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December 27-29, 2017 Volume 27 - No. 104 • 3 Sections - 20 Pages

DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Cyber threats, fake news expected to rise in 2018

NEW cyber threats, including the prevalence of fake news, are expected to arise in 2018 as the world becomes more interconnected and digitial, according to Trend Micro Inc., a cybersecurity expert. In a report titled “Paradigm Shifts: Trend Micro Security Predictions for 2018,” Trend Micro forecasts the prevalence of digital extortion, business email compromise, and fake news among others. Losses from business email compromise are expected to widen with an increase in digital extortion activities. “In today’s increasingly interconnected environments, users and enterprises in the Philippines stand as vulnerable as the rest of the world to different forms of cybercrime,” said Myla Pilao, director for technology marketing at Trend Micro. Digital extortion will define most cybercriminals’ business model and pave the way for new schemes. Vulnerabilities in IoT devices such as drones, wearables, and medical devices will expand the attackers’

Malacañang yearend report: Duterte admin’s reforms ‘gaining ground’ by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

THE “crucial reforms” introduced by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte since taking office a year ago “have been gaining ground,” Malacañang said in its year-end report released Tuesday, December 26. In its 63-page report, Malacañang

trumpeted the administration’s key accomplishments in line with its goal “to give Filipino people a safe, secure, and comfortable environment through his key platforms of providing law and order, lasting peace, and prosperity for all.” “Crucial reforms being

instituted by the Duterte administration to resolve the nation’s problems have been gaining ground, paving the way for the economy to maintain its growth and allowing the government to pursue more sustainable and inclusive socio-development programs,” Malaca-

ñang said in a statement. According to Malacañang, the Duterte administration “has accomplished much in its first year in office in 2017.” “The president’s decisive leadership, plus the strong collaboration among various government agen-

by IAN

US envoy: PH economy has ‘tremendous potential’ to improve

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PH studying moving embassy to Jerusalem

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THE already robust Philippine economy “can do so much better” because of the Filipinos’ “tremendous potential,” said United States Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim on Tuesday, December 26. According to Kim, the Philippines can furU.S. Ambassador to PH Sung Kim ther improve Inquirer.net photo its already good economic performance because of its young, hardworking and English-speaking population, in addition to its great natural resources. “The Philippines, like many other countries, faces some huge challenges [such as] infrastructure. But I also sense that there is tremendous potential here in the Philippines. It’s a very young population, a hardworking population,” Kim said in an interview with ANC’s Early Edition. The envoy also expressed hope that the U.S. would become a “key partner” in the

cies, has resulted in the attainment of many of the priorities set out by the national government in the last twelve months,” it added in its report. The administration also assured that it “will act in urgency to implement the

DAVAO FIRE. President Rodrigo Duterte consoles the relatives of one of the victims who was trapped inside the NCCC Mall Davao upon hearing the news that their loved one may have zero chance of survival as the ﬁre inside the mall continued to rage on Sunday, December 24. Joining the President is Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence Go. Malacañang photo by Joey Dalumpines

NICOLAS CIGARAL Philstar.com

MANILA — The Philippines is reportedly considering moving its embassy to Jerusalem, a few days after Manila abstained from a United Nations vote calling for the United States to drop its recognition of the Holy City as Israel’s capital. According to a report by the Agence France-Presse, Israeli public radio cited Israeli diplomatic sources as saying that the Philippines was among the countries considering such a move. “We are in contact with at least 10 countries, some of them in Europe” to discuss the move, deputy foreign minister Tzipi Hotovely, who was quoted as saying by AFP, told public radio. Sought for comment, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said it “has always supported the policy of

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PH president promises thorough probe into Davao City mall fire by ALEXIS

ROMERO Philstar.com

MANILA — The truth about the Davao City mall fire will come out, President Rodrigo Duterte said, as he assured victims’ families of a thorough investigation. Duterte, whose daughter is city mayor and whose son announced his resignation as vice mayor on Monday, December 25, said an interagency body has been formed to probe the New City Commercial Center (NCCC) fire, which left at least 37 people dead two days before Christmas. “What I assured them is that the truth will — Let the truth come out…what really happened,” the President told reporters after a private meeting with the kin of the victims at

the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City on Tuesday, December 26. Duterte said investigators from the National Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Philippine National Police would take charge of the investigation into the fire in the city that the President and his family has led for decades. The BPO Industry Employees Network lit candles in Makati on Monday to mourn the deaths of their colleagues and to dramatize their demand for a full-blown investigation. Employees from different BPO firms in Metro Manila participated in the candle-lighting acGrief-stricken relatives of employees trapped in the ﬁre that broke out at NCCC Mall in Davao tivity. “We demand justice and accountability City cry as they wait forward on their loved ones who where trapped inside the four-story

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building. Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte later announced that 36 bodies had been found, which were being processed by the authorities for identiﬁcation. Inquirer.net photo by BArry Ohaylan

DOH chief: WHO update shows Dengvaxia can worsen dengue in some cases Pres. Duterte tells son Paolo to ‘do what is right’ by AUDREY

MORALLO Philstar.com

MANILA — Latest data from the World Health Organization confirmed an “earlier hypothesis” that those inoculated with a dengue vaccine without prior infection of the disease could be at a higher risk of contracting a more severe form of the illness, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said on Tuesday, DeA Manila Health officer scoops empty vials of the anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia inside cember 26. a vaccine storage room last Dec. 5 in Manila. The controversial vaccine, manufactured by Duque said five-year follow-up Sanofi Pasteur and administered to more than 700,000 Filipino children, was put on hold by the Philippine government after new study findings showed it posed risks of severe cases in data from the WHO showed that people without previous infection. Philstar.com photo the risk of developing a more se-

vere form of dengue among this group persisted for up to a period of five years after the first dose of anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia was given. The WHO data also showed the efficacy of Dengvaxia in reducing the risk of severe dengue and hospitalization overall among vaccinated trial participants, according to the DOH chief. “Based on the latest update from the WHO, the five-year follow up data provides evidence of reduced risk of severe dengue and hospitalization overall among

“DO what you think is right.” This was what Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte advised his son, Paolo Duterte, when the latter offered to quit from his post as Davao City’s vice mayor. In a media briefing on Monday evening, December 25, the president revealed that his son had sought his advice resigning from the city’s second-in-command.

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by AJPRESS

Resigned Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte Philstar.com photo

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From the Front Page

Malacañang yearend report... PAGE A1 Philippine Development Plan for 2017-2022, which covers the socioeconomic agenda and strategic infrastructure development” of the administration. It also reiterated its commitment to eliminating illegal drugs, criminality, and corruption in government. Fight against illegal drugs Despite drawing heavy criticisms from rights groups over the rising death toll, Malacañang lauded the Duterte administration’s controversial campaign against illegal drugs. Based on the combined data from the Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Bureau of Customs (BOC), 1,308,078 drug addicts have surrendered to the government as of July 26, 2017. According to the report, 2,236

drug dependents have already completed the Department of Health’s (DOH) drug rehabilitation program while 16,103 are still undergoing rehabilitation. On the other hand, 14,046 drug surrenderers are said to have received livelihood and skills training by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) as of September. Data also showed that authorities have conducted 79,193 antidrug operations and arrested 118,287 individuals as of November 27, 2017. There are, however, 3,967 “drug personalities” who died in anti-drug operations during the same period. Fight against criminality According to the data from the PNP, there has been an 8.44 percent decrease in the total crime volume nationwide, while there has been a 20.56 percent decrease in index crime across the country. Figures showed that the

493,912 reported crimes in January-October 2016 nationwide decreased to 452,204 in JanuaryOctober 2017. There was also a decrease in robbery incidents by 23.61 percent—from the previous 18,259 in October 2016 to 13,948 in October 2017. Malacañang also highlighted the PNP’s efforts in cleansing its ranks to free the institution from abusive police personnel. In its report, Malacañang took note that a total of 375 police officials were recommended to be dismissed from service during the period of January to December 2017. Among these cops include two policemen involved in the death FRUITS FOR NEW YEAR. A stall owner sells round-shaped fruits in time for New Year’s Eve along Carriedo Street in Santa Cruz, Manila. Part PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan of 19-year-old Carl Arnaiz in No- of the Filipino tradition is preparing 12 round-shaped fruits on New Year to bring luck and prosperity. vember. Also dismissed in October were police generals Chief the new Arab-Israeli peace initiaSupt. Edgardo Tinio and Chief tive and could lead to new vioSupt. Joel Pagdilao due to druglence in the region. PAGE A1 related charges. Last week, an overwhelming State and a Jewish State, with a PAGE A4 two states for two peoples as a special international status for the majority of UN member-states long-term solution to the conflict city of Jerusalem under the ad- voted to declare the U.S. recogbetween Israel and the Palestin- ministrative authority of the UN. nition of Jerusalem as Israel’s ians.” On December 6, U.S. President capital null and void. Meanwhile, This position was consistent Donald Trump declared Jerusa- the Philippines was among the with the Philippines’ vote in lem as Israel’s capital and said 34 countries that abstained on favor of the Partition Plan for that he would move the U.S. em- the UN vote. Palestine in the UN in 1947, the bassy from Tel Aviv—a departure In November, the Philippines DFA added. voted against a UN resolution from decades of U.S. policy. The DFA was referring to the Several presidents and prime urging Myanmar to end its miliproposal recommending Pales- ministers had warned Trump that tary campaign on Rohingya Mustine be partitioned into an Arab his decision may risk blowing up lims living in its Rakhine state. n

PH studying moving embassy...

PH president promises thorough probe... PAGE A1 for the tragic death of 37 people in the Davao mall fire,” the group said, adding that the information it gathered from concerned individuals point to violations on safety standards. All who died were BPO employees of Research Now and Survey Sampling International (SSI), located on the mall’s 4th floor. The SSI assured bereaved families of assistance, including funeral arrangements and funds. It also arranged counseling for other employees. “The terrible tragedy has left us with heavy hearts. We offer our condolences and prayers to the families and loved ones of the victims,” SSI chief operating officer Gary Laben said in a statement. Government ready to assist victims’ kin President Duterte on Tuesday

reiterated his promise to provide financial help to the bereaved families and to assist them in recovering the bodies of their loved ones. “Maybe the compensation and the expenses were (shouldered). But I committed that the government is willing to chip in,” the President said. It was the second time Duterte met with the families of those who died in the fire. He was the one who informed them that those who were trapped in the mall had zero chances of surviving hours after the fire broke out. “Of course, it was a crisis last night. And I consider it that lucky because I was around to commiserate with the people there,” Duterte said. The President said his daughter, Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte, could not relay the bad

news herself. “I was the one who broke the news to them. Because Inday begged off. She said, ‘Hindi ko kaya, (I cannot do it) Pa,” he said. Duterte also offered words of consolation to the kin of the victims and advised them to pray “because there’s really no sense in overdoing things.” “I stressed to them that at this time, death to me is a spiritual journey. So nobody can deal with it… No amount of kind words, consoling words,” he said. “It is always a spiritual journey between the mother, father, brother, sister.” He also suggested that the bodies be cremated, noting the caskets of those who died would have to stay closed during the funerals because of the extent of the damage to the remains. n

DOH chief: WHO update shows Dengvaxia...

PAGE A1 vaccinated trial participants but also confirmed an earlier hypothesis that those vaccinated with no prior dengue infection could be at higher risk of more severe dengue and hospitalizations,” Duque said in a statement. According to its French-based manufacturer Sanofi Pastuer, a post-clinical study of Dengue Tetravalent Vaccine (Live, Attenuated) indicated an increased risk of hospitalization for dengue and “severe” dengue for patients who had not been previously infected by it. This worried many parents in the Philippines as the previous Benigno Aquino III administration administered the vaccine to more than 830,000 children starting April 2016. Another 32,000 were vaccinated through private officials, based on official figures. Congressional investigations have been launched to determine the liability of officials of the previous government as well

as possible irregularities in procurement and implementation of the immunization program. The Department of Justice has also directed the National Bureau of Investigation to investigate and build cases against those involved in the program as some officials of the previous government, including Aquino, have already been sued for their possible liability. Duque also announced that the DOH would convene a panel of dengue experts next week to review the latest evidence on Dengvaxia gathered from the five-year observation period in clinical trials. The panel will also study data available to the government through the post-marketing surveillance of the Food and Drug Administration and observation of adverse events following immunization from the DOH Epidemiology Bureau, according to the health secretary. He added that the DOH had already partnered with the Philip-

Pres. Duterte tells son... PAGE A1 President Duterte told reporters that he “never suggested any resignation” but only encouraged his son to do what he thinks is right. “Sabi ko sa kanya (I told him), ‘You are in a position to do what is right. Kung ano lang ang tama sa iyo, gawin mo (Do what you think is right),’” Duterte recalled telling his son. The president also expressed the belief that his son must have had enough of issues and accusations hurled against him. “Napuno na siguro (I think Paolo got fed up)... Sabi ko (I said), ‘Well, let the people decide,” he added. Earlier on the same day, the younger Duterte announced his resignation out of ‘delicadeza.’ “When I was growing up my parents never failed to remind us of the value of the time-honored principle of delicadeza and this is one of those instances in my life that I need to protect my honor and that of my children,” the president’s son told the city council in a meeting. In a statement, Paolo Duterte cited his recent public squabble with his daughter Isabelle and the allegations that he was involved in the smuggling of illegal

drugs in the country as among the incidents that triggered his decision to quit from his post. Last week, the younger Duterte and his daughter had a public spat on social media after the latter supposedly criticized her father in a series of tweets. Isabelle’s Twitter account is not public but her father attached screenshots of his daughter’s tweets on his Facebook post. In a tweet, Isabelle mentioned how her “dad f*** up [her] Christmas every year.” “Even if you have a position in the city, you can’t beat up a person! Even if you have power, you can’t hurt another person!!! You are hurting a human being!!! Not just human being, but a child!!! Even if you have a name, you can’t do things like that!!! Even if you’re a Duterte, that is not acceptable,” she also tweeted. The vice mayor, in turn, scolded his daughter in a Facebook post, calling her a “disgrace.” “Change your family name if you want! You don’t have respect! You just embarrassed yourself! Get an education so your brain isn’t empty. You don’t know how to listen anymore because you’re famous??? Famous, for what, Belle? Famous for disparaging a father? Just wait for my death so

pine General Hospital to conduct an independent review of the medical charts of children who had experienced adverse effects and died after immunization. “The DOH continues to refine our response and action plan in the Dengue Task Force to ensure the safety and best health outcomes for children who were vaccinated through heightened monitoring and surveillance, effective management of adverse events following immunization, activation of the dengue fast lanes in public hospitals and truthful and timely risk communication to the public,” he said. Duque stressed that the primary concern of the health office was attending to the concerns of the public and managing the overall situation. He called on agencies and individuals concerned to cooperate and allow investigating bodies to do their jobs without being subjected to accusations based on unfounded speculation and suspicion. n you will be free from me! Pray for it, woman!” he said. While the vice mayor acknowledged that his post would embarrass them, he pointed out that making the issue public was the only way to make his “millennial” daughter listen to him. Earlier this year, Paolo Duterte was also tagged in the P6.4 billion shipment of illegal drugs from China into the country, and was further accused by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV of being a member of a Chinese drug triad. “There are recent unfortunate events in my life that are closely tied to my failed first marriage. These, among others, include the maligning of my reputation in the recent name-dropping incident in the Bureau of Customs smuggling case and very public squabble with my daughter,” he said in his speech before the city council. The president’s daughter, Davao Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, said Paolo will remain on leave until the president formally approves her brother’s resignation. “While awaiting the acceptance of his resignation, he is on leave from the office of the vice mayor because only the Office of the President can accept the resignation of the vice mayor,” she said. n

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Filipino charged with murder in Filipino tissue donor one of the honorees for float at 2018 Rose Parade shooting that killed 2 in Guam Organ and tissue donation group OneLegacy reveals “The Gift of Time” float by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

SINCE January 1, 1890, the Rose Parade has thrilled hundreds of thousands of spectators who revel in marching bands, equestrian units and, of course, the elaborately decorated floats donned with vividly colored roses that cruise down Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, California. Every New Years Day morning, the world focuses its attention on the Tournament of Roses Parade, which has become a widely-attended celebration and a fixture on television screens in living rooms all across the country. The Rose Parade announces an annual theme for the floats it will feature from various organizations and institutions. This year’s theme is “Making a Difference,” and one organization has decided to celebrate the difference of some brave, kind individuals who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the betterment of others. Teaming up with Donate Life America, OneLegacy is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving lives through organ, eye and tissue donations in the greater Los Angeles area, and this year, it celebrates its 15th year in being a part of the Rose Parade. This year, their float is called “The Gift of Time,” and it celebrates the power of kindness of the individuals who have made a positive difference in the community by bringing awareness to the more than 1 million people who are in need of organ, eye and tissue transplants. “This ancient calendar reminds us of the enduring, life-saving

power of the generosity of donors and families,” the organization said in a press release. The vibrantly colored float was unveiled at a special OneLegacy event on Tuesday, December 19 at the Rose Pavillion in Pasadena, and it depicts a tropical backdrop referencing the ancient Mayan civilization. Providing substantial height to the float are a flock of brilliant macaws who represent “the beauty, richness and potential of life.” The center of the float rests a monumental Aztec calendar, aptly depicting the float’s theme. Designed by Charles Meier, Creative Director for Paradiso Parade Floats, the float will feature eight living donors and four professional sports legends: MLB legend and heart and kidney recipient Rod Carew, NFL coach and heart recipient Sam Wyche, former NFL player and Carew’s donor Konrad Reuland and Nascar driver Bryan Clauson. Also, 44 organ, eye, and tissue donors will be honored with florographs of their likenesses, including Filipino accountant Pablo “Jun” Dizon, who had his tissues and bones donated after suddenly passing away from a brain aneurysm in 1994. “To be here on behalf of my husband, I’m truly, truly honored and very humbled to be a part of this,” Dizon’s widow Tessie Dizon shared with the Asian Journal at the OneLegacy float unveiling. “I’m a retired nurse so I had always been passionate about organ donation, so this is really an honor to be involved.” Understanding the dire need for more organ, eye and tissue do-

A FILIPINO in Guam was charged with two counts of murder after shooting to death two men with whom he had a fight. Joseph Nicholas Sagdal, 24, was charged Tuesday, December 19 with two counts of aggravated murder as a firstdegree felony, with a special allegation of use of a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony, the complaint states. Sagdal allegedly shot to death A.V. Mwarecheong, 25, and Brokey Thamaso, 18, after a fight at Hemlani’s Apartments in Harmon on Sunday, December 17. After one of four men shot

Saqdal in the face with a slingshot during an argument, the men drove away with Sagdal giving chase in his car. One of the men said that Sagdal pulled up alongside their car and started shooting at them, hitting Mwarecheong and Thamaso. Sagdal, who said he was as a shooting instructor, told police, “I felt as though I shouldn’t have used my gun in this situation, but I was afraid for my life. I regret not resolving this another way,” according to a report by the Pacific Daily News. A handgun registered to Sagdal, a 9 mm Canik TP-9, was confiscated, according to court

POPE Francis prayed for the victims of Tropical Storm “Vinta” at the Vatican on Christmas Eve, and urged the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics not to ignore the plight of migrants driven from their land because of leaders willing to shed “innocent blood.” The Argentine Pontiff entrusted the fatalities of the storm that struck Mindanao to God, in his weekly Angelus message from the window of the papal apartment at St. Peter’s Square. “I also wish to assure my prayers to the population of the island of Mindanao, in the Philippines, hit by a storm that has caused numerous victims and destruction. May the merciful God welcome the souls of the dead and comfort those who suffer from this calamity. We pray for these people,” the Pope said. The death toll from the storm that unleashed landslides and floods across southern Philippines has climbed to 240 with scores of others still missing, officials said Monday. Tropical Storm Vinta on Friday struck Mindanao, which often escapes the 20 or so storms that batter the rest of the archipelago nation each year. Civil defense officials said some 13,000 Mindanao families – at least 52,000 people – remained in evacuation camps on Christmas Day, many with few if any possessions left.

The tragic Christmas weekend in the Philippines was compounded Monday by the deaths of 20 people killed in a bus collision while travelling to Mass. Dozens of people were feared killed in a fire Saturday in Davao City. ‘In the footsteps of Joseph and Mary’ Francis weighed in anew on the migrant crisis and drew a parallel between the plight of migrants and the Christmas story. “So many other footsteps are hidden in the footsteps of Joseph and Mary,” the Pope, himself the grandson of Italian migrants, told worshippers at Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. “We see the tracks of millions of persons who do not choose to go away but, driven from their land, leave behind their dear ones.” Many engulfed in the ongoing migration crisis were forced to flee from leaders “who, to impose their power and increase their wealth, see no problem in shedding innocent blood,” said the 81-year-old. The pontiff’s plea for “hope” came as fresh tensions simmered in the West Bank following President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Following Trump’s lead, Guatemala’s President Jimmy Morales said Sunday his country would move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem

Murder suspect Nicholas Sagdal at his booking. Photo courtesy of Bureau of Corrections

documents. Judge Benjamin Sison Jr. set Sagdal’s bail at $500,000 cash, as requested by prosecutors. (Inquirer.net)

Pope prays for storm victims in Mindanao

The float will feature a florograph with the likeness of Filipino accountant Pablo “Jun” Dizon, whose tissues and bones were donated after he passed away in 1994.

nors, Tessie Dizon — who, before her retirement, boasted a 36-year career as a nurse in the ICU where organ donations are frequent — carries on her husband’s legacy in inspiring others to register as donors. “There’s a lot of people, young and old, who are in desperate need of organs. If you could just even save one life by hearing what we have to say it’s pretty amazing,” she remarked with a smile. The Rose Parade will begin at 8 a.m. PST on January 1, 2018 and will be broadcast live in the U.S. by several networks and stations. n

OneLegacy’s float “The Gift of Time,” which will be highlighted at the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California on January 1, 2018. AJPress photos by Klarize Medenilla

Cyber threats, fake news expected... PAGE A1 ground, it said. Losses from Business Email Compromise (BEC) will exceed $9 billion next year, the company said in the report. Trend Micro said fake news would continue and would provide threats to enterprises as competitors may resort to such ways to damage the reputation of rival companies. Machine learning and blockchain technologies, meanwhile, are likely to bring benefits, as well as pitfalls to enterprises. Machine learning, in particular,

can enhance security solutions, but comes with blind spots that cybercriminals will exploit at an increased rate. “The threat landscape is constantly evolving and shifting with the emergence of new technologies. The expected prevalence and rise in cybercrime in 2018 only illustrates the importance of investing in security,” Pilao said. To address such threats, Pilao said enterprises and users alike would have to take a multilayered approach. “Enterprises and users must have a connected threat defense – from the email and web gate-

Trump’s announcement on December 6 unleashed demonstrators and clashes, including in Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank where Christians marked the birth of Jesus at a midnight mass. Fewer tourists in Bethlehem Celebrating midnight Mass in the ancient town, Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, apostolic administrator of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, used his homily to lambast the wars that “the Herods of today fight every day to become greater, to occupy more space.” He urged “Christians of the Holy Land, who are worried, and perhaps afraid by the reduction of our numbers, the inadequacy of our means, the insecurity that characterizes our daily life,” to have courage in the troubled region. Criticising Trump’s announcement, Pizzaballa insisted “Jerusalem is a city of peace, there is not peace if someone is excluded. Jerusalem should include, not exclude,” stressing the principle that Jerusalem is a city for both peoples and the three Abrahamic faiths. “Jerusalem is our mother,” he said, and if one of her children “is missing the mother cannot be at peace, so we have to pray for the peace of Jerusalem,” the archbishop said in his homily in the presence of Palestinian pres-

u PAGE A5 way to the endpoint – to ensure maximum protection against the constantly evolving threats,” Pilao said. Trend Micro is a global leader in cyber security solutions. It provides consumers, businesses, and governments with layered security for data centers, cloud environments, networks, and endpoints. All its products work together to seamlessly share threat intelligence and provide a connected threat defense with centralized visibility and control, enabling better, faster protection. It has more than 5,000 employees in over 50 countries worldwide. (Iris Gonzales/Philstar.com)

US envoy: PH economy has ‘tremendous... PAGE A1 Philippines’ economic development. Allaying fears that the U.S. economy would restrict its global trade initiatives in line with U.S. President Donald Trump’s socalled “America First” policy, Kim claimed that the U.S. remains to be the “most open economy anywhere.” He stressed that the U.S. remains supportive of trades that are fair to all parties. “What the President (Trump) emphasized is we wanna promote trade but what we are looking for is fair and reciprocal trade,” Kim said. The envoy also added that he regularly encourages U.S. businessmen to consider investing in

the Philippines. In turn, he asked Filipinos to explore business opportunities in the U.S. “I always encourage US companies to think about business opportunities here in the Philippines. Likewise, I think it will be good for Philippine industry to look for opportunities in the United States,” Kim said. Apart from economic relations, Kim also mentioned Washington’s assistance to the Philippine government in its five-months operations against the Islamic State (IS)-inspired Maute terrorists in Marawi City. The U.S. government had supported the Philippines in reclaiming the city from the terrorists by providing technical information, technical advise, and equipment,

Malacañang yearend report... PAGE A2 Malacañang added that the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has relieved 1,000 policemen of the Caloocan City Police Station in batches to undergo retraining and reorientation at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City. More than 1,900 drug-related investigations have also been carried out against law enforcers from July 1, 2016 to June 15, 2017. Fight against corruption In connection with its effort to address corruption, Malacañang cited the administration’s Freedom of Information (FOI) program and its Citizens’ Complaint Hotline 8888. According to Malacañang, its FOI platform has already received 2,635 requests for information from the public as of December 5. The Citizens’ Complaint Hotline 8888, meanwhile, has resolved 27,000 or 87 percent of the 31,000

complaints it received as of June 30. Other accomplishments Among the other strides mentioned in the year-end report include the Philippines’ “successful chairmanship” of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as the country’s hosting of this year’s ASEAN summit. The report also cited the country’s 6.9 percent economic growth and 2.32 percent agriculture growth in the third quarter of 2017. Malacañang said it expects “a more robust year ahead” with the approval of the 2018 General Appropriations Act and the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act (TRAIN) that “would see greater investments in infrastructure modernization and human capital formation.” In the report, Malacañang also mentioned the passage Re-

the U.S. envoy noted. He also added that the U.S. had already provided P750 million in aid that would address not only the immediate, but also the medium-term and long-term rehabilitation projects in the war-torn city. As a countermeasure for the reported recruitment efforts of militants, Kim said the U.S. is keen on establishing more educational programs in the southern Philippines that would help the youth in steering away from extremism. “It is important to help these young people make smart decisions and to resist when these evil people try to recruit them for evil purposes,” he remarked. (Dana Sioson/AJPress) public Act (RA) No. 10931 or the “Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act,” which provides qualified Filipino college students free tuition and other school fees in the 112 state universities and colleges (SUC) and 108 local government created colleges and universities (LUC) that pass the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) standards nationwide. According to the report, the P8.3-billion the Free College Tuition Fee benefitted a total of 990,899 Filipino students and an additional 2,163 medical students. From July 2016 to June 2017, the Department of Education (DepEd) has also constructed 36,838 classrooms; delivered 448,935 school seats; and hired 29,725 teachers for the implementation of the K to 12 Program. It also announced the rolling of its P157.44 billion infrastructure program from 2018 to 2020 that will include 1,313 region-specific infrastructure projects. n

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Dateline PhiliPPines

DOLE: Over a million OFWs deployed in 2017 by Mayen JayMalin Philstar.com

MANILA — Over a million Filipinos left the country to seek employment abroad while thousands returned home for various reasons in the first nine months of this year, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported on Tuesday, December 26. Partial data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) showed a total of 1,281,506 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were deployed from January to September – 1,058,029 of whom were sent to various countries as land-based workers while 223,477 were hired as sea-based workers. POEA noted that of the total overseas deployment during the first three quarters of the year, a majority or 736,684 were rehires while 321,345 were new hires. Last November, the POEA temporarily stopped the deployment of new hires in a bid to control illegal recruitment operations involving certain officials and employees of the agency. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III also reported that close to 1.2 million OFWs have been repatriated and provided reintegration assistance in 2017. Bello said a total of 1,170,514 OFWs received welfare and protection programs, including reintegration and repatriation services from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). From July to October of this year, Bello said 54,470 OFWs and their families benefitted from the government’s intensified reintegration programs, including skills training and livelihood assistance. Bello said 36,438 OFWs, mostly from the Middle East, were repatriated and provided with on-site assistance and P20,000 financial

Partial data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) showed a total of 1,281,506 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were deployed from January to September – 1,058,029 of whom were sent to various countries as land-based workers while 223,477 were hired as sea-based workers. Philstar.com photo

aid each. A total of 9,512 repatriated OFWs were provided additional cash grants of P6,000 each while 13,245 OFWs were given food and hygiene kits each. In connection with the 90day amnesty program of Saudi Arabia for undocumented and stranded foreign nationals, OWWA also recorded a total of 15,839 Filipino migrant workers who took up the amnesty, 10,011 of whom were repatriated to the Philippines. The DOLE released a total of P514,412,350.21 to provide various assistance to OFWs, such as food and hygiene kits, legal counseling and stress debriefing, medical and psycho-social services and training assistance. OWWA also provided postrepatriation services to 14,165 OFWs, 4,343 of whom received welfare services, including medical, psychosocial counseling, stress debriefing, transport and accommodation, while 1,630 have been listed for employment

facilitation or training services and 2,625 were provided with livelihood assistance. DOLE likewise provided legal assistance to 4,829 OFWs while 354 OFWs were given reintegration assistance in the form of small and medium enterprise establishment in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and 384 were granted educational assistance through the Commission on Higher Education, Department of Education and the Department of Budget and Management. Bello said DOLE sought bigger budget for next year’s repatriation program because the government needs to prepare for the possible repatriation of OFWs in Qatar and other countries in the Middle East due to prevailing conflicts. “The situation in Qatar is still stable, but we cannot just relax our guard, we are talking of 240,000 Filipinos staying there,” Bello said. n

No one hurt as blaze immediately extinguished Sr. Insp. Ma. Teresita Gaspan, the city police spokesperson, said the incident took place at Robinson’s Cybergate in Bajada area.

Pope prays for storm victims in... PAGE A4

ident Mahmoud Abbas. Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel has sparked almost daily protests in the Palestinian territories and put a damper on Christmas festivities. Palestinian scouts played drums and bagpipes at celebrations in Bethlehem, but many tourists stayed away. Hundreds gathered in the cold on Bethlehem’s Manger Square to watch the annual scout parade towards the Church of the Nativity, built over the spot where tradition says Mary gave birth to Jesus. But the square was noticeably quieter following the violence between Palestinian protesters and the Israeli army in the past weeks. Twelve Palestinians have been killed since Trump’s declaration, including a 19-year-old who died of his wounds on Sunday nine She said the fire took place days after he was shot during a around 3 a.m. when the mall Gaza protest. was still closed, and was In the square, Nahil Banura, a promptly controlled. (Allan Christian woman from Beit Sahur Nawal/Inquirer.net) near Bethlehem, said Trump’s

Fire hits another Davao City mall DAVAO CITY – An overheated air-conditioning unit triggered a small fire in another mall on Tuesday, December 26, authorities said.

RICE DONATION. Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero (left) receives from SL Agritech Group Chairman Dr. Henry Lim Bon Liong, a sack of rice during the ceremonial turnover of rice donations for the soldiers assigned in Marawi City held at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. The Lim Seh Leng Foundation through SL Agritech Corp. aims to show its appreciation by donating 500 sacks of rice to the troops that fought and liberated Marawi from the Maute terrorist group. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

decision had made the run-up to Christmas “miserable.” “People are only going out to vent,” she said. ‘Sadness and joy’ The Israeli army officer in charge of the Bethlehem area said that while tensions had been high in the area following the Jerusalem announcement, he did not expect trouble at Christmas. “We’ve reinforced our troops, and are ready for any scenario,” Lt. Col. Benny Meir told AFP. Israel seized east Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed it, in moves never recognised by the international community. Palestinians view east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, and interpreted Trump’s statement as rejecting their right to a capital in east Jerusalem, although the Americans deny this. In a statement earlier, Abbas called on “world Christians to listen to the true voices of the indigenous Christians from the Holy Land… that strongly rejected the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.” Mitri Raheb, pastor of the

Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, told Agence France-Presse that Christmas this year is a “mix of sadness and joy” because of the U.S. decision on Jerusalem, which he called “the beating heart of Palestine.” Christmas in Mosul Christmas decorations have meanwhile become more visible in Christian areas of Syria’s capital Damascus this year. In the central Syrian city of Homs, Christians will celebrate Christmas with great fanfare for the first time in years after the end of battles between regime and rebel forces—with processions, shows for children and even decorations among the ruins. In Iraq too, this year marks a positive turning point for the Christian community in the northern city of Mosul. Hymns filled a Mosul church on Sunday as worshippers celebrated Christmas for the first time in four years after the city’s recapture from the Islamic State group in July. (ManilaTimes.net with reports from AFP)

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OPINION

Philippines should carefully weigh policy on Israel

FEATURES

IN AN unsurprising move, the Philippines last week abstained from the United Nations General Assembly vote on the United States’ contentious decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The status of Jerusalem is a very clear faultline in international diplomacy. Jerusalem is of course considered by three religions — Christianity, Judaism and Islam — as a Holy City. Politically, Israel and the Palestinian Arabs both claim it as their capital. To be sure, U.S. President Donald Trump’s historic decision has upended, if not ended, the Middle East peace process. It should be pointed out however that the international condemnation of Trump’s decision is animated by a near-universal dislike of the billionaire ex-realtor and reality TV star, when any U.S. president, Republican or Democrat, could have made the same decision given the historically close U.S.-Israel ties. Indeed, it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to imagine a Jewish nation whose capital is not Jerusalem. But the geopolitical context within which Trump made his decision has changed. Sympathy has shifted considerably away from Israel decades after it was able to convince the UN General Assembly to partition Palestine into separate states for Arabs and Jews. Trump, for his part, was undoubtedly influenced by a desire to undo his predecessor Barack Obama’s foreign policy legacy, deemed weak by Republican conservatives, as well as by his culture-war crusade in which Obama and the

Democrats are blamed for undermining America’s Judeo-Christian moorings in favor of religious and racial minorities. On top of all this, the Philippines needed to consider the plight of its overseas workers, who are both in Israel and the Arab world. It was therefore not a surprise that the Philippines abstained from the December 21 UN vote on the non-binding resolution co-sponsored by Turkey and Yemen, which declared as “null and void” Trump’s decision on Jerusalem. The bottomline nonetheless is that the Philippine abstention is a pro-US stance, or at the very least one that is acceptable to Washington. The Philippines has generally toed the U.S. line on Israel policy. In 1947, the newly independent republic, still dependent on American aid, was the only Asian country in the UN General Assembly to vote in favor of the Arab-Jewish partition. The Philippines and Israel established full diplomatic relations 10 years later, and subsequently opened their respective embassies. The question now is whether Manila will follow the U.S. lead to move its embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, and talks are said to be ongoing in this regard. This will be a very tough decision for the Duterte administration, and one that should be weighed carefully, taking into account historical precedent and present realities. (ManilaTimes.net)

Editorial

ManilaTimes.net photo

Revisit 2017 with ‘Balitang America’

The Fil-Am Perspective

AS we bid farewell to 2017 and greet the new year 2018, join GEL SANTOS-RELOS me and the whole team of “Balitang America” (BA) in revisiting the stories of 2017 that made headlines in the Filipino American community. The Filipino Channel airs BA’s 2017 Year-end Report on December 29, with an encore presentation on January 1. This is yet another special presentation on BA’s 15th anniversary. Our News Desk Editor and Senior Correspondent Henni Espinosa keeps score of President Donald Trump’s achievements in his first year in office, including what may be considered Trump’s

“moments” in 2017. Don Tagala, BA’s New York Correspondent, will present another newsmaker in 2017 — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte — and the impact he has made not only in the Philippines but on kababayans here in North America and around the world. Another headliner in 2017 was Mother Nature. BA’s contributor Cheryl Piccio reports on the wrath of Mother Nature. From the wildfires in California, to the gulf coast of Texas and along the Atlantic coastline, BA brings you how Americans endured a string of devastating natural disasters in 2017 and how the resilience of the American spirit helps in rising up and starting anew. BA’s Los Angeles Correspondent Steve Angeles reports on the tragedies that happened in the Fil-Am community and how these stories have

helped kababayans learn from these sad news stories. Meanwhile, Las Vegas Correspondent Bev Llorente presents the massacres and atrocities that America endures in 2017 and how the Filipino Bayanihan spirit helped in the recovery of the scarred communities. Jon Caña, one of BA’s producers, brings us the emergence of social movements in 2017, and examines what sparked the engagement among Filipinos in voicing out their opinion and making a stand in issues that matter to the country. BA’s San Francisco Bay Area Correspondent Rommel Conclara reports on the major achievement of Filipinos in America in 2017, and what paved the way for these triumphs for our community. We also bring you how talented Filipino athletes took center stage in sports news this year. Our Entertainment Correspondent Yong Chavez

presents success stories of Filipinos in Hollywood and the controversial outspokenness of celebrities about politics. Ginger Conejero reports on BA’s most watched videos on YouTube, and talks about which of our news stories caused the most buzz on BA’s social media platforms. WATCH BA’s special presentation — our 2017 Year-end Report on December 29, 2017 with a replay on January 1, at 6:40 p.m. across all time zones. HAPPY BLESSED NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL! *** 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

US security strategy: Getting tougher on China IT is no secret that Commentary China and the United States compete around the world, although in certain areas FRANK CHING they cooperate. The newly released National Security Strategy of the United States, unveiling the Trump administration’s thoughts of national security, focuses primarily on China as its top competitor. Although North Korea grabbed headlines in recent months for its attempt to become a nuclear power with ballistic missiles that can deliver death-dealing warheads to North America, the national security document puts the threat from Pyongyang at a lower level than that posed by Beijing and Moscow. According to the Trump administration, China and Russia “challenge American power, influence and interests, attempting to erode American security and prosperity.” Those two countries, it said, “are determined to make economies less free and less fair, to grow their militaries, and to control information and data to repress their societies and expand their influence.” China and Russia are paired in the document, with China always being named first. It is as though the two form a partnership, with China being the senior partner. Then, of course, there is the

North Korean threat. The national security document sees North Korea and Iran as regional actors, “determined to destabilize regions, threaten Americans and our allies, and brutalize their own people.” After naming these state actors, the document describes “jihadist terrorists” and “transnational criminal organizations” as “actively trying to harm Americans.” But America, the national security strategy says, “will respond to the growing political, economic and military competitions we face around the world.” While China and the US cooperate on certain issues, with North Korea currently being a prime example of such issues, albeit within limits, this document very much puts the spotlight on competition. “Although the United States seeks to continue to cooperate with China, China is using economic inducements and penalties, influence operations, and implied military threats to persuade other states to heed its political and security agenda,” it says. “China’s infrastructure investments and trade strategies reinforce its geopolitical aspirations.” In the section on intellectual property, the Trump administration pledges to reduce the “illicit

appropriation of U.S. public and private sector technology and technical knowledge by hostile foreign competitors.” The administration says it would work with the Congress to strengthen the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), whose role is to ensure that foreign acquisitions do not endanger US national security. Congress is considering legislation to expand the scope of CFIUS and to enhance its power to address national security risks. The Trump national security strategy echoes that of President George W. Bush in 2002, which said of the American military: “Our forces will be strong enough to dissuade potential adversaries from pursuing a military build-up in hopes of surpassing, or equaling, the power of the United States.” The Trump document says: “The United States will seek areas of cooperation with competitors from a position of strength, foremost by ensuring our military power is second to none.” Chinese activities around the world are noted. Regarding China’s man-made islands in the South China Sea, the document says that the country’s efforts “to build and militarize outposts” endanger the free flow of trade, threaten the sovereignty of other nations, and undermine regional stability. “States throughout the region are calling for sustained U.S. leadership in a collective response that upholds a regional

U.S. President Donald Trump with Chinese President Xi Jinping

order respectful of sovereignty and independence,” it says. From China’s standpoint, the U.S., in refusing to recognize Beijing’s South China Sea claims and activities, is threatening what China calls its “core interest.” Aside from its immediate neighborhood, China is also expanding its influence around the world. In Africa, for example, China’s trade with the continent has grown phenomenally, from less than a third of U.S. trade in 2000 to today, when it is the

continent’s largest trading partner. As for Latin America, the national security document says that China is seeking “to pull the region into its orbit through state-led investments and loans.” In Europe, too, “China is gaining a strategic foothold by expanding its unfair trade practices and investing in key industries, sensitive technologies and infrastructure.” While the Trump visit to China was viewed by many as a great

White House photo

success, with the President saying he didn’t blame China for taking advantage of the U.S. over many administrations, the thrust of his statement was that such behavior would not be tolerated in his presidency. He meant he was planning to be tough with China. The national security document confirms that toughness. The North Korean issue means that Beijing can buy some time by cooperating with Washington, but Trump’s overall China policy is set. (ManilaTimes.net)

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

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CARDINAL TAGLE APPEALS FOR DONATIONS

Enough funds for storm victims, foreign help not needed by DEMPSEY

REYES ManilaTimes.net

THERE are enough funds to assist families of the victims of disasters, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Tuesday, December 26. NDRRMC spokeswoman Romina Marasigan said each family that lost a loved one would receive P10,000 from the government while those with injured members would get P5,000. For the injured, the families or the injured persons themselves must submit requirements such as proof of hospitalization. Those with totally damaged houses are entitled to get P30,000 while those with partially damaged homes will receive P10,000 for emergency shelter assistance. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will assist claimants on the processing of the documents. “So far, these can be still supported by the government. What we just need is the fasttracking of the process,” Marasigan told a news conference in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. She also denied that there was a backlog of previous victims of typhoons and other natural disasters who were left unpaid. “So far, there were no reports on the backlog according to the DSWD. The assistance funds have been allocated already for those who have been affected by previous disasters,” Marasigan said. “What we need to gear up for now is the documentation for those who were affected by typhoons Urduja and Vinta because both happened towards the end of the year,” she pointed out. Int’l help not needed The NDRRC thus sees no reason to ask the international community for further assistance to storm-hit areas, especially in the southern part of the country, Marasigan said. Over the weekend, the European Union (EU) said it was ready to assist the Philippines, either through humanitarian assistance or development funds. President Duterte however said the Philippines was not bound to accept any assistance coming from the EU, pointing out that the bloc had criticized his bloody war against illegal drugs. “There were no calls yet for international assistance…The government can still provide the assistance funds needed by our people,” she said. The NDRRMC reported P52 million worth of agriculture damage in the regions of Zamboanga Peninsula and Caraga

INCREASING THE COCONUT FARMER’S INCOME. Sen. Cynthia Villar, chair of the Committee on Agriculture and Food, discussed with Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Administrator Romulo dela Rosa and Deputy Admin Glenn Santos her proposal to include in the Coconut Industry Development Act a provision that will require the earmarking of the PCA budget and the coconut levy trust fund interest to sufﬁciently fund the programs that will increase the income of 3.5 million coconut farmers and beneﬁciaries. Senate photo

Immigration lookout order vs Aquino, et al Volunteers ﬁll up boxes with relief goods to be distributed to typhoon victims in Lanao del Norte. The Department of Social Welfare and Development continues to send food and other basic items to thousands of families who lost their homes after tropical storm Vinta unleashed ﬂoods that triggered landslides, killing more than 200 people. ManilaTimes.net photo by Roger Rañada

because of the onslaught of Vinta. An estimated P167 million worth of infrastructure damage was recorded in the regions of Zamboanga Peninsula and Northern Mindanao. No finger pointing Marasigan also debunked allegations that the NDRRMC had missed its chance to remind and advise the public about previous typhoons before it entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). “We are not here to blame anyone or point fingers. We would like to see areas we would want to improve and ensure the support of our communities especially for call of evacuations,” Marasigan said. The NDRRMC spokeswoman recalled that the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources had issued a list of areas prone landslides and flashfloods, mostly in Mindanao. ‘Slim chances’ At the same time, Marasigan admitted that there were “slim chances” for the reported 176 missing following landslides and flashflood incidents triggered by Tropical Storm “Vinta.” “But all of us still believe in miracles at this time of this season because who knows if these missing persons just went to another province,” Marasigan added. Of the 176 missing, only six were positively identified: Jino Agapay Lacaza, 21, from Bunawan, Agusan del Sur; Elizabeth Alferez, 45, from Gutalac, Zamboanga del Norte; Nelgine Alferez, 5; Jinjie Duriaz, 3; Cornelio Alferez, 54; and Benjo Apigo, 14 from Salug, Zamboanga del Norte. Tagle appeals for help Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle appealed to the faithful to offer their assistance to the victims of the tropical storms “Urduja” and “Vinta”

in Visayas and Mindanao. “It is only right that we become good channels of goodness for our brothers who lost their loved ones, homes and livelihood,” Tagle said in an interview over Church-run Radyo Veritas. Tagle encouraged the public to offer their help to the victims by sending aid to their dioceses, Caritas offices or social action centers. “We in Caritas Manila are ready to accept your donations. We will send your donations to different churches and dioceses in the Visayas and Mindanao,” Tagle added. ■

THE Department of Justice (DoJ) has issued an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO) against former president Benigno Aquino III, former health secretary Janette Garin and seven others over alleged irregularities in the acquisition and distribution of P3.5 billion worth of Dengvaxia vaccines. “Considering the gravity of the possible offenses which may have been committed there is a strong probability that they may attempt to place themselves beyond the reach of the legal process of the government,” Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre 2nd said in a memorandum signed on December 23 and addressed to

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente. Also on the ILBO aside from Aquino and Garin are: • Florencio Abad, former budget secretary • Paquito Ochoa Jr., former executive secretary • Olivier Brandicourt, Sanofi Pasteur chief executive officer • Guillaume Leroy, Sanofi Pasteur vice president • Thomas Triomphe, Sanofi Pasteur Asia Pacific head • Carlito Realuyo, SanofiAventis Philippines country chairman • Ruby Dizon, Sanofi Pasteur medical director The ILBO was issued after party-list group Gabriela filed a graft complaint against Aquino, some of his former Cabinet secretaries, and Sanofi execu-

tives over the government’s scuttled anti-dengue vaccination program. The Health department ordered a halt to the implementation of the program this month after its manufacturer, Sanofi Pasteur, admitted that the vaccine might aggravate the condition of a first-time dengue patient. The Department of Health said that more than 830,000 children from public schools in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) and Cebu were vaccinated with Dengvaxia. While the ILBO could not bar persons of interest from leaving the country, it could alert authorities on their movements. ■

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Owner of HK travel agency arrested for flight booking mess

More individuals are suspected to be connected to Peya Travel but only Boyce and her husband, Peter Bryan Boyce, are listed as the official owners of the agency, according to a report from GMA News. The investigation started last week when about 600 Filipino domestic helpers came forward after finding out that their bookings with several airlines did not exist. On Friday, the Philippine government that the DFA and the DOLE would split the cost of roundtrip travelof affected Filipino workers in Hong Kong. Airlines had also offered to use bigger aircraft to accommodate more people affected by the incident. The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong earlier said that criminal charges would be filed against Peya Travel to compensate for the damages. The travel agency, on the other hand, had committed to refunding their customers. (Patricia Lourdes Viray/Philstar.com)

ManilaTimes.net

DARE TO INSPIRE. DARE TO LEAD. B E L E G E N D A R Y.

One of the co-owners of Kong Kong-based Peya Travel has been arrested for conspiracy to defraud. Philstar.com photo

MANILA — A Filipino coowner of the Hong Kongbased travel agency responsible for leaving hundreds of Filipino workers stranded in Hong Kong was arrested, according to a report. Last week, hundreds of Filipino workers in Hong Kong discovered that the air tickets they paid for do not exist. The Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Labor and Employment had offered to assist the workers affected by the flight booking mess. The South China Morning Post reported that Rhea Donna Boyce, co-owner of Peya Travel, was arrested last Monday for conspiracy to defraud. On Saturday, Boyce was questioned voluntarily by the police but declined to provide answers. She was arrested at her residence on Christmas day. Police searched the travel agency on Monday afternoon and later on seized several computers from the main office.

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PH business, govt leaders urged to invest in big data by Ma. Lisbet

K. esMaeL

ManilaTimes.net

A TECHNOLOGY solutions company has urged Filipino business and government leaders to realize the capability of big-data analytics in driving growth, saying that the Philippines is yet to fully maximize its potential. This comes as industry reports reveal that big-data analytics processes large and varied sets to uncover hidden patterns and help users’ improve their decision-making. “We are convinced that proper access to data can help companies make smarter decisions that can further boost our country’s growth. Now is the best time for the government and private sector to get on board with this,” Cobena President and CEO Francis del Val said in a statement on Thursday. He acknowledged that “rampant hacking, data breaches and

other forms of cybercrimes” have increased fears among the private and public sectors in investing in big-data analytics. “In terms of this type of analytics, the nation is still in its infancy stage. Familiarizing people with innovations like the cloud can help dispel their fears and skepticism,” del Val said. For Torre Lorenzo Development Corp. President Tomas Lorenzo, technology can be used as a weapon against the Panama disease outbreak in the country. “When the Panama disease struck plantations here, the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association collected data to combat the outbreak. With the help of farmers and even the government, they disseminated information to control the infected areas and warn others,” Lorenzo said. “Even if this is a success story in terms of coordination,

u PAGE B4

‘Money laundering threat remains high’ by MayveLin

U. CarabaLLo ManilaTimes.net

MONEY laundering remains a serious threat for the Philippines given factors such as regulatory loopholes, legal setbacks and the need for increased coordination among agencies, the country’s financial intelligence unit said. The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), in its Second National Risk Assessment (NRA) Report covering the 2015-2016 period, evaluated the effectiveness of the country’s existing anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing mechanisms. “After considering the proceeds generated by select predicate crimes, money

laundering trends and techniques, the prevalence of sectoral threats and external threats, the national money laundering threat is assessed to be high,” the report said. Money laundering and terrorist financing (ML/TF) threats tagged as high include proceeds-generating predicate offenses such as tax crimes, drug trafficking, smuggling, violations of the Intellectual Property Law, illegal manufacture and possession of firearms, environmental crimes, estafa and plunder. The threat posed by tax evasion is also high, the report noted, as tax crimes are not predicate offenses to money laundering. It also pointed to low

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Philippine tourism sector urged to focus on high-spending tourists File photo by Philstar by Catherine

taLavera Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism (DOT) should focus on attracting higher spending tourists rather than emphasizing the number of arrivals in 2018, an industry expert said. “The tourism sector should start putting more emphasis on the spending of tourists more than the arrival numbers. Instead of looking into the numbers, it’s time that we

focus on what matters more, what weighs more than the arrival numbers,” John Paolo Rivera, associate director for the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Dr. Andrew Tan Center for Tourism, told the STAR in an email. “Our policies, promotions, infrastructure, offerings, packages should allow tourists to stay longer and spend more while in the country,” Rivera said. Rivera said this would allow the tourism experience in the Philippines to be pack-

aged as a destination worth staying and worth spending for. “We should also capitalize on the increasing number of high-spenders in tourism as well as ecotourists who are willing to spend more than the usual mass tourists and backpackers,” Rivera said. Based on latest available figures from the DOT, visitor receipts surged 36.28 percent in the first nine months to P243.23 million, compared to the P178.48 million in the year

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TRAIN to fund 25% of Duterte infra program by Mary

GraCe Philstar.com

Padin

MANILA, Philippines — The recently enacted tax reform bill is seen to fund about 25 percent of the P8.4-trillion “Build Build Build” program of the Duterte administration, the Department of Finance (DOF) said over the weekend. In a statement, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said the incremental revenue to be generated by Republic Act 10963 or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act (TRAIN) would help provide the initial capital for the

government’s massive infrastructure modernization program. “This is our capital. We figure we can fund about 25 percent of the program and borrow the rest,” he said. This means about P2.1 trillion of total requirements of Build Build Build, amounting to P8.4 trillion would be funded through the revenue-generating measures of the TRAIN, while the rest would be financed through borrowings. Borrowings may be raised through the sale of securities to both domestic and foreign lenders, or in the form of official development assistance from the

country’s partners. The Duterte administration’s massive infrastructure program covers 75 flagship infrastructure projects nationwide. According to Dominguez, the program would help sustain the economy’s high growth trajectory and transform the country into a high-middle income one by 2022 while lowering poverty incidence to 14 percent. He said it would give way to more jobs and lower transport and distribution cost of goods, which would benefit even those who are not paying taxes. Aside from the infrastructure

In a statement, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said the incremental revenue to be generated by Republic Act 10963 or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act (TRAIN) would help provide the initial capital for the government’s massive infrastructure modernization program. File photo by Philstar

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B DECEMBER 27-29, 2017 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL

Business news

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Ayala Land expanding mall business in 2018 Shell: Real estate business running by 2018 by AngelicA

BAllesteros ManilaTimes.net

PROPERTY giant Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI) is set to open next year three new malls across the country, one of which will rise in the Bay area in Paranaque City. In a chance interview last week, Ayala Malls head of malls group Rowena Tomeldan said ALI would open Ayala Malls Bay Area at the end of 2018 in a ninehectare lot in Aseana Global City with an estimated gross floor area of 250,000 square meters (sqm). However, only the first phase

of roughly 20,000 sqm will open at that time while the balance of the area will be available in 2019. “We just want to catch Christmas kasi ang hirap na hindi magbukas ng Christmas di ba (because it would be hard not to open at Christmas), if the mall is already there na. It’s the best time to happen,” Tomeldan said. The new development will rise alongside several properties such as office spaces catering to business process outsourcing firms, and a 12-story hotel with 325 units. Meanwhile, two other projects–

the new Circuit mall in Makati City, and the Ayala Mall Capitol Central in Bacolod City, Negros Accidental–will also open next year, with each covering 50,000 sqm of gross leasable area. This year, the company opened Cloverleaf and Vertis North in Quezon City, and The 30th in Pasig City. It also opened Feliz along Marikina-Infanta Highway in Pasig City. ALI has said it continues to expand the Ayala Malls brand across the country in order to raise its earnings contribution to 50 percent over the next few years. n

Successful settlement of $700,000 judgment for $25,000 without bankruptcy THE clients are husband and wife and they are still young. When I say young, this means anyone who is 65 and younger up to 17. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently classified people between 17 to 65 as young and 66 to 79 as middleaged. Check it out on the internet -- I am not pulling your leg. Clients bought a house for $800,000 with 50 percent down in 2007; then got a HELOC loan for $400,000. They invested the entire $400,000 in the stock market, probably bought all the wrong stocks like Dendreon, and lost the entire $400,000 when the market collapsed in 2007. Those of you who have 401K and other retirement accounts invested in stocks saw your nest egg reduced in half that year. Eventually, clients lost their house and lost their business. The bank that gave them the $400,000 HELOC filed a lawsuit to collect the loan and obtained a court judgment for $450,000 in 2009. At 10 percent annual legal interest on the judgment, the amount owed became $699,000 now. They ask me if I can negotiate a settlement of the $450,000 judgment, which is now $700,000. I suggest a straight Chapter 7 to get rid of it but they would rather have it settled without bk. So, fine, no problem. With a $700,000 judgment, I thought, man this is a formidable task. To make a long story short, it took me three whole months to settle the $700,000 for $25,000. That is a 3.5 percent settlement amount and is a record for me.

Debt Relief

Atty. LAwrence yAng

Normal settlements range between a third or half. But 3.5 percent, that is heaven sent and a Christmas gift from our loving God! Happy birthday to Jesus! We are now in the season of Advent when the whole Christian world waits in joyous anticipation to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25, this coming Monday. The secular world celebrates the nativity of Christ with gift giving and merrymaking using the icon of Santa Claus. Sure, it’s nice to give and receive gifts to family and friends on Christmas, but don’t forget that Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus and by so doing, God became man to fulfill the prophecy of the incarnation of God, to redeem mankind from the consequences of sin. This concept is not easily understood actually. When the first man, Adam, ate of the forbidden apple, he disobeyed God when he abandoned himself into the temptation by the serpent Lucifer who told Adam that if he ate the forbidden fruit in Paradise, he would become like God! On the other hand, God had told Adam and Eve that they could eat anything and everything that were in abundance in Paradise, except the apple in the tree with the

knowledge of good and evil. Well, you know how temptation works. You can do anything except this, so the exception is what you do. That’s just how stupid man is. Once Adam and Eve ate the apple, they broke man’s relationship with God. That is the biggest deal that ever was. Before Adam and Eve ate the apple, they had bodies that would never die, never age and never get sick. Just imagine if man’s relationship with God was not broken by Adam and Eve, you and I would never die, never age and never get sick! Sin, decay and evil would not have entered the world. But that’s not what happened. So now we only get to live to maybe 80 to 120 then we all die. But God so loved us that He sent His only Son, Jesus, the restore what was broken. Only God can restore a broken relationship with God. No man or created being can repair the broken relationship because after all a mere created being like man, no matter how saintly, how rich, how smart, is not equal to the status of the Almighty, Omniscient, and all-powerful God. Only God Himself has the status to heal the broken relationship with Him. So He sends his only Son who is also God, consubstantial with the Father, equally God, to earth to become man, and only His Son’s death on the cross can repair the broken relationship between God and man. That’s the way it works. And God the Son, Jesus Christ, willingly accepts this task. Jesus agrees to become

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by Jordeene lAgAre ManilaTimes.net

PILIPINAS Shell Petroleum Corp. is poised to enter the property arena in 2018 by putting up its own real estate company, a top official said. “By next year, we expect to have our real estate company,” Cesar Romero, president and chief executive officer of Shell, told reporters. Romero did not provide additional information about Shell’s real estate plans. In addition, he said Shell is also planning to enter the renewable energy (RE) sector and is in “the process of setting it up. Definitely by next year, it should be ongoing.” Shell, according to Romero, is “not necessarily anchored on setting up a generation facility” as their intention is to be beyond the traditional solar panel installer. “It’s actually being a renewable energy provider, mixed with hybrid. It’s a blended energy provision with a renewable component. Basically, provision

Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes TO many people, the New Year signifies a chance to have a fresh beginning. People dispose of old personal items and clean out the closet in order to make room for the new. This is also the time of the year many people realize when a marriage is not working out and it may be time to start a new life as a single person whether or not you have children. You can decide to take action and file a divorce. Before you take any action, you need to think about your situation carefully. First, you should decide whether you should you move out of the family residence or not? If you and your spouse are communicating and have some type of respect left with one another, it may be more economical to continue residing in the same household until you resolve the issues in the divorce case. However, if your relationship is heated and riddled with conflict, then someone should to move out. If your spouse has threatened you, hurt you, or

of energy, which could be a combination of hybrid, of renewables and some other component, not just solar installations,” he added. The integrated energy company is currently looking for a local partner to comply with the 60-40 foreign ownership rules in favor of Filipino entities. Romero said this process is somewhat challenging on the part of Shell since they need to “work out with a partner and then set up the JV [joint venture] arrangements.” He said Shell is in the process of discussions in order to seal a JV agreement with “repu-

table and prominent members of the community,” adding potential areas are “being worked out” for their RE investment. Shell is a global group of energy and petrochemical companies. Its operations are divided into four businesses: upstream, integrated gas and new energies, downstream, and projects and technology. Pilipinas Shell, the local listed company of the Shell Group, is primarily engaged in the refining and marketing of petroleum products. It currently has 1,014 retail stations serving motorists all over the country. n

Starting the new year fresh with a divorce

committed domestic violence, you may file a domestic violence temporary restraining order and request the court to order your spouse to move out of the house. In the same application, you may also request for custody, support, and attorney’s fees. If on the other hand you decide to be the one to move out, you should move somewhere close to your spouse if you have children to make it easier for both of you to co-parent with the children. Second, you should decide whether your spouse is the type who will disclose all the financial assets or not after you file for divorce. Although the family code (family code 2100 et seq.) imposes a duty to disclose all material facts and information, spouses’ are not always forthcoming in disclosing completely all assets, debts, income and expenses specially after a divorce case is commenced. What sometimes happens is once a divorce case is commenced, assets are either not disclosed, disappears, or documents/ bank statements are not produced even with formal discovery. You should gather and make copies of all financial

documents before filing the divorce. Third, there is an automatic temporary restraining order (ATROS) in place once you file and serve your spouse with the divorce papers. The four standard mutual restraining orders are 1) removing their minor children from the state without the prior written consent of the other party or a court order. family code Section 2040(a)(1) 2) restraint from transferring, encumbering, hypothecating, concealing, or in any way disposing of any property, real or personal, whether community, quasi-community, or separate without the other party’s written consent or court order; fam code 2040(a)(2) 3) restraint from cashing, borrowing against, canceling, transferring, disposing of, or changing the beneficiaries of any insurance or other coverage, including life, health, automobile, and disability held for the benefit of the parties and their child for whom support may be orders. Fam C 2040(a)(3). 4) restraint from creating a nonprobate transfer or modifying a nonprobate trans-

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Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA EMMA looked down at the busy huddle in the operating room. She was floating, hovering above the doctors and nurses in their blood spattered scrub suits while working on someone. They were desperately trying to bring a patient back to life. Emma took a closer look. “Why that’s me,” she thought. The doctors were trying to bring her back from the brink. Her vital signs were weakening. If the monitor flat lined, Emma knew she would be gone for good. There seems to be a thin silver thread that still anchors her to her body but the physical life force is ebbing away fast. She remembered being in a car accident. Emma was only 42. “Go back,” she seemed to hear someone tell her but there was no sound. Emma felt so light, so free. She hadn’t felt this wonderful in a long time. A feeling of wellbeing was engulfing her. She was in a tunnel and a white speck of light glowed at the end. There was a being of light in the distance. She began moving towards it. Suddenly, she felt the grief of her husband and her two young children weighing down on her. She caught a glimpse of them in the hospital waiting room. Matt, the younger one, has his face pressed against the windowpane staring out through the glass at the pouring rain. Her heart was filled with love for them. They still need her. “Go back. It’s not yet time,” she seemed to hear the gentle voice once more although there was no one and there was no sound. And Emma did. She heard one of the doctors say to her, “Welcome back.” Emma knew her life, what remained of it, was never going to be the same again. Emma is only one of several millions the world over who have come back from the edge of death, having gone through what is called NDE or Near Death Experience. Are you afraid of death? I am. I suppose so do most of humankind through most of history. In Greek mythology, the Fates represented by 3 women named, Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos determined a person’s destiny upon birth. Clotho is the spinner who spins the thread of life and Lachesis is the measurer who chooses a man’s lot in life and how long it is to be. Atropos is the most dreaded one. It is she who decided how and when a man is to die, using her large, sharp, unrelenting scissors to cut off the thread of life. No one, not even the Gods at Olympus trifled with her. Should we fear death? Stories abound that tell of those who have gone through NDE that strongly indicate that there is grace in dy-

BUSINESS NEWS

conviction rates and failures to recover proceeds despite efforts by the Bureau of Internal Revenue. In sectoral terms, the report said the threat was high among banks, money service businesses, designated non-financial businesses and professions and nonprofit organizations. In noted that all 49 money laundering cases investigated by the AMLC from 2015 to 2016 involved bank accounts. About P5.7 billion was laundered using over 1,500 accounts in 21 universal and commercial banks, four thrift banks and six rural banks. “Similarly, based on 141 requests for information (RFI) from counterpart financial intelligence units and 12 Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty requests from foreign jurisdictions, over P500 billion was allegedly coursed through bank accounts,” the report added. Deposit and checking account facilities and wire transfers were among the bank products and services being exploited by criminals. “Though the criminal proceeds involved in the money laundering cases and related predicate

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may violate the ATROS, it is best fer in a manner that affects the to do it prior to filing and servdisposition of property subject ing the divorce petition provided to the transfer without the other you do not breach your fiduciary party’s written consent or court duty to your spouse. If you are order. fam c 2040(a)(4). There thinking of filing a divorce, it is are exceptions to the above re- best to consult an experienced strictions. One exception is for family law attorney before taking property transfers in the usual any action. course of business or for the ne*** and all the chillingly cold, nega- cessities of life. Examples would Please note that this article is not legal tive, consuming energies of such be property transfers as part of advice and is not intended as legal advice. emotions as seething anger, your usual business operations or The article is intended to provide only loathing and arrogance swirl- to pay for usual household living general, non-speciﬁc legal information. ing about in a thick, dark, putrid expenses. Another exception is This article is not intended to cover all cloud, the complete antithesis of payment of reasonable attorney’s the issues related to the topic discussed. the typical NDE experience of fees. fam c. 2040(a)(2). If you The speciﬁc facts that apply to your matlight. This story is more like hor- need to do any transactions that ter may make the outcome different than ror. Just as there are good people and bad people, the nature of the near death experience seems to be a direct and proportionate rewrapped in swaddling clothes, sult of the collective, aggregate PAGE B2 t choices each one makes through man and die on the cross to re- lying in a manger.” And sudstore man’s broken relationship denly there was with the angel life. Remember the movie Ghost? with God. I mean, can you be- a multitude of the heavenly host The merciless murderer Wil- lieve such humility and love for praising God and saying: Glory to lie, was on his way to commit man from our creator? Our God God in the highest, and on earth, another contract murder, when is all-powerful, He could have peace and good will toward men! he is confronted by the invis- destroyed and killed all 6 billion (Luke 2:10-14). So the implication is that the ible energy of the spooky, ram- people on earth today, including paging spirit of Sam whom he you and I, to restore that broken heavens opened up at least parmurdered earlier for money. He relationship. But that’s not what tially, to make a lot of angels vissuddenly flees and in his haste, He and Jesus did. Jesus humbled ible, singing like a choir, singing is run over by a car and dies on Himself; remember Jesus is also “Glory to God in the highest, and the spot. The murderer’s spirit God, to become man and to die on earth, peace and goodwill torises from his body as he realizes on the cross? It’s just mind-bog- wards men!” Obviously, the anhe is dead. His soul, however, is gling. It is so incredible that it gels were ecstatic that Jesus had been born and that the broken instantly shackled and suctioned must be true. “Hark! The herald angels sing, relationship between God and off screaming into the void by howling, hooded, dark, macabre, ‘Glory to the newborn King! man would be healed by Jesus. misshapen creatures rising like Peace on earth and mercy mild, But why was Jesus only born in toxic fumes and disappearing God and sinners reconciled.” a manger and not in Trump Towjust as suddenly from the sewers The Bible says that an angel ap- ers or Mar-a-Lago? Because our of New York City. That is, per- peared to some shepherds who God is humble of heart and full haps, a glimpse of what it must were tending their sheep: Then of love for man. He could have be like to truly die and go to hell. the angel said to them, “Do not chosen to be born in a place with When the other kind of NDE be afraid, for behold, I bring you infinite majesty and wealth with happens, some report that there good tidings of great joy which trees and mountains signing is no concept of space or time at will be to all people. For there is about his greatness and glory beall. There is neither beginning born to you this day in the city cause our God is all powerful, yet nor end. Communication with be- of David a Savior, who is Christ, he chose to be wrapped in swadings of light or deceased relatives the Lord. And this will be the dling clothes and be born among who may accompany the dying is sign to you: You will find a Babe poor shepherds and sheep. Yes, telepathic. There is no sound and no need for words. Many of those who have nearly died and allowed to come back to live out the rest of their lives express a reluctance to return to their previous physical lives. But there was a strong pull, a tug from their earthly life that made them do a U-turn, at least for the time being. What is stunning is this. Nearly all those who have had an encounter with death and did come back to resume their lives claim they no longer fear death. The fear of death is no more. Death for them has become a door one must pass to enter a more beautiful, enticing reality full of love and mercy. What most have learned from their brush with death is startlingly simple. LOVE, they profess, is the most important thing in this earthly life — giving it, accepting it and learning from it. .* * * Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. D EC E M B E R 27-29 To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com Ateneo de Naga High School Class ’67 celebrates

“ Unless a grain of wheat shall fall upon the ground and die, It remains but a single grain with no life.”

–From a hymn composed by Bernadette Farrell ing. There is strong evidence of life beyond death and that the act of dying is transitioning into that life. In almost all cases of NDE, people relate of feeling weightless, floating and hovering above looking down at their own bodies and even seeing how doctors, nurses and technicians struggle to bring them back from the brink. They are literally hanging on by a thread. It is an out of body experience and that there exists a thin silver iridescent cord that still connects them to their own bodies. If that cord is cut, it means that they are now truly physically dead and that they will continue on to the afterlife with no more chance of coming back to their previous physical life. Many of those who have gone though NDE report that there is that feeling of being drawn into a tunnel. There is the presence of a strong, white, comforting light at the end of it. The light appears small and as they progress through the tunnel, it becomes a strong being of light filled with love and compassion. Many report of meeting deceased relatives. Many go through a flashback of powerful memories like a review of their life, both good and bad. Above all, there seems to be an overwhelming feeling of release from all the constraints of their physical lives. For some, the decision to return is theirs to make. For others, the decision has already been made that their time to die hasn’t come yet and that they must go back. An unfinished business or a strong emotional attachment can make some go back and resume living. The impact of NDE is life changing. Documentation for those who have been declared clinically dead and have come back to resume living shows that those who have seen a glimpse of life beyond death undergo profound changes. Many have changed their view of life for the better. Some have a better appreciation of life becoming more kind, compassionate and considerate of others. For others, there is a renewed sense of purpose and a reordering of life’s priorities. Some have even gone on to develop a sense of spirituality convinced that their new lease on life tells them that they were made for something more. But not all stories of NDE are the same. It seems that for some on the dark side, the experience is totally different. Some report of the presence of a dark void

offenses translate to a minimal percentage of the total assets of the banking industry, the cases clearly showed continuous use of banking products and facilities and money service businesses in laundering proceeds of unlawful activities; hence, the threat rating for banks is high,” the report said.. The Philippines is also under high threat as a money laundering destination, with the AMLC reporting that it received a total of 153 requests for information and assistance from other jurisdictions, including 12 requests for mutual legal assistance, over 2015 and 2016. Based on the requests, fictional entrepreneurship and tax evasion were the foremost sources of illicit funds in 2015 while fraud was the topmost source in 2016. The countries of origin for these crimes were identified as Kazakhstan and the United States. In 2015 and 2016, about 98 percent and 70 percent, respectively, of an estimated P608 billion in dirty money inflows were transacted using bank accounts and other products offered by the banking industry. Money remittance businesses

program, Dominguez said the TRAIN would also improve the delivery of services of the government by way of higher public spending on education, health care, and other forms of human capital development programs. Moreover, the finance chief said up to 30 percent of the incremental revenues to be generated by the TRAIN will be allocated for a targeted cash transfer program, which would help the bottom 50 percent of the population cope with the initial effects of the tax reform law on prices of commodities. President Duterte signed the

TRAIN into RA 10963 last December 19 at Malacañang. The law, which contains the first package of the DOF’s Comprehensive Tax Reform Program, seeks to lower personal income taxes, while increasing the excise tax rates on fuel, automobile, coal, tobacco, and sugar sweetened beverages. It also aims to broaden the tax base by removing some exemptions in the value-added tax system. According to DOF estimates, the bill is expected to generate about P82.3 billion in 2018, or about two-thirds of the P134 billion originally intended under the bill.

would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Ofﬁces of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certiﬁed Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com. (Advertising Supplement)

Successful settlement of...

Calendar of Events across

He can make trees and mountains sing! As I said, our God is just incredible and wonderful!! We cannot fathom how He thinks. He holds every atom and molecule in this universe together. If he chose to, the whole universe would disintegrate and disappear into nothingness and we would all die in a millisecond. Christmas greetings to everyone! Let’s all celebrate the birth of Jesus next week and prepare with joy this week for his birthday on Monday! Hark the herald angels sing: GLORY TO THE NEWBORN KING! If you need debt relief, set an appointment to see me. I will analyze your case personally. *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy, business, real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than ﬁve thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S. Fremont Ave, Mailstop 58, Building A-1 Suite 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803.

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and securities trading firms were also used to funnel the funds, the report said. The AMLC investigated cases involving proceeds allegedly derived from estafa, trafficking in persons, kidnapping for ransom and E-Commerce Act violations sourced from abroad. These cases involved more than P902 million in illicit funds from other jurisdictions. The report noted the need for closer coordination and cooperation between the AMLC and law enforcement agencies authorized to investigate and/or prosecute unlawful activities. Law enforcement agencies involved in the risk assessment must also be encouraged to maintain statistics specifically needed for the conduct of the threat analysis to eliminate data collection challenges. “The growing threat of ML/ TF has drawn importance and understanding globally. In order to effectively combat this threat, there is a need to identify the weaknesses and gaps in the country’s ability to combat ML/TF and identify the vulnerability of the different sectors,” the AMLC said. ■

TRAIN to fund 25% of Duterte...

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Coming back from the brink Starting the new year fresh... of a near- death experience

‘Money laundering threat remains’... PAGE B1 t

LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 27-29, 2017

The remaining one-thirds, which involves the proposed tax amnesty program, adjustments in the Motor Vehicle Users Charge, and amendments in the bank secrecy law, will be passed by Congress in the first quarter of next year. “This is just an initial part of our gains under the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program as Congress has passed two-thirds of the expected revenue from the Package One of TRAIN. I thank Congress again for its commitment to pass the balance by the first quarter of next year,” Duterte said during the signing rites. ■

in Naga City

50th anniversary

The Ateneo de Naga University (ADNU) High School Class 1967 is celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2017 from December 27 to 29 with various activities lined up for its 153 alumni members. (ADNU is a leading Jesuit university in the Bicol region located in Naga City, Camarines Sur, Philippines). The activities include the publication of its 50thAnniversary Yearbook, a coffee table book which features the individual life stories of the class members after high school, tributes to their mentors, and various articles about school life in the 1960s. Also scheduled for the middle of the year is a golf tournament which — aside from fostering camaraderie — will essentially be a fund-raising activity for planned alumni projects such as a medical mission to a remote provincial town, scholarships, and donations for other worthy causes. This year’s reunion will be at the ADNU main campus in Naga City with various fun and commemorative activities lined up for the occasion. All batch members, wherever they are domiciled, including those residing in foreign countries, especially those in the USA and Canada, are enjoined to contribute their life story articles for the anniversary book as soon as possible, to participate in the various identified activities and outreach projects, and attend the grand homecoming in December. For coordination and for details about the events and activities, please email or call up any of the following batch members: Jojo de Jesus (email: jvdejesus6@yahoo.com; cell: 09772114750); Nilo Ezequiel (email: nilo. ezequiel0977@gmail.com; cell: 09257200926; Antonio Sibulo, MD (email: assjrmd@gmail. com).

D EC E M B E R 28

Immigration forum in Anaheim, CA Global Law Centers will be hosting an immigration forum on Thursday, December 28 from 6 to 8 p.m. It will be held at Brookhurst Community Center (2271 Crescent Ave., Anaheim, CA 92801); admission is FREE. The forum is about employment-based immigration, information regarding fast-track work visas ( H-1B1, TN, E-3), green card by Marriage, familybased immigration, employment sponsorship for green card, and work visas after graduation. Candidates with H-1B, TN, F-1, OPT & other visas issues are encouraged to attend for FREE immigration consultation & immigration assistance. For more information, please contact Global Law Centers at (714) 657-7460 or www.globallawcenters.com.

D EC E M B E R 3 1

Fil-Am Council of Ventura County to host New Year’s Eve celebration in Oxnard, CA The Filipino American Council of Ventura County, Inc. invites the community to an evening of GLAM and GLITTER as we ring in the new year on Sunday, December 31, from 6 p.m. - midnight at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center located at 800 Hobson Way in Oxnard, California. This year, the Fil-Am Council has taken over OPACC to provide guests with two options to celebrate! The Oxnard Room: Glam & Glitter — The magical evening will include dinner, a short program featuring the induction of officers for the Filipino American Council, raffles, and a lot of dancing to live music by Boyd Elston which includes the latest cha-cha, ballroom, and tunes to line dance to! Donation: $45 presale, $50 at Door; $25 children 12 years and below. Attire is semi formal. The second option is the Ventura Room: THE FLIP SIDE! Local deejay, DJ CARL10 will be mixing the hottest tracks for our GENX guest to groove to, from old school to new school and everything in between! Donation is $25, doors open at 9 p.m. Sponsorships are available. For more information, please call Myrna Viloria at (805) 236-8901 or Grace Tuazon at (805) 766-3231. To purchase tickets, please visithttps:// www.eventbrite.com/e/fil-am-council-of-ventura-county-new-years-eve-celebration-tickets39771817577?aff=es2.

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

B4 DECEMBER 27-29, 2017 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL

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People and Events

USAFFE WWII veterans and spouses recognized for the holidays THE Philippine Consulate of Los Angeles, in cooperation with the Filipino Veterans Foundation (FilVets), the three LA area Filipino American Chambers of Commerce (FACC – Greater LA, FACC Tri-County, and FACC – SouthBay LA Area), successfully hosted a combined Christmas party at the Bob Hope Patriotic Hall for the benefit of United States Armed Forces of the Far East (USAFFE) Veterans from World War II and their spouses last Tuesday, December 19. Consul General Adelio Cruz corresponded with the Board Members and Officers of the three LA area FACCs, headed by

their respective presidents, Gerry Palon of GLA, Merwynn Montenegro of Tri-County, and Fred Docdocil of SouthBay LA Area, to help plan this event in order to fete some of the few remaining veterans and their spouses in honor of the many sacrifices that they have made, as well as being a gesture of goodwill from the local Filipino business community in LA. Also very instrumental in the success of this party was the leadership of Dr. Jenny Batongmalaque, the executive director of FilVets, who was the primary liaison for the Bob Hope Patriotic Hall being the venue. The veterans and spouses hon-

ored were: Cmmdr. Emeterio and Aurea Corpuz; Juanito and Olive Piamonte; Vicente and Azucena Palad; Leonardo and Natalia Crook; Constantine and Gregoria Pontillas; Alfredo and Felisa Lorenzo; Eliseo and Angelina Tomines; Marcelino and Cristeta Gawat; Leopoldo and Conchita Turmon; Julian and Natividad Dologuin; Meliton Bantiles; Wilfredo Credo; and Felicisimo Berdos. The widows recognized were: Helen Casipe; Emilia Paulo; Rebecca Jerez; and Virginia Lacanlale. Special thanks to the event’s sponsors, Leelin Bak-

PH business, govt leaders...

PAGE B1 t data-sharing and management were still contained within their own groups,” he added. According to del Val, a uniform way of gathering and managing information could improve the system.

EMPLOYMENT

ery & Cafe, Lapid Foods, Inc., and Island Pacific Supermarket, for their generous contributions towards the care packages that were given as “pamaskohan” for the grateful recipients. Acknowledgements also go out to the following supporters:

Philippine tourism sector...

PAGE B1 t

before. “The month of July recorded the biggest receipts of P33.53 bil“While some banking and he said. “[Industry leaders] must be- lion while the highest growth of healthcare institutions already have electronic records and doc- gin with an end in mind. What 117.23 percent was recorded in uments, a vast majority of offices are their objectives? From these, September,” the DOT earlier said. In September, inbound visitor still rely on hard copies. Digiti- they can determine the stratezation will allow companies to gies and infrastructure that they receipts more than doubled to derive more useful insights and need, so that their investments P30.89 billion from P14.22 bilshare them across industries,” will be worth it,” he added.■ lion in September 2016.

EMPLOYMENT

the Achievers (led by Lilia Bravo and Romeo Bejo); the Lavender Ladies (Linda Clark, Divina Aragon and, Yoly Conquilla), and the staff of E.R.B./Filipino Veterans Foundation (Julie Balaoro, Linda Organo, Ray Manalo, and Ben & Coreen Ramos).

Average daily expenditure (ADE) of visitors for the same month registered at P6,722.02, while the average length of stay of visitors was at 9.30 nights. In addition, the average per capita expenditure of visitors for September was pegged at P62,514.77. Rivera earlier identified the ecotourism sector as a market

EMPLOYMENT

FOR RENT

that the DOT should focus on as it attracts higher spending tourists and also accounts for one of the highest expenditure among tourists. He said seven percent of all international travel expenditure are generated by nature tourism. “A pertinent characteristic of ecotourism is that it is not for the backpackers,” Rivera said. ■

B DECEMBER 27-29, 2017 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL

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LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 27-29, 2017

The Asian Journal

MDWK

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

MAGAZINE

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cover story The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - December 27, 2017

Tips on finally achieving your goals in 2018 in the Statistic Brain poll were said to usually make New Year’s resolutions, with only 9.2 percent He year 2017 is comof people feeling like they were ing to an end with successful in achieving their 2018 coming in full resolution. Nearly 42 percent of force. With Christmas over, it people said they never succeed seems that all there’s left to do is on their resolution each year. plan for New Year’s eve fesRegardless of numbers, it’s tivities, and start making annual safe to say that keeping up with New Year’s resolutions. resolutions is tough to do. But For those who enjoy resoluwhy? tions, it most probably won’t be According to Soler, most the first time making them — nor people fail because they focus the second, the third, or even the on the wrong thing — on what fourth. they “can’t do,” rather than what Merriam-Webster suggested Inquirer.net photo on what they “will do.” tions and new behavior.” that the first modern new year traveling more, and getting more She gives the example of While resolutions have resolution was first recorded sleep. Yet another Marist Poll differentiating between telling changed with the times, it seems found that “being a better per(though satirically) in a publicayourself that you can’t eat cake that many people find themtion called “Walker’s Hibernian son” made a tie with weight loss or sugar because you want to selves making the same resoluMagazine” in 1802 in which a for the top 2018 resolution. lose weight, versus telling yourtions year after year. According list of people were said to have Kamille Rose Soler, transself that you’ll go for a walk three to Statistic Brain Research “begun the year with a strong formational speaker, life and times a week or join a boot camp Institute, the top 10 New Year’s of resolutions, which they all business coach, and founder to reach fitness goals. resolutions for 2017 were to lose and CeO of The Ultimate Lyfe, solemnly pledged to keep.” “Focus on the positive, and weight or eat healthier, make life/ shared with the Asian Journal A few years later in 1813, what is possible, versus where self improvements, quit smoking, that the most common resolua Boston newspaper used the you are restricted. One is emdo more exciting things, spend words “new year” and “resolutions she hears from clients powering, the other is dis-emmore time with family, work out tion” together in a January 1 arare to lose weight, make more powering,” Soler shared with the ticle in which the author believed more often, learn something money, and spend more time Asian Journal. new, do more good deeds for that there were “multitudes of with loved ones. If that sounds simpler said, people” who were “accustomed others, find the love of their life, If these resolutions sound than done, here are a few more to receive injunction of new year and find a better job. similar to ones you’ve made tips to help you go forth with Discussion platform Forum resolutions, who will sin all the before or even the ones you’re your 2018 resolutions. Mantra found that most of the month of December, with a seriplanning on making for 2018, Develop a stronger and same goals were forecasted for ous determination of beginning you’re not alone. A good 41 better plan 2018, with a few differences of the new year with new resolupercent of Americans recorded Continued on Page 4

by Rae ann VaRona AJPress

Improve your spending habits and save more this new year by Ritchel Mendiola AJPress

BAD spending habits are always hard to break, no matter how many times you promise yourself you will. However, having no control over your spending can ruin your finances and may even leave you in debt. While it is true that there’s no way to avoid spending, there are ways to curb your spending habits in order to save money. Here are some of them. • Construct a shopping list. It’s easy to lose control of your spending when you’re shopping, especially when it’s near the holidays and there are sales and promotions. Having a list with you — even if it’s just for a quick run to the market or convenience story — will help prevent unnecessary and compulsive purchases. • Bring only the cash you need. Leave your debit and credit cards at home while you’re at it too. It’s more difficult to spend when you know you’ll be paying with cash. Moreover, not having any spare dollars with you will make you prioritize which items to buy. • Wait before you buy. If you happen to come across an item that you want to buy but isn’t in your list, put the item back and only return to it after you’ve thought it through. This is one way of lessening that compulsion within you. If the compulsion is still strong even after waiting it out, see if it fits in your budget before buying it. • Don’t shop when you’re at an emotional high. According to National Debt Relief, people make irrational decisions whenever they feel exaggerated emotions. Using retail therapy when you’re Photo courtesy of StatePoint Photo from Shuva Rahim/stock.Adobe.com feeling down or when you’re in a celebratory mood will only lead and delicious smoothies each a to-do list or calendar to feel to overspending. Unless you can commit to a strict limit, it’s best to morning. more in control of your busy avoid spending when you’re at an emotional high (or low). Stress less schedule, then cross items off • Budget. This will help you save money as budgeting gives you Stress can have adverse the list when completed. an idea about how much you spend whenever you’re shopping. effects on minds and bodies, as Practice positivity Knowing your financial situation will help lessen impulsive buying. insomnia, weight gain, anxiety A sunny outlook can affect • Know your shopping weaknesses. Is it shoes? Clothes? If and depression are all potential your wellbeing. Keep a gratiyou’re on a tight budget, knowing your related risks. While it isn’t always tude journal by writing down weaknesses will help you avoid avoidable, simple changes will something good that happens the department store or your help you manage tension. each day. On bad days, you’ll be favorite boutique. Sometimes, stress can be forced to focus on the positive • Stop and ask yoursolved with some “me time.” aspects of your life. self. Before buying Treat yourself to a massage or One of the best ways to anything, take the time to manicure, soak in a hot bath, improve your happiness is by ask yourself if you really or unwind with a nature walk. giving others a boost. Volunteer need the item. Knowing Connecting with others can help, with a charitable organization or the difference between too. Plan a brunch with your best donate to a favorite cause. Pracneeds and wants will help friend or a date night with your tice doing something kind daily. in curbing your spending significant other. This new year, take small habits and saving money this Feeling overwhelmed with steps to help you feel happier new year. work and family life? Build out and healthier. (StatePoint)

4 steps to a healthier you this new year

WANT to make resolutions you’ll keep this new year? Think simple, sustainable changes. Follow these four steps for a healthier you, inside and out. Stick to your workout After the holidays, the gym is filled with people who have resolved to incorporate exercise routines into their lives. Come February, the novelty of the new year wears off, life gets in the way and, according to “U.S. News & World Report,” 80 percent of resolutions fail by the second week of the month. Instead of jumping from no routine to a seven-days-a-week commitment, introduce workouts to your schedule in small doses. Dread cardio or weight

machines? Find something that you’ll look forward to, like a cycling class, yoga or outdoor pursuits. Choosing activities that you enjoy will increase your chances of sticking to your resolution. Eat smarter According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most Americans are falling short of their fruit and vegetable intake goals, and most eat only half the recommended amount of fiber. To increase your consumption of essential nutrients, create a grocery list packed with fruits, vegetables, protein and whole grains. Plan meals for the week to ensure you stick to a whole-food menu. Keep ingredients on hand for meals you can make in a pinch, so you’re not tempted by fast food on a busy day. Try frozen salmon fillets, which you can cook without thawing, or eggs, low-fat cheese and veggies for a quick-baking frittata. Freeze individual servings of chopped fruits and vegetables in Photo from LMproduction - Fotolia.com resealable bags to create quick

Easy ways to cut back on sugar Tips for keeping your busy family organized

NATIONWIDe, 30 million children and adults have diabetes, and 86 million are prediabetic, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA). A leading risk factor for Type 2 diabetes is being overweight. But the good news is, according to the ADA, losing just 7 percent of your body weight can decrease that risk by 58 percent. One way to manage your weight is to cut back on sugar, which can often be a sneaky source of weight gain. Before getting started, it’s important to remember that many healthy foods naturally contain sugar, a carbohydrate your body burns for energy. Processed sugars are different, adding calories that provide no other nutritional benefit, and at excessive levels, disrupting your metabolism, and potentially posing serious health risks. The USDA’s dietary guidelines recommend that added sugar account for less than ten percent of your daily calories — that’s a maximum of 50 grams a day for average women and 62.5 grams for men. To keep your sugar consumption in the healthy range, Courtney McCormick, Corporate Dietitian at

Nutrisystem offers the following tips: • Hold the ketchup. You know baked goods and candy are loaded with added sugar, but so are many foods you may not think of as especially sweet. A tablespoon of ketchup, for instance, has four grams of sugar, more than some chocolate chip cookies. Salsa, barbecue sauce, spaghetti sauce and even bread are hidden sources of sugar. • Sweeten with spices. Replace sugar from coffee, hot cereal and other foods with spices that have a naturally sweet taste, such as vanilla, cinnamon and cardamom, instead. • Flavor your water. A 12ounce can of soda has as much as 40 grams of added sugar. Skip the soda and drink water sweetened with fresh fruit and herbs, like strawberries and basil or lime and mint. • Start with plain. The fruit in the bottom of your yogurt can come with 25 or more grams of added sugar. Buy plain yogurt and add your own fresh or dried fruit. • Snack on fruit. One cup of blueberries, for example, has seven grams of natural sugar Continued on Page 5

WHeN it comes to busy families, things have a habit of becoming scattered quickly. Here are five ways to keep everything and everyone organized, all the time. 1. Centralize information. Hang an erasable calendar or family to-do list in a high-traffic area of the home where everyone can see it, so that everyone can add appointments, practices, vacations, school plays and other events. Be sure to hang it at a height appropriate for all members of the family, big and small. 2. Planned meal prep. Pick one day a week to plan meals and snacks for the days ahead. Prep items that you can in advance. Chop veggies, pack school lunches, assemble the lasagna. This will make the rest of the week a breeze. Family mem-

bers can easily grab pre-prepared lunches and snack items before school and work, to take away the stress of busy mornings and getting out the door on-time. Plus, evenings won’t need to feel so rushed. 3. Label it. From the spice rack to the medicine cabinet to the filing cabinet and the garage, clearly labeling containers saves time and energy, ensuring you can quickly and easily find needed items. Seek out tools to make the job of labeling speedy and tidy. 4. Leverage storage. Do you take full advantage of storage nooks and crannies in your home? Use bed risers to create more space under the bed. Well-designed furniture can pull double-duty. Seek out specialized sofas and ottomans that lift up to

Photo from jolopes/stock.Adobe.com

reveal extra storage. 5. Tidy up. Items tend to move around the house, often ending up where they don’t belong. Soccer gear in the living room, toys in the bathroom and items of clothing left on the

couch. Dedicate 15 to 30 minutes a week for the family to organize items and put things back where they belong. Having a standing appointment to do so will ensure everyone pitches in to help. (Statepoint)

way to free up space in home offices and craft rooms. Say “No” to clutter everyone has items they keep around for no real reason that aren’t particularly meaningful and don’t serve a purpose. Being able to objectively identify

these items makes everything easier. Paring down possessions doesn’t have to be painful. That cardinal shaped cookie jar that you’ve always been on the fence about? It would make an incredibly thoughtful “just because” gift for an ornithology-obsessed aunt. Often, less can literally be more: Consignment shops and eBay make it easy to turn four or five pieces of furniture you “kind of like” into one piece you absolutely love. Store décor wisely everyone loves holiday decorating. Taking down decorations afterward... not so much. It’s difficult to preserve items in a haphazard collection of cardboard boxes, plastic bags and mismatched bins, all crammed into the corner of a garage or Continued on Page 5

5 rules for a more organized home

AFTeR the hectic holidays, it’s no surprise that many people commit to getting better organized in the new year. There are plenty of reasons why people obsess over organization and resolve to master it year after year. Household items become easier to find. Rooms all of a sudden seem bigger and more welcoming. each walk past a tidy linen closet — where there was once an avalanche waiting to spill forward — comes with a small sense of accomplishment. Whether you’re after smarter storage or looking to cut clutter, successful resolutions begin with a thoughtful approach. Think small While it’s fun to dream about a large-scale routine reset, smaller sustainable actions are key to lasting change. Take it one room or even one drawer at a time to

keep momentum positive and to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Doing so also allows you to focus, leading to more creative solutions for taking advantage of under-utilized areas. For example, you may find using over-the door organizers a great

features 3

Raymond Gutierrez and the year he got fit by Katrina

hallare

Inquirer.net

tV host and entrepreneur Raymond Gutierrez reminisced about his decision of being in shape. on an instagram post on Monday, Gutierrez shared a photo of himself and celebrity chef erwan Heussaff, who was with him to witness his fitness journey throughout. “Surround yourself with

Photos from Instagram/@mond

by Clarizel

abanilla Inquirer.net

added. Because of his inspiring post, netizens could not help but express their awe at how Gutierrez achieved his goal, and wished they could do the same. it was back in March when he wowed his fans and followers with his weight loss, documenting the whole process on social media.

Hollywood contest’s Filipino finalists perform with Joe Jonas’ DNCE by Seph

aSong Philstar.com

“BeSt cover ever” is a Youtube original series featuring talented musicians from around the world, competing to win the chance to perform alongside their idols. the show premiered worldwide and exclusively on Youtube last november 20. the show was hosted by Grammy Award-winning hip hop artist and actor Ludacris and produced by Ryan Seacrest and endemol Shine north America. in its first run, the show boastsof an impressive lineup of Hollywood music stars such as Katy Perry, Demi Lovato, Keith Urban, nicky Jam, Back Street Boys, Joe Jonas’ Dnce, charlie Puth, Flo Rida, Jason Derulo, and Bebe Rexha, who will judge these aspiring Youtube artists who were challenged to do a cover of one of their original songs while incorporating their own unique style to showcase their originality and diverse talent not just in singing and arranging melodies but as well as performing various musical instruments. in an episode where Joe Jonas and his group Dnce were set to search for the next big artist to breakout internationally, an unexpected duo hailing from the Philippines were short-listed by the producers of the show. the Pinoy music duo consist of Lesha Litonjua, 20, and Leo Malli, 19, otherwise known as Lesha x eLM, are best of friends in college. Lesha is a singer, songwriter, and a producer, while eLM ventures into rapping and production as well. the two artists began performing and uploading cover songs on Youtube in 2016 and shortly after, both Lesha and Leo found themselves performing at some of the biggest parties in Manila, Philippines and even opened up the stage for visiting international artists. in the local music scene, Lesha x eLM is known for its electro pop music but with a fresh take on each cover song with a very distinct and creative mix of synth, drums, bass and various other instruments. Despite gaining massive following on social media and releasing their first ever eP early this year, both artists felt they needed to take their music to the next level—and this is how their

Lesha Litonjua, 20, and Leo Malli, 19, otherwise known as Lesha x ELM

these Filipino young artists as they literally had to fight other talented artists who dreamt of the same thing—to perform with Dnce and be given the platform to showcase their talent in a global scale. “When we landed in L.A., we didn’t know what to expect. We were on set a few days after we arrived for the executive Producers Round at Youtube Space LA. We were standing in line for our iDs, and out of nowhere we hear a car honking really loud. eLM and i along with one other contestant, Will Makar, looked behind and Dnce jumped out of the vehicle and surprised us. We were all in shock! At that moment, Joe Jonas of Dnce told us that we were the top 2 finalists chosen to audition in front of Dnce themselves and Ludacris,” Lesha explained. “For the auditions, we were asked to perform Dnce’s song, ‘Kissing Strangers.’ After a few hours of deliberation, eLM and i were called in back to the studio, and that’s when they’ve announced us as the winner to perform ‘cake By the ocean’ with Dnce in front of hundreds of Dnce fans. During the duet, Dnce tweaked the arrangement a bit so it felt like it was the first time hearing the song; it felt fresh. Performing with international artists like Joe Jonas and Dnce is what we’ve always dreamed of, but more than that, is to be able to share our talent and prove that there’s nothing impossible if you work hard for it,” she added. With today’s technology and social media, getting your talent out there is as simple as uploading a video on Youtube. Social networking sites like Yt has been an instrument for many breakout artists in the past and continues to encourage young people to put out original and creative content, but for Lesha and Leo, it is more than just getting on social media. “Youtube is an amazing platform to get noticed. it may or it may not work, so you just have to really work hard for it every single day until you get it. the best advice we can give to young aspiring artists is not to give up on their dreams. Keep fighting the good fight and keep the passion burning. if you love what you do, everything will just fall in its rightful place. Also, never stop learning new things that will help you grow and become more versatile in your craft. As for both of us, i guess we are very lucky to have each other. it just makes the whole journey extra fun,” Filipino artist Lesha (right) rehearses with Joe Jonas for a performance for YouTube’s international contest, “Best Cover Ever.” Photos courtesy of Lesha x ELM via Seph Asong Lesha and Leo said. fate took a 360-degree spin when they gave it a shot to join “Best cover ever.” they submitted their audition video by uploading their cover song of Dnce’s “toothbrush” and later received a call from the producers of the show that they were shortlisted as top finalists among tens of thousands submissions across the globe. in fact, Lesha and Leo were the only Asians chosen to move forward to the live shows in Los Angeles, california—a true testament to how combining hard work, talent, and strong will really pays off. in an interview with Philstar.com, the talented duo expressed their joy when their live performance videos with Joe Jonas and Dnce were already posted by the show on the same platform that could very well be the beginning of their international career. “it still feels unbelievable for the both of us to have gotten the chance to represent Asia and most especially the Philippines in Hollywood for ‘Best cover ever’ and getting the chance to perform with our idols, Dnce, is more than just a dream come true! We’re still processing everything that just happened,” Lesha said. For musician Leo Malli, everything happened so fast and unexpected, but he is grateful for the massive opportunity that Youtube has provided them both. “the feeling after winning the competition was very surreal. the moment they revealed to us that we won, we were overwhelmed with joy and excitement. it just makes us so proud to have gotten this far. now, looking back from all the hardships we had to endure when we were starting out in the music business have finally made sense,” Malli enthused. Getting through the competition was not easy for

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - December 27, 2017

Robin Padilla gives updates on sister BB Gandanghari

people who push you to work harder,” the tV host wrote. Along with Heussaff, he tagged in trainer Arnold Aninion who helped him attain his current physique. Sharing the same photo on his own page, Heussaff applauded Gutierrez for not only keeping up but for also now being able to push forward. “He is also more disciplined with his diet than i am!” he

Action star Robin Padilla revealed that his older sibling BB Gandanghari now works as an Uber driver in the U.S. Robin shared the news in his recent guesting on ABS-cBn’s daily morning talkshow “Magandang Buhay”. Despite worrying for her, he however assured that BB is doing well. “Nandoon siya sa America nakikipagsapalaran. Uber driver siya doon. Medyo kinakabahan lang ako dahil siyempre America ‘yun. Hindi ko naman kabisado ang mga tao doon. Kung saansaan siya minsan pumupunta. Nagko-cross country siya para sa mga hindi niya kilala. okay na okay si BB,” he said. He also shared that among his siblings it was BB, formerly known as Rustom Padilla, who was closest to him. in fact, it was because of their tight bonding that he often got into brawls fighting off people who teased his brother when they were younger. “Noong mga bata kami, kaming dalawa talaga ‘yung magkasama niyan. Kaya siguro 80% ng away ko, tungkol sa kanya ‘yun kasi lagi siyang tinutukso noong araw. Siyempre kapatid ka, masakit sa tenga mo ‘yun. Hindi ko makakalimutan na kaming dalawa talaga ang magkasama noon. Hanggang ngayon. Iba na nga lang ngayon dahil babae na siya ngayon,” he said. She may not be here for the moment but he left a video message for her brother congratulating him for the success of his reunion movie with megastar Sharon cuneta. “congratulations sa isang napakalakas na pelikula. i feel so nostalgic about the ‘Maging Sino Ka Man’ days. congratulations to you and Sharon. Tama ang lahat ng naririnig ko because wala kayong kupas. Itayo natin ang bandila ng mga ’90s.

Photos screengrabbed from YouTube/ABS-CBN

You are the icon of the ’90s. i’m really very happy for you,” BB said. in closing, BB told Robin to invite her should they have any U.S. screening. in the ’90s, Rustom was a hunk and a heartthrob himself. He has a very successful

team-up with then young star carmina Villaroel. they starred in a few movies and eventually their on-screen tandem ended up in marriage. they however separated. it was when Rustom joined Kapamilya reality show “Pinoy Big Brother” that he made the big reveal.

features The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - December 27, 2017

Tips on finally achieving... From Page 2

As Benjamin franklin once supposedly said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” when it comes to New Year’s resolutions, making sure you execute your goals properly deserves time and thought. by Pablo a. Tariman Soler gave three keys to Philstar.com transformation that are great for all aspects of life, with the first A few days before key being developing a strong Christmas, director Joyce Bermindset. nal faced media men who “Shift your mindset, shift your survived four hours on the road life,” said Soler. Before stepto reach the presscon venue for ping into action, she encourages “Gandarrapiddo: The Revenger people to ask themselves certain Squad” in an industrial town in questions: what are the stories Laguna. you’re telling yourself about this It looked like a typical, situation? what statement are stressful day for everyone, but you making? what questions are the director is the epitome of you asking about? take-it-as-they-come attitude. Only after you develop a She is cool about a lot of good mindset should you spring things and how the passing into the second key to transforyear looked like for her. “I did MMFF 2017 entry “Gandarrapiddo: The Revenger Squad” director Joyce Bernal (second from left) with mation — action, the daily and three films during the year and stars (from left) Daniel Padilla, Pia Wurtzbach and Vice Ganda. Philstar.com photo weekly steps we take to make I guess it was pretty good. I am our goals happen. working on another film with she knows my audience and good timing to be effective. “Micro adjustments in your Sarah Geronimo and of course, She had a hard time slapping where I am good at. On the set life, like deep breathing at least it ended with this Metro Manila Vice in the confrontation scene. with her is not like work. we three times a day, are just as film festival (MMff) entry with You tell her to hit hard, but she laugh a lot, we share meals and important as major adjustments Vice Ganda.” jokes and truly, it’s like working is too wary to hurt her co-star. like going to the gym five times a It is the second time around In the beginning, she is lost in with a barkada. But mind you, week,” said Soler. for her with this feisty stand-up the dialogue exchange and her you have to be ready when she And then, there’s putting comedian who defies labeling wants you to do something timing is not good. But by not yourself in the right environment, every time he takes a leave different. Her level of artistry being in sync with the rest, she which she said is probably the from his noontime show to do creates her own funny moment. is high, and she knows at what most important of the three keys. a once-a-year movie project. point she can get the best from In time, she will learn. for one, “You must rig your environ“Let’s face it, Vice Ganda is a she has the energy and the dis- me. But we both know we can’t ment for success,” shared Soler. big entity now considering his present the same Vice Ganda cipline to absorb what is there whether it be writing your box-office following. what does for her in this line of work. In all over again.” goals on index cards, or creatit take to handle a box-office why should movie audifairness to her, she worked ing a vision board, producing an star? well, courage for one. ences watch her film with Vice very hard and in the end, she effective environment should be when you work with someone Ganda? delivered. She didn’t have the conducive to you reaching your like him, you study where he Joyce said, “Let’s face it, airs of a beauty queen while goals. This includes being aware is good at and what he repreVice is synonymous with fun working and it was obvious of what you take in — podcasts, sents. Then you tell yourself and laughter and I can’t imagfrom the way she dealt with us books, inspirational YouTube you have to find a way to presine Christmas without them.” that she didn’t want a special videos versus negative television ent him in another light. Or find treatment.” But to work well, the direcshows — and the people you a different story to make the tor added that she has found for Vice, direk Joyce is surround yourself with. job extra challenging,” direk a better way of dealing with virtually his “second mother” Soler quoted Jim Rohn Joyce said. “To be sure, he pressure even as media men when direk wenn Deramas — regarded as the grandfather knows what he wants, and you were quick to quote box-office passed away a few years back. of self-development — as having have to act fast to catch up with “In the beginning, you feel like figures and how her latest outsaid, “You are the average of the his ideas. Because every project an orphan and you wonder put will most likely fare at the top five people you spend the is different, and every artist is tills with other equally strong who else you can work with. most time with.” different. As the director, you MMff entries. It didn’t take effort to like her. “So if you want to improve work hard to get the best from She admits a box-office It is pure joy working with her. your average anywhere in life, everybody.” She knows what she wants, and triumph boosts her confidence then look at the people you are working with a newcomer but made one thing clear. she knows in what level your surrounding yourself with,” said to the movies like former Miss “Box-office results give you an collaboration can work with Soler. Universe Pia wurtzbach, diidea how far or how deeply you good result. Keep it simple rek Joyce is candid. “well, she connected with your audience. “Yes, she is very versatile we’ve all done it: grabbed is new in the business and she for one. She can handle materi- But it doesn’t define who I a pen or opened up our laptop, is new in comedy which needs am.” als for specific audiences and

Direk Joyce: Box-office triumph doesn’t define who you are

and started making a list of things we want to accomplish by the end of the year. Often times, we get ambitious and before we know it, our list comprises of an overwhelming amount of things we want to achieve. This makes it harder to stay on track as the months go by. According to the Statistic Brain poll, around 72 percent of people maintain their resolutions through the first week of the new year, but by the end of one month, only 58.4 percent of people stay in the game. By six months, only 44.8 percent of the people remain pursuing their resolutions. Rather than trying to conquer a bunch of resolutions, try narrowing your goals down to a few more realistic resolutions. The American Psychology Association (APA) suggests changing one behavior at a time. Because unhealthy behaviors tend to develop over a course of time, replacing them with better behaviors also requires time. It may also help to be smarter and more specific with your resolutions. Instead of resolving to get more hours of sleep per night, for example, think of concrete ways of how you can do so like putting down your phone 30 minutes before bed, or creating a relaxing bedtime ritual. Don’t be too hard on yourself with 365 days in a year, it’s completely normal we run into challenging obstacles. In fact, setbacks can be expected as they’re part of the learning process. what matters is what we do when we find ourselves wandering off track. Soler advises that the best thing to do is be honest with ourselves, take a step back, and ask ourselves a few questions: “Is this something that I really want? why do I want it? Is it a must for me to have it?” “If it’s not a must yet in your life and if your ‘why’ isn’t exciting for you, then you most likely won’t do it but it’s always important to be honest with

yourself and reflect on that truth,” shared Soler. The reason? “Because the truth will set you free and we all want to feel free to live our fullest and best life. So, keep it real,” she added. Remember, January is just a day in the calendar so don’t be afraid to re-evaluate your goals and commitments when needed. Get a support system Soler advises getting a “warrior buddy” — someone who is willing to root for you, knows about your goals, and is someone you can check in with and vice versa, at least twice a month. “The health of our relationships are one of the major keys to living a successful and fulfilling life so we must include others in staying on track with our resolutions, commitments, and goals,” said Soler. And sometimes, it isn’t even about staying “on track,” but just having someone to discuss your progress and changes with. “Involve great people in your goals and watch how much further you go and how much more fun it is,” Soler added. “Success is so much better shared.” Rethink New Year’s “resolutions” If anything, sometimes successfully reaching our goals just needs a change of perspective or change in how we understand our resolutions. “I actually much prefer the word ‘commitment’ versus ‘resolutions’ because to commit to something implies that you are set on doing it. It is important because you begin to declare what you will do in your life here on out,” shared Soler. “Our actions are constantly responding to what our minds tell us, whether we know it or not, so the key to great success in anything is to be fully aware of what you are doing — and not doing — and to make a clear convicted decision for what you desire,” she added. “Commit to what you desire in 2018, then begin strategizing and planning.”

entertainment 5 2017 MMFF entries showcase float in ‘Parade of Stars’ Ruru Madrid humbled to be Alden Richards’ replacement in new show The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - December 27, 2017

THE annual Metro Manila Film Festival held its Parade of Stars on Saturday with eight movie entries showcasing their colorful floats to the public. The yearly parade was held in Muntinlupa City for the first time instead of the previous route along Roxas Boulevard in Manila and Pasay. Stars also showed up—some of them wearing their film-themed costumes during the parade Here are some photos during the Parade of Stars on Saturday,

December 23. (Rosette Adel/Philstar.com)

by ARLO

CUSTODIO ManilaTimes.net

YOUNG actor Ruru Madrid is thankful for the blessings coming his way. After his stint in the GMA Network reality show, “Protégé: The Battle For The Big Artista Break Season 2” in 2012, where he was runnerup to Jeric Gonzales, his star soared high with 2018 looking to be his brightest year yet. Loy Arcenaʼs “Larawan” brought us back to the GMA Network has conpast with their religious and historic-inspired ﬂoat. firmed he will play the lead in a new teleserye titled “Sherlock, Jr.” in a role supposedly for Alden Richards. The story has since been tweaked to suit Madrid’s personality and brand of acting. “I’m thankful for the trust given to me by GMA. As the final choice for the project I’m humbled by this opportunity [to further showcase my talent in The cast of “Gandarah Nʼ Gwapito: The Revengers” Vice Ganda, Pia Wurtzbach, and Daniel Padilla waved to fans who attended the annual Parade of Stars. Philstar.com photos by Krizjohn Rosales acting]. Nakakataba po ng puso [It’s very heartening],” the young actor said at Production 56’s Christmas party organized by Director Maryo J. delos Reyes and his most senior talent, Yul Servo. But even as everyone kept telling him he is already a star—especially with his mother studio judging him fit to replace Richards in a project—Madrid insisted he just got lucky. He Eat Bulagaʼs Vic “Bossing” Sotto and Dawn Zulueta headlines “Meant to beh.” The ﬁlm directed by Chris further related how Richards has Martinez, also stars Daniel Matsunaga, Sue Ramirez, Ruru Madrid, Gabbie Garcia, and Andrea Torres.

Easy ways to cut back... From Page 2 to satisfy your sweet tooth, but the fruit also comes with fiber to help you feel full and slow the breakdown of the sugars, so you don’t crave more calories soon after eating it. • Bake with applesauce. Eating fewer baked goods is sure to reduce your sugar intake, but when the occasion calls for you to make a cake, replace a third of the sugar in the recipe with an equal amount of unsweetened applesauce. For a delicious no-

sugar added applesauce recipe, visit leaf.nutrisystem.com/recipes. • Eat right and often. When you’re hungry, you crave calories and that too often leads to sugary snacking. Reduce between-meal munching by eating healthy, filling foods four to six times a day. To lower your risk for Type 2 diabetes, make small swaps to reduce your sugar intake and more easily manage your weight. (Statepoint)

5 rules for a more organized... From Page 2

basement. Stepping up storage containers can make a big difference. For a wide selection of storage solutions specifically designed for holiday décor, check out Improvements, which offers everything from ornament and gift wrap organizers to wreath and garland storage bags. Keep a place for everything Nobody likes wasting time gathering or searching. Make storage more convenient and efficient by streamlining. Items frequently used together should be kept together, from coffee supplies to vehicle maintenance tools.

Make a plan Create a schedule so nothing is overlooked. Knowing which project is next gives you time to prepare and purchase any storage items you might need. When scheduling, designate specific rooms and spaces for certain seasons. For example, the first warm days of spring are made for cleaning out the shed or garage. Successful resolutions are essentially new habits that become part of a lifestyle. Deliberately choosing to incorporate small acts of organization on a daily basis will pay off tremendously throughout the year. (StatePoint)

Alden Richards

Ruru Madrid

been so good as to give him pointers for the series, and even ask after developments whenever they see each other. “Whenever I ask Alden about showbiz concerns, he’s always willing to help me, since he joined [the industry] way ahead of me,” Madrid added. Reunion Jose Ezekiel Misa Madrid in real life and born in Zamboanga, the 20-year-old actor shot to fame with his role as Ybarro/ Rama Ybrahim in the fantaserye “Encantadia,” where his love team with Gabbi Garcia also became one of the most followed pairings of Kapuso stars. Pressed to admit the real score between them, Madrid

again insisted they are just good friends and that he is focused on his career. However, just before Christmas, he posted a photo with Garcia in Coron, Palawan with the caption, “Making some new memories with this girl.” To the delight of their fans, Sherlock will serve as the onscreen reunion of Madrid and Garcia after they took on separate projects at the end of “Encantadia”. Milestones In just five years, Madrid has proven himself ready to lead a prime time series what with numerous acting awards to his name. He won Best Drama Actor in this year’s Philippine

Movie Press Club (PMPC) Star Awards for Television for Encantadia, tying with Dingdong Dantes (for “Alyas Robin Hood”). In 2014, the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (Famas) honored the young thespian with the German Moreno Youth Achievement Award. He also won the Outstanding Breakthrough Performance By An Actor Award in the Golden Screen Awards For Television of the Entertainment Press Society (EnPress) for “Dormitoryo.” Madrid was further recognized as Best New Male TV Personality by the PMPC Star Awards for TV in 2013 for “Maynila: Faith in Love” and was honored for Outstanding And Significant Achievement In Film Acting by the Golden Globe Annual Award for Business Excellence in 2014. His movie debut was in the critically acclaimed “Bamboo Flowers” helmed by his mentor and manager, Maryo J. de los Reyes. He further earned praise as the 15-year-old Andres who lost his parents in a flood, therefore having to live with his estranged grandfather [played by rock icon Pepe Smith]in Pepe Diokno’s “Above the Clouds.”

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - December 27, 2017