La weekend edition december 31 january 3, 2017

December 31, 2016-January 3, 2017 Volume 26 - No. 105 • 4 Sections – 30 Pages

‘Sorry for unintended killings in drug war’ they were caught in the crossfire and could be considered collateral damage. MANILA - While warning “I would admit there were of further bloodshed in his killings that were really uninwar against drugs, President tended, like the children who Duterte apologized on Thurs- were caught in a crossfire. Colday, Dec. 29 to the nation for lateral damage, and I’m sorry,” the innocents killed, saying the President told ABS-CBN by ALEXIS

ROMERO Philstar.com

DATELINE

News in an interview. It was the same message he shared with other major TV networks in separate interviews yesterday. “There has to be a casualty and there has to be some drawbacks there,” he pointed out. He reiterated that the bloody

crackdown would stop only when the last drug offender is killed or placed behind bars. Duterte has drawn flak – including from the international community – for the spate of killings linked to his anti-drug campaign. In an interview with CNN

Philippines, Duterte stressed security forces have no criminal liability if innocent people are caught in a crossfire in legitimate anti-crime operations. “You want the killings to stop in the Philippines, foreigners and natives should stop drugs. You stop this and everything

will be OK. We can concentrate on other things of government,” he said. In another interview with Rappler’s Maria Ressa, Duterte cited the need to instill fear in the hearts of criminals and lawbreakers.

Vice Pres. Leni Robredo

Inquirer.net photo

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USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Carson celebrates 4th annual Rizal monument commemoration

Robredo’s satisfaction rating declines

THE City of Carson, California celebrated Rizal Day to honor Dr. Jose P. Rizal during its 4th anniversary of the induction of the larger-than-life statue of the Filipino hero in the Carson Community Center on Thursday, December 29.

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by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

RIZAL DAY. President Rodrigo Duterte (second from right) leads the flag-raising ceremony to mark the 120th anniversary of the martyrdom of Jose Rizal at Rizal Park on Friday, Dec. 30. With him are, from left: Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada. ManilaTimes.net photo by Rene Dilan

PHILIPPINE Vice President Leni Robredo’s net satisfaction rating in the fourth quarter of 2016 has suffered a 12-point decline, according to the latest survey from the Social Weather Stations (SWS). The survey, held from December 3 to 6, showed that 58 percent of Filipinos were satisfied with Robredo’s performance, 21 percent were dissatisfied, and the remaining 20 percent were still undecided.

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Minimum wage Duterte believes US to increase in 19 officials plan to oust him states in 2017 AJPress photo by Klarize Medenilla

by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

California’s rate to reach $10 AT the start of the New Year, millions of workers in 19 states – including California – and dozens of cities across the United States will celebrate an increase in the minimum wage. California is expected to raise its minimum wage to $10 for employers with 25 employees or less. For those with 26 employees or

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PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte said he is convinced that recent media reports stating former United States Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg allegedly prepared a plan to unseat him were true, tagging U.S. ambassadors as “spies.” “Most of the ambassadors of the United States, but not all, are not really professional ambassadors. At the same time they are spying, they are connected with the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency),” Duterte

said in a television interview. In its recent report, The Manila Times, citing its “highly placed source,” said Goldberg supposedly left behind a “blueprint to undermine Duterte.” The officials of the United States, on the other hand, refuted the news. When asked if he believes the reports of a plot to oust him, Duterte replied: “In the sense that I may be looking at it as a possibility, yes.” Duterte also claimed that Goldberg was expelled in Bolivia for undermining the country’s president.

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CIVIL TIMES. In this July 19 file photo, President Rodrigo Duterte welcomes the US Congressional delegation accompanied by US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg at the President’s Hall in Malacañang Palace. American officials have denied reports that Goldberg has submitted a blueprint to the U.S. State Department for the ouster of Duterte. Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez

Dozens injured in separate Cotabato, Leyte blasts 95% of Filipinos by ERIC

The scene of the blast in Hilongos town’s Rizal Plaza.

ANTHONY LICAS AJPress

SEPARATIST militias are suspected to be responsible for two separate bombings that injured at least 40 people in the Philippines on Wednesday, December 28, according to President Rodrigo Duterte and security forces. Investigators in North Cotabato say seven people were wounded by two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted along a stretch of highway in the town of Aleosan at approximately 10:20 p.m. (local time) on Wednesday. Earlier that same evening, two remotely detonated bombs exploded at the Rizal Plaza in Hilongos, Leyte at about 9 p.m., injuring at least 35 others. “We didn’t expect this,” Hilongos Philstar.com photo by Miriam Garcia Desacada Mayor Alberto Villahermosa told CNN

Philippines on Wednesday. “There was no bomb threat prior to this bombing.” No individual or group has stepped forward to claim responsibility for either incident. However, initial reports from local residents received by police in Aleosan suggest the involvement of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in the North Cotabato attack, according to the Philstar, Inquirer, and other sources. On Thursday, December 29, Duterte told reporters that “moro people” who were involved in the Philippines’ illicit narcotics trade were behind the attack in Leyte. “It’s drug-related and they are having a turf war there,” Duterte told news outlets during a series of interviews on Wednesday, as reported by Inquirer.

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welcome 2017 with hope by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

MAJORITY of Filipinos were looking forward to the upcoming year with optimism, the Social Weather Station (SWS) said on Thursday, December 29. According to the Fourth Quarter 2016 SWS survey conducted early this month, 95 percent of Filipinos will enter 2017 with hope. The remaining 5 percent, on the other hand, said they will face the new year with fear. SWS asked the following question to its respondents: “Ang darating na taon ba ay inyong sasalubungin ng may pag-asa o may

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A DECEMBER 31, 2016-JANUARY 3, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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From the Front Page

‘Sorry for unintended killings... PAGE A1 t “Because of the rule of law, there must be fear,” he said. With his tough approach to fighting crime earning him the moniker “The Punisher,” Duterte emphasized violence or being perceived as violent is one of his strengths and that violence is necessary when deal-

ing with the drug problem. More than 6,000 people with suspected drug links have been killed since Duterte assumed the presidency on June 30. Critics claimed that Duterte’s war on drugs has emboldened security forces and vigilante groups to carry out extrajudicial killings – many of which

were cases of rubout intended to hide their own involvement in illegal drugs. The United Nations, the United States, the European Union and human rights groups have raised concern over the killings and have asked Duterte to ensure that the rule of law is respected in all law enforcement operations. The President maintained that he does not endorse or condone summary executions. “There are vigilantes out to kill drug pushers without mercy,” he said. Despite the rising number of fatalities linked to his war on drugs, Duterte said he is not yet satisfied with the gains of the campaign. “Until the last pusher is out of the street, I’ll be very frank with you, until the last drug lord is killed, this campaign will continue until the very last day of

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INNOCENT VICTIM. Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption founding chairman Dante Jimenez (second from left) talks to the family of Angelito Soriano, 16, one of four minors killed by unidentified gunmen in Caloocan City on Wednesday, Dec. 28. ManilaTimes.net photo by Ruy Martinez

Robredo’s satisfaction rating... PAGE A1 t

September. The poll was conducted The results also revealed that Robredo’s satisfaction rating fell through face-to-face interviews to +37 net satisfaction rating in with 1,500 adults (18 years old December, which was +49 in and above) nationwide, with sam-

pling error margins of ±3 percent for national percentages. Despite the drop, the SWS said that Robredo retained a “good” net satisfaction rating. In response, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) expressed gratitude to the “Filipino people for their continued trust and support.” “We assure you that we are listening to your voice so we can serve you better,” the OVP said in a statement. “Through the Angat Buhay, the [OVP’s] poverty alleviation program, we are determined to continue our mission to uplift the lives of the poor and the marginalized,” it added. On the other hand, an earlier report from SWS showed that President Rodrigo Duterte garnered an ‘excellent’ +72 trust rating, just down by one point compared to his +64 in September, which was his first rating as the country’s president. Other top leaders of the country also dropped their satisfaction ratings this final quarter of 2016, including Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, House Speaker Pantaleo Alvarez, and Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. Pimentel’s satisfaction ratings dropped by by seven points to +30 in December from +37 in September. Alvarez’s rating declined by 13 points from +22 in September while Sereno’s did by +16 from the previous +26. n

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FROM THE FRONT PAGE LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 31, 2016-JANUARY 3, 2017

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‘Sorry for unintended killings... PAGE A2 t my term,” he said. During the campaign period, Duterte vowed to put an end to the drug problem within the first six months of his term. However, he admitted last September that he could not fulfill the promise because of the sheer number of drug addicts and drug traders in the country, including those in government.

He said he needs another six months to address the drug problem, which he said has contaminated four million people. It was not clear how he arrived at the figure as other agencies like the Dangerous Drugs Board presented a much smaller figure. The President previously said that the drug list submitted to him by security forces con-

tains the names of about 2,000 barangay captains, municipal mayors, a few governors and congressmen. Duterte has linked about 160 incumbent and former government officials to the narcotics trade. He has given the House of Representatives, Senate and the Supreme Court copies of the drug list, admitting that he cannot solve the drug menace by himself. ■

Duterte believes US officials plan... PAGE A1 t

“And Goldberg started to dig under, to erode the foundation of the presidency and he was expelled persona non grata,” he added. In 2008, then Bolivian President Evo Morales reportedly expelled Goldberg as ambassador after being accused of siding with Morales’ rightist opponents and of organizing street protests. At the same time, Duterte revealed that his previous order to Vice President Leni Robredo to desist from attending all his Cabinet meetings rooted from

extrajudicial killings, and the reimposition of the death penalty. The Liberal Party, on their part, reiterated several times that they never plotted to oust 120 YEARS HENCE. Marines on Thursday, Dec. 29 rehearse for today’s wreath-laying ceremonies at the Rizal Monument in Manila, the focal Duterte from presidency. point of the celebrations marking the 120th anniversary of the martyrdom of National Hero Jose Rizal on Friday, Dec. 30. “This is my message to the ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma United States and to everybody, to those out there on the streets, and for those who are demanding my resignation: you know, I feel that I have to honor the con- PAGE A1 t only indicate that these terrorists moments later. tract with the people,” Duterte The president dismissed the are now highly mobile and they Casualties could have been said. Duterte also told those who likelihood that the New People’s can be in different places,” Are- worse in Hilongos, but design want to unseat him: “You might Army (NPA), the armed wing of valo said on Thursday, as reported flaws in the second bomb reduced its destructive potential, accordbe able to oust me, but I will the Communist Party of the Phil- by the Philstar. ippines, was behind Wednesday’s In light of Wednesday’s vio- ing to Villahermosa. give you a bloody nose.” ■ violence, citing an existing cease- lence, AFP officials advise FilipiHe confirmed that a third IED fire agreement with the leftist reb- nos to exercise extreme caution had been found intact at a nearby els. He did not provide additional ahead of New Year’s celebrations church, according to Inquirer. details or suggest any suspects. scheduled to take place across the Meanwhile, unidentified assailPhilippine National Police (PNP) country this weekend. Arevalo ants lobbed two grenades which chief Director General Ronald dela said that security forces would not failed to detonate According to Rosa, told reporters that the explo- bar people from attending public at a police station in the town of sives that ravaged Hilongos were gatherings, but noted that such Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao. similar to those used by BIFF, ac- events can become soft targets The bombs that rocked Rizal cording to Philstar. for bombings and other terrorist Plaza were triggered via cellphone However, representatives of the attacks, according to ABS-CBN like the explosives that killed 14 Armed Forces of the Philippines News. people at the Roxas Night Mar(AFP) theorize that members of Chief Insp. Alberto Renomeron ket in Davao on Friday, Septemanother militant group, Maute, of the Hilongos police department ber 2, according to the Tacloban might have orchestrated the Leyte told Inquirer that those present at SunStar. On Thursday, October 4, bombing. the site of the explosion in Leyte three Maute militants were arrestThe Maute group might have had been watching a boxing ed in connection with that prior conducted the attack in order to match held in celebration of the bombing. draw resources away from military town’s annual fiesta. Security forces suspect that operations targeting the jihadistVictims of the incident suffered members of an unspecified sepainspired organization in Butig, La- mostly lower body injuries and ratists militia threw a grenade at nao del Sur, Col. Edgard Arevalo, were initially sent to the Hilongos a Catholic church in Mindanao as chief of the AFP Public Affairs Of- District and Leyte Baptist hospi- congregants attended mass on fice, said. tals. Some have been transferred Christmas Eve, Saturday, DecemAlternatively, regional army or referred to Ormoc District Hos- ber 24. spokesperson First Lieutenant pital, according to Ruth Flores, Despite the occurrence of a Cherry Junia suggested that Maute who was near Rizal Plaza when number of bombings and other might have been acting in retalia- the bombs were detonated. violent acts in recent months, VilMAJORITY of Filipinos were looking forward to the upcoming year with optimism, the Social tion to the capture of one of the “I thought it was just a trans- lahermosa said Hilongo officials Weather Station (SWS) said on Thursday, December 29. Inquirer.net photo organization’s financial support- former that exploded,” Flores told do not plan on canceling their the Tacloban SunStar on Wednes- town’s upcoming New Year’s Eve “Hopefulness for the New to-face interview with 1,500 ers, Raidah Ampaso Sarip. Sarip was arrested and charged day. celebrations. Year is high regardless of socio- adults (18 years old and above) with drug-trafficking during a raid She recounted watching a franIn addition, Malacañang repreeconomic class,” SWS added. nationwide, and with a sampling The survey was conducted error margins of ±3 percent for in Hindang, Leyte on October 22. tic crowd run from the plaza be- sentatives said they were not pre“The twin blasts in Hilongos fore hearing another blast a few PAGE A6 from December 3 to 6 via face- national percentages. ■ the supposed plan of the Liberal Party, a political party were Robredo belongs, to unseat him. Duterte said it was “incongruous” of the vice president to join some rallies against his policies and then show up for a Cabinet meeting the following day. “You are part of the crowd that says you want me out,” Duterte added, referring to Robredo, who has been always vocal regarding her disapproval of some of the president’s actions and remarks, including the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos in the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes’ Cemetery), the

95% of Filipinos welcome 2017... PAGE A1 t

pangamba? (Will you welcome the upcoming year with hope or with fear?)” Results of the survey showed that the number of hopeful Filipinos for 2017 is three points higher compared to the 92 percent in 2015. On the other hand, the number of Filipinos who fear the upcoming year fell down by three points from a total of 8 percent in 2015. “Hope for the New Year has always been high, starting at 87 percent when SWS first surveyed it in 2000,” the SWS said in its report. This year’s poll revealed that Mindanao reached an all-time high 95 percent of hopeful Filipinos from the 88 percent in 2015. On the other hand, Visayas increased by two points from 90 percent in 2015 to 92 percent in 2016, while Luzon improved by four points from 93 percent in 2015 to 97 percent in 2016.

Dozens injured in separate...

A DECEMBER 31, 2016-JANUARY 3, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL From the

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Carson celebrates 4th annual Rizal...

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GIFTS TO BARANGAY EXECS. President Rodrigo Duterte meets barangay (village) officials in Davao City, where he reportedly gave cash gifts drawn from his excess campaign funds. Malacañang photo

Minimum wage to increase in...

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more, the minimum wage will be $10.50. The increase applies to workers in all industries. This year, California Governor Jerry Brown signed the bill into law that would raise the minimum wage to $15 by 2022. The state’s minimum wage will increase every year by 50 cents in 2018 and 2019 and by $1 from 2019 to 2022. “Morally and socially and politically, [minimum wages] make every sense because it binds the community together and makes sure that parents can take care of their kids in a much more satisfactory way,” Brown said, adding

that labor is a “part of living in a moral community.” The California Senate voted 26-12 on the measure, and while many have praised the law for increasing wages for low-income workers, the bill had its share of dissenters. California Sen. Jim Nielsen (R-Gerber) argues that the wage hike puts new workers at the disadvantage and will pave the way for mechanization in several industries. “You will go to a hamburger store, and you won’t have a young person or elderly person to wait on you,” Nielsen told the Los Angeles Times.

A poll conducted by USC and the Los Angeles Times found that 64 percent of Californians support raising the minimum wage; and 74 percent of those that make less than $30,000 a year as well as 72 percent of Californians aged 18-29 support the move. Nationally, 53 percent of Americans believes raising the minimum wage will benefit workers, while about a third view the wage hike as a negative. The City of Los Angeles has embraced the movement for higher minimum wage. Last year, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti signed a measure to raise the citywide minimum wage steadily each year and to $15 by the year 2020. “This is about the idea, that American ideal, that when someone works hard, they should be able to support themselves, and they should be able to support their families,” Garcetti said in a speech in South LA on June 13, 2015. The other 18 states increasing their minimum wages in 2017 include: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, South Dakota, Vermont and Washington state, according to the National Employment Law Project. Massachusetts and Washington state will increase their minimum wages to $11, boasting the highest minimum wage in the country. Arizona, however, will have the largest increase from $8.05 to $10. (Klarize Medenilla/ AJPress)

The celebration coincides with the 120th anniversary of Rizal’s fateful execution on December 30, 1896. The morning started off with the singing of both the United States and Philippine national anthems followed by a wreath laying by Philippine Consul General of Los Angeles Adelio Angelito Cruz, LA police officers, Councilmember Elito M. Santarina, City of Carson officials, the Dr. Jose P. Rizal Monument Movement (JPRMM) and Kalayaan Incorporated. Representatives from FilipinoAmerican organizations and the City of Carson took to the podium to speak about Rizal and the importance of preserving his legacy for future generations. “For us to epitomize our hero, we must not simply just remember how or why he was killed, but rather how he lived and how he left a profound impact on his countrymen then and to this day, the present generation Filipinos,” Consul General Cruz told the diverse crowd, reminding Filipinos to never forget Rizal’s sacrifice that brought freedom to the Philippines. The celebration honored the large Rizal statue which sits in the meadow in front of the Carson Community Center. JPRMM — led by engineer Manchito Mandap — came up with the idea of the monument to honor the Filipino hero and martyr. Filipino artist Toym de Leon Imao sculpted the 7-foot bronze statue and on September 29, 2012, the city unveiled it along with an inscription describing his legacy. “Filipinos from Carson and neighboring cities will be forever grateful this statue serves as a reminder for Dr. Jose Rizal’s perseverance, patriotism, optimism, underlying love for his country and belief in his countrymen,” Filipino-American Chairman for the City of Carson’s Parks and Recreation Commission Alex Cainglet told the crowd during the program. “Dr. Jose Rizal has reserved his place a symbol of what we can do in our lifetime. His whole life was a monument to education and is considered one of the most highly educated heroes in Philippine history,” Cainglet added. In addition to the statue, with the help of Santarina, a resolution was passed by the City Council in 2013, which declared that December 30 of each year be

AJPress photos by Klarize Medenilla

declared Dr. Jose P. Rizal Day in Carson. “This is important to the Filipino community so that we can strongly echo the message of Dr. Jose Rizal to young people, especially because we believe that the youth is the hope for the motherland,” Santarina told the Asian Journal before the commemoration. Santarina added that having

the monument and the resolution aligns with bringing public awareness and education of Rizal and his achievements. “Dr. Rizal, himself, was able to influence the great minds and heroes of the world in terms of human rights, justice, fairness, loving one’s self and loving your fellow man. That is a great, great legacy,” Santarina added. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

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Netizens urged to change passwords for New Year by JAnvic

MAtEo Philstar.com

NEW Year, new password. The National Privacy Commission on Thursday, Dec. 29 urged Filipino netizens to include in their New Year’s resolutions the habit of regularly changing passwords. Warning against identity theft and other forms of cyber crimes, privacy commissioner Raymund liboro reminded Filipino internet users to secure their email and so-

01/03/17

cial media accounts. “Regularly changing your passwords for online accounts such as email and social media is one of the most basic and easiest ways of protecting your data privacy,” said liboro. He also urged Filipinos using services of technology giant Yahoo to immediately change their passwords, citing recent confirmation of a massive data breach involving more than one billion users. “Email is usually the means so-

cial media services such as Facebook confirm your identity. If your email is compromised, there is a chance that your social media accounts are compromised as well, and criminals could use confidential information there to commit cyber crimes directed at you or the contact list in your email and social media accounts,” he warned. Earlier this month, Yahoo confirmed a data breach on its system that compromised sensitive personal data such as email addresses, birth dates and telephone numbers. It was the second breach reported by Yahoo. The privacy commission said such information may be used in identity theft and phishing scams. liboro also urged netizens not to use familiar words or phrases as passwords to minimize the possibility of access from unauthorized individuals. He also warned internet users against using a single password across multiple accounts, noting that a single hack would compromise the rest of the online accounts of the victim. The commission recommended the use of passphrases instead of passwords, as well as the use of initials of a memorable phrase combined with a mix of upper and lower cases, numbers and symbols. “Other than password changes, we are also recommending that internet users utilize two-factor authentication for confirming their identity. Two-factor authentication is when internet services send a text message or a code to your mobile phone to confirm who you are instead of just sending an email,” said the data commission. Email providers sometimes use this feature when someone accesses their account from an unfamiliar IP address or device, the commission also said. n

Foul play suspected in disappearance of Filipina in Georgia by Eric

Anthony LicAs AJPress

POlICE in Georgia suspect foul play is involved in the disappearance of a Filipino-American woman who has been missing for over two months. Cecilia Bustamante, 42, was last seen as she was rushing to leave her place of employment, Willy’s restaurant, at the AT&T Midtown Center building in Atlanta, on Friday, October 28. “I don’t think she voluntarily left Georgia or Chamblee,” Police Capt. Ernesto Ford told reporters earlier this month. “I think she is in grave danger or worse.” Bustamante was not known to drive a car, and Chamblee city police have not confirmed exactly how she might have gotten home from Atlanta. Authorities were not notified of the woman’s disappearance until Friday, December 2, after family members noted the wife PAGE A3 t pared to definitively label Wednes- and mother’s absence from a day’s attacks as acts of terrorism, Thanksgiving celebration in Baland say they have no intention of timore, Maryland. While executing a warrant to implementing martial law. “It’s an area of concern but not alarm,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abello told reporters during a news briefing on Thursday, December 29 “...Nobody has by ALExis roMEro made actual claims regarding rePhilstar.com sponsibility… for those explosions so we cannot pinpoint a specific THE United States should be area or person responsible.” n blamed for failing to thwart China’s expansion in the South China Sea, President Duterte said on Thursday, Dec. 29. The US failure to stop China’s island-building showed there was no serious concern about its militarization or reclamation work. The firebrand leader reiterated he wanted to avoid confrontation with China and saw no need for urgency in pressing it to abide by a July ruling by an international tribunal on its South China Sea claims that went in favor of the Philippines. Asked during a television interview when he would address the issue, Duterte said it would happen “during my time” but he was not yet ready to discuss the ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague and neither was China. He said he had no intention of aggressively pursuing the Philippine maritime claim and taking on China and the only power capable of doing so was the United States. “I cannot let it pass and be neglected,” he told CNN Philippines, referring to the ruling that rejected China’s extensive claims in the South China Sea. “But are you ready to talk with me now? Because if you are not, I am not ready,” he said, referring to China. Duterte made a stunning U-turn

Dozens injured...

inspect the Bustamante’s home, police discovered a small locked safe hidden beneath the bed of her 7-year-old son, according to Ford. After forcing the lockbox open, investigators found firearms, as well as the missing woman’s credit cards, bank card, identification, and passport. Police also spoke with Bustamante’s husband, Carlo Jonson, who had not filed a missing person’s report. “He was indifferent in his responses and showed a total lack of concern for his wife’s well-being,” Ford told the Asian Journal during a brief phone interview on Wednesday, December 28. Jonson said that he did not know where his wife might have gone, but suggested to investigators that she might be in either Baltimore or the Philippines, according to Ford. He added that authorities have not brought charges against any individual. Bustamante, Jonson and their son had just relocated to Georgia from Maryland a few years ago and were not known to have relatives elsewhere in the coun-

try, according to Ford and Willy Blanco of the Filipino-American Association of Atlanta. They say the family of three had rented an apartment in the Atlanta neighborhood of lindbergh for about a year before moving to a house in Chamblee. Blanco said the family had few connections in the local community, making it difficult to find people in the area who knew Bustamante and might have any idea where she went. However, he said that a few have gotten in touch with investigators with additional information that has yet to be confirmed by authorities. Blanco hopes that others will come forward. “At this point, we have no suspect and we have not ruled anyone out,” Ford said on Wednesday. Cecilia Bustamante is described as a 5’3” woman weighing approximately 120lbs. with brown hair and eyes. Anyone who might have any information regarding her whereabouts is urged to call the regional crime stoppers hotline at (404) 5775477. n

‘US should have stopped Chinese expansion in SCS’ in foreign policy a few months ago when he made overtures towards longtime rival China and started berating traditional ally the United States. He has previously played down the arbitration case, saying it would “take a back seat” during his talks in China last October. He has frequently praised China and said he wants it to play a prominent role in his economy. Duterte also played down concerns that China was militarizing the South China Sea and appeared unperturbed by its dredging work and building activity on reefs, several of which are within Manila’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Asked if he was worried, he said: “No. Because if it was really a serious concern, then the United States should lead the way and stop it. “I said, right at the beginning, when the first spray of soil was tossed out to the area they (China) reclaimed, why did their (US) think tank not think?” Duterte said the one situation where he would take a stand against China was if it were to start exploiting natural resources within Philippine sovereign territory. He likened it to children bickering over inheritance. The Philippines has within its EEZ deposits of oil and gas but lacks the expertise or resources to exploit them. It has also been complicated by China laying claim to the same waters. “When the minerals are already

being siphoned out,” he said when asked under what condition he would challenge China. “(It’s a) question of money. ‘Wait a minute, I thought we’re friends. We share economic bounties ... so how about us? I have this title, so what do you think? Don’t you think we should talk now?’” he said. “The wealth that comes out there, it is like inheritance when your father and mother die, that is a mess.” Duterte said Thursday he will insist on a ruling of an international arbitration that invalidated Beijing’s claims to most of the South China Sea if China starts to extract oil or gas from the area. His statement was a departure from his earlier pronouncement that he would “set aside” the ruling because he does not want to impose on China. Duterte, who took office in June, has taken steps to mend relations with China that grew hostile during the time of his predecessor over the long-unresolved territorial disputes. Former president Benigno Aquino III’s administration took the disputes to international arbitration after China seized a disputed shoal from the Philippines in 2012, then went on to construct seven man-made islands despite international objections. China has refused to recognize the arbitration tribunal, saying it has no jurisdiction. (With reports from AP)

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PH to assert int’l court ruling on South China Sea by Eric

Anthony LicAs AJPress

Despite leading a diplomatic shift in favor of stronger relations with China, philippine president Rodrigo Duterte on thursday, December 29 recognized the authority of an international ruling which voids Beijing’s claims to most of the south China sea. the president made those comments during an interview with CNN philippines’ pinky Webb. He went on to say that, if China began extracting fossil fuels from sites designated as neutral territory by the United Nations’ permanent Court of Arbitration (pCA), he would insist on official talks with the Chinese government. “i cannot let [the issue] pass,” Duterte told Webb on thursday. However, Duterte also said that AETAS DESCEND. Aetas from the Pampanga side of Mt. Pinatubo camp out along MacArthur neither his administration nor Highway in Malolos, Bulacan to ask for Christmas alms from motorists and passers-by. policymakers in Beijing were preManilaTimes.net photo by Mike De Juan pared to negotiate their lingering disputes. the pCA’s award -- issued on tuesday, July 12 -- is legally binding, but the court lacks any mechanism to enforce it. Beijing has since ignored and repeatedly condemned the ruling, according to prior reports from the Asian tHe philippine population will continue to increase in 2017 and Journal and other sources. Chinese military vessels that is projected to reach 105,758,850 by December 31, 2017, based on projections made by the Commission on population (pOpCOM) us- had barred Filipinos from working data from the philippine statistics Authority (psA). included in the projection are 27,293,422 women of reproductive age (aged 15-49). these women are usually the beneficiaries of reproductive health services under the Responsible parenthood and Reproductive Health Law. the number of girls aged 10 to 19 will also increase to 10,080,824 next year. Based on the most recent data from the psA (2014), it is expected that over 200,000 adolescent girls will give birth in 2017. the figures for women of reproductive age and adolescent girls continue to be the highest numbers on record. this trend is expected to continue up to 2022 when the numbers of women of reproductive age are expected to peak at 29.1 million and adolescent girls at 11.3 million. “the continuing increase in population is due to relatively high fertility rates of Filipino women which is three children on average; however, 11 of the 17 regions show higher fertility rates than the national average. ARMM, Bicol and Western Visayas continue to have rates ranging from 3.8 in Western Visayas to 4.1 in Bicol and 4.2 in ARMM,” executive Director Juan perez 3rd of pOpCOM said. Other population trends being tracked by pOpCOM for 2017 are the number of schoolchildren, which is expected to rise to 31.5 million, the labor force of 66.7 million and the population of over 65 years old of 5.2 million. Based on the number of births in 2014 reported by the psA, 3.33 Filipinos were born every minute that year. More males than females were born, with 1.02 males born for every female. Based on psA projections of 1,691,897 births in 2017, the number of Filipinos born per minute will go down to 3.22 births per minute next year. (ManilaTimes.net)

105.75-M Filipinos by end of 2017

ing in the scarborough shoal since a naval standoff took place there in 2012 continued to harass fishing boats for months after the pCA announced its decision. in October, fishermen in the area reported that they had been able to return to the shoal following efforts by the Duterte administration to improve diplomatic and economic ties with China. On thursday, Duterte went on to downplay the gravity of images published by the Center for strategic and international studies, suggesting that Beijing has further militarized several installations it had constructed in contested areas. “if it was really a serious concern, then the United states should lead the way and stop it ... right at the beginning, when the first spade of soil was tossed…” Duterte said on thursday. “Why raise an issue putting the country into distress [when] wala ka na pa lang gawin (you are not going to do anything)?” he later asked rhetorically. Duterte said the United states was the only entity capable of seriously challenging the south pacific’s largest economic and military force. He predicted a tremendous loss of life should the philippines enter armed conflict with China with or without Ameri-

can military backing. the president confirmed his intention to end the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), a deal between the philippines and the U.s. that grants legal status to U.s. soldiers stationed in the philippines and gives American military courts jurisdiction over

crimes they commit while they are there. Duterte did, however, note resistance in his efforts to do so. “i’m still trying to figure out, kasi marame na ka galit sa akin [because there are many now angry with me],” he said on thurs-

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A8 DECEMBER 31, 2016-JANUARY 3, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPINION

FEATURES

A year of ‘real change’

IN just six months, a knock on the door has become a source of terror for many Filipinos. For thousands of people, the knock has been followed by gunshots, and then the silence of the grave. The year 2016 will go down in history for the mass killings in the name of a ruthless war against illegal drugs, launched upon the ascent to power of Rodrigo Duterte. The former mayor of Davao City, a reluctant presidential candidate, has brought his profanity-laced tough talk and disdain for the formalities of power not only to Malacañang but also to the international stage. He has threatened to sever a century-old alliance and tossed aside another major event of the year, the nation’s victory before a UN-backed arbitration court on maritime entitlements in the South China Sea. Is this the change the people wanted? Duterte the candidate had promised to kill criminals and allow the burial of dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. To the dismay of human rights advocates, the President is proving true to his word. There were indisputable bright spots during the year. The nation went through a relatively peaceful and orderly transfer of power in May, giving a landslide victory to a man who promised “real

change” and then warned of a “rough ride” with him in the driver’s seat. The warning was not exaggerated, and he has promised more in the coming year, with the campaign against lawbreakers to be expanded to corrupt public officials. One encouraging development under the new administration was the quick revival of peace initiatives with Islamic separatists and communist rebels, with Duterte at one point proffering an olive branch even to the Abu Sayyaf. Other welcome developments were the efforts to cut red tape as well as the passage before yearend of next year’s General Appropriations Act. Still, Oplan Tokhang and its expanded version called Double Barrel have so dominated national life under the new administration that other urgent matters threaten to be overlooked. The changing of the year should allow officials to take stock of the state of the nation, list concrete objectives and clear out a path for getting there. The blood of thousands of Filipinos can only make the path slippery and difficult to tread. (Philstar.com)

Guest Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Letting go and letting God into 2017

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS In response to my previous article, one reader asked me about how one can possibly let go of worries, anger and pain brought about by the past when these are real emotions and real concerns that we just cannot kiss goodbye just because we are about to start a new year. It’s a very valid question espe-

cially as we are about to make a conscious decision on how we want to live the coming 2017. True, human as we are, letting go of the negative may be so hard to do. That is why we need God’s help to start fresh with a new clean heart and enlightened spirit knowing that God can help us do things we cannot otherwise do on our own. That is why we get our strength from the Lord in our moments of weakness, but we need to will it first to seek Him.

This is not the same as not doing anything and just waiting for God to do what He has to do. No — we have to continue doing our best and honor God with our lives, knowing in our heart that God loves us and will only do what is best for us. All is well. All will be well. Let me share with you a prayer that personally means so much to me. I do not know who wrote it but I hope this will give you the discernment, grace and blessings you need as you re-

Why I go to Simbang Gabi every year [Editor’s note: The writer reflects on and re-shares a Sim- Rhizomes bang Gabi experience she had three years ago that continues to guide her attendance to the mass celebration every year.] DO you recall a priest’s homily such that its effect carries be- PROSY ABARQUEZyond 24 hours? The prior morn- DELACRUZ, J.D. ings on the genealogy of Jesus resonated with folks that it became an early dawn conversation amongst musicians about who Fr. Randy Odchigue is. A choir member shared that he comes from Butuan in Mindanao and that Fr. Randy prepares for each of his homilies seriously. He also considers his intended audience: who they are, what social classes they belong to and how old they are. “No wonder he relates to all of us,” another said. Folks declaim and proclaim their observations about his homilies, reflecting on the generosity of his spirit, his intellectual rigor, and the depths of his faith in seeing God’s works in others, but also his analysis and synthesis of the Biblical studies (which he casually interjects in conversations, as today’s Pope Linus’ teachings of taking care of the poor). I purposely use declaim and proclaim as folks seem to erupt with enthusiasm and smiles, sharing about his homilies. It is only 4:10 a.m. and Fr. Randy is still inside the rectory, but we are having our own reflections of his homily about Jesus’ Genealogy of thief, betrayer, adulterer in his family tree, and the story of one’s name. Would your own family name spell out grace or collective names as Christians shout out joy? While reflections in the pew happen, Hermie San Agustin busily lights all the altar candles and motions to folks to distribute the Worship Aid. It is now 4:15 a.m. Choir members arrive. The violinist, the drummer, the flutist, the guitarist, the pianist, and the cantor all walk in, at a precise sequence and timing. Mike Zuniga removes the piano cover and gets it ready for the Allan Sims, the pianist. He sets up the microphones for the choir. From once an empty church of quiet, to an increasing volume of voices in action, eagerly waiting for Mass to begin. This is not a concert, I told myself, yet Fr. Randy is treated as if a rock star. At 4:45 a.m., all seats are taken. Folks squeeze in, shoulder to shoulder, to make way for more parishioners. By 5 a.m., the balcony is full. At that precise time, Fr. Camilo Pacanza primes us: “What are you coming to Simbang Gabi for?” He waits, he pauses, and like the Socratic method

of teaching, “Why do you sacrifice to get up every morning, braving the cold mornings? Or are you just crazy?” Jokes get folks to pay attention. “What are you looking for, “ he continues. “Bakit kayo nagpupuyat?” Not getting any, he leaves us with: “Ang Simbang Gabi ay naglalagay sa atin sa...” I got lost in deep Tagalog and waited for his English translation, “Simbang Gabi puts us on the road of our salvation, to meet our Savior on Christmas.” To me, it helps prepare my heart and inner self that on the magic day of the 24th, I could not contain my tears of joy -- it just flows, and it feels as if I am uplifted to the heavens, joining in to sing with the music of Hiroshima’s A Thousand Cranes, but contemporaneously, singing “Halina, Jesus, Halina” and “Hosanna, Hosanna.” With barely two feet of space separating the flutist, the violinist and the pianist, the three of them do not seem to mind and each one renegotiates their body spaces, one contorting while another stretches, to give room to the other. Pete Avendaño points to two verses in the music sheet that he wants the pianist to play, the pianist alerts the guitarist, then, the violinist and flutist, and all start on cue, as Pete raises one or both of his hands. They begin as a disciplined, well-oiled engine, all 30 in harmony, in support of and with a high note of fidelity, positivity and a selfless attitude of grace to all. By the time Fr. Randy takes the microphone, everyone exhales a bit, knowing they too will be primed, since his homily of 24 hours ago and folks are still doing their own early dawn reflections on it. They want to piece it together for themselves. He reminds us first that on Christmas, many songs are about longing and loneliness, “Ang Disyembre ko ay Malungkot” while folks sing along to a few verses. “Love between families failed. Marriage is fractured if emotional needs are not met.” He quickly moves from life’s sad challenges, and then, his humor, this time, based on his linguistic knowledge of Tagalog, English and Cebuano. (When I got home, I shared with hubby who understood all three, what a joy!). Ready for this at 5:30 a.m.? We start out as asawa, meaning a couple in Tagalog. Asawa morphs into sawa, not just a removal of a letter, it is the flames of love extinguished to become sawa, aka bored, have had enough, becoming into awa. The linguist will love Tagalog as the removal of two letters, a and s become awa, compassion for

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lease 2016 and look forward with faithful anticipation to 2017: HEAVENLY FATHER, I release to You the burdens that I have been carrying, burdens that You never intended for me to carry. I cast all my cares upon You — all my worries, all my fears. You have told me to not be anxious about anything, but rather to bring everything to You in prayer with thankfulness. FATHER, calm my restless spirit, quiet my anxious heart, still my troubling thoughts with

Opinion

FRANCISCO TATAD A DOCUMENT attributed to Ambassador Philip Goldberg, former US ambassador to the Philippines, is reported to recommend that the US play hardball with President Rodrigo Duterte, in order to teach him “fear of the Lord.” This has been described as a “blueprint to undermine Duterte,” which many promptly interpreted as “ousting DU30.” It was first revealed in the Dec. 27, 2016 issue of The Manila Times in an exclusive report filed from Lisbon, Portugal by its chairman emeritus Dr. Dante A. Ang. It was a journalist coup. Not even The New York Times, the world’s most prestigious newspaper, has the distinction of its chairman emeritus interrupting his European holiday in order to file an exclusive—and explosive—news report. But the expose, for all its worth, has focused the nation’s attention on the perceived dangers to the DU30 presidency, without mentioning the clear and present danger posed by that presidency. Assuming the alleged Goldberg threat is real, DU30 has all the means to “neutralize” it, as he has the means to “neutralize” all the illegal drug personalities in the slums. But the uninformed and unsuspecting citizen does not even know the threats coming from the presidency. Nor does he have the means to prevent them. If Goldberg is the real author of the reported document, it appears that not even the highest US official in the country fully appreciates the real threats associated with DU30. Not just the killings Until now, local and international opposition to DU30’s war on drugs has merely denounced the extra-judicial killings. Completely overlooked are the evils they have created, which are more dangerous than the killings.

the assurance that You are in control. I let go of my grip upon the things I have been hanging onto, with open hands I come to You. I release to Your will all that I am trying to manipulate. I release to Your authority all that I am trying to control. I release to Your timing all that I have been striving to make happen. I THANK YOU for Your promise to sustain me, and guard all that I have entrusted to Your keeping. Protect my heart and mind with Your peace, the peace

that passes all understanding. FATHER, may Your will be done in my life, in Your time, and in Your way. HAVE A BLESSED, PEACEFUL AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are 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

The plot against the Republic is graver than that vs Duterte From July 1, up to the latest, the reports mention over 6,000 victims, and counting. Over 973,000 drug users and sellers have surrendered, some 43,000 have been arrested; there are no published report on how many have been charged of any crime. Under the Constitution, any person arrested whenever the writ of habeas corpus is suspended should be formally charged with a crime within three days, otherwise released. The writ has not been suspended, but close to a million remain in jail without any charges. According to one survey, 78 percent of those polled fear becoming victims of extra-judicial killing. But about the same percentage, if not more, say they are “satisfied” with the performance of the President who has authorized and defended the killings. The most common comment one hears from the fearful, yet “satisfied” with DU30, is that the war on drugs has brought “peace and order” to their neighborhoods. Indeed, it has allowed the police to break into private homes and execute suspects; some 5,600,000 homes have been visited by the police, about a million people interrogated and asked to “spy” on others under the new spy system called “masa masid.” No large drug laboratories have been busted, no large supplies seized, no drug producers, manufacturers, financiers, distributors killed, arrested or surrendered, only unshod drug dealers—people “whose lives are unwelcome, whose death is unmentioned in the Times” (T. S. Eliot)—have been wasted. What is billed as a war on drugs has turned out to be no more than a war on human life, especially against the urban poor, which the Departments of Health and Education are now feverishly trying to intensify with their massive distribution of condoms

among high school students. The illegal drug traffic from China, Africa and Latin America has remained untouched, and the danger of the big drug lords trying to eliminate their rivals in order to control the traffic seems imminent. The state now the killing machine The extra-judicial killings have produced not just a mounting body count in the streets, but above all—and this is the far greater evil—a killing machine under PNP Chief Bato de la Rosa, which continues to kill, and will not know when it has already killed its last victim. The state itself has become the biggest killing machine. Supporting it is the Evasco-instituted spy system, in which a citizen is compelled to spy on strangers, family and friends. The whole thing is driven by an ideology that proclaims killing as a state weapon, and every human life expendable. The result is a Reign of Terror which is perversely praised for the “peace and order” it has brought into our neighborhoods by our innocent and unreflective citizens. But as the Star Wars film “Rogue One” reminds us, do not confuse peace, which Augustine called the tranquility of order, with terror. This is what Goldberg’s purported analysis sorely missed. Back to Goldberg. Is there such a Goldberg document? Chairman Ang vouches for it, and the extensive quotes confirm it. These include the following: “The political actors (the opposition) would need all the political weapons in their arsenal to replace the Duterte administration and replace it with something more to the opposition’s liking.” However, deposing Duterte “would be a challenge to the opposition.” The US government should employ a combination of socio-economic-political-dip-

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A

Cayetano to replace Yasay in DFA

SOMEWHERE IN SIERRA MADRE. Members of the New People’s Army’s Melito Glor Command mark the 48th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of the Philippines in the mountains of Sierra Madre on Wednesday, Dec. 28. Communist rebels are refusing to sign a bilateral ceasefire deal without liberty for more than 400 so-called ‘political detainees.’ ManilaTimes.net photo by Rene Dilan

Why I go to Simbang Gabi every year

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the children. Wa Na, in Waray (hubby quickly says this is Cebuano meaning nothing na.). “If the marital issues are not resolved, there is nothing there,” Wa Na, Fr. Randy continues but all are laughing, engaged and alert. He said that the righteous Joseph (not self-righteous who condemn the mistakes of others, gloating over suffering, buti nga) did not gloat over the pregnant Mary, nor judged her. It would have been easy to destroy, but it is quite difficult to build, to nurture, to sustain. He told us that Joseph’s example shows us what is positivity, how to focus on building a home for Mary and the child that is coming. Joseph did not focus on Mary being pregnant by another. He interjects another joke here. He switches gears to when he led a marital encounter retreat: “Who wants to mother your husband?” Now, obviously no hands went up, he said, until this one brave woman did. He asked, “why did you raise your hand?” “Oh, I thought you said, who wants to smother your hus-

band?” Smother is another word for strangle. He then ended it with his travels to see the Golden Buddha, described by the locals as being once filled with plaster and mud. When they tried to move the statue, it was so heavy, they had to use a crane, but the plaster and mud came off to reveal the pure gold Buddha. “Maybe that is how our relationships are, we will see the plaster and mud in others, but if you see beyond the plaster and mud, you will see gold. Now, do you know why you sacrifice for Simbang Gabi? God is Emmanuel, God is with us, but beyond that, God is in us. If we are willing to look beyond plaster/mud, maybe we will get a glimpse of the golden soul.” A few years ago, I came to Simbang Gabi, offering permanent healing intentions for a family member with cancer, for the rehabilitation and rebuilding of homes, families, communities and provinces based on an ethos, wishing for an invisible social contract of caring, where institutions and resource-wealthy folks create job opportunities to sustain folks for the long-term, inclusive of all.

It is the essence of our collective global humanity at stake in the Philippines, for when and after we rebuild, the world together in helping out the Filipinos, would have created a better nation that what Typhoon Yolanda found in Leyte, Samar and Palawan. “There is gold in every plaster and mud that we encounter in each of us. Something great lies beyond the immediate. There is something noble in us, when we do not give up on one another,” said Fr. Randy Odchigue in 2013. *** Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D. writes a weekly column for Asian Journal, called “Rhizomes.” She has been writing for AJ Press for 9 years now. She contributes to Balikbayan Magazine. Her training and experiences are in science, food technology, law and community volunteerism for 4 decades. She holds a B.S. degree from the University of the Philippines, a law degree from Whittier College School of Law in California and a certificate on 21st Century Leadership from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She has been a participant in NVM Writing Workshops taught by Prof. Peter Bacho for 4 years and Prof. Russell Leong. She has travelled to France, Holland, Belgium, Japan, Mexico and 22 national parks in the US, in pursuit of her love for arts.

MANILA - It’s definite: Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano will head the Department of Foreign Affairs by mid-2017. In an interview with CNN Philippines, President Duterte said he would give the post to his former runningmate after Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. steps down and returns to the United States “to fulfill his obligations.” “Alan Cayetano will be coming in to take (the) post,” Duterte said. Yasay was a visiting law professor at the Richardson School of Law in the University of Hawaii, according to his government profile. “He is on contract as a professor,” said Duterte. “Nakiusap naman ako (I spoke to him) because he was my roommate during law school.” The President added that he does not have plans yet for former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who also ran in the last vice presidential race. He admitted he is indebted to Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, who supported his presidential

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano

campaign. “Not yet. I do not want to make promises,” Duterte said about speculations over a possible government post for Marcos Jr. He revealed that Marcos had originally wanted to be in the Department of Tourism, but he could not be appointed to the post at the time. Rules forbid losing candidates from taking government posts until a year after elections; this

prevents both Cayetano and Marcos from assuming posts in the Cabinet until the middle of 2017. “Ang gusto niya kasi sa (He wanted) DOT, but I cannot wait for him,” said Duterte. “I have to move. I have to start. We have to hit the ground running.” Duterte said that he is happy with his Cabinet, which includes Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo. (Philstar.com)

House leaders file complaint vs Dayan for disobedience MANILA — Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and two other members of the House of Representatives sued Sen. Leila de Lima’s former driver and boyfriend Ronnie Dayan for failing to appear before the congressional body that summoned him. In a complained filed at the Department of Justice on Thursday, Dec. 29, Alvarez along with Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas and justice committee chair Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali said Dayan violated Article 150 of the Revised Penal Code sanctioning “disobedience to summons.” The lawmakers said Dayan admitted that he disobeyed the subpoena and show cause order issued by the justice panel in its inquiry into the drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison. “He was induced by Sen. Leila M. de Lima through his daughter, Ms. Hannah Mae Dayan via SMS, to remain in hiding and not to appear in the Congressional Inquiry. Such explanation is clearly unjustified,” the affidavit of the three House members read. Dayan was arrested on Nov.

Ronnie Dayan

22, 2016, two days after which he appeared at the hearing. Last week, De Lima was indicted for obstruction of justice in a case filed by the lawmakers earlier this month. De Lima is an emerging opposition leader who is vocal against President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs and extrajudicial killings since his term as mayor in Davao City.

She admitted that she had an affair with Dayan, who served as her driver while she was the justice secretary under the Aquino administration. The two, who earlier admitted to having romantic relations, are accused of collecting money from the drug trade in the national penitentiary. De Lima has denied all allegations. (Camille DIola/Philstar.com)

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Palace: Nobody’s laughing about martial law gina Hernandez, said. When sought for comment during a press briefing in WHO’S laughing about mar- Malacañang, Abella had only tial law? Nobody is. this to say: “Nobody’s laughSo said Presidential Spokes- ing. Nobody’s laughing about person Ernesto Abella on Thurs- it.” day, Dec. 29, responding to a Palace officials said that Rostatement from the camp of Vice bredo seemed to have “ampliPresident Leni Robredo that the fied” her concerns when she threat of martial was not a laugh- assailed President Rodrigo ing matter. Duterte’s remark that he wanted “The threat of martial law and to amend the 1987 Constituthe desire for a one-man rule can tion so he could declare martial never be a laughing matter. Nor law, even without the approval can the threat be exaggerated,” of Congress and the Supreme Robredo’s spokesperson, Geor- Court. by Maila

agEr Inquirer.net

Robredo said Duterte’s remark was “appalling.” “To refer to specific provisions in the 1987 Constitution prohibiting such as a ‘reckless reaction’ to the Marcos regime is an insult to the experience of the Filipino nation that endured great suffering and hardship under the martial law regime,” the Vice President said. Abella already said earlier that the President would only place the entire country under martial law when it is needed to “protect and preserve the safety of the people.” n

Palace studying executive order on RH by christina

MEndEz

Philstar.com

MANILA – Malacañang has yet to sign the proposed executive order on reproductive health to attain the zero unmet need being pushed by the Department of Health (DOH) for its population program. According to DOH Undersecretary Gerardo Bayugo, the EO is expected to enjoin all local government units (LGUs) to allow couples who desire to use contraceptives or adopt family planning methods and provide necessary support. “We are proposing an executive order to highlight the zero unmet need because we still have a high unmet need,” he said in a briefing at Malacañang. According to the World Health Organization, women with unmet need are those who are fertile and sexually active but are not using any method of contraception but report not wanting any more children or to delay the next child. The concept of unmet need points to the gap between women’s reproductive intentions and their contraceptive behavior. “There are couples who want

Former Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. was allowed to leave detention for three days to visit his sick father, former Sen. Ramon Revilla Sr., in the hospital.

Bong Revilla granted 3-day furlough to visit ailing dad by ElizabEth

MarcElo Philstar.com

According to DOH Undersecretary Gerardo Bayugo, the EO is expected to enjoin all local government units (LGUs) to allow couples who desire to use contraceptives or adopt family planning methods and provide necessary support.

to limit or space their pregnancies but are being prevented… even LGUs are not supportive and there are limitations of procurement of supplies,” Bayugo said. The move is seen as the executive department’s means to go around the temporary restraining order issued by the Supreme Court in 2015 against the implementation of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act, which was passed in 2012. The law guarantees universal

access to methods on contraception, fertility control, sexual education and maternal care. President Duterte has been vocal about the need to fully implement the RH Law and for Filipino couples to have only three children. The TRO was issued by the SC after the ALLiance for the Family Foundation Philippines (ALFI) argued that “Implanon and Implanon NXT,” among the contraceptive drugs and devices covered by the law, had abortifacient attributes. n

MANILA — The anti-graft court Sandiganbayan Thursday granted the request of former Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. to leave his detention for three days to visit his sick father in the hospital. As prayed for in his urgent motion filed on Wednesday, the Sandiganbayan First Division allowed Revilla to leave his detention on December 29 from 6 a.m. to noon and on December 31 and January 1 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. The court said it decided to dispense with the hearing of the motion “in view of the urgency of the situation.” “Acting thereon, this Court

grants the motion for humanitarian considerations,” the resolution reads. In his motion, Revilla informed the court that his 89year-old father, former Sen. Ramon Revilla Sr. was rushed back to St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC) in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig on December 22 due to acute kidney injury and esophageal disease. Revilla said his father is expected to be confined at SLMC for seven to 10 days or until January 3 as he is scheduled to undergo a gastrostomy tube insertion procedure “due to his inability to eat on his own.” On December 16, the First

Division allowed Revilla to leave his detention for six hours to visit his father who was at that time confined at the intensive care unit (ICU) of SLMC due to severe sepsis and pneumonia. The younger Revilla is currently detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City for plunder and graft charges in connection with his alleged involvement in the multi-billion peso pork barrel scam. In granting his furlough, the court reminded Revilla that he is not allowed to grant any media interview and that he must shoulder all the expenses to be incurred for his transportation and security. n

PH to assert int’l court ruling... PAGE A7 t

day. “... even the military.” Duterte said the resistance from some members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines was rooted in a long tradition of cooperation between the Filipino and American soldiers. He has called for the end of a number of other arrangements with U.S.

forces in hopes of reducing the island nation’s reliance on Western powers. Representatives of the Duterte administration say the government’s current foreign policy approach has contributed to increased economic growth in the Philippines, according to Voice of America News.

“[The Philippines] is still one of the least dependent economies on China across the region,” Rahul Bajoria, a regional economist with Barclays in Singapore, told VOA News. “But over time, given the way the dynamics are playing out, the impact of China is expected to grow over the next three to five years.” n

The plot against the Republic is graver... PAGE A8 t

In this Dec. 12, 2016 file photo, President Rodrigo Duterte speaks with Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos on the sidelines of The Outstanding Filipino 2016 awarding ceremony at the Heroes Hall of Malacañan Palace. Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez

Duterte admits being indebted to Imee Marcos by Patricia lourdEs Philstar.com

Viray

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday admitted that he is indebted to Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos. In his first live interview on Philippine television after assuming the presidency, Duterte said that he has a debt of gratitude to at least three persons including the Ilocos Norte governor. “One of them is Imee, I promised in the debates I would bury her father in the Libingan ng mga Bayani,” Duterte said in an interview with CNN Philippines. The president earlier claimed that the eldest child of ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos was among the politicians who funded his presidential campaign. However, he did not declare the younger Marcos as a campaign donor in his Statement of Contributions and Expenditures. The Ilocos Norte governor has claimed that the president was only joking when he said that she was among the financiers of his campaign. “Ang totoo wala naman donasyon and there’s no sinister x-deal behind the curtain somewhere. It’s absolutely untrue and I’d like to disabuse that,” the younger Marcos said in an interview with ANC last November. Duterte has ordered the burial of the late strongman at the Libingan ng mga Bayani which has been met by protests from different sectors. The Supreme Court recently ruled that the president did not commit grave abuse of discretion in ordering a hero’s burial for Marcos Sr. The long-dead president was buried in the national cemetery on November 18 in a move met with nationwide protests. n

lomatic moves against DU30 “to bring him to his knees and eventually remove him from office.” All this should happen within a period of 18 months, according to the report. Not a blueprint but— But the State Department has denied it. Goldberg had not written such a “blueprint,” it said. Assuming the denial is to be believed, this could mean one of two things. Either the Times has quoted a “bogus report,” meaning a document written by somebody else and made to appear as authored by Goldberg. Or Goldberg is the author of the quoted report, except that neither he nor State considers it “a blueprint to undermine DU30.” I am more inclined to view it as a hard-hitting “country report,” perhaps an end-post report, which analyzes what could happen to DU30, in the next 18 months. A distinction has to be made between policies intended to create a situation that would make it hard for DU30 to govern and actual political and military intervention that would, for instance, put the Seventh Fleet at Manila Bay, the 13th Air Force in Philippine skies, and boots on the ground, all of which nearly happened during Marcos’ time, in order to physically remove the government. This is not to suggest that the US government is incapable of serious political mischief, or that it has no reason to want to see the early demise of the DU30 government. In many parts of the civilized world today, particularly in North America and Europe, many who have followed the DU30 drug killings have come to believe that DU30 may have already overspent his political capital and popular mandate. Only DU30’s rabid supporters at home seem to be unaware of it. The opinion abroad Very few people abroad, it seems, would be surprised if DU30 were taken out in an ArabSpring type of regime change. Given the verbal insults DU30 has rained on US President Barack Obama, the US State Department, the UN Secretary-General, leaders of the European Union, and Goldberg himself, and his blunt threat to separate militarily and economically from the US and to align his government with China and Russia “against the world,” it is completely understandable if the White House,

the State Department, the UN Secretary General or the European Union leadership shared this very sentiment. But for the US, the UN or the European Union to initiate his ouster is clearly out of bounds. It would demand an extraordinary situation, similar to that which prompted the US to intervene against Marcos in 1986. At that time, the military mutiny had already begun, and the civilian population was already in revolt; all that was needed was for the State Department, the Pentagon, the various intelligence agencies and the leaders of the US Congress to support what was happening on the ground. President Ronald Reagan, a staunch friend and ally, remained determined to protect Marcos, but once the positions of all the others had converged, his concurrence became virtually ministerial, if not academic. This is the substance of what we read in former Secretary of State George P. Shultz’s recollection of what happened in the Philippines, in his memoirs, Turmoil and Triumph. Status of relations There are no precise prescriptions or proposed mechanisms on how Goldberg is supposed to want to topple DU30. All I can read from the report is an analysis, which we are free to accept or reject. But DU30 knows the great political disturbance and discomfort he has caused, so it is but natural for him to expect some consequences. Of course, he can hope that despite the turbulence of the past few months, relations with Washington could improve under Donald Trump, whom he tends to regard as a “soul mate” and with whom he already had a telephone conversation for seven long minutes. But until it happens, if it happens, Philippine-US relations, largely because of him, stand on shifting sandy earth. In principle, no foreign leader calls the US President a “son of a whore” or the US ambassador a “gay sonofabitch” and gets away with it. The US is not the world’s lone superpower for nothing; it will not hesitate to use the levers and instruments of power in order to uphold and protect its own sense of honor and self-interest. Thus, if the US believes it has enough reasons to strike back at an aggressive government, it could and will most likely do so, without need of an alleged destabilization blueprint.

That the US has done nothing against DU30 until now could be due to a number of factors. First, the US has no real policy on the Philippines, in the same manner that it has a clear policy on Korea or Japan. Second, the US official establishment is currently in a state of transition from one administration to another. Third, US policymakers have yet to determine whether DU30’s unrepeatable conduct is induced by ideology, an enhanced rereading of Philippine-American history, a forced immersion into statecraft and diplomacy, or his admitted regular use of Fentanyl, a narcotic painkiller to treat various ailments of the body. Evasco vs State Whether or not the alleged Goldberg report is indeed a blueprint for DU30’s ouster as alleged, its publication and the media hype it is getting from DU30’s propagandists have given DU30 and his communist coalition partners a perfect excuse to intensify their attack on the US, and fast-track their proposed revolutionary government. By highlighting the alleged American plot to get rid of DU30, Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr., who has begun sporting a Maotype headgear with a red star in front, has found a convenient smokescreen for his revolutionary agenda. So far, Evasco appears to have outsmarted everyone, including the international critics. He has put together what threatens to become a “new communist party” within the old CPP/NPA/ NDF and within the government itself. This would no longer be under Joma Sison or the CPP/ NPA/NDF’s present leadership, nor even under DU30, but under Evasco himself. It will spring from the Kilusang Pagbabago (Movement for Change) which he heads, assisted by regional coordinators and other officers, who are all active CPP members. The KP will now molt or morph into a political party to become the engine and main apparatus of the revolutionary government. By means of this, Evasco and company plan to abolish the Constitution and the existing government. If the US is a player, then the game is now between Evasco and the State Department. Clearly the threat to the Republic is far more serious than Goldberg’s reported threat to DU30. (ManilaTimes.net)

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Hidilyn Diaz, Kylie Verzosa among ‘People of the Year’ awardees

OlyMPIC medalist Hidilyn Diaz and Miss International 2016 Kylie Verzosa are listed among People Asia’s People of the year for this year. Diaz, a three-time Olympian, was the first Filipino athlete to bag an Olympic medal since 2016. She won the silver medal of the women’s 54 kg weightlifting with a total of 200 kg at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil last August. “If you’re not willing to put in the hard work, to endure and fail, there’s no point. you win only if you’re willing to do whatever it takes,� Diaz said in an interview

with People Asia. Verzosa also brought honor to the country when she won the Miss International 2016 pageant in Tokyo, Japan last October. Besting 65 other representatives of various countries, Verzosa is the sixth Filipina to become Miss International. “I took what life offered me and then I started taking control... And (God) guided me along the way. It just didn’t prayers. It took a lot of hard work and dedication to get to where I am,� Verzosa said. Other Filipinos included in People Asia’s People of the

year are Asia’s songbird Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, Emperador chairman Andrew Tan, awardwinning actor John lloyd Cruz, former UNESCO-Philippines Secretary-General Preciosa Soliven, construction magnate Alice Eduardo, business tycoon Henry lim Bon liong, Mang Inasal founder Edgar Sia II, broadcast journalist Ces Oreùa Drilon, Celia Diaz-laurel, Aivee Group CEO Z Teo, actor Christopher De leon, Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte and TAPE Inc. President and CEO Antonio Tuviera. (Patricia Lourdes Viray/ Philstar.com)

Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz ended the country’s 20-year Olympic medal drought. Kylie Verzosa is the sixth Filipina to be crowned Miss International. Philstar.com photos

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The May elections topped Twitter Philippines’ biggest moment, which garnered a total of 35 million tweets, with four million of them recorded on the day of the polls.

AlDub fans gradually took to Twitter their admiration for the love team and since then accumulated a massive following that made the TV couple a global hit.

The top Twitter trends in PH for 2016 by Christian imperio Philstar.com

AS a modern-day bookkeeper in the age of millennials, microblogging site Twitter fittingly capped the year by paying tribute to the biggest moments that sent shockwaves across Twitterverse. Twitter Philippines ranked the most used hashtags, running into millions, that almost broke

the internet: 1. Philippine elections The May elections topped Twitter Philippines’ biggest moment, which garnered a total of 35 million tweets with four million of them recorded on the day of the polls. In a bid to promote the polls, the Commission on Elections launched #PiliPinas2016 in

partnership with Twitter. The partnership enabled users to gain live access to information about politics and to freely express their sentiments about the ongoing elections. During the election period, the hashtags #PiliPinas2016 and #PiliPinas were tapped by users to express their views regarding PAGE B2

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B2 DECEMBER 31, 2016-JANUARY 3, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

MOONLIGHTING by MYLAH DE

LEON

A NEW Year’s Day is that from which all dated their time and count upon what is left. Enjoying New Year’s Day is the knack of knowing how to live. It is all the hearty enjoyment of life – that flicked sense of happiness that can overtake any person anywhere, from the change of the weather, the Sundays, that can be found in Renoir’s paintings, the Italian’s Hymns to Life, the Greek’s Zorba’s dance to life, Joie de Vivre effusion and pro-life feelings in the spirit that bore testimony to a love of life, so unending in a rejection of sorrow that was total. That attitude of taking it easy, slumming at health resorts or the passionate love on the sands of Tahiti. It is something that encourages to do what one willed. It is the twinkle in the eye and the oldies who will outlive us all with a guided amazement as they carry

FEATURES

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Every day is New Year’s Eve Alden Richards denies issue on ‘mystery’ gf themselves through a thousand more days! It is when you talk, dress, act and spend money like a perfect little bourgeoisie and down yourself into self-contentment. Life is short, why make it shorter? Every day is New Year’s Eve if one stayed away from depressed people and their chummy “I told you so” smugness, since they seem to know something we don’t. It simply can be enjoyed if we were but to open ourselves to the richness of the moment, concentrating on the feast before us, filled with bliss. Why brood upon future worries? Being here now is like some story written in the present terms. Could this be why poets never use the past participle? The present is the most welcome guest, a New Year’s Eve each day. It is an acceptance that every moment is new and unprecedented, yet realistic enough to bear the burden of what is not forthcoming that experience forces on us, with uncomplaining dignity as strength will allow.

ALDEN Richards denied ruThere are pleasures and expe- mors that he has a mystery girlriences that fall outside our capa- friend. bilities, sometimes we mistake it as a state of blessed grace. But no sour air of disenchantment can take away the legacy, the rapture of those moments. Within my memory I’ve seen the changes — in the way we look, the way we get around, the way we spend our day of rest, in what we eat, what we wear and what we choose to sit upon. I’ve gone to places I’ve never seen before, did things I’ve never done, and want I’ve never wanted before. In a revolution of taste and ideas, that reflects some sort of well being, diffused over the past twelve months — all that I have done, suffered, performed or neglected in that regretted times and learned its worth. Alden Richards Looking back, it was a pretty good. 2016 was a better than an ordinary year for most of my colleagues. Maybe not an excit- The Global ing year, but we did not have Kababayan to contend with major illnesses, separations, divorces, job changes or finding new places to relocate. PAGE B3

G. TÖNGI

AS 2016 draws to a close, it important for us to reflect on the year that was -- the triumphs and struggles that our community has gone through as Filipinos here in America. I truly feel fortunate to have an opportunity to contribute to community service by hosting and producing LA18’s only daily talk show for Filipinos in America, Kababayan Today! As I end my second year in this position, I wonder where all the time went as the daily gruel of broadcast deadlines turn into weeks and then, into whole months of thematic content. And alas 2017 is upon us. If you missed the year-ender of 2016 on Kababayan Today, I wanted to share with all of you what personally were the best moments for our show. My 38th birthday this year was quite significant because a story I had been following intently was finally resolved: the Filipino bakery workers case against L’Amande Bakery. The court ruled in favor of the 11 Filipino workers with a settlement of $15.3 million. Of course, the owners were nowhere to be found, which validates what I was suspecting from the beginning that the workers were being forced to work under minimum wage and were being discriminated by their very own kababayans. I was personally attacked by the owners when I posted online how I felt on the issue and was cyberbullied repeatedly. So the bakery workers winning the case felt like a personal triumph. Another issue that was extremely relevant to the community was the “Mail Order Family” issue with NBC. I had community leaders on the program to share and voice

In an article published on a source who reported that the Thursday, Dec. 29, Star entertain- actor’s car is often seen in the viment columnist Ricky Lo cited cinity of a village in Makati City. Richards, for his part, said that the only time he went to a “posh” village in Makati City was when he visited Belo Medical Group CEO and founder Vicki Belo and her daughter Scarlet Snow. “I just wanna make it clear that I don’t have a mystery girlfriend,” Richards said in a Facebook post. The GMA-7 talent also said that he has not yet purchased a GMC car at the time he visited Belo. The report claimed that Richards met his supposed “mystery” girlfriend during an event for a soft drink company. “Just want to clarify the circulating issue... then again, ‘not true,” Richards said on his Twitter account. (Philstar.com)

Reflecting on 2016 their concerns that Hollywood’s depiction of human trafficking was to be made a comedy and meant to entertain. Gabriella LA started a Change.org petition that garnered 13,000 signatures overnight, which prompted the network to cancel what they had already greenlit. It makes you wonder how truly important proper representation is to the media conglomerates of Hollywood. A highlight of the program was also going to the Philippines via Eva Airlines with a stopover in Taipei. Camera in hand, my associate producer Nicanor Evangelista and I did a whirlwind trip that felt like the amazing race on steroids. Coming back to LA, we still had deliverables to produce what we had already shot, which really tested my followthrough as a producer. Shooting is only one small part of the puzzle. It was certainly a lot of sweat, blood and tears to make it happen and the segment shows the passion we have for our work. My only hope is that the community sees what we do to give them relevant and meaningful material, all through entertainment, of course. It is on television after all! And lastly, my exclusive interview with Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach in New York, which was sponsored by Island Pacific Supermarket. Another feat in the making to assemble an all FilipinoAmerican crew in New York was made possible by Nicole Ponseca of Jeepney Restaurant, Christina De Haven of NYU and Clar De Los Reyes, my cinematographer. My family even pitched in to be production assistants. So many people rallied, all in the name of representation. I am eternally grateful to the people behind the scenes that make my job a meaningful experience. Here’s to more in 2017! *** Giselle “G” Töngi is the host and producer of

Programming of Kababayan Today, January 2-6, 2017 Monday, January 2 - Father Albert Avenido, priest and moderator of the Filipino Ministry of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, shares his blessings for 2017 and leads viewers in reflection for 2016. Tuesday, January 3 - Attorneys Allison Aquino Silva and Richard Loew of Aquino & Loew take your immigration questions live on the show! Wednesday, January 4 - The Asian Journal shares headlines for the Fil-Am community. It’s the “Know History Know Self” segment with Professor Brandon Reilly who shares his thoughts on former dictator Ferdinand Marcos in relation to President Rodrigo Duterte and Philippine history. Thursday, January 5 - If you missed our “The King and I” exclusive interview with the Filipinos in the cast, then here it is again! Plus we highlight the tradition of Simbang Gabi with Bishop Solis. Friday, January 6 - As the New Year begins, it’s time to make better choices for ourselves and our loved ones. Wellness coach Anna Marie Cruz shows us that it is possible! Kababayan Today, a daily talk show that features relevant topics for Filipino’s living in America. Her aim is to bridge not only the cultural gap between America & the Philippines but to help with the generational gap between our own people. She is married with two children and is based in Southern California and makes frequent trips in the Pacific Rim to Hawaii and Manila to feature fellow kababayans who are empowering the FilAm community.

why ORGANIC? Organic products meet stringent standards Healthier for you & kids Organic food tastes better Organic farming respects natural resources Avoids pesticides & are artificial-fertilizer-free Non-GMO, no synthetic pesticides, no growth-promoting antibiotics There are many, many more reasons to go Organic. But in short: You’ll leave the world a better place than when you found it

Nadine Lustre and James Reid, the stars of “On The Wings Of Love”

The top Twitter trends in PH for...

PAGE B1 the election process. They also encouraged the people to use #PHVoteBinay, #PHVoteDuterte, #PHVotePoe, #PHVoteRoxas and #PHVoteSantiago when talking about the presidential elections. Between Oct. 12 and May 9, then Davao City mayor and now President Rodrigo Duterte was the most discussed presidential candidate with 40 percent – bigger than Binay’s (23.4 percent) and Roxas’ (18.9 percent) combined mentions. Meanwhile, the #PilipinasDebates was among the most talked about topics during the election period, garnering five million tweets. On May 9, election-related tweets peaked at 5,600 per minute. 2. Kids’ Choice Awards This year’s Nickelodeon’s Kids Choice Awards landed in second spot when teen heartthrobs Kathryn Bernardo, James Reid, Enrique Gil and Maine Mendoza were all nominated for the Favorite Pinoy Personality Award. Mendoza, famously known as “Yaya Dub” or half of the phenomenal love team AlDub (with actor and television host Alden Richards), beat her local teen stars and was proclaimed as

the Favorite Pinoy Personality. It was a battle between two love teams – with solid AlDub fans amassing tweets for #VoteMaineFPP against Kathniels’ (Bernardo and actor-singer Daniel Padilla) #VoteKathrynFPP. Green Archer cager Jeron Teng also took home the orange blimp for being the Favorite Asian Sports Star, edging out Kim Kurniawan of Indonesia, Pandelela of Malaysia and Irfan Fandi of Singapore. 3. AlDub Everyone loves their daily romance – that’s mainly the reason why the phenomenal love team AlDub has stolen millions of hearts and made everyone tune in on their daily misadventures on noontime TV show “Eat Bulaga’s” Kalyeserye. The AlDub love team has been considered an accidental hit, when Mendoza and Richards exhibited an inexplicable chemistry that caught the attention of viewers. AlDub fans gradually took to Twitter their admiration for the love team and since then, accumulated a massive following that made the TV couple a global hit. Their fans generated a swarm of tweets that conquered

every impossible milestone laid before them, with their unwavering support for the love team, the show’s daily hashtags interminably topping the daily charts. The #AlDub1stAnniversary celebration was considered their first milestone, after their solid fans accumulated 6.6 million tweets followed by another 4.1 million tweets on their Valentine’s Day special #AldubIsLove. It was already an unimaginable achievement for the love team, but their success did not stop there, when they released their first ever movie “Imagine You and Me,” which amassed 7.8 million tweets in its first week. Last October, a total of eight million tweets were garnered by the phenomenal love team when they tied the knot, using the #AlDubWedding hashtag that trended worldwide at No. 2. 4. On The Wings Of Love ABS-CBN’s primetime drama “On The Wings Of Love,” more popularly known as OTWOL, had made its viewers, regardless of their age, fall deeply in love – again. It had come as no surprise when their fans started to turn to Twitter and express their sentiments on the couple’s PAGE B3

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Shono

PAGE B2

YAI-tzu is said to be the strongest among the nine children of the Dragon. Emperors of China used its figure as decoration for swords, set it on the castle walls and/or inside the palace. Yai-tzu has the power to purify all evil energy, never misses its games, and enhances the good luck energy of lottery or gambling. Holding its figure in your left hand can help you calm down before an exam or an interview, and make it successful. If protects you from all kinds of evil energies, from traffic accidents to contracting diseases. *** Feng Shui master Sean Shono owns Dragon God, a Feng Shui store in Gardena,

Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS MEN’S sweat is good for women Don’t laugh. This is true. Biologists at the University of Pennsylvania found that men’s perspiration has beneficial effects on women’s mood, reduces stress and induces relaxation. It even has an soothing effect on a woman’s menstruation. Blood test revealed a rise in the level of reproductive luteinizing hormone, which normally surges before ovulation. The study was done on men who were asked not to use deodorant during the research, and extracts of their sweat collected. The women subjects thought the substance they were testing (smelling) was a type of perfume. It is true then that when women say they love the scent of their man, it is genuine and scientifically founded. Guys, this, however, does not mean we have to stop taking showers! Violence of television Children, boys and girls alike, who watch violence on television have increased risk of aggression, including spousal abuse and criminal offenses as adults, reported psychologist L. Rowell Huesmann and his cohorts at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research, in the March 2003 issue of the Journal for Developmental PsyAJ Ads 82 November 2016_Layout 1 chology. The study was conducted in the late 1970s on 329 children 6

B

The top Twitter trends in PH for...

Yai-tzu By Sean

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DEcEmbER 31, 2016-JANUARy 3, 2017

California. He is the U.S. Chief of the International Feng Shui Association. For more information, please call Sean Shono

at (310) 787-1891. Dragon God is located at 1580 W. Artesia SQ. Suite A, Gardena, CA 90248.

Medical myths and facts to 9 years of age and again in their early 20s, to discern the long term effects of televised violence. The study included interviews with these subjects in the 1990s together with their spouses and children. This significant study confirmed the hypothesis that violence on the television adversely affects children’s lives by eroding into their inborn and natural aversion to violence, making aggression, violence, and in many cases, crime as acceptable social behaviors for them when dealing with their family and the public. Programs like “The Six Million Dollar Man,” “Starsky and Hutch”, and even “Road Runner” were considered very violent, among the many of the 80 popular programs included in the study. Obviously, parents have to be vigilant and caring enough to protect their children from violence, sex and obscenity (verbal or physical). Filtered water xcam? A few years ago, in this column, we cautioned the public against unscrupulous entrepreneurs selling tap (faucet) water as “filtered water.” This fraud is apparently practiced worldwide. Thus, everybody has to be forewarned. Fortune Magazine had reported that the bottled water business “is a $7.6-billion industry in the United States alone”, having more than quintupled the bottled water consumption and revenues from $2.5 billion in 1991. Drinking at least 11/28/16 2:42 PM Page 1 6-8 glasses of water per day is, in general, good for us. The current

US statistics show the following “gallon per person” consumption: carbonated soft drinks, which are unhealthy, 54%; beer, 22.6%; milk, 22.6%; coffee, 21.9%; and, bottled water, 21.1%. So bottled water is in, and for a healthy reason. But be certain the bottled water is produced by a reputable company. And make sure you break the seal-lock on the cap of the bottle yourself, to preclude the possibility of tampering and contamination. It is prudent to instruct the waiters in restaurants NOT to open the bottle, NOT to break the seal, so you could do it yourself. Food warning Some food may increase the risk for the development of colon cancer. New studies among women have shown that diets that favor red meat (especially grilled and burnt) or processed meat, French fries, sweets, refined grains (like white bread, pasta) are associated with higher colon cancer rate. The recommended diet, as we have repeatedly “prescribed” in this column the past several years, should consist of fish, vegetables, fruits, legumes (beans), and whole-grain foods (hi-fiber items like bran, oat meal). This healthy diet reduces the risk of colon and other cancers. To make the equation complete, add: abstinence from tobacco, daily exercise, and if desired, a glass or two of red wine with dinner (with romantic soft music to further calm the nerves). PAGE B3

age gracefully

Ring in the New Year with FoodTrients!

If you’re like me, you’re interested in foods that can give you high-density nutrition, protect you from chronic disease, help reverse disease, and even defy the aging process. And what better time to focus your attention on these important qualities of food than the New Year! Every New Year, I resolve to expand my knowledge of healthy, anti-aging foods and create new, easy, and delicious recipes to share with my family and friends. This year, a few unique and promising foods have already piqued my interest: goji berries, camu camu, spirulina, and mangosteen. All of them contain FoodTrients—my word for nutrients with anti-aging properties.

GOJI BERRIES, also called wolfberries, come from China, Mongolia, and the Himalayas. They have been used in Asian medicine for centuries to detoxify the blood and liver, improve vision, and help circulation. Orange-red in color, they are very small and tart, like cranberries. Goji berries have more antioxidant power than even prunes. They are high in vitamins B and C, calcium, and iron and they contain beta carotene and zeaxanthin, which protects the retinas for eye health. Fresh goji berries are unavailable in this country, but you can purchase the dried berries and use them instead of cranberries in drinks, desserts, salads, and rice.

CAMU CAMU is a small, reddish-purple fruit from the Amazon rainforest. It contains the FoodTrients anthocyanins (which reduce the risk of cancer), catechins (which help protect the heart, among other benefits), and vitamin C (a powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunity booster). Camu camu is best used in capsule or powder form. Sprinkle the powder in smoothies or on raspberries or citrus fruits. SPIRULINA is a blue-green algae with an interesting history: it was once a food source for the ancient Aztecs. A protein-rich food, spirulina contains the FoodTrients vitamins C and E, potassium, selenium, and zinc and has many other powerful nutrients. It’s available as a supplement, a whole food, and in tablet, flake, and powder form.

Stay tuned to FoodTrients.com for recipes resulting from my investigations with all these exciting new foods. I’ll post them after I’ve perfected them in my test kitchen. In the meantime, start your own New Year’s resolution toward better health the FoodTrients way. For example, want to incorporate more antioxidants in your diet? Try orange vegetables, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, or winter squash. Add spices such as curry powder and turmeric to rice, poultry, or vegetable dishes. Eat more leafy greens, such as kale and spinach. FoodTrients: what a wonderful way to start off the New Year!

© 2017 by FoodTrients.com

BY GRACE O

GRACE O – Combining her passion for food and a commitment to promoting a healthy lifestyle, GRACE O has created FoodTrients®, a unique program for optimizing wellness and longevity. Grace O is a fusion chef and award-winning cookbook author with a mission: to introduce delicious recipes built on a foundation of anti-aging science and her 20 years in the healthcare industry. Visit FoodTrients.com to learn more. Email us at info@FoodTrients.com

budding romance. It was only a matter of time before the show started to trend on Twitter, garnering millions of tweets each episode. Between Feb. 22 and 27, during OTWOL’s final week, the show accumulated a total of 8.2 million tweets. The romantic comedy OTWOL revolved around Leah (Nadine Lustre) and Clark (James Reid)’s struggle as newlyweds, which seemed to have snatched millennials’ hearts. The show’s final episode, under the #OTWOLTheLastFlight, also garnered thousands of tweets. 5. BTS K-pop group With their massive following on Twitter, the Korean boyband BTS, collectively known as Bangtan Boys, claimed the Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach fifth spot – following their to the Philippines, garnered protest of the dictator’s surprise performance in the country last 430,000 tweets from Jan. 22 to internment. July 30. Feb. 1. From Nov. 2 to Dec. 2, Their loyal fans took their Twitter Philippines also Marcos related tweets under support and admiration to Twitter released an infographic the #MarcosBurial hashtag when the group upon visiting the showing the number of tweets generated a total of 500,000 country for the second time to during the Binibining Plipinas tweets and a high of 340 per perform their #EpilogueinManila 2016 where Wurtzbach minute. concert that took Twitterverse by had the opportunity to take The #MarcosBurial, storm. her final walk. Under the # M a r c o s N o t A H e r o , With BTS’s 3.83 million #BbPilipinas2016 hashtag, #NeverForget and #NeverAgain followers, #EpilogueinManila tweets swarmed for a total of trended online as a form of became one of the most used 340,000 and peaked at 2,500 protest coming from various hashtags in Twitterverse. per minute. segments of society. 6. UAAP 8. Manny Pacquiao Vice President Leni Robredo’s The University Athletic Ranking eighth, boxing tweet regarding the dictator’s Association of the Philippines legend Manny Pacquiao became burial garnered thousands of or UAAP snatched sixth spot, the first if not only professional retweets and likes. following the recently concluded boxer to get elected as senator. 10. Typhoon Lawin men’s basketball competition The Pambansang Kamao trended One of the strongest typhoons won by the De La Salle Green again online after coming out of that ever hit the country, Typhoon Archers against their archrival, his brief retirement, defeating Lawin left 18 people dead and the Ateneo Blue Eagles. Jessie Vargas via unanimous caused damage to agriculture The yearly intercollegiate decision last November. amounting to P10.2 billion. competition also trended last Meanwhile, during the The typhoon also caused month following the University course of the fight between infrastructure damage of the Philippines Pep Squad’s Pacquio and Timothy Bradley amounting to P581.9 million. absence. III, the #PacBradley hashtag The National Disaster Risk The beloved group decided generated 380,000 tweets that Reduction and Management to skip this year’s Cheerdance peaked at 9,600 per minute on Council reported a total of 1,327 Competition after questioning the day of the fight. houses destroyed, with 28,710 last year’s result, where the Pacquiao’s photo with his families affected and 142,531 National University Pep Squad wife Jinkee, posted right after people left homeless. was proclaimed as the winner. the fight, was also a Twitter hit. According to the Philippine 7. Miss Universe Pia 9. Marcos burial Atmospheric, Geophysical Wurtzbach One of the most controversial and Astronomical Services The controversial blunder issues that hounded the country Administration, Typhoon Lawin of host Steve Harvey during – the surprise burial of the late was nearly as powerful as Super coronation night aside, reigning dictator Ferdinand Marcos at Typhoon Yolanda that left 7,300 Miss Universe Pia Alonzo the Libingan ng mga Bayani fatalities in the Visayas region in Wurtzbach landed in seventh – generated millions of tweets 2013. place for being the third Filipina since the Supreme Court voted Under #LawinPh, users to win the prestigious title. 9-5 in favor of the interment. generated 440,000 tweets from The #HomecomingQueen, Thousands of people, mostly Oct. 18 to 21, peaking at 640 the day Wurtzbach flew back millennials, took to the streets in tweets per minute.

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Enlighten skin whitening on sale! BY MONET

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WE all wonder why many stars and celebrities seem to have flawless, white skin. For sure, not all of them were born with perfect skin. Many rely on beauty products that effectively lighten dark skin and evens out darker pigmentations. Thank goodness, you too, can have beautiful white skin within just a few weeks with Enlighten Skin Whitening Beauty Pills. An FDA-cleared beauty product, Enlighten Skin Whitening contains genuine, grade “A” Glutathione that has gotten rave reviews from people who have tried it for themselves. We have exclusively marketed the product for years and glutathione is a wonderful antioxidant. In fact, it has been proclaimed by many experts as “nature’s most powerful antioxidant.” Enlighten is formulated and manufactured in the US at FDA-approved facilities that have been in existence for 40 years. Glutathione strengthens the immune system and has actually been used as a defense against cancer. There are people who fear that taking this may damage their liver. But on the contrary, gluta-

thione is actually an effective liver detoxifier. The bonus of course is that Glutathione serves to make skin lighter. Unfortunately, not all products with gluthathione are genuine. Experts warn people: “Mag-ingat sa mga poor imitations.” There have been reports that some whitening products sourced from parts of Asia that claim to have glutathione in them are actually laced with traces of chalk. So be extra careful. I’m proud to say that Enlighten contains pure 500mg Glutathione plus Alpha Lipoic Acid, rosehips, vitamin C, vitamin E and papaya. These ingredients work harmoniously together to improve the skin. Besides skin lightening, Enlighten Skin Whitening Beauty Pills also targets to even your skin tone, remove darks spots, erase acne marks, and delay skin aging. “Doctors recommend that Enlighten be taken once a day (one tablet) coupled with 1,000mg of Ester-C (the modified version of vitamin C) which can be purchased at any of your favorite supermarkets or pharmacies. Results are usually visible before or within three months of use. This is a very limited sale. Stocks are running low. Order now and save! One unit order of Enlighten comes in a

Medical myths and...

22 branches

PAGE B2 And don’t forget the loved one to do this with. Good “fats” While the saturated fats and cholesterol from red meats and eggs are unhealthy for us, the good polyunsaturated non-hydrogenated fats from olive oil, canola oil and nuts are beneficial to our body. They can even protect us from developing Alzheimer’s Disease. Fish oil (Omega 3 fatty acids) from fresh fish has been found to be good for the heart (cardio-protective) and possible also good for boosting immunity against common illnesses. Sushi (raw fish) is rich in Omega 3. All the studies have shown that a diet of consisting mainly of fish (as source of protein, plus vegetables, fruits and nuts) instead of red meats and eggs is, without any doubt, the healthier alternative, if we are to ward off cardiovascular diseases (like heart attack and stroke) and

lower the risk of cancer. The myths about pregnancy The following are myths: A woman is guaranteed 100% not to get pregnant IF: (1) penetration is done only a few times without completion of intercourse; (2) withdrawal is done before ejaculation; (3) coitus is done during the “safe” period; (4) sex is done during menses; (5) the woman did not have orgasm during sex; (6) the lovers drink wine before sex; (7) aspirin is inserted into the vagina as contraceptive; (8) the woman is on top during the act; (9) the man uses any plastic wrap in the absence of, and in lieu of, a condom; (10) the man already had sex with another woman, or had masturbated, an hour or so earlier; (11) oral sex preceded normal intercourse; and (12) the woman douches immediately after sex. These are all myths and cannot be relied upon to prevent pregnancy. Only total abstinence

package of three bottles, or a three months’ supply is on sale for $99.00 regular price is $209. Enlighten is available in all branches of Monet Salon outlets: Or call Reflections by Monet Salon: 8340 Van Nuys Blvd, Panorama City, CA. Tel# (818) 891-8949and Monet salon Winnetka, Ca at 818-912-6835 .en you can help them have one. *** Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, award-winning celebrity beauty stylist with his own chain of Monet Salon salons across Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Ultimately, Monet is known as an all-around artiste who produces sold-out fashion and awards shows as well as unforgettable marketing campaigns. Monet is also the founder of the revolutionary all-natural beauty products such as Enlighten, your solution to discoloration . To contact Monet, please visit www.monetsalon.com or email him at monetsalon@aol.com

Director Baby Ruth Villarama (second from left) with film editor Chuck Gutierrez and cast members Mylen Jacobo, Hazel Perdido and Leo Selomenio receiving the Best Picture award for “Sunday Beauty Queen.”

Indie wins big at MMFF awards night By VER

PAULINO Philstar.com

“DIE Beautiful’s” Paolo Ballesteros bagged the Best Actor award while “Oro’s” Irma Adlawan won the Best Actress award at the 42nd Metro Manila Film Festival’s (MMFF) Gabi ng Parangal held last Thursday night at the Kia Theatre in Araneta Center. The Best Supporting Actress and Actor trophies went to Phoebe Walker and Christian Bables, for the films “Seklusyon” and “Die Beautiful,” respectively. Christian emotionally accepted his award for his role as the transgender best friend of Paolo. “Dahil bago lang po ako, akala *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac ko po eh end na ng passion ko, Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and akala ko end na ng journey ko. chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 Sa lahat po ng nagtiwala sa isang at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he walang pangalan na kagaya ko… holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, maraming, maraming salamat po is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of sa inyong lahat na nagtiwala sa the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine kaya kong gawin,” he said. Named Best Picture is Baby College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the Ruth Villarama’s “Sunday Beauty chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a Queen,” the first documentary to 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United have been included as one of the States. For more data, visit philipSchua.com; official entries. “Seklusyon,” on the other Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com or use of an intact condom, or use of prescribed birth control pills under medical supervision, can prevent pregnancy. Inhalants are deadly Statistics in the United States reveal that about half a million people, between 12-17, die annually from Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome. The deadly inhalants included glue, spray paint and markers. The report showed that age 12 is when most children start to experiment on chemicals and drugs. March 16-22 has been declared in the US as National Inhalant and Poison Awareness Week.

LAS VEGAS SILVERADO RANCH - (DECEMBER) 467 E Silverado Ranch Blvd , Las Vegas, NV 89183

hand, took home eight awards including Best Director for Erik Matti, Best Original Theme Song, Best Sound Design, Best Cinematography, Best Screenplay, Best Production Design and Special Jury Prize for acting. Here is the full list of winners of the MMFF 2016. Best Picture: “Sunday Beauty Queen” Best Director: Erik Matti, “Seklusyon” Best Actor in a Leading Role: Paolo Ballesteros, “Die Beautiful” Best Actress in a Leading Role: Irma Adlawan, “Oro” Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Christian Bables, “Die Beautiful” B e s t A c t re s s i n a S u p porting Role: Phoebe Walker, “Seklusyon” Best Ensemble Cast: “Oro” Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award: “Sunday Beauty Queen” Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award: “Oro” Special Jury Prize f o r a c t i n g : R h e d Bustamante, “Seklusyon” Best Screenplay: “Seklusyon”

LONG BEACH - (AUGUST) 3300 Atlantic Ave, Long Beach, CA 90807

Best Cinematography: “Seklusyon” B e s t S o u n d Design: “Seklusyon” Best Theme Song: Dominus Miserere, “Seklusyon” Best Editing: “Sunday Beauty Queen” Best Musical Score: “Saving Sally” Best Production Design: “Seklusyon” Best Float: “Die Beautiful” 42nd MMFF My Most Favorite Film: “Die Beautiful” Children’s Choice Award: “Saving Sally,” “Sunday Beauty Queen,” “Vince & Kath & James” Male Celebrity of the Night: Ronnie Alonte Female Celebrity of the Night: Rhian Ramos Short Film — Best Screenplay: “Mitatang” Short Film — Special Jury Prize: “Manila Scream” Short Film — Best Picture: “EJK” Short Film — Best Work for Children: “Passage of Life” Best Short Film Director: Jarell Serencio for “Mga Bitoon sa Siyudad”

SANTA CLARITA - (DECEMBER) 19387 Soledad Canyon Rd, Canyon Country, CA 91351

Island Pacific Ends 2016 with a Bang with 22 Branches… and Counting! Back in 2000, Island Pacific opened its very first store in Panorama City, CA to serve the rapidly growing Filipino community.

FRESNO - (FEBRUARY) 6048 N 1St St., Fresno, CA 93710

RANCHO CUCAMONGA - (APRIL) 12188 E Foothill Blvd. Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739

CERRITOS - (APRIL) 11481 South Street, Cerritos, CA 90703

N

ow, 16 years later, the supermarket chain has impressively expanded to a total of 22 supermarkets with 18 Philhouse branches (Filipino Fastfood/Hot Deli) in various parts of California, Nevada and Washington State and still has expansion plans for the coming years. Island Pacific’s exponential growth is fueled by Founder and CEO, Nino Jefferson Lim’s passion to serve the Filipino people and made possible by the employees’ hard work and dedication. Driven to cater to the various underserved Filipino communities in the United States, the Island Pacific team has opened a total

of 8 new branches in 2016 - Fresno (March), Rancho Cucamonga (April), Cerritos (April), Las Vegas (May) Long Beach (August), Hayward (September), Santa Clarita (December) and another location in Las Vegas (December). And alongside Island Pacific’s inspiring progress is the equally rapid growth of its in-house Hot Deli/Fastfood restaurant - Philhouse. Philhouse offers Filipino dishes inspired by traditional home-cooking that are prepared fresh daily. . Philhouse Grill offers an assortment of grilled and roasted meat and a variety of seafood favorites. It now has 18 locations in California, Nevada and Washington State.

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DEcEmbER 31, 2016-JANUARy 3, 2017

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Star Magic artists dominate the year’s local, digital concert scene

GRAND or intimate, star Magic artists dominated the concert stage with their successful shows in 2016. Kim Chiu marked her 10th anniversary in the business through “Chinita Princess The FuNtasy Concert” in April at the Kia Theater. Two months later, her screen partner Xian Lim staged his aptly titled first solo show “A Date With Xian” also at the Kia Theater on July 9. Jona marked her entrance at the Kapamilya Network with “Queen Of The Night: Jona,” which had her performing alongside Regine Velasquez-Alcasid and Jed Madela at same venue on November 25. Moreover, hunky Fil-Italian actor Matteo Guidicelli staged his firstever concert in his hometown Cebu

touted as “#MatteoMadeinCebu” to mark his 10th year in the business. Hashtags member Ronnie Alonte ended the year with a bang, not only because of his Metro Manila Film Festival entry “Vince & Kath & James” but because he staged his first solo concert titled “Kilig King” at the Kia Theater on December 17. “It’s showtime’s” kilig ambassadors Hashtags composed of Zeus Colins, Ronnie Alonte, McCoy de Leon, Tom Doromal, Jon Lucas, Luke Conde, Paulo Angeles, Nikko Natividad, Jameson Blake, Jimboy Martin and Ryle Tan took the stage by storm with “Hashtags: The Roadtrip Concert” at the jampacked Kia Theater on september 24.

Experienced star Magic concert performers also took the stage this year. There’s “The Voice Kids season 1” first runner-up Darren Espanto who filled the Kia Theater to the brim back in June for his major concert “D Total Experience” together with guests Maja salvador, Iñigo Pascual, ylona Garcia, Jed Madela and the G-Force. Dance Princess Maja salvador, on the other hand, staged her third major concert titled “Only Maja” on November 12 at the Music Museum. Her friends Enchong Dee, Piolo Pascual, Paulo Avelino, Kakai Bautista and the Hashtags were among her guests. star Magic artists didn’t only dominate the traditional concert scene, they have also participated

Solenn Heussaff: Fit & fabulous by Boy

ABundA

Philstar.com

Busy is an understatement for solenn Heussaff these days. The It Girl just launched her third and latest album, solenn, under universal Records. she’s promoting her new fitness book, Hot sos. she recently unveiled solenn Art Wine from France, with her artwork engraved on the tube. you’d think the new Mrs. Nico Bolzico (solenn and the Argentinian businessman tied the knot in France last May 21) has no time to those fitness routines she has taken to like a duck to water. But you’d be pleasantly surprised. sultry solenn finds time to take care of her body by keeping fit. “Having no time for working out is no excuse,” she says. If solenn can’t go to the gym five times a week, she climbs the stairs of the hotel she’s visiting or staying in. she runs as much as she can the next day and does yoga on another day. Besides getting those muscles working and that young blood circulating, solenn knows exercise produces endorphins or happy hormones. These, in turn, fight stress and depression. solenn doesn’t stick to one exercise to keep all parts of her body fit and well-toned. One time, she’s down on her knees on the exercise mat, pushing a skateboard with both elbows. The next, she’s kicking a leg up high. Then, you see her doing push-ups and boxing routines.

Exercise is just one part of solenn’s fitness regimen. Diet is another. “I eat on small plates,” she reveals. solenn drinks not one, but two glasses of water before every meal “so I’ll feel quite full.” And although photo shoots, commercials and movies sometimes require her to lose weight fast, solenn doesn’t take shortcuts by going on a crash diet. she knows results are temporary because the body, deprived of nutrients, will regain the weight it lost. No wonder 5’5” tall solenn shed the baby fat she had at 11 to become the fantasy of men and a fitness role model for women. “I went from big to small,” states solenn, who tips the scales at 55 kilos. Now, plus-sized women who wish they could be in solenn’s shoes — and sexy clothes, have reason to hope again. Their rallying cry is, “If solenn can do it, so can we!” singer wannabes can also take a cue from solenn, who’s not ashamed to admit how much she hated the singing lessons her mom made her take. so she gave up the lessons and sang in the shower instead. Little did solenn know those lessons and impromptu performances for house guests when she was a little girl will come to her rescue many years after. In 2012, solenn joined showbiz via the variety show Party Pilipinas and started singing on nationwide

TV.

Mother knows best, after all. Today, solenn makes up for her lack of time for voice lessons by vocalizing at home. she tries to master singing long lines by studying proper breathing and phrasing techniques on her own. solenn admits it’s not a walk in the park, but she refuses to let those challenging notes faze her. Practice makes perfect. This, coupled with solenn’s determination and discipline, make her master the toughest melodies, the most complex musical arrangements. Her belief that she should march to the beat of her own drum also makes solenn ooze with confidence. solenn and real-life friends Isabelle Daza, Liz uy and Georgina Wilson star in their own reality show “It Girls” on E! Channel. It captures solenn and her friends in their unguarded moments, so you can judge them for who they are — human beings who, like the girl next door, falls in love, gets married, copes with a loved one’s loss and everything else in between. They are called the “It Girls.” But they’re every inch a woman.

pioneering digital concert arena spearheaded by the ABs-CBN online music portal One Music PH. Pop-rock princess yeng Constantino served as the digital concert scene’s opening performer, who marked her 10 years in the business with “yeng Constantino: salamat sa 10 Taon,” followed by former “Pinoy Big Brother” housemate ylona Garcia with My Name Is ylona Garcia. Darren Espanto followed suit with “The Other side Of Darren,” Jona which marked his second show for the year. Finally, there came the best friends Loisa Andalio, Maris Racal, sue Ramirez and Kristel Fulgar, who formed part of the digital concert titled Double Hearts. (ManilaTimes.net)

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 31, 2016- JANUARY 3, 2017

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New year wishes for families “We are a nation of immigrants. We value families and recognize the benefit of family reunification. We acknowledge that those who flee their country of birth seeking refuge and safety on these shores value freedom and liberty to a degree that those born here do not always do.�

Your Immigration Solution Atty. NANcy Miller THE holidays are a time for being with family. I was reminded of that recently when I accompanied a client to his interview for his green card. When I asked him if he had plans for the holidays, his face lit up. “Oh yes� he replied, “I’m going home to be with my son and my grandchildren�. His eyes shown when he talked about the presents he was going to bring his grandchildren and how they would come running to greet him. He smiled when he talked about being able to enjoy having them sit on his lap. I returned his smile, happy to be able to have brought such happiness to my client on the eve of the holidays. I thought about how many families travel great distances at this time of year to be together. Families feel the pull to be together at this time of the year more than at most other times. They want to share their religious observances. They want to feel united. They want to greet the new year together and share their hope that the next year will be better than the last. Then I thought of the families who cannot be together for the holidays this year. I thought of the U.S. citizens who face a draconian choice resulting from the denial of their spouse’s waiver for using someone else’s name to come to the U.S. These people are forced to choose between separating from a loving and loved spouse in order to remain in the United States and care for an old or sick parent or leaving that parent in order to accompany their beloved spouse to her country of birth. I thought of the immigrants who made a mistake years, or even decades ago, that resulted in a criminal conviction, and are now facing removal even though they have been good and responsible citizens since

they paid their debt to society. I thought of the people who have been waiting for years for the priority date on their family or employment petition to become current so that they could obtain status and live legally in the U.S. with their families. I thought of the people who went home for an immigrant visa interview and are trapped by bureaucratic red tape or incorrect interpretations of laws. I also thought of those who are living in fear of what the future will bring. We are a nation of immigrants. We value families and recognize the benefit of family reunification. We acknowledge that those who flee their country of birth seeking refuge and safety on these shores value freedom and liberty to a degree that those born here do not always do. We understand that immigrants bring skills and a desire to improve their lives and that, in bringing that desire to fruition, they create businesses and more jobs and opportunities f o r o t h e r i m m i g ra n t s a n d citizens. We recognize that, while some non-citizens may occasionally misstep, the vast majority of those who come to this country are a true benefit to America and we are lucky to have them. We must work together to improve the lives of those living in this land. Reuniting families,

keeping families together and ensuring opportunity for all must be the overriding priority of all immigration laws. It has always been RMZD’s goal to help families legally live together in the United States. We are pleased that our firm has been able to help as many people as we have. However, we recognize that more needs to be done. The laws passed by Congress and the policies brought forth from the Executive Branch must reflect a recognition that this country has always benefitted by welcoming immigrants. All of us at RMZD pledge that, in 2017, we will continue to work to help reunite families in the United States. Best wishes for a Happy, Healthy New Year for families everywhere. *** Reeves, Miller, Zhang & Diza Law Corporation’s offices are located in Pasadena, Irvine, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Makati City. Telephone: (800) 795-8009 E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com Website: www.rreeves.com. *** The analysis and suggestions offered in this column do not create a lawyer-client relationship and are not a substitute for the personalized representation that is essential to every case. (Advertising Supplement)

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Minding Your Finances ATTY. RAYMOND BULAON BEING in debt can be one of the most stressful situations you will ever face in life. It happens to everyone although you may feel like you’re the only person on the planet going through what you’re going through. But let me assure you that you are not alone in your struggle. The first step in dealing with the stress is to acknowledge that there is a debt problem. Many times, people are in denial because they do not want to face reality. This will not help you and will only make things worse eventually. Usually, debt creeps up on you and builds slowly over a period of time so you may not even be aware of how serious the problem is until you look at the numbers. In my office, sometimes when I ask people how much they owe, I am surprised to hear that they don’t even know anymore. In trying to avoid the issue, they have lost track of the significant amount of debt that they have accumulated! So as long as they are able to juggle their monthly payments before they get sued by bill collectors, they think they are still “OK”. Change is always difficult. In

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How bankruptcy can get rid of financial stress a lot of cases that I see, people know that they need to make some big changes in their lives in order to get out of debt. This may mean downsizing to a smaller home, moving their kids from a private school to a public school, selling a car that they can no longer afford, etc. This creates a lot of stress because most people feel comfortable where they are and the slightest suggestion to them that they need to make some changes in their lives is something that they are not prepared for- both mentally and emotionally. This can lead to feelings of frustration, anxiety, helplessness and sometimes even depression. Instead of wallowing in despair, a better alternative is to seek immediate help to know your options. You may be afraid or embarrassed to do this. I understand. But doing nothing is worse because you may have important things at stake. Your home, job, bank accounts, assets, etc. may be exposed to creditors who take legal action against you. If a creditor obtains a judgment against you, your wages can be garnished and your bank accounts levied. Your house can end up in foreclosure if you’re behind in pay-

ments and are not doing something about it. Filing bankruptcy may be a solution for you to resolve your debt problems once and for all if there are no other options available. If you’re doing your best to pay but just can’t, you may have bill collectors calling you every day. Don’t let them make you feel like a criminal for being in debt. Being in debt doesn’t make you a bad person. Bad things happen even to good people. Life can be unpredictable at times and at one time or another, everyone faces financial challenges. It’s not the end of the world. You can rise above your debt problems and start over. For a free consultation, call my office at Toll-Free 1-866477-7772. We have offices in Glendale, Cerritos and Valencia. See us and we will help you explore all possible solutions to your debt problems. *** None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped thousands of clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call Ray Bulaon Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1 (866) 4777772. (Advertising Supplement)

Between festivities, visit My Social Security THE holiday season is upon us, bringing with it family gatherings and familiar traditions. As you bustle about from place to place, sharing turkey dinners and catching up with loved ones, there’s one errand you can avoid — a visit to the Social Security office. Why take time out of your busy holiday schedule to visit an office when you can conduct most of your business online? At www.socialsecurity.gov, we have a variety of services available to you, all from the comfort of your home. You can apply for disability benefits or appeal a disability decision. You can also file for retirement benefits, spousal benefits, or Medicare-only benefits while enjoying leftover pumpkin pie. Our secure, easy-to-navigate website is sure to add plenty of comfort

and joy to the festivities. Even if you’re currently receiving benefits, or aren’t quite ready to file, Social Security has services to bring you holiday cheer. With a my Social Security account, those receiving benefits may change their address and direct deposit information, get proof of their benefits, and request replacement documents like a Medicare card. In addition, if you aren’t currently getting benefits, you can still check your earnings record, get estimates of your future benefits, and view your Social Security Statement. In some areas, you can even request a replacement Social Security card online. Open your account today at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. With the New Year just around the corner, it’s never too early to start planning for your

future. Once you’ve conducted your business at www.socialsecurity.gov, you may want to visit www.myRA.gov. myRA is a retirement savings account from the Department of the Treasury designed to help you put aside money for your retirement. You can invest in the fund according to your budget, putting you in control of your financial prospects. Give yourself a gift this holiday season and invest in your future. Holidays are fun, and sometimes stressful, times. Let our online offerings reduce the holiday stress so you can focus on what’s important — your loved ones. When you need services from Social Security, start a new tradition. Go online at www.socialsecurity.gov. (By Eric Phillips / Social Security Public Affairs Specialist in Sacramento, CA)

Tax Tips

Murphy’s Law 2: A somber side of life

an appointment to see a doctor, you’ll feel better by the time you CPA, MBA get there. Don’t make an appointWHILE my columns usually fo- ment and you stay sick. Law of the Alibi cus on the serious subject of IRS If you tell the boss you were audits, let’s end this year with more somber versions of Mur- late for work because of a flat tire, you will have a flat tire the very phy’s Law: next morning. Law of IRS Audits Law of Cafe If you are a rat pack who keeps As soon as you sit down for a lots of tax records, you get an IRS audit letter as soon as you discard cup of hot coffee, your boss will your records. Keep your records ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold. and you’ll be free of IRS audits. Law of Random Numbers Law of Doctor Appointments If you dial a wrong number, If you don’t feel well and make

VICTOR SY,

Calendar of Events across

you never get a busy signal and someone always answers. Law of Result When you try to prove to someone that a machine won’t work, it will. Law of Probability The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act. Law of Close Encounters The probability of meeting someone you know increases dramatically when you are with someone you don’t want to be

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America

D EC E M B E R 3 1

Grand Park + The Music Center in Los Angeles host New Year’s Eve celebration Los Angeles will put its mark on New Year’s Eve celebrations around the world as Angelenos join together with friends and family to share their hopes, dreams and resolutions for 2017 at the fourth annual Grand Park + The Music Center’s N.Y.E.L.A. The West Coast’s flagship New Year’s celebration will feature three stages with live music, DJs and dancing throughout the night; large scale inflatable art; and 3D digital video mapping on City Hall along with an integrated light show to count down to the new year in true L.A. style. The free family-friendly event, which attracts thousands from all over Southern California and beyond, reinforces Downtown Los Angeles as a destination for a grand-scale New Year’s Eve experience. Grand Park + The Music Center’s N.Y.E.L.A. takes place from 8:00 p.m. on December 31, 2016 to 1:00 a.m. on New Year’s Day, and will cover 90 acres from The Music Center Plaza to City Hall (Hope Street to Spring Street) and from Temple Street to 2nd Street. More than 50,000 people are expected to attend. For more information about Grand Park + The Music Center’s N.Y.E.L.A., visit grandparkla.org/nyela or musiccenter. org/nyela.

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Historic Filipinotown Scavenger Hunt Explore the cultural gems of HiFi (Historic Filipinotown) by joining the 2nd HiFi Scavenger Hunt Fundraiser on Saturday, January 28 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m! Meet Filipino-specific challenges (from a Balut eating contest to dancing Tinikling to a hip hop beat!). You may find yourself meeting a little-known community hero, tasting a Filipino food challenge or receiving your very own Filipino nickname! You will be having a blast while building your bayanihan spirit by asking your friends and family and even your Facebook fans to donate money to sponsor your Team to take this challenge. You and your team choose your own fundraising goal! Funds raised by this event will go to the programs and services of 2 HiFi community organizations, Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) and Filipino American Service Group, Inc. (FASGI) to provide vital services to families, workers and seniors in our community. Services include free or low-cost citizenship application assistance, human trafficking survivor support, civic engagement, wage theft claims assistance, cultural programs and more! Have fun, Discover Historic Filipinotown win prizes and support your community while doing it! Go to www.pwcsc.org/HiddenHiFi to sign up now. PWC is located at 153 Glendale Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026.

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

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Community Journal LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 31, 2016- JANUARY 3, 2017

Pay equality & rights of domestic workers & immigrants strengthened under new laws Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. This is our yearly wrap-up of some of the new laws created in California this year to continue to protect employees: Gender Pay Equality Law Expanded Beginning January 2016, an employer shall not pay employees at wage rates less than the rates paid to employees of the opposite sex for substantially similar work, and performed under similar working conditions, even though employees may have different titles or work at different sites. The law was expanded on september 30, 2016 to prohibit wage inequality based upon race or ethnicity for substantially similar work. Additionally, an employee’s prior salary cannot, by itself, justify any disparity in the employee’s compensation. Domestic Worker Bill of Rights Made Permanent After the Domestic Worker Bill of Rights law took effect in 2014, which entitled personal attendants, such as nannies and caregivers, to overtime pay for work beyond 9 hours per day or 45 hours per week, California lawmakers had three years (or until 2017) to either revoke the overtime pay for personal attendants or make it permanent. On september 12, 2016, lawmakers

To Live With Faith reverend rodel G. BAlAGtAS ANOThER year has gone by and another year is before us. As we get older we feel the rapidness of life and its brevity. We become more contemplative about life’s mysteries, particularly its purpose and its end. We tremble at our personal finality on earth, but our faith in God strengthen us to trust in the hereafter. As we rejoice and struggle with the unfolding of one’s life, do we regret the decisions we have made and the works that we have accomplished? Are we content with one’s wealth, career, marriage, and family relationship? And one big question that we may ask ourselves is: Do we regret that we have intensely loved someone or some people in our lives? i hope the answer is no. We can never regret loving the people that God has put in our

decided to make the overtime law for personal attendants permanent. New Minimum Wage increases Effective January 1, 2016, the minimum wage in California became $10.00 per hour. The increase in minimum wage also boosts the pay of most employees legally “exempt” from the overtime rules, such as Executive, Administrative, or Professional employees, who must be paid a salary rate that is at least twice the state minimum wage for full-time monthly employment. Additionally, on April 4, 2016, California’s governor approved a new law that will increase California’s minimum wage every year until it becomes $15 per hour by 2022. For any employer who employs 26 or more employees, the minimum wage shall be as follows: (A) From January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2017: 10.50 per hour (B) From January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2018: $11 per hour (C) From January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019: $12 per hour (D) From January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020: $13 per hour (E) From January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2021: $14 per hour (F) From January 1, 2022, and until adjusted: $15 per hour Employers with 25 or fewer employees will raise their mini-

mum wage in 2018 (a delay of one year from the above schedule). immigration-Related Protections for Employees it is unlawful for an employer, in the course of satisfying its immigration-related obligations under the law, to do any of the following to its employees: (1) Request more or different documents than are required under the law. (2) Refuse to honor documents tendered that on their face reasonably appear to be genuine. (3) Refuse to honor documents or work authorization based upon the specific status or term of status that accompanies the authorization to work. (4) Attempt to reinvestigate or reverify an incumbent employee’s authorization to work using an unfair immigration-related practice. Employees are entitled to monetary and equitable remedies should this law be violated. *** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at no-cost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www. joesayaslaw.com. *** C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. is an experienced trial attorney who has successfully obtained significant recoveries for thousands of employees and consumers. He is named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently Aselected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is a member of the Million Dollar-Advocates Forum. (Advertising Supplement)

A New Year’s Day message life’s journey. it’s because the fundamental purpose of life is to love. Loving deeply makes us more human. it may bring us some heartaches and pains, it may challenge us to sacrifice one’s needs and desires, but it brings us joy and fulfillment and defines our true human existence. As we celebrate the Feast of the holy Family this sunday, we marvel at God’s intense love for humanity, The birth of the Messiah in a human family testifies to God’s profound love for us. God chose to send his only son into the world to save us from the perils of sin and darkness. God’s innermost joy is that we live a life of love patterned after the ministry of Jesus. in the Gospel, Jesus showed us the way to love others in many concrete ways. Let this new year inspire us more to love generously and to care deeply. Let our family relationships and friendships continue to manifest the kind of love that God has shown us through his son, Jesus.

i end with the following quote from the First Letter of John (4:7-8; 11-12): “Beloved, let us love another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love...Beloved, if God so loved us, we must also love another. No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us.” have a happy and Blessed New Year filled with the graces of love! *** From a Filipino immigrant family, Reverend Rodel G. Balagtas was ordained to the priesthood from St. John’s Seminary in 1991. He served as Associate Pastor at St. Augustine, Culver City (1991-1993); St. Martha, Valinda (1993-1999); and St. Joseph the Worker, Canoga Park (1999-2001). In 2001, he served as Administrator Pro Tem of St. John Neumann in Santa Maria, CA, until his appointment as pastor of ImmAaculate Heart of Mary, Los Angeles, in 2002, which lasted 12 years. His term as Associate Director of Pastoral Field Education at St. John’s Seminary began in July 2014.

Will my divorce reduce my wait time for a green card? Dear Attorney Tan, i am a Filipino living in Los Angeles. i am a Us Citizen who filed an immigrant petition for my adult son in June 2005. At the time when the petition was filed, my son was unmarried and 25 years old. in 2010, my son became married. Due to difficulties in his marriage, his wife is presently in the process of obtaining a divorce in Nevada. is my son eligible for a green card? -- C.P. Answer: Dear C.P., When you filed the immigrant petition in June 2005, your son was classified under the “First Preference” category, as an unmarried adult son of a Us citizen. As a preference category relative, your son has to wait for a visa number to become available before he could obtain an immigrant visa or adjust status to permanent residence. The wait time for visa number availability varies, depending on preference category. if an unmarried adult son or daughter beneficiary is married before an immigrant visa or green card is issued (i.e. while waiting for a visa number to become available), the beneficiary’s petition automatically converts from a “First Preference” petition to a “Third Preference” petition--a petition for a married son or daughter of a Us Citizen. in your case, when your son married in 2010, the petition that you filed for your son automatically converted to a “Third Preference” petition. As a “Third Preference” beneficiary, your son became subject to a longer wait time to obtain an immigrant visa or green card, compared to when he was classified under the “First Preference” category prior to marriage. if a “Third Preference” beneficiary (married son or daughter of Us Citizen) becomes widowed or divorced, the petition filed on his behalf automatically converts to the “First Preference” category. in your case, once your son gets divorced, the Petition that you filed in June 2005 automatically converts back to “First Preference” category. With the automatic conversion, the wait time for a beneficiary is significantly lesser. Under the January 2017 visa bulletin, immigrant visa and green card applications are being processed for “First Preference” petitions that were filed October 1, 2005 or earlier. For “Third Preference” petitions, visa and green card applications are being processed for petitions that were filed on or before september 1, 1994. Your son would be eligible to apply for a green card immediately upon divorce since UsCis is presently processing green card applications based on petitions filed October 1, 2005 or earlier for those in the “First Preference” category. Until he gets a divorce, as a “Third Preference” beneficiary, your son is subject to an approximate wait time of 11 years before he can get his green card. he would have to wait until UsCis advances the date for the Third Preference category from september 1, 1994 to the date on which you filed the petition for your son (June 2005). P.s. i warn against getting a “quick divorce” in Nevada if neither your son nor daughter-inlaw is a resident there. There are certain residency requirements for a valid divorce decree in Nevada. Your son will have to present a valid divorce decree to UsCis to show that he is unmarried, and properly classified under the “First Preference.” *** Darrick V. Tan, Esq. is admitted to practice law in California and Nevada. Mr. Tan is a graduate of UCLA and Southwestern University School of Law. He is a member of the Consumers Attorney Association of Los Angeles and is a former member of the Board of Governors of the Philipp ine American Bar Association. LAW OFFICES OF DARRICK V. TAN, 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Tel: (323) 639-0277. Email: info@ dtanlaw.com. (Advertising Supplement)

Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrSUA reyeS ThERE is never the perfect time to think about who you would like to inherit from your estate in case you pass away or at least who among your closest friends (BFFs) and family members are even deserving of inheriting from your estate. in doing so, you should also think about which vehicle you plan to use in implementing your estate plan. One of the best vehicle in implementing your estate plan is a revocable living trust. Five major benefits of establishing a revocable living trust are: Your estate can avoid the time, cost, and hassle of going through the probate court process. if you pass away without a will (intestate) in California, one of your close family would have to file a petition in probate court to probate your estate. Your estate will be divided and distributed according to the California probate code rules of intestate succession. Even if you have a will when you pass away, your family would still need to file a petition in probate court if your estate is worth over $150,000 and go through the probate process. This can become a circus if certain beneficiaries contest the validity of the Will or the distribution of the estate. Your estate will pay for attorney’s fees, probate referee fees, appraisers and other experts, CPA fees, etc. if people contest the case, your estate would end up paying legal fees to defend the estate in litigation. The entire process can take anywhere from 9 months to years depending on the contentiousness of the probate case. With a revocable living trust, your trustee or successor trustee if you were the initial trustee, would administer the trust and distribute the estate according to the trust document without having to open a probate court case. if the trust is funded with all your assets, it is possible to administer and distribute the trust assets without any Court

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Five benefits of establishing a revocable living trust involvement at all. This process is a lot faster than going through probate. Your estate is not public record When you file a probate case, the public has access to your probate case file. The public will know the assets of the estate including the values of those assets. if the Will is admitted into probate, the terms of the Will is open to public scrutiny. Establishing a revocable living trust makes your estate affairs private. strangers do not have access to the terms of your living trust. Only certain beneficiaries and possible heirs can request a copy of the revocable living trust after you pass away. You can dictate who will inherit from your estate. if you pass away without a Will, your estate will be divided and distributed in Probate Court following the rules of intestate succession in the California probate code. Certain relatives will be entitled to a share of your estate even if you feel they are not deserving. By establishing a revocable living trust, you can designate who you want to inherit from your estate. You can designate what and how much each one will received from your estate after you pass away. The assets distributed to each beneficiaries does not have to be equal. The people you designate as beneficiaries of your living trust does not even have to be close family members. You can designate anyone as a beneficiary, with certain exceptions, of your estate. You can structure your estate to minimize estate taxes if your estate is valued above the estate tax exemption, establishing a trust can allow you to divide up your estate into smaller sub trusts to minimize the overall estate tax effect on your estate. it allows you to set up a vehicle for certain charita-

ble giving which carries tax advantage and asset protection. You can choose who will administer your estate after your death When you establish a revocable trust, you can appoint someone else as trustee or you can appoint a successor trustee if you are the initial trustee. The trustee will be administering (managing) the trust after you pass away without a need to open a probate court case. This allows for continuity in operating the trust and the efficient and cost effective distribution of estate assets. if you are concerned about whether you can trust any family members as your trustee, you can appoint an institution as a professional trustee to carry out the terms of the declaration of trust. These type of trustee services are often offered by banks, financial institutions, wealth management firms, and business management firms for a reasonable fee. This minimizes conflicts within the family and prevents negligence and wrong doing by inexperienced family members. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 3881611 or e-mail kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com. *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation. (Advertising Supplement)

C DECEMBER 31, 2016- JANUARY 3, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Debt Relief Atty. LAwrence yAng HUSBAND and wife are both 66. They were my clients 15 years ago. I do not remember how much credit cards were discharged then but I do remember that their problem was too much credit cards. After they wiped out these cards in 2001, they were able to buy a house. They were also able to rebuild their credit scores pretty fast with timely payments on the house and car loans. As their credit scores improved came the avalanche of new credit cards that were offered to them. For a while, they had no difficulty paying for the new debts because both of them were still working. Don’t forget that 15 years ago, they were only 51. At 51, you don’t really think about getting older. But, time does not walk; it flies. All of you remember the day you left your country of origin. That could be 30 or 40 years ago. You left a young man or woman of 20. Now as you read this article, you are 50 or 60, probably with grandchildren. Where did all that time go? I don’t know, all I know is, time feels like it goes much faster here because we have to do everything ourselves so we are busy all the time. We have to clean the house, cook and pick up the kids ourselves, and we still have to work. We wake up early in the morning and we are just busy doing something the whole day until it’s time to sleep which is late at night. We look at our nice cars and beautiful houses, and we conclude that the American dream is truly worth it. At least, we have something to show for all our hard work. Our children also succeed. They go to college, become professionals, and make good money. So this is what the good life is all about. The problem is that we can’t really make time stand still, can we. If we could, then we would all press the pause button so that we can enjoy this kind of life indefinitely. Let’s get back to clients, who I would say, did buy the American dream after their first bankruptcy in 2001. They now have a house with $170K of equity. They did not have a house in 2001. Well, that’s all good until they tell me that they have new credit card debt of $100K. Well, that’s not good,

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Seniors want bankruptcy relief for $100K credit cards: Chapter 13 or Chapter 7

Are we ready to move on?

A Dash of Salt and Pepper (A simple thought of inspiration with biblical encouragement) by Henjie Pimenta

one who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of waARE we ready to move on or are ter welling up to eternal life.â€? there still so many things that pull Let us dedicate the year ahead to Jesus that His purpose and will be offer to buy back the luxury cars you back to the past? As the year fulfilled in us. We can make plans from the trustee for at least $10K ends, the usual program for most and pursue with our visions but reto $12K in cash. Clients wince at media networks is to show the yearmember that His purpose is the one the prospect of buying back their in-review. It reminds us of the best that will prevail in us. cars, which have been fully paid and worst times during the year round. Proverbs 19:21 says: “Many are for some time. A familiar New Year message is the plans in a person’s heart, but The painless way of dealing it is the LORD’s purpose that prewith this situation is to file a Chap- from the book of Isaiah 43:18-19 and vails.â€? Henjie Pimenta ter 13, not a Chapter 7. In Chapter it says: 18 “Forget the former things; “The best is yet to come,â€? said 13, clients will pay the $14,500 do not dwell on the past. my new kumpare, Pastor Lester Quijano, then he non-exempt equity for the two 19 See I am doing a new thing! backed it up with luxury cards through a 60 months Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? 1 Corinthians 2:9 that says: Chapter 13 plan. They get to keep I am making a way in the desert “9 their house and 3 cars. They only and streams in the wasteland.â€? However, as it is written: pay $250 a month for 60 months To ‘forget the former things’ may not be easy “What no eye has seen, to the Chapter 13 trust. Out of the what no ear has heard, $100K that they owe, the plan for some. Specifically, if those ‘things’ brought so and what no human mind has conceivedâ€?[a]— allows them to pay 14.5% of much pain or even, joy. But as I recall from the the things God has prepared for those who the $100K card. In other words, preaching of Dennis Easter at the Praise Christian Chapter 13 will allow them to pay Fellowship in Los Angeles this past January, he love him— Thank you my dear, Yahweh, for the year 2016, $14,500 over 60 months, no inter- said that there is nothing wrong with the past. est at the rate of $250 a month. ‘Forget the former things’ could mean that the we made it because you were always there for us. And now we are ready to flow in your direction for After the 60th payment, the court best is yet to come. Reviewing our past is to evaluate what we have 2017. Lead us to where you want us to be, we rewill discharge $85,500 of their credit cards. So at the end of the gone through and to make it useful for our growth. main submissive to your Kingship. We bow before 60th payment, they will owe noth- ‘Dwelling on the past’ is to stagnate and just un- You, we worship and adore only You, for there is no one like You. We love you our Dear God. ing to the credit card companies. able to move on. Hang on to God, my friend. Whatever circumAnd all who agree say, Amen! For $14,500, they get rid of $100K Have a blessed year to all of you and the family of debt! The debt relief provide stances you are in, God’s promise is that ‘He is by Chapter 13 is immediate be- doing new things.’ These things are not just new, you represent! If you need prayers and healing, please do not cause: instead of making $3000 but better -- from a simple desert with a comforthesitate to call or visit us on any Sunday at: Praise of minimum monthly payments, able passable way. John 14:6 says:“Jesus answered, ‘ I am the way Christian Fellowship of the Valley, 9051 Woodunder the plan, they only pay and the truth and the life. No one comes to the man Avenue, Arleta, CA 91331, (inside Helping $250! That’s an immediate relief of $2,750 a month. In addition, af- Father except through me.â€? Without Jesus, life Hands ADHC, behind the CVS drugstore and ter paying 60 payments of $250, could be like walking through a desert, where ev- Vallarta Supermarket at the back alley) at 4:30 p.m. or call Pastor Emmanuel Madeja at (818) they will owe zero to credit cards, ery step is a struggle. God is putting ‘streams in the wasteland’. A 813-3971; or at Praise Christian Fellowship, Los whereas if they don’t have Chapter 13 relief, they will have to pay man who is connected to Jesus is likened to ‘a tree Angeles, 2235 Beverly Blvd. (corner Roselake/ $180K for 5 years, and still owe planted by streams of water‌’ (Psalm 1:3) and Rosemont, Los Angeles, CA 90057) at 8:30 a.m., Jesus Himself is the Living Water. 11 a.m., and 6 p.m. or call Pastor Courtney Hall the same $100K after five years! John 4:13-14 says: 13 Jesus answered, “Every- at (213) 484-8294. Chapter 13 is a super great deal for clients! I think this is the best Christmas gift that they can give themselves! We celebrate the birth of our arrive last. Law of Mechanical Repair Lord and Savior on Saturday! PAGE C2 t Law of Optimism After your hands become coatBest wishes to you and yours on ed with grease, your nose will Smile today tomorrow will be seen with. this Blessed day! Law of Commercial Market- itch. worse! “FOR GOD SO LOVED THE And yes, you also have to pee. *** WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ing Law of Physical Appearance As soon as you find a product Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude from UE ONLY SON, THAT WHOEVER If the clothes fit, they’re ugly. with a BBA and from Indiana State University BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD that you really like, they stop makLaw of Biomechanics with an MBA. Vic worked with SyCip, Gorres, NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETER- ing it. The severity of the itch is in- Velayo (SGV - Andersen Consulting) and Ernst Law of Gravity NAL LIFE.â€? JOHN 3:16 Any tool, nut, bolt, screw, when versely proportional to your & Young before establishing Sy Accountancy *** Corporation in Pasadena, California. Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in dropped, will roll to the least ac- reach. Law of Bath *** bankruptcy, business, real estate and civil cessible corner. the probability of your tele- He has 50 years of experience in defending Law of Lockers litigation and has successfully represented If there are only two people in phone ringing is directly propor- taxpayers audited by the IRS, FTB, EDD, BOE and more than five thousand clients in California. other governmental agencies. He is publishing Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) a changing room, they will have tional to how deep your body is immersed in your bathtub. a book on his expertise - “HOW TO AVOID OR 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S. adjacent lockers. 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particularly for seniors at 66. You know you need at least $3K a month to pay for minimum interest on $100K of credit cards. $3K a month at 66 is a luxury that seniors at 66 normally do not have. In fact, $3K a month is a heavy burden for any person at any age to handle. I’m thinking there’s no problem with the house because at 66, the homestead exemption is $175K plus 6% cost of sale. The house is now worth $400K so 6% is another $24K to be added to the $175K homestead exemption. As a result, in a Chapter 7, clients will be able to keep their house. No problem. I ask them for their income. Wife has social security of $800. Husband has social security of $1800 and still works the same job that he had in 2001. This nets him $2500. They have household income of $5100. That’s not bad at all. They can easily pay the mortgage of $1700 so their house is not at risk. At $5100, they still qualify for Chapter 7 under the means test. There is no presumption of abuse. Looks like a clear-cut Chapter 7 case to wipe out the $100K credit cards. But wait. I ask them how many cars they have and what kind of cars are these? They have a new accord that they just purchased with a car loan. And what else? They have two luxury cars, although older model cars that are both fully paid. The mileage on one of them is less than 40K and the other has mileage of 100K. Well, those are not a lot of mileage especially for one of them. Chapter 7 trustees are focused on luxury cars that are fully paid even older model ones. A luxury car, even one that is 8 years old with low mileage can still have a blue book value of $10K to $15K. The combined current value of the two luxury cars is at least $18K, less the car exemption of $3,500, exposing a non-exempt car value of $14,500. This means that in a Chapter 7, the trustee will take the two luxury cars and sell them, unless clients settle with the trustee so that he lets them keep both cars. The new car is not a problem because it has no equity. In the context of Chapter 7, to settle with the trustee means that clients will have to

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Private sector warms up to Duterte policies by AMY

R. REMO Inquirer.net

Uncertainty and apprehension gripped the business community immediately after President Duterte was sworn into office in June due to the “changes” that had come. From controversial rhetoric against known allies, conflicting policy pronouncements, alleged extrajudicial killings, to this administration’s pivot to China despite existing territorial disputes, the “changes” were then feared to derail key reforms and slow down economic growth. But the latest numbers are telling a different story. Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez, for one, expects the local economy to grow by 7.1 percent in the last quarter of 2016 and into 2017. “From all indications, we continue to have a robust economy with a strong demand, lower unemployment rate. And with more people getting employed, you can expect a stronger spending power. The momentum is here and leading into 2017,” Lopez explained. As of end November, the value of investments approved by the BOI rose by 35.5 percent to

ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ DEAR Atty. Gurfinkel: I entered the U.S. on a C–1 transit visa, but I am not a crewman, nor was I joining any ship. I was simply passing through the U.S. to another country. However, I remained in the U.S. and am out of status. I just got married to a U.S. citizen, and was told I would not be able to adjust status (get a green card) in the U.S. because I entered on a C-1 transit visa. Is there any hope for me to adjust status in the U.S. through a marriage petition, without having to go back to the Philippines? Very truly yours, M.B.

Pres. Rodrigo Duterte

P324.5 billion. It was estimated that the agency’s investment approvals will grow by as much as 20 percent for full year 2016. Net inflow of job-generating foreign direct investments likewise increased by 25.3 percent in the first nine months of 2016 to $5.9 billion from the $4.7 billion recorded a year ago, reflect-

The Philippines: Southeast Asia’s looming startup capital VERY often when we think of the Philippines, sandy beaches and azure waters are the things that come to mind. In recent years, however, the country had veered away from that tropical image and turned itself into one of the fastest growing economies in the world, next to China. In just a few years, the Philippines has gained a reputation as a hotbed for tech startups and, 2015’s Geeks on the Beach Conference revealed, the country is aiming to become the home of at least 500 startups with total funding of US$200 million and valuation of US$ 2billion by 2020. Rosanne Hortensius, general manager of Saleduck – a European online deal platform with presence in Southeast Asia- points out five reasons why the Philippines is an ideal location for startups in the region. High levels of English-language proficiency The Philippines is one of the top five English-speaking countries in the world. This is a massive advantage as it makes the country a great place in which to conduct international business. Familiarity of Filipinos with Western culture also makes them a flag-bearer for business process outsourcing (BPO). Thriving outsourcing industry The Philippines maintains a

huge BPO industry, employing over 1 million workers with a projected revenue range of $25 billion in 2016. This helps to create a pool of highly-skilled technical talent – the foundation of a tech startup world where demand for skills such as business intelligence and mobile app development is high. A tech-savvy generation The Philippines is no stranger to advances of digitization and is considered as theworld’s most active user of social media and one of the largest consumers of digital content. This affinity is extremely attractive to tech startups looking to enter the market. When you are a B2C business like us, it is very encouraging when you know that your target market is well-versed in the tools that draw them to your product. Technically-skilled graduates With more than 130,000 graduates in tech-related fields per year, an increasing number of university graduates come equipped with advanced skills in programming languages and app design, among others. This breeds a highly capable workforce that can help propel any emerging startup in the Philippines. The costs of hiring locally is significantly lower when compared to having to outsource foreign talent. PAGE D2

Sound economic fundamentals help PH weather external shocks by LAWRENCE

AGCAOILI Philstar.com

MANILA – The Philippines survived yet another bout of more pronounced external shocks brought about by the much anticipated interest rate hike in the US. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said it could be argued that 2016 was a year wherein a number of “tail risk events or tail events” materialized. In economics or statistics, there is a concept of a tail risk defined as “the risk of an asset or portfolio of assets moving more than three standard deviations from its current price.” In layman’s terms, Tetangco said one could think of a tail risk as the risk of a “very rare” event occurring. He cited the decision of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, known as “Brexit,” through a referendum last June 23 as well as the victory of Republican Donald Trump last Nov. 8 that caused shockwaves across the globe.

Immigration Corner

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said it could be argued that 2016 was a year wherein a number of “tail risk events or tail events” materialized.

Data suggest that Brexit’s direct impact on the domestic economy would be limited as trade with and foreign direct investments from the UK represent less than one percent of total trade and FDI. PAGE D2

Business Quote of the Week “No more romanticizing about how cool it is to be an entrepreneur. It’s a struggle to save your company’s life—and your own skin— every day of the week.” - Spencer Fry, CarbonMade co-founder

ing investors’ confidence in the country’s economy. Meanwhile, merchandise exports finally recovered in September to end 17 consecutive months of year-on-year decline. Preliminary data from Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that outbound shipments of local goods grew 5.1 percent to PAGE D2

Dear M.B.: A C-1 visa is issued to aliens in “immediate and continuous transit through the U.S.” Such visas are typically issued to crewmen seeking to join a ship. However, a C-1 visa can also be issued to other people transiting through the U.S. to another country. These non-crewman

D1

Non-crewman C-1 transits can adjust status in the US C-1 entrants could possibly be eligible to adjust status in the U.S. (For crewmen to adjust status in the U.S., they would need the benefit of Section 245(i), by having been previously petitioned before April 30, 2001. However, non-crewman transits would not necessarily need Section 245(i) to adjust status in the U.S.) In fact, my office has handled several cases involving non-crewmen C-1 transits, and we successfully secured their green card in the U.S. through adjustment of status. In one case, the person entered on a C-1 visa, going to Guantánamo Bay to work. In another case, the person was transiting through the U.S. to work on an oil platform off the coast of Louisiana. Since they were not crewman, we succeeded in having them adjust status in the U.S. versus having to go back to the Philippines via provisional waiver. If you entered the U.S. on a C-1 visa and were not a crewman, you should consult with an attorney, who can evalu-

ate your case and determine your eligibility for adjustment of status (assuming you have been petitioned and your priority date is current). If you are a C-1 crewman, you would either need the benefit of Section 245(i) or consider a provisional waiver. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel is licensed, and an active member of the State Bar of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different. The information contained herein including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and re-enactments) is of a general nature, and is not intended to apply to any particular case, and does not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: (866)—GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIP(Advertising Supplement) PINES

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Private sector warms up to Duterte...

AL said it is starting 2017 with the launch of a new route that would fly passengers directly to their destination without transiting in Manila.

PAL to launch new routes

by LoueLLa

DesiDerio Philstar.com

MANILA - Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) is planning to launch new routes for 2017, starting with the Clark to Incheon service to be offered on Jan.1. In a statement, PAL said it is starting 2017 with the launch of a new route that would fly passengers directly to their destination without transiting in Manila. In particular, PAL would begin offering flights from Clark to Incheon in South Korea by Jan.1. Incheon in South Korea is the first international destination to be served by PAL from Clark. PAL started operating flights in Clark on Dec.16 by making available the Clark to Caticlan service. The carrier decided to launch

flights at the Clark Airport in support of the government’s efforts to ease congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). The government has been encouraging airlines to use the Clark Airport and make it an alternative to the congested NAIA. The NAIA served over 36 million passengers in 2015, higher than the annual maximum capacity of 35 million passengers. Earlier, Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade said he is also in talks with the Minister of Transportation of Japan and PAL officials for the launch of flights to Japan from the Clark Airport. The move is intended to provide more international service to passengers particularly those coming from Central and Northern Luzon.

Apart from offering new routes, PAL is also set to start retrofitting its fleet of Airbus A330 with new economy seats, lie-flat Business Class seats and the latest inflight entertainment system through individual seat monitors. By removing more than a hundred seats, PAL’s passengers would get more legroom. PAL which took delivery of seven new aircraft – two Boeing 777-300ERs and five Airbus A321s this year, now has a total of 81 aircraft its in fleet. The airline expects aircraft delivery to continue in 2017 as it has placed orders for new Q400 aircraft from Bombardier. It is also set to take delivery of the new Airbus A350 to be used for long-haul flights starting 2018.

PAGE D1 $5.211 billion in September from $4.96 billion a year ago. “I think this administration is off to a good start,” Lopez added. The trade chief added that despite the “political noise,” foreign investors continued to flock to the Philippines. Local businessmen were similarly placing their confidence in the Duterte administration. “If you talk to investors, they are placing full confidence and trust in the Duterte administration because they’ve been getting assurances from our President himself. We tell them, do not listen to the rhetoric, understand the context, and look at the longterm economic fundamentals of the Philippines. We tell them, don’t get affected by the political noise. We haven’t changed any policies that may affect business,” Lopez stressed. “President Duterte is not antiinvestor. In fact, during his talks with the investors, he would personally assure investors that if they encounter any people who will make it difficult for them to do business in the Philippines, he will deliver their papers to the proper agency for processing. He is guaranteeing to investors that everything is in order,” he added. And even the local business community seems to agree. Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis Jr., president of the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc., is bullish about prospects next year, noting that there “has been an improvement in a lot of things.”

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez

“Foreign direct investments are increasing noticeably under the Duterte administration and despite all negative things that came out, the latest GDP growth was at 7.1 percent and I have a good feeling that we can even easily hit a GDP of 7.5 percent next year,” Ortiz-Luis told the Inquirer. “There is a huge potential for increased trade and investments from China next year and even in tourism as well. Since the President’s state visit to China, there has not been a month that we did not receive delegations from China, all looking at the things they can do here. I think there’s a delegation coming in twice or even thrice a month,” Ortiz-Luis added. The Philexport official opined that this “administration will do better” as seen in its initial performance over the past six months. “We see investments fast coming in and these are real and concrete investments that create the jobs. We’re feeling optimistic

about the Duterte administration,” Ortiz-Luis said. George T. Barcelon, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce Inc. (PCCI), admitted that there were concerns raised earlier which may have triggered some uncertainties. However, these had not been material enough to spook investors. The Duterte administration, in fact, has managed to bolster investor confidence in the country with its aggressive drive against crime, corruption and drugs. The Makati Business Club, for its part, is banking on the fulfillment of the administration’s 10-point economic agenda, with the group “looking forward to a more aggressive rollout of the projects and programs that will ensure that that country and our people will feel the impact of the agenda through more jobs, a more enhanced climate for doing business and more globally competitive Philippines,” said its executive director Peter Angelo V. Perfecto.

The Philippines: Southeast...

community, there is a growing support system for startups in Growing number of startup the country. Incubators such as support groups IdeaSpace, Kickstart Ventures With the development of a and Launchgarage have opened startup roadmap by the Philip- doors to information access, menpine government in partnership torship programs and possible with stakeholders in the startup funding. (ManilaTImes.net) PAGE D1

Sound economic fundamentals... PAGE D1 However, Tetangco said the Philippines should be concerned about the possible second round effect particularly on how Brexit would affect growth in the EU. With regard to the forthcoming assumption to office of US president-elect Trump, the BSP chief said it is too early to tell how his campaign promises on tax laws, immigration policies as well as financial and business regulations would pan out. “Off hand, we will keep an eye on the possible impact of shifts in immigration policies on remittances as well as the prospects of sustained investments from US business process outsourcing companies,” Tetangco said. Tetangco also cited the ongoing rebalancing of the Chinese economy given the increasing cooperation between the Philippines and China in recent years. US Fed chair Janet Yellen announced a 25 basis-point hike this month, its second in a decade, bringing interest rates to a range of 0.50 to 0.75 percent after the two-day meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). The Fed also penned three quarter-point rate hikes next year instead of two as of September that could be followed by three more increases in 2018 and 2019. “What will be spoken of more today is the Fed dot plot, which shows a more hawkish Fed than market first expected. But even then market would likely not dwell too much on that because market also knows that those dots do change over time,” he said. On top of all the risks from the external front, Tetangco pointed out the impact of severe weather disturbances and the infrastructure gaps remain important challenges in the domestic sphere. President Duterte, who assumed office last June 30, committed to ramp up infrastructure spending to five percent of gross domestic product (GDP) from the current level of two percent of GDP. This prompted fiscal managers to raise the country’s budget deficit ceiling to three percent of GDP instead of only two percent of GDP to allot more funds for much needed infrastructure projects. For his part, BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said 2016 was indeed a challenging year for the Philippines. Guinigundo said authorities continue to build buffers through the crafting of policies and conduct of appropriate operations to ensure the economy remains resilient. Both Tetangco and Guinigundo said the Philippines has what it takes to survive external headwinds just like during the Asian financial crisis. “Given the external headwinds, I believe our defense system is

sound. Our growth dynamics continue to be convincing, with domestic economic activity seen to remain firm, supported by solid private household consumption and investment, buoyant business and consumer sentiment, and adequate credit and domestic liquidity,” Tetangco said. The economy grew 7.1 percent in the third quarter from seven percent in the second quarter amid strong investment and private consumption growth. This brought the average GDP expansion to seven percent in the first nine months, the high end of the six to seven percent growth for 2016 penned by economic managers. Amid the strong growth, inflation remained tame, averaging 1.7 percent in the first 11 months despite kicking up to 2.5 percent in November. This is below the two to four percent target set by monetary authorities. The strong domestic demand and benign inflation environment has allowed the BSP’s Monetary Board to keep interest rates steady this year. The central bank made an operational adjustment in the rates last June 3 due to the implementation of the interest rate corridor (IRC) system that aims to bring market rates closer to policy rates. Key policy rates remain steady at 3.5 percent for the overnight lending facility, three percent for the overnight reverse repurchase facility, and 2.5 percent for the overnight deposit facility. The peso moved in tandem with regional currencies as the dollar continued to strengthen, depreciating by five percent since the start of the year as investors shifted funds from emerging market economies including the Philippines to safe havens in search for better returns. The peso flirted with the 50 to $1 even closing at 49.999 to $1 last Dec. 20. This was the weakest level of the local currency in over a decade or since closing at 50.12 to $1 in Nov. 16, 2006. “These are episodic movements of the peso. Remember that any movement of the peso should concern us. We always monitor the movement of the peso,” Guinigundo said. Tetangco, on the other hand, said the BSP continues to allow market forces to determine the exchange rate but participates in the market to keep volatility in check if there are excessive movements. “I’ve been asked lately whether the recent weakness of the peso is worrisome. Our flexible exchange rate policy provides us with a reliable tool to shield the economy from temporary gyrations, while our adequate reserves and sustained current account surplus fundamentally anchor our external position,” he said. The interagency Development Budget Coordination Committee PAGE D3

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Asian American Business Roundtable to Filipino customers guaranteed be held January 11-13th in Las Vegas top service at Hooman Chrysler Diversity as the disruptor: How U.S. demographics are changing business dynamics

NEW YORK – Diversity is set to become the new disruptor in the U.S. economy, corporations and business leadership. The Asian American Business Development Center today announced that their second annual Asian American Business Roundtable, “The New Majority: Igniting the Future through Inclusion and Partnerships” will be held at The Venetian, Las Vegas from Jan. 11 - 13, 2017. For the program, list of speakers and ticket information please see http://aabusinessroundtable.org/. The rise of a multicultural community comprising African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans

and Asians to form a “New Majority” in America means changes, challenges and new collaboration strategies for businesses and organizations that seek to thrive in the coming decades. PepsiCo, Kaiser Permanente, Univision, Cisco, JPMorgan Chase and The Conference Board are among the organizations who have put this significant demographic transformation onto their agendas, and who seek to provide insights, ideas and solutions on how they are embracing the emerging changes. “Diversity and inclusion have been a mantra for many U.S.

companies for some time,” said John Wang, founder of the Asian American Business Development Center. “What’s different now is the growing realization that the so-called minorities in America are evolving into a majority population, and that businesses need to reinvent their approaches toward this new base of consumers, employees and leadership.” The buying power of minority ethnic groups is growing at an exponential rate. Taken together, the consumer power of African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos and Native Americans is forecast PAGE D4

The Philippines maintains a huge BPO industry, employing over 1 million workers with a projected revenue range of $25 billion in 2016.

Sound economic fundamentals...

PAGE D2 (DBCC) has tweaked the country’s foreign exchange assumption to a range of 48-50 to $1 from the previous 45-48 to $1 due to the continued weakening of the peso against the dollar. Despite the impact of the volatile global financial market, the Philippines managed to keep its investment grade rating from Moody’s Investors Service, S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Rat-

ings. For 2017, Tetangco said external headwinds would continue to persist but the country’s sound macroeconomic fundamentals would help the Philippines withstand the shocks. In his recent interview with Barron’s Asia, Tetangco cited Brexit, uncertainties about the Trump administration, and the upcoming votes elsewhere in Europe make for a “scary” 2017.

“These are scary developments, it’s scary. You mentioned politics. I think that’s a major consideration right now because it’s causing some uncertainty with this potential rise in populist policies - uncertainty because it is going to be difficult to frame economic policy when something isn’t clear,” Tetangco said in a recent interview with Barron’s Asia’s William Pesek.

Hyundai Dodge Jeep Ram

For many folks, buying a car is often stressful and laborious. Figuring out finances, picking out the right make and model and deciding on the right dealership are just among the few things to worry about when making one of the most important purchases. But at Hooman Chrysler Hyundai Dodge Jeep ram, consumers are guaranteed honest service from an unrivaled team of sales consultants and managers. General Manager Manny Martinez – who describes himself as a “die hard Filipino” -- has been in the automobile industry for decades and understands the importance of customer satisfaction. At Hooman, he and his expert team make that a company priority. Hooman is dedicated to providing quality service and reasonable prices, regardless of customers’ credit. Working with reliable banks, they are able to approve clients no matter the circumstances: first time buyers with little credit history, customers undergoing bankruptcy, families who have experience home foreclosures and customers with credit issues. Whatever the situation, Hooman is sure to deliver. Where other dealerships merely claim to cater to those with credit issues, Hooman makes it a prime concern to make sure that credit doesn’t deter anyone from purchasing a car. Moreover, Hyundai and Chrysler, in particular, are able to grant generous rebates, which can help when putting a down payment on an automobile. Since taking over as GM in September, Martinez has been putting together a special team of Filipino American managers and salespeople to help Filipino clients. Martinez sought to cater to the Filipino community in this way because he knows that trust and loyalty are huge elements in the business of automobiles. “We love the Filipinos because they deserve to get a new car because they work hard and they are very, very good people.

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They are good citizens of this country and they deserve to be assisted even if they have really bad credit,” Martinez said. Currently on his Tagalogspeaking team are Used Car and rental Fleet Director Patrick Toledo and Sales Consultant Arvin Aberilla who were handpicked for their experience, integrity and their dedication to deliver first-class service to clients. Serving the Filipino-American community has always been a mission for Martinez, who was a part of the first car dealership to advertise to the Filipino

community in 1995. “My priority is always the Filipino community since I got into the car business in 1989,” Martinez said. “We’ve always treated Filipinos with a lot of respect, and they’ve always been very loyal.” Hooman Chrysler Hyundai Dodge Jeep ram is located on 333 Hindry Ave., Inglewood, CA 90301 and are opened Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. To call for more information, call (310) 846-1300. 8[m\ik`j`e^ Jlggc\d\ek

D december 31, 2016-january 3, 2017 • La WeeKend aSIan jOurnaL

Longo Lexus offers the ultimate conveniences in customer amenities

We all know that the process of buying a car is not just as simple as buying a new pair of shoes at the mall. It is a long process that involves careful comparison between vehicle models, reviewing the car’s specifications with regards to the needs of the buyer, and of course, the negotiations for the financing packages and promos. As such, it is very important for Longo Lexus that its customers are supremely comfortable and well-pampered if they are going to make that important decision of which Lexus they will drive home. As a car dealership, there are many reasons why Longo Lexus has been an elite of Lexus dealer since 1992. One of those reasons includes the ultimate conveniences that they offer in customer amenities. As one of the leading Lexus car dealerships, Longo Lexus provides not only pre-sales conveniences, but also noteworthy post-sales services. Longo Lexus is known for the unique amenities that they offer to dealership customers. One of those unique amenities include an on-site Auto Club of Southern California (AAA) center. The AAA branch offers DMV services, airline, car, and hotel reservations, discounted movie and local attraction tickets, AAA membership application processing, OnBoard Teen Safe Driver Program, auto and home insurance, and more. Sign up at our AAA branch in Longo, and you’ll receive a special $13 discount off the original membership price. Aside from from the on-site AAA branch, Longo is also the first dealership in the US to offer Verizon Wireless and Verizon Wireless Neighborhood services on-site. Offering the latest technologies in telecommunications, mobile accessories, and services, Longo’s on-site Verizon branch makes it even more convenient for customers to stay connected with the world. Our Verizon Wireless Premium Retailer is open from Monday to Friday, 7am-7pm; Saturday, from 7am to 5:30pm; and Sunday, from 8am to 4pm. Please call (888) 8115201. While waiting for your car to come out of our premium carcare service lines or while you’re going through our wide inventory of luxurious Lexus vehicles, you can enjoy a quick bite at Sub-

way or a nice refreshing drink at Starbucks. If you want to pamper your car, you can also shop at the Longo Lexus Parts Boutique, which carries a wide selection of genuine Lexus parts and accessories for your vehicle. M`Zkfi I\p\j With over 31,000 parts and accessories in stock, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for. The after-sales services of a dealership is just as important as the pre-sales amenities. And it these after-sales services that make buying a vehicle at Longo Lexus a truly rewarding experience. We offer complimentary loaner vehicles for your use while your car is in our service center. For inquiries, on our loaners, please call our coordinators at 1-800-5970813. For your convenience, we also offer complimentary shuttle service to take you to your office, home, or even the mall—basically anywhere within a 15-mile radius—while your vehicle is being serviced. If you don’t have time to make the drive to our dealership, our Longo Lexus Mobile Service Van and Truck can provide routine maintenance services, such as oil changes and tire rotations, right at your home or office. Appointments can be made up to 6 months in advance. Similarly, if your service requirements need the car to be physically present at our Longo service center, we offer complimentary flatbed truck pick-up and delivery of your vehicle to and from our dealership. Our Longo Lexus Mobile Service Van and Truck, and our complimentary flatbed truch pick-up and delivery service are exclusively for cars that are purchased from Longo Lexus, and are located within 60mile radius from Longo. Please call 1-800-597-0813 to schedule your appointment. Also, for every service appointment, each vehicle receives a complimentary car wash in our Longo Lexus Car Spa. For our clients who wish to use other cars, aside from those among our fleet of loaner Lexus cars, they can avail of the services of our enterprise Rent-A-Car offices.

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PH international investment position continues to improve by Lawrence

agcaoiLi Philstar.com

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed. The central bank said prelimiMANILA - The country’s International Investment Position nary IIP data showed the country’s (IIP) continued to improve amid net external liability position the tepid growth in the global declined 15.2 percent to $27.15 economy, a report released by the billion in end-September relative

to its position of $27.15 billion at end-June. This developed as total external financial assets inched up 1.2 percent to $166.91 billion in end-September from $164.89 bilPAGE D5

Asian American Business Roundtable... PAGE D3

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With two branches on the Longo Premises, enterprise is ready to address all your car rental needs. Please call (800) 969-6519 for more information. We understand that life’s daily grind requires our customers to be always on top of everything while keeping up with an onthe-go lifestyle. Which is they are more than welcome to work at our Longo Business Center where they can work on our computer terminals, free of charge. We also offer complimentary Wireless Internet Access (Wi-Fi) to our customers throughout the facility. This is particularly useful for our customers with mobile devices, laptops, and tablets. While you wait for your car to come out of our service center, your kids can enjoy and have a good time at our Children Play Area, where we offer video games and other activities for the young ones. Longo Lexus customers will also be offered complimentary use of our iPads while they are waiting for their vehicle. For more information on our Longo Lexus Guest Services, please log on to www.longolexus.com/GuestAmenities or call (626) 539-2956. Longo Lexus is located at 3530 North Peck Road, el Monte, CA 91731. 8[m\ik`j`e^ Jlggc\d\ek

to reach over $4.1 trillion in 2019. If it were a separate country, this New Majority would be the third largest economy in the world, after the U.S. and China. The Asian American Business Development Center, a New York –based non-profit group formed to promote business and professional advancement for Asians, is convening a summit to address the powerful and transformational trends associated with the New Majority. Organized by the Asian American Business Roundtable, “The New Majority: Igniting the Future through Inclusion and Partnerships” will be co-hosted by PepsiCo’s Vice Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Mehmood Khan. “The markets and consumers we serve are becoming increasingly diverse, creating vast new opportunities for companies across industries. This shift demands that companies foster a strong spirit of diversity, inclusion and engagement within their organizations. By embracing diversity and working to promote greater respect, understanding and appreciation across cultures, we will strengthen our communities and enhance our ability to meet the needs of the consumers we serve,” Dr. Khan said. Bernard J. Tyson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Kaiser Permanente, a recognized leader in diversity, who was recently named the second most influential leader in health care by Modern Healthcare Magazine, will be a keynote speaker at the summit, which is expected to draw participants from across the business spectrum. Summit goers can expect to be inspired by the story of Andrew Cherng, who as a Chinese immigrant to America in the mid-1960s, grew his Panda Inn fine-dining restaurant into the Panda Express empire, which by the end of 2016 will record $2.8 billion in sales. They can also learn about the so-

cial, political and economic identity of the New Majority, how to build sustainable partnerships for future collaboration, the importance of supplier diversity, how multi-culture inspires innovation, what New Majority consumers want, and strategies to bring more women into C-suites. In addition, the summit will explore how multicultural millennials are infusing new life into entrepreneurship and presenting fresh challenges to corporations seeking to identify and develop high-performing individuals for senior leadership. And how are traditional ethnic and gender advocacy groups adapting to the multicultural mandate? Join these forward-thinking business leaders as they focus on collective goals, partnerships and actions to reshape the way all of us think about and take strategic advantage of the economic, educational, community and business opportunities that will arise from the growth of the New Majority. This summit, the second in an annual series organized by the Asian American Business Development Center, will provide a chance to connect, collaborate and contribute with a diverse group of talented professionals, business owners and diversity thought leaders. The Asian American Business Development Center The Asian American Business Development Center was established in New York City in 1994 by John Wang, to promote greater recognition of Asian American businesses’ contributions to the general economy. AABDC encourages Asian American businesses to be more actively involved in issues and policies that directly affect them at the federal, state and city levels and provides capacity-building assistance to business entities that enables them to compete in the mainstream marketplace and expand business opportunities. Over the years, AABDC has cre-

ated a significant presence within the Asian American business community in the U.S., and following the global economy, has established a credible position as a middleman introducing business opportunities between China and New York. AABDC’s highlights include establishing an annual awards event. Established in 2001, the Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business Award dinner is the only such event of its kind to acknowledge the achievements of Asian American corporate executives and entrepreneurs across a wide spectrum of industries and their contributions to the U.S. economy. The Asian American Business Roundtable The Asian American Business Roundtable and its inaugural Summit’s roots go back to the Asian American Business Development Center (AABDC). In 2001, AABDC organized the first black-tie business awards gala dinner for Asian Americans, called the Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business Awards Gala Dinner. As of 2015, this annual event has honored more than 700 elite Asian American entrepreneurs and corporate executives from across the United States. The potential power of this network was harnessed by AABDC forming the Asian American Business Roundtable: A forum where highly successful, as well as high potential Asian American professionals, can collaborate to increase their capacity to exert influence in their respective industries. It brings together outstanding senior Asian American business executives, to generate ideas and provide counsel on business and leadership issues of broad social and economic interest. For the 2016 Asian American Business Roundtable summit highlights: “Taking Risks, Changing the Game” http:// aabusinessroundta ble.org/wpcontent/uploads/ 2016/04/AABRSummit-Final- Report.pdf.

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DEcEmbER 31, 2016 -JANUARy 3, 2017 D

Central Bank gives 3 more months to Nissan Leaf: The little car that could exchange old Philippine banknotes by Juancho

agoncillo ManilaTimes.net

by Ben

o. de Vera Inquirer.net

MANILA — The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has given those who still have in their possession old banknotes launched over two decades ago three more months to exchange their old bills before they ultimately lose value. BSP Deputy Governor Nestor A. Espenilla Jr. told a press briefing Wednesday, Dec. 28 that the BSP’s Monetary Board—its highest policymaking body—extended to April 1, 2017, the period during which all New Design Series (NDS) bills will be demonetized due to “public clamor for more time to exchange or replace the old banknotes,” which were launched in 1985. As such, the public can still exchange or replace their NDS banknotes with the BSP or authorized agent banks and financial institutions until March 31, 2017, or three additional months from the earlier deadline of Dec. 31, 2016. Originally, the BSP scheduled demonetization of the NDS banknotes on Jan. 1. In April 2017, only the New Generation Currency (NGC), the banknote series launched in 2010, can be used for daily transactions. According to Espenilla, only

a “small amount” of NDS bills were still in circulation. BSP data showed that as of the end of November, 8.86 percent or 295.7 million pieces of the 3.34 billion banknotes in circulation are NDS banknotes. In terms of value, the NDS banknotes still in circulation are worth a total of P23.3 billion, comprising a mere 2.4 percent of the P979.9-billion worth in the system. Both the volume and value of NDS banknotes compared with the total banknotes in circulation already dropped from 21 percent and 20.4 percent, respectively, by the end of 2014, when the demonization process was first announced. Between 2015 and endNovember this year, a total of 416 million pieces of NDS banknotes were withdrawn from the system, equivalent to P161 billion. Espenilla reminded banks that they must replace old banknotes from those exchanging them even if they were not their customers. He further warned that banks which would refuse trading the old bills with new ones would be slapped penalties under relevant provisions of the BSP Charter. Espenilla said that as of Wednesday, the Monetary

1985 old Philippine peso bills, named the New Design Series, that will be demonetized by Apr. 1, 2017.

PH international investment...

PAGE D4 lion in end-June, while external financial liabilities declined 1.5 percent to $194.06 billion from $196.92 billion. The central bank said the improvement in the IIP reflected stronger balance of payments (BOP) position with a surplus of $1 billion in the third quarter. IIP is a stock estimate of the country’s foreign financial assets and foreign financial liabilities outstanding as of a certain period while BOP is a summary of the economic transactions of the country with the rest of the world. The increase in total external financial assets during the quarter was driven mainly by the 3.8 percent increase in direct investments, particularly residents’ net placements in equity and investment fund shares and debt instruments issued by non-resident affiliates. Meanwhile, the country’s reserve assets inched up one percent from end June. On the other hand, the BSP attributed the decline in external financial liabilities in the third quarter to the 1.4 percent decrease in loans as well as 18.1 percent drop in trade credits and advances. Likewise, foreign portfolio investments or hot money decreased by 1.3 percent due mainly to the negative price revaluation of nonresidents’ holdings of domestic equity securities as the Philippine

Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) declined 2.1 percent during the quarter. Across sectors, only the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) exhibited a net external asset position of $85.47 billion as of end-September. It continued to account for the largest share of the Philippines’ total external financial claims on the rest of the world at 52 percent. The BSP’s external financial assets increased one percent to $86.8 billion in end-September from $86 billion in end-June. The central bank’s gross international reserves also grew by one percent to reach $86.1 billion as of endSeptember due mainly to higher net foreign currency deposits by the national government, foreign exchange operations of the BSP, and income from the BSP’s investments abroad. Meanwhile, the BSP reported other major sectors including deposit-taking corporations except the central bank, the general government, and other sectors posted net external liability positions as they remained net users of foreign resources. The country’s total external financial liabilities to the rest of the world consisted mostly of nonresidents’ investments in equity securities issued by local corporations accounting for 25.7 percent, non-residents’ placements of equity capital in resident affiliates with 23.2 percent, and residents’ availment of foreign loans with 22.5 percent.

Board was still studying if it would also extend the deadline for authorized agent banks, treasurers of local government units, clerks of courts and law enforcement agencies, as well as Filipinos living and working abroad. In the case of banks and local treasurers, the BSP had already given them until March 31 next year to exchange the NDS notes in their possession as of Dec. 31 this year. NDS banknotes in courts’ custody must be traded until Jan. 31, 2017, while those subject of court cases can still be exchanged within six months after the termination of the corresponding legal cases. For overseas Filipinos, they are enjoined to register up to P50,000 of old banknotes on the website https://orbs.bsp.gov.ph until Dec. 31, after which they can trade the money within a year from registration date. As for those in war-torn countries, the BSP had given them until Dec. 31, 2017, to exchange NDS notes, even if they do not register. The BSP will undertake piece by piece verification of all NDS banknotes that will be submitted for exchange. Just a few days before Christmas, the BSP also released 27 million pieces of NGC banknotes bearing President Duterte’s signature, worth a total of P8.75 billion. n

THE road is a substantial part of life’s journey, both figuratively and literally. Like it or not, the road will eventually hold a significant portion of our lives as we make our way through city and rural streets on a daily basis. Through the traffic of the metropolitan streets and the less-than-apt condition of the national roads of this nation’s capital, the daily drive of any citizen gets stagnant, and fast. To this condition, road trips are aimed to solve. A once-a-month trip down fresh and new roads does much to appease the burden of city-street exhaustion and gives the driver and gives way to an appreciation for what’s around him that can be easily taken for granted and undervalued. This is exactly what the boys behind the 100-percent electric Nissan Leaf addressed as they took the idea of driving through majestically rural roads, gave it steroids, and actually did it. A road trip of epic proportions – this is what the Nissan Leaf and all of its 100-percent electric powered goodness took on as it drove through over 650 kilometers on the most beautiful rural and coastal drive routes of Europe just on August 25, 2016. The epic journey saw the Nissan Leaf drive through the most majestic roads in Italy, Spain, Germany, Norway, Scotland and France. Rightfully a statement directed at the majority of European drivers who prefer traveling by car that by any other means, with cost of fuel being the only concern, the Nissan Leaf did all of this traveling while showcasing its incredibly low running cost of just about €3 per

100 kilometers, thanks to the Leaf’s 30-kWh battery offering 250-kilometer driving range per charge. Of course the convenience of having around 2,800 quick charge stations across Europe is a big help as well. The practicality, user-friendliness, and fun of driving a zero-emission car has never been as deep set as it is today. “The Nissan LEAF is much more than just a city car and is an ideal zero-emission solution. With five seats and 370 litres standard luggage capacity, the Nissan LEAF 30 kWh is perfect for those long family getaways this summer. LEAF’s low running costs and quiet drivetrain make family holidays cheaper and more peaceful than ever before,” said Gareth Dunsmore, Director of Electric Vehicles at Nissan Europe. “What’s more, the Grand Tour demonstrates Nissan’s commitment to our vision for intelligent mobility, showing how innovative technologies are helping to integrate EVs into modern family life,” he added. Pioneering car Nissan pioneered the electric

vehicle movement with the introduction of the world’s first massmarket EV, the Nissan LEAF, in 2010. Since then it has gone on to sell over 228,000 LEAFs globally, with more than 59,000 of these gracing the roads of Europe, making it the world’s best ever selling electric vehicle. The Nissan Leaf is a breakthrough piece of engineering that embodies the utmost in technological development without leaving behind what has always made the brand great: innovation that excites. The open road has always been a place where a person could lose himself. Be it while traveling unfamiliar territory or making the daily long drive to the work place. There are good days on the road as there are great days. There will however also be bad days as there are bound to be worse days. But through a daily journey of unpredictable ups and downs on the road, making it in the right, capable car, might just be the key to turning the worst day into one you can smile about in the end. The Nissan Leaf, with its proven land-traversing capability, might just be the key. n

D december 31, 2016-january 3, 2017 • La WeeKend aSIan jOurnaL

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