons from all over the world. One of the hot topics at this international convention was Antibiotic Stewardship, a vital global program ACS is spearheading that could save humanity as a whole from deadly superbugs that could wipe out civilization, if not prevented or contained, an issue I have discussed in a previous column. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “antibiotic resistance is one of the major threats to human health, especially because some bacteria have developed resistance to all known classes of antibiotics.” Improper use The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that “30 percent to 50 percent of prescribed antibiotics in hospitals are administered in settings where an antibiotic is unnecessary or is ineffective against the pathogenic organisms…. Increased and inappropriate antibiotic use leads to increased risks of antibiotic resistance, as well as contributing to clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infections.” Pandemic of superbugs While terrorism is holding peace hostage around the world today, a more rampant but under the radar killer is on the loose and becoming more widespread, wiping out lives, as the medical community helplessly battles this pandemic situation of super bugs resistant to all drugs we currently have. Being at the mercy of these powerful and defiant microorganisms is a most scary situation. And they seem to be ahead of us. Pneumonia and wound infections killed hundred of millions of people globally before penicillin was discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming, Professor of Bacteriology at St. Mary’s Hospital in London. Today, these conditions and hundreds of other infections respond well to penicillin and the other more sophisticated antibiotics, savings hundreds of million of lives ev-

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Whatever happened to ‘happily ever after’

“...All the lonely people Where do they all come from? ... All the lonely people Where do they all belong?…” — Eleanor Rigby, Lennon-McCartney

(Part 1 of 3) gun-free zone. Does it occur to each of us is created for a purmost that gun-free zones are the pose wired into our DNA, like a habitat of the deranged, which in GPS directing us to a destination effect, make sitting ducks out of — a state of being — whatever that may be. intended victims? In the age old fairy tale of Unless and until the world becomes a utopia where everyone “Sleeping Beauty,” Princess is an angel with no evil thought Aurora’s life was protected by and there is no further need Three Good Fairies: Flora, Faufor law enforcement, walls and na and Merriweather. They have locked doors, everyone should gifted her and her Prince Charmbe given the chance and the ing with the weapons to fight off wherewithal, both physical and the evil of the villainess, Malefispiritual, to defend themselves cent. In real life, from princes to from the tyranny of evil. There is a consistent pattern paupers, most people like to here for those with a keen sense think that they too have been of historical perspective, plain given gifts that serve as shincommon sense, and more im- ing weapons when they do go portantly perhaps, with no self- through those dark periods in every season of life. The darkserving agenda to push. These people are sick. At the ness can range from just being root of the matter of every atroc- lonely and isolated for periods ity in recent times that deranged of time to the more extreme and gunmen who had no qualms detrimental negative emotions about killing others before they that drive people to insanity or kill themselves is the deplorable worse, to suicide. We want to have those weapstate of mental illness so many people are afflicted with for a ons to deal with those inner struggles in order to do battle long time now. This is, perhaps, the reason with deep, dark depression and there are so few happily-ever- fend off those eerie voices that after stories these days that can urge the afflicted to inflict selfmake the collective heart of the harm or even worse, to kill othhuman race glad. In just one ers as well. We would like to become couact, one sick, demented soul can cause so much incalculable rageous, even bold, as we come out swinging with our blessed grief. Stories make up the fabric of swords slaying our dragons evhuman life. Each life story is one ery time they rear their ugly thread in this vast cosmic tap- heads. Until finally at the end estry of billions of stories all of of all earthly struggles, we behumanity is weaving from one come happy and content as we stride off into the sunset, victogeneration to the next. We are born in this world with rious and fulfilled. Well, there our own unique set of circum- you have it – the final frame of a stances. We like to believe that u PAGE B4

Antibiotic Stewardship ery century...until now, with the explosion of super bugs! Scary statistics At least 2 million Americans develop drug resistant infections a year and more than 23,000 of them die, 10 million deaths a year worldwide. This translates to $100 trillion sacrificed gross national products. Most of these scary infections occur in hospital settings, but they are also noted in the general community. These could be the commonly known conditions, like pneumonia or wound infection, but this time caused by drug-resistant bacteria, and hence, deadly. It is like retro-transporting us back to the early 1900, the pre-penicillin era. Lessons from the past While two of the most devastating outbreaks of the Black Death (plague) that wiped out more than half of the population of Europe in the 14th century killing about 75 million, leading to the final demise of the Roman Empire, was caused by two different strains of infectious agents from the black rats, one drug resistant infection today could kill much more around the globe. Just like us, humans, bacteria are active living microorganisms, with survival “instinct,” and when exposed to the drugs that aim to kill them, have the capacity to adapt by mutation and replication to become resistant to the drugs, When they become super bugs, they are untouchable killers, unless we develop new drugs effective against them. Who to blame We cannot blame the bacteria, who simply want to survive just like all living things. We, humans, healthcare providers and lay people, who abuse antibiotics, are to blame. Whether prescribed indiscriminately or purchased over the counter by self-medicating individuals, the widespread abuse of antibiotics make the bacteria mutate and grow resistance to them. Currently, there are at least six common pathogens that are drug-resistant, Klebsiella pneumoniae, E. Coli, and MRSA, and 3 global diseases: HIV, TB and malaria. There are many others. Unless science discovers fast ways to fight and kill these resistant superbugs with new drugs or methodology and we, the people, do not abuse their use, any and all of them will continue to kill humans and other animals with impunity around the world. Bacteria are on ALL surfaces These microorganisms are on our skin, on our entire body. They are also all around us, in all surfaces, in our kitchen (which has more bacteria than our bathroom), all over our home, and in all public areas, like escalator hand rails, door knobs,

cabinets, microwave oven door handle, countertops, tables, chairs, etc. Paper money and coins are loaded with bacteria. If bacteria are on our skin and everywhere, why do we not always get infected? The reasons are factors like our skin integrity. If our skin is intact, the bacteria cannot invade us, except though our mucus linings (in our eyes, nose, mouth, ears, anus). This is where personal hygiene is essential. Touching our face contaminates it with bacteria. The other factor is the type and dose (number) of bacteria. Even if we have a skin abrasion or cut, if we thoroughly wash the affected area right away, the dose of bacteria will be so reduced our immune system can handle them to prevent infection. If the dose is not reduced, then we get skin infection. This is why all wounds must be washed clean immediately after sustaining them. Simple handwashing On the prophylactic side, the simple habit of washing our hands religiously, at least 8 times a day (after going to the bathroom, before and after eating or working around the house or outside) can prevent contamination and infections, eliminating the need for antibiotics. This practice can also prevent viral infections, like common cold, for which some misinformed or uninformed individuals might opt to take antibiotics. Viral infections do NOT respond to antibiotics. This is just a waste of money, and worse, it will “encourage” bacteria in our body to develop antibiotic resistance. When treated longer than necessary, even bacterial infections commonly sensitive to specific antibiotics will increase the risk of the bacteria developing resistance. Skin sanitizers, preferably with skin moisturizer, in liquid, gel or foam, are helpful in minimizing infection. Those with sixty to 95 percent alcohol are most effective Antibiotic Stewardship is also our individual responsibility as a member of society. Let’s all help prevent a super bug pandemic that could wipe us out of this wonderful world. ***

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. For more data, visit philipSchua. com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

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Extension requests to be thoroughly Calendar of Events across America reviewed, despite prior petition approval SINCE about 2004, USCIS had a policy that if an initial H-1B petition was approved, and the alien later applied for an extension, the officer adjudicating the extension was to show deference (respect for another person because of that person’s knowledge, experience, etc.), except in the limited circumstances where the officer processing the extension determined there was a “material error”, substantial change in circumstances, or there is new material information that would adversely impact the petitioner or beneficiary’s eligibility. In other words, if an H-1B petition had already been approved, ordinarily the extension should likewise be approved. However, on October 23, 2017, USCIS issued a Policy Memorandum rescinding (or canceling) that 2004 policy of requiring officers to defer to prior determinations in petitions for extensions of nonimmigrant status. Instead, for any extension request “adjudicators must, in all cases, thoroughly review the petition and supporting evidence to determine eligibility for the benefits sought.” Prior approval of a petition should not be taken at face value, but instead the officer adjudicating the extension

Immigration Corner ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ should thoroughly review the entire case and make his or her own independent determination of eligibility. Many people obtained approval of their non-immigrant H-1B (or L-1) petitions, and think that they will receive an automatic extension because “nothing has changed”. The officer will just rubber-stamp the extension. However, this new memo makes it clear that the prior approval of the petition does not automatically mean the extension will be approved. Maybe the first officer overlooked something. Maybe there have been changes in employment, or the person was not being paid the wage listed on the initial petition. Maybe the person worked for a different employer (or moonlighted) without proper work authorization for that second job. All of these items could affect a person’s eligibility for their working status and affect the approval

of an extension. Therefore, if you have an H-1B visa that is expiring, you should consult with an attorney who can advise and assist you in filing the extension, to make sure you meet all eligibility requirements, since under the Trump administration, USCIS will thoroughly review and investigate that extension request.

*** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bar of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different. The information contained herein including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and re-enactments) is of a general nature, and is not intended to apply to any particular case, and does not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: (866)—GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINES

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ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS N OV E M B E R 2- 4

Franchise Expo West in Los Angeles Franchise Expo West, the premier franchise event in the western U.S. is returning to Los Angeles after a five-year absence, to provide the strongest business opportunities for potential franchisees in this dynamic, growing region. Attendees can engage with over 200 franchise brands in every industry at every investment level, access over 60 free educational sessions where in-depth answers are provided to any franchising questions, and meet with lenders and consultants to learn about financing options. It will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center at 1201 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90015 from Thursday, Nov. 2 to Saturday, Nov. 4. For more information, please visit: www.franchiseexpowest.com. For free registration, use promo code AJ here: https://r1.events-registration.com/franwest2017/.

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Free oil filter and motor oil recycling event in Gardena, CA Attention all Gardena and West Carson residents! There will be a free oil filter & motor oil recycling event on Saturday, November 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at AutoZone (1361 W. 190th St., Gardena, CA 90248). 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.

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AAPA’s achievement awards & graduation gala in San Gabriel, CA Celebrate the 2017 class of Asian American Professional Association (AAPA) Mentorship and Board Leadership Program participants, and this year’s Achievement Awardees on Monday, Nov. 6 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Enjoy a banquet dinner, entertainment, and keynote speech from Brigadier General Mark Toy! It will be held at the San Gabriel Hilton (225 W. Valley Blvd. San Gabriel, CA). For more information, please visit https://aapagala2017.org/.

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Filipino indie film “1st Semester” screening in Los Angeles

FRAUD WAIVER DENIAL TURNED AROUND TO APPROVAL WITH NO FRAUD WAIVER REQUIRED, ON THIS SUNDAY’S ‘CITIZEN PINOY!’ Wilma entered the U.S. on a C-1 “transit” visa, on her way to work in Guantanamo, Cuba. She remained in the U.S., married a U.S. citizen, and filed for adjustment of status. A “consultant” gave her hope and said he would take care of Wilma’s papers. Unfortunately, the consultant altered Wilma’s documents and put down false information (that she entered on a visitor’s visa), to cover up that she actually entered on a C-1 transit visa. Her case ended up being denied because of fraud! Wilma then consulted with the Law Offices of Michael Gurfinkel, who took over the case, and filed an appeal with the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) in Washington, DC. Atty. Gurfinkel convinced them that Wilma committed no fraud, and was eligible for a green card, despite her entry on a transit visa. Watch how Atty. Gurfinkel’s determination won the day for Wilma, when her name was cleared, and she got her green card with no fraud waiver required, on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising supplement)

Business News

by CATHERINE

TALAVERA Philstar.com

The Pilipino Workers Center will have its 20th anniversary celebration on Wednesday, November 8 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Pico House and Courtyard (424 N Main Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012). Attire is smart casual or Filipino-inspired fashion. Honorees include Sen. Connie M. Leyva, Jose Antonio Vargas, and PWC Council of Leaders. The program will be hosted by Giselle “G” Tongi. There will also be special performances and a feast of Filipino delicacies. Tickets are $100 each. For tickets and sponsorship details, call (213) 2504353 or visit www.pwcsc.org. com.

Diva 2 Diva concert in Pasadena, CA The Philippines’ Pop Diva, Kuh Ledesma, and the Divine Diva, Zsa Zsa Padilla, are back in Southern California with DIVA 2 DIVA on Saturday, November 11! They will be joined with comediennes Nanette Inventor and Mitch Valdez. The show will begin at 7 p.m. at the “PazNaz” First Church of the Nazarene (3700 E. Sierra Madre Blvd, Pasadena, California). For tickets, you may purchase them online at diva2diva2.eventbrite.com or you may call Henry at (818) 612 4500 for more details. com.

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13th annual mayor’s luncheon in Woodland Hills, CA

of the Philippines and India.” Earlier this year, the DOT said it was moving for the Visa Upon Arrival (VUA) option for Indian nationals visiting the country in order to attract more tourists. Canizal earlier cited the large population of India as potential driver of tourist arrivals growth. For this year, Cañizal said an estimated 100,000 tourists are expected to visit the Philippines. Apart from India, other emerging source markets for Philippine tourism are Russia, which recorded a 27 percent growth in arrivals in August, France (22 percent growth), Indonesia (20 percent) and as well as other Southern European countries. “Our market development crew, especially our route development team, continues to explore new markets,” Canizal said. ■

More tourism infra projects underway by IRIS

GONZALES Philstar.comt

THE Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) has approved a number of tourism infrastructure projects. Among these projects are the beautification of the coastal road network of Legazpi Boulevard in Legazpi City, Albay and the restoration of the Saint Joseph the Patriarch Church, a baroque church in Aguilar, Pangasinan. The TIEZA board also approved the construction of tourism assistance centers (TACs) in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, Tanay Rizal, and the Garden City of Samal in Davao del Norte. “These projects are part of the initiative of TIEZA’s project D.R.E.A.M.S which aims to build targeted tourism infrastructure specializing in destination, res-

PWC 20th Anniversary Celebration in Los Angeles

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Tourist arrivals breach 4 M in 8 months FOREIGN arrivals breached the four million mark in the first eight months as new key markets for Philippine tourism emerge, an official of the Department of Tourism(DOT) said. In the Philippine Aviation Day forum Friday, October 27, Tourism Undersecretary Rolando Canizal announced that international arrivals reached 4.4 million from January to August, up 10 percent year-on-year. For this year, the tourism department aims to hit the seven million mark in international arrivals, higher than the 5.9 million arrivals recorded in 2016. Canizal said the growth in arrivals was driven by the efforts of the government and the private sector, particularly hoteliers, airlines, to promote tourism across the country. He said the country’s tourist arrivals in August continued to be driven by key markets and as well as the entrance of new markets. “Our key markets continues to be dominated by the north Asian markets,” Canizal said. South Korea accounted for 24 percent of foreign arrivals during the period. Other top Asian source markets are China, Japan and Taiwan. Canizal said India is emerging as a new source market for Philippine tourism, as it now ranks the 12th largest source market for the Philippines. This was attributed to “the very good connection

Catch the Hollywood premiere screening of the award-winning Filipino indie film, “1st Semester” on Wednesday, November 8. “1st Semester” is a Filipino coming-of-age comedy movie about a young boy who is sent to college by his mother with their entire clan but goes home immediately after experiencing separation anxiety. It explores a boy’s rite of passage to manhood and a mother’s strong will and determination to uphold the best for her family. “1st Semester” stars Allan Paule, Darwin Yu and award-winning actress Lotlot de Leon. It is written and directed by Dexter Paglinawan Hemedez and Allan Michael Ibanez. The Hollywood Premiere will be held on Wednesday, November 8 at the American Film Institute (AFI), 2021 N. Western Avenue, Los Angeles, CA. Showtimes are at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Come and meet the writers and directors of this internationally-acclaimed film. Parking is free For more information and sponsorship opportunities, please email 1stSemAFI@gmail.com.

The United Chambers of Commerce of the San Fernando Valley presents the 13th annual mayor’s luncheon with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Wednesday, November 29 at the Warner Center Marriott - Grand Ballroom (21850 Oxnard Street, Woodland Hills, CA 91367). Registration opens at 11 a.m. and the program is from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. There will be complimentary self-parking, while valet is $16. For questions or sponsorship opportunities, please call (818) 981-4491 or email marian@unitedchambers.org.

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Historic Filipinotown parol parade and festival in Los Angeles The Historic Filipinotown Neighborhood Council (HFNC) announced that the annual parade and festival will be on Friday, December 1 from 6:00 p.m. to 10 p.m. The event will start with the assembly of parols and vehicles at 250 N. Union St. at the Our Lady of Lorreto Catholic Church courtyard. The parade will start at 5 p.m. and will go westward from Union to Beverly, and will eventually end up at the FCC/FACLA compound at 1740 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA 90026. The HFNC is calling for volunteers who will serve as security, ushers, for registration and monitors for the parade. To volunteer, please call Art at (213)318-9065. For more information, please contact Cecile at (213) 503-8176.

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Pasko Na Naman in Glendale, CA The Federation of Filipino Rosary Groups will sponsor a fundraiser entitled “Pasko Na Naman 2” on Saturday, December 2 at the Glendale Civic Auditorium (1401 N. Verdugo Road, Glendale, CA 91208) starting at 4 p.m. The presentation’s theme is Salo-salo at Pagdiriwang” which means “getting together joyfully.” The show will provide a glimpse on how Filipinos celebrate Christmas in the Philippines, which will be depicted through choral singing and folk dancing. The performers are Malaya Filipino American Dance Arts, St. Lorenzo Ruiz Parish Choir, Monique Magpayo and Kurt Winterhalter. Benefactors of proceeds include but are not limited to: Channel of Charity, Filipino Priests Association of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, feeding programs and FFRG faith formation events. Come one! Come All! Feel the scents and sights of Filipino Christmas. The audience will also enjoy “merienda cena” during the intermission. Ticket donation is $45.00 per person. For souvenir ad and ticket information, please contact Tess Domingo at (909) 855-2208 or Carol Evangelista at (909) 969-3316.

D EC E M B E R 3

Arnel Pineda in Los Angeles toration, eco-sustainability, agritourism, medical assistance, and security and accessibility,” the TIEZA said. In earlier interview, TIEZA chief operating officer Pocholo Paragas said the agency was exploring ways to streamline the approval process of TEZ applications.

“What we want to do now is look at the filtering [of applications] and look at the methods of how we can fasttrack everything,” Paragas said. Paragas said there were around 32 to 39 TEZ applications on the table earlier this month.

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Arnel Pineda, the lead singer of the internationally acclaimed rock band JOURNEY, will be in Los Angeles on Sunday, December 3 at the famed Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. The show begins at 6 p.m. VIP ticket ($200) includes CD, concert tour shirt, meet & greet. Other ticket prices are $150, $100, $75 or $50. For sponsorship and tickets, please call or text: Trini Foliente at (626) 818-7147; Cora Soriano at (213) 999-1993 or Andy Tecson at (323) 467-5096.

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, please email us the details at info@asianjournalinc.com or calendar@asianjournalinc.com

CJ

Business news

NOVEMBER 3-9, 2017 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

Chinese group eyes biggest smart city in Manila Bay reclamation by IrIs

Gonzales Philstar.comt

CHINESE-led mixed-use development project in Manila will start preliminary reclamation next year, according to the master-planner of the ambitious public-private venture dubbed the Manila Bay City of Pearl. Hong Kong-based Ho & Partners is designing the 407-hectare project, which is touted to be the biggest smart city in Southeast Asia. In industry parlance, a smart city is an urban area that uses different types of sensors to supply information used to manage resources efficiently. Deputy managing director Nicholas Ho said reclamation is expected to be completed in three years while the whole project will take 20 years to complete. “Reclamation will start next year and will take about three years to reclaim. The whole project will take 20 years,” Ho said on the sidelines of a PhilippineChina dialogue held last week at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM). The reclamation project is one of several projects approved by Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada. It will be funded and developed by a consortium led by local company UAA Kinming Group Development Corp., along with a global mix of partners from Hong Kong, China, Southeast Asia, Europe and other regions.

“Having the trade concessions will encourage more investors to put their production facilities in the country,” he said. Lopez said the expansion of the GSP, which is a trade arrangement that allows dutyfree entry of specific Philippine products to the U.S., as well as the plan to explore further the possibility of having a more permanent FTA with the U.S. bode well for producers and exporters. He said members of the AAFA stressed the value of Philippine labor which is capable of producing quality output. According Lopez, the AAFA also believes that as the U.S. conducts FTA discussions with other countries, there is no rea-

EMPLOYMENT

More tourism infra projects... PAGE CJ3 t

“So we’re trying to coordinate with the local government units where the TEZs are located. And look into what specific packages we can do,” the COO said. Paragas said the agency is looking to break ground on its first tourist assistance center before the end of the year. The TIEZA is eyeing to build

TACs in targeted tourism areas that will house basic facilities and services. Apart from the TACs, Paragas also said the agency hopes to launch its first floating dock, particularly in Palawan, before the end of the year. “We want to do a floating dock system, so it’s closer to the boat and it’s safer. There’s no danger

pertaining to slippage or something like that,” Paragas said. Paragas said it would only take about two weeks to install a floating dock. He added, that moving forward, the installation process could even be done faster. Estimated costs for the construction of the docks is P40,000 per square meter.n

adjustment interviews. Specifically, USCIS expects the San Jose, San Francisco, Newark, New York City, Houston, Seattle, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, and Los Angeles Field Offices will be the ten most affected offices. No two cases are exactly alike, and we encourage people to seek the advice of a licensed and experienced immigration attorney for questions regarding this new USCIS policy. *** Atty. Lilli Berbano Baculi is an associate attorney with Chua Tinsay & Vega, A

Professional Legal Corporation (CTV) - a full service law firm with offices in San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento and Philippines. The information presented in this article is for general information only and is not, nor intended to be, formal legal advice nor the formation of an attorney-client relationship. Call or e-mail CTV for an in-person or phone consultation to discuss your particular situation and/or how their services may be retained at (619) 955-6277; (415) 4958088; (916) 449-3923; lbaculi@ctvattys. com. For general information visit www. chuatinsayvega.com. (Advertising Supplement)

ity (NEDA) for final evaluation. The announcement was a boost for San Miguel Corp., which was given original proponent status, but Tugade also said that he was open to another proposal to build an alternative to NAIA in Sangley Point, Cavite. If approved by the NEDA, the

Bulacan airport project will be subjected to a Swiss challenge. “Please respect the three conditionalities: Be sure there is no govenrment guarantees and assure us that there will be no govenrnment subsidies, and do not transfer moving airlines to the new airport,” Tugade said. n

jured from a witch’s brew simmering in a big black cauldron over the fires of hell. All the evils re unleashed from Pandora’s box with just one thing left at the bottom of the box — HOPE. And yes, HOPE springs eternal. There are strong indications the tide of unspeakable evil may have turned. Silently, millions of Christians worldwide have been doubling down on their Christian faith in a merciful God. Untold millions are getting down on their knees with unceasing prayers that are being heard and responded to, sometimes slowly but if you observe quietly, oftentimes quickly like lightning bolts. The barbaric persecution of Christians particularly in the Middle East and elsewhere has not been seen since the Middle Ages. Do take heart. Then as now, it is said that the blood of

martyrs only spawns, breeds and spurs the resurgence of an even stronger and deeper Christianity that will shape humanity for the better, hopefully, for several thousand more years. For years, there has been an onslaught of terrifying events from just about everywhere, facilitated by the startling phenomenon of social media and the ease of anything going viral and trending through the internet. Social media, like any other invention during modern times, has become a double-edged tool. It can be used for good or ill, depending on the user and his motivation. (Continued next week…)

New USCIS policy: Adjustment...

PAGE CJ2 t “There will be a mix of everything. There will be a lot of public facilities inside such as a stadium, education, universities, hospitals and affordable housing,” Ho said. Ho said his company is also discussing with the government possible incentives that may be given to locators as it is in talks high-tech companies such as Alibaba and Tencent to locate in the project. Ho said the project brings together Filipino and Chinese companies. “They can help young generations of Filipinos to better equip themselves to compete internationally,” he said. Aside from this project, Ho said his company looks forward to participating in other infrastructure projects in the Philippines. More and more Chinese companies are interested to do business in the Philippines following President Duterte’s pivot to China, he said. Improved relations between China and the Philippines are

expected to further boost tourism and trade, experts said during the forum. In his speech during the forum, Angel Ngu, honorary president of the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc., said there has been an increase in the number of Chinese businessmen visiting the country. “Since late last year, we saw a significant rise in the number of Chinese business delegations visiting our country. This came after President Rodrigo Duterte’s move to strengthen our economic ties with China as highlighted during his State Visit to China Last October 2016,” Ngu said. Because of this keen interest from Chinese companies, Ngu said there are opportunities for Filipino companies. “We all know that China has the biggest population in the world and more Filipino enterprises could seize the opportunity to expose their product to its huge market,” Ngu said. n

US apparel, footwear firms...

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http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

son why U.S. will not do an FTA with the Philippines which has been a strong partner and ally since World War II. Lopez said the garments and textiles sectors are labor intensive and could generate more stable and decent jobs for Filipinos, while also creating business opportunities for small and medium enterprises servicing the sectors, such as producers of key raw materials, indigenous woven products, accessories, service and logistics providers. “This is considered very important in our economic program under President Duterte’s administration which aims to accelerate job and income generation activities especially in the countryside and help reduce inequality,” he said.

The DTI said the industry currently employs around 300,000 and has the potential to increase to over four million like in other ASEAN countries if the country is able to attract more locators to produce in the country. The agency reported that the garments and textiles sector has steadily declined since the mid1990s, as export of the sector decreased from an annual average of $2.4 billion between 1995 and 2006 to an average of $1.6 billion over the past five years. “Now is the time to bring

back the role of the sector as a contributor to job generation and economic development. Good relations will translate to good business, thus, generating jobs for the Filipinos,” Lopez said. n

PSYCHIC

available for certain Form I-140 petitions but not for any Form I-485 applications. Monitoring underlying visa validity, employment authorization documents, and advance parole documents will be increasingly important. Will interviews happen across the board, or just the “big cities”? The areas of the country with large immigrant populations, particularly in the high-tech industries, will see a disproportionate increase in the number of employment-based

NIA eyes dams as tourist...

PAGE CJ1 t

he said. Bulacan alternative As this developed, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said that a proposal to build a new airport in Bulacan had been submitted to the National Economic and Development Author-

Whatever happened to...

PAGE CJ2 t

movie of one’s life story. There’s that happily-ever-after ending to the life stories we seek. Alas! How we wish most of life’s stories end happily. Instead of happily ever after endings, we have sad stories, cautionary tales, even horror stories like these mass murders to drive us out of our wits’ end. There’s just no rhyme or reason. It’s like being trapped in our seats, strapped tight, in the Theatre of the Macabre and watching grim Tim Burton stories unfolding onscreen on repeat mode. What causes all this darkness, all this loneliness that seems to affect a number of people in the world today? Who let those rabid monstrous creatures out from the gates of hell? The gates seem to have swung wide open, unleashing all the evils that can be con-

SERVICES

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of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com

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COMMUNITY JOURNAL

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 3-9, 2017

CJ5

People & Events Busking for cause – Northbay TFCU Talks heads to San Jose State University, ‘Breaking Through to Greatness’ wildfire victims’ relief

Authentic Dub Fans, Pagyamanin Likas Musika’s Filipino-American Veterans Rondalla’s “Busking for a Cause” modest running total of $435.00 may be pale in comparison to Golden State Warriors Klay Thompson’s “Points With Purpose,” which raised $69,000, but the gallant efforts of Virgil Ganiban, Tom Pan, Joe Saluta and George Gange are equally heartwarming and inspiring. The Fil-Am veterans made a difference raising funds and generating awareness for the hapless North Bay wildfire victims. Other beneficiaries include displaced citizens of the Marawi siege.

SAN JOSE, Calif. – After the successful TFCU Talks at the CSU Dominguez Hills last October 21, TFCU Talks is now coming to San Jose, California on Saturday, November 4, from 3-5:30 p.m. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. An affiliate of ABS-CBN International, TFCU Talks San Jose will feature a lineup of top industry leaders to connect, inspire, and empower college students and young professionals to help them realize their full potential. The event takes place at the Student Union Ballroom at San Jose State University. TFCU Talks San Jose is an exclusive free event with limited seating - first come, first served. For all ticketing information, and to reserve your spot today, please visittfcusanjose.eventbrite.com. TFCU curated an exciting and fitting line-up of speakers and performers for “Breakthrough to Greatness”: Speakers P. Lo (Musician) - P. Lo is a rapper & music producer based in the Bay Area. He’s become a force in the music industry as a recording artist, producer, and songwriter. A BMI award winner, multi-platinum songwriter, and touring act, P-Lo has been reaching new audiences with his music since he co-founded the HBK Gang, a collective of musicians and creatives that revitalized the Bay Area’s music scene. P-Lo is cultivating the sound of the Bay Area on a national level and expanding his reach always pushing the boundaries of the West Coast sound as a rapper and a producer. John Corpus (CEO of Photobucket) - John Corpus took over as chief executive for in 2015. Corpus also co-founded and was CEO of Milyoni Inc. (social media video tech startup) until it was acquired by Photobucket. He has specialized in the development of e-business strategies including business plan development, content structure, publishing strategy, technical implementation, corporate communication, and workflow process. (via Bloomberg) Dr. Allyson Tintiangco-Cubales (Professor/community lead-

er) - Dr. Allyson Tintiangco-Cubales was recently promoted to Full Professor of Asian American Studies in the College of Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University. In addition to her responsibilities as a faculty member at SFSU, Tintiangco-Cubales is extremely dedicated to the Filipina/o American community. To respond to the social, academic, and emotional challenges that Filipina/o American youth face, she founded Pin@y Educational Partnerships (PEP), an ethnic studies educational pipeline that creates partnerships and projects that work toward social justice. DJ QBert (Hip Hop pioneer) - DJ QBert, born Richard Quitevis, is widely regarded as the most highly skilled skratching DJ that has walked this planet. His long-standing career of innovating the DJ culture has set off a worldwide generation of DJs who are now regarded as musicians and not just DJs that play records, from A-Trak to Craze to C2C to Z-Trip; they would testify to DJ QBert’s influence in their sound and successful careers. Performers Str8jacket (dance crew) - As World of Dance 1st place winners, Str8jacket strives to challenge the standards of hip hop dance while still preserving its culture and roots. Their doors are open to everyone to create a safe space where people can feel comfortable being who they

are and pursue their passions for dance. They help their members improve as dancers, but more importantly they help them improve as people by building consciousness and awareness on a personal and societal level. Full Potential (dance company) - Established in 2016 and directed by Duncan Padilla, Full Potential is a dance company based in Fremont, CA that aims to foster others – near and far – by teaching wisdom, knowledge and life values through the art of dance. As a dance company, they strive to create leaders, teachers and role models. Full Potential is a family of individuals who aspire to reach their full potential as not only dancers, but as members of the community. CONNECT. INSPIRE. EMPOWER. Click here to register now, or visit www.tfcutalks. com/ for more information. About TFCU TFCU strives to connect, inspire, and empower millennials helping them realize their full potential in relation to their cultural identity. Their frontline project, TFCU Talks, is an opportunity where students and young professionals can connect with successful industry leaders who share their stories and experiences in order to empower the next generation. For additional information about TFCU, please visit tfcutalks. com or follow TFCU on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.■

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ğ įōíľ ÀðıÃæµįPçį ʼn æIJįıÀ ØÃĉÃæîÂ ß ğÃqPç qíß߼æÃıŎįĤÀíĽØ ÕæíŊįPdíĽIJĕ If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, email us the details (title, description, time & date, location, etc.) at info@asianjournalinc.com. And for consideration in our print calendar, please send submissions at least three weeks before the date of the event. To be included in our online calendar/ e-newsletter, please allow at least two to three weeks' notice. The Asian Journal would be delighted to list your event in our Calendar of Events.

CJ

NOVEMBER 3-9, 2017 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

Friday, November 3, 2017

COVER PHOTOS BY DING CARREON AND PETER DUMAUAL

SF2

cover story The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - November 3, 2017

FILIPINO BOXER ROMERO DUNO:

From underdog to Golden Boy prospect by RAE ANN VARONA WITH REPORTS FROM VICTOR SY / AJPRESS DESPITE being nicknamed “Ruthless”, there’s nothing heartless nor callous about Romero Duno. At first impression, Duno comes off as shy and rather humble despite gaining new attention in the professional boxing world — that itself is noteworthy in a sport full of strong-egoed athletes. But, as the adage says, “actions speak louder than words”, and Duno’s recent moves in the ring have many people all ears and eyes to see what he can do. Just having turned 22 this month, Duno has already been described as a knockout artist with an impressive record of 13-1, 12 KOs. Only three of his professional bouts have been outside of the Philippines, with two wins in the United States. Duno, which his friends call him, hails from Tagum City, the capital of the Philippines’ Davao del Norte province. When home, he lives with his parents Nephtalie and Victoria, and is the sixth out of seven kids. Like most parents, basic hopes for their children are that they stay out of fights, and stay in school. Duno — by no means a bad kid — did the opposite of both. “It was just over a paper,” confessed Duno to the Asian Journal about his first ever fist fight win as a high school freshman. His opponent so happened to be a local boxer and a son of a boxing trainer who eventually took Duno as his trainee. That marked Duno’s beginning as a boxer. A few years later as a student at the University of Mindanao, Duno, like many other college students, decided to skip school. But, he didn’t just skip class, or one day to hang out with friends at the mall or beach. Duno instead moved four hours away to pursue his boxing career in General

Santos City at the invitation of Engelbert Moralde, another known Filipino boxer. “My mom didn’t know,” said Duno. Duno’s mom Victoria, had plans to support both him and his sister in finishing their post-secondary education at the time. “I told myself that if we study together, my mom and dad may have a hard time — maybe neither of us may finish school due to shortness of budget,” said Duno. “So I just told myself that I should just go straight to Gen San.” Just as all mothers eventually find out if they’ve been disobeyed, Victoria found out that he indeed was not studying. But it wasn’t until after two fights. “She was mad — she wanted me to stop,” said Duno quietly laughing. “I said that I had already started — I had already signed the contract,” he added. Many boxers enter the professional field with a lot of amateur experience. Duno, on the other hand, did not have many tournament fights under his belt as they required the process of defeating other boxers in order to move up — a classic game of elimination. The majority of Duno’s fights were in local barangays or villages. As a result, not much training focus was initially put on the powerful, but limited amateur experienced Duno. In his first-ever fight outside the Philippines last May, where he experienced his first and only loss in an eight-round decision to Mikhail Alexeev in Russia — only his manager accompanied him. “They were not sure with Duno,” said Rodel Mayol, the Filipino former World Boxing Council (WBC) Light Flyweight World Champion who now trains and houses Duno in Los Angeles.

But it didn’t take long before Duno began to prove himself as what Mayol described as an “A-plus boxer”. Duno, the new ‘golden boy’ At his U.S debut fight in March, Duno took victory over the then-undefeated prospect Christian “Chimpa” Gonzalez in less than a minute into the second of what was supposed to be eight rounds. Crowd favorite Gonzalez, who had entered the arena to the sounds of enthusiastically chanting fans, was later carried out of the ring to a more silent and stunned crowd. “We saw Romero’s power in the ring — he is the real deal,” said former professional boxer and ten world title winner Oscar De La Hoya, in a statement on signing Duno to his Golden Boy Promotions firm. “He has the exceptional power, along with the talent and desire to be a great fighter. He could be the next big boxing star from the Philippines as time is on his side, and I’m pleased he chose Golden Boy to introduce him to a wider audience in the U.S.” Gonzalez (also with Golden Boy Promotions) has himself amassed a strong following with many from Mexico where he spent his early pro boxing years, and from his hometown of Buena Park, California. He is also the youngest brother of former WBC Featherweight World Champion, Alejandro “La Cobrita” Gonzalez. “Chimpa was 16-0, with 14 knockouts, so they were really building him up,” said Mayol. Upon entering the venue, Duno recalled hearing taunts and chants from the pro-Chimpa crowd attempting to get into this head. “I told him, ‘let’s just focus — don’t think about their shouting. Think instead that they’re shouting for you. They’re shouting to distract

Duno won in an eight-round lightweight match against Mexican Juan Pablo Sanchez at The Forum in Los Angeles last September.

you’,” said Mayol, adding that Filipinos were very underrepresented in the venue. Out of maybe 200 to 300 people, less than 15 were Filipino, said Mayol. Ecstatic, Duno’s accompanying team rushed on stage while security attempted to hold them back. The shocking win resulted in a multi-year promotional deal with Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, a “Hero’s Welcome” in General Santos City, and a push into the spotlight among boxing fans. “I was surprised because I didn’t even know that was a thing,” said Duno on his General Santos City welcome and meeting with the mayor. “His mom wasn’t there. She’s upset. But I know that she is also proud,” said Mayol. In late September, Duno went on to take another 78-74 win over Juan Pablo Sanchez (30-14, 14 KOs) at The Forum in Los Angeles through a unanimous decision. Once again, Duno’s team rushed on stage. This time, Mayol received a fine but said it was worth it. “It was okay because it was a happy moment,” shared Mayol. Duno now trains at Los Angeles’ Wild Card Boxing Club, which has been the training grounds for numerous world champions like Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto, De La Hoya, Mike Tyson, and even Mayol. The gym is owned by well-respected boxing trainer and former professional boxer Freddie Roach. “Freddie is always supporting us at the gym,” Mayol said. Roach often helps find Duno good sparring partners. Considered as one of best boxing trainers of all time, Roach’s lineup of famed boxers include former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr., five-time and fourdivision world champion

Duno signing boxing gloves

Miguel Cotto, and eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao whom many on the internet are likening Duno to. During Duno’s U.S. debut win over Gonzalez, commentator Steve Kim compared the victory to Pacquiao’s shocking defeat over Lehlohonolo Ledwaba in 2001 which thrust him into the spotlight. “Much like tonight to a certain degree, he just blitzed Lehlo Ledwaba, and really at that point, arrived,” said Kim of Pacquiao’s 2001 fight. “I’m happy when they say that, but in my opinion, you can’t compare with Manny — there’s only one Manny,” said Duno. “All I want is to make my own name in boxing,” he added. “I don’t want to imitate

AJPress photos by Ding Carreon

him. I want to be different, so that there will be something different.” On October 9, Duno went back to the Philippines for a quick two-week vacation before continuing training for an upcoming U.S fight on December 18 in Southern California. In the Philippines, he got to spend his 22nd birthday doing one of the things he loves to do the most: hanging out with his family, who he sees as his biggest inspiration. “I just want to prove to the people who look down on my family that we can make it without them,” said Duno. As for his December fight, his opponent has yet to be announced. But one thing for sure is that people will be watching.

Duno with cutman Dr. Ed dela Vega

Photos by Peter Dumaual

Angel Locsin on friend Neil Arce: Getting to know more about Matteo ‘He’s my source of happiness’ you get from singing, compared to acting and racing? Singing is freedom, honesty and telling WHEN Matteo Guidicelli’s happens in our exciting jouryour story. While acting is getting heart is in it, the sky’s the limit. ney, we won’t fight.) into a character and relating it He pursues his passions relentLocsin also noted that her to yourself. Racing taught me lessly, whether on the race track, family is good with Arce, esdetermination. on camera, or on the concert pecially her father. She values stage. The Kapamilya heartthrob If you had to choose just her family’s opinion about her is all revved up for his concert, a one, which would you pick and friends and relationships, as followup to his sold-out concert in why? Singing, because I have the she explained, “Pag hindi ka most fun doing it. Cebu last year. gusto ng pamilya ko, sorry What do you find hard to Not too many people know talaga.” (If my family does not that Matteo has been into musical understand about women? like you, I’m really sorry.) theater. Back in school, he played Women in general are hard to And when Abunda asked understand. Their quirks and the lead role in the musical, who is the lucky guy etched moods. But men can’t live without “Pippin.” He also took a course on her heart, she replied, them. They complete a man’s life. in Musical Theater in Columbia “Neil.” What’s your most embarCollege. Fans have been keeprassing moment to date? When The singer-actor is handsing tabs on Arce and Locsin, I was the only one in class who on with the preparations for his hoping to know the real status concert. He will be performing failed the math test in middle of their relationship. The two school. covers inspired by the music that have been regularly sharing What’s the cheesiest thing he grew up with and original via Instagram pictures showyou’ve done? I love saying “I love songs from his soon-to-be-reing their mutual support for you.” leased second album. So, get each other, whether in their What’s on your bucket list? ready to swoon over Matteo and respective projects or in speTo travel the world, and mobe giddy(celli). cial occasions, such as when torbike around the Philippines, As for his love life, Matteo Locsin celebrated her 32nd United States and Europe. To be politely declined to answer any birthday in April. questions about Sarah Geronimo a part of change in Cebu … by The last time they were solving its traffic, flooding and because he’d like to keep their spotted together in public was relationship low-key lest it goes garbage problems. on the premiere of the Empoy off-key. What’s your song for yourMarquez-Alessandra De Rossi self these days? It’s an original My chat with Matteo: box office hit “Kita Kita”. song included in my new album, What kind of fulfillment do by DOLLY

ANNE CARVAJAL Inquirer.net

by KATRINA

HALLARE Inquirer.net

STILL remaining hush-hush on the real status of their relationship, “La Luna Sangre” actress Angel Locsin said that her friendship with film producer Neil Arce is doing great, even citing him as her “source of happiness.” In her appearance on “Tonight with Boy Abunda”, she gushed that given the eight years she has known him, she’s thankful for what they have now. But when talk show host Boy Abunda asked Locsin about a supposed incident wherein Arce told her “I love you”, Locsin simply said she did not want to assume anything because of their tightknit bond. “Alam namin na hindi siya basta-basta pinapasok kasi ayaw namin masira ‘yung friendship. So ‘yun yung naging usapan namin na kung ano man ang mangyari dito sa napaka-exciting na journey natin, basta ‘di tayo pwede

Angel Locsin

Star Cinema photo

mag-away,” Locsin said. (We know that it’s not something that we could just get into, just like that, because we don’t want to ruin the friendship. So that’s what we decided on, that whatever

Matteo Guidicelli

Instagram/@matteoguidicelli

“10,000th Day.” It’s about creating change and being yourself. Did you ever want to take a break, like John Lloyd Cruz? It’s important to find balance. Especially when I do a movie or a soap, I get burned out. I take a break, physically and mentally. If you could travel back in time, what would you do differently? I would take piano lessons seriously. If your life story were a movie, what would the title be? “All or Nothing.” I want Enrique Gil to portray me, but he must work out and get some abs first (laughs).

‘Your Voice Matters’: New America Media and Presidio Trust host ethnic media roundtable discussing contemporary themes surrounding the Presidio’s ‘EXCLUSION’ exhibition

LAST October 5, 60 media and stakeholders from around the region gathered at the Presidio, San Francisco’s national park, for an Ethnic Media Roundtable hosted by New America Media and the Presidio Trust. The roundtable was focused on a special exhibition at the Presidio Officers’ Club - EXCLUSION: The Presidio’s Role in World War II Japanese American Incarceration. Ethnic media leaders representing Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Korean, South Asian, Latino, and African American communities discussed the contemporary relevance of the exhibition, which explores the role the Presidio played in the unjust incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans when it was a U.S. Army post. Topics included the present-day issues of immigration, racism, and mass incarceration. Speakers on the panel, moderated by Odette AlcazarenKeeley of New America Media and also a Board Trustee of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, included Eric Blind, Director of Heritage Programs at the Presidio Trust; Kenji Taguma, Editor-in-Chief at Nichi Bei Weekly; Fernando Andres Torres, freelance reporter at La Opinion de la Bahia SF & Radio Bilingue; Jaya Padmanabhan, former Editor-in-Chief and, contributor at India Currents and columnist at SF Examiner; Jean Ho, radio host at News for Chinese; Joseph Peralta, VP & GM at Asian Journal Publications - NorCal Office; Nam Nguyen, Publisher at Cali Today; and Wanda Sabir, arts editor at SF Bay View. The event allowed the panelists and attendees to reflect on the incarceration events, how they resonate with the history of their own communities, and history could easily repeat itself. Speakers concluded with the mutual phrase, “We are all excludeds,” underscoring the biggest theme – the power of building a collective voice and speaking up when you or others are being treated unfairly. The panelists encouraged members of their community to come to the exhibition and to share their own thoughts and stories through the Your Voice Matters stations throughout the

Exhibition. EXCLUSION: the Presidio’s Role in World War II Japanese American Incarceration will be on exhibit at the Presidio Officers’ Club museum and cultural center in San Francisco through March 2018. For more about the EXCLUSION Exhibition, visit www. presidio.gov/exclusion. EXCLUSION Calendar of Special Events Event: A Tour of General DeWitt’s Office Date: Saturday, November 11, and December 9 Time: 10 am to noon Place: Presidio Officers’ Club, 50 Moraga Avenue, San Francisco Phone: (415) 561-4323 Price: Free Join Presidio Trust Historian Dr. Barbara Berglund Sokolov and National Park Ranger James Osborne for a rare glimpse into General John DeWitt’s office, where as head of Western Defense Command, he made the decision in 1942 to imprison Japanese American citizens and non-citizens without due process. This tour complements the special exhibitions EXCLUSION: the Presidio’s Role in WWII Japanese American Incarceration at the Presidio Officers’ Club. The tour begins after a ten-minute walk on paved surfaces to the office site. The walk and the office are accessible. Reservations are not required. For information call the Presidio Visitor Center at (415) 561-4323. Links: http://www.presidio. gov/events/a-tour-of-general-dewitts-office ; http://www.presidio. gov/events/a-tour-of-general-dewitts-office-11-11 Event: Presidio Sessions: Anthony Brown’s Asian American Orchestra Date: Friday, November 3 Time: 7 pm 8:30 pm Place: Presidio Officers’ Club, 50 Moraga Avenue, San Francisco Phone: (415) 561-4323 Price: Free Anthony Brown’s Asian American Orchestra blends the sonorities and improvisational approaches of the jazz tradition with Asian musical instruments and sensibilities. GO FOR BROKE! A Salute to Nisei Veterans is the world-premiere

performance of a piece commemorating the 75 anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066 in 1942 that forced over 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry into desolate internment camps until the end of World War II. GO FOR BROKE! Honors the courageous Nisei (second generation Japanese in America) soldiers who fought in World War II while their families were imprisoned. Anthony Brown, drums, percussion, composer, director; Naoko Amemiya, taiko, percussion; Ian Carey, trumpet; Shoko Hikage, koto, voice; Mark Izu, bass, sho (mouth organ); Masaru Koga, saxophones, shakuhachi; Brendan Liu, trumpet; Frank Martin, piano; Jimi Nakagawa, taiko, percussion; Brenda Wong Aoki, voice. Presented in conjunction with the exhibition EXCLUSION: The Presidio’s Role in World War II Japanese American Incarceration. Link: http://www.presidio. gov/events/presidio-sessionsanthony-browns-asian-americanorchestra Event: Presidio Dialogues: Isamu Noguchi: Self Interned, 1942 Date: Thursday, November 9 Time: 6 pm to 7 pm Place: Presidio Officers’ Club, 50 Moraga Avenue, San Francisco Phone: (415) 561-4323

features SF3 The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE – November 3, 2017

Price: Free Isamu Noguchi was one of the first bi-racial, pointedly multi-cultural artists in American history, and is still one of the most influential. He voluntarily interned himself in Poston War Relocation Center with other Japanese Americans although he was not ordered to the camp. Born to an American mother of European descent and a Japanese father, and raised and educated in the United States, Japan, and Europe, and thanks to his seminal friendship with Buckminster Fuller, Noguchi thought of himself as a citizen of Spaceship Earth. In the lead-up to World War II and in its aftermath, his sense of mission as a cultural synthesizer and bridge was strained to the breaking point. Presenter Dakin Hart is Senior Curator at The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum (Long Island City, NY), where he oversees the Museum’s exhibitions, collections, catalogue raisonne , archives, and public programming. Presented in conjunction with the exhibition EXCLUSION: The Presidio’s Role in World War II Japanese American Incarceration. Link: http://www.presidio. gov/events/presidio-dialoguesisamu-noguchi-self-interned1942

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“THE radiant glow of my bride is simply breathtaking.” This was what people have told me about beautiful actress Joyce Jimenez, and countless other brides that have trusted me to be part of their very special day. Even after many years of making brides shine on their wedding day, I still have this important task—to master perfection and pursue my passion to continuously update my knowledge in the latest styles in make up and hairstyle, like the new “ 3D illusion technique 2018.” My stylists and I have done weddings so many times that they have become second nature to us. If you have been doing this as long as we have, I think you reach a certain level of proficiency. It is my passion, and I am still so excited to apply the skills that I gained after all these years of being in the beauty industry. I employ highly proficient hair and

makeup artists as my part of my team. We work together in unison to create a perfect makeup look and style for the whole bridal entourage. Timeless elegance starts with perfection. Personalized service is a key element in my profession and experience, especially for brides who are still deciding on a look they want to wear on the big day. It’s important that the bride communicates how she wants her overall look to be. It’s her day and she should be the center of attention. As experts, we can make recommendations and perhaps improve on her raw ideas but ultimately it is up to the bride.” From our variety of personalized service menu, brides may opt for salon-caliber makeup and hair service from the comforts of their own home or hotels. More than this, brides can also count on me and my crew to dish out useful tips on the essential pre-wedding must-knows, such as choosing the perfect gown, the placement of the tiara, skin care and other details. One suggestion would be light makeup, which is very soft, glowing and flawless. The aim is to look like you are not Continued on Page SF4

The Asian Journal Media Group, now on its 27th year in business, is a leading ethnic multimedia agency serving the global Filipino industry. Asian Journal publishes over 7 million weekly community newspapers annually in the USA from California, Nevada, New York, to New Jersey. In addition to this, the Asian Journal also publishes a quarterly magazine that is distributed in 60 countries and 101 cities throughout the World. Complementing these frequent print publications are a variety of digital channels such as AsianJournal.com, BalikbayanMag.com, and LoveOfCounry.ph. As an extension of that core mission, the Asian Journal, in cooperation with the Philippine Departments of Tourism (DOT), and Trade and Industry (DTI), is organizing multi-city “Travel, Trade, and Consumer Roadshows” to connect the US and Philippine markets together. These events are in line with the “Balikbayan Program” of the Department of Tourism and Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) and the “One Town, One Product” of the DTI. The organizers collectively aim to ignite, drive, and fuel business-to-business, government-to-business, and business-to-consumer networking while showcasing and promoting tourism, investment, studying abroad, philanthropy, and retirement in the Philippines.

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celebrityworld

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - November 3, 2017

celebrity world By Ferdie Villar A few weeks ago, actress Andi eigenmann made a bold announcement that she is leaving showbiz, during a heated argument with a netizen who made a comment on Instagram. Now, in an interview with CNN Philippines two weeks ago, Andi said that she will continue acting in movies. So what does she really mean by “quitting showbiz?” “Hindi naman sa iniiwan ko ‘yung film industry pero ayaw ko na ng showbiz,” she told CNN. “I was born into the film industry and acting and filmmaking is something that I’ll always be passionate about..” The young actress also said that she wants to be known about her work, and not the circulating news about her. “It’s just that I feel that I grew out of that whole showbiz stigma, I don’t want to force myself to be perceived as a person [who] I’m really not,” she said and then continued, “I just want to be known for what I do as an

actor and not be defined by who they think I am based on the news.” Andi also talked about her frustration with the industry, and how she told her manager two years ago that she wasn’t happy anymore. “[Showbiz] resulted to me being depressed, not really being happy. I’d always get into trouble; I’d always be on the news, which is something people thought I liked.” well said, Andi, well said. *** The Philippine Movie Press Club (PMPC) has released the official list of nominees for the 31st Star Awards for Television. In the line for Best Drama Actress are Bea Alonzo for “A Love to Last,” Coney Reyes for “My Dear Heart,” Janine Gutierrez for “Legally Blind,” Kathryn Bernardo for La Luna Sangre,” Kim Chiu for “Ikaw Lang ang Iibigin,” Kris Bernal for “Impostora,” Sanya Lopez for “encantadia,” Sunshine Dizon for “Ika6 na Utos,” Maja Salvador for “wildflower,” and Sylvia

Actress Andi Eigenmann recently clarified that she is just quitting showbiz, and not acting.

Young actor Joshua Garcia is the lead actor of ABSCBN’s newest teleserye, “The Good Son.”

Matinee idol Gabby Concepcion is one of the nominees for Best Drama Actor at the 31st Star Awards for Television for his role in “Ika-6 na Utos.”

Andi Eigenmann: ‘I’m quitting showbiz, not acting’

Janine Gutierrez is one of the Best Drama Actress nominees of the Philippine Movie Press Club’s 31st Star Awards for Television for her portrayal of a blind woman in “Legally Blind.”

“Eat! Bulaga” co-host and comedian Vic Sotto will be receiving the Ading Fernando Lifetime Achievement Award at the 31st Star Awards for Television on November 12.

Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez together with her husband, singer/music composer Ogie Alcasid will be having a number of concerts in different cities here in the U.S. this November.

French-Filipina actress and model Solenn Heussaff is the co-host of GMA 7’s “All Star Videoke” singing competition together with comedian Betong Sumaya.

Sanchez for “The Greatest Love.” The awards night, or Gabi Ng Parangal will be on November 12, at the Henry Lee Irwin Theater, Ateneo de Manila University. The ten nominated for Best Drama Actor are Carlo Aquino for “The Better Half,” Coco Martin for “fPJ’s Ang Probinsyano,” Daniel Padilla “La Luna Sangre,” Dingdong Dantes for “Alyas Robin Hood,” Gabby Concepcion for “Ika-6 na Utos,” Gerald Anderson for “Ikaw Lang ang

Iibigin,” Ian Veneracion for “A Love to Last,” James Reid for “Till I Met You,” Jericho Rosales for “Magpahanggang wakas,” and Ruru Madrid for “encantadia.” Receiving the Ading fernando Lifetime Achievement Award this year is “eat! Bulaga” co-host and comedian Vic Sotto, while Martin Andanar will receive the award for excellence in Broadcasting. Let’s wait and see who will win the Best Actor and Actress awards, as well as in the other categories.

Maine Mendoza releases Isabel Granada shows improvement first autobiographical book by Iza IglesIas ManilaTimes.net

MAINe Mendoza is a paradox in many ways. She does the wackiest things on national television, yet remains shy in real life. She is all over billboards and the media, yet seems unspoiled by her fame. Mendoza shot to fame in April 2015 when she uploaded a video of herself lip-syncing as Kris Aquino via a mobile app Dubsmash on facebook. within 24 hours, the video reached one million views and almost 60,000 likes on facebook, which prompted her to continue making Dubsmash videos with the plain intention of making people happy. It wasn’t long before the team behind noontime show “eat Bulaga” became aware of the social media star and invited her to audition. In July 2015, she made her debut on the show’s “Juan for All, All for Juan” segment as Yaya Dub, and the rest is history. with her phenomenal rise to fame, she gives her millions of fans a chance to get to know the real her—the Maine Mendoza who comes out when the cameras aren’t rolling. Mendoza has launched her very own book titled “Yup, I Am That Girl” which reveals the real story of the bubbly newcomer in show business. from her family life and growing-up years to her showbiz journey and life’s hopes and dreams, she dished heartfelt truths in the book, written in conversational prose with jokes generously thrown in—as people would expect from one of the most loved celebrities today. The book, according to the short description, is an unfiltered version of her personal blog “Pessimistic Optimist Bella.” In just four hours after one bookstore announced its availability, the autobiography was sold out. “This is a dream come true for me, sharing to people the inner writer in me. I dedicate this to all my supporters because they are my inspiration in doing this book,” Mendoza told members of the press during her book signing at TriNoma Activity Center on October 26.

ISABeL Granada is still in a coma but now responds to conversations through hand movements, her mother and her former husband confirmed. The singer-actress has been in a hospital in Qatar after suddenly collapsing during a meet-andgreet event on Tuesday, Oct. 24. In a facebook post on Saturday, Oct. 28, Jericho Genaskey Aguas, Granada’s former husband, wrote, “Isabel’s heartbeat went down from 156 to 98, when Mama and Hubert arrived and spent time in her room. That’s a good sign. The normal heartbeat is 60 to 100. God performs miracles. Continue praying. ‘Malapit na hong magkamalay si Isabel. Gigising ang anak ko, alam ko yan, nanay ako, sabi ni Mama Gwapa [Guapa Castro-Granada] paglabas ng room.” Before leaving the country for Qatar, Granada’s Spanish mother, dearly called Mama Gwapa in showbiz, told “24 Oras” reporter and The Manila Times’ Showbuzz entertainment columnist Lhar Santiago that she needed to be strong for her daughter. She also Through her book, she gives her millions of fans a chance to get to know the real her—the Maine Mendoza who bewailed speculations and fake comes out when the cameras aren’t rolling. ManilaTimes.net photo news that her daughter was Ano ba naman yun sa akin, pirma already gone. “I felt that aside from my lang ‘yun,” she added. blogs online, I really wanted “Ituloy n’yo ang pagdarasal Some 500 lucky fans were to produce a published work able to have their book signed. because not everyone is updated when asked if she has and has internet access. At least given her onscreen partner Alden through this book, they can have Richards a copy she shared, “I a hard copy which they can bring From Page SF3 will give Alden a personal copy. anywhere,” the now-proclaimed I wanted it to be wrapped propauthor added. made-up. The natural, timeless erly, of course with my dedication. look never runs out of style, nor During the signing, the Kapuso star turned emotional as she I have allotted copies to those do the dramatic smoky eyes people who are very special to saw thousands of fans cheering — so that when a bride looks me.” in support. The activity center up As the launching of the book back at her wedding pictures, to every level of the mall turned she will be reminded that she was a resounding success, Meninto a sea of yellow shirts just like wore a style that never ages. I doza is hoping that she will have the cover of her book. Mendoza have been grooming beautiful another book to write. learned that some of her fans brides from all over Southern “I hope there will be a book went to the venue as early as the two. I have a lot of things yet to night before the event. & Northern California, Nevada, unveil. Maybe about love life, or “It was crazy. I saw on Twitter the east Coast and even as far maybe literary works like poems,” as europe. Budget is never an that some of them came here at the 22-year-old ended. 10 pm last night. I hope everyone issue, as I give personalized and Yup, I Am That Girl is available got to sleep well. I am very flatreasonable prices depending in newsstands, bookstores, contered,” she said. venience stores and supermarkets on the bride’s need and loca“Since they were here since the day before, I will sign as many nationwide which comes with free tion. we understand that price is always a big consideration exclusive mini-photos of Menbooks as I can. They have sacriwhen it comes to choosing your ficed their time, effort and money. doza for fans to collect.

Isabel Granada and Arnel Cowley

para sa anak ko. [Na] mabuhay siya, magising siya,” CastroGranada, who flew to Qatar with the actress’ son Hubert Aguas, pleaded. Meanwhile, in a separate interview with the ABS-CBN late-night news, “Bandila,” the actress-singer’s husband, Arnel Cowley, updated that Granada is still in critical but stable condition. “She remains unconscious

ManilaTimes.net photo

and doctors are looking to perform an operation on her once her condition normalizes,” Cowley shared. Isabel’s father, Humberto Granada, was a chief marine engineer who died in 1995. She holds an Aeronautical engineering degree from PATTS (Philippine Air Transport and Training Services) College and has earned her private pilot license. (Arlo Custodio/ManilaTimes.net)

The glow and shine... hairstylist and makeup artist. There are other salons out there who charge lower than Monet Salons, but the important question to ask is: “will I be happy with the outcome?” Brides should choose talent and expertise over budget. My team of makeup artists and hairdressers boast of extensive training and experience both in the Philippines and in the United States. we have three locations in Panorama City and winnetka, California. All are full service salons that specialize in hair and makeup for weddings, debutante balls, and other special occasions.

for the full service menu and a complimentary consultation, visit www.monetsalon.com or call (213)216-4923 and ask for me. I would love to be of service to you. *** Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, awardwinning celebrity beauty stylist with his own chain of Monet Salon salons across Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Ultimately, Monet is known as an all-around artiste who produces sold-out fashion and awards shows as well as unforgettable marketing campaigns. Monet is also the founder of the revolutionary all-natural beauty products such as Enlighten, your solution to discoloration . To contact Monet, please visit www.monetsalon.com or email him at monetsalon@aol.com

entertainment

An endless ‘harvesting’ season for Allen Dizon by eDgAR

o. CRuz

Philstar.com

At the rate Allen Dizon is “harvesting” awards not only locally but also internationally, he badly needs another showcase (eskaparate) to accommodate them all. Just recently, he bagged a Special Jury Prize for “Bomba” at the 33rd Warsaw International Film Festival (WIFF) together with Angeli Nicole Sanoy. Considered the Best Actor and the Best Actress, they beat nominees that included Mexican actor Gael Gabriel Bernal (star of Pedro Almodovar’s “Y tu Mama tambien” and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s “Amores Perros”). In “Bomba (the Bomb)”, Allen plays Pipo, a deaf-mute in his 40s having an affair with a 16-year-old girl (Angeli), compared to a “ticking bomb” being pushed over the edge by an unjust society. As is always the case, Angeli (17, a sophomore at StI who started as a child actress at GMA) proved to be the best (actually, the third) choice after the managers of two other actresses (therese Malvar and Barbara Miguel) turned down the role deemed to be “not good for the (girls’) image.” “I don’t really mind being the third, or even fourth or fifth choice, as long as I am the one who gets the role,” said Angeli who, at 11, was discovered by Allen’s manager Dennis Evangelista and cast as Allen’s sister

in Patikul, a Cinemalaya entry directed by Joel Lamangan. “Si Vilma Santos ang peg ko kay Angeli,” said Dennis. “She won for Best Breakthrough Performance from the Golden Screen Awards.” It was Dennis who charted Allen’s career from a bold star to a serious actor, putting Allen in a class by himself. Allen didn’t disappoint. He has proven his mettle by, that’s it, winning awards (picking apples, as they would say) along the way. Actually, Allen has lost count of his wins and Dennis said the Warsaw trophy is Allen’s 28th. Aside from a Gawad Urian, Allen has won several Best Actor awards: 10 for Paul Laxamana’s “Magkakabaung”; four for Mel Chionglo’s “Iadya Mo Kami”; three for Joel Lamangan’s “Dukot”; two for Lawrence Fajardo’s “Imbisibol”; one for Mel Chionglo’s ”Lauriana”; and one for Vic Acedillo’s “Lando at Bugoy”. And for Best Supporting Actor, one for Joven tan’s “Paupahan”; one for Sigwa; one for “Migrante”; and one Best Ensemble Award for Alvin Yapan’s “EDSA 1.” “Bomba” director Ralston Gonzales Jover (who shared the spotlight with Allen at the Warsaw event) is all praises for Allen. “Allen has mastered the art of ‘indie acting’,” said Ralston. “he does it with absolute subtlety and profound intensity…effortless, subdued and

by JAn

Milo seveRo Philstar.com

Allen Dizon as a deaf mute and Angeli Nicole Sanoy as the 16-year-old girl with whom he’s having an affair in Ralston Gonzales Jover’s Bomba (The Bomb) which won for the stars Best Actor and Best Actress at the just-concluded Warsaw International Film Festival (WIFF).

heartfelt.” “Playing a deaf-mute was my hardest job so far,” admitted Allen who dedicated his awards and success to his family (wife Crystle and their children Nella, 15, a good friend of Angeli; Ixia, 12; Lucas, 9; and Allene, 4). “I had to do it with only my eyes and hand gestures.” Allen has just finished doing Brillante Mendoza’s tV series “AMO” and movie “Right to Kill”. He will resume shooting Ralston’s “Persons Of Interest”. Said Allen, ”I may not be a big star but I am proud of my work. In international film festivals, I am on equal footing with world-class actors. It’s a humbling experience for me.”

Alisah Bonaobra performing “This is My Now” by Jordin Sparks.

back!” he added. Nicole Scherzinger agreed with Louis and referred to Alisah as her little Disney warrior princess. “You just hiya-d and karate chopped all through that song! But you did it with grace. You did it with poise. You did it with strength. I freakin’ adore you!” she expressed. “I look at you and I’m like that’s my little ninja Filipina sister up there! You were meant to be up there, like [what Louis] said, this is your now, because that’s your stage, and you just took it tonight, honey!” she added. “Everybody says in this contest that they really want this, and they really need to be here. I know your story. I know what you’ve gone through. And you know what? With a voice

The X Factor UK released

like yours, you’re gonna be here ‘til the end, Miss! I am so happy for you, so, so happy!” said judge and girls category mentor Sharon Osbourne. On the taped interview, Alisah called herself the “comeback queen.” She looked back at her journey where she was let go but asked to come back and fight for her spot at the Six Chair Challenge. Now she is back again as the wildcard winner. When host Dermot O’Leary asked the judges who they thought won the night, the lady judges Scherzinger and Osbourne both favored Alisah. Alisah survived week one of the live shows and will continue with her journey on the competition. (Philstar.com)

Angelica Panganiban bashed for allegedly cutting immigration line ACtRESS Angelica Panganiban and her companions have been criticized on social media for reportedly cutting the line in immigration. Angelica, together with hairstylists Jing Monis and Juan Sarte III, were reportedly on their way to taiwan last weekend. According to a post by a netizen identified as JC Valenzuela, he was allegedly at the immigration line in the airport when the actress, Monis and Sarte barged in to cut the line. Dismayed, JC reportedly posted a photo of the actress and her companions with the caption: “You know why the Philippines is poor? It’s because local hairstylists like Jing Monis, Juan Sarte and ‘celebrity’ Angelica Panganiban cuts (sic) the line in immigration. Good human behavior is free. Assholes.” Sarte then commented on the post, explaining that he was in front of Valenzuela when six people left the queue, so he suggested to Angelica and Jing to join him in the line. “Angelica, Jing and I were traveling as a group, among others. We got there at the same time but took different immigration queues. Jing and Angelica’s line was very slow-moving compared to mine. As I was waiting

for my turn, about six passengers with no departure cards left their slots in the queue beside mine. Naturally, passengers from other queues rushed to take over the slots. Angelica and Jing did the same but missed. As a courtesy to Angelica, who is female, a friend and a colleague, I offered to let them go ahead of me,” Sarte narrated. Netizens have mixed reactions over the incident. In Sarte’s Instagram account, a certain @kayvperez commented: “I used to admire you and I know you belong to a family of lawyers but your excuse on the immigration issue is so lame and stupid, you should not have just defended Angelica because you said “pina una ko Dahil babae” and “akala ko normal Lang Kasi nakikita ko ginagawa ng Iba” is ridiculous!” “You know very well that you cannot do this action in other country. You are a frequent flyer and you must have travelled in so many countries, you know that a line is a line, even if the people behind you agreed to let you cut the line. In short, bastos mga kasama mo as they should not have agreed to cutting the line. Well mannered and educated people won’t do this. try doing this in the U.S, you guys will

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Kim Chiu recalls having a ‘ghost bride’ in her family

Eliminated Filipina singer returns to ‘The X Factor UK’ tWENtY-two-year-old Alisah Bonaobra won UK’s heart and made it back to the live shows on “the X Factor UK.” Viewers were asked who they want to come back from the eliminated acts from the Judges’ House round and vote for their bets. the voted contestant is allowed to return and compete in the live shows. On its episode on Sunday, Oct. 29, it was a battle between the boys and the girls categories with the theme “Express Yourself.” “the X Factor UK” hopefuls performed a song of their choice related to the theme. While introducing her wildcard winner, Sharon Osbourne was very thankful to the public for bringing Alisah back. Alisah performed “this is My Now” by Jordin Sparks, which greatly impressed the judges and the audience. After her performance, the judges were on their feet and had nothing but compliments for her. “that song is absolutely perfect for you because this is your now and you deserve to be back on the show. You always should have been on the show!” said Louis Walsh. “It’s almost like a winner’s song, and I love a power ballad with a key change from a great singer and you are a great singer! You’re a great performer. You got great soul and I love the way you fight

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - November 3, 2017

Angeica Panganiban

Philstar.com photo

get it from the people on queu (sic). Again, you should not have given a statement as this issue received very negative comments from netizens. Wag masyadong gawing tanga mga tao,” @kayvperez added. In defense of Sarte and company, a netizen named @shutterflyelms said: “Just ignore the bashers! they were not there when it happened. they should just zip their mouth!! @juansarte! Pilipinas talaga sawsaw pa more!!! If you were not there during the incident , you have no right to bash them!!! Wag masyadong OA bashers!” Angelica has not yet released a statement on the issue. As seen on Sarte’s posts, Angelica is in taiwan to film the comedy “Ang Dalawang Mrs. Reyes,” in which she stars with Judy Ann Santos. (Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo/Philstar.com)

SINGER-ACtRESS Kim Chiu has a new movie titled “the Ghost Bride,” to be shown on November 1 in cinemas nationwide. this is her first solo movie without a partner or leading man. “this is my first solo movie for my entire showbiz career kaya sobrang kinakabahan talaga ako,” the actress revealed in a recent interview with Philstar.com. “’Pag tapos n’yong dalawin ang inyong mga mahal sa buhay, dalawin nyo naman ako sa sinehan!” she enthused. the movie’s writer and director, Chito Roño, said the movie is perfect for Kim. “Para akong nasa Cloud 9 ‘pag sinasabi nyang ‘Ikaw talaga first choice ko dito, ikaw talaga, ikaw talaga,’ so parang ako, hindi kita ifa-fail, I’ll try my best para hindi ka I-fail’,” Kim said. “the Ghost Bride” is a Chinese tradition about getting married to a departed one. Since Kim has Chinese blood, she said she can relate to this movie.

Actress and recording star Kim Chiu.

“’Yung cousin ng lola ko, isa s’yang ghost bride, kinasal sa patay, so alam ko talaga ‘yung tradition na ‘yun,” Kim shared. According to Chinese custom, an unmarried woman agrees to become a ghost bride for several reasons. Among them is to choose to remain unmarried, to have a

Philstar.com photo by Jonathan Asuncion

continued family lineage, or to provide progeny to a man who died without descendants. Kim affirmed that being a “ghost bride” can make a girl instantly get rich, especially if the woman was paid by a deceased man’s family to continue the dead man’s line. “Kapalit nun, mayaman ka, marami kang pera!”

Scarlet Snow Belo shops in Audrey Hepburn costume by Deni

Rose M. AfiniDAD-BeRnARDo Philstar.com

SCARLEt Snow Belo, daughter of celebrity doctors Vicki Belo and Hayden Kho, delighted netizens anew with her latest Instagram photos showing her shopping and on her way to a dinner dressed like Audrey Hepburn in “Breakfast at tiffany’s.” In two Instagram posts, Scarlet Snow showcased her cuteness and fashion savvy as she posed in character as fashion icon Holly Golightly, the role Hepburn played in the film. the first post was captioned: “Hi, people! Would you like to join me for dinner here at the @smaurapremier SkyPark? I’ll just finish

shopping for Christmas gifts. My parents gave me a P20 budget. (Does anyone know how much a smile is?).” At the second post, Scarlet expressed her frustration for being unable to buy anything with the P20 shopping money she was given. “It’s been an hour and look my bag is still empty. I can’t buy anything for 20 pesos! I guess I’ll just sit here and enjoy the free aircon,” the post’s caption said. Scarlet Snow is reportedly one of the most popular celebrity kids in the Philippines with over 1.6 million Instagram followers.

Scarlet Snow Belo dressed as Holly Golightly. Instagram/Scarlet Snow Belo

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T he Asian Jo ur na l SF M A G A Z I NE - N ov embe r 3 , 2 0 1 7

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