DECEMBER 8-11, 2018 Volume 28 - No. 96 • 4 Sections – 30 Pages
Revilla acquitted as Napoles and former DATELINE USA Late George H.W. Bush aide convicted for PDAF plunder charges FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
remembered for sponsoring a Filipino child nearly 20 years ago Funeral held for 41st US President at Washington National Cathedral
by NATHALIE
ROBLES
AJPress
SANDIGANBAYAN First Division on Friday, December 7 acquitted former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. of plunder while his former chief of staff Richard Cambe and businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles were convicted of the same charge. The anti-graft court ruled through
a majority vote that the former senator is not guilty of a total of P224.5 million worth of kickbacks through the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). However, he still has a pending 16 counts of graft, for which he posted bail. “For failure of the prosecution to establish beyond reasonable doubt that accused Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla,
Jr. received, directly, or indirectly the rebates, commission, and kickbacks from his PDAF, the Court cannot hold him liable for the crime of plunder. Accordingly, he is acquitted,” the decision stated. Cambe and Napoles — who has been tagged as the alleged pork barrel scam mastermind — were sentenced with reclusion perpetua or imprisonment of 20 to 40 years. They
are also disqualified to run for public office perpetually. “Accused are held solidarily and jointly liable to return to the National Treasury the amount of one hundred twenty-four million, five hundred thousand pesos (P 124,500,000.00),” the decision added. Through legal counsel Ramon Esguerra, Revilla’s camp said it plans
AFP to create new infantry to counter Abu Sayyaf
u PAGE A2
THE late former President George H.W.Bush who passed away on Friday, November 30 is said to have began sponsoring a young Filipino boy under a pseudonym some 20 years ago. Through Compassion International, a Colorado Springs-based nonprofit, the 41st President by NATHALIE ROBLES of the United States sponsored the boy named AJPress Timothy and used the pseudonym “George Walker,” according to the nonprofit. THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on u PAGE A3 Wednesday, December 5, announced the creation of a new infantry division specialized to locate the whereabouts of Abu Sayyaf and other terrorist groups in Sulu. Military spokesperson Brigadier General Edgard Arevalo announced the plan to ultimately defeat the threats to safety in Mindanao. However, he noted during the press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo that it will be fully operational after four years, specifically around the year 2022. “The 11th Infantry Division (ID) is envisioned to be effectively and efficiently engage and decisively defeat the lingering security [threats] in Sulu in the soonest time possible,” Arevalo said as reported by Rappler. The said 11th ID is expected to handle three brigades that comprise of at least 1,500 soldiers each. Thus, deploying about 4,500 in one division. At present, there are a total of two brigades, two battalions and two special force battalions issued by the AFP to guard Sulu. Former Philippine Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla is all smiles as he leaves the Sandiganbayan on Friday, Dec. 7 after being acquitted of plunder u PAGE A3 charges. Philstar.com photo by Michael Varcas
How to succeed in politics: 4 takeaways from the 2018 NaFFAA Civic Leadership Forum
(From L-R) NaFFAA LA Region Chairman Noel Omega, NaFFAA Executive Director Jason Tengco, Frank Yokoyama, Director of Scheduling for the Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti Jessica Caloza, elected officials Victor Manalo, Rachelle Arizmendi, Elito Santarina, Tzeitel Paras-Caracci, Melissa Ramoso and Mark Pulido and NaFFAA National Chairman Brendan Flores. AJPress photo by Noel Ty
IN the 1972 political dramedy “The Candidate,” blue-collar worker Bill McKay (charmingly played by Robert Redford) is recruited by a political election specialist to be the Democratic candidate against a popular Republican in a race for the U.S. Senate. From the get-go, the Democratic campaign knows that McKay — who possesses no electoral experience — is in an unwinnable race against the experienced Republican; and, because of this foresight, McKay is given the liberty to say exactly what he wants with no rhetoric barriers. As the idealistic, JFK-esque candidate in the race, McKay’s irreverence to political rhetoric u PAGE A5
Fil-Am individuals and organizations among awardees honored by Duterte OVERSEAS Filipinos and organizations were recognized by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in a ceremony on Wednesday, December 5 at Malacañang Palace. Called the Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas (PAFIOO), 25 outstanding Filipino individuals and organizations from abroad were honored. Six families were also given the Model OFW Family of the Year Award (MOFYA). The recipients of the 2018 PAFIOO have been selected from a Twenty-five Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas Awardees were recognized by Philippine total of 96 nominations received President Rodrigo Duterte in a ceremony on Wednesday, December 5 at Malacañang Palace. Photo courtesy of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas by the Commission on Filipi-
nos Overseas from 28 countries through 37 Philippine embassies and consulates. In conferring the Awards, the president was assisted by DOLE Secretary Silvestro Bello III, DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista, CFO Secretary and Chairperson Justice Francisco “Nick” Acosta, and OWWA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac. “OFWs are the lifeblood of the nation. As appreciation for all your hardships, you have my assurance that the protection and promotion of your welfare and well-being will remain as one this administration’s top priorities,” Duterte said in his speech during the awarding ceremony. “This nation will always recognize your u PAGE A2
“I think that’s only a hyperbole on the part of the president. We should be getting used to it. He makes certain statements for dramatic effect but he actually means stop criticizing and do some good for the country. Help us,” Panelo said as reported in the press briefing report of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO). Panelo also shared his wife’s insight that when the president said “these bishops, kill them” the leader actually meant “kill them with kindness.”
“The president, just like any ordinary human being, is upset when the good things that he does for this country is not even appreciated by people who are supposed to support him like the Church,” he added. The tough-talking leader has expressed his strong sentiments even before he was elected to the country’s highest position. The spokesperson who also acts as Duterte’s legal counsel said that there is no way u PAGE A2
by AJPRESS
Palace says Duterte’s “kill bishops” Part of Los Angeles’ Temple Street proposed to be renamed after Larry Itliong remark meant “kill them with kindness” by RAE
ANN VARONA
AJPress
LOS Angeles Filipino-American organizations and community leaders are seeking to rename a portion of a main Historic Filipinotown street to honor the Filipino labor leader Larry Itliong who led the famous Delano Grape Strike in 1965. A proposal to rename part of Temple Street that traverses Historic Filipinotown to Larry Itliong Avenue has already been submitted to the Office of Los Angeles
Mayor Eric Garcetti. It was also sent to Councilmembers Mitch O’Farrell of the 13th District covering Historic Filipinotown, Gil Cedillo of the First District covering Echo Park, and Jose Huizar of the 14th District covering downtown Los Angeles where the east end of the proposed Larry Itliong Avenue would start. Leading the proposal are the Filipino American Community of Los Angeles (FACLA) and the Media and Business Club of Los Angeles County (MBC).
The neighborhood of Historic Filipinotown was designated in 2002 when Garcetti was still the councilmember of the area. Larry Itliong Avenue would start on Figueroa St. in downtown Los Angeles and would go up westward to Silver Lake Boulevard and Virgil Avenue, according to the proposal. Known as “one of the fathers of the West Coast labor movement,” the Pangasinan-born Itliong headed the Great Delano Grape Strike in 1965 along with Filipiu PAGE A6
by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
MALACAÑANG on Thursday, December 6, defended President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent “kill the bishops” statement as only a hyperbole intended for a dramatic effect. Despite the president’s previous attacks on the Catholic Church and religious leaders, Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo told reporters that the public should get accustomed to Duterte’s manner of speaking.
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From the Front Page Fil-Am individuals and organizations... Revilla acquitted as Napoles and former...
PAGE A1 t invaluable contribution to nationbuilding, and this administration will continue to craft policies and implement programs that will respond to your needs and protect your rights,” he added. He also urged the OFWs to remain committed to their families “as we work towards a more equitable progressive future for our country.”
The Commission on Filipinos Overseas is led by Acosta who said in his welcome message, “The Filipino nation honors you not only for your wide-ranging achievements but more for your advocacy in behalf of the marginalized, distressed, and underprivileged.” He also encouraged the awardees to “become our emissaries abroad.”
PAFIOO is a biennial search for individuals and organizations based abroad who have dedicated their work in the service of Filipinos. This year’s presidential awardees come from 12 countries and territories and had gone through a four-stage selection process involving multi-sectoral representation. The Awards have four categories: Banaag, Pamana ng Pilipino, Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino (LINKAPIL), and Kaanib ng Bayan. The Banaag Award is conferred on Filipino individuals or organizations for their contributions that have significantly benefited or advanced the cause of overseas Filipino communities. The Banaag awardees are Corazon A. Francisco (Australia), Agnes Katbeth O. Kreimer (Peru), Dindo B. Malanyaon (Italy), Juliet Montano (Taiwan), Pilipino Workers Center of Southern California (United States), Maria Cristina F. Sulaik (Sudan), and Wimler Foundation Hong Kong, Ltd. (Hong Kong). The Pamana ng Pilipino Award is conferred on Filipino overseas, who, in exemplifying the talent and industry of the Filipino, have brought the country honor and recognition through excellence and distinction in the pursuit of their work or profession. The Pamana ng Pilipino awardees are Paul C. Balan (United States), Edward M. Brotonel (United States), Nicolas M. Caraquel (United States), Elizabeth L. Engle (United States), Maria Theresa A. Eviota (Switzerland), Pedro A. Jose (United States), Teresita A. Marques (Portugal), C. Joe Sayas, Jr. (United States), Jose Dennis C. Teodosio (Myanmar), Saturnino H. Tiamson, Jr. (Hong Kong), Jhett D. Tolentino (United States). The LINKAPIL Award is conferred on Filipino individuals or organizations for exceptional or significant contributions to the reconstruction, progress and development of the Philippines. The LINKAPIL awardees are Association of Fil-Am Teachers of America, Inc. (United States), Salvacion G. Cimanez (Netherlands), Filipino-American Law Enforcement Officers Association (United States), Friends Indeed U.S.A., Inc. (United States), and Hilda L. Gigioli (United States). u PAGE A3
PAGE A1 t to issue an appeal since it is illogical for the former senator to return the amount when he was found to have no criminal liability. According to reports, five votes were cast to decide on the verdict: Associate Justices Geraldine Faith Econg, Edgardo Caldona, and Georgina Hidalgo voted for Revilla’s acquittal, while Justices Efren de la Cruz and Ma. Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta dissented.
“It is an unpopular decision. I would have loved to be a heroine, that I convicted him, but at the end of the day we are bound by evidence,” Econg said. Four years have passed since the Office of the Ombudsman filed the case against Revilla and co-accused former Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Jinggoy Estrada. All three were initially imprisoned at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame. However, Enrile
and Estrada were allowed by the Sandiganbayan to post bail. The 94-year-old Enrile cited old age in the said anti-graft court, while Estrada was set free because he did not appear to be the main plunderer. Revilla has filed his candidacy for senator in 2019. Cambe, who had been detained at the PNP Custodial Center, will be jailed at the New Bilibid Prison. Napoles will stay at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong. n
Palace says Duterte’s “kill bishops”... PAGE A1 t to convince the president to change his character. “It’s not a matter of convincing, perhaps it is a psyche; it is in his mind. There are certain things that he doesn’t approve of. And he expresses his thoughts to us. Perhaps in a manner that some of us don’t want but that is his style. As correctly pointed out by Senator Lacson, when we voted him into office, his style was factored in. So we have to leave it up,” Panelo explained. The spokesperson also provided context as to why the president remains hostile towards the leaders of the religious institution. He recounted Duterte’s experience of being allegedly abused by a priest at a young age. “He has been a victim of harassment, sexual harassment, when he was a young boy, remember. He keeps on telling us that. And again, that is a basis, when priest gives us the teachings of God and yet to the opposite, so that make him hypocritical. But of course, he refers to certain members of the church,” the spokesperson said. Catholic bishops respond The recent attack from the president garnered different responses from Catholic bishops around the country. Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes believed that Duterte might be suffering from a mental health condition. “This is worrisome coming from a psychotic mind. He is sick and a megalomaniac. “His
advisers must already give him advice never to utter such kinds of statement. He is really a murderous madman. No Filipino should take his statements lightly from this time on,” Bastes said as reported by The Philippine Daily Inquirer. Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David responded compassionately as he shared a bible verse from the book of Luke in his Facebook post along the lines of “love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” David has accused by the president of being involved in drugs and corruption, even threatening to cut the bishop’s head off. “We have already faced quite a lot of persecutions in the past 2,000 years of Church history. We always respond the way Jesus would,” David said. Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said that Duterte’s remarks do not represent a character of an exemplary chief executive. He added that the leader is much more capable of destabilizing the accepted norm. “Any leader who asks the others to be killed, not even bishops, is no leader at all. He is instigating people to go against the law. Is this not a work of a destabilizer against the social order?” Pabillo said. Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos found Duterte’s in-
sights to be divisive as he only expressed violence to deliver his thoughts. Santos called the president’s actions as disgraceful and disappointing. “This is a very heartless statement, very harmful to all. Not only attacking the Church but dividing our country and showing that there is only hatred in his heart. His statement disgraced himself and disappointed all God-fearing citizens of our country,” Santos said. Earlier this year, the Catholic leaders released a statement to hopefully convince the president to stop issuing those lifethreatening statements. “They are killing our flock. They are killing us, the shepherds. They are killing our faith. They are cursing our church,” the leaders stated as reported by The Telegraph. Commission on Human Rights spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia said that the government should take the criticisms from the Catholic church constructively. She further noted that issuing hateful words only worsens the situation. “Churches and priests work directly with communities and families who continue to suffer the many forms of human rights violations allegedly stemming from the government’s drug campaign,” De Guia said. “Instead of calling them useless, the government must take their concerns as valid challenges from the ground and as means to improve, rather than degrade protection of human rights of all,” she added. n
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DATELINE USA
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AFP to create new infantry to counter...
PAGE A1 t In total, there are currently 10 divisions in the military, which normally comprises of about 6,000 troops. “The unit shall be oriented, armed and equipped to address the peculiarity of the enemy, weather and terrain; as well as enemy techniques, tactics and procedure; and other variables that are unique to the island province of Sulu,” Arevalo added as reported by The Philippine Daily Inquirer. He also attributed the decision to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte as the leader noted that there are still records of fatalities in the region regardless of the triumphs that the military achieved. “The president expressed concern that, despite the AFP garnering major victories in Sulu, government security forces continue The public paid its respects on Monday, Dec. 3 at the casket for former President George H. W. Bush lying in state at the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in to incur casualties,” the military Washington, D.C. (Official White House photo by Joyce N. Boghosian) spokesperson explained. The Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) made Sulu a problem area for the AFP as the organization continues one wanted information about held at Washington National to make the province their strongPAGE A1 t sponsoring a child, George Sr. Cathedral hold location. The said group is THE late former President was among those that quickly A service was held on accused of initiating the Basilan rose his hand. George H.W.Bush who passed Wednesday, December 5 at the van bombing that killed 10 people Two weeks later, Timothy got Washington National Cathedral back in July. away on Friday, November 30 is said to have began sponsor- his first letter from the former for Bush, who passed away on ing a young Filipino boy under a president — the first of many Friday, November 30 at the age pseudonym some 20 years ago. handwritten notes and hand of 94, after battling Vascular Through Compassion Interna- drawn pictures. Parkinsonism for years. Stafford recalled Bush sendtional, a Colorado Springs-based Among those present were PAGE A2 t nonprofit, the 41st President of ing Timothy a package full of his son George W. Bush, curThe Kaanib ng Bayan Award is the United States sponsored the colored pencils after learning rent President Donald Trump conferred to foreign individuals boy named Timothy and used that the young boy liked art. and first lady Melania Trump, “He really threw himself former President Barack Obama or organizations for their excepthe pseudonym “George Walkinto it,” Stafford told The and first lady Michelle Obama, tional or significant contribution er,” according to the nonprofit. To the Colorado Springs Ga- Gazette. “He would write to lit- former President Jimmy Carter to Philippine reconstruction, zette, Wess Stafford, president tle Timothy and Timothy would and first lady Rosalynn Carter, progress and development, or emeritus at Compassion, said write to him, and anything that and former President Bill Clinton have significantly benefited a the pseudonym was also for the Timothy said that was interest- and 2016 Presidential candidate sector or community in the Philippines, or advanced the cause of young boy’s safety as he could ing, President Bush would write Hillary Clinton among others. overseas Filipino communities. have been in danger had others right back with a comment on In a 12-minute tribute, George known he was communicating it. You know, ‘Thank you for the W. Bush — the 43rd president of The Kaanib ng Bayan awardees picture of that beautiful rainbow. the United States — described are Foreign Domestic Worker with a former president. Yet that didn’t stop Bush from You know, we had a rainbow like his father as being the “bright- Association for Social Support occasionally slipping in some that right outside my house just est of 1,000 points of light.” clues to his true identity, added last week.’ He was everything “He looked for the good in that we wish all of our sponsors each person, and he usually Stafford. “The first time he started would be. He was engaged in found it,” said the younger Bush breaking our little security rules this little child’s life.” during the service’s main euThough Timothy got a new logy. was when he sent a picture of by BARBARA FEDER OSTROV his dog, Millie, and he added, sponsor years later due to California Healthline He went on to talk of how his ‘This Is Millie. She’s met lots Bush’s busier schedule, Staf- father showed him what it meant of famous people,” The Gazette ford described Timothy as being to a president “who serves with MORE than half of California’s quoted Stafford saying while dumbfounded and speechless integrity, leads with courage and nursing homes are asking to be laughing. “And I thought, ‘OK, when his new sponsor Angie acts with love in his heart for the exempted from new state regulathat’s cute, but boy, that’s start- Lathrop told him about Bush. tions that would require them to citizens of our country.” “It’s amazing enough that ing to slip some littler secrets in He continued, “Through our spend more time directly caring anyone would care about them tears, let us see the blessings for their patients. there.’ The sponsorship started but it was beyond his wildest of knowing and loving you — a The state’s new staffing rearound 2000 in Washington, imagination and even his ability great and noble man, and the quirements for nursing homes, D.C., after Bush attended a to comprehend that the presi- best father a son or daughter quietly passed in last year’s Christmas concert, according dent of the United States knew could have.” budget bill, seem universally to the report. When performers his name,” said Stafford. Referring to his late mother unpopular. Patient advocates Funeral for late president asked during intermission if anyu PAGE A4 say the new regulations don’t
Late George H.W. Bush remembered for...
The military perceived there are about 300 armed men in Sulu but noted that there could be more. He also added that other bandits and criminal groups remain on the island despite intensified military operations under the extended martial law in Mindanao. The area was first placed under martial law in May 2017 after a siege broke out in Marawi City. It was eventually extended twice and will only last until the end of this year. About 1,000 people have been killed from the fivemonth tragedy, while hundreds of thousands were displaced. “We cannot discount the possibilities of supporters and sympathizers that continue to lurk in the island province,” Arevalo added. Duterte said that as a president, he has the responsibility to do what was “necessary to preserve this nation and to protect the people.” He believed that such is his duty as the country’s leader and it is his “oath of office.” “So you are wondering what is it? That’s the riddle. Sometimes it’s good to have a riddle,” he said as reported by The Manila Times. He said deployment of additional troops was because of the
encounters there with communist rebels. The president added that the placing of military forces is needed in order to curb the chaos and reestablish peace in the said areas. “You place troops where you think that you need added forces. Well I seem to be, I mean I’m — I’m surprised why you are so interested about deployment when I’m supposed to take care of the security of the country,” Duterte said. “There is a need to reinforce the directive of the president to prevent further loss of innocent lives and destruction of property and bring the country back to a state of complete normalcy as quick as possible,” the president added. In the same speech, Duterte also issued an order to deploy a division of troops in Jolo, Sulu after five soldiers were killed and 25 others were wounded in a clash with the Abu Sayyaf group. “There, I will really place one division there. Not only a company, not only a battalion, not a regiment but I’m going to place an entire division for the islands there towards Sabah,” Duterte said. ■
and Training (Singapore), and Stichting LOOP (Netherlands). After the conferment of PAFIOO, the president also awarded the OFWs with Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) 2018 MOFYA. MOFYA is given to promote success stories of OFWs amid the challenges of overseas employment and to highlight the role of OFW families as units in achieving socio-civic, education and professional success.
The 2018 MOFYA awardees are engineer Mohammad Ali Sulay Urao and family (outstanding achievement in community projects); engineer Arnulfo Navarro Geganto and family (in entrepreneurship); Josefina dela Chica Villamor and family (Model OFW Family of the Year: land-based); and Domingo Cuanang Jr. and family, Reynaldo Granada Gaitan and family, and Gemelito Geloca and family (sea-based OFW family). ■
Fil-Am individuals and organizations...
More than half of California nursing homes balk at stricter staffing rules go far enough and that residents remain at risk in poorly staffed homes. Nursing home operators say they can’t hire enough staff to comply. Under the new rules, which took effect in July but haven’t yet been enforced, skilled nursing facilities must provide at least 3.5 hours of direct care per resident per day, up from 3.2 hours of care previously. That care can range from inserting a feeding tube to changing an adult diaper or helping residents
with eating and bathing. The California Department of Public Health, which oversees nursing homes, is expected to announce in late January which u PAGE A4
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Gov’t data reveal U.S. reliance on private immigration detention centers WASHINGTON — A new report on immigration detention released Dec. 5 reveals that detained individuals were commonly held in facilities operated by private entities and located in remote areas, far away from basic community support structures and legal advocacy networks. The most recent report, “The Landscape of Immigration Detention in the United States,” by the American Immigration Council, raises important questions about
the implications of further expanding the complex, sprawling network of detention facilities, as officials assess further funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The report draws on government and other records for the 355,729 individuals detained by ICE in fiscal year 2015, the year with the most recent publicly available data. The main findings of the report include: • ICE relied on 638 sites scattered throughout the United States
to detain individuals, often moving them from one facility to another. • About 67 perccent of detained individuals were held in privately operated facilities, and 64% were confined in a remotely located facility. • Detention length was significantly longer in privately operated facilities and in remotely located facilities. • Over 48,800 detention facilityrelated grievances were reported by detainees and community members. The number of grievances was significantly higher in privately operated facilities and in remotely located facilities. • Nearly half of detainees (48 percent) were confined at least once in a facility that was located more than 60 miles away from the nearest immigration attorney providing low- or no-cost removal defense services. • The majority (60 percent) of adults who were detained were transferred at least once during their detention, leading to confinement in multiple locations. “The use of immigration detention in the United States has increased significantly in recent decades, while allegations of civil and human rights violations in detention facilities have persisted,” said Emily Ryo, associate professor at University of Southern California Gould School of Law. “The empirical research presented in this report highlights key aspects of immigration detention— issues that could be exacerbated if the government expands detention use further,” Ryo added. Guillermo Cantor, research director at the American Immigration Council, noted, “This study suggests that facilities with private operators and in remote locations require special scrutiny, given that placement in these types of facilities is associated with longer detention length and a higher volume of grievances.” Cantor said further that “comprehensive investigations and independent monitoring” of these facilities are urgently needed to address ongoing humanitarian and legal concerns. Kathryn Shepherd, national advocacy counsel at the American Immigration Council, said, “As Congress weighs the administration’s repeated requests for a massive immigration enforcement budget, these findings should be central to policy discussions about detention funding, oversight, and reform.” (Inquirer.net) n
APPROVED. This seems to be what Senators Loren Legarda, Richard Gordon and Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri have agreed after scrutinizing Thursday, December 6, the proposed P19.66 billion 2019 budget of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) during the marathon deliberations on the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for the coming year.. Senate photo by Joseph Vidal
BONG GO AMIDST SUPPORTERS. Former Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go (center), Philippines Councilors League (PCL) National President Luis “Chavit” Singson, (wearing sun glasses) and National Chairman Danilo Dayanghirang (4th from left), flash the signature pose of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte during the General Assembly and Christmas Party gathering held at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia in Pasay City on Wednesday, December 5. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan
Late George H.W. Bush remembered for... PAGE A2 t Barbara Bush and his sister Pauline “Robin” Bush who died at three years old, he added, “And in our grief, let us smile knowing Dad is hugging Robin and holding Mom’s hand again.” Former Canada Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, former Senator Alan Simpson of Wyoming, and the late Bush’s biographer Jon Meacham also gave their tributes. His granddaughter Lauren Bush Lauren, Jenna Bush Hager, and Ashley Walker Bush delivered readings.
On Thursday, December 6, Bush’s casket took a final journey aboard a Union Pacific Locomotive 4141 train — named the Bush 4141 in his honor — to College Station, Texas. Bush was known to have been fond of trains, once saying he preferred it over the Air Force One. “If I had one of these when I was president, I might have left Air Force One behind,” said Bush at the train’s unveiling in 2005. The locomotive was specially
made with clear side panels and allowed people to pay their respects. Thousands of people lined up with flags and signs in honor of the late commander in chief. The 4,300-horsepower train traveled from Houston where a second memorial service took place at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, to the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Memorial where Barbara Bush and Robin Bush were also interred in a family plot. (Rae Ann Varona / AJPress) n
More than half of California nursing...
PAGE A3 t — if any — facilities it will exempt from the new regulations. But some patient advocates don’t like the nursing homes’ balking. “We’re appalled by the waiver system. It’s sending the worst possible message to California nursing homes that it’s OK to staff at levels that endanger residents,” said Mike Connors of California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, a consumer advocacy group. Researchers have strongly linked more nursing staff with better care, with some experts recommending from 3.8 to 4.1 hours of care per patient per day as a bare minimum for quality nursing home care. Having enough staff helps prevent falls, pressure sores and other problems that can land fragile seniors in the hospital. A recent Kaiser Health News investigation found that for years nursing homes nationwide overstated staffing to the federal government. Now, nursing homes are required to report actual payroll records to remain eligible for Medicare and Medicaid payments. During the first three months of 2018, 58 percent of California’s skilled nursing facilities averaged at least 3.5 hours of patient care a day, according to a Kaiser Health News analysis of payroll records submitted to the federal government. That rose to 76 percent if nursing homes where administrators also were counted were included. California is one of only a few states that set their own minimum requirements for nursing home staffing. Most states abide by federal government standards requiring skilled nursing facilities that receive money from Medicare or Medicaid to have enough staff to meet residents’ needs, said Robyn Grant, director of public policy and advocacy for National Consumer Voice for Quality LongTerm Care, an advocacy group. Illinois requires nursing homes to provide a minimum of 3.8 hours of care per patient a day and the District of Columbia requires 4.1
hours, Grant said. Maine and Oklahoma take a different approach, establishing staff-to-patient ratios, rather than hours of care, for nursing homes. Nursing home officials and their lobbyists say it’s tough to find qualified nurses and assistants in California’s robust economy, and they bemoan what they describe as inadequate reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid. They also have criticized a provision of the new requirements that 2.4 of the 3.5 hours of patient care must be provided by a certified nursing assistant, rather than another nursing professional. Nursing homes need flexibility because “not every patient is the same, not every diagnosis is the same,” said Matt Robinson, legislative affairs director for the California Association of Health Facilities, an industry group. “We’re not opposed to more staff. But we want quality staff. We want to make sure there’s a sustainable workforce to meet that mandate, otherwise it’s just an empty mandate.” Robinson said facilities are applying for waivers on a “goodfaith basis.” If waiver requests aren’t granted, he said, nursing homes may reduce their beds or even shut down. In Los Angeles, the 300-bed Kei-Ai Los Angeles Healthcare Center has applied for an exemption citing a “workforce shortage.” But Cynthia Sakaki Sirlin, whose 86-year-old father, a veteran of the Korean War, lives there says, “I think it’s wrong.” “I don’t know why they’re doing this. They need more nursing staff to improve patient care, not less, the research shows that. So why are they asking for a waiver? Why is the state allowing them? That just rewards owners who are not willing to staff the homes,” Sakaki Sirlin said. Sakaki Sirlin, a nurse practitioner and a representative of Kei-Ai’s family council, said that since the formerly nonprofit nursing home was purchased by a real estate developer in 2016, she has noticed more staff turnover. She worries that her father, a wheelchair user
who can’t feed himself, won’t get the care he needs. Representatives from Kei-Ai did not respond to a request for comment. There are nearly 100,000 certified nursing assistants in California, according to federal labor data. Patient advocates say many CNAs choose not to work for nursing homes because of the comparatively low pay and tough workload. “If they paid them better, they’d have plenty of staff,” even in remote parts of California, said Suzi Fregeau, long-term care program manager in Humboldt and Del Norte counties. The mean hourly wage for certified nursing assistants in California was $16.13 in 2017, according to federal labor data. Some of the California homes seeking exemptions have been repeatedly cited by the state’s Department of Public Health for inadequate staffing that led to patient harm. Among them are homes owned by Shlomo Rechnitz, who reportedly controls 1 in 14 nursing home beds in California. He has faced numerous federal and state probes of understaffing and quality problems at his homes. The CEO of one of Rechnitz’s nursing home management companies said in a written statement that several homes submitted “patient needs” waiver requests on their own with data provided by the company. “All of these facilities prioritize the needs of their patients above all else and these facilities have a stellar history of complying with applicable staffing requirements,” said David Silver, CEO of Rockport Administrative Services LLC. “What we’re seeing is that the facilities that already are understaffed — the facilities for which we do get complaints — are the ones asking for waivers,” said Joe Rodrigues, the state’s long-term care ombudsman. “We’re not supportive of those requests.” This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. n
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How to succeed in politics... PAGE A1 t and statesmanlike conduct wins the hearts of a disillusioned constituency, and the election. The film ends with McKay — who had no plans in actually winning — turns to his campaign manager and asks, “What do we do now?” to no answer. Lack of an action plan coupled with fervent campaign rhetoric to gain votes have become a linchpin of contemporary horse race politics. “The Candidate” showcased the ramifications of running a fiery campaign that is anchored by grandiose optics but lacks a substantial action plan post-election. Elections are essentially advertisements aiming to sell you on a candidate or issue. But sole reliance on headline-grabbing rhetoric does not a successful political tenure make; if you want to win, you need foresight. Diversity became a cultural maxim after the 2016 elections with a clear push to elect officials who are not white and/or not male. And as evident in the buzzy 2018 midterm elections, that dream is becoming a reality. At least 125 women and 115 people of color have been elected to federal office, according to the latest election counts. Notably, 115 Asian Americans made history by winning local, state and federal races, signaling demographic change in government that is more representative of a steadily diversifying American public. But the story doesn’t end there, especially for the Filipino-American community which has seen huge strides, in local elections for example. The National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) hosted the Southern California Civic Leadership Forum on Saturday, Dec. 1. Held at the Carson Community Center, it was a gathering of some of the Southland’s accomplished former and current elected officials as well as political experts, all of whom shared their journeys and shed light on the realities of campaigning and holding office as a way to encourage future generations of Filipino-American civic leaders. A panel discussion moderated by Jessica Caloza, director of scheduling for the Office of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, included rookie and veteran local elected Fil-Am leaders: Cerritos Mayor Mark Pulido, Sierra Madre City Councilmember Rachelle Arizmendi, Cerritos City Councilmember Frank Yokoyama, Duarte City Councilmember Tzeitel Paras-Caracci, outgoing Artesia City Councilmember Victor Manalo and Artesia City Councilmemberelect Melissa Ramoso. Here are five takeaways from the NaFFAA forum that can, hopefully, make for a more informed constituency and a well-prepared class of electoral candidates. 1. Lead with a balanced DNA: data, narrative and action As exemplified in “The Candidate” — and in many real life situations of political unpreparedness — successful elections lead to successful political tenures by utilizing the following: knowledge of data anchored by relatable narrative and a tangible post-election action plan. As extensively covered by the Asian Journal, election data is extremely important to candidates because it gives insight into the voting behaviors and attitudes of any given constituency. Exit polls that survey quantitative and qualitative variables may give insight into the current state of the Asian American electorate. Knowing data means keeping up to date with the voting trends of the Asian American electorate. Having a powerful narrative means putting faces and names to the issues for which you’re campaigning. An action plan details
a step-by-step guideline to what happens after the election. At the forum, Karthick Ramakrishnan — director of AAPI Data, a non-partisan non-profit organization dedicated to disaggregating data on the AAPI electorate — emphasized this three-pronged strategy that could help launch the AAPI community (the fastest growing demographic) from being an oversight to a major swing vote. “Data by itself is not important. We also need powerful narrative and we need a plan for action, and in order to be successful in campaigns — or even as voters — these three boxes should be checked,” Ramakrishnan said. 2. Be hyper-aware of the issues affecting community members of all ethnicities, socio-economic statuses and citizenship statuses During his presentation, Ramakrishnan asked the audience to “raise your hand if you have heard of the RAISE Act.” Less than five hands in a room of nearly a hundred FilipinoAmericans had even a minimal understanding of the Republicanled proposal to cut family-petitioned visas by half; according to AAPI Data, about 80 percent of Filipinos come to the United States through family reunification programs. “This election showed how willing people are to show up to defend these programs, but we all have to get involved and stand for the issues that affect all Asians and Asian Americans in this country,” Ramakrishnan said. He added, “We are not engaged in the most important issues of the day, but we have to get involved. We have strength in numbers, but we’re not really flexing that political muscle in the way we need to, and I hope that the communities here [in California] could start.” 3. Campaign and canvass with gumption Timidity hardly ever gets you far in any professional sector, and that’s doubly true for those who wish to serve the public as an elected official. Arizmendi, who was elected in 2014 to the Sierra Madre City Council and in 2017 as Mayor, shared that community connectedness was one of the most important pillars of her campaign strategy. “I didn’t really have a mentor, and I literally just walked door to door, talked with folks and really established that connection with them,” Arizmendi said. “Knowing and hearing what people wanted and understanding how we’re similar really forged that connection and launched that next step that led me to the city council.” Victor Manalo, who cites his religious upbringing as a catalyst for his devotion for social justice, mirrored Arizmendi and said that a successful ground game — direct interaction between candidate and constituent — goes a long way in a political campaign and a successful tenure in office. “You have to get to know what’s going on in your communities. That should be the beginning, middle and end of any strategy. You have to walk, talk and mail,” Manalo advised, emphasizing the importance of campaign funding. “When you’re campaigning, you have to be comfortable asking people for money,” Manalo said. As an addendum, Arizmendi said that AAPI voters need to understand the importance of campaign donations and that donating to a Fil-Am candidate will go a long way. “The AAPI community are the least likely to donate to campaigns, but we need to donate because that’s a surefire way to see more Fil-Am representation,”
US priest nabbed in PH for sex abuse faces deportation The Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI) has moved to deport an American Catholic priest arrested on Wednesday, December 5 for alleged sexual abuse. BI spokesperson Dana Krizia Sandoval said Fr. Kenneth Bernard Hendricks, 77, was arrested in Naval town, in Biliran province by members of the bureau’s Fugitive Search Unit (FSU), local police and U.S. Homeland Security. He was charged with indecent sexual conduct involving minors. “We received information from U.S. authorities regard-
ing the alleged sexual exploitation of minor Filipino boys by Hendricks,” Sandoval said. The priest, who has been in the country for 37 years, allegedly warned his victims that they would go to prison if they told anyone about the molestation. A court in Ohio issued an arrest warrant for Hendricks over complaints of “engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places.” Hendricks is being held at the BI detention facility in Bicutan, Taguig City. (Catherine A. Modesto / ManilaTimes. net)
Arizmendi asserted. 4. Representation, solidarity and collaboration will get you far Before she even thought to run for office, Councilmember-elect for the Artesia City Council Melissa Ramoso boasted a robust political and legislative career within the Democratic Party. At the forum, she said that once she saw Filipinos in elected office who would become “mentors” for her, she knew it wasn’t a dream as farfetched as it seemed. “If you ask me what my biggest inspiration for running was it was honestly Mark [Pulido] because I saw someone [Filipino] in office, and that went a long way for me,” Ramoso shared. “There’s not many of us, and that’s why I did it.” Another overarching theme of the forum was that there are strength in numbers, and it’s important for the Filipino-American community — and the Asian American community at large — to rally together to make sure that Asian Americans have a seat(s) at the table. “If you wanna go fast, fly alone. If you wanna go far, fly together. Participate and stand up and voice out so that your voice will be heard collectively so let’s work together to make the AAPI vote the swing vote so it will never be ignored,” said Anthony Ng, executive director of Civic Leadership USA. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress) n
A
Romualdez: Duterte visit to US appropriate after return of Balangiga bells by Ritchel
Mendiola AJPress
ACCORDING to Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez, it would be more appropriate for President Rodrigo Duterte to visit the U.S. once the Balangiga bells have been returned to the Philippines. Taken by American soldiers as war booty in 1901, the Balangiga bells are expected to arrive in Manila at Villamor Airbase on December 11. In an interview with CNN Philippines’ “The Source,” Romualdez said, “I think the president realizes that this is a very good gesture on the part of the U.S. and I’m sure that he will take that into account that going to the U.S. this time would be appropriate.” Duterte had been invited to the White House by U.S. President Donald Trump as early as spring 2017 when the two leaders had a “friendly” phone conversation. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. previously said that Duterte would only accept Trump’s invitation after the Balangiga bells are returned to the Philippines. A military ceremony was held last month at the F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming to formally begin the repatriation of the church bells. Duterte, as Romualdez pointed out, wanted to have a specific pur-
File photo shows U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez shaking hands in front of two Balangiga Bells before a ceremony marking the return of all three bells to the Philippines at F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Cheyenne, Wyoming, on November 14. Photo courtesy of the US Embassy in the Philippines
pose whenever he goes abroad as he does not enjoy traveling. “First of all he doesn’t enjoy traveling so when he does he feels that there should be a purpose for it. I mean a specific purpose or there is a reason for him to travel
and you know, going to the United States and if he’s going to Washington DC it’s a 21-hour flight,” Romualdez said. “I think that this is a good reason for him to now go to the United States,” he added. n
A december 8-11, 2018 • LA WeeKeNd ASIAN JOUrNAL
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Without Obamacare penalty, think it’ll be nice to drop your plan? Better think twice Emily Bazar Kaiser HealtH News
By
Dana Farrell’s car insurance is due. So is her homeowner’s insurance — plus her property taxes. It’s also time to re-up her health coverage. But that’s where Farrell, a 54-year-old former social worker, is drawing the line. “I’ve been retired two years and my savings is gone. I’m at my wit’s end,” says the Murrieta, Calif., resident. So Farrell plans — reluctantly — to drop her health coverage next year because the Affordable Care Act tax penalty for not having insurance is going away. That penalty — which can reach thousands of dollars annually — was a key reason that Farrell, who considers herself healthy, kept her coverage. Now, “why do it?” she wonders. “I don’t have any major health issues and I’ve got a lot of bills that just popped up. I can’t afford to pay it anymore.” Farrell is among millions of people likely to dump their health insurance because of a provision in last year’s Republican tax bill that repeals the Obamacare tax penalty, starting in 2019, by zeroing out the fines. The Congressional Budget
Office estimated that the repeal of the penalty would move 4 million people to drop their health insurance next year — or not buy it in the first place — and 13 million in 2027. Some people who hated Obamacare from the start will drop their coverage as a political statement. For people like Farrell, it’s simply an issue of affordability. Since Farrell started buying her own insurance through the open market in 2016, her monthly premium has swelled by about $200, she says, and she bears the entire cost of her premium because she doesn’t qualify for federal ACA tax credits. Next year, she says, her premium would have jumped to about $600 a month. Instead, she plans to pay cash for her doctor visits at about $80 a pop, and for any medications she might use — all the while praying that she doesn’t get into a car accident or have a medical emergency. “It’s a situation that a lot of people find themselves in,” says Miranda Dietz, lead author of a new study that projects how ending the penalty will affect California. People like Farrell whose incomes are too high to qualify for
tax credits are especially vulnerable, says Dietz, a research and policy associate at the University of California-Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education. They must pay the entire premium themselves. Premiums, even for a bronze plan with a deductible of more than $6,000, are enormous in some cases, she says. “The state’s done a great job of implementing the ACA,” she says, “but there are still Californians who just find insurance out of reach.” Up to 450,000 more Californians may be uninsured in 2020 as a result of the penalty ending, and up to 790,000 more by 2023, boosting the state’s uninsurance rate for residents under 65 to 12.9 percent, according to the study. The individual market would suffer the biggest losses. Covered California, the state health insurance exchange, predicts that enrollment in the individual market — both on and off the exchange — could drop by 12 percent next year, says agency spokesman James Scullary. Exchange officials also blame the end of the penalty for a 3.5 percent average increase in premiums, because the departure of some healthy people from the market will lead to a sicker and
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costlier insurance pool. Health insurance can be difficult to afford, but going without it is a “bad gamble,” Scullary says. Keep in mind: More than 22,000 Covered California enrollees broke, dislocated or sprained arms or shoulders in 2017, and 50,000 enrollees were either diagnosed with — or treated for — cancer, he explains. “We know that none of those people began the year thinking, ‘This is when I’m going to break my arm,’ or ‘This is the year I get cancer,’” he says. If you’re considering dropping your plan and risking the devastating financial consequences of an unexpected medical expense, check first to see if you can lower your premium. “A big mistake for people is to look at the notice they get for their current health insurance and see it’s going up a lot and then throw up their hands and decide they’re going to go with-
out,” says Donna Rosato, a New York-based editor at Consumer Reports who covers health care cost issues. “Before you do that, look at other options.” The most important thing to do is seek free help from a certified insurance agent or enrollment “navigator.” You can find local options by clicking on the “Find Help” tab on Covered California’s website, http://www. CoveredCA.com. Next, see if you can qualify for more financial aid. For instance, if your incomeis close to the threshold to qualify for tax credits through Covered California or another Obamacare insurance exchange — about $48,500 for an individual or $100,000 for a family of four this year — check with a financial professional about adjusting it, Rosato suggests. You might be able to contribute to an IRA, 401(k) or health savings account to lower
the total, she says. Beyond that, be flexible and willing to switch plans, she advises. Consider different coverage levels, both on and off health insurance exchanges. If you’re in a silver-level plan (the second-lowest tier), you might save money by purchasing a less expensive bronze-level plan that has higher out-ofpocket costs but would protect you in case of a medical emergency. This year, Farrell got a clean bill of health from her doctor after a round of tests. She’s nervous about being without coverage next year, but feels she doesn’t have a choice. “It’s going to be the first time in my life I’m not going to have insurance,” she says. This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, which publishes California Healthline, a service of the California Health Care Foundation. n
Part of Los Angeles’ Temple Street proposed... PAGE A1 t nos Philip Vera Cruz, Benjamin Gines, and Pete Velasco. Itliong and his group were later joined by Mexican workers under the National Farm Workers Association which was led by the Mexican labor leader Cesar Chavez. Together, they led the grape strike that eventually led to the formation of the United Farm Workers which consisted of Filipino and Mexican farm workers. A portion of Los Angeles’ Sunset Boulevard had been renamed in 1993 after Chavez despite the fact that Itliong, having fought for workers’ rights since as early as the 1930s, preceded both Chavez and the great Mar-
tin Luther King Jr. in the nation’s fight for civil rights. A meeting is slated for December 20 with Mayor Garcetti who authored the bill that renamed the portion of TempleBeverly Corridor as Historic Filipinotown back in 2002. Among the organizations endorsing the proposal are the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), and elected Fil-Am officials including Cerritos Mayor Mark Pulido and Carson Councilmember Elito Santarina. Supporters also include the Fil-Am Chambers of Commerce, and organizations across Southern California and Historic Filipinotown including the Historic
Filipinotown Neighborhood Association, Rotary Club of Historic Filipinotown, Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA), Filipino American Service Groups Inc. (FASGI), the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC), the Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV), Philippine Women’s Club and the Knights of Rizal. Presidents of the various FIlipino organizations are currently in the works of signing a joint petition. They say that it would be a “source of pride” and bring recognition to the Filipinos who live in LA County, especially the nearly 10,000 Filipinos who live and have businesses in Historic Filipinotown. n
Darrick V. Tan, Esq. Licensed in California for over 17 years Licensed in Nevada for over 12 years* UCLA, Bachelor of Arts, Political Science with Cum Laude honors Southwestern University Law School, Juris Doctor Admitted to U.S. District Court, Central District of California Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association Member, Consumers Attorney Association of Los Angeles Former Member, Board of Governors, Philippine American Bar Association *Inactive
IPs’ RESO VS. CPP VIOLATIONS. Tribal leaders show a resolution signed by the Mindanao Indigenous Peoples (IP) Council of Elders and Leaders during a press briefing held at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Thursday, December 6. In Resolution No. 20 (series of 2018), the council condemned “the violations on IP rights and (the) infiltration of the CPP/NPA/NDF within the IP ancestral domain in Mindanao, and most especially the recent child trafficking, kidnapping and exploitation of the 14 IP minors in Talaingod, Davao del Norte.” PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
Impaired driver kills Fil-Am student in New Jersey crash
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.
Filipino-American Michael Sot, 20, died from injuries he sustained in a car crash in Ewing, New Jersey. GOFUNDME A Filipino-American college student died from injuries sustained from a head-on collision Sunday Dec. 3 in Ewing, New Jersey, when an impaired driver crossed a center double-yellow line and slammed into the car the victim was driving. Seven others were injured in the collision. Michael Sot, a 20-year-old sophomore at the College of New Jersey, died of injuries two-and-a-half days after David Lamar V, 22, crossed a center line and slammed into the car Sot was driving as a designated
driver. Lamar was arrested after investigators found that he was driving while impaired. He was charged with seven counts of assault by auto second degree after the accident. One count of vehicular homicide was added to the charges after Sot’s death. Michael is survived by his mother, Candice Buno Sot, his father, Michael Edward Sot; younger brothers Jon Sot and Matthew Sot, sister Jessica Sot and step- brother Frankie Fabio; step-mother Jana FaFilipino-American Michael Sot, 20, died from bio; grandparents Jasmin and Tom injuries he sustained in a car crash in Ewing, Buno, and Carolyn and Ed Sot. (In- New Jersey. quirer.net) Photo courtesy of the Sot family
Pope Francis: Philippines a great Catholic nation THE Philippines is one of the greatest Catholic nations in the world, Pope Francis has said. “Indeed, the noble church in the Philippines now stands among the great Catholic nations in the entire world. Hence, no wonder, she continuously sends missionaries to other regions,” the pope told Osaka Archbishop Thomas Manyo Cardinal Maeda in a letter. The pope also told Maeda, his envoy to the upcoming 60th anniversary celebration of the post-war Manila Cathedral in Intramuros, Manila, that his predecessor Gregory XIII would not have thought how prosperous the Catholic Church would be in the entire archipelago. In his letter posted by the Manila Cathedral on its Facebook page, Pope Francis explained why he chose Maeda to be his representative. “We appoint you by means of this letter to be our special delegate to that solemn feast – you whom we know to be an eminent pastor, always concerned about the welfare of the church throughout the world,” the pontiff told Maeda.
Pope Francis
“You are to act in our name, therefore, on the eighth day of December, more than four years since we have visited it, at the Cathedral in Manila – also called the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary – giving thanks to God for the beauty of this temple, but most importantly for the lively faith of the pastors and of the Christian faithful,” he said.
Photo courtesy of Vatican Media
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines announced that Maeda will celebrate mass on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Concepcion on Dec. 8. The current vice president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan, Maeda also celebrated mass in the cathedral on April 12. A month later, he was named cardinal by the pope. (Philstar.com)
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UN officials did not accuse Liberal Party of misusing Yolanda funds by aJPress A United Nations (UN) special rapporteur this week has responded to claims that the UN had accused the Philippines’ then-ruling Liberal Party (LP) of misusing disaster relief funds for election campaigning in 2016. This comes after a video posted on Facebook on October 30, 2018. took footage from a press conference in 2015 given by Chaloka Beyani, who was thenUN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons. In July 2015, Beyani visited the Philippines to look into a range of issues in relation to internally displaced people, and presented his findings to the United Nations. At the end of his trip, Beyani gave a press conference, which was reported by ABS-CBN. The rapporteur, however, said that he never made that claim, nor did his report on the Philippines, and that the screenshot used in the false post is from a TV news clip available online. “Neither my statement nor my report made any mention of the use of funds for rebuilding the areas affected by Typhoon Haiyan by a political party. It is regrettable that part of the video of my press conference was used to cover this allegation. I categorically did not say that at all,” Beyani told AFP in an email. According to ABS-CBN, the report which focused on rais-
ing criticisms about the government’s relief efforts for Haiyan victims showed some footage from Beyani’s press conference but it does not quote him directly. The Facebook post also claimed that the UN said the LP misused donations given to the Philippines to recover from super typhoon Haiyan, which took thousands of lives and flattened entire towns back in 2013. The LP, led by then-President Benigno Aquino III, was previously in power but is now in the opposition after its candidate lost the 2016 presidential elections. The post, which was promoted on a page presenting itself as a supporter of President Rodrigo Duterte, said, “Even the UN has asked where the almost trillionworth of global donations to Yolanda victims went to.” “CONFIRM! Funds for Yolanda used by the yellows to campaign in the elections, according to UN,” the caption next to the screenshot in the false Facebook post read. “Yellows” usually refer to the LP. Beyani’s report that was submitted to the UN gave a detailed analysis of the government’s response to the disaster. AFP analyzed the report and confirmed there is no allegation of a political party misusing relief funds. A statement following his trip was also released by Beyani through the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights (OHCHR). It listed positive and negative issues for the government but, again, made no allegations of misusing funds. Beyani returned to work as a professor at the London School of Economics after his tenure as a special rapporteur ended in 2016. Cecilia Jimenez-Damary, the current UN special rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, told AFP that no such allegation had been made against the LP nor Aquino. “The office of the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of IDPs, as an independent mandate and based on the visit of Prof. Chaloka Beyani to the Philippines in 2015, has not stated that the Liberal Party nor Aquino used the Haiyan funds for their election campaigns,” JimenezDamary said in an e-mail. According to a spokesman for OHCHR, the body did not make any allegations against the Liberal Party in regards to misusing Haiyan funds. “There was certainly nothing from OHCHR or the Rapporteurs,” OHCHR spokesman Rupert Colville told AFP by email. A search of the UN’s press releases and UN’s general website further showed that the organization did not make any announcements on Haiyan donations, nor statements on the typhoon that mention the Philippine LP. The false Facebook post has gained more than 4,500 shares as of this writing. n
WHO supports PH’s sugar-sweetened beverage tax ganization said that imposing taxes would reduce the fatalities brought by the deadliest THE World Health Organi- diseases aforementioned. They zation (WHO) on Wednesday, figured that due to the increase December 5, expressed its sup- in the cost of sweetened drinks, port for the Philippines’ move to the public would either cut their increase the sugar-sweetened consumption or stop patronizing beverage (SSB) excise tax, re- such products altogether. vealing that doing so would pre“The new sugar-sweetened vent deaths caused by diabetes, beverage tax may help reduce stroke and heart failure. obesity-related premature deaths Researchers from the or- and improve financial well-being by Nathalie
Robles
AJPress
in the Philippines,” the researchers said in a report by Reuters. The health organization stated that the tax imposed this year would lead to the reduction of 24,000 premature deaths for the next 20 years. It comprised of a perceived decrease of 6,000 diabetes-related deaths (25 percent), 8,000 stroke-related deaths (33 percent) and 10,000 heart failure-related deaths (42
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PH ranks 11th world’s most climate-related deaths, 20th most affected by disasters THE Philippines placed 11th worldwide among the countries with the most number of casualties due to extreme climate disasters and 20th in the most affected by climate-related disasters in 2017. In an article from The Philippine Daily Inquirer, a Global Climate Risk Index report by Germanwatch indicated that last year garnered the highest number of weather-related losses ever recorded. Germanwatch’s lead author Marie-Lena Hutfils said that “urgent action is needed to step up mitigation and adaptation.” The index recorded the data on the casualties and losses in weather-related events. Climate-related disasters include storms, floods, temperature extremes and mass movements. They also considered the number of deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, amount of losses in U.S. dollars in purchasing power parity, and declines in the gross domestic product to assess the ranking. The report revealed that 11,500 people died in 2017 due to extreme weather events, while economic damage amounted to around $375 billion. The three most affected countries were Puerto Rico, Sri Lanka and Dominica all damaged by Hurricane “Maria” in September 2017. Puerto Rico, was the most affected country last year after it killed nearly 3,000 people. Sri Lanka ranked second after it was bombarded by strong monsoon rains, leading to heavy landslides and floods that killed and displaced thousands. Dominica was the third most affected country after Maria also tore through the Caribbean island nation. David Eckstein, another author of the report, said countries that are repeatedly hit by extreme weather events need “predictable and reliable financial support for dealing with climate-induced loss and damage.” The said report highlighted the losses and damages as an impact and effect of climate change. Some effects of such
are deemed as irreversible, noting the loss of life and threats to biodiversity for instance. Typhoon “Vinta” with an international name of Tembin landed in Mindanao at the end of 2017, killing around 250 people. Beginning in 1998, the
Philippines was the fifth country overall that was most vulnerable to weather events, averaging more than 870 deaths annually. The report said the country also lost $2.9 billion annually to climate-related events. (AJPress) n
A8 DECEMBER 8-11, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
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OPINION
FEATURES
Pot joke
Malacañang officials stressed that it was just another joke by President Rodrigo Duterte, but lawmakers are taking the statement seriously enough to revive proposals to legalize medical marijuana. The proposal follows moves in 46 states in the U.S. to legalize the use of marijuana for medical purposes, with nine U.S. states and the capital Washington DC allowing even recreational marijuana. This year Canada became the second country to legalize recreational marijuana use nationwide, after Uruguay in 2013. Marijuana for private use is also allowed in some form, although still regulated by various laws in Argentina, Australia, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Germany, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru, Portugal, South Africa, Spain and Switzerland. The Philippines currently has some of the world’s toughest laws against possession of prohibited drugs, which include marijuana. But certain lawmakers are monitoring developments abroad, where people attest to the efficacy of cannabis in treating afflictions particularly chronic pain. President Duterte has often mentioned suffering from chronic pain due to a motorcycle spill in
his younger years. He once let slip that to deal with the constant pain, he took fentanyl, the powerful opioid whose abuse is now one of the principal targets of an intensified narcotics crackdown by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. President Duterte has since said his doctor had advised him to stop taking fentanyl because of the risks. But his statements about his afflictions are the reason why people take him seriously even when he jokes about using marijuana to stay awake during hectic international summits. Some of his congressional allies have also expressed support for the legalization of medical marijuana. If the President wants to ease the laws on marijuana use, he should issue clear statements and open the issue to public debate. Apart from relieving chronic pain, legalization of medical marijuana might save many from losing their lives while ostensibly resisting arrest or nanlaban during police anti-narcotics operations. (Philstar.com)
Editorial
Philstar.com photo
Mueller filings reveal Trump associates lied and conspired to mislead and obstruct Russian investigation
The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s train has been getting all the more derailed by the events of the recent week, and based on what has been happening under his leadership in the past two years, we may be in for a more exasperating bumpy ride ahead. First, the stock market has plummeted several times this week, erasing all the gains made since the beginning of the year, thanks to the uncertainties and mixed messages on trade by Trump. His Republican cohorts in Congress, who have blindly
stood by the president through all his lies and transgressions against the rule of law, have now been openly rebuking Trump for his defense of the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. The Senate is now preparing to confront the White House over its support for Saudi Arabia in the brutal and gruesome murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi — a Saudi national who is a U.S. permanent resident who has earned the ire of the Saudi royalty for his writings on the abuses of the Saudi government. As in his defense of other dictators like Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, Trump
chooses to ignore the findings of the U.S. intelligence agencies on the culpability of the Crown Prince, and accept the denial of the Saudi Royalty. This week, Trump has also become even more unhinged in his daily tweets against Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who has been leading the investigation into the alleged conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia to hurt the Clinton campaign and help Trump win the 2016 U.S. presidential election. After Mueller’s 18-monthold airtight and methodical investigation which has led to charges against 32 people including 26 Russians, with four
Olivia Quido-Co’s journey of humility Rhizomes
PROSY ABARQUEZDELACRUZ, J.D. “’BRING the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.’” - Malachi 3:10 “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” – Jeremiah 29:11 Siksik. Liglig. Overflowing in Abundance. That is how Olivia Quido-Co described her life, quite pregnant with miracles. Her face lights up speaking of God and His manifested goodness. It is as if she was describing falling in love for the first time, with her then-boyfriend, Jason, now her husband, Jason Co, with whom she has four children. It was a cold morning as 1.9 inches of rain had fallen that one can only get warm with a down jacket, a scarf and windproof pants. A windblast gets one feeling like a refrigerator at 32°F. Streets were flooded and cars slowed down. Yet, the rain did not dampen Ms. Quido-Co’s sunshine demeanor. She is a petite woman, made more beautiful with her big smile greeting you and an
inescapable flawless, glowing skin and her signature warmth. To start our conversation, we prayed to the Holy Spirit for guidance to achieve a collective sense of enlightenment and in turn, a story of hope and miracles to share with our Asian Journal’s readers. It is the month of Christmas, 20 days to be exact as of this writing, before Christ is born. The First Sunday of Advent has started and most Christmas decorations are up. In the White House, a theme of patriotism is supposedly embodied in bloody red Christmas trees, but what I liked the most is the wreath of pencils to symbolize the First Lady’s theme of “be best.” “Until I truly believed in the power of God and the power of tithing, I did not experience God’s overflowing abundance,” Olivia asserted. “How have God’s miracles manifested in your life,” I asked? “Siksik. Liglig. Overflowing in abundance,” she said, “My father was only 35 years old when he had a heart attack. He was a company driver then and my mother was a stay-at-home housewife. I remember going to the chapel where he was hospitalized, UST Chapel, so alone at 9 years old. I knelt down. I asked God for a complete cure for my father, who had several tubes attached to him. I asked for another opportunity to have him. God answered my prayers, as my dad is now 68 years old, alive and healthy.” But the miracle did not stop there. She recalled her mother opening up her own business in Divisoria, selling children’s
clothes and 35 years later, her retail business grew some more to now a wholesale distributor to department stores. Imagine her mother was then a housewife who could have despaired and gone into depression, yet chose to be positive and created a business opportunity to support her family. In her challenge, she discovered she had business and people skills. What lessons did you learn from your mother, I asked? “Ang paghandle ng tao (how she took care of people). Laging may pagkain ang staff. Merienda, hapunan, ano mang oras. Iyong ipa pabahay pa niya ang staff. Tapos may pabahay showcase (Plenty of food for the staff. Merienda, dinner, whatever time. Others even had housing. And still housing showcase like end of the year prizes of microwave, television, radio and extra monies). She was so good with people and super generous. Those were her examples to me.” “Siksik. Liglig. Business is overflowing in God’s unsolicited blessings.” “Siksik. Liglig. Overflowing in grace,” she emphasized, “My pencils then were Sanrio, mechanical pencils and they were all matching up with Hello Kitty designs in my pencil box, handkerchief, notebook and notepad. At that time, I did not realize that my mother was giving me the “best of the best,” a standard that I now appreciate.” A business thrives if three elements of people, process and products have converged
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aides to Trump have pleaded guilty to various charges — the Special Counsel this week has released three important filings, sentencing three of these people in the Trump orbit — Trump’s ex-national security adviser Michael Flynn, Trump’s former campaign manager Paul Manafort, and Trump’s former attorney and fixer Michale Cohen. With this progress in the Mueller probe, it has been established that people in the Trump orbit implicated in the Russia interference allegation lied in their testimony to the media, to Special Counsel, to federal investigators. The redacted memos released by
Mueller (redacted means portions had been blacked out to the public because the contents of which are still part of the ongoing investigations) likewise reveal the conspiracy to mislead and limit the investigation to obstruct the quest for truth. These filings of Mueller do NOT exonerate Trump. In fact, the DOJ charges say the president committed a crime to cover up information to affect the presidential election. More new information has also revealed Trump had knowledge of and was, in fact, part of the coordination with Russia to win the election. The Mueller probe is still
ongoing. We will discuss more details next week. Suffice it to say that Trump said they will make public a “counter-report” when the Mueller probe is over. It is important to point out that Mueller is privy to all the other corroborating evidence to all the testimonies of the people they interview — all of these considerations in pursuit of the truth. Tutok, mga kababayan! *** 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
Chinese expansionism
Street Talk GREG B. MACABENTA NORBERTO Gonzales, the national security adviser during the incumbency of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, has rung alarm bells about a possible attack on the Philippines by China. This was his reaction to the co-exploration agreement signed by President Rodrigo Duterte and President Xi Jinping. Gonzales warned that the agreement is just another step in China’s covetous designs on the Philippines, characterized by its virtual occupation of Philippine territory in the South China Sea. Gonzales also made the rather naïve comment that “China does not have a history of invading other countries, but it is not averse to using military might to settle territorial conflicts.” Only half of Gonzales’ statement is accurate – that part about using military might. The fact is that China has a history of invading other countries, among them, Vietnam and Korea. Ironically, the country that was once referred to as the Sleeping Giant has also been the victim of Western imperialism. And now that it has “awakened,” China is simply doing what comes naturally to superpowers, namely, domination of weaker countries, whether militarily, politically or economically. Countries like the Philippines under Rodrigo “I will ride a jet ski” Duterte.
If naivete is to be attributed to anyone, Duterte would be it. That is if he thinks he can outsmart the Chinese in his dealings with Xi, while clumsily playing the United States against its Asian rival. The harsh fact is that Duterte is a mere pawn in a contest for global dominance between the U.S. and China. The duel is for economic dominance, at this stage. Hopefully, a fight for military dominance will not follow. Duterte may not be familiar with the African proverb: “When elephants fight, the grass is trampled.” Or, maybe he is. Maybe Duterte thinks he can reap substantial benefits from his dealings with the Chinese - and let the future generation of Pinoys bear the consequences. It doesn’t take a fortune teller to foresee the consequences of Duterte’s eagerness to avail of infrastructure and development loans from China. What has happened to Sri Lanka is too recent for even an idiot to overlook. To quote a New York Times report on the Sino-Sri Lanka case: “Every time Sri Lanka’s president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, turned to his Chinese allies for loans and assistance with an ambitious port project, the answer was yes…. Mr. Rajapaksa was voted out of office in 2015, but Sri Lanka’s new government struggled to make payments on the debt he had taken on. Under heavy pressure and after months of negotiations with the Chinese, the government handed over the port and 15,000 acres of land around it for 99 years in December.” The Times story concluded: “The case is one of the most vivid examples of China’s am-
bitious use of loans and aid to gain influence around the world — and of its willingness to play hardball to collect. “The debt deal also intensified some of the harshest accusations about President Xi Jinping’s signature Belt and Road Initiative: that the global investment and lending program amounts to a debt trap for vulnerable countries around the world, fueling corruption and autocratic behavior in struggling democracies.” An article in the British news magazine, The Week, by Ryan Cooper, entitled, “The Looming Threat of Chinese Imperialism,” warned, ”As China matures into a global superpower, matching and someday surpassing the United States in strength, it’s worth considering the future risk of Chinese imperialism.” China is now the biggest single investor in Africa, and Chinese companies have been plunking billions into Latin America, as well as Europe and the U.S. According to the article by Cooper, China’s Belt and Road initiative, “a globespanning plan to smooth transport in and around Eurasia…is already one of the biggest infrastructure projects in world history well before completion. But many of the individual loans have been so improvident — the ones to Djibouti spiked its debt-to-GDP ratio by 85 percent — that future debt peonage or default for many states look likely.” One could say that about the Philippines, too, under Duterte. Of course, imperialist tendencies are not unique to China. Contemporary history tells us that the European pow-
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The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.
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Dateline USa
Joint Congress session on martial law extension set MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives and the Senate will meet in joint session next week to tackle the proposed extension of martial law in Mindanao. “The joint session is set for Wednesday,” House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. told the Philippine Star in a text message. Andaya said they have not received President Duterte’s request for Congress to extend martial rule, but that they expect to get it later this week or early next week. He said they also expect to get a briefing from defense and military officials before their joint session. The military and the national police have reportedly formally recommended to the president the extension of martial law for another year or up to the end of 2019. Speaker Gloria MacapagalArroyo and Andaya have assured the President that the House would give its concurrence to the extension if Duterte asks for it. Senators, on the other hand, are reportedly divided on the issue. “If it comes to our chamber, I will recommend that we pass it,” Arroyo told reporters on Wednesday, Dec. 5 Andaya said if Duterte makes a request, it would be granted. “The concurrence will be expedited if the military and the police will renew their commitment to respect the constitutional rights of every individual in the territory covered by the declaration,” he said. Other administration congressmen said they would support an extension request from Duterte. “It is the president, the military and our colleagues from Mindanao know the situation in the area. We have to rely on their word. We cannot pretend to know better,” Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III said. Rep. Michael Romero of party-list group 1-Pacman said martial law would ensure the continued safety of residents, their properties and business establishments. “Businesses should thrive. Peace of mind is priceless. If there is peace, then there is stability. And with stability comes
progress,” he said. Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte, chairman of the House defense committee, said he would support a request from the President and would listen to the views of his colleagues from Mindanao. “Mindanaoans are the ones experiencing what it’s like to live under martial law for a year and a half now. They would have a better grasp of what is an acceptable option for them for continued peace and security,” he said. As expected, opposition and leftist lawmakers said they would oppose the extension of martial law. Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said an extension would have no constitutional basis, since there is no actual rebellion in Mindanao. Lagman said he and his opposition colleagues would question a third extension before the Supreme Court. They questioned before the high court the decision of the President to proclaim martial rule in mid-2017, but the tribunal upheld the proclamation. They no longer challenged its first extension up to the end of last year and its second extension up to the end of this year. Leftist lawmakers said another extension would just promote human rights violations in Mindanao. The Commission on Human Rights (CHR), for its part, reiterated its position against the ex-
tension of martial law in Mindanao. “If peace and order is the problem in Mindanao, then the answer is effective law enforcement and not the declaration of martial law,” CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said. “We don’t see the justification for it. The law is very clear. It’s invasion, it’s rebellion, we don’t have that now to justify another extension of martial law in Mindanao,” she added. De Guia noted the country’s security forces are fully capable of addressing lawless violence in the country without the need for martial law. “There has to be a strong reason should the government move for another extension – based on the sound recommendation of our Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police on the real situation on the ground,” she added. Mags Maglana, convenor of Mindanao-based human rights group Konsyensya Dabaw, belied claims that there is no opposition to martial law among those living in the southern part of the country. “You don’t need martial law to respond to criminality. The government has enough power to respond to crimes,” she added. Karapatan said they have recorded incidents of harassment in Mindanao, denying that all is well under martial law. (With reports by Janvic Mateo)
The military and the national police have reportedly formally recommended to the president the extension of martial law for another year or up to the end of 2019. Philstar.com file photo
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DEcEmbER 8-11, 2018
A
ICC continues initial review of Duterte, drug war despite PH withdrawal by Ritchel
Mendiola AJPress
The assessment of President Rodrigo Duterte’s alleged crimes against humanity will be continued by the International Criminal Court despite the Philippines’ withdrawal of its ratification from the Rome Statute. The ICC confirmed this in an annual report released this week months after a preliminary examination into the situation was opened by ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda. According to the ICC, the Office of the Prosecutor has been conducting a thorough factual and legal assessment of the information available so a reasonable basis to believe that the alleged crimes fall within the jurisdiction of the court can be reached. “The office has continued to gather, receive and review information available from [a] wide range of sources on the crimes allegedly committed in the context of the ‘war on drugs’ in the Philippines,” it said. Moreover, the ICC said that any alleged crimes occurring in the future in the context of the same situation could be added in the analysis of the office. “The office has further closely followed relevant developments in the Philippines and will continue to do so,” it said. The ICC has received a total of 52 communications on the situation in the Philippines, including those filed by lawyer Jude Sabio backed by a supplemental communication by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Rep. Gary Alejano (Magdalo partylist) in 2017 and the families of alleged victims of extrajudicial killings last August. These communications alleged that Duterte and other senior government officials promoted and encouraged the killings of suspected drug users and dealers, as reported by Philstar. At least 22,000 deaths under inquiry have been counted by the Philippine National Police since Duterte launched the war on drugs in 2016. Official government data showed that more
than 4,900 “drug personalities” have been killed in anti-narcotics operations. ICC maintains jurisdiction The Hague-based court insisted in the same annual report that “it retains jurisdiction with respect to alleged crimes that have occurred in the Philippines during the period when it was a state party to the statute.” The country’s letter of withdrawal from the Rome Statute was formally sent by the administration last March, citing “outrageous” attacks on Duterte and the supposedly illegal attempt by ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to place him under the Hague-based court’s jurisdiction as reasons for withdrawal. However, the withdrawal will only take effect a year after the date of the receipt of the notification so the Philippine currently remains a party to the Rome Statute. In August, oral arguments on the consolidated petitions challenging the country’s exit from the international tribunal were held by the Supreme Court. Malacañang responds to ICC Malacañang on Thursday, December 6 said the decision of the ICC to continue its as-
sessment of the government’s drug war is an “affront” to the Philippine judicial system and an “insult” to the country’s sovereignty Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement, “The International Criminal Court (ICC) has once again exhibited its impartiality when it publicly pronounced that it will continue to assess the alleged crimes against humanity committed in the country. We are not surprised.” Panelo alleged that the ICC and even some United Nations officials “have been issuing public statements and comments which tend to embarrass our country and produce an impression to the world that our government is already guilty of the crimes being accused of.” He said the ICC was “free to proceed with its undertakings” but reiterated that the Philippines never became a State Party to the Rome Statute, which created the ICC. “Thus, we will treat this tribunal as nonexistent and its actions a futile exercise,” he said. He also said Duterte’s position on the Rome Statute is clear. “It, being a law which is pe-
A10 DECEMBER 8-11, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
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ICC continues initial review...
PAGE A9 t nal in nature, never took effect insofar as the Philippines is concerned due to its non-publication,” he said. “This omission violates not only Article 2 of the Civil Code, but more notably, Article III, Sections 1 and 7 of the 1987
Constitution which respectively guarantee the rights of the people to due process and to be informed on matters of national concern. Treaties, as we all know, cannot supplant our Constitution,” he added. Panelo noted that the statement Duterte made March of this year “was only a gesture of cour-
tesy that the Philippines will no longer participate in the affairs of the ICC in whatever form.” “Aside from the fact that all these crimes are already covered under our domestic penal laws, it cannot be denied that the Philippines has a robust judicial system which soundly operates,” he added. ■
Olivia Quido-Co’s journey... PAGE A8 t
SHUN FIRECRACKERS. Officials of the Department of Health (DOH), Philippine National Police, and Bureau of Fire Protection lead the launch of this year’s “Oplan: Iwas Paputok, Fireworks Display ang Patok”, held at the General Roxas Elementary School in Barangay Roxas, Quezon City on Wednesday, December 5. Every December, the DOH intensifies it campaign for the holding of community fireworks displays to reduce casualties and injuries caused by the individual lighting of firecrackers. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
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Chinese expansionism...
ers and the United States have been among the most avaricious perpetrators of imperialism. And China has been among their victims. An editorial cartoon in Punch in 1899 depicts the U.S., Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia and Austria cutting up portions of China for themselves. One article described the partitioning of China as “slicing the country like a melon.” It is ironic that China has been identified as the major source of drugs flooding the Philippines. In the early 1800s,
British economic marauders launched the opium trade, flooding China with the drugs. When Chinese authorities tried to suppress the entry of the drugs, Britain went to war against China. That war was concluded with the Treaty of Nanjing that resulted in Hong Kong being ceded to the UK. Considering Duterte’s bloody war against drugs, does anyone expect him to warn the Chinese against flooding the Philippines with the illegal stuff, the way the Chinese tried to stop the British? Not, unless Duterte wants the Chinese to declare
war on the Philippines the way the Opium War was waged by the UK against China. That will happen only when the crow turns white or when Duterte is converted to sainthood. Meanwhile, Gonzales may be right about China’s designs on the Philippines. But China will not have to use military might, as Gonzales has warned. That could upset the United States and trigger a shooting war. It will be a bloodless economic annexation. (gregmacabenta@hotmail. com)
The sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) seeks to promote a healthier Philippines and decrease the rates of diabetes and obesity cases in the country. Infographic courtesy of the Philippine Dept. of Finance
WHO supports PH’s... PAGE A7 t
percent). The WHO favored the taxation initiated by the Philippines Department of Finance (DOF) and
Department of Health (DOH), stating that a 10-20 percent hike in retail prices would eventually prevent the general public from purchasing such beverages.
“The SSB excise tax will help promote a healthier Philippines. Along with DOH, DOF supports this as part of a comprehensive health measure aimed to curb the consumption of SSBs and address the worsening number of diabetes and obesity cases in the country, while raising revenue for complementary health programs that address these problems,” the finance department stated. The finance and health department of the country came up with the tax imposition as they realized that the “SSB products are easily accessible and can be found in almost any store, unlike other sweetened products. Most often, the poor and the children are not aware of their consequences.” Earlier this year, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) included the imposition of excise tax on SSB in the first package of Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law. “An excise rate of P6 per liter will be taxed on drinks containing caloric or non-caloric sweetener, and P12 per liter on drinks containing high-fructose corn syrup. 3-in-1 coffee and milk are exempt from this tax.” Aside from the building of infrastructure, the proceeds from the taxes would also be allocated to the healthcare savings of Filipinos totaling to P33 billion ($627 million) plus an annual revenue of P43 billion ($813 million). “This is a measure that is meant to encourage consumption of healthier products, to raise public awareness of the harms of SSBs, and to help incentivize the industry to develop healthier products and complements,” the tax reform law stated. European countries like the United Kingdom, Belgium, France and Hungary have adopted, or are about to adopt similar methods following the nearby Scandinavian nations who have used them for years. Mexico also published a study in 2017 showing the impact of Mexico’s tax on sugary drinks. The study discovered that purchases were reduced by more than 5 percent in 2014, and nearly 10 percent in 2015, its second year. ■
with palpable excellence and moving with a unified mission of delivering the best quality product or services. I experimented with getting my monthly facials from different aestheticians to test how rigorous the training is as well as the quality control standards. How do you recruit, train and sustain your employees, I asked? To which she answered, “I personally look at attitude and how they speak to me. I do not emphasize the resume. It is more of - does she smile? Her eye contact? Attitude cannot be taught, but skill can. Some get the skills in one month, some in six months. I am not bothered by how long it takes them to learn the skills because I am the ultimate customer that they will apply facials on. If I do not like the feel of their hands on my face, then I will teach them how to soap the face - sometimes it takes two eight-hour days of applying only soap to the face until they master the correct amount of pressure, the way their hands feel on my face, only then would I teach them the next skill.” But while she might be patient in training, gruff and rough demeanor with poor attitude are non-negotiables. “One time I had a dean’s lister with a well-rounded resume but I could not get her to smile nor connect with me, despite my efforts so I did not hire her,” she said. I have tried six aestheticians now and all six have delivered the quality facial services with warmth, efficacy, and credible interaction, affirming the belief of Miss Quido-Co that “Attitude cannot be taught, but skill can.” It is perhaps that quality and reliable royal treatment that ordinary folks look for, her reliable clients. One time, I talked to a casino worker, including a waitress who told me that they both saved up their month’s salary to get facials at O Skin Care. To sustain her employees’ loyalty, “I treat them as family. I praise them publicly but I correct them privately.” I interjected that all six of her staff speak highly of how they are treated well, how they get their pampering at an exclusive upscale hotel and their bonuses of additional income for zero absences in a whole month’s pay period, all on Ms. QuidoCo’ s expense account. She owns two sites: O Skin Care in Eagle Rock that is a storefront to buy the skin products and O Skin MedSpa in Cerritos Mall, which employs professional nurses and aestheticians. The latter location underwent remodeling recently. On one Saturday, I was a client having my facials. The front desk, looking like one of the storefronts in Beverly Hills with appointed chandeliers, woodblock covered walls and gold-rimmed designs on the wallpaper, was buzzing with customers. The Medspa’s Saturday appointments are filled up to May 2019. That corner spot of Cerritos Mall was once an underachieving location and was vacant. Yet, it is now buzzing with customers who fly from all over the U.S., just to be pampered with facials and given a movie star’s royal treatment. Her online products are doing quite well, as they are now shipped to the United Arab Emirates, Japan, London, Belgium, Italy, Singapore, Hong Kong, France and all over the United States. The power of tithing changed her In 2003, Olivia came to the U.S. with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (major in Computer Applications) from De La Salle University-St. Benilde. However, computer applications were not her passion. Back then, her heart was broken by a failed romance. She sought refuge and healing, and went to the U.S. on a student visa. She enrolled in Cerritos College and pursued cosmetology, but realized that she was more interested in researching different skin problems. Her teacher suggested that she focus on skin care, which she did. On her free days, she would clean windows and storage rooms at Son A Chaandi, a retail store in Cerritos. She would
use a squeegee to clean the windows – that became her first lesson in quality – to use a ladder and reach high, in order to be able to do a thorough job. She also learned eyebrow threading. By humbling herself and exploring all facets of the business, she told herself she too would become an entrepreneur. That who is last shall become first, as the biblical saying goes. To conserve her meager resources, she shared a room and a car with her cousin. They took turns using the car and there were days when it was her turn to take the bus. After she graduated, Ms. Quido-Co applied for a job in Macy’s and JC Penney. But she could not land the job for lack of local experience. With a college degree and an aesthetician’s license, Ms. Quido-Co applied to nursing school, but was not accepted. Hope still alive in her, she opened up her own business and applied what she learned from Cerritos College. With only $1,500 in savings, she moved forward. She met Lody Garcia, who became her mentor, surrogate mother and guardian angel. Initially, Olivia saw an ad for a business space at Lody’s Styling Center at the Artesia Mall. However, she decided to go to Ludy’s Salon first, where the unimproved, unfurnished space was offered at $800/month. Olivia knew that an $800/ month rent would stretch her beyond capacity and that she won’t be able to afford it in the long run. On the first floor, she saw that Lody’s Styling Center was offering a furnished space, a bed for facial services and inventory — all for only $200/month. “Lody Garcia was an extraordinary, generous landlord, who to this day, supplies me with trays and trays of food. Back then, I paid $200 for monthly rent, but she also cooked meals and fed me daily. I must have eaten more than the $200 rent that I paid her. She is just generous,” Ms. Quido-Co continued. She was determined. She analyzed how the network of connections was formed and offered facials to key folks, building her clientele through trust. Trust is an elusive intangible to acquire. It is not just given to anyone who is still new in the business. It is acquired through repeated quality service, and personal “kabaitan” — personal goodwill, where one will always treat the other in an honorable way. “Relying on my own intelligence, relying on my own strength, [skills, reputation and experience], I distributed flyers in different supermarkets to build my client base,” Olivia recounted. She offered facial service for $45, at times even giving $10discounts to clients who request for it. Once she increased her clientele, she had the promise of return business. After being a solo entrepreneur for two years at her first business location, she decided that it was not sustainable. She felt disheartened and thought of giving up. But Jeremiah 29:11 made her realize that God is in charge of her business. “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ “ “Si God naman ang magpapasweldo (It is God who will give me the salary),” she said. Olivia changed direction from personal power and self-reliance, and asked a Higher Being to be her Universal Partner, whom she calls Father God. “Once I claimed that promise, I realized that the Lord was giving me a lesson through the trials I was going through. You don’t learn everything [when you’re successful], you learn more when you are down, kakailanganin mo ‘yon, ang pagbangon (You need the trials so you know how to recover),” she continued. She kept cultivating trust, an intangible that was not easy to build. It was difficult to find the clients that it took her five years to build a reliable base. In the meantime, she was restless. “I wanted this, I wanted that, I kept chasing worldly things, using my own strength. Then,
I learned 10 percent tithing to the Church where I receive God’s word, and that if I turn my back on worldly things, and turn towards the Lord, blessing after blessing [would come.] It was truly overwhelming. Sobrang galing talaga ni Lord (God is all omnipotent).” “For two years, I kept up my tithing, but my take-home income was still at $500 a week. So I asked the Lord – did you not promise an overflowing abundance if I do tithing?” It turns out, as she recounted, “I was not a consistent giver, I even had a poor attitude in tithing, sometimes I would give $50 a week, other times, I would change it to $30,” she said, then “I turned to the Bible and it gave me this response – The Lord loves a cheerful giver, from then on, my income of $500 became $1000 and then $1,500. Today, I tell my accountant that 10 percent tithing is an absolute expense for my business. Only then did the tremendous blessings pour out that we are so overwhelmed.” A client had a severe case of acne. She provided facials but the condition did not improve. “I released the problem to the Lord and prayed for this client’s acne to heal: “Lord, I want your healing power, I cannot do this anymore,” Ms. Quido-Co said. After a month, the client called and asked: “What did you do? My acne has cleared up.” That’s when she realized that in all aspects of her work, she could rely on God’s healing powers and merciful grace. Relying on her Universal Partner, her personal goodwill was transformed into a business asset. God’s overflowing grace continues She wanted more children. Within a year of wishing it, she got pregnant. In seven weeks and six days, she experienced the beginnings of a miracle. Her ultrasound technician told her that the baby is seven weeks and six days old. She then asked, “Is there more?” Her technician said there is one empty sac, while another sac has a heartbeat and a fetus in formation. She kept asking – “why is it like that,” to which the technician said, “In my many years of experience, that is simply called “the vanishing twin,” where the twin or multiple disappears in the uterus during pregnancy.” “This syndrome was first recognized in 1945 and the fetal tissue is absorbed by the other twin, multiple, placenta or mother,” according to American Pregnancy Association’s website. Ms. Quido-Co fervently prayed and asked God to give her two viable twins. A week later, she saw the technician on a Saturday. Days later, on a Wednesday, she woke up from her sleep and declared, “I am having twins, “ and slept again. By that next Saturday, the technician examined her again and declared, “You have twins, one is eight weeks and six days, another is eight weeks and five days.” The technician wondered – how could have that happened? Ms. Quido-Co smiled – “God gave me a miracle.” To which I reflected back to her: God has solidly given you miracles much like a fourlegged table, or in all directions of the world: east, west, north and south. God is saying to you, He is solidly in your corner, and you are favored! The rains poured out its strength and the streets were flooded, giving us a pause, as Malachi 3:10 – bring your tithing to the storehouse and you will experience siksik, liglig, and God’s overflowing bounty! *** Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D. writes a weekly column for Asian Journal, called “Rhizomes.” She has been writing for AJ Press for 10 years. She also contributes to Balikbayan Magazine. Her training and experiences are in science, food technology, law and community volunteerism for 4 decades. She holds a B.S. degree from the University of the Philippines, a law degree from Whittier College School of Law in California and a certificate on 21st Century Leadership from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She has been a participant in NVM Writing Workshops taught by Prof. Peter Bacho for 4 years and Prof. Russell Leong. She has travelled to France, Holland, Belgium, Japan, Costa Rica, Mexico and over 22 national parks in the US, in her pursuit of love for nature and the arts.
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Journal Warner Bros and ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ director team up to bring Arnel Pineda’s journey to the big screen by Ritchel
Mendiola AJPress
FILIPINO singer Arnel Pineda’s path from humble beginnings in the Philippines to fronting American rock band Journey is set for the big screen in a biopic that will be headed by “Crazy Rich Asians” director Jon M. Chu and Warner Bros. In an article from Deadline, Chu expressed his desire to portray the “fairy tale and triumph of the human spirit” as he envisioned the upcoming film based on Pineda’s ‘journey.’ Chu, who has directed music documentaries in the past, also noted that he is a fan of the band’s music.
“The success of ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ has blown my mind and set me on a path to champion more unique inspirational stories that represent new perspectives from all around the world,” Chu told Deadline in a statement. The film will narrate the rise of Pineda, a formerly homeless Filipino singer who began performing at 15 years old while hanging out at a Shakey’s Pizza Parlor in Manila. He would post videos covering bands like Led Zeppelin and Journey on YouTube, which is where Journey co-founder Neal Schon discovered Pineda after the original lead singer Steve Perry left the band.
“I am excited to be bringing the audience along on this incredible story with my partners at Warner Bros who have been a leading champion of diverse voices in front and behind the camera,” Chu added. Warner Bros. has obtained the rights to the 2012 documentary, “Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey,” which followed the band’s process of finding Pineda. The studio is also planning to license the original Journey tunes, most written by Perry and Schon. “An unlikely hero, an undeniable talent, the power of music and a worldwide stage (literally)
Fil-Am actor Darren Criss nominated for Golden Globe by AJPress FILIPINO-AMERICAN actor Darren Criss on Thursday, December 6 received his first Golden Globe nomination for his role as Andrew Cunanan in the limited series, “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.” Criss played Cunanan in the show, a half-Filipino murderer notorious for killing five men, including famous Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace in 1997. In September, the 31-yearold became the second youngest Emmy winner for the Best Limited Series/TV Movie Actor category for his role in the TV drama. Should he bag the Golden Globe next January, he would Darren Criss portrayed Filipino murderer be the third youngest winner in Andrew Cunanan in the limited series “The the best performance by an acAssassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.” (Photo courtesy of FX) tor in a limited series or motion
picture made for TV category. In an Instagram post, Criss — who is Filipino on his mother’s side — wrote about his nomination. “Growing up I always loved watching the Golden Globes with family and friends, so just to be in the room is a thrill — but to be nominated is just insane. What an honor to be included with such wonderful actors. Wow. Thank you, Hollywood Foreign Press Association,” his post read. Also nominated in the category are Antonio Banderas (“Genius: Picasso”), Daniel Brühl (“The Alienist”), Hugh Grant (“A Very English Scandal”), and Benedict Cumberbatch (“Patrick Melrose”). The 76th Golden Globe Awards will be held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California on January 6, 2019. Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg will host.
have all the ingredients I love about movies,” the “Crazy Rich Asians” director said. Perry returned and took the stage with Pineda, Schon and the rest of the band when Journey was inducted in the Rock N’ Roll Hall Of Fame. The project will be overseen for the studio by Kevin McCormick, according to Deadline. Temple Hill’s Marty Bowen will be the producer for the said film and the project is currently in search for a writer who would best portray the story of Pineda. Arnel Pineda
AJPress photo by Noel Ty
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Jennylyn: ‘No wedding bells with Dennis in 2019’ by lhar
santiagO ManilaTimes.net
“NO wedding bells, no walking down the aisle just yet.” That’s how definite Jennylyn Mercado is with regard to taking her relationship with Dennis Trillo to the next level in the near future. They both agree that a wedding can wait especially since they are happy with what they’ve got going to even rock the boat. “We’re also busy with our respective careers, so everything’s good right now,” she added for emphasis. What’s waiting for Jen next year for sure is a movie. “I just need to finish a few more commitments and papalampasin muna ang Pasko then I’ll be good to begin shooting. Alam mo naman pag ganitong panahon everybody’s busy. In my case, I also have a business — yung cookies ko na ako mismo ang nag-be-bake,” she related. Baking has always been Jen’s hobby and those who have tried the goodies that come out of her oven say she’s great at it. Encouraged by endless compliments to the baker, she found the courage to put up Chunky Dough, an online cookie business where she personally makes her variety of giant cookies. “I have the plain cookie, cookie with nuts and the chocolate cookie on offer. My favorite is the plain while [my son] Jazz likes the chocolate with all the chunky bits of kids’ favorite
The LATimes’ ‘101 Restaurants We Love’ list was announced on Monday, December 3, featuring live entertainment and food tastings from various top restaurants around the city. AJPress photos by Christina M. Oriel
Fil-Am restaurants Ma’am Sir, LASA make LA Times’ ‘101 Restaurants We Love’ list
Dennis Trillo with Jennylyn Mercado
sweet. Si Dennis, naku! Ang lakas niya kumain ng cookies. Like me, he also likes the plain.” Even if her cookies are calorie-laden, Jen says eating such treats in moderation is the key to enjoying life. “I’ve always been fond of sweets but hindi naman yung type na uubusin sa isang upuan lang. Dapat limited intake and of course may exercise. In my case, I really burn calories fast because I do Pilates.” Asked when she enjoys in-
Photo from Instagram/@dennistrillo
dulging on her baked cookies the most, Jen replied, “When I’m watching ‘Cain at Abel’!” She quickly added, “And hindi naman just because Dennis is in the show. Maganda talaga ang Cain At Abel. It has a very good story and a great cast. This is the type of series that you’ll get hooked to once you start watching. Kami talaga, pinapanood namin habang nagdi-dinner tapos dessert yung cookies! It’s become an evening habit for us,” the very supportive girlfriend ended.
Sunshine Dizon on her latest projects by lhar
santiagO ManilaTimes.net
KAPUSO actress Sunshine Dizon is busy promoting the 2018 Metro Manila Film Festival movie “Rainbow’s Sunset,” where she’s been cast in a dream production. Counting the reasons why, she cited her reunion with the film’s director, the multi-awarded Joel Lamangan, whom she has always looked to as a father and mentor since her days as a child star. “I’ve really missed working with Direk Joel,” Sunshine volunteered. “It’s funny because
when I accepted the offer because of that, I suddenly felt nervous. Biglang nag-refresher’s course ako sa acting and hinimay-himay ko talaga yung script to study my character vis-a-vis the other characters I will get to interact with.” The second big draw of the movie of course is its roster of lead veteran actors — Eddie Garcia, Tony Mabesa and Gloria Romero. “It’s a unique movie but a family drama that will be very relatable to every Filipino family,” she said of their festival PAGE B5
Sunshinez Dizon Photo from Instagram/@m_sunshinedizon
by
Christina M. Oriel AJPress
AS the end of 2018 approaches, expect to see a lot of ‘best of’ lists. One such roundup that Angelenos, in particular, look forward to is the Los Angeles Times’ ranking of the city’s top 101 restaurants. With the passing of Jonathan Gold this summer — whose annual 101 list became a bucket list of sorts for foodies — the Times’ food writers Jenn Harris, Andrea Chang and Amy Scattergood took the late restaurant critic’s list from last year and “tried to introduce the new and fill in the gaps where appropriate to reflect the city as a whole.” “Writing a restaurant list without Jonathan Gold was incredibly difficult, but we felt it was important to continue to celebrate talented chefs and their restaurants and to give readers some direction as they explore L.A.’s dining scene,” Harris wrote in the introduction to the list. “We did our best to honor Jonathan’s legacy and keep the ideas he championed in our minds, thinking about diversity, equality, deliciousness and the stories behind the plates of food before us.” Instead of ranking the restaurants, this year’s list is unnumbered, alphabetized and categorized by neighborhood. Ma’am Sir One newcomer is FilipinoAmerican chef Charles Olalia’s Ma’am Sir, which opened in Silver Lake in June. Olalia — whose fine dining background comprises of Patina, The French Laundry, and Restaurant Guy Savoy, among others — envisioned a restaurant based on “party and beach fare” and comfort food dishes he grew up eating back in the Philippines. “Think of Ma’am Sir not so much as the latest of L.A.’s new wave of wonderful Filipino restaurants but as the triangulation of chef Charles Olalia’s career,” Scattergood wrote in her review of the restaurant. The menu highlights — which are meant to be shared — include lumpia Shanghai (stuffed with shrimp and lardo sausage and are topped with sea urchin) and shrimp deviled eggs (palabok-egg salad and celery hearts). There are takes on kare kare, sisig andgrilled bangus as well. “Every time I open a restaurant, I always want to create a community,” Olalia told the Asian Journal in a previous interview. “I’d love for people to make us part of their lives.” The praise for Ma’am Sir has also included a place on Eater’s ’18 hottest restaurants in LA right now’ and a four-star review from TimeOut. Ma’am Sir is opened six days a week (closed on Tuesdays) for
Charles Olalia
Brothers Chad and Chase Valencia operate LASA, a former pop-up series, which found its home inside Chinatown’s Far East Plaza in 2016. Photo courtesy of LASA
dinner service and also features a full-service bar with specialty cocktails. LASA Retaining a spot on this year’s list is Chase and Chad Valencia’s LASA, which held the No. 18 spot in Gold’s ranking in 2017. Scattergood remarked that the brothers’ outpost in Chinatown “feels lived in [with] a comfortable dining room” and that “Chad’s cooking has evolved with the restaurant” by introducing Filipino dishes from a second-generation, Californian perspective. “Imagine family cooking from a test kitchen, the flavors exacting, the end result addictive,” she added. Gold had dined at several times since the former pop-up found a permanent home in Chinatown’s Far East Plaza in 2016. Gold wrote back then, “But nobody has quite caught the spirit of modern Pinoy cooking like Lasa, named after the Taga-
log word for ‘taste.’” In the summary of the top 10 dishes of 2016, the late critic included LASA’s O.G. pancit — canton noodles, calamansi butter, and patis cured egg yolk, topped with scallions. “So what seems to be a simple bowl of pancit noodles becomes a complex composition balancing butter, a bit of fragrant calamansi lime juice, and shavings of egg yolk that has been cured with patis, the strong Filipino fish sauce…it’s less street food than an umami-rich Filipino wink at spaghetti carbonara,” he wrote. In addition to the pancit, other dishes to try are the kesong puti dumplings (roasted & raw carrots, carrot ginataan, butter & whey, queso de bola) and beef kilawin (flat-iron tartare, patis aioli, salt & vinegar taro chips). LASA is open for dinner Wednesday-Sunday (6 p.m. to 10 p.m.) and lunch Saturday and Saturday (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.).
Charles Olalia’s Ma’am Sir sampled the sea urchin lumpia (pictured here) and the banana bibingka to attendees of the Los Angeles Times’ ‘101 Restaurants We Love’ launch party on Monday, December 3.
Photo by Fried Chicken Sandwich Studios
Outside of Ma’am Sir restaurant
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A ROLLERCOASTER RIDE THAT INCLUDED RETROGRESSION OF PRIORITY DATES, AGING OUT, AND THE FATHER SUCCUMBING TO CANCER JUST BEFORE VISA ISSUANCE ON THIS SUNDAY’S “CITIZEN PINOY!” In July 2007, Raffy’s mother adjusted status in the U.S., hoping to immediately bring her husband and son, Raffy (left) to the U.S. from the Philippines. However, her priority date retrogressed (moved backwards) and the wait stretched for years. Several setbacks occurred, including further retrogression of the priority dates, Raffy aging out, and Raffy’s father being diagnosed with cancer. Unfortunately he passed away in the Philippines without seeing his American dream come true. Raffy’s mother then retained the Law Offices of Michael Gurfinkel, who took over the case from two previous attorneys, who were not taking active steps to move the case forward. Watch how leading U.S. immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel was able to convince the Embassy to reconsider Raffy’s denial, showing he qualified under the Child Status Protection Act, on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)
Look your best and reach your aesthetic goals at Radiant Medical Aesthetics
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T’S no secret that we all deserve to look and feel our best. Such is the motto of Frances Calayan-Cuento, owner of Radiant Medical Aesthetics in Rowland Heights, California. A nurse practitioner by training, Calayan-Cuento comes from a family of doctors in the Philippines and decided to enter into her own business venture along with her husband, Mariel, who is also a registered nurse. “We’re very personalized when it comes to the care we offer,” Calayan-Cuento said. “It’s my husband and me doing the services, so when people come in for a consultation, they’ll talk to us and we do it for them.” Radiant Medical Aesthetics offers an array of services — whether an anti-aging facial or botox to reduce wrinkles and fine lines — to help individuals reach their aesthetic goals. “People come in here and want to enhance what they have,” Calayan-Cuento said. “It feels good when they leave the place and they’re more confident and are feeling beautiful.” One of the most sought-after services is microneedling, a cosmetic procedure that involves repeatedly puncturing the skin like other places, Radiant uses with tiny, sterile needles. Un- a radio frequency (RF) machine,
which is like a laser, skin tightening and microneedling in one
to address skin problems, such as scarring, pigmentation, fine lines, acne, or collagen loss. Clients can also get the treatment using platelet-rich plasma (PRP) — popularly known as a “vampire facial” — which uses one’s own blood to increase collagen production. The medical spa also offers facials, botox, fillers, IV nutritional therapy (vitamin C and glutathione), and laser and body treatments like lymphatic detox, firming, and spine therapy. “Since we are a licensed medical spa, we use high-quality, U.S.-made products,” CalayanCuento said. In addition to the popular treatments, Radiant Medical Aesthetics will roll out more services, such as medical weight loss and hair restoration, and unveil a line of skincare products. Maintaining your glow and taking care of yourself doesn’t just stop when you leave the clinic, however. Calayan-Cuento shared her top tips for skincare, such as: Wear sunscreen and avoid sun exposure for long periods, hydrate, and moisturize daily. “Sometimes there are things you can’t really avoid because as you age, that’s when collagen production decreases, so that’s when you need these kinds of services,” she said. Radiant Medical Aesthetics is located at 1735 Fullerton Rd., Rowland Heights, CA 91748 (Inside Oya Beauty). Hours are Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (by appointment) and Saturday and Sunday by appointment only. For more information and a full list of services, please visit http://www.radiantmedicalaesthetics.com. 8[m\ik`j`e^ Jlggc\d\ek
B4 DECEMBER 8-11, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
MOONLIGHTING by MYLAH DE
LEON
I sympathize with her lonely soul. She ruminates. She dreams. She remembers. The true essential self is ageless, even if the body and its surroundings wail that you’re old. She was telling something, her tales spinning a spiel, suggesting a personal account through the human voice. At times it is a person talking to you, gratifying the appetite for stories of raw life outside the language. There are many things about growing old — if you can accept the aches and the pains, the wrinkles and creases and dimples, the crow’s feet, the spider webs and the thinning lips and hair. The body also cruelly betrays the skin, spilling brown spots all over. Sunk cells, dimmed eyes, dropped teeth, migraines, and universal back pains. All these is enough to make you wail, ”Youth is wasted on the young!” Youth is wasted on the old, if all they do is pine away. Miss Gonzales, the 107-yearold lady who was once the Queen of Catalina Island, said she has come to terms with aging and is living life on its own terms. She attributes long life to the food she has been feasting all her life: beans, enchiladas, menudo and chili con verde. She danced the waltz, tangoed with La Cumparista, and sang “Ave Maria.” But she told me, “Don’t forget — it is beans that gave me long life.” We spoke with Nestor Alegre, the hospital administrator of Los Palos Convalescent Hospital, whose profession is dedicated to alleviating all maladies of old people, except the passage of years, and the obstinate refusal of the old to surrender in the force of time. It is a 24-hour endeavor that starts and ends with prayers, because for them, there’s a need for physical and spiritual strength as well. Their working hours involve almost a ministry-like advocacy, said Rev. Mercedes Pascual, who is the Activity Director of the hospital. “They can still enjoy life, or what remains of it. We try to imbibe them with patience, a treasury of enthusiasm, immeasurable courage, cheer and kindness; encompassing all the nobil-
The melancholia of a 107-year-old lady
Rev. Pastor Mercy Pascual and the interdepartmental Team of Los Palos Convalescent Hospital, a post-acute care center
ity and humility of which they are capable. We try to achieve that with sensory stimulation, puzzles, movies, balls; while they are all confined to wheelchairs for safety and mobility.” All are encouraged to have group mates, best friends, and religious programs. For everyone who signs up the job signs with compassion and dedication from the heart. Here, nobody retires and the talent given by the Lord is always maximized. The day started with freewheeling as soon I found myself seated beside the birthday lady, Otilia Gonzales Machado, who was the center of the merriment. She is small and slim, and most of the time she wore pants. From a distance, she looks like a boy, all of 107 years. Her face is sharp, with its lines engraved by the winds and the sun of Catalina. Her eyes are firm without illusion, her lips are hard without lipstick. With these, she has accepted old age, as one accepts sunshine and rain. Growing old has stifled dramatically, influenced by the prospect of a longer lifespan, increased awareness of health and fitness, and the changed perception of elder women’s roles are now taken more seriously by society, the medical world and the community they move around.
Celia Valdomar, with the birthday celebrant, Otilia Machado Gonzales
Now they can demand the freedom to take life less seriously, to be unconventional, to flaunt their grey hair and wrinkles and double chins and falling wombs. They now can age proudly, not only embracing the loss of youth, but also transcend all the anxieties and fear of aging. With an acceptance that’s beyond age and prejudices, lies a gentler joy and peace that sacrifices old age. It is an exciting time to grow old, which seems, for better or worse, outlives all body capabilities — if you learn to look for the treasures in that come with it. *** E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl@aol. com
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Depression and suicide
Health@Heart PHILIP S. CHUA, MD, FACS, FPCS DEPRESSION is a most significant risk factor in suicide. In today’s busy, impatient, materialistic, and fast-paced society, people are subjected to various stressors in life everyday. Encumbered by their personal circumstance, some are unable to adjust and cope, and develop depression. Suicide is a senseless option and a preventable alternative. What is depression? Depression is a state of emotion where the individual has some or all of the following senses, feelings, or moods: downhearted, unhappy, anxious, irritable, unable to concentrate, socially withdrawn, empty inside, has inordinate fatigue and reduced interest in activities which used to be fun, hopelessness, indecision, impaired sleep, misery, helplessness, confusion, monosyllabic speech or abnormally quiet. What is the prevalence of depression? In the United States, about 9 percent, or 28 million American adults “have feelings of hopelessness, despondency, and/or guilt that generate a diagnosis of depression,” according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Three percent or 9.6 million of adults have major depression, a chronic and severe form of depression. In the Philippines, the rate is about 5.3 percent. Worldwide, the rate is between 2.6 percent to 29.5 percent, a pandemic, actually, according to an international study conducted by the World Health organization. In general, women are 70 percent more prone to develop depression, in part due to hormonal changes, especially during menstruation, after pregnancy, and menopause. In the past 50 years, the rate has catapulted from 3.33 percent to 7.06 percent, from 1991 to 2002. The rate for the various types of depression in the United States are: Postpartum – 10 to 15 percent; SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) – 4 to 6 percent; Bipolar – 2.6 percent; Dysthymia (minor depression that lasts 2 years or longer) – 1.5 percent; Psychotic depression (most severe form) – 5 percent. Are there screening tests for depression?
BY MONET
LU
IF I could name a few people who I look up to in terms of how they live their lives, I’d probably include this couple I have known for 10 years. They have been very supportive of my marketing campaigns and I always have the pleasure of recognizing them as one of the most notable FilipinoAmericans here in the U.S. It is an honor to feature them in my column this weekend and I hope you’d be inspired by their story the same way they have inspired me for years. In this column, we meet another “power couple,” who have been together for more than four decades. They treat each other as partner ‘for better or for worse,’ in business and in pleasure. Meet Pete and Baby Cruz. “We have known Monet Lu for over 10 years. We are grateful for the friendship and support that Monet and his staff at Reflections Salon have given us through the years,” Baby Cruz said when I asked them if they still remember how we met. Pete and Baby Cruz have been active supporters of Filipino-American organizations, advocacies and businesses here in Southern California. They have been great examples of a blissful marriage and fruitful business. The couple has known each other since they were in 2nd grade. What started out as a childhood friendship, blossomed with them falling in love. They were married on May 5th, 1974. “We’ve committed our eternal love for each other through marriage,” Baby continued. “Between the two of us, Pete is more extrovert adventurous while I am more conservative. Both of us are generous and romantic. Throughout our 44 years of marriage, we have experienced many joys, successes, and challenges. In 1987, we immigrated to the United States with our five children, Peter Jr., Pia, Peter III, Peter IV, and Peter V. We wanted to ensure that our children had an opportunity to live a good life and fulfill the
Yes, there are. Mental health specialists can administer preliminary tests, such as the BDI (Beck Depression Inventory), or the HRS (Hamilton Rating Scale), which is composed of 20 questions to screen the patient. Today, computerized phone interviews are gaining effectivity as a screening tool. These tests are only a small part of the evaluation process, because the specialists have the symptoms of the patient and other criteria to aid them make the correct diagnosis. Don’t we all get depressed sometimes? To some degree, some situations in life trigger depression, and normal people develop a mild form of depression, which is transient, self-terminating, and not a disease. As long as the resultant symptoms are trivial and temporary, and do not debilitate the person, the condition is not clinical illness and does not need any medical treatment What foods relieve depression? Foods that are high in tryptophan, an amino acid involve in serotonin production, provide relief to some people with depression. Niacin (Vitamin B3), which is essential in the production of tryptophan, can be found in dried peas, beans, whole grains, dried fortified cereals, and especially in oily fishes like salmon and mackerel. It is reported that Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish oil may actually reduce depression. PMS Escape, a high carbohydrate drink, was claimed to increase tryptophan level and would control the depression related to pre-menopausal syndrome has been found to have impurities by the FDA and subsequently withdrawn from the market. Calcium supplements and Vitamin B-12 have been reported to reduce pre-menstrual depression. Also, some studies showed that among depressed people who drink caffeinated beverages have a lower incidence of suicide, which seems to suggest that coffee or tea reduces depression. How about exercises? Believe it or not, physical exercises may be as effective as psychotherapy in the management of mild to moderate depression. Prolonged aerobic workouts lead to higher levels of serotonin, adrenalin, endorphins and dopamine in the brain (producing the popular term “runner’s high”). Physical exercises,
brisk walking, ballroom dancing, yoga, tae-bo, etc. lead to better emotional health. As an extra bonus from physical exercises, weight loss and improved muscle tone lead to the sense of wellbeing and higher self-esteem. Those individuals with strong spiritual faiths have a relatively lower predisposition to depression. These people might benefit from meditation, yoga, and other techniques for obtaining spiritual security, inner peace and happiness. Severe depression needs medical treatment. Does depression play a role in suicides? Yes, very significantly. Depression is present in about 90 percent of the more than 40,000 suicides that take place in the United States annually, and for every two homicides, there are 3 suicides. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States overall and the second leading cause of death in the age group 10 to 34. According to CDC, 1.3 million adults attempted suicide in 2014. About 78 percent of them are men, more than 4 times the rate for women. Depression lowers the mental threshold for selfdestruction. Do you have depression? If you do, it is most prudent to seek medical help, not necessarily psychotherapy. The first thing to do is to consult your family physician, who can help guide you. With early proper medication and/or advice, depression in most cases can be managed effectively and eliminated faster than one can imagine. Physicians today have invaluable tools in their armamentarium for the diagnosis and treatment of depression. Many individuals with depression, who have sought medical care, are so “cured” with simple oral medications that they look, behave, function and live as normally and happily as anybody else, lost in the sea of anonymity. *** 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
Pete and Baby Cruz: Together in ‘business and pleasure’
Baby and Pete Cruz
American dream.” In their 44 years of marriage, I asked them what has been their most challenging moment, to which they replied: “The greatest challenge in our marriage is to always remember to say “I love you” to each other, particularly during moments when we get busy or when we have disagreements. With God, we are continuously striving to keep our marriage strong and be a couple that our grandchildren and children can be proud of.” Pete and Baby Cruz own a financial service company, Cruz Financial Services, Inc. The company started in 1993. With Pete as the president, the couple seems to be inseparable both as partners in the home and in business. “We do income tax, bookkeeping, setting up corporations, payrolls, and quarterly taxes for small businesses. We are so blessed that the business continues to be successful. We are grateful for our all of our clients who come back to us year after year,” Baby said. They are very proud grand-
parents to their three grandchildren: Sean (14), Sophia (11) and Michael (8). With a strong partnership, both in business and at home, there is nothing that could tear down the bond that they have. “Our principles as a couple are sanctification in our daily work, fulfillment of Christian’s ordinary duties, and to turn all the circumstances and events of our life into occasions of loving God.” To my dear friends Pete and Baby, I am amazed by your teamwork and your partnership. I wish you all the best in your marriage and your business. *** 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
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 8-11, 2018
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Julia Barretto launches own IG TV channel, promises ‘fun peek’ at her personal life by
Alfred BAyle Inquirer.net
Vice Ganda, center, lead the media conference for “Fantastica” with co-stars Richard Gutierrez and Dingdong Dantes. Inquirer.net photo by Krissy Aguilar
Vice, Richard and Dingdong on making an enjoyable movie by
Krissy AguilAr Inquirer.net
A POWERHOUSE of cast led by Vice Ganda, Richard Gutierrez and Dingdong Dantes will star in “Fantastica,” one of the entries in the 2018 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) to be held this December. Directed by Barry Gonzalez, the comedy film serves as the first movie team-up of the three bankable stars, who will be joined by Bela Padilla, Ryan Bang, and award-winning actress Jaclyn Jose. The movie also includes the most talked about Kapamilya love teams — Maymay Entrata and Edward Barber, Loisa Andalio and Ronnie Alonte, and Kisses Delavin and Donny Pangilinan. Also joining the cast are MC Muah, Lassy Marquez, Chokoleit and Juliana Parizcova Segovia. In a media conference at the Dolphy Theater on Tuesday, December 4, Vice Ganda assured that everyone would have “a great time watching Fantastica.” “Hindi po ako natatakot na baka may lumabas sa inyo na hindi natawa sa pelikula,” he said. “Nasisiguro ko po: Tatawa kayo. Meron at merong eksena sa pelikula na magpapatawa sa inyong lahat. (I’m not afraid that some of you might not laugh
and walk out. I assure you: You will laught. There are scenes in the movie that will make you all laugh).” Dantes shared his experience in working with the “unkaboggable” Vice Ganda, recounting his first day at the film’s set: “Pagdating ko sa set, nung unang araw ko, sinabi sa akin ni Vice: ‘Basta Dingdong, mageenjoy lang tayo’. (When I arrived on the set, on my first day, Vice told me: “Let’s just enjoy ourselves.’”) And Vice quickly proved they would. Dantes said: “True enough, nung unang eksena namin, nagbigay siya ng isang linyang wala sa script, kaming lahat natawa. (True enough, in our first, he had this one line that made us all laugh.)” The Kapuso actor added: “Imagine, kami palang na gumaganap sa mga roles doon ay tawang-tawa na kami. Sinisiguro ko sa inyo pag napanood niyo yung buong pelikula, siguradong mage-enjoy kayo. (Imagine, even we who are doing the roles are laughing hard. I assure you that you will enjoy yourselves when you watch the whole movie.)” Gutierrez, who echoed Dantes’ sentiments, saying it was the first time he made comedy film with Vice Ganda. The Kapuso-turned-Kapami-
lya actor said what made the movie enjoyable was the “dynamics” of the cast: “Kakaiba yung mapapanood ninyo kasi yung cast din talagang mahuhusay. (You’ll see something different here because the cast members were really good.)” “Fantastica” tells the tale of Bellat, played by Vice, who wants to rebuild his family’s carnival to save it from bankruptcy. Produced by ABS-CBN Films’ Star Cinema and Viva Films, “Fantastica” is set to premiere on Christmas Day in Philippine cinemas nationwide.
JULIA Barretto launched her new IG TV channel as a way to connect with fans on a more personal level, away from the glitz and glamour of showbiz. An Instagram post made on Dec. 2 by the actress introduced her new channel named “Julia.” “This is me. Just Julia. I’ve been slowly working on this little project of mine that would let me freely express myself; no scripts, no spotlight, no roles–just entirely me, just Julia,” wrote Barretto in the caption. Barretto took the opportunity to openly reflect on her life in show biz so far for her first video. She noted how her accumulated experiences made her a “strong independent woman.” “Julia now compared to the Julia four years ago, I think I’ve grown much stronger, much wiser, and much more aware of the world that we’re living me,” said Barretto. “I think being in this industry has tested me in so many ways, in so many times.” She promised that her new IG TV channel would give a more fun peek at her personal life, which she has kept under wraps for the longest time. “I’ve been very very private,
Julia Barretto
but I’m very much willing to share pieces of my life with everybody. So I’m excited about that,” explained the actress. Furthermore, Barretto hoped that by sharing tidbits of her life through the channel, followers could get to know her, relate to her, connect and maybe even
Sunshine Dizon on her...
PAGE B2 entry. “Like my character, she’s the one left to take care of her parents when the rest of her siblings got married. Usually may ganun sa mga pamilyang Pilipino di’ba? So she’s shown making sacrifices even if she’s going through something all on her own too, while the story of the seniors are happening. Basta sobrang ganda ng pagka-weave ng story,” Sunshine promised. Besides gearing up for the round of promos for “Rainbow’s
Sunset,” Sunshine is also busy with a new soap for GMA Network, “Inagaw na Bituin,” whose lead star is Kyline Alcantara. “So these days, I’m enjoying working with my friends Angelika Dela Cruz, Angelu De Leon, Marvin Agustin, Gabby Eigenmann, kasi magkaka-age kami so we’re so happy on the set,” she laughed. “It’s also great I get to work with Kyline again after ‘Kambal Karibal.’ She’s a really great actress and napakagalang.”
)ROORZ XV RQ
Photo from Instagram/@juliabarretto
learn things from her life. At the same time, Barretto hoped the channel would help clear up misunderstandings and misconceptions about her as a person. Barretto currently has six million followers on her Instagram account.
B DECEMBER 8-11, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
Features
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COMMUNITY Journal
Your Immigration Solution Atty. Eric WElsh DonalD Trump has made a political career on demonizing immigrants, and his actions in office have been consistent with his bombastic hardline rhetoric: killing DaCa, separating families at the border under a “zero tolerance” policy, and now, issuing a Proclamation that america will ignore its international obligation (not to mention moral duty) to offer safe refuge to persons fleeing persecution. This time, Trump may have gone too far. on november 8, 2018, Trump’s new acting attorney General (Matthew G. Whitaker) and the Secretary of Homeland Security (Kirstjen M. nielsen) promulgated a regulation that renders ineligible for asylum any person whose entry into the U.S. is prohibited by a Presidential proclamation concerning the southern border. not coincidentally, the President issued just such a proclamation the very next day (november 9, 2018), suspending the entry of persons without inspection along the southern border between the U.S. and Mexico. Together, the regulation and the Proclamation bar any person who enters the country without permission at the southern border from applying for asylum in the United States. The Proclamation and the new regulation are prospective, meaning that they only apply to entries after november 9, 2018. The legality of Trump’s Proclamation and the new regulation are in serious doubt. The Proclamation and the regulation appear to be in clear conflict with the U.S. federal asylum statute, which unambiguously states that any alien who is physically present in the U.S. or arrives at the U.S. “whether or not at a designated port of arrival” and “irrespective of such alien’s status” may apply for asylum. additionally, the regulation that makes the Proclamation effective was promulgated without the required 30-day notice-andcomment period (the President and the agencies asserted “good cause” for bypassing notice, as
Trump’s assault on asylum and the battle for the American spirit “On November 8, 2018, Trump’s new Acting Attorney General (Matthew G. Whitaker) and the Secretary of Homeland Security (Kirstjen M. Nielsen) promulgated a regulation that renders ineligible for asylum any person whose entry into the U.S. is prohibited by a Presidential proclamation concerning the southern border.” well as an exception for matters relating to “foreign affairs”). The same day that Trump issued his Proclamation, the american Civil liberties Union (aClU) filed a complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief in U.S. District Court. First, the aClU noted the obvious: the persons seeking U.S. protection at the southern border are coming from some of the most dangerous places on earth, most from the “northern Triangle” (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras), a region that is experiencing “epidemic levels of violence” that most human rights groups have compared to active war zones. Most of those who leave are fleeing “life-or-death situations,” including “violence against women by criminal armed groups,” and many have legitimate claims to asylum under our existing laws. next, the aClU noted that entry at a lawful port is difficult or impossible for most refugees. Many lack formal education and are not aware that designated locations exist, and even when they do, those locations are hard to find and difficult to access. Many news sources have reported that asylum-seekers have been refused access to lawful ports by Customs and Border Protection (CBP), or were arbitrarily denied asylum or subjected to excessive delays in processing. When asylum-seekers try to enter the U.S. “the right way,” they face threats, intimidation, and deliberate misinformation. They are forced to wait in Mexico, sometimes for four to six weeks, before an agent will even consider their claim. as the aClU notes, these delays can be life-threatening, since the region of Mexico near the border is “a particularly violent area with lim-
ited law enforcement capacity,” and there have been numerous reports of asylum seekers turned away at the border who are raped, beaten, and kidnapped and held for ransom by Mexican cartel members. Mexico is no safe refuge, and by ignoring its legal and moral responsibility to provide humanitarian relief, the U.S. has exposed these refugees to additional harm. Trump’s hardline approach to immigration has forced america to confront an identity crisis: are we a fearful nation of isolationists, disdainful of cultural and ethnic diversity and unwilling to help families fleeing violence and persecution? or are we willing to live up the proud creed engraved at the base of the Statue of liberty: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” The courts may be instructive, but ultimately, We the People must decide what kind of country we want to be. *** REEVES IMMIGRATION LAW GROUP is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration fi rms in the United States with offi ces in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Manila and China. For more Information please call (800) 7958009 or visit www.rreeves.com. Telephone: (800) 795-8009 E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com Website: www.rreeves.com. *** The analysis and suggestions offered in this column do not create a lawyer-client relationship and are not a substitute for the personalized representation that is essential to every case. (Advertising Supplement)
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 8-11, 2018
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C DECEMBER 8-11, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
Tax Stocks Tech Tips victoR sy, cPA, mBA
(THIS is a continuation of Part 1 from last week’s weekend edition of Asian Journal) Multi-billionaire Warren Buffett lives simply and adheres to basic but savvy investment principles. 6. Buy companies cheap • Warren Buffett is value investor. • He calculates an intrinsic value by examining what similar companies sell for. • He calculates the present value of cash that will be generated in the future. • He likes companies with good returns, solid operating margins, and low debt. • He likes companies that generate cash that they invest well and return to shareholders as dividends. • He looks back five years or more for consistent operating history. • He gauges how well a company does in good times and bad. • He pours over long histories, not just the latest quarter. 7. Hold for life
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Warren Buffett’s 10 investing basics (Part 2 of 4) • Buffett’s favorite holding period is quite long as in forever. • He finds great companies with cheap valuations and holds them forever. • If you panic as your holdings dip, you should not be in the stock market. 8. Look for companies with economic moats • Companies with wide economic moat maintain competitive edge. • A wide moat acts as a barrier to make it hard for potential competitors to enter your market. • Moat could be brand power, high cost to get into business, or patent protection. • These companies have strong global brand, efficient distribution system that is hard to duplicate. • Think Coca-Cola, Home Depot, or Boeing. 9. Buy big, concentrated positions • When Buffet finds a company he really likes, he buys into it big time. • You and I can probably buy 50 or 100 shares. He buys big, some-
times to control a company. • We ordinary souls can’t do this. We don’t have his resources. So let’s skip this one. 10. Believe In America • Believe in America, whether you are a Democrat or Republican. • Buffett doesn’t tweak his portfolio to suit whoever is in the White House. • He invests in the U.S. economic system of good ol’ USA. .* * * Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude from UE with a BBA and from Indiana State University with an MBA. Vic worked with SyCip, Gorres, Velayo (SGV - Andersen Consulting) and Ernst & Young before establishing Sy Accountancy Corporation in Pasadena, California. *** He has 50 years of experience in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS, FTB, EDD, BOE and other governmental agencies. He is publishing a book on his expertise “HOW TO AVOID OR SURVIVE IRS AUDITS.” Our readers may inquire about the book or email tax questions at vicsy@live.com. (Advertising Supplement)
10 tips to celebrate Advent and Christmas The Prophetic Voice ReveRend Rodel G. BAlAGtAs ADVENT is a time of waiting for the celebration of Christmas to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. And as I wrote last week, it’s also a time of waiting for the fulfillment of God’s Kingdom when Jesus Christ will come back in His glory to judge the living and the dead. As a period of waiting, we should observe it joyfully, not anxiously. We should approach it spiritually, not materialistically. This means that it’s not just a time consumed with parties, shopping for Christmas gifts, other leisures and fun, but a period filled with inner joy of seeing the depth and beauty God’s love for humanity through the birth of His Son, Jesus into this world.. One must possess spiritual eyes and grateful hearts to expe-
rience this inner joy. One must be amazed at the power and generosity of God. He is God who reigns in our lives and the universe. He is God who wants us to feel both his quiet presence and remarkable engagement in our lives. Our days this Advent then should be filled with moments of quiet prayer and yearning for serenity, wisdom, and happiness. Here are 10 tips to celebrate the true spirit of Advent and Christmas. 1. Get away by yourself to a quiet place, removed from the noise of the traffic and the hustle and bustle of the season. Sit quietly and thank God for giving you life, wonderful family and friends, and providing you with your needs. Acknowledge His love and power over you. Thank Him for the works of His Son, Jesus and the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. See the works of the Trinity during this season. 2. Look delightfully at every gift that you receive and every party you celebrate. Appreciate the giver and not just the gift. Recognize the presence of every-
one in a party, not with any tint of arrogance and judgmental attitudes, but an openness to receive the other person into your life. 3. Celebrate Advent liturgies in your Church like the Reconciliation Service where God gives you the opportunity to express your need of His forgiveness and compassion and your desire to be at peace with yourself, others, and God. Allow God to level down the high mountains of your pride and indifference. 4. Participate in some works of charity for the poor and desolate. Share your blessings with those who are less fortunate. You can do it by wrapping a gift(s) for a struggling family or by sharing a hot plate of food with a homebound and lonely neighbor. You can also visit someone in the hospital or convalescent home. Become a source of joy and consolation for those who suffer. 5. Share your talents this Advent Season, be it in cooking, singing, dancing, artwork, or humor. If you think your don’t have artistic talents, your smiles, presence, affirmation, and love are enough.
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Minding Your Finances Atty. RAymond BulAon ONE of the common questions that I’m asked by people consulting with me about their debt problems is: “How will filing bankruptcy change my life?” I think people ask this question because of the negative things that they may have heard about bankruptcy from their friends, family, co-workers and neighbors. They can’t imagine living without credit cards again- or being able to buy a house someday if they don’t have one already. They think that a bankruptcy on their credit report means that they will be forever looked upon as outcasts in our economy. My short response to this is: NON-SENSE. While bankruptcy is not for everyone, millions upon millions of people who have no way of getting out of debt have found it to be the BEST thing that they ever did in their lives! Imagine someone who doesn’t even make enough to pay their bills and put food on the table. They know they owe creditors and understand their legal obligations. They’re doing their best to pay but simply can’t. If they
How will filing bankruptcy change your life? “While bankruptcy is not for everyone, millions upon millions of people who have no way of getting out of debt have found it to be the BEST thing that they ever did in their lives!” pay creditors, that means they can’t pay rent or buy groceries. They’re going through a very difficult time and they’re feeling desperate. Bill collectors are calling. Some creditors have already obtained a judgment and have started garnishing the person’s paycheck. What is this person to do? If you can pay your bills, YOU SHOULD—and that is the right thing to do, of course. But if you have done your absolute best to honor all your financial obligations and have reached that point where nothing short of filing bankruptcy can resolve your debt problems, it could be a big turning point in your life. How about getting a good night’s sleep for a change? Most people in debt are so stressed out that they can no longer think straight. A lot of people find it unavoidable to seek bankruptcy relief due to circumstances beyond their control. Unpaid medical bills can be a huge burden to
people who cannot afford insurance. Businesses fail. People can get sick, go through a divorce, become disabled or suffer a death in the family. They can get laid off after years of working for the same employer. There are a multitude of reasons that lead to bankruptcy and a lot of them are not within your control. If you are in your current situation because of some irresponsible behavior on your part, bankruptcy can be a good lesson you can learn from so you don’t make the same mistakes again. Because if you don’t learn the lesson and make the necessary changes to avoid the same mistakes, I guarantee you that you will be in the same financial mess again sooner or later. But there are a lot of positive changes that can come out of filing bankruptcy. First is peace of mind. Bankruptcy can protect everything that you’ve worked so hard for and you can sleep better
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How to obtain custody and visitation rights for unmarried dads Establishing parentage rights for Moms is a lot easier than establishing one for unmarried Dads. Moms can establish this by simply showing proof of her having given birth to the child. Family Code §7610. Establishing parentage rights, including custody and visitation rights, becomes more problematic with unmarried Dads because proving yourself as the biological father does not automatically make you the natural father of the child. Under the family code, there are competing presumptions of paternity which allows the non biological father to be deemed the natural father of the child. A typical situation is when boyfriend gets girlfriend pregnant. Girlfriend for some reason decides to exclude boyfriend from baby’s life so she breaks up with boyfriend, does not give the boyfriend any information about her delivery, and does not state the boyfriend
Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth uRsuA Reyes as the father in the birth certificate or decides to name someone else as the father. Girlfriend does this because her parents disapprove of the ex boyfriend. One way a presumption of Paternity is created is by executing a voluntary declaration of paternity. A Voluntary declarations executed before 1997 give rise to a conclusive presumption of paternity and can be overcome only by blood or genetic tests ordered on noticed motion by the mother or presumed father must be made within three years of the date of execution of the voluntary declaration Family.
Code. § 7576; Kevin Q. v. Lauren W. (2009) 175 CA4th 1119, 1133, 95 CR3d 477, 485 If the voluntary declaration of paternity is executed after 1996, it is not characterized as a conclusive presumption. Instead, it “shall establish the paternity of a child and shall have the same force and effect as a judgment for paternity issued by a court of competent jurisdiction” and trumps §7611 presumptions discussed below. A post 1996 voluntary declaration of paternity “shall be recognized as a basis for the establishment of an order for child custody, visitation, or child support.” Family .Code §§ 7573, 7644; Kevin Q. v. Lauren W., supra, 175 CA4th at 1132, 95 CR3d at 485; In re J.L. (2008) 159 CA4th 1010, 1019, 72 CR3d 27, 33. Another way of establishing presumed father status is if you fall under any of the categories listed (a) to (f) under family code §7611:
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Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. A SEPARATION or severance agreement or release is a contract between an employer and an employee who is about to leave the employer’s employment. In a typical agreement, the employer agrees to give the employee additional compensation (the severance pay) in exchange for the outgoing employee’s agreement not to sue the employer for any employment-related claims such as wrongful termination or back wages. Employers are not required by law to provide any severance pay to their employees, regardless of whether the end of employment is due to a resignation, a firing, or a layoff. Even if an employee has worked for several years for the same employer, the employer is still not obligated to provide a severance pay if the employer decides to fire such a long-time employee. Most employers do not sponsor formal severance pay plans. However, some employers offer formal severance pay plans that provide conditions for eligibility. An employer, for example, may provide severance pay to long-time employees in the event of a layoff. This means severance pay is a matter of agreement between the employer and the employee. A severance pay is usually calculated according to a specific formula, often based on the employee’s length of service. An employee may try to negotiate for more severance pay than what is being offered, especially if the employee has been with the company for many years, has an excellent service record, or has provided increased value to the employer’s business. An employee may also negotiate how to receive the severance pay, for example, as a lump sum payment, as a salary
Legal Advice Atty. DArriCk tAn WE have all heard the popular saying, “Timing is everything.” Unfortunately, this saying often adversely applies to those persons who have found an avenue from which to obtain a green card, only to be prohibited from doing so because he/she has a prior removal/ deportation order. A typical scenario involves a person who entered the U.S. years ago on a B-2 tourist visa, overstayed, and was ordered removed by the Immigration Court. Fast forward to today, that person who was ordered removed finds true love and marries a U.S. citizen. Seemingly close to finally obtaining permanent resident status, he/she is precluded from doing so because of the prior removal/deportation order. What options does one have in such a case? A motion to reopen the removal/deportation proceedings and rescind the removal/deportation order can be filed in Immigration Court. If the motion to reopen the proceedings and rescind the removal/deportation order is successful, the alien can pursue whatever relief from removal/deportation that is available to him/her. For the scenario cited in the first paragraph, the relief would be adjustment of status to permanent resident via marriage to a U.S. citizen spouse. The relief would be presented in Immigration Court, with the Immi-
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 8-11, 2018
What to do if asked to sign Senior wants Chapter 7 to a separation or release discharge $30K in credit cards document at termination “A severance pay is usually calculated according to a specific formula, often based on the employee’s length of service. An employee may try to negotiate for more severance pay than what is being offered, especially if the employee has been with the company for many years, has an excellent service record, or has provided increased value to the employer’s business.” continuation for a specific period, or as periodic payments. Each method has an advantage and a pitfall. Most importantly, before signing or negotiating for a severance agreement, or signing any kind of release after a termination, an employee should keep in mind the following things: Has the employer paid all hours worked by the employee, including overtime? Has the employer paid the employee for meal or rest breaks that were not provided to the employee? If the employee is entitled to vacation, has the unused vacation been paid? If the employee is being terminated, what is the reason for the termination? If an employer fired an employee for a discriminatory or retaliatory reason, the employee may be entitled to damages. Does the severance agreement protect the employee from any potential claims for wrongful behavior or harassment that might be brought by the employer? So, should you sign a severance package? It depends. If you had been paid correctly for all hours worked, if you received all your meal and rest periods, and if you have no issues regarding your termination, then a severance package is a generous and welcome benefit. But if you were not paid
all your hours worked, including overtime, and you were not provided meal and rest periods, or the termination was wrongful – then a severance package may be a way for your employer to stop you from asserting your rights and seeking remedies in court. If this is the case, you would be in a better position to consult with a knowledgeable employment attorney before you sign anything. Lastly, employers must immediately pay all compensation due to the employee at the time of termination. It is illegal for employers to threaten to not pay terminated employees for work already performed unless the employees sign some kind of “release.” A release signed by the employee under these circumstances may not be enforced. *** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at no-cost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www. joesayaslaw.com or our Facebook page Joe Sayas Law. [C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. is an experienced trial attorney who has successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is the recipient of PABA’s Community Champion Award for 2016.] (Advertising Supplement)
Rescinding removal/ deportation order to allow for adjustment of status “A motion to reopen the removal/deportation proceedings and rescind the removal/deportation order can be filed in Immigration Court. If the motion to reopen the proceedings and rescind the removal/deportation order is successful, the alien can pursue whatever relief from removal/deportation that is available to him/her.” gration Judge to decide the merits of the adjustment of status application. Alternatively, if an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) can be obtained to terminate the proceedings, a decision on the adjustment of status application can be made outside Immigration Court, by the USCIS. Generally, a motion to reopen removal/deportation proceedings must be filed within 90 days of the date of entry of the removal/ deportation order. However, several bases upon which a motion to reopen may be filed past 90 days exist, and are discussed below. Under 8 CFR § 1003.23(b)(4), a motion to reopen can be filed at any time if notice of the proceedings was not received by the person subject to the removal/deportation order, and a removal/deportation order was entered in his absence. Written notice of the time and place of removal proceedings must be given in person to the alien, or shall be given by certified mail to the alien or to the alien’s counsel of record. INA §242B(a)(2)(A). Further, written notice of the proceedings, if provided by certi-
fied mail, must be provided at the most recent address reported by the alien. Matter of Grijalva, Interim Decision 3246 (BIA 1995). The requirements for notice of removal/deportation proceedings are strict, and careful analysis of a person’s immigration court file often results in finding evidence that DHS did not comply with required procedure, which can be the basis for reopening the removal/deportation proceeding. Further, the Immigration Judge has discretionary authority to reopen or reconsider cases on his or her own motion (“sua sponte”) at any time providing a valid basis can be shown. 8 CFR § 1003.23(b)(1). Careful analysis of not only the immigration court file, but also the specific facts and circumstances of the case is necessary to put forward a valid basis on which the Immigration Judge can rely to reopen the proceedings. Some bases upon which cases I have been able to reopen cases include improper section cited by the DHS attorney in the charging document, insufficient
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How will filing bankruptcy change... PAGE C2 t
at night knowing that creditors are not going to be able to just take them from you. Once you are relieved from the burden of debt, your future can be exciting again. You can start taking control of your finances and plan for your retirement, your children’s education, perhaps start saving again instead of going through life aimlessly without a financial plan. Life after bankruptcy depends on what you do after the law has given you that second chance
you badly needed to recover and rebuild your life. Your credit heals only after 2-3 years but this doesn’t mean that you should start borrowing again just because you can. Before bankruptcy, most people are confined to limited options because of the heavy debt burden that they carry. Being debt-free (or having less debt) after bankruptcy certainly opens the door to new possibilities. Isn’t that what you really need if you are in the situation I described above? If you or someone you know
is in financial trouble, I provide a free consultation to discuss all possible options including bankruptcy. Please call Toll-Free 1866-477-7772 to schedule a free consultation. We have offices in Glendale, Cerritos and Valencia. *** None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped thousands of clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call Ray Bulaon Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1 (866) 477-7772. (Advertising Supplement)
10 tips to celebrate Advent and... PAGE C2 t 6. Don’t be shy about telling your family members and friends that you love them. Shower them with affection and love. 7. Reach out to long-lost friends. Surprise them with a telephone call. Renew friendships. It may be the best thing that can happen to you this Advent and Christmas. 8. Fast from engrossing yourself in social media, whether it’s Facebook or Instagram. Engage in “real time” meaningful conversation with those who are next to you or in front of you at mealtimes. Rest your mind from the waking effects of cell phones
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and computers before you go to sleep. 9. Observe your eating habit this Advent and Christmas season. Control your appetite for unhealthy food such as those dishes and desserts with high sugar, fat, and salt. As a temple of God, keep your body healthy with proper diet, exercise, and enough sleep. For exercise, take a walk around the neighborhood if you don’t go to a gym. Breath the fresh air in the morning and take in the rays of the morning sun. 10. Start each day with joyful expectation and hope for God’s blessings and end it with a sincere prayer of gratitude.
I hope that these 10 tips will help you prepare with ease and joy the coming of Christmas. Have a Blessed Advent!
*** From a Filipino immigrant family, Reverend Rodel G. Balagtas was ordained to the priesthood from St. John’s Seminary in 1991. He served as Associate Pastor at St. Augustine, Culver City (1991-1993); St. Martha, Valinda (1993-1999); and St. Joseph the Worker, Canoga Park (1991-2001). In 2001, he served as Administrator Pro Tem of St. John Neumann in Santa Maria, CA, until his appointment as pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Los Angeles, in 2002, which lasted 12 years. His term as Associate Director of Pastoral Field Education at St. John’s Seminary began in July 2014. (Advertising Supplement)
Debt Relief
Atty. LAwrenCe yAng THE client is 64, a young senior. I say young because I consider seniors in their 60s as still active and robust. Except for more white hair, they still feel like they are 30. The problem with being in the 60s is that 70 is just around the corner. Now when one becomes 70, after 10 years, you become 80. The client says that his net income is $3,500 and that he is separated from his wife. His rent is $600 for a room. He sends money to his brothers and sisters in his country of origin. The problem is that he owes $30,000 in credit card debt. He pays a minimum of $1,000 a month for the credit cards. He also has a car payment of $350. We don’t have to do more calculations here. The minimum payment of $1,000 for credit cards is almost a third of his next income. That is just way too much. He wants to get rid of his credit cards now that he is 64 so he can start saving some money. Well, it’s a little late to start saying money now but at least with the discharge of all of his credit cards, he can save $12,000 in the next 12 months, and $24,000 next year, then $36,000, and then $48,000. So when he turns 69, just before he becomes 70, he can have $50,000 saved up which he can use any way he wants. This is a lot better than keeping these cards, paying them $50,000 for the next four years, then still owing them the same principal of $30,000 when he turns 70. So, this is really a nobrainer, isn’t it? Would he rather have $50,000 in cash and not owe anything at the age of 69, or throw away $50,000 in minimum payments and still owe $30,000 credit cards at age 69? He asks if his brother, whom he used as a reference for a personal loan and did not sign a personal guaranty, is legally liable for his debt if it is discharged in bankruptcy. Of course not. The brother can only be made liable for his debt if the brother signed a written personal guaranty. Without a signed personal guaranty, the brother
used as a reference cannot be sued because he has no legal liability to the creditor of the client. Chapter 7 to discharge $45K credit cards Next, the clients are husband and wife who are 72 and 71, respectively. The wife made sure that I understood that she was only 71 and is one year younger than her husband who is 72. Yes, I got that. One year makes all the difference. I told her that I stopped counting 20 years ago and advised her to do the same. It’s useless to keep counting, what’s the big deal anyway? Who wants to know that you are now one year closer
long time ago. They immediately decide to file for Chapter 7 to discharge the $46,000 of credit cards. Peace of mind without credit card payments is what they need now at 72 and 71. Business owners need Chapter 7 to discharge $200K loans and wage garnishment by SBA The last clients were business owners. They are also seniors at 60 and 61. The owned a business that closed down in 2007. When the business closed, the company, which is an S corporation, owed an Small Business Administration (SBA) loan of $49,000, which is
“ Look at the picture of the Indonesian guy who is the oldest man alive at 145. I mean what can you do at 145? You’re practically a cadaver and blind. Can’t hear anything. The quality of life is just zilch.” to leaving this earth; certainly not yourself. Look at the picture of the Indonesian guy who is the oldest man alive at 145. I mean what can you do at 145? You’re practically a cadaver and blind. Can’t hear anything. The quality of life is just zilch. The clients owe $46,000 in credit card debt. Their social security is $3,000 a month. Rent is at $1,200. They have $1,800 left but their credit cards need a minimum of $1,500. How are they going to eat and pay for other necessities if they continue to pay $1,500 for credit cards? They can grow their own vegetables in their backyard — if they had one. They rent an apartment with no backyard. The husband says that he has all kinds of muscle pain and has a pacemaker, so that kills his plan to drive for Uber so he can raise another $1,500 to pay for their credit cards. He says they have already lived a full life, having traveled all over the world, using the cards. But they have paid the cards for the last 20 years a total of $360,000, yet they still owe the very same $46,000 of credit cards today. I told them that they should have done their Chapter 7 20 years ago, so today they would have $360,000 in their portfolio earning them at least 5 percent or $1,500 a month, or $18,000 a year. That certainly helps now, instead of paying them a small fortune and still owing them the same amount of $46,000. They should have gotten rid of these cards a
now $89,000 because of the accrued interest. The SBA started to garnish the wife’s wages last week. She didn’t like the garnishment. I can’t blame her — who wants to get your hard-earned wages taken at the rate of 25 percent of gross? As the POTUS says, that is a “bigly” deduction, NOT FAIR! And NOT NICE! In addition, they owe $90,000 of credit card debt plus another $30,000 of unsecured business debt. They ask if it makes sense to settle the accounts owed. I say what for? With a Chapter 7, you can wipe out all of the $210,000 debt, start fresh again with zero debt, all it costs is the attorney & filing fees, which are very reasonable. The settlement in half, for instance, would still cost $120,000, which they don’t have. I mean, the settlement is very expensive compared to Chapter 7 legal fees. You wipe out $240,000 for almost no cost except for legal fees. That’s the American way. Look at the POTUS, his companies filed bankruptcy four times and he still the commander-in-chief. That is one smart dude. VERY SMART!. *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy, business, real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 2841142 for an appointment at 1000 S. Fremont Ave, Mailstop 58, Building A-1 Suite 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803. (Advertising Supplement)
C DECEMBER 8-11, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
FilVetREP’s Jon Melegrito wins AARP Asian American & Pacific Islander Hero Award AARP celebrated its 2018 Asian American & Pacific Islander Hero Award winner Jon Melegrito of Kensington, Maryland for his volunteer work with the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetREP) on Wednesday, December 5 in Washington, DC. Melegrito is the son of a Filipino World War II Veteran. From civil rights to the anti-apartheid movement, he has spent a lifetime building movements for equity and justice. Now, he advocates for Filipino World War II Veterans as a volunteer for a non-profit organization, the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetREP). He is working with fellow advocates to feature the stories of Filipino World War II Veterans and their Congressional Gold Medal at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. “The AAPI Hero Award from AARP is a testament to the tireless efforts of veterans advocates who are determined to honor the inspiring service and sacrifice of Filipino World War II veterans by telling their story and keep-
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Fostering & adoption 101 Mariah Oca, MSW
Jon Melegrito and FilVetREP both received $1,000 to help continue their inspiring work. L-R: (Ret.) Maj. General Tony Taguba. Dehja Bower, AARP interim Senior Vice President for Multicultural Leadership; Jon Melegrito; Daphne Kwok; Ron Mori; and Ryann Tanap of AARP Multicultural Leadership. Photo by Pauli Tarjedo
ing their memory alive. The work that I do allows me to help build a movement for justice and ensure that the voiceless and vulnerable among us are treated with dignity and respect,” said Melegrito.
AARP’s AAPI Hero Award is a nationwide contest that celebrates unsung heroes — volunteer and staff members who work diligently behind the scenes in nonprofit organizations serving AAPI age 50 and older. n
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 D EC E M B E R 8 - D EC E M B E R 1 2
JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles features Sou Fujimoto: Futures of the Future exhibition JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles is pleased to announce the upcoming SOU FUJIMOTO: FUTURES OF THE FUTURE exhibition, taking place Oct. 27 - Dec. 12, 2018 at JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles, located at Hollywood & Highland. Named the Wall Street Journal’s Architecture Innovator of The Year in 2014, Fujimoto has designed public and private buildings around the world since establishing his atelier in 2000. This exhibition is a showcase of over 100 models and largescale photographs of past and current projects by the celebrated Japanese architect. Fujimoto addresses many opposite concepts, including the recurring theme the “primitive future.” This apparent contradiction refers to the primordial, intuitive moments that reconnect us with our own humanity, and open us up to new possibilities. His designs often feature juxtapositions of outside and inside, nature and urbanity, objects and spaces, public and private. And, his work considers the macro and micro: when does an object become a space? Exhibition dates from Oct. 27 to Dec. 12 are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, except Sunday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Closed Thanksgiving Day 11/22). JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles is located at 6801 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028 (inside Hollywood & Highland). Admission is free. For more information, please call (800) 516-0565 or visit https://www.japanhouse.jp/losangeles/events/.
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Art exhibit inspired by Filipino food movement in Santa Ana, CA In “Super Sarap” — from November 3 to December 15 at Gallery 6/67 — three artists Mik Gaspay, Jeanne Jalandoni, and O.M. France Viana revisit commonplace objects and food within Filipino cooking. Through sculpture and photography, the artists elicit personal and collective memories and offer cultural connections that go beyond the Philippine diaspora. The exhibition title, “Super Sarap,” fuses both English and Tagalog together, to hold multiple meanings. It can convey something that is extremely delicious, an expression of excitement and affirmation. Artists in “Super Sarap” play with these definitions and mutate symbols, making them both strange and familiar, challenging the expectations of cultural norms. It is guest curated by Patricia Cariño Valdez, an independent curator based in Oakland, CA. In addition to the exhibit, there will be two art and culinary events: an intimate four-course gourmet dinner prepared by acclaimed Orange County Chefs, Ross Pangilinan of Mix Mix Kitchen Bar on November 15 and Chef Ryan Garlitos of Irenia Restaurant on December 9 combined with an exhibition walk-through. The opening reception for Super Sarap will be on Saturday, November 3 from 6 to 9 p.m. Gallery 6/67 is located at 404 West 4th St., Suite K (2nd floor), Santa Ana, CA 92701. Gallery visits are by appointment. For more information about the exhibit and related events, visit https://www.gallery667.com.
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Food for Action: A Filipino food movement gathering in Culver City, CA NextDayBetter + Los Angeles is back on Sunday, December 9 from 3 to 7:30 p.m. with a gathering where culinary tastemakers, foodies, storytellers and changemakers come together to push the Filipino diaspora forward. Together, we feast over Filipino inspired food, libations, stories, and world-changing ideas. The event will feature a fireside chat with Allie Cuerdo, the director and producer of “ULAM: Main Dish,” followed by a Filipino food movement panel with Alvin Cailan (The Usual NYC/Eggslut), Chase Valencia (LASA), Adrienne Borlongan (Wanderlust Creamery), Barb Batiste (Big Boi / B Sweet), and Johneric Concordia (The Park’s Finest). The conversation will be moderated by SOSUPERSAM. The event will take place at Playa Studios (11260 Playa Ct, Culver City, CA 90230). Early bird tickets are $35, regular price is $40. Ticket price comes with access to panel plus food and drinks from popular LA vendors. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit http://nextdaybetterla.splashthat.com/.
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Long Beach Parol Lantern Festival The inaugural Long Beach Parol Lantern Festival will be held on Saturday, December 15 from 5 to 10 p.m. along Pine Ave. and 4th Street in Long Beach, CA. Celebrate and learn about the Filipino holiday tradition in Downtown Long Beach. There will be parol making lessons, food, entertainment, and more! Inspired by the SF Parol Lantern Fest, Chef Romeo Garcia of Rome Chocolates forged a team of people in the Long Beach community to assist in getting his vision for this event off the ground and onto Pine Ave. The Long Beach Bacolod Association is the non-profit partner for this inaugural event which is sponsored by Romeo Chocolates and First District Councilwoman Lena Gonzalez. For more information, please visit http://www.lbparollanternfest.com.
PAFCOM’s 3rd Annual ‘Pasko sa Hudson Mall’ in Jersey City PAFCOM is inviting the community to join ‘Pasko sa Hudson Mall’, on Saturday, December 15 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. There will be health screenings (blood pressure, blood glucose, BMI/weight screening and general health counsellors will be present. There will be Zumba from 11:00 a.m. to 12 noon and line dancing from 12 noon to 1:00 p.m. There will also be live music and caroling, face painting and tattooing for the entire family.
“Simbang Gabi” at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels in LA The Filipino Ministry leaders of San Gabriel Pastoral Region, this year’s sponsoring region and the Archdiocesan Filipino Ministry Council would like to invite our whole Filipino community to our traditional Archdiocesan “Simbang Gabi” at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels with our beloved Archbishop Jose Gomez as the main celebrant, the Regional Bishops and the Clergy of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles on Saturday, December 15. The procession of the parols begins at 6:30 p.m. with the liturgy at 7 p.m. It will take place at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels (555 West Temple St., LA, CA 90012). Filipiniana/Barong attire is encouraged but not mandatory.
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
Fostering Filipino children & the ‘bayanihan’ spirit
Filipino foster children in Los Angeles are jarring, they also expose an opportunity to tap into the true bayanihan spirit to move homes for these children. When you meet foster parents, they certainly won’t sugar coat the fostering journey, but as one foster mother said, “once we have overcome all these difficulties, we see kids grow, we see kids thrive, we see kids are...happy - and that’s very important.” The Asian Foster Family Initiative or AFFI is a foster family agency (FFA) that receives calls from LA County to support Filipino children and youth who are in urgent need of Filipino families to take them in - whether it be temporary or for longer, depending on each child’s case. Prospective families attend training sessions and go through series of interviews with AFFI to equip them with almost everything they need to become a resource family for children in need (according to recent laws, the new term for “foster families” is a “resource family”). At AFFI, we educate, recruit, and train more Filipino Resource Families who can provide a loving, warm, and culturally sensitive home to the many Filipino foster children and youth in the system. Collectively, we can build on our bayanihan spirit. To help paint a picture of the increasing demand for Filipino resource families, take into consideration the story of a 10-month-old Filipina infant who was newly detained in the foster care system in
October - because she was in her prime years of learning language which would shape her worldview, it would have been optimal for her to join a Tagalog-speaking resource family, but none were available for her. In November and December, multiple sets of Filipino siblings between the ages of 12-17 years old were in need of a Filipino resource family, but they were also placed outside of culture due to the limited pool of Filipino families to support them. Our team at AFFI needs your help to spread awareness of this demand within our Filipino networks, not to “call out” or shame our community, but rather to uplift and empower our children and families through the bayanihan spirit. We urge you to inquire if you are interested in helping to transform lives. “Don’t let fear hinder you from becoming a Resource Parent. If you have the heart to help, follow it,” Armida Chow, a Filipina Resource Parent urging Filipinos to inquire about the fostering journey to see if it’s a fit for their family.
“When I think of 600 to 800 abused and neglected foster kids of Asian descent who need a home that meets their culture, that’s a lot of kids that need help.” - Connie Chung Joe The month of December is a time for family, for tradition, and for precious moments spent with loved ones; however, there is a harsh reality that I was exposed to this year in learning that, on average, Filipino foster kids make up the majority of Asian children in the Los Angeles County foster care system and more often than not, there are close to zero foster parents of Filipino descent to take them in. Why is it important that foster kids are placed within their heritage, whenever possible? Three main factors: loss of culture, loss of language, and expounding levels of trauma. Perhaps these traumatic experiences are not as unique in our community as we’d like to think. After all, family separation is a universal truth that all immigrants are exposed to, right? Particularly for *** Filipino Americans, our lolos, lolas, We all know a family member, relative, or parents, and siblings may have perhaps even ourselves who have the resources ventured to the States, leaving you and the heart to share with these children. In behind for a few years. Or, perhaps, order to attend our Pre-Approval Parent Trainings you were the first generation of in March 2019, you must attend an Orientation your family to emigrate and work hosted by the Asian Foster Family Initiative, which towards sending money and holiis the first and only Asian Pacific Island focused day gifts back to the Motherland. foster family agency in the nation. Please contact In some shape or another, the Mariah at moca@kfamla.org or (213) 235-4851 for resilience of the Filipino spirit is any questions and/or to register. extraordinary. I am reminded of that when I speak to the few Filipino foster parents who have created homes, temporary or permanent, for children to relearn what trust is. As adults, we have the power to impact children and remind them that they deserve to not only have three meals a day, but to simply smile and feel safe with people who care about them deeply. While the reality and statistics of Filipino resource parent training session in August 2018.
Kalayaan Incorporated introduces new officers for 2018-2019 ROSEMEAD — Kalayaan Incorporated celebrated the induction of new officers, and affirmation of dedication to community service by all board members for fiscal year 2018/2019, during its Christmas party on Sunday, Dec. 2, at Double Tree by Hilton. With Consul General Adelio Angelito S. Cruz of the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles as guest speaker and inducting officer, Annie Cuevas-Lim was inducted as the new Chairman/ President of Kalayaan, and Lydia V. Solis as the Vice Chair and President-elect.
Kalayaan is proud and fortunate to have them both lead the organization to a higher path. Ms. Lim was the former Director of the Philippine Department of Tourism here in Los Angeles, and Ms. Solis, former Kalayaan PRO. With their vast experience and many years of volunteerism in the Fil-Am community, the charitable missions of Kalayaan as well as the upcoming preparation for the annual commemoration of the Philippine Independence Day on June 1, 2019, at the LAX Marriott Hotel, successful implementations are ahead. The following officers were also
inducted: Lynda Joco, Secretary; Bituin Villanueva, Assistant Secretary; Erlinda Granada-Sabah, Treasurer, Marilou Perez, Assistant Treasurer; Benel Se-Liban, Auditor; Lolita Frialde Bandong, Assistant Auditor; and Violeta Mislang and Lady Hope Robillos as Press Relations Officers. With a dance number from the Kalayaan ladies, exciting dance presentation by the Junior New System, an all-male Filipino dance group and America’s Got Talent semi-finalist, and song renditions from Felson Palad, the event was enjoyed by all. n
How to obtain custody and... PAGE C2 t (a) He and the child’s natural mother are or have been married to each other and the child is born during the marriage, or within 300 days after the marriage is terminated by death, annulment, declaration of invalidity, or divorce, or after a judgment of separation is entered by a court. (b) Before the child’s birth, he and the child’s natural mother have attempted to marry each other by a marriage solemnized in apparent compliance with law, although the attempted marriage is or could be declared invalid, and either of the following is true: (1) If the attempted marriage could be declared invalid only by a court, the child is born during the attempted marriage, or within 300 days after its termination by death, annulment, declaration of invalidity, or divorce. (2) If the attempted marriage is invalid without a court order, the child is born within 300 days after the termination of cohabitation. (c) After the child’s birth, he and the child’s natural mother have married, or attempted to marry, each other by a marriage solemnized in apparent compliance with law, although the attempted marriage is or could be declared invalid, and either of the following is true: (1) With his consent, he is named as the child’s father on the child’s birth certificate. (2) He is obligated to support the child under a written voluntary promise or by court order. (d) He receives the child into his home and openly holds out the child as his natural child. (e) If the child was born and resides in a nation with which the United States engages in an Orderly Departure Program or successor program, he acknowledges that he is the child’s father in a declaration under penalty of perjury, as specified in Section 2015.5
of the Code of Civil Procedure. This subdivision shall remain in effect only until January 1, 1997, and on that date shall become inoperative. (f) The child is in utero after the death of the decedent and the conditions set forth in Section 249.5 of the Probate Code are satisfied. An alleged biological father who does not meet any of the § 7611 conditions for presumed father status has no constitutionally-protected “liberty interest” in establishing a parentage relationship with a child as against the rights of a presumptive father who has an extant parentage relationship with the child. Dawn D. v. Super. Ct. (Jerry K.) (1998) 17 C4th 932, 940–942, 72 CR2d 871, 876–877 The facts get even more complicated if the girlfriend, whom boyfriend gets pregnant is married to another man because the law provides a conclusive presumption of paternity to the husband of the girlfriend. Under Family Code §7540, the child of a wife cohabiting at time of conception with her husband, who is not impotent or sterile, is “conclusively” presumed to be a child of the marriage. This conclusive presumption may be challenged by showing that the husband was sterile. It may also be challenged by filing a motion for blood or genetic testing under Family Code §7541 but this has to be done within 2 years of the childs birth. In addition, only persons with standing can bring this motion which is limited to the husband, child, mother and a presumed father as listed in Family Code §7611 and 7612. Even absent a recognized rebuttal, the court has discretion as a matter of due process not to apply § 7540 conclusive presumption of paternity when it would not further the statute’s underlying policies of preserving the integrity and stability of an extant marital family, protecting children from
the stigma of “illegitimacy,” and promoting individual rather than State responsibility for child support ... as where the ostensible § 7540 presumptive father never developed a parental relationship with the child and the only established parent-child relationship is with a third person. Brian C. v. Ginger K. (2000) 77 CA4th 1198, 1200–1201, 92 CR2d 294, 296; In re Kiana A. (2001) 93 CA4th 1109, 1115, 113 CR2d 669, 675. Procedurally, the ex boyfriend should file a Petition for Parentage as soon as the child is born. While the case is pending, the ex boyfriend may seek temporary visitation order although this may be on a limited or even monitored basis. If successful in proving parentage, the ex boyfriend may be granted custody and visitation rights. However, the ex boyfriend would also have the obligation of paying child support based on California guidelines. *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 3881611 or e-mail kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com. (Advertising Supplement)
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 8-11, 2018
San Pablenos celebrate the holidays, induct new officers of the San Pablo City Association East Coast THE city of Seven Lakes celebrates the many facets of its heritage with a gala for the Christmas Holidays and inducts the new officers of the San Pablo City Association. The hub of Laguna , Batangas, and Quezon provinces, San Pablo represents the best qualities of the the three provinces. Some residents (maybe crazy as coconuts, sweet as the lanzones, and warm as steaming bowl of Batangas bulalo) may have different things to say. But they will always be positive. You may tease a San Pableno by adding “y� to every vowel ending Tagalog word but it’s something that makes its lingo unique. While it may appear that the city itself is left behind by the construction of the diversion road and no tall buildings along Rizal Ave to externally indicate progress and prosperity, the way of life and warmth of its people continue to pervade the climate. Numerous developments along people oriented businesses like tourism developments of its natural wonders and assets have steadily progressed. The cultural affiliation and pride is so deep that while locals move far away, they remain so attached to the womb so to speak. And the San Pablenos in the East Coast is part and parcel of many organizations that remain partial to their beloved home town. Abe, (Abraham Elarmo) who has been with the Association as member and later President in 2010 (Andy Castillo being the first first one in 1986) thinks that the ease of travel and the convenience of the multimedia contribute to the strong bond between the city and its native sons and among kababayans. At any given time, a group will
vacation home and as they witness the needs of the locals, they can readily communicate and get immediate response from the those living abroad. “Gupitan sa Barangay,� sound system for Ambray Elem School, all the way to the more recent medical and dental projects undertaken during Francis Z’s term are but a few of the notable projects undertaken by “patak patak lang“ system. Medical missions are also instant responses as well as donations to the existing causes of the residents. “We want to continue those supportive moves and expand them,� says Alma Grace Avanzado, the incoming President who is convinced that this is her “payback� time to her beloved city. “I know we can do more and even strengthen the bond among those who are far away among themselves and those in the motherland. Technology has made it easier for us to meet via teleconference in meetings (Val Lugti, VP for Maryland and Ruben Medalla from Virginia need not travel to NY to attend a meeting and plan). A fun teleconference would be as good. We shall harness technology and the techies of the city to be more effective.� “We have to be more inclusive if the organization has to be stronger,� adds Soc Biscocho, the incoming Executive Vice President. To welcome all San Pablenos “short, tall, young, old, different religious orientation and sexual affiliation,� he quips with sincerity. VPs of the regions Paul Santiago for NY, Val Lugti for Maryland, Ruben Medalla for Virginia, Tessie Senerador for Connecticut, Jocelyn Danila for
Rescinding removal/deportation... PAGE C3 t evidence presented by the DHS attorney in proving up the case against the alien, and hardship and humanitarian concerns. If you have a prior removal/deportation order which is preventing you from adjusting status, it is recommended that you consult with an experienced attorney to ascertain the bases upon which a motion to reopen can be filed.
*** Darrick V. Tan, Esq. is admitted to practice law in California and Nevada. Mr. Tan is a graduate of UCLA and Southwestern University School of Law. He is a member of the Consumers Attorney Association of Los Angeles and is a former member of the Board of Governors of the Philipp ine American Bar Association. *** LAW OFFICES OF DARRICK V. TAN, 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Tel: (323) 639-0277. Email: info@dtanlaw.com. (Advertising Supplement)
Induction Ceremony
North Jersey, Rene “Chew� Perez for South Jersey and Renato “Onjet� Brion for Pennsylvania are all on board and committed to active participation. “The number of participants and others with their long commute to come and celebrate together is a strong indication that we have the involvement of
most current members,� adds Paul Santiago, VP for New York. This organization thrives over the years with commitment of previous leaders who refuse to let it fade away by actively participating. Everyone is welcome to the next major activity, which is the fiesta slated on Jan 12, 2019.
Alma House Initial Meeting
Sampaloc Lake
Picnic Election
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What do ‘Dates for Filing’ and ‘Application Filing DBS: PH growth to hit 6.4% in 2019 Dates’ mean on the monthly Visa Bulletin? by MAYVELIN
SINCE October 2015, the monthly Visa Bulletin (priority dates) was revised, adding a new column or chart called the “Application Filing Dates or “Dates for Filing.” (There is also a column or chart called “Final Action Dates” or “Visa Issuance Dates.”) But what does the Application Filing Date mean? How does it affect the issuance of an immigrant visa or granting of adjustment of status? Many people are confused between the Application Filing Date and the Final Action Date. Final Action date. This is the column or chart for what had been the actual priority dates, when a visa could be issued or adjustment of status approved and to calculate a child’s age under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA). Dates for Filing date. After the State Department publishes the monthly Visa Bulletin, USCIS decides whether it will use the Dates for Filing or Final Action Dates for accepting adjustment of status applications for family and employment-based petitions. If USCIS uses the “Dates for Filing” chart for a particular month, and the person’s priority date is earlier than the priority date on the Dates for Filing chart, they can already file for adjustment of status and work authorization (provided they are otherwise eli-
Immigration Corner ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ gible). This could allow people to obtain work authorization much sooner than when they had to wait for the priority date to be current (in the Visa Issuance or Final Action Date column) to file for adjustment and be eligible for a green card. The Dates for Filing column would also be about the time the NVC would send out forms to the beneficiary to be filled out, if the person is applying for an immigrant visa abroad. The Dates for Filing column also reflects when the State Department expects the Final Action Dates to be current 8 to 12 months in the future. In other words, if a person’s priority date is listed in the Dates for Filing column, their priority date would be current in the Final Action Date column in less than a year. However, if a person priority date is current in the Dates for Filing date column, it does not mean they are eligible for a visa or adjustment of status right now. Instead, they might be eligible 8 to 12 months later. If you have a priority date, and
it is close to being current, and you have questions as to which chart applies to you and whether you are eligible to apply for immigration benefits in a particular month, you should seek the advice of an attorney, to make sure you’re not missing out on a critical filing date. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-4873465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINE (Advertising Supplement)
Business Quote of the Week “Good leaders organize and align people around what the team needs to do. Great leaders motivate and inspire people with why they’re doing it. That’s purpose. And that’s the key to achieving something truly transformational.” —Marilyn Hewson, CEO Lockheed Martin
U. CARABALLO Manilatimes.net
SINGAPORE-based bank DBS expects the Philippine economy to strengthen in 2019 as inflation eases from highs seen this year. “We expect real GDP (gross domestic product) growth to pick up to 6.5 percent in 2019 and moderate slightly to 6.4 percent in 2020 as global trade trends downward,” it said in a report. The lender’s forecasts are an improvement from its 6.3-percent estimate for this year but fall below the government’s 7.0-8.0 percent target. A third-quarter slowdown has weighed on GDP growth, which at a year-to-date 6.3 percent is lower than the downwardly revised 2018 goal of 6.5-6.9 percent. “Given the resilience, and the prospect of inflation easing in the next two years, we believe consumption could grow even stronger,” DBS said, adding that consumption has remained robust despite high consumer prices, partly due to tax cuts under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and
A woman pays for her groceries in a supermarket. Singapore-based bank DBS expects the Philippine economy to strengthen in 2019 as inflation eases from highs seen this year. Manilatimes.net photo by Justine Bitancor
Inclusion (TRAIN) law. Train exempts those earning annual taxable incomes of P250,000 and below from paying personal income taxes. In exchange, new taxes were imposed on fuel, sugar-sweetened beverages and non-essential cosmetic procedures, among others. Oil price drops will help lower inflation but DBS said “it is no time to be complacent just yet.” “We estimate inflation will ease, but would stay above BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) tar-
get range at 4.7 percent in 2019 and ease to 3.8 percent in 2020,” it added. Inflation, which stayed at a nine-year high of 6.7 percent in October, has topped the 2.0-4.0 percent target since March. DBS also noted that while government seemed committed to maintain an expansionary fiscal stance over the next two years, further GDP support from the fiscal side would depend on the approval of a new package of tax reforms.■
BSP says consumer prices on way back to normalcy by DAXIM LUCAS Inquirer.net
THE lower inflation rate recorded in November—albeit still relatively high—confirms that high consumer prices that have plagued the country for most of this year are on their way down, the central bank said. In a message to reporters, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. said, however, that regulators “will need to stay vigilant” over the near term since prices of other goods and services, apart from rice and petroleum, continued to remain elevated. The government announced that the November consumer price index fell to 6 percent after having plateaued at 6.7 percent for September and October, its highest in nearly a decade, thanks to the combined effects of a rice
shortage, high international crude oil prices and the Duterte administration’s tax increases this year. But the central bank chief called the latest number “very encouraging.” “For the first time we are seeing significant negative month-onmonth growth after inflation plateaued,” he said. “It confirms that inflation is heading back to the 2-4 percent target range in response to decisive nonmonetary measures to curb food prices as well as favorable recent developments in highly volatile international oil prices.” To date, the BSP has raised its key interest rate by a total of 175 basis points over six consecutive meetings of its policymaking Monetary Board since May—its most aggressive liquidity tightening streak since the economic crisis of 2000 during the Estrada administration—in a belated response to
the inflation uptrend that began in January. Central bank planners had said the inflation rate was a purely “supply side” issue that would remedy itself by early 2019 without the need for policy intervention. On Wednesday, December 5, Espenilla said the BSP’s “strong” response “significantly reinforced the anti-inflation process through the expectations route and a firmer peso.” He warned, however, that the more direct impact of the central bank’s moves on economic activity “will take a longer time to take hold.” “There’s need to pay close attention to the core inflation trend, which continues to rise through November at 5.1 percent,” he said. “Monetary policy will need to stay vigilant to keep inflation under firm control amid expected strong economic growth.” ■
D DECEMBER 8-11, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
Foreign investment pledges rise 6.5% to P45.9 billion in Q3 by Czeriza
ValenCia Philstare.com
FOREIGN investment pledges approved by the country’s investment promotion agencies rose 6.5 percent in the third quarter, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported Wednesday, December 5. Commitments approved in the third quarter went up to P45.9 billion from P43 billion in the same period last year. These cover investment pledges cleared by the Board of Investments (BOI), Clark Development Corp. (CDC), Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB), BOI-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BOIARMM), and Cagayan Economic zone Authority (CEZA). These cover investment pledges cleared by the Board of Investments (BOI), Clark Development
Corp. (CDC), Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB), BOI-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BOIARMM), and Cagayan Economic zone Authority (CEZA). In the first nine months of the year, foreign investment pledges rose 8.2 percent to P91 billion from P84.1 billion in the same period last year. The bulk of foreign investments during the third quarter came from British Virgin Islands, Malaysia and the U.S. During the reference period, firms from British Virgin Islands committed P15.5 billion (33.8 percent of total), while those from Malaysia and US pledged P10.7 billion and P4.5 billion, representing 23.3 percent and 9.8 percent of total, respectively. By economic sector, electricity, gas, steam and airconditioning supply received the largest com-
niColas Cigaral Philstare.com
THE government’s inflation target for next year would not be affected by the further hike in excise tax on fuel products scheduled to be levied in January, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said Wednesday, December 5. President Rodrigo Duterte’s economic managers last week called off their previous plan to defer the next round of oil tax increase next year, citing the recent drop in world crude prices and the suspension’s fiscal impact. During a Cabinet meeting Tuesday night, December 4, Duterte gave the go signal to proceed with the fuel tax hike. At a press conference, Diokno said the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) assured the economic managers that imposing additional petroleum taxes won’t threaten the government’s 2-4 percent inflation target next year. “As you know the BSP is a member of the [Development Budget Coordination Committee] and before we proposed this and asked them the impact on inflation and they are very optimistic that this will not change their forecast,”
A man carries fuel pump at a gas station in Commonwealth in Quezon City. President Rodrigo Duterte’s economic managers last week called off their previous plan to defer the next round of oil tax increase next year, citing the recent drop in world crude prices and the suspension’s fiscal impact. Philstar.com photo by Michael Varcas
the Budget chief said. “Our forecast for next year is 2-4 percent. We stick by that,” he added. Under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act, or TRAIN law, the increases in petroleum taxes will be automatically suspended should average price of Dubai crude — used as benchmark for Asia — reach $80 per barrel for three consecutive
Fitch: ‘Unfavorable’ economic conditions to crimp PH’ car sales
mitted amount of approved foreign investments during the quarter at P16.1 billion (35 percent share). Real estate activities cornered the second largest share at P11.8 billion (25.6 percent share), followed by manufacturing at P7.6 billion (16.6 percent share). By location, the majority of the approved foreign investment pledges would be used to finance projects in Northern Mindanao (P15.5 billion). Central Luzon Region (Region III) accounted for the second highest amount at P13.5 billion, representing 29.5 percent of total, followed by the National Capital Region at 8.3 billion or 18.2 percent of total pledges. The combined investment pledges of foreign and Filipino firms reached P259.7 billion in the third quarter, a decline of 5.3 percent compared with P274.4 billion the previous year. Filipino firms shared P 213.9 billion worth of pledges or 82.3 percent of total. n
Diokno: Fuel tax hike no threat to 2019 inflation target by ian
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months before the next round of tax hike. In making the recommendation to the president, the DBCC said it took into consideration the suspension’s adverse impact on government revenues and expenditures, as well as the “favorable outlook in world oil prices.” “Dubai crude oil prices have gone down by 14 percent from an PAGE D3
In an analysis, Fitch Solutions Macro Research said stubbornly high inflation and a still weak peso could erode the purchasing power of Filipino consumers and, in turn, act as a drag on new car purchases in 2019. Philstar.com file photo by ian
niColas Cigaral Philstare.com
“UNFAVORABLE” macroeconomic conditions in the form of high interest rates, elevated inflation and a weak currency would likely weigh on the Philippines’ auto sales next year, a Fitch unit said, although a “mild recovery” may be ahead. In an analysis sent to reporters Thursday, December 6, Fitch Solutions Macro Research said stubbornly high inflation and a still weak peso could erode the purchasing power of Filipino consumers and, in turn, act as a drag on new car purchases in 2019. Given that around 60 percent of new cars sold in the Philippines are imported, a currency slump could jack up the cost of these vehicles, Fitch Solutions reported. Meanwhile, rising borrowing costs could place “upside pressure” on pricing for auto loans, Fitch Solutions also said. Citing a decline in consumer confidence recorded by the central bank in the third quarter, the think tank added that the “pessimistic outlook” by consumers for the next 12 months would not bode well for their intentions to buy new vehicles.
Households reeling from soaring prices since the beginning of the year finally got their muchawaited reprieve in November, which saw a four-month low inflation rate of 6 percent on the back of slower price increments for food and tumbling oil prices. With inflation seen abating moving forward, some analysts said the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) can now afford to end its tightening cycle and eventually begin to loosen policy. The BSP has delivered rapid-fire interest rate hikes of 1.75 percentage points since May, among the most aggressive adjustments in Asia. Contrary to the BSP’s prediction that inflation may return to the government’s 2-4 percent target range in 2019, Fitch Solutions said inflation will likely average 5.2 percent next year. Policy rates may also rise by 50 basis points in 2019, it added. Fitch Solutions also projected the Philippine peso to depreciate at a “more gradual pace” and end 2019 averaging P55.57 against the U.S. dollar. “We expect these unfavorable macroeconomic conditions to act as a drag on consumer confidence, and in turn growth in big-ticket item purchases,” the Fitch Group
unit said. Recovery Data of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. and the Truck Manufacturers Association show total vehicle sales dropped for the ninth straight month in October to 9.2 percent, or by 33,150 units, from 36,511 a year ago. The nine consecutive months of year-on-year declines come in the wake of the increase in automobile excise taxes that took effect in January, as well as amid tighter credit conditions after the central bank started raising benchmark interest rates to fight inflation. According to Fitch Solutions, households and businesses “will have adjusted” to the higher vehicle excise taxes next year. Fitch Solutions also said that in 2019, it expects “a mild recovery in the Philippines’ new passenger car market, and forecast sales to grow by 3.2 percent, reaching a total of around 120,000 units by year-end.” “Over our full 2019-2027 forecast period, we forecast passenger car sales in the Philippines to average annual growth of 6.5 percent, reaching a total of around 205,000 units by the end of 2027,” it added.n
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 8-11, 2018 D
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Diokno: Fuel tax hike no threat...
PAGE D2 t average of $79 per barrel in October down to $68 per barrel so far in November,” the DBCC said. Expectations Philippine consumers reeling from soaring prices finally got their much-awaited reprieve in November, which saw a softer inflation print of 6 percent on the back of slower price increments for food and tumbling oil prices. With inflation seen abating moving forward, some analysts said the BSP can now afford to end its tightening cycle and eventually begin to loosen policy. The BSP has delivered rapid-fire interest rate hikes of 1.75 percentage
points since May, among the most aggressive increases in Asia. A central bank official recently said the BSP is now likely to lower its inflation forecasts at its meeting on December 13. Policymakers’ previous forecast was for inflation to average 3.5 percent in 2019 and 3.3 percent in 2020. But in a market commentary, HSBC Global Research economist Noelan Arbis said the central bank may lift key rates by a modest 25 basis points in the first quarter of 2018 in response to the oil tax increases in January. Arbis said the second tranche of fuel tax hike “poses the risk of stoking further inflationary pres-
sures and higher inflation expectations” similar to the first tranche introduced in January this year. “Managing inflation expectations, however, is crucial. We ask the business sector to avoid any unwarranted price increases as experienced during the rollout of the first tranche of fuel excise tax increase,” the country’s economic managers said in a joint statement on Wednesday. “But we urge the public to be on the lookout and report any profiteering activities. We assure everyone that we will follow through with our efforts to maintain price stability and raise the quality of life of every Filipino,” it added. n
DoF urges passage of tobacco tax hikes by Mayvelin
U. Caraballo Manilatimes.net
THE Finance department is hopeful that Congress will approve new tobacco excise tax hikes as these will make cigarettes pricey enough to further discourage smoking, especially among teenagers. In a statement on Tuesday, December 4, the department quoted Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III as having said: “There’s still the Senate. We will try our best. This thing doesn’t end until the president signs it.” “We’re there, we’re keeping at it. We hope that they will come up to what is good for the country,” he added. Dominguez was said to have been reacting to the House of Representatives’ approval of House Bill 8677, which aims to raise the current tax of P35 per pack of cigarettes to P37.50 beginning July 2019. The bill also calls for another increase to P40 in July 2020, P42.50 in July 2021 and P45 in July 2022. Thereafter, the rate will raised by 5 percent annually. The Finance department said the approved increases “did not go far enough to what the Department of Health and anti-tobacco and health advocates have recommended.” It supports a separate measure that aims to raise the tobacco excise tax to P60 per pack in 2019 and increase it by 9 percent annually thereafter. “Society has to agree [on] what is more important: enough money for healthcare or favoring companies that produce products that damage health? That’s what society has to agree on, and
Logistics costs in PH among highest in Asean by roy
Stephen C. Canivel Inquirer.net
LOGISTIC costs ate up about 27 percent of sales of manufacturing firms in the Philippines last year, the highest among selected Southeast Asian countries. This was according to a policy brief made by the International Finance Corp., a member of the World Bank Group, which conducted a survey on this. In the Philippines, the survey covered about 159 companies in major cities such as Clark, Cebu, General Santos and those in Metro Manila. The majority of these are small- and medium-sized enterprises. The policy brief, which was submitted to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), gave for the first time an initial baseline
assessment of the local logistics landscape. Due to limited data, the Philippines was compared only to Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand — where a similar methodology was applied. But even then, the cost-sales ratio varies across sectors, with companies whose products were considered “low value” feeling the pain of expensive logistic costs. For example, the food sector, which accounted for 42 percent of the surveyed respondents, was more likely to be adversely affected by high logistics costs. “When you’re in electronics, you don’t really care about the logistics costs because the value of your goods is high,” said Ruth Banomyong, consultant for the IFC-World Bank in a briefing yesterday.
“If you have goods like rice, cassava, fruits and vegetable, even a one cent increase is a very big issue,” he added. Also, the cost-sales ratio varies across major islands in the country, with Mindanao’s logistics cost eating up 30.32 percent of its sales, higher when compared to those of Luzon (17.48 percent) and Visayas (25.08 percent). According to the IFC document, the cost of logistics in the Philippines took up 27.16 percent of sales on average, the largest cost to sales ratio when compared to the three other countries. Indonesia followed with 21.4 percent, a figure that Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the Philippines should eventually match. Vietnam ranked third with 16.3 percent. Thailand had the lowest at 11.11 percent. n
Tax case hampers Shell’s plans for exploration in PH by ronnel
W. DoMingo
Inquirer.net
Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III
that’s what the representatives in the legislature are supposed to reflect,” Dominguez said. Citing the testimonies of resource persons during deliberations on proposed tobacco tax hikes, the Finance chief claimed that adjustments already imposed under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law had led to a drop in the number of smokers and a corresponding increase in revenues that are being spent in treating Filipinos with smoking-related diseases. “Our revenues have to keep on going up because we are supporting a lot of people who are getting sick from smoking …. I was reading the summary of the testimonies, it’s overwhelmingly in favor of higher taxes for health reasons,” Dominguez said. Under the TRAIN law that took effect at the start of this year, cigarettes packed by hand and by machine were levied P32.50 per pack in 2018, rising to P35 in 2019, P37.50 in 2021 and P40 in 2023. Tax rates will be raised by 4
Manilatimes.net file photo by Ruy Martinez
percent annually thereafter. In September, excise tax collections from tobacco companies reached P8.885 billion, a 136-percent decrease from the previous year’s P21.008 billion and well below the P21.019-billion target. Year to date collections, however, totalled P106.890 billion, exceeding the P96.009-billion target. Meanwhile, cigarette maker Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp. (PMFTC) was firm on its opposition on further excise tax increase. In a statement also issued on Tuesday, PMFTC stressed that “any further increases in excise taxes on tobacco at this time is unwarranted.” “There is still as need to review the impact of the last increase under TRAIN 1 in terms of if tax collection, revenue utilization, on the livelihood of farmers, jobs in the manufacturing sector and the rise of counterfeit cigarettes,” it added.n
DESPITE the government’s drive to rev up exploration activities in the Philippines, Shell is holding off commitments for new upstream sector investments in the country until policies have been made clear and stable. This is according to Cesar G. Romero, Shell country chair in the Philippines, who reiterated the oil giant remained interested in petroleum resources here. “We are prepared to invest but we need stability in government policies and clarity of the fiscal regime.” He was referring to the unresolved matter of whether the
Malampaya natural gas consortium, which includes Shell Philippines Exploration BV as project operator, owes the government income tax that has accumulated to at least P53 billion as the Commission on Audit (COA) insists. The consortium, which includes Chevron Malampaya LLC and state firm PNOC Exploration Corp., disputes the COA’s ruling and the matter is currently pending before the Supreme Court and international arbitration proceedings. Romero said the consortium had paid the government a total of about $10 billion as of August 2018. But Romero said Shell would not move until the tax matter had
been resolved. The Department of Energy last month opened to interested investors 14 prospective petroleum areas as the country’s demand for oil and gas continues to rise while local resources approach depletion. On the downstream sector, Romero—who is also president and chief executive of Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp.—said the company had set a P4-billion capital expenditures kitty for 2019. “We will be spending the same amount for the third year in a row,” he said. The 2019 capex program includes the development and opening of 50 to 70 fuel stations across the country.n
Ayala adds Kia to automotive stable by liSbet
K. eSMael Manilatimes.net
AYALA Corp. has added Kia to its stable of automotive brands, on Wednesday announcing that a subsidiary had signed a distributorship deal with the South Korean carmaker. In a disclosure, Ayala said an agreement had been inked by unit AC Industrial Holdings, Inc. and Kia Motors Corp. to “re-establish” Manilatimes.net file photo the brand, which was formerly under Columbian Autocar Corp. majority stake in Columbian, Alvarez-owned firm. Ayala, which earlier this year said a joint venture would be es“A comprehensive transition was reported to be buying a tablished with the Jose “Pepito” PAGE D5
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Metro Manila to benefit from 3rd telco service
Inquirer.net file photo by Miguel
R. CaMus
METRO Manila residents can avail themselves of the third telco player’s services on its first full year of operations. People living in Batanes, the northernmost province of the Philippines, are less fortunate, with the rollout ignoring the area completely in the first five years. Those were some of the data included in the bid documents submitted by Mislatel Consortium, the venture between businessman Dennis A. Uy’s Udenna Corp. and China Telecom that was named the provisional third telco last month. The documents, which included the so-called Form A that outlined the nationwide coverage plan, was published by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) this week. In its submission, Mislatel will
give full coverage to the National Capital Region’s 12.8 million residents in the first year. Also on the first year, there will be significant coverage in Region IV-A (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Central Luzon, Cagayan Valley and the Ilocos Region. Other provinces and regions such as Bicol, Cebu, Davao and Samar will see coverage in the second year of the third telco’s operations. The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which includes Lanao del Sur and its capital city, the battle-torn Marawi, will see coverage beginning the third year. The regions that include Palawan and Zamboanga will also see their rollout start in the third year. Mislatel Consortium had promised to cover at least 37 percent of the country’s 100 million people in the first year, when it also committed a minimum average internet
speed of 27 megabits (Mbps) per second. According to the NTC, an area is considered covered if at least 80 percent of a barangay has access to fixed and wireless mobile services. By the end of the five-year commitment, it would have covered 84 percent of the population and increased its internet speed to 55 Mbps. This will leave around 16.2 million people without access to the third telco’s services in the first five years. Moreover, data complied by ICT advocacy group Democracy.Net.PH, some 12,000 rural barangays will not be covered by the third telco. The decision to exclude Batanes, which has a population of about 17,000 people, was likely due to the fact that the NTC’s selection rules favored population coverage instead of geographic coverage. n
PAGE D3 t is currently ongoing in line with a targeted relaunch under AC Industrials by January 2019,” it said. Kia will become the sixth brand to be handled by AC Indus-
trials unit AC Automotive — the exclusive distributor of Volkswagen and KTM in the Philippines and also operates Honda and Isuzu dealerships — that just last September forged a partnership with China’s SAIC to bring in the
Maxus commercial vehicle brand starting next year. Ayala ended Wednesday down 1.08 % or P10.50 to P960 apiece, tracking a 0.95 percent drop for the benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index. n
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Ayala adds Kia to automotive stable
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The Preserve at Chino delivers a fresh start at six new neighborhoods
THE Southern California dream can now be yours. In a new home at The Preserve at Chino by Lewis Community Developers, days are filled with first-class amenities, the satisfaction and peace of mind provided by award-winning schools and the remarkable shopping and dining that SoCal is known for. Here, well-respected builders ensure that new homes meet every expectation for quality and craftsmanship for the new home you have always wanted. But, for affordability, search from San Diego to Los Angeles and you’ll see that this masterplanned community stands out from the rest, bringing hopes of homeownership from someday to today. Whether you’re a first-time buyer or ready to retire, your ideal home is waiting for you at The Preserve at Chino. Renowned builders CalAtlantic Homes, Lennar, Richmond American Homes, William Lyon Homes and Woodside Homes craft their homes with exceptional quality, with options for every lifestyle. Ranging from approximately 1,380 to 2,749 square feet with up to five bedrooms and four baths, homes can accommodate even the largest of families. Priced starting in the low $400,000s, these homes are an exceptional deal, making homeownership attainable for all.
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In the center of the community, The Parkhouse at The Preserve at Chino brings neighbors together in an impressive resident-only clubhouse. Whether you’re trying to stay active in the fitness center or getting a little work done in a quieter spot at the business center, The Parkhouse supports all your goals and ambitions. Game rooms and an intimate movie theater will help you relax and unwind. A wonderful location for any event, the multipurpose room has a welcoming feel and features a connected on-site catering kitchen. Lighted tennis courts, a junior Olympic swimming pool, spa and playgrounds make the outdoors at The Parkhouse just as inviting. In addition, The Parkhouse library is a great place for students from the award-winning Cal Aero Preserve Academy across the street to finish homework and study before walking home. Residents will also have access to the agrarian-themed Gardenhouse Recreation Center, where get-togethers happen organically. Community gardens connect residents back to the land, while indoor-outdoor kitchen and dining spaces take farm-to-table entertaining to new heights. Whether you’d rather go for a swim in the junior Olympic pool or lounge on the deck, afternoons in the sun will leave you feeling refreshed and reenergized. The Gardenhouse Recreation Center is all about relaxation that’s in
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harmony with nature. With a home at The Preserve at Chino, days always turn towards new adventures. Just moments away, explore The Shoppes at Chino Hills to find hidden treasures in the shops or a new favorite meal in one of the restaurants. Or take a short drive for new experiences at Chino Spectrum Marketplace, Chino Spectrum Town Center, Eastvale Gateway, Victoria Gardens, Ontario Mills or the famous Fairplex. This exciting location makes it easy to head up to the local mountains, find your spot on the beaches of Los Angeles and Orange counties or tour all the world-famous Southern California entertainment hotspots. From days spent at theme parks to afternoons at prestigious gardens and museums, you’ll find you’re at the center of it all. Connect with nature and your neighbors in more than 33 scenic acres dedicated to parks, playgrounds, lawns and gardens at The Preserve at Chino. Larger parks are home to team sports, picnics, group events and more, while smaller parks spread throughout the neighborhoods for outdoor play closer to home. All year round, these colorful outdoor spaces become an extension of the backyard and bring the community to life. Please call (877) 417-9623 or visit ThePreserveAtChino.com for more information.n (Advertising Supplement)
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