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DECEMBER 27, 2019-JANUARY 2, 2020 Volume 13 - No. 8 • 16 Pages 133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 • 2500 Plaza S. Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, NJ 07311 • Tel. (212) 655-5426 • Fax: (818) 502-0858
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Typhoon Ursula ruins Christmas in Visayas, kills at least 16 by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
TYPHOON Ursula (international name: Phanfone) on Wednesday, December 25, swept across the villages and towns in the Visayas, ruining the holiday mood and taking the lives of more than a dozen people.
DATELINE
Typhoon Ursula made landfall in the eastern province of Samar and packed maximum sustained winds of 120 km per hour (75 miles per hour) with gusts up to 150 kph. According to disaster agency officials, it killed at least 16 people :among them was a police officer who was electrocuted by a toppled electric
USA
post while patrolling.” Popular tourist attractions like Boracay and Coron were not spared by the typhoon, as well. Boracay’s mobile phone and internet access were cut off on Wednesday, December 25, and the networks remained down on Thursday, December 26,
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US-Philippines ties still ‘perfect’ despite Pinay-founded Care.com travel ban on De Lima detainers — Locsin acquired for $500-M by FRANCO LUNA
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
Philstar.com
PH reaffirms anticorruption stance to UN THE Philippines took part in a United Nations conference that will strengthen the effectiveness of anti-corruption bodies worldwide as it strongly reaffirmed its commitment to uphold the principles of the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). The conference, one of the world’s largest anti-corruption gatherings, reviewed the implementation of the UNCAC—the only legally binding universal anti-corruption instrument and discussed preventing corruption, improved international cooperation to better tackle corruption and asset recovery. Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Michael Ong, who delivered the Philippines’ statement at the 8th Session of the Conference of State Parties to the UNCAC, highlighted President Duterte’s consistent policy on “zero-tolerance” against corruption and his continual calls for the public to report erring government officials. “In the words of our President during his
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LAND OWNER. President Rodrigo Duterte leads the distribution of the Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) to qualified agrarian reform beneficiaries from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) at Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex, Bangsamoro Government Center in Cotabato City. Assisting the President are BARMM Interim Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim and Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones. Malacañang photo by Albert Alcain
MANILA — Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said that the United States and the Philippines continue to share amicable ties despite the passage of a Washington provision that bans anyone implicated in the detention of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.
Philstar.com photo
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Go invites US officials to PH to see drug situation by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
SENATOR Christopher Go recently invited U.S. government officials to the Philippines so they can see for themselves the extent of the country’s drug problem. This invitation came after President Donald Trump signed the U.S. 2020 budget that included a provision denying entry to those involved in the arrest and detention of Senator Leila De Lima. “Washington said the Philippines and the
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Senator Christopher Go Philstar.com photo
by AJPRESS PINAY-founded Care.com, the world’s largest online marketplace for finding and managing family care, will be acquired by American-holding company IAC, both companies announced on Friday, December 20. The two companies have entered into a definitive agreement in which IAC will acquire Care.com — founded by Filipina American Sheila Lirio Marcelo — for $15.00 per share in an all-cash transaction representing approximately $500 million of enterprise value. Founded by Marcelo in 2007, Waltham,Massachusetts-based Care.com helps individuals find babysitters, housekeepers, tutors and caregivers for seniors and pets. The idea came about after Marcelo experienced trouble finding childcare help for her first child as well as for her father when he had a heart
Sheila Lirio Marcelo founded Care.com in 2007.
attack while caring for her second child. The website became a public company in January 2014, and has several offices in cites like Berlin, San Francisco, and Austin. As part of the agreement, Tim Allen, an executive at IAC, will succeed Marcelo, Care.com’s
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From the Front Page US-Philippines ties still ‘perfect’ despite travel... PAGE 1 Sen. Leila De Lima from entering American soil. “[It’s] perfect [...] that’s the legislative branch. The same in Europe, sometimes the legislative branch in the European Parliament says something against us,” he told reporters on Wednesday, December 25. “Read the (U.S.) resolution, the resolution says we are giving authority to the executive branch to look into these people who may have been responsible for the illegal detention of De Lima.” The foreign affairs secretary also defended the arrest of De Lima as perfectly legal, pointing to the Supreme Court decision on the senator’s appeal. “My answer is, illegal? Who said it’s illegal? The Supreme Court said no, it’s legal, so who would you believe?” he said. Politically motivated De Lima in 2018 lost her appeal before the high court which affirmed the validity of her arrest over charges filed against her by the Department of Justice. The United States provision,
though, recognizes the arrest as “wrongful” and “illegal.” “The Senate considers Senator De Lima to be a prisoner of conscience, detained solely on account of her political views and the legitimate exercise of her freedom of expression,” read a separate U.S. resolution submitted in April. Throughout her detention, De Lima has had the vocal support of the international community as even the United Nations Human Rights Council has tagged her arrest as “politically motivated” due to her criticism of the Duterte administration. The opposition senator is spending her third Yuletide season in a row in detention. She has long held that the drugrelated allegations against her are trumped-up and politically motivated owing to her history of criticism against the Duterte administration’s policies, particularly its so-called “war on drugs.” Of the passage of the provision, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra opted to stay silent, saying he did not care if he was included in the final
list. “I will leave it to our foreign affairs secretary to comment on this development,” he said. “This issue is much bigger than the prosecution of Senator De Lima on drug charges under Philippine laws. this involves issues of sovereignty and non-interference among co-equal nations.” Who is affected? Although the U.S. State Department has not yet released a list of those barred from entry, De Lima once listed down the names of people involved in her arrest in an October release. According to the detained senator, her “illegal” detention came as a result of the efforts of former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, former DOJ Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre, Solicitor General Jose Calida, PAO Chief Persida Acosta, Sandra Cam, Dante Jimenez, Congressmen Rey Umali and Rudy Fariñas. She also said that even before her trial, a social media campaign was launched by Mocha Uson, Sass Ro-
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Residents walk past a house damaged during Typhoon Ursula (international name: Phanfone) in Tacloban, Leyte on Wednesday, December 25. Typhoon Ursula pummeled the central Philippines on Christmas Day, bringing a wet and miserable holiday season to millions in the mainly Catholic nation. Philstar.com photo
Typhoon Ursula ruins Christmas... PAGE 1 which was why a full assessment of Ursula’s damage was not immediately possible. A Korean tourist also said the airport at Kalibo was badly damaged. “Everything within 100 meters of the airport looks broken. There are a lot of frustrated people at the airport as flights
have been canceled,” said Jung Byung Joon on Instagram. Though much weaker, Ursula tracked a similar path as Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) — the country’s deadliest storm on record which left more than 7,300 people dead or missing in 2013. “It’s like the younger sibling
of Haiyan. It’s less destructive, but it followed a similar path,” Cindy Ferrer, an information officer at the Western Visayas region’s disaster bureau, told AFP news. As of Thursday afternoon, the eye of the storm was seen around 300 km northwest of Coron, Palawan or 295 km west southwest of Subic. n
PH reaffirms anti-corruption stance...
PAGE 1 State of the Nation address last July – ‘Corruption exasperates. It frustrates.’ It is because of this that the Philippines has been relentless in its fight against corruption,” Ong told the conference held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The Philippines signed UNCAC on Dec. 9, 2003 and ratified it on Nov. 8, 2006. As a state party, it is obliged to criminalize certain forms of private and public corruption;
institute or strengthen corruption prevention measures; establish procedures that improve international cooperation; and set up systems for the recovery of forfeited assets. Ong said the legislature has enacted laws aligned with the anticorruption initiatives of the government, including the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act that aims to improve government service delivery and fight cor-
ruption. He also cited the executive department’s Citizen’s Complaint Hotline 8888, which allows ordinary citizens to air their complaints against erring government officers and employees. “This enables swift imposition of administrative sanctions should government officials be found guilty, after due process, of committing corrupt acts,” Ong said. (Pia Lee-Brago/Philstar.com)
Pinay-founded Care.com acquired... PAGE 1 longtime founder, chairwoman and CEO. Marcelo had said earlier this year that she intended to leave the role soon. “Since our founding 13 years ago, we’ve delivered on our mission to help millions of people find affordable, high-quality care and caregivers find meaningful work,” Marcelo said in a statement. With more than 1.5 million successful matches made since its inception and 374,000 paying families as of Q3 2019, Care.com is the leading global platform for matching families with caregivers in the rapidly growing but highly fragmented market for family care, sized in
excess of $300 billion in the U.S. alone. “Family care is exciting new territory for us — and an accelerating market as demand for both child and senior care intensifies worldwide,” said IAC CEO Joey Levin in a statement. “The Care.com team has built a trusted brand and marketplace for families all over the world. We like marketplace businesses and this is one in a category we think has incredible potential.” Marcelo added, “Now, we’re bringing together the world’s largest marketplace for care with the leader in scaling and growing marketplace businesses. We are excited to work
with Tim and IAC’s leadership and believe this transaction will deliver value to all our stakeholders.” With this acquisition, New York-based IAC — which owns several internet-based brands offering travel, dating and home services, such as Expedia, Ask.com, Match.com, OkCupid and Vimeo, across 100 countries — will gain a foothold in a market new to the company and will invest to accelerate Care.com’s growth across its core categories (child and senior care) with the opportunity to further extend its platform into adjacent areas, such as pet and home care. (AJPress)
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10 Filipino WWII vets get US Congressional Gold Medal by Pia Lee
Brago Philstar.com
None of the 10, however, was on hand to receive the award. The Philippine consulate TEN Filipino World War II veterans were presented the general in New York, working U.S. Congressional Gold Medal in close partnership with the (CGM) in recognition of the Filipino Veterans Recognition valor and sacrifice of the Fili- and Education Project (FILVEpino soldiers and recognized TREP), presented the medals guerrillas who fought along- at a ceremony recently held at side American troops during the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center in New York. the war. PROVINCIAL TRIPS. Thousands of passengers wait for buses bound for various provinces at the Araneta Center Bus Terminal in Cubao, Quezon City on Monday, Dec. 23. Filipinos usually spend the Christmas holidays with their loved ones back home in the provinces. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
Trump admin takes historic steps to lower prescription drug prices ON Wednesday, December 18, President Trump, along with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that, if finalized, would allow for the importation of certain prescription drugs from Canada. In addition, the administration is announcing the availability of a new draft guidance for industry that describes procedures drug manufacturers can follow to facilitate importation of prescription drugs, including biological products, that are FDA-approved, manufactured abroad, authorized for sale in any foreign country, and originally intended for sale in that foreign country. The NPRM issued is the first step in implementing a provision of federal law that would allow for the importation of certain prescription drugs from Canada under specific conditions that ensure the importation poses no additional risk to the public’s health and safety while achieving a significant reduction in the cost of covered products to the American consumer. The draft guidance issued today describes procedures for a drug manufacturer to submit documentation that demonstrates that the product offered for import from any foreign country is, in fact, an FDA-approved drug product, including that it is manufactured in accordance with the FDA-approved application. “Today’s announcement outlines two pathways for the safe importation of certain prescription drugs to help provide safe, effective, more affordable drugs to American patients,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Alex
Azar. “These are historic actions by HHS and the FDA, and they represent the bold nature of President Trump’s agenda for lowering drug costs. The President has recognized the opportunity to lower costs for American patients through safe importation, and we at HHS and FDA are delivering on that possibility through a safe, commonsense approach.” The NPRM would allow states and certain other nonfederal government entities to submit importation program proposals to the FDA for review and authorization. An importation program could be co-sponsored by a pharmacist, a wholesaler, or another state or non-federal governmental entity. Referred to as Section 804 Importation Programs, these programs would be authorized by the FDA to manage the importation of certain prescription drugs that are approved in Canada and also meet the conditions in an FDA-approved drug application. Eligible prescription drugs would have to be relabeled with the required U.S. labeling prior to importation and undergo testing for authenticity, degradation, and to ensure that the drugs meet established specifications and standards. Notably, these programs would also have to demonstrate significant cost reductions to the American consumer. “The FDA continues to assess and act on multiple opportunities to promote competition that can, in turn, help reduce drug prices and improve access to medicines for Americans,” said Assistant Secretary for Health Brett Giroir. “The proposed rule and draft guidance include procedures intended to protect the public’s health and safety.
We look forward to receiving public comment on these draft policies, and we will take timely comments into account as we work to finalize the rule and guidance. Our ultimate goal is to provide a robust program that clearly lays out procedures to import drugs that could provide lower prices while also maintaining the high quality Americans expect.” Of note, the draft guidance describes procedures drug manufacturers could follow to obtain an additional National Drug Code (NDC) for certain FDA-approved prescription drugs, including biological products, that were originally manufactured, and intended to be marketed, in a foreign country. The use of an additional NDC would allow greater flexibility for drug companies to offer these products at a lower price than what their current distribution contracts require. The draft guidance also recommends that the drug manufacturer include a statement on the product’s label and in the prescribing information to assist pharmacists to accurately identify, dispense and bill for these products. Prescription drugs, including biological products, imported under the pathway described in the draft guidance could be available to patients in a variety of settings, including hospitals, health care providers’ offices, or licensed U.S. pharmacies, and would include the FDAapproved labeling (including prescribing information). Comments on the NPRM are being accepted for 75 days after publication in the Federal Register and comments on the draft guidance are being accepted for 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. n
The veterans honored were Capt. Juan Bacani, Carlos Calub, Isidro dela Torre, Pelagio Fariñas, Benjamin Gonzales Sr., Capt. Enrique S.D. Manaois, Arcadio Nepomuceno, Cirilo Ofilada, Basilio Toledo and Johnson Villanueva. Of the 10 awardees, Nepomuceno is the only one who is still alive, but because of his PAGE 7
Go invites US officials to PH to see... PAGE 1 U.S. are friends. As a true friend, if you have anything against what we’re doing, don’t you think the question you should ask first is: “Is there anything we can do to help?” Go said. “Maybe, so they can understand what’s really happening in our country. I’m inviting U.S. government officials to come here to the Philippines, so you can personally witness the actual situation. So you can see how drugs are destroying Filipino families,” he added. Go urged Washington to “understand where Filipinos are coming from,” adding that the majority of Filipinos support President Duterte and his policies. Sen. Francis Tolentino, meanwhile, said U..S policies must be respected. “The friendship between the Philippines and the U.S. should not be affected by this wayward provision,” he said.
According to him, barring the entry of any foreigner into its territory is “US’ right as stated in its Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 or the McCarran-Walter Act.” “Even without that rider provision in the budget, every sovereign state has the right to forbid the entrance of foreigners within its borders,” Tolentino said. “We should respect the immigration laws of the U.S. On the other hand, as a sovereign state, the Philippines deserves respect for its judicial system and the application of its penal laws within its territory, upon the highest consideration of international comity and as an act of state,” he added. U.S. Senators Richard Durbin and Patrick Leahy included the provisions as amendments to the U.S. Fiscal Year 2020 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations, stating that the U.S. Secretary of State “shall apply sub-sec-
tion (c) to foreign government officials about whom the secretary has credible information have been involved in the wrongful imprisonment of… Sen. Leila de Lima who was arrested in the Philippines in 2017.” The section entitled “Prohibition on Entry” also called for the same sanctions for government officials from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey for the detention of a U.S. citizen. De Lima, for her part, said her gratitude to the U.S. Congress was “overwhelming.” “This development signals the fact that impunity cannot last and that one way or another, justice will catch up with those who choose to do injustice to others. This also signifies a solid recognition by the U.S. government that I am a clear victim of political persecution,” the opposition senator said in a handwritten statement. n
US-Philippines ties still ‘perfect’ despite travel...
PAGE 2
gando Sasot, and RJ Nieto to besmirch her reputation. “U.S. can refuse visas to anyone it wants for any reason; the PH deported a nun in that way,” Locsin said on Twitter in reaction to the provision. “It is an aspect of sovereignty,” he added. Locsin, who normally posts official releases on his Twitter account, said that the two countries had “perfect” relations but recognized that any country has the right to ban foreign nationals from its borders. But Malacañang in a separate statement said that the resolution was an attack on Philippine sovereignty. “It is a brazen and heedless affront against the dignity not only of the Philippine Government but of our country’s sovereignty as well. It is an undisguised and outrageous intrusion to a sovereign state. There can be no excuse for the U.S. Senate Committee not to
know that the Philippines has long ceased to be a colony of the United States,” presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement on Facebook. The U.S. Fiscal Year 2020 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Act, under which the aforementioned provision is included, also includes provisions to ban the detainers of American nationals in other foreign nations such as Egypt and Turkey. ‘Perfect’ relations “Ang problema hindi (The problem is not the) possibility if he will go, it’s whether he wants to go. He has had so many invitations already from (US) President Trump, he really likes Duterte,” he said. The two presidents have historically been very warm towards one another, with the Republican leader once vocally expressing support for Duterte’s “drug war.” In a call dated April 29,
2017, U.S. President Donald Trump congratulated Duterte for an “unbelievable job on the drug problem,” which left many in the White House “genuinely horrified.” This, despite Duterte taking on a more pro-China stance in his foreign policy ever since he entered office. The chief executive has long been vocal about his intent to distance himself from the United States in his pursuit of an “independent” foreign policy. But a December survey conducted by the Washingtonbased Pew Research Center showed that the United States remained the country’s greatest ally for most Filipinos, who likewise saw China and their increasing presence in the country as a threat. Despite mounting Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea, Locsin in a separate statement defended Duterte’s foreign policy, saying the Philippines stood up to China when it needed to. n
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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 27, 2019-JANUARY 2, 2020
OPINION
FEATURES
A step backward SINCE 2016, the release to mass media of the official asset statement of President Duterte has been largely routine. The president has often said he hates corruption and has nothing to hide. The relatively fuss-free release of his annual statement of assets, liabilities and net worth or SALN is one proof of this. So the inevitable question this year is what has changed, as Ombudsman Samuel Martires holds on to the SALN of the president. Martires had told reporters who had asked for Duterte’s 2018 SALN to go to Malacañang instead, ostensibly because the Office of the Ombudsman was still finalizing the rules on such releases. Malacañang, responding to requests from media organizations, in turn pointed them to the ombudsman, with the Palace spokesman saying the rules required the president merely to file rather than release the SALN. For the past three decades until the time of Martires’ predecessor, Conchita Carpio-Morales, the public and the media have never had a problem in obtaining the SALN of the presi-
5
dent of the republic. Duterte never had any problems with the yearend disclosure of his SALN. It is ironic that this is happening under a President who professes transparency and whose Executive Order No. 2 mandated freedom of information in all offices of the executive branch. Malacañang said the president had filed his 2018 SALN on time, beating the deadline on April 30. Despite the reasons cited by Martires, the lack of clear-cut rules on the release of SALNs did not stop Vice President Leni Robredo from releasing her 2018 asset statement to the public. Martires must be carrying over to the Office of the Ombudsman the secrecy in the Supreme Court, where problems with asset declarations have contributed to the ouster of two chief justices. Members of the SC and Congress have always been the most resistant to the release of their SALNs to the public. Lawmakers — with all their bodyguards paid for by taxpayers, and the top accountants that made Imelda Marcos,
Editorial
Merry Christmas! Uplifting quotes about our favorite holiday
The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS CHRISTMAS, undoubtedly, is the Filipino people’s favorite holiday. It spans from September to January in the Philippines, and we take the same spirit with us even as many of us have already relocated to America and elsewhere around the world. As we fi nd ourselves rushing to prepare for Christmas — the Christmas cards, the Christmas tree, the house decorations, the gifts, the noche buena, the Christmas dinner, texts, audio and
video calls to our families back home — let us pause for a moment and fi nd the true meaning of Christmas in our hearts. Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus, the fulfi llment of the prophecy, the coming of our Savior who delivered us all from sins, which to me is our disconnect with our Creator, our Heavenly Father, our Almighty God. When God became man in Jesus Christ, He showed us the Truth, the Light, the Way in His words, and in His deed as a human being on earth, so that we too will know what
life really is all about and how we can live it abundantly. God has shown us through Jesus Christ that true love, peace, happiness and salvation is anchored on our faith in God’s eternal perfect love for us, in trusting and obeying His will, in fi nding and realizing our life mission and purpose, in loving others as we love ourselves. So this Christmas, let us reflect on this truth. Let our own life be our gift back to God for all the blessings and miracles He has given us. Here are some more quotes PAGE 10
Philstar.com photo
when she was still a congresswoman, appear to be the poorest member of the House of Representatives — claim the SALN release could expose them to security threats. When it comes to transparency in assets, the public perception is that those who have
nothing to hide have nothing to fear. The ombudsman should even set the example – by releasing his own SALN to the public. Martires’ actions constitute a step backward in efforts to promote transparency and good governance. (Philstar.com)
Under Pete Buttigieg, America will be a place of welcome
Commentary WEST SACRAMENTO MAYOR CHRISTOPHER CABALDON THAT a young Irish-German woman from a small Iowa town was asked to become director of the Filipino Community House of Chicago as World War II raged encapsulates the rich story of America’s immigrants welcoming America’s next immigrants. The Asian-American immigration experience has been as rich as America itself. I know, because this is my own family’s story. Leona couldn’t have imagined the unexpected jour-
ney that America would take her on as she made her way from West Liberty, Iowa, to Davenport, the big city down the highway. She earned her wages playing piano at the five-and-dime store, when a young Filipino student from the local chiropractic college started coming in to sing with her. The unlikely singing couple got married, and soon my grandmother was born. The Great Depression meant few had the money for elective spinal manipulation, so the family moved to Chicago to start another new life. Leona took over management of the
Filipino Community House and the Manila Café. There her daughter—my grandmother—met a young man who had immigrated from the Philippines, which was a U.S. territory. He joined the Army and they got married, and my father was born at Fort Ord at the height of WWII. After discharge, the family moved to Stockton, California, home to the largest Filipino population outside of the Philippines. There, they might work the fields during harvest and then operate the local soda fountain and pool hall in PAGE 8
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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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • DEcEmbER 27, 2019-JANUARY 2, 2020
Dateline PTWG:hiliPPines No more extension of Angkas pilot run after March 2020
Ampatuan relative, who helped convict his kin in Maguindanao massacre case, alive after ambush by Edwin
FErnandEz Inquirer.net
SHARIFF AGUAK, Maguindanao—Two bodyguards of a Maguindanao vice mayor died on Thursday, December 26, after fighting for their lives following an ambush on the vice mayor, a member of the Ampatuan clan who had helped convict those involved in the killing of 57 people in the now infamous Maguindanao massacre case. Hadji Akmad Lumenda Ampatuan and Elham Khalid, driver and security aides of Shariff Aguak Vice Mayor Akmad Mitra Ampatuan, died due to multiple gunshot wounds, according to Maj. Erwin Tabora, Shariff Aguak police chief. They had fought for their
lives after an ambush on Vice Mayor Ampatuan here last Dec. 24, Christmas Eve. Tabora said Vice Mayor Ampatuan is now in stable condition. Tabora said the vice mayor and his companions were heading home at 1 p.m. on Dec. 24 from the town hall when gunmen riding a small van opened fire on them on the national highway at the village of Poblacion. The vice mayor was on the steering wheel which could have saved his life, according to Tabora. The assailants could have been deceived into believing that the vice mayor, their target, was at the passenger seat or behind the driver which showed in the trajectory of the shots. Most bullet holes were
found in the passenger side and back of the vehicle that the vice mayor had driven. Khalid died hours later at the Maguindanao provincial hospital and was immediately buried while Hadji Akmad died on Christmas Day. “We have persons of interest on this case,” said Tabora, without elaborating. “We are digging deeper,” he added. Vice Mayor Ampatuan, who survived an earlier ambush in 2014, cooperated with authorities in prosecuting his relatives who were implicated in the Maguindanao massacre case. “He was ambushed twice and he survived twice,” Tabora said. Vice Mayor Ampatuan is the father of Shariff Aguak Mayor Marop Ampatuan. n
No more martial law in Mindanao in 2020
MANILA — After more than two years of martial law in Mindanao, President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to lift military control over the southern Philippines as a sign of returning “normalcy” in the region. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana had asked Duterte not to extend the implementation of martial rule in the region, which will expire on Dec. 31. The scheduled lifting of martial law in Mindanao comes more than two years after the Maute group’s siege in Marawi City and after the President’s order to place Mindanao under military control to counter terrorists and other threats, including communist insurgency. With the peace talks now being revived and the government declaring a Christmas ceasefire
from Dec. 23 to Jan. 7 with the communist New People’s Army (NPA), the coming year could hopefully be a more peaceful year for Mindanaoans. “Our security forces have determined that the purpose of implementing martial law has been attained and the prevailing condition in the entire Mindanao, including Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, has greatly improved since the defeat of Maute fighters in October 2017,” Lorenzana said. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) agrees, though it vows to continue its whole-ofnation approach in ending the NPA problem and addressing other threats like the terrorist Abu Sayyaf. Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, the President’s daughter, was among the local of-
ficials in Mindanao who have sought the lifting of martial law in the South. Martial law in Mindanao started when terrorist groups led by the Islamic State-linked Maute group seized Marawi City in May 2017The bloody siege lasted from May to October and left some 168 soldiers dead with 1,548 of them wounded in battle. Congress, on the recommendation of national security officials, the military and the police, approved the extensions of the implementation of martial rule up to Dec. 31, 2019. The military claimed that during the period, NPA fighters, supporters and symphatizers voluntarily surrendered, which weakened the communist rebel group. (Michael Punongbayan/ Philstar.com)
10 Filipino WWII vets get US Congressional... PAGE 7 advanced age, he could not attend the ceremony. Family members represented all the veterans and received the medals on their behalf. The grant of the medal was the result of many years of lobbying by the veterans and their supporters. The law granting the award was passed in 2015, 70 years after the end of WWII. In his speech during the ceremony, retired Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba, FILVETREP chairman, recounted the struggle of
his father, also a WWII veteran who, after enlistment and after having fought in the war, was given his pay of $22.80. This unfairness was what drove Taguba to work tirelessly to make sure that the veterans are recognized, no matter how many years have passed. Taguba travels all over the United States, working closely with the Filipino community and the Philippine consulates to find opportunities to present the award to Filipino veterans. He emphasized that, with the march of time, it is also impera-
tive to preserve the stories of the bravery and struggles of the veterans, before they all pass and in order for present generations not to forget their sacrifices. Philippine Consul General to New York Claro Cristobal thanked the veterans’ family members for “braving the cold brought by the first snowfall” and expressed hope that the “patriotic acts of those veterans being honored tonight will bring a sense of warmth and camaraderie to those who are present.” n
by ritchEl
MEndiola AJPress
THE inter-agency technical working group (TWG) conducting the pilot program for motorcycle taxis announced Thursday, December 26, that it no longer plans to have an extension for the study. According to TWG chairman Antonio Gardiola Jr., the inter-agency body believes that the three-month period is already “enough” for them to gather data. “For us, the three months is enough, because we have our own monitoring already. We will come up with a conclusive study,” he said in Filipino during an interview. The TWG is made up of Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Land Transportation Office (LTO), and Department of Transportation (DOTr). It decided to extend the pilot run of motorcycle taxis on December 18. Previously set to end on Dec. 26, the program will run now run from Dec. 23, 2019 to March 23, 2020,
Angkas-biker partners clad in their uniform gather along White Plains Avenue near Edsa Kalayaan Shrine for the protest rally. Inquirer.net photo by Daphne Galvez
allowing two newcomers to participate. The pilot run is aimed to collect data on motorcycle taxis to help Congress evaluate pending bills seeking to legalize the use of motorcycles as public utility vehicles (PUVs). The TWG will submit the data they have collected and their recommendation to Congress after the pilot run ends. Motorcycle riders will have to cease transporting passen-
gers until a law allowing them as PUVs is passed. “When the program is terminated on March 23, 2020, there will no longer be a study, meaning no more motorcycle taxi will be authorized on the road,” Gardiola said. “It’s done already. The TWG will no longer have a role, we will submit our recommendation. So no motorcycle taxi will be allowed to run because there is no law yet that is allowing them,” he added. n
Dateline PhiliPPines
december 27, 2019-january 2, 2020 • neW yOrK and neW jerSey aSIan jOurnaL
Palace calls for Filipinos to ‘start seeing good on everything’ by Neil
ArwiN MercAdo Inquirer.net
MANILA – Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo on Christmas Day called on Filipinos to “start seeing good on everything.” “In this season of love, faith, and hope, we call on all Filipinos to start seeing good on everything. Let us have a heart of compassion for others, understanding and tolerance for those disagreeing with us, and forgiving those who offend
and pain us,” Panelo said in a statement. The presidential spokesperson also noted how “decades of indifference, neglect and corruption have impeded our growth as a nation while hatred and envy have caused rupture amongst us as a people.” “The time has come to disengage and unchain ourselves from the negatives that engulf us. Let us convert the thorns that prick us into ladders till we reach the petals of roses of progress,” he said.
In his Christmas message released on Tuesday, President Rodrigo Duterte urged the public to help those in need. “As we remember the true meaning of this solemn festivity, may we emulate Christ’s empathy and kindness by opening our hearts and extending our hands to everyone especially to those who are less fortunate, and sharing with them the bounty and blessings we have received in the past year,” Duterte said. n
PH growth to rise above 6% in 2020 by MAyveliN
cArAbAllo
ManilaTimes.net
THE Philippine economy is likely to recover and grow by more than 6 percent next year on the back of sustained public and private consumption, Deutsche Bank said. In a report, the German lender said “[g]rowth is likely to improve in 2020 to above 6 percent from [the] under 6 percent expected in 2019.” The projections compare
with the government’s target range of 6.0-and-6.5-percent gross domestic product (GDP) growth for 2019 and 6.5-to-7.5 percent for 2020. Latest data show that GDP accelerated to 6.2 percent in the third quarter after the slower-than-expected 5.6-percent and 5.5-percent expansions in the first and second. Deutsche Bank said investments could accelerate to over 15 percent in 2020 from an estimated 3.5 percent this year.
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“However, we do not expect a substantially stronger outcome than this, as we expect imports to again rise sharply,” it added. Despite this, the lender sees three drivers that would support government spending next year. First, it projected that the allocation for infrastructure spending in the proposed P4.10 trillion budget of the government would rise to 1 PAGE 10
NO TO COMMUNISTS. Anti-communist groups, including former members of the New People’s Army (NPA), hold a rally condemning the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-New People’s Army (NPA) at the Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace, Our Lady of EDSA in Quezon City on Thursday, December 26. These groups demand the return of CPP-NPA-National Democratic Front (NDF) founder Jose Ma. Sison to the Philippines to face charges against him. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
Under Pete Buttigieg, America will be a... PAGE 5 the city’s Little Manila district. They faced hatred, ignorance, and discrimination—“No Filipinos Allowed” signs littered Stockton—but the fight for justice and the networks of belonging gave them the chance to achieve America’s promise. The Asian American immigration experience isn’t just about borders and Ellis Island. It is about the “welcomes” we have received, the homes that we’ve made, the struggles we’ve won, in every single part of this wondrous country. It is about Davenport, Stockton, Chicago, Plano, Virginia Beach, Reno, and every corner of the land. That’s why I’m excited about Pete Buttigieg as the next President of the United States. Pete is the son of an immigrant and the mayor of a city that has been shaped and enriched by generations of immigrants, he is deeply committed to making America a place of welcome. He knows how central our story is to the story of America, in part because it rhymes with his own. Last June, I joined a bipartisan delegation visiting detention facilities in Tornillo, Texas, to voice the anguish and outrage of our communities. When Pete is president, he will end the ugly immigration policies of this administration and protect our southern border as well as those who arrive there with smart and humane border management. And he will take immediate steps to reunify families who have been ripped apart by this administration’s callousness.
Pete will modernize our immigration system so it boosts our economy, protects our communities, and promotes our values. To ensure that immigrants like my grandparents can bring their talents to our communities, Pete will create a new employment-based visa system that will adjust to the changing needs of our economy. He will expand the number of immigrant doctors who can come here and create a “Community Renewal” visa so that areas experiencing population decline can attract the immigrants that will help them grow. He’ll push for work authorization for H-4 visa holders, the overwhelming majority of whom are South Asian women. Pete will also ensure that families are not waiting years, or even decades, in a visa backlog by increasing resources and the number of alloted family-based visas available each year. He will fight to eliminate discriminatory annual per-country caps. After a month in which our nation accepted zero refugees for the first time, we will reaffirm our commitment to resettling refugees and address new challenges like climate change that are contributing to global migration. Above all, Pete is committed to ensuring that every new American knows that they are a part of this country. For the 11 million undocumented people who call this country home, including residents of my own city, Pete will create a path to citizenship so they can fully participate in our democracy. He’ll also restore
and extend temporary protections such as DACA and TPS. He’ll make it easy and affordable to become a naturalized citizen and create a new Office of New Americans to support immigrants and refugees in participating fully in their communities. The “No Filipinos Allowed” signs are gone from Stockton now, replaced by “Lange Luntao for School Board” signs. My grandparents’ Little Manila, and the entire city, now has a Filipino school board president. He’s supporting Pete Buttigieg, too. Belonging to this country has been the dream that drew generations across oceans and deserts. Under Pete Buttigieg, America will be that place once more. *** We s t S a c ra m e n t o M a y o r Christopher Cabaldon was the founding co-chair of the Asian Pacific Islander Caucus of the League of California Cities. He served as national president of Asian and Pacific Americans in Higher Education, founding chair of the Asian Pacific Youth Leadership Project, Sacramento-Yolo chair for the National Association of Filipino American Associations, treasurer of the National Filipino American Youth Association, and president of the Asian Pacific Legislative Staff Caucus. A Leadership Academy Fellow with the Asian American Institute for Congressional Studies, he has been honored as executive of the year by the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce, with the president’s award from the Asian Pacific State Employees Association, and for outstanding historical contribution by the Filipino American National Historical Society.
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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • DEcEmbER 27, 2019-JANUARY 2, 2020
10 december 27, 2019-january 2, 2020 • neW yOrK and neW jerSey aSIan jOurnaL Dateline
Joma Sison rejects Duterte’s invitation to come home for meeting by Delfin
Mallari Inquirer.net
Jr.
LUCenA CitY – exiled top communist rebel Jose Maria “Joma” sison has again rejected President duterte’s invitation for a one-on-one meeting in the Philippines, saying it could jeopardize the planned resumption of peace negotiation. “i would be putting the prospect of peace negotiations at risk if i make myself available for any kind of attack by military and police officers who think that they can end the revolutionary movement by getting rid of a single person like me,” sison, Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder said in an interview from his base in Utrecht in the netherlands on thursday, december 26. He described the state security forces as “increasingly disobedient to President duterte and continue to make offensive movements despite the current ceasefire ordered by the CPP to the nPA”.
When asked if the proposed dialogue between him and President duterte would be possible via skype, sison replied: “skyping is not advisable for discussing serious complex matters of high importance”. Before then davao mayor duterte assumed office as President in 2016, the two were able to talk one-on-one via skype. sison also said his return to the country at this point in time is “premature.” “it is premature for me to go to the Philippines before the mutual approval of the Comprehensive Agreement on social and economic reforms (Caser),” he explained. He added: “Let the GrP (Government of the republic of the Philippines) and ndFP (national democratic Front of the Philippines) negotiating panels work this out first for the benefit of the people, especially with regard to genuine land reform and national industrialization.” He said the approval and immediate implementation of
Caser will be a great leap of trust and confidence between the government and the communist rebels. On thursday, presidential spokesman salvador Panelo disclosed to Palace reporters that President duterte is eyeing a “one-on-one” talk with sison. Panelo said duterte guaranteed sison he will not be arrested should he come home from the netherlands where he is currently in self-exile for more than three decades. early this month, sison also rejected the government offer for him to return home to have a “face-to-face” meeting with President duterte. sison and his wife Juliet have been living in the netherlands as political refugees for more than three decades now. sison and other Philippine communist rebel leaders had been charged with the killing of supposed spies in the 1980s in a case that was breathed new life when a Manila court issued an arrest order for them. n
Pacquiao campaigns use of electric vehicles vs CO2 sen. emmanuel Pacquiao is pushing for the use of electric vehicles and the establishment of electric charging stations in the country. Pacquiao cited a World Health Organization report saying the transport sector is the fastest growing source of climate emissions. the senator cited the intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s claim that the transport accounted for about 23 percent of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in 2010. these vehicle exhaust emissions prompt environmental costs such as acid rain, dust haze and photochemical smog in many cities contaminated by such emissions. While the Philippines has a minimal share in the global emissions, Pacquiao stressed that the perils brought by cli-
mate change transcended and affected all the nations. “Moreover, our country has committed to reduce our carbon emissions by 70 percent by 2030 under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, which the Philippines ratified on March 2017,” he said. the european parliament reported that there were two ways to reduce CO2 emissions from vehicles — by making cars more efficient and by changing the fuel used. the use of electric cars has proven to be cleaner than vehicles running on petrol, it said. “Accordingly, there is an urgency to actively intensify the use of electric and hybrid vehicles, and impede the use of gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles to lower the country’s carbon emissions and improve our air quality,” the european
Union added. Pacquiao filed senate Bill (sB) 1223 or an Act providing the national energy policy and regulatory framework for the use of electric vehicles, and the establishment of electric charging stations. He said his bill would also promote foreign investments, given the global trend of gearing toward the use of environmental-friendly vehicles. sB 1223 seeks to promote the use of electric and hybrid vehicles by providing incentives to both end-users and manufacturers. this measure, Pacquiao said, would lead us a step closer to our commitment in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and encourage sustainable and environment-friendly alternatives to the current mode of transportation. (ManilaTimes.net)
PH growth to rise above 6% in 2020 PAGE 8 percent of GdP. second, it expects leftovers from the 2019 budget to be carried over to the 2020 outlay. And third, it said “most major infrastructure projects under the Build, Build, Build program — which are 70-percent externally funded and, therefore, an add-on to the budget spending — are on
course to ramp up only [in] the second half of 2019.” As for other components of the country’s domestic demand, deutsche Bank said private and public consumption were likely to continue growing steadily in the coming quarters, with household spending sustaining an estimated 6 percent and govern-
ment expenditure running at 8.5 to 9 percent. it also believes consumer demand would remain supported as the underlying drivers for household earnings growth have been sustained. these drivers include remittance inflows, tourist arrivals and business process outsourcing revenues. n
PhiliPPines
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CHRISTMAS TRASH. Between 50 to 51 metric tons (over 50,000 kilograms) of waste was collected during garbage hauling operations at Luneta or Rizal Park from Christmas afternoon up to Thursday, December 26 according to the Manila City Department of Public Services. The trash volume, as seen in photos provided by the Manila Public Information Office, was enough to form a mound that needed at least a couple of trucks to be hauled. Philstar.com photo
Duterte still scanning 2020 proposed budget by Catherine
Valente ManilaTimes.net
President rodrigo duterte is still reviewing the proposed P4.1-trillion national budget for 2020, Malacañang said, as it assured that the President will veto unconstitutional provisions. in a radio interview, Palace spokesman salvador Panelo said duterte was scrutinizing the committee report. “if there is a measure on his table, he will sign it if it is in accordance with the law. On the other hand, he will veto it if it is unconstitutional,” Panelo said. the spokesman could not
say when the President will sign the budget proposal. to avert another reenacted budget, senators and congressmen making up the bicameral conference committee approved on december 11 the final version of the national budget bill for 2020. sen. Panfilo Lacson, who skipped the signing of the bicameral report on the 2020 national spending plan, has claimed that around 1,253 budget items amounting to P83.219 billion were inserted in the proposed budget as congressmen’s “source” of their “list” of 742 projects worth P16.342 billion.
While claiming that “pork was here to stay,” Lacson said he was hoping duterte would use his veto power to avoid wasting taxpayers’ money. duterte signed the P3.757billion 2019 budget in April this year, but vetoed P95.3 billion in items of appropriations in the details of the department of Public Works and Highways Programs/Projects, which were not within the programmed priorities. in september, duterte certified as urgent the proposed budget to avoid a repeat of a reenacted budget that “wreaked havoc” on the government’s economic program. n
Merry Christmas! Uplifting quotes about... PAGE 5 as compiled by the staff of success.com: Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas. Peg Bracken Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas. - dale evans We are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmastime. - Laura ingalls Wilder What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. -Agnes M. Pahro He who hs not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree. - roy L. smith Oh Christmas isn’t just a day, it’s a frame of mind. Valentine davies (Miracle on 34th street) Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and
more beautiful. - norman Vincent Peale Christmas will always be as long as we stand heart to heart and hand in hand. - dr. seuss Peace on earth will come to stay, when we live Christmas every day. -Helen steiner rice Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love! -Hamilton Wright Mabie The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family wrapped up in each other. Burton Hillis I truly believe that if we keep telling the Christmas story, singing Christmas songs, and living the Christmas spirit, we can bring jo and happiness and peace to this world. -nortman Vincent Peale A good conscience is a continual Christmas. -Benjamin Franklin
Christmas is a necessity. There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we’re here for something else besides ourselves. -eric sevareid CHRISTMAS is a bridge. We need bridges as the river of time flows past. Today’s Christmas should mean creating happy hours for tomorrow and reliving those of yesterday. -Gladys taber MALIGAYANG PASKO at mapayapa, pinagpala at mapagpalayang Bagong Taon 2020! *** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABSCBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos.
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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • DEcEmbER 27, 2019-JANUARY 2, 2020
COMMUNITY Journal
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Guidance on petition revocations Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ ALMOST 20 years ago, the U.S. State Department (DOS) provided guidance to consular officers that they should be “judicious” (use good judgment or common sense) about returning approved petitions to USCIS for revocation. In other words, they should not be “trigger-happy” in returning approved petitions. DOS warned that Posts “should not use the revocation request process as a means of disposing of problematic cases in which fraud, misrepresentation, or in eligibility for status is only suspected but cannot be clearly established.” In-
stead, petitions should only be returned to USCIS when the ineligibility has been “clearly established.” The DOS guidance reminds consular officers that USCIS’s approval of a petition is “prima facie evidence of the applicant’s entitlement to visa status, and that consular offices should not attempt to readjudicate petitions.” Unless a consular officer has clearly established evidence of fraud, they should not be secondguessing USCIS’ approval. Consular officers should “seek revocations “sparingly,” to avoid inconveniencing the petitioners and applicants and creating an additional administrative burden for USCIS.” In “the absence of hard, factual evidence of fraud, misrepresentation or ineligibility for status, consular sections are advised to issue the visa…” I believe this DOS guidance
applies not only to petitions, but also to provisional waivers and other immigration applications and benefits. I’ve discussed in my newspaper columns and on my television show, “Citizen Pinoy,” how the Embassy has been charging people with fraud for having overstayed in the U.S., despite the fact that USCIS had already APPROVED the person’s provisional waiver, thereby forgiving or waving that overstay. When the Consular officers charges a person with fraud, it results in that person now having to file another waiver with USCIS, where they effectively demonstrate the same “extreme hardship” on their qualifying relative which they had already done when they filed for their provisional waiver. The USCIS already found extreme hardship and approved the provisional waiver!!! By
AN EMPLOYMENT SPONSORSHIP WAS FILED BACK IN 2004. YET 15 YEARS LATER, NO UPDATES HAVE BEEN RECEIVED. IS THERE A WAY TO CHECK ON THE STATUS OF THIS CASE? THIS QUESTION AND MORE WILL BE ANSWERED ON “CITIZEN PINOY: YOUR TANONG, MY SAGOT!” It is the turn of the second batch of Kapamilya who came to the Citizen Pinoy taping in Virginia to get answers to their immigration questions answered this Sunday. Be sure to watch this encore episode of — “Citizen Pinoy,” this Sunday at 6:15 p.m. PST/EST (9:15 p.m. EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers). (Advertising Supplement)
returning the case to USCIS, consular officers are doing exactly what the DOS guidance advised them against doing: second-guessing USCIS’s previous finding and approval, inconveniencing the petitioner
and applicant, and most importantly, creating additional administrative burdens for USCIS by having them readjudicate or re-approve a waiver with the same finding of extreme hardship.
I hope consular officers will take to heart this DOS guidance and not be trigger-happy in finding fraud, based on mere suspicions, and especially in provisional waiver cases PAGE 12
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december 27, 2019-january 2, 2020 • neW yOrK and neW jerSey aSIan jOurnaL
Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA A CIRCLE is perhaps the perfect geometric structure there is. Although some would claim the triangle or a square to be better structures because of their stable nature, the circle and all its derivatives — the orb, the sphere, the globe and every structure on earth and in the universe with a core, circumference and radii emanating from the core — can teach and even help us to understand much about nature, about ourselves and human life and its cycles and seasons, from the most profound to the most mundane levels. From the micro to the macro levels, every creative urge on every level, in the intellectual and the physical realms, begins as a thought and if tenaciously pursued and fleshed out by one’s strength of will, proceeds from concept to completion as a circle. Even in the mundane reality of living an ordinary life from day to day, circles and cycles mark the patterns of our lives, from sunrise to sunset. Note nature’s seasons and cycles of birth and death, of sleep and wakefulness, of ebb and flow, of the waxing and waning of the moon and of the quarter million year rotation of the solar system around the core of our home galaxy, the Milky Way and in the grandest of levels, the movement of a nearly infinite number of galaxies in the universe, the edge of which only the Creator knows. On the minutest level, the astounding movement of electrons around a nucleus and the wondrous flow of the human bloodstream to and from the heart are cyclical. As science has found out,
HUMBLED BY ACCOLADE, PRAISE Like riding a bicycle: ‘Just Mercy’ author vows to circles, cycles continue social justice work and movement “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” —Albert Eistein blockages, either man-made or natural to the flow or movement in the processes existing in nature at all levels, can create anomalies, abnormalities and mutations, resulting in pain and illnesses in the human body and if uncorrected, result in diseases, debilitation and ultimately, death. This presents a strong argument for regular exercise and consistent movement in our daily lives at any age. Movement pumps the blood flow in the neurons of our brain and in the capillaries in our extremities to and from the heart. The action in turn, strengthens the muscles of the heart and maintains blood pressure at healthy levels. Nature moves in cycles. While the earth’s atmospheric cloak adheres to the surface because of the gravitational pull of the earth’s mass, the hydrologic cycle will continue to maintain our seas and give us rain to sustain all planetary life — that is, for the time being — unless something unforeseen and catastrophic, like a rogue asteroid with the earth’s name on it as its target, upsets and upends this delicate and rare homeostatic balance. If and when that happens, as scientists theorized is the reason dinosaurs were wiped out 65 million years ago, it would be a complete cycle. It would be ADIOS to human life as we know it. Fortunately, such oc-
currences happen in geologic time, in millions of years. The prophets of doom heralding climate change, backed by some pseudo scientists) include themes of global cooling or global warming (take your pick). For a number of years, they have been trying to scare the living daylights of present day earth inhabitants with stark doomsday scenarios. Someone claimed with arrogant certainty a few years back that because of global warming the polar ice caps would be completely gone by now. The seas will rise and cities along the coast will be plunged in chaos. Guess what? The ice caps are still there and the fairly recent occurrence of a polar vortex which brought one of the most severe and bitter winter seasons in memory belie such claims. The fact remains there is no predicting the weather or for that matter, the end of the world with absolute certainty and infallibility. Climate is part of science that is still evolving. There is nothing settled about it. We can track its patterns and draw some educated guesses so we can prepare for catastrophic disturbances to mitigate destruction. The world is a sphere and there is still so much about our planet that needs to be discovered. Who knows when the next PAGE 13
Guidance on petition revocations...
PAGE 12 based on a person “overstaying.” If you (or your relative) returned to the Philippines on an approved provisional waiver, and were charged with fraud for having overstayed, I would recommend you seek the assistance of an attorney, who can assist you in rectifying the situation. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is
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licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and reenactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or
legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)
By MoMar G. Visaya AJPress
BRYAN Stevenson wears many hats. He is a lawyer, a social justice activist and founder of Equal Justice Initiative (EJI). He wrote a New York Times bestselling book called Just Mercy, based on his experience as a young lawyer dedicated to defending those most desperate and in need: the poor, the wrongly condemned, and women and children trapped in the farthest reaches of our criminal justice system. Numerous critics have called his book as one of the best books of the year, for a good reason. Stevenson’s dedication to fighting for justice and equality has inspired people and created an impact so strong that Hollywood took notice. Nowadays, there are some churches that give copies of Stevenson’s books to high schoolers and middle schoolers to empower them to join in the conversation about social justice. For that alone, Stevenson is both excited and honored. “All over the world there is this emergence of fear and anger and if we allow ourselves to be governed by fear and anger…we have that in America because we gave in. We started putting people in jail who are not a threat to public safety. We became indifferent and that’s how so many innocent people ended up in jails and prisons, with some of them ending on death row,” he told the Asian Journal. He is thrilled to hear that more young people are now being exposed to these issues through his book and hopefully through the upcoming movie. Based on this bestselling book, Just Mercy the movie presents the unforgettable story of Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan) and the case of Walter McMillian (Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx), who was convicted and sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit. Stevenson, a New York University Law School professor, said it was pretty surreal seeing his life unfold on the big screen. He describes Michael B. Jordan as an amazing ally. Jordan tackled his role as
Bryan Stevenson
Michael B. Jordan
Stevenson with such intensity that many critics believe he will be in the running for acting awards next year. “I am so proud of Michael because he did an extraordinary job for the role and he worked really hard for it. He was very dedicated to this project,” he shared. They both spent time preparing for the movie and it amazed Stevenson that Jordan didn’t just play his role with great skill and care but his dedication to the issue came through his delicate performance. “With the kind of work that I do, you have to be strategic and tactical and he embraced that through his performance and I couldn’t be prouder. It is exciting because he is incredibly popular and talented and yet he took on this role so I can’t wait to share this with the world,” Stevenson added. He also believes that regular people, ordinary members of the community, have a role to play to support justice and mercy. “We all have to learn about what’s happening in our community, we have to get involved. Whether it is about providing help to people coming out of jails or in helping to get innocent people out, there are many ways,” he said. For him, there is a need to create a consciousness where
Photo from CEHD
Photo from Cinemablend.com
we become more determined to eliminate bigotry and discrimination in the society. “The opposite of poverty is not wealth. The opposite of poverty is justice.” is a quote delivered by Stevenson and he stands by that. But the question is, how should we change that mindset? “We’ve created structures and systems that sustain poverty and we only talk about money, we don’t get to that kind of resolution that we need,” he said, defending his argument. “I believe we have to understand these structures and systems. Here in America, we have private prisons that make money. That has to end. We dehumanize people because they are immigrants, because they are different, because of their ethnicity or religion. If we talk more about justice and we commit more to fairness and equality, we can do a lot more to eliminate poverty around the world.” Stevenson has been to multiple screenings of the film across the country and among his biggest takeaway from the experience so far is the fact that people who have seen it, regardless of their color and gender, are blown away by the film’s message. “It has been so humbling to see people react with such PAGE 15
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GMA Network seeks reversal of Like riding a bicycle... P890K fine on Eddie Garcia case By Rosette Adel Philstar.com
GMA Network said it submitted an appeal to reverse the 890,000-peso fine meted by the Department of Labor and Employment over the death of veteran actor Eddie Garcia. In a statement, the network said it received the copy of the order from DOLE National Capital Region office dated Dec. 2, 2019. “In response, the network submitted an appeal with the Secretary of Labor within the allowed period seeking to annul and reverse the said Order,” the network said. The network added that it would “proceed with the necessary steps as soon as the DOLE resolves its appeal.” Garcia passed away in June days after falling into coma after an accident on the set of “Rosang Agimat”, a TV series since shelved. DOLE earlier said the
EMPLOYMENT
Late actor Eddie Garcia tripped in a cable wire and broke his neck while taping a gun fight scene in Tondo, Manila, for the now-shelved GMA series, “Rosang Agimat.” Philstar.com photo
network committed three violations. The first is failure to file a work accident or illness report under 24 hours while the second is failure
to “employ or designate a safety officer.” The third is the failure to employ or designate a certified first aid responder at the location of the shooting.
PSYCHIC
PAGE 12 Krakatoa or Vesuvius will erupt and spit out so much sulfur to envelop the world for years that temperatures drop significantly because sunlight is blocked. It has happened before with Mount Pinatubo and other volcanoes along the Ring of Fire through the centuries. The only thing certain is that volcanic eruptions will happen again. We just don’t know when. Who knows when the Big One for California will happen? It is not a matter of if but when. That is a given. The last big one in San Francisco was over a hundred years ago and scientists say California is due for the next big one. Who knows when the next Katrina will come and wreak havoc? Who knows the direct path tornadoes will take? All we know is that there are things that humans can predict with some degree of accuracy but on the whole, there are things that are random and beyond the realms of prediction. One thing that is becoming clear is that nature has become part of a global political agenda. I consider such
thought manipulations suspect. When nature is being used by groups to advance dubious political motives so that laws can be enacted that will essentially line the pockets of certain economic interests and thus ensure political power, it is time to tune out of the madness and see it for what it is. We need to maintain equilibrium in the face of untruths. When it comes to nature, what will be, will be. Its cycles are dictated by something much more powerful than any human mind can conjure. Earth’s 23.5 degree tilt which dictates earth’s seasons as it spins like a wobbly top along its orbit around the sun, which in turn orbits the center of the Milky Way readjusts and is tweaked according to some cosmic cycle. In a way, the life of our living, breathing planet is reflective of human life from birth to death. The human story is cyclical. Every civilization goes through periods of beginnings, progress, full flowering, decay, stagnation and ultimately, death. Planet earth will die too along with the sun, one day, the human race and
SERVICES
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all living carbon-based creatures will be gone by then. As a historical footnote, there are clear indications the American story, as a result of its increasing divisiveness and seismic shifts in its values and national psyche, has has gone through a protracted period of decay and stagnation phase of its cycle. For three decades, America may have lost its way as it drifted away from its core Christian values made manifest through its decadent culture. This may have played out already. By God’s grace and miracle for millions who bent down their knees and prayed fervently and asked for divine intervention, a new beginning is sprouting. The promise of resurgence to new life and an era of hope and worthwhile accomplishments is dawning. GOD’S BLESSINGS OF PEACE, HEALTH AND PROSPERITY BE WITH US ALL IN 2020 AND FAR INTO THE FUTURE! HAPPY, NEW 2020 TO ONE AND ALL!!! *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com.
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DECEMBER 27, 2019-JANUARY 2, 2020 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL
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people events arts culture entertainment
Resolutions 101: Goals for the New Year
A
by
AJPRESS
S we come to the end of 2019, we mindfully look back and quickly retrace the things we could have done differently. These are not regrets, but more of possibilities (and maybe opportunities) that might have helped us grow, or made our lives a little better. Then we look ahead to the coming year — full of hope, and yes, goals and resolutions that we intend to achieve. It doesn’t matter if there were one or two (or more) that were on the list before, “Try and try until you succeed” will always be the motto. Lose weight. Eat healthier. Be nicer. Work towards a better career. The list is long, but as the months go on, the journey to achieving goals is longer. Having a resolution is exciting, but keeping it is not that easy. A lot of people are not ready to make a serious commitment in order to succeed. Yes, there is hope, but no strategy and as they say, hope is not a plan. Asian Journal asked a number of people what their New Year resolutions are and how they intend to achieve them: Adrian Danganan. 26. Nursing student and food blogger. Covina, CA. Aside from the usual “be healthier” and “be more organized,” I really want to not commit to things I cannot do — short term and long term — in 2020. Not being able
Adrian Daganan is a graduate of Cal Poly Pomona and has become a vibrant figure in the LA foodie community through his foodie Instagram account @eatwithadrian.
to fulfill promises has proven problematic the last few years, and the start of a new decade seems as good a time as any to really work on this. I plan on saying “no” more often and making less excuses. Dr. Bernadette EscalonaCooper, 66. Professional artist and Chairman of State-registered art organization, Sunnyvale, CA Promote inclusiveness, encourage community engagement and open innovation through the arts in order to minimize, if not eradicate, cultural isolation. I intend to achieve these goals through creative collaborations. It is when we work together in a joint intellectual and creative effort that we strengthen the importance of every culture in the community. Showing the fusion of ideas from different cultures in art exhibitions becomes a relevant and powerful statement that creates discussions about lessons learned from different experiences and culture. People then will
Aira Mae Guerrero, a young entrepreneur aims to build a stronger relationship with her clients.
understand the existence of different cultures, recognize and respect “ways of being” and dispel negative and personal biases and cultural isolation. Anna Allado, 43. Caregiver, San Francisco, CA To appreciate life more. I’ve had three good friends and a really nice cousin who passed away in 2019 (including four pets). Life can be taken away unexpectedly. Live life with less fear and more faith and gratitude. Also, complete an online computer course I bought on sale for $12. I need the right discipline and commitment because this is like learning a new language. I’ve already set up my study area and browsed the course outline. Hope to finish it in less than six months. Edwin Josue. Real estate broker, New York City If you ask me here are some — still save money for retirement. Do the 10,000 steps to remain healthy, exercise more and healthy food/living. Live life to the fullest and spend more time with family and friends.
I plan to achieve those through daily meditation and mindfulness, which I’ve been practicing over 30 years, positive attitude makes you young and free! 10,000 steps daily is a wish and good for me being a real estate broker as I walk and show apartments in the city. A real estate broker is always on the move. Louise Bejer, 38. Lawyer, New York City New Year’s resolutions: to love a little deeper, to live a little freer, and to laugh a little harder. And I plan to do that by (1) focusing on the person I’m with and not be too fearful of rejection, and to be more expressive both in words and touch of my feelings; (2) not care too much about what people will think or say; and, (3) focusing on the moment. Aira Mae Guerrero, 23. Content specialist, Pasay City, Philippines My goal for 2020 is to become a full-time entrepreneur. It’s scary, but I’m preparing myself in terms of building and making my team PAGE 15
Anna Allado, a caregiver from San Francisco, aims to live life with less fear and more gratitude.
Dr. Bernadette Escalona Cooper, a professional artist and Chairman of a non-profit, wants to promote inclusiveness in the community through the arts to minimize cultural isolation.
New York City real estate broker Edwin Josue wants to live life to the fullest by keeping healthy.
Lawyer from New York City Louise Bejerʼs resolutions include to love a little deeper.
Elaine Dela Cruz from Makati City, Philippines, wants to save more and invest in a new business this 2020.
John Christopher Amodo wants to take on more risks to find what he is really passionate about.
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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • DEcEmbER 27, 2019-JANUARY 2, 2020
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Richard describes his family Solenn and Nico celebrate as ‘unbreakable’ 1st Christmas together after 9 years By Boy aBunda
By Katrina Hallare
Philstar.com
AS part of the fourth anniversary celebration of “Tonight with Boy Abunda (TWBA),” Richard Gutierrez bared his truth regarding personal life in the Kapamilya late-night talk show’s special 12-minute 4Real Dressing Room Exclusive interview. “Unbreakable,” also the title of the Star Cinema movie that he starred in with Bea Alonzo and Angelica Panganiban, was how Richard aptly described his family for being able to remain strong despite having gone through rough patches in life many times over. “Growing up, my family has always been in the limelight. Parang hindi naman masyadong normal ‘yung situation namin. There were so many struggles when my dad decided to go to the States. He tried to live a normal life there and my mom was left behind here. That was tough and then my mom followed. Eventually, we started living in the States for a while and it was there where our family became whole again. I think throughout the years, you’ll get to realize that the more your family surpass those challenges, the closer you’ll become,” he declared. His mom Annabelle Rama and sister Ruffa are very much involved in the preparations of his and fiancée Sarah Lahbati’s wedding next year. The actor shared some details and explained why it took them seven years before finally deciding to swap I dos. He also admitted having a hard time choosing his Best Man “because I have so many friends, hahaha!” Richard and Sarah previously announced that they are tying the knot in March 2020. Excerpts: Who is the biggest star in the family? “I don’t think I am the biggest star in the family because if it wasn’t for my dad, and also, my mom, my sister, (they) paved the way for me to be where I am today. I mean, we are very supportive to each other.” I have sensed that you never made any of the family members feel like, “I am the star in the family.” Walang ganun?
Inquirer.net
Richard Gutierrez on wife Sarah Lahbati and their kids Kai and Zion: The more your family surpass those challenges, the closer you’ll become. Photo from Instagram/@sarahlahbati
“Walang ganun.” Do you admit favorite ka ng Tita Annabelle? “Press release na lang ‘yun, hahaha!” What is the truth? “It depends on her mood. But I think it’s not really me who is her favorite.” Why do you say so? “Feeling ko si Elvis. I don’t know if Elvis would admit it also. But it really depends on my mom’s mood kasi feeling ko minsan ‘yung Ate ko ’yung favorite n’ya (laughs).” Publicly, Ruffa has had differences with your mom, even Mond (short for Raymond, his twin brother). Have you had public spats with your mom? “We had in the past but I don’t think it’s as public as my sister. Mas tahimik kami ng mom ko. If ever we have a misunderstanding, ang bilis din naming nareresolve. I always try to understand her side and wala s’yang tinatago.” You and Sarah are getting married next year. You are together for like seven years. Of course, the logical question is, bakit ngayon lang kayo nag-desisyong magpakasal? “Matagal na naming gustong magpakasal but initially when Zion came into our lives, we didn’t want to just get married for the sake of, you know, kasi may anak na kami, the traditional way of thinking na ah dapat magpakasal na kayo kaagad. We just wanted to take our time. We wanted to get married in a perfect time.” Just tell me what you can tell us. Where the wedding is gonna be?
“Here. Initially, we wanted in a different country but then it seems difficult to gather the whole family and then travel with everyone. We have such a big family. Sarah has a big family also so we decided to make it in Manila so everybody can join us in our celebration.” How about the theme? “We don’t really have a theme. We just want a beautiful wedding; a beautiful celebration. You know, Sarah has done a lot of research at kung ano ‘yung gusto n’ya, gusto ko rin.” If you just can mention to us some members of the entourage, meron na? “We’re still finalizing the list. We’re finalizing everything.” Including the Best Man? “It’s kinda hard to choose.” What are your considerations in the process of choosing? “It’s hard because I have a lot of friends.” And the wedding gown? “She went to Paris last month. The gown is bawal daw makita but it’s here now.” How involved is Tita Annabelle? “My mom is very involved actually but she lets us decide. She gives her inputs which are very helpful and also my sister. Hands-on sila sa pagtulong so we appreciate their help.” You have a movie and you have a serye, how grateful are you? “Very grateful. I can’t ask for more. All the blessings are given to me that’s why I’m so thankful and also I’m grateful that my family is there, they’re very sup-
SOLENN Heussaff and Nico Bolzico celebrated their first Christmas together on Wednesday, December 25, and apparently, it will also be their last with just the two of them. In an Instagram post, the heavily-pregnant Heussaff said that she and Bolzico finally were able to get together for the holidays after nine years. “Nico usually always leaves first week of December to celebrate the Holidays in Argentina,” Heussaff said. The French-Filipina actress added that her husband did not fly out this year as she was expected to give birth to their daughter anytime soon. “So happy to be able to spend our first and last Christmas just the two of us,” Heus-
Solenn Heussaff with husband Nico Bolzico
saff expressed. Bolzico, being the funny man that he is, meanwhile shared in his own post that it was his first time to be part of the Heussaff family Christmas photo, and delightedly joked that he was finally the favorite in-law. “Since 2011 that I have been part of the Heussaff Clan, and after all my efforts
Photo from Instagram/@solenn
I can proudly say today that I am the favorite in-law of Cynthia and Louis (Heussaff’s parents),” Bolzico joked. Apart from the traditional family photo, Heussaff and sister-in-law Anne Curtis, who is also pregnant with a baby girl, also had fun with their photoshoot, as they were shown being playful with their growing bellies.
Humbled by accolade, praise...
PAGE 12 enthusiasm. People seemed to be really moved by the film and what it tells me is that if people saw the paintings that I see, they would want the same response, they would want more hope, more mercy, more justice and this film provides an opportunity for them to see what I have been seeing through the course of my career,” he said. The cast led by Jordan, Jamie Foxx, Brie Larson and the ensemble all delivered wonderful acting and magnificent performances, giving justice to the compelling and
powerful story. Jordan reflected Stevenson’s steel determination and grit, and highlighted his intelligence and moral conviction, providing a brilliant and moving story that is one for the ages. The film showed how important faith is, since it fuels the fire in Stevenson’s bones to end death penalty and heal the wounds of oppressive racism. Foxx recently told Good Morning America that Just Mercy is the “most important film I’ve ever done” while Jordan has called Stevenson as
“the superhero of our times”. Such accolades are humbling, Stevenson told the Asian Journal. “I am just so honored to be in the company of such extraordinary people. Jamie is one of the great actors of our time and he is unbelievable talented and skilled and Michael is just an extraordinary human being who is obviously at the top of his game. To spend time with these remarkable people and have them say such generous and gracious things about me is incredibly energizing and also humbling,” he said.
Resolution 101: Goals for the New.. PAGE 14 stronger, taking care of my relationship with my clients, and managing my time. John Christopher Amodo, 23. Senior content specialist, Antipolo, Philippines My goal for 2020 is to take on more risks and gather experience from different fields I am passionate about that I feel would be essential in the next 10 years.
In order to achieve these goals, I will review my meticulous records of my journeys and weigh which discipline works and which doesn’t; what drives me to my full potential and what doesn’t. They say dreams don’t work unless you do, but I will aim to better differentiate working smart from working hard, so as to pave way for the career growth that I am looking
for. Elaine Dela Cruz, 23. Marketing officer, Makati City, Philippines For 2020, I want to save more and invest. As much as possible I will avoid unnecessary expenses and focus more on investing for the business that I want to open. 2020 will all be about growth and a start to secure my future.
portive.” But three or four years ago was a different story. Nasaan si Richard? Was there a point in your life when you wanted to walk way?
“Yeah. I was about to live in a different country. Nagplano na ko to start a new life like, you know, my dad did that. My dad walked away and started a different life, and I asked my-
self maybe I could do the same.” What stopped you? “My real destiny is to be here and when opportunities came, I grabbed them and sunod-sunod na.”
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december 27, 2019-january 2, 2020 • neW yOrK and neW jerSey aSIan jOurnaL
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