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Fil-Ams react to president’s sweeping actions have drawn mixed reactions from filipino Americans in the U.s. the president’s actions BUILD a wall along the United shouldn’t be surprising as they states-mexico border. Defund coincide with the platform he ran sanctuary cities. Limit refugees on, various fil-Am republicans entering the country by enforc- said. ing an “extreme vetting” test. “President trump made these some of president Donald promises…now he is abiding by trump’s campaign promises to [them],” Nelsie Parrado, current toughen up on immigration have president of the UP Alumni Assocome to life in his first week in ciation of America, told the Asian office through the signing of vari- Journal. “there is a big immigraous executive orders, all of which tion problem in the country today by ChriStina
M. oriel
AJPress
A young girl pins a copy of a brightly colored questionnaire askins demonstrators what they stand for during a candlelight vigil held on Thursday, January 26 in response to executive orders issued by President Donald Trump regarding immigration policy. AJPess photo by Eric Anthony Licas
DATELINE
USA
from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA
Ambassador Kim: PH-US to maintain 2017 joint exercises US to develop bases in PH JoINt military exercises between the Philippines and the United states will push through this year, according to U.s. Ambassador to the Philippines sung Kim. “We expect to carry out a robust set of military exercises this year, as has been planned for several years,” Kim told reporters on tuesday, January 24, in his makati office. this is regardless of Philippine President rodrigo Duterte’s previous remarks that he wanted to cut ties with America, and also despite of new U.s. President Donald trump’s “protectionist” stance in his “America first” policy. “Both countries have remained committed to this relationship, I think this recognition certainly Washington, Us-Philippine rela-
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Fil-Ams included in AAPI activism exhibit at Chinese American Museum A LArGer than life, black and white picture of student activists marching through an intersection with raised fists demands the attention of patrons approaching the Chinese American museum’s (CAm) latest exhibit, “roots: Asian American movements in Los Angeles.” the photo is printed across the wall directly opposite the stairwell and elevator doors that lead into the downtown Los Angeles gallery’s second floor. Like the over 250 other artifacts it is showcased alongside, it illustrates how agitating for social change helped define what it means to be an Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI). “It’s an identity rooted in activism,” the exhibit’s curator ryan Wong, told reporters during a press conference announcing the
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and [he] believes that these are the solutions.” on friday afternoon, January 27, trump signed an executive order suspending the U.s. refugee Admissions Program for 120 days and cuts the number of refugees welcomed into the country by half to 50,000. Additionally, it requires vetting measures to “keep radical Islamic terrorists out” of the country, he said. “We don’t want them here.
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Aquino refutes Duterte’s claim: US Duterte vows not involved in Mamasapano clash ‘maximum by Dana
SioSon AJPress
former Philippine President Benigno Aquino III has denied the involvement of the United states in the mamasapano antiterrorist raid that resulted in the deaths of 44 filipino special Action forces (sAf) two years ago. earlier this week, Aquino’s successor, President rodrigo Duterte, claimed that the operation was secretly led by the United states’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). responding to Duterte’s claims, Aquino said the U.s. helped with equipment and intelligence gathering. Aquino, how-
ever, stressed that he did not discuss the details of the operation with American officials. the former president also pointed out that the U.s. had been helping the Philippines through intelligence assistance even before his administration. “Bago pa man ang panahon ko, tumutulong na ang estados Unidos sa ating mga operasyon. Ang sa akin, Pilipino ang mga kausap ko. Pilipino ang nagbibigay-ulat sa akin, at Pilipino ang nagsagawa ng misyon. Ultimong asset na nakalapit kina marwan, asset ng ating gobyerno (Even before my administration, the U.S. has been with our operations. For my part,
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punishment’ for Jee killers by Dana
SioSon AJPress
Former Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III
PhILIPPINe President rodrigo Duterte issued an apology for the abduction and killing of a south Korean businessman, vowing that the criminals would be punished to the fullest extent of the law. “I apologize for the death of your compatriot. We are very sorry that it had to happen,” Duterte said in a speech during during the groundbreaking of the sarangani energy Corp. power plant in sarangani. on october 18, 2016, hanjin executive Jee Ick Joo was abducted at his house in Pampanga along with his house help. Jee was reportedly killed on the same
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US won’t undermine Fil-Am appointed White House Duterte gov’t, backs assistant press secretary drug campaign by Klarize
MeDenilla AJPress
mANILA, Philippines — the U.s. government is supporting the Philippines’ fight against the drug menace and reports that Washington was plotting to oust President Duterte over drug-related killings are “total nonsense,” America’s top diplomat in manila said yesterday. U.s. Ambassador sung Kim cited strong cooperation between the two countries in fighting drug trafficking, which he said US Ambassador Sung Kim would continue despite some “flaws” in the way it is being carried out. “We have absolutely no interest in doing anything to try to undermine President Duterte’s government. Period. I hope you can put that story to rest,” Kim told a small group of journalists at his official residence in makati. “Categorically, confidently, I can tell you that is total nonsense. there is absolutely no basis for that report.” Asked what the U.s. would do in case Duterte declared martial law, Kim said he did not want to comment on hypothetical situations.
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As the administration of President Donald trump begins to take action, the White house has begun filling out its staff to serve the president for the next four years. one of the newest members of the White house office of the Press secretary includes Ninio fetalvo, a 23-year-old filipino American, who will serve as an assistant press secretary. fetalvo, who previously worked as the Asian Pacific American press secretary for the republican National Committee (rNC), will work alongside three other assistant press secretaries. these assistants then work under three deputy press secretaries who report to Press secretary sean spicer, fetalvo’s former boss at the rNC. After trump’s inauguration on friday, January 20, spicer asked fetalvo to come on board as an assistant, and he got to work the following monday. “It’s truly a very humbling experience. It’s a real honor to work on behalf of our country and the American people. I’m really excited to see what President trump and Vice President [mike] Pence accomplish to truly make the country great again,” fetalvo told the Asian Journal on thursday, January 26. his press portfolio includes a wide range of domestic issues including labor, health care, education, transportation, veterans affairs, among
Ninio Fetalvo, White House Assistant Press Secretary
other issues. “It’s great to work with issues that directly affect the American people,” fetalvo said. “even if you look at health care, veterans affairs, these are issues that affect the American people, in-
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A JANUARY 28-31, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
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From the Front Page
First week in office: Trump introduces… PAGE A1 t
We want to ensure that we are not admitting into our country the very threats our soldiers are fighting overseas,” the president said during a speech at the Pentagon ahead of the signing. “We only want to admit those into our country who will support our country and love deeply our people.”
The executive order also suspends visa entry into the U.S. for 30 days from seven countries with predominantly Muslim populations: Syria, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Libya, Sudan and Yemen. Building a wall The first series of executive orders on immigration came on Wednesday, January 25, directing the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) to begin planning the construction of a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico and authorizing the allocation of federal funds needed for its design and construction. In his remarks at the DHS, Trump said the heightened border security will “improve the safety in both of our countries.” Dolly de Leon, a small business owner in Las Vegas, argued that, “crimes have been rampant and this administration believes that it would benefit the majority of the American people when the wall is built. Illegal drug cartels are the target, not the immigrants who are good members of our society.” The White House is considering a few options to fund the wall, including the possibility of imposing a 20 percent tax on imports from Mexico. Trump has repeatedly said that Mexico would eventually reimburse the U.S. for the cost of construction. However, Mexico has insisted that the country would not be paying for it, prompting President Enrique Peña Nieto to cancel his meeting with the U.S. leader scheduled for next week. The DHS is also under orders to construct additional immigration detention facilities and hire 10,000 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and 5,000 border patrol agents in order to effect “complete operational control of the southern border.” “But immigration law really needs to be reformed, but you can’t have that without securing the borders first,” Rudy Asercion, a committee member for the San Francisco Republican Party, told the Asian Journal. “Ultimately, this will be safer for Filipino Americans because when the ‘extreme vetting’ that Mr. Trump is taking about is in place, then we have the opportunity to stop at the borders, people who may intending to harm us — that’s important for our kids and families.” Sanctuary cities defiant A second executive order issued on Wednesday calls for the defunding of “sanctuary jurisdictions” that do not cooperate with the federal government in deporting undocumented immigrants. “These jurisdictions have
HAPPY DAY. Students interact with dragon and lion dancers who went around Manila’s Binondo district ahead of the celebration of the Chinese New Year on Saturday, Jan. 28. ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma
Aquino refutes Duterte’s claim…
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I’m talking with the Filipinos. It were the Filipinos who give me reports, and it were the Filipinos who conducted mission. Even the asset who managed to get close with Marwan is an asset of our government),” Aquino said. During the raid on January 25, 2015, the police commandos successfully killed Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli Abdhir, also known as Marwan, in the southern Philippines where various separatist rebel groups are based. The elite soldiers, however, were ambushed by rebel groups, including the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF). Marwan was included on the U.S. government’s “Most Wanted Terrorists” list. Aquino blamed SAF Commander Getulio Napeñas Jr. anew for his poor planning and coordination that resulted in the deaths of the SAF troopers. “Inutusan ko si Napeñas na kailangan niyang makipag-coordinate sa AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) para maihanda ang mechanized units, artillery, eroplano, tao at iba pang assets na kailangan para hindi mangyari ang pintakasi. Sagot ni Mr. Napeñas: ‘Yes, sir.’ Matapos u PAGE A3 ang imbestigasyon, lumabas na
wala palang 160 ang [84th “Seaborne” Special Action Company (SAC)]. Higit 70 lang ang bilang nila at 54 sa kanila ang operators (I ordered Napeñas to coordinate with the AFP for preparations. He answered ‘Yes sir.’ But investigations revealed that the 84th Seaborne had less than 160 troopers. They were 70 and 54 of them were operators),” he said. The 84th Seaborne, the team that attacked Marwan’s hut, and the 55th SAC, the designated “blocking force” of the operation, were the only two SAF divisions that were able to actually enter the area of operation. The other groups were reportedly delayed in their movements. Nine of the SAF troopers from the 84th Seaborne were killed during the raid while only one survived from the 55th SAC. “Dagdag pa ni Napeñas, mangyayari ang coordination kapag moving na raw sila. Tumanggi ako dito; sabi ko, kailangang may sapat at supisyenteng araw para maiposisyon ang lahat ng assets. Ang sagot na naman niya: ‘Yes, sir’ (Napeñas said the coordination will be done while they’re on the move. I refused and said there should be sufficient days to position all the assets. He replied ‘yes sir’),” Aquino remarked. Aquino claimed that his only
fault during the operation was trusting Napeñas. “Sa pagtatapos, kung may kasalanan po ako bilang Pangulo nung panahong iyon, ito po: ni minsan, hindi pumasok sa isip kong magagawa ni Napeñas na magsinungaling sa pangulo ng Pilipinas (If I had a fault as President at the time, it would be this: It never occurred to me that Napeñas would lie to the President of the Philippines),” the former president said. Marking the second death anniversary of the 44 police commandos on Wednesday, January 24, their relatives and families marched to the Office of the Ombudsman in Quezon City, calling the Ombudsman to hold Aquino accountable for the tragedy. “If it weren’t for the [former] president’s [Aquino] orders, all this wouldn’t have happened,” Felecitas Nacino, mother of PO2 Nicky Nacino Jr., one of the troopers killed during the operation, said. Telly Sumbilla, mother of PO3 John Lloyd Sumbilla who was also among the slain troopers, also decried how no one has been held accountable for the soldiers’ deaths. “Our sons’ bodies were mutilated. And until now, no one
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From the Front page
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A
First week in office: Trump introduces… PAGE A2 t
caused immeasurable harm to the American people and to the very fabric of our republic,” the order read. Parrado, who resides in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, expressed her backing of cutting federal funds to areas that don’t abide by the administration’s deportation orders. “I don’t understand why these cities are helping those who have committed crimes. I went through the immigration process, dumaan ako sa butas ng karayom (I had to pass through the eye of a needle),” she told the Asian Journal. “Why don’t these illegal immigrants find ways to legalize their stay in the country?” Despite this, mayors of sanctuary cities across the country have said that they will not follow Trump’s order. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said it will “make cities less safe.” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti added that it is “not the way forward for the United States.” “Splitting up families and cutting funding to any city — especially Los Angeles, where 40 percent of the nation’s goods enter the U.S. at our port, and more than 80 million passengers traveled through our airport last year — puts the personal safety and economic health of our entire nation at risk,” he said in a statement. Further, in his State of the State address, California Governor Gerry Brown pushed back against Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric, pledging to “defend everybody.” Since the election of Trump, LA has seen dozens of protests on its streets. This week, one was held outside of City Hall hours after the signing of the first executive orders on immigration, while a vigil — with nearly 1,000 participants — was held at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center on Thursday night in anticipation of the president’s order that many regard as anti-Muslim. “I am fearful because I’m just thinking where will he draw the line with who they’re going to ban on immigration,” Tricia Menchavez, a nurse, said on Thursday. “Who knows how far this thing is going to go. They could target me just because I look a certain way.” Farzana Nayani, a diversity educator, attended the vigil with
her two sons to show them how to stand together as a community. “The most recent events, especially the executive order regarding immigration, hit too close to home. Although my mother is Filipino, my father is from Pakistan and his country could be on the list next. The world is changing so quickly, I brought my children to the vigil because this will all affect them…,” Nayani said. “I could see adults being inspired by my children being at the event...I think they felt that if a 4-year-old can hold up a sign and stand up for our rights, so can they!” Standing in solidarity, fate of DACA uncertain Before the president signed the orders, the White House earlier this week announced that the administration would first focus on deporting undocumented
immigrants who have criminal records or pose a threat to the country. However, Shiu-Ming Cheer, staff attorney at the National Immigration Law Center, said the announcements made are “unfortunately just the beginning” and “far worse than what we had expected.” “Some of the changes that were announced [Wednesday] are around the broadening the types of ways in which people can be deported and who can be deported,” Cheer said on Thursday, January 26 at a press conference organized by Asian Americans Advancing Justice — Los Angeles. The past administration had focused on prioritizing deportations for those with criminal convictions. But the new order,
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SAVE THE REEFS. Environmentalists protest Chinese military activities at the West Philippine Sea in front of the Chinese consulate on Tuesday, Jan. 24. ManilaTimes.net photo by Bob Dungo Jr.
Duterte vows ‘maximum…
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Hundreds assembled for a candlelight vigil in support of immigrants rights on Thursday, January 26, a day after President Donald Trump issued executive orders implementing sweeping AJPress photo by Eric Anthony Licas changes to immigration policy
day but the perpetrators still demanded a P8-million ransom from his family. Last week, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) pronounced Jee dead. The Department of Justice (DOJ) later revealed that he was allegedly killed by policemen inside the Philippine National Police (PNP)’s main headquarters in Quezon City. “I can assure you those responsible are known to us already and they will go to prison and I will see to it that they are sentenced to the maximum,” Duterte added. Duterte, who usually shows
strong support for the PNP, warned the he would make sure the rogue policemen would suffer for their crimes. “Kayong pulis, bantay kayo, hindi ko kayo papalusutin (You, policemen, watch out. I won’t let you get away with this). You will suffer. Maybe I can send your heads to South Korea,” Duterte remarked. Among the suspects of the abduction-slay case are SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel, SPO4 Roy Villegas, Ramon Yalung, and several John Does under the aliases “Pulis,” “Jerry,” “Sir Dumlao” and “Ding.” The suspects were facing kidnapping for ransom and homicide charges.
In response, PNP Chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said he was very ashamed upon receiving the reports that the Korean national was killed inside the police headquarters. “Very angry. Very offended. Kung pwede matunaw na ako sa kinalalagyan ko sa hiya (If I could only melt in shame from where I am now),” Dela Rosa said. Earlier this week, Duterte refused Dela Rosa’s offer to resign from his post as the PNP chief. House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez previously called on Dela Rosa to resign from his post. Dela Rosa said it would be up to the president to decide if he should be removed from his post. n
US won’t undermine Duterte gov’t…
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A demonstrator’s son holds cardboard signs displaying a message of support for activists resisting the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline during a candlelight vigil held on Thursday, January 26. AJPress photo by Eric Anthony Licas
He said while preparing for his posting in the Philippines, he went over all the cables and reports sent from the US embassy in Manila and “there’s nothing that even resembles what’s claimed in that media report.” Since taking up his Manila posting in early December, Kim has had what he describes as two “very long” meetings with President Duterte and key Philippine officials. Kim would only say that they had “wide ranging discussions” on numerous issues including “law enforcement in
general.” Having worked as a prosecutor in Los Angeles, Kim said he understood Duterte’s concern and focus on the drug menace. This is why the U.S. government wants to continue its cooperation with the Philippines, which Kim described as one of the bright spots in bilateral relations. Asked about the Trump administration’s position on human rights and extrajudicial killings, Kim cited the statement of the nominee for secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, who said he wanted more information before
passing judgment on the Philippine campaign against drugs. “Obviously we have some concerns about some aspects of the drug campaign,” Kim said. “While everybody acknowledges that there is a very serious drug problem, there is also concern that some aspects of the antidrug campaign has flaws.” He stressed that the concerns are shared by others including Filipinos, and that his government is not telling the Philippine government what to do. “I hope people will not view
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A JANUARY 28-31, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
From the Front page
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Fil-Am appointed White House‌
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cluding the Filipino-American community.� As a young Filipino American, Fetalvo expressed excitement in being an important link between the White House and the American public. “Being at this position in the White House really excites me to just be able to help communicate and emphasize the policies that [are] really going to make our community better and more prosperous,� Fetalvo remarked. Fetalvo was born on May 1,
1993, in Fort Myers, Florida to Filipino parents who emigrated from Bicol, Philippines. Though never strongly political, they taught their son the importance of having a voice in the political process. “My parents were never active [in politics], but something that they always stressed was the importance of voting,� Fetalvo recalled. “My parents took that right very seriously.� Fetalvo is a steadfast Republican, and he attributes his FilipinoAmerican upbringing as an important factor in his political leaning.
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“When I started looking at issues, my values as an American and my values as a Filipino American really aligned with the Republican Party,� Fetalvo said. He cited his parents’ coming to the U.S. — where they didn’t know anybody — and building a life for themselves as his inspiration for becoming a Republican. “So when I look at the Republican Party, I really look at the party’s values of self-reliance, individual responsibility and [they] really ensure that more people can achieve the American dream,� he said. “So for me, it’s really personal and I think that being Filipino American has everything to do with why I’m Republican.� After high school, he went on to the George Washington University in Washington, DC where he majored in political communication with plans to eventually become an attorney. It wasn’t until his senior year when he got an internship with the RNC that he realized he wanted to pursue a career in politics. After graduating, he landed a job at the RNC as the APA press secretary, handling media and communications for the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. His job took him all around the country, and in early 2016, he temporarily moved to Cleveland as a part of the media affairs team for the 2016 Republican National Convention. Following the election, he was also a part of the Presidential Inaugural Committee, handling media operations for the historic inauguration of President Trump. Although most Filipino Americans identify more with the Democratic Party — roughly 54 percent are registered Democrats compared to 16 percent Republican, according to a 2016 study — Fetalvo firmly believes that the values and principles of the Republican Party coincide with the political priorities of Fil-Ams. As a young, bright-eyed Republican, Fetalvo has faith that the Trump administration will serve the American people — including the Fil-Am community — well and with distinction. “I think it’s important to note that President Trump wants to help all Americans, and that definitely includes the FilipinoAmerican community,� Fetalvo said. “I think when you look at the issues that matter to Americans all across the country, including Filipino Americans, the
WINNERS. Stamps featuring the three Filipino winners of the Miss Universe beauty pageant–first row, Gloria Diaz (1969); second row, Margarita Moran (1973); and third row, Pia Wurtzbach (2015)–were issued on Tuesday by the Philippine Postal Corporation or PhilPost for public use. A souvenir sheet (not in photo) that shows the three ladies has also been issued by PhilPost in time for the 2016 Miss Universe contest that will crown Wurtzbach’s successor in Manila on January 30. The souvenir sheet costs P100 apiece. ManilaTimes.photo Roger Raùada
Fil-Ams included in AAPI activism exhibit‌
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exhibition’s debut on Thursday, January 19. The New York-based historian and Los Angeles native traced the roots of AAPI activism to as far back as 1868, when young people started to reject the use of the word “Oriental� to describe their culture and began to adopt the term Asian American. In the following decades, distinct communities associated with people’s country of origin developed nationwide, despite laws passed by Congress limiting the flow of immigrants from Asia into the country. Amidst a swelling tide of activism during the 1960s, AAPI communities decided that they needed to band together as a cohesive voice in order to speak out against injustice. They, alongside advocates of the African-American, Chicano-American and Women’s empowerment movements, were part of a collective front pressing for equality. “The Asian American movement wasn’t just about us being Asians,� Florante Ibanez — a u PAGE A5 social organizer during the ‘70s, historian and California Library Services Board Member — told the Asian Journal on Thursday. The Pasadena City College adjunct professor, who teaches a class on the Filipino-American experience, added that “the framework that we were in back in the day was a whole social movement, or flow as we called it, of political activity and enthusiasm.� He described the ‘70s as a time when the spirit of revolution surrounded people and permeated their perception of the world. “Roots�, which is named after the first textbook published by UCLA’s Asian American studies department, recaptures that encompassing sentiment of rebellion in a compact, densely informative and multi-sensory exhibition. It is organized into six sections which focus on art & media, feminism, anti-imperialism, anti-war activism, student activism, and community building. A playlist featuring themes and musical genres prevalent during the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s accompanies the newspapers, photographs, posters, clothing and other items on display. These include editions of periodicals like Amerasia Journal and the leftist publication, Katipunan, as well as bulletins and fliers printed for
(Top) Museum curator Ryan Wong shows literature and imagery on display at the Chinese American Museum now until Sunday, June 11 in Los Angeles, California, illustrate the AAPI community’s longstanding tradition of political activism.
California Library Service Board Member and expert on Filipino-American activism, Florante Ibanez, points to a bulletin displayed at the Chinese American Museum on Thursday, January 19 that features directions to a gathering of progressive youth activists. AJPress photos by Eric Anthony Licas
organizations like Kababayn and Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA). When one stands at the threshold of the exhibit, the music coming from the left competes with audio from movies playing in an adjacent screening room to the right. Those were produced by Asian American filmmakers during the revolutionary era referenced by the exhibit. Museumgoers in a hurry could walk past the show’s display cases and gloss over the wide array of artwork and literature in the museum’s small gallery in just a few moments. However, in doing so, they would miss out on the richness of the stories told by the words and imagery which drench the eye-level space of the exhibition’s walls and hang from its rafters. Wong and the CAM spent three years accumulating the show’s artifacts, the majority of which were lent from the per-
sonal collections of former and current social organizers living in Los Angeles who had taken part in efforts to bring about social change. “Los Angeles, with its large Asian population, its many universities, which were hotbeds of activism, and with its historic communities, was really a center of what we know of today as the Asian American movement,� said Wong. The museum’s curator hopes this collection of evidence attesting to a longstanding tradition of social agitation within AAPI communities would help dispel popular notions of Asian-American apoliticism. He, along with Ibanez and CAM Interim Executive Director, Sharon Chen, said they hope the exhibit, which opened the day before President Donald Trump’s inauguration, will help inform and empower concerned members of the com-
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Dateline USa
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 28-31, 2017
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Ambassador Kim: PH-US to maintain 2017… PAGE A1 t
PROBE OF KOREAN TRADER SLAY. Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, chair of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, urges officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and other concerned agencies to expedite their investigation of the alleged kidnapping and murder of South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo during a hearing Thursday, January 26, 2017. “I will suggest ASAP, that we have a case conference, and thresh out the differences. Let us reconcile the pieces of evidences so we can build a stronger case,” he said. Also in photo is Senator Leila de Lima. Senate photo by Alex Nuevaespaña
US won’t undermine…
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this as somehow an American concern being imposed on the Philippines,” Kim said. “My sense is this is a concern for many people. So I think it’s a mistake to portray this as a US versus Philippines issue.” Duterte had hurled invectives at former US president Barack Obama and Kim’s predecessor Philip Goldberg for criticizing the Philippines’ bloody war on drugs, which has claimed over 6,000 lives in less than seven months. Trump, on the other hand, reportedly told Duterte in a phone conversation that the latter was doing the right thing in the antidrug campaign. Duterte has since described Trump as a “friend” and has invited the US president to Manila for the annual leaders’ summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations later this year. Kim noted that even as the two countries were going through a “rough patch” in bilateral ties last year, the US Drug Enforcement Administration continued to provide information and assistance
to the Philippines that helped in several major drug busts. “We recognize that President Duterte was elected in a vibrant and free democratic election. We have great respect for the Philippines’ democratic process. He won a very impressive victory,” Kim said yesterday. “What we want is to work with them to strengthen bilateral relationship and work together on some common challenges beyond our national interests.” Malacañang has accused a group of Filipino-Americans of plotting to oust Duterte with help from certain elements in the US government and support from “yellows” in the Philippines – a reference to groups associated with the Aquinos and the Liberal Party (LP). The plotters allegedly want to install Vice President Leni Robredo, who ran under the LP banner, as president. Robredo, the LP and FilipinoAmerican businesswoman Loida Nicolas Lewis have denied the existence of any such plot. (Philstar.com)
AJPress photo by Eric Anthony Licas
Fil-Ams included in AAPI…
feel like they’ve been left out of the conversation can reclaim munity who might not feel like power,” said Chen. “Hopefully, this is [a] starting point for peothey have a voice. They also said that the ex- ple to think about what we are amples and lessons of those still going through today.” The Chinese American Musewho pioneered the struggle for equality in America are now um is located at 425 N Los Anespecially relevant, in light un- geles St. and accessible via the certainties felt by many commu- Paseo de la Plaza. Roots: Asian nities of color and recent large- American Movements in Los Anscale protests held throughout geles 1968-1980 will run until Sunday, June 11. (Eric Anthony the country. “It shows how...people who Licas / AJPress)
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Aquino refutes Duterte’s…
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has been held liable. Those who abandoned them, those who ordered this, where are they now?” Sumbilla said. On Tuesday, Duterte slammed Aquino for allegedly “feeding the soldiers to the lion’s den.” Duterte questioned why a rescue team was not sent even though the military support from Davao City was just 40 minutes away from the battlefield in Mamasapano, Maguindanao. Duterte also accused former presidential peace adviser Teresita Quintos-Deles of stopping
then-President Aquino from ordering the military to send men to rescue the ambushed troops in order to not risk the peace talks with the rebels. He stressed that if the government wanted to arrest a criminal not connected with the rebellion, they should have informed the MILF. The government had a peace pact with the Muslim insurgent groups based in the southern Philippines during that time. Deles, for her part, denied Duterte’s claims: “That allegation is a lie. It is not true.” n
Fil-Am …
tions is a relation that matters to the United States. I think it’s a relation that matters to the Philippines as well,” Kim said. Kim also assured that the U.S. will remain committed to its alliances, adding that no “dramatic” changes are expected between its relation with the Philippines. “I fully expect that our commitment, our interests and our respect for the Philippines will continue as the new administration in Washington gets settled,” Kim added. Early this week, the Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) revealed that the U.S. will construct and upgrade facilities on its military bases in the Philippines this year. The construction, according to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, is part of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), a treaty that
allows U.S. forces to be deployed in Philippine territory temporarily for maritime security and humanitarian and disaster response operations. Last year, Duterte threatened that he would scrap the EDCA. The firebrand president previously expressed his intention to free the Philippines from the presence of foreign militaries. He also said that he wanted the American troops to leave Mindanao in order to pursue peace talks with the rebels. He later, however, approved the continuation of the EDCA and other joint drills, including the annual Balikatan exercises. Asked if Duterte is aware of the foreign construction, Lorenzana related: “Ang sabi naman niya (What he said was), ‘We will honor all agreement that were entered into by the previous government. So okay sa kaniya ‘yun (with him).”
Kim remarked that Duterte “has acknowledged the importance” of the two country’s “alliance and military partnership.” Japan to join PH-US drills This week, Japan announced that it will also join the 2017 Balikatan military exercises between the Philippines and the U.S. “And the Balikatan, which is the joint exercises conducted between the United States and the Philippines, for this year, Japanese defense forces is going to attend,” Japanese Foreign Press Secretary Yasuhisa Kawamura said in a statement on Thursday in Malacañang. The Balikatan, which means ‘shoulder to shoulder,’ is an annual exercise that focuses on “partnership, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief capabilities, Philippine capability development and military modernization.” (Dana Sioson / AJPress)
First week in office: Trump introduces…
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Cheer said, would allow “anyPAGE A4 t body who has ever been charged, issues of national security and regardless of how that charge is the economy have always been a disposed of, [to] be a priority for top concern. deportation.” “Under the Obama administra“In some ways, it’s a misnomer tion, the last eight years, you see to say that there will be priorities people tired of the way the econ- because this is such a broad umomy was handled and you see brella that it encompasses anypeople fed up with how our na- body who at some point in their tional security and foreign policy life might have done something transpired so President Trump that can be now considered a really wants to emphasize that criminal act,” Cheer explained. we can make the country more “It really would facilitate racial prosperous, safer and I think that profiling by local law enforcehe’s definitely going to be able to ment.” that to benefit all of our commuImmigration groups and nity,” Fetalvo affirmed. n activists are also awaiting a
decision on the fate of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), former President Barack Obama’s signature program that has spared over 750,000 undocumented immigrants — who were brought to the U.S. as children — from deportation. Trump had previously vowed to eliminate the program once in office. In light of the actions signed this week, Advancing Justice — Los Angeles is advising undocumented immigrants to seek advice from trusted services immediately. For those DACA recipients hoping to renew, it suggests a consultation with a legal
expert beforehand, but does not encourage DACA-eligible immigrants to file new applications. “We don’t know what will happen with the information that will be given to the new administration, so we highly encourage folks to sit tight for a little bit and see what [the president] will actually do,” Tiffany Panlilio, a legal advocate at Advancing Justice — LA, said. “That way we can optimize the safety of the community as well.” Though Fil-Ams have not been specifically called out by the antiimmigrant rhetoric as largely as other communities have, im-
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Aid-in-dying laws don’t guarantee that patients can choose to die by JoNel
AlecciA California Health Line
CAST ASHORE. A decaying body of a sperm whale was found in the shorelines of Brgy. Sawang, Buenavista in Guimaras on Wednesday, Jan. 25. The cause of death remained unknown. The whale was retrieved by the joint personnel of Coast Guard Buenavista and the Guimaras Environment and Natural Resources, the Philippine Coast Guard said in a statement. Known in Filipino as “balyena,” the endangered type of sperm whale measures 4.5 meters in length and has an estimated weight of 500 kilos.
‘Not turning back’: California Governor vows to protect state’s health care IN an unusually impassioned speech, Gov. Jerry Brown vowed Tuesday to protect California’s health care gains under Obamacare against Republican attempts in Washington, D.C., to roll them back. “More than any other state, California has embraced the Affordable Care Act,” Brown told state legislators and appointees in his annual State of the State address at California’s Capitol. “I intend to join with other Governors and Senators, and with you, to do everything we can to protect the health care of our people.” Brown said California would not “turn back” on advances it’s made in health coverage under pressure from the new Republican administration in Washington. Under the new federal leadership, he said, the “future is uncertain and dangers abound.” Health coverage for Californians under the Affordable Care Act “has come with tens of billions of dollars from the federal government,” said Brown. “Were any of that were to be taken away, our state budget would be directly affected, possibly even devastated.” Leveraging an estimated nearly $20 billion federal money, health coverage has been extended to five million Californians under Obamacare, which includes federally subsidized private health plans and an expansion of eligibility for Medicaid, the program for low-income people — known in this state as Medi-Cal. Brown received cheers and several standing ovations from legislators during his speech, an address intended to set the state’s policy-making tone for the year. The 78-year old governor was visibly energized during his 16-minute speech, often speaking in an emphatic, defiant tone. While also emphasizing renewable energy initiatives and an inclusive immigration policy, Brown veered off script to voice support for women’s reproductive health care. “We’re going to fight for Planned Parenthood, which has been unfairly attacked in too
Gov. Jerry Brown
many places in this country,” he said. Health care advocates quickly piped up on Twitter and in press releases to support the governor, saying he is rightly alarmed at the threat of losing billions of federal dollars not just from the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, but also under Congressional proposals to change Medicaid into a state block grant program. “We look forward to working with [Governor Brown] to fight for our health in Congress,” Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access, said in a statement. Kieryn Darkwater, a young transgender person of color, praised the speech on Twitter, saying it provided reassurance that California is a safe place for immigrants and others who are “marginalized.” “I deeply appreciated that he spent so much time talking about the issues of health care and protections for our communities,” Darkwater, an Oakland-based activist, artist and programmer said via email to California Healthline. Darkwater is enrolled in MediCal, which covers much-needed mental health medications and gender transition hormone treatments. “Medi-Cal is currently keeping me both alive and able to stay
Neon Tommy via flickr
afloat financially,” Darkwater said. Assemblymember Rob Bonta, D-Oakland, the former chairman of the Assembly Health Committee, tweeted that he was proud Brown “came out swinging in strong defense of health, immigrants, [and] science.” Even some state Republicans responded favorably to Brown’s call for bipartisanship. Senate Republican Leader Jean Fuller, R-Bakersfield, said reaching across party lines is especially important to build bridges with national policymakers. “Working with Washington should emulate the bipartisan successes we have had in our state,” Fuller wrote in a statement. Covered California, the state’s Obamacare insurance exchange, reported strong enrollment numbers today despite uncertainty surrounding a possible repeal of the health reform law. Officials said 320,000 Californians have signed up in the subsidized marketplace since November, roughly on par with last year’s enrollment over the same time period. This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. (Pauline Bartolone)
IN the seven months since California’s aid-in-dying law took effect, Dr. Lonny Shavelson has helped nearly two dozen terminally ill people end their lives with lethal drugs — but only, he says, because too few others would. Shavelson, director of a Berkeley, Calif. consulting clinic, said he has heard from more than 200 patients, including dozens who were stunned to learn that local health care providers refused to participate in the state’s End of Life Options Act. “Those are the ones who could find me,” said Shavelson, who heads Bay Area End of Life Options and is a longtime advocate of assisted suicide. “Lack of access is much more profound than anyone is talking about.” Across California — and in the five other states where medical aid-in-dying is now allowed — access is not guaranteed, advocates say. Hospitals, health systems and individual doctors are not obligated to prescribe or dispense drugs to induce death, and many choose not to. Most of the resistance comes from faith-based systems. The Catholic Church has long opposed aid-in-dying laws as a violation of church directives for ethical care. But some secular hospitals and other providers also have declined. In Colorado, where the nation’s latest aid-in-dying law took effect last month, health systems covering nearly third of hospitals in the state, plus scores of clinics, are refusing to participate, according to a recent STAT report. Even in Oregon, which enacted the first Death with Dignity law in 1997, parts of the state have no providers willing or able to dispense the lethal drugs for 100 miles, said officials with Compassion & Choices, a nonprofit group that backs aid-in-dying laws. “That’s why we still have active access campaigns in Oregon, even after 20 years,” said Matt Whitaker, the group’s state director for California and Oregon. “It becomes a challenge that causes us to have to remain extremely vigilant.” In Washington state, where the practice was legalized in 2009, a Seattle hospice patient with advanced brain cancer was denied access to willing providers, so he shot himself in the bathtub,
according to a 2014 complaint filed with the state health department. “Refusing to provide information or appropriate referrals directly led to the unnecessarily violent death of this patient,” said the complaint filed by an anonymous hospice nurse. “I strongly believe this constitutes patient abandonment.” The stance was also devastating for Annette Schiller, 94, of Palm Desert, Calif., who was diagnosed with terminal thyroid and breast cancer and wanted lethal drugs. “Almost all of her days were bad days,” recalled Linda Fitzgerald, Schiller’s daughter. “She said, ‘I want to do it.’ She was determined.” Kevin Fitzgerald, Schiller’s son-in-law, described the obstacles she faced in a local news story. Schiller’s hospice turned down her request, and she couldn’t find a local referral, forcing Linda Fitzgerald to scramble to fulfill her mother’s last wish. “I thought it was going to be very simple and they would help us,” said Linda Fitzgerald. “Everything came up empty down here.” Opponents of aid-in-dying cite providers’ reluctance as evidence that the laws are flawed and the practice is repugnant to a profession trained to heal. “People consider it a breaking of professional integrity,” said Dr. David Stevens, chief executive of Christian Medical & Dental Associations, which has worked to stop or overturn aid-in-dying laws in several states. But the decisions can effectively isolate entire regions from access to laws overwhelmingly approved by voters, advocates said. In California’s Coachella Valley, an area that includes Palm Springs, the three largest hospitals — Eisenhower Medical Center, Desert Regional Medical Center and John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital — all opted out of the new state law. Affiliated doctors can’t use hospital premises, resources or systems in connection with aid-in-dying, officials said. “Eisenhower’s mission recognizes that death is a natural stage of the life journey and Eisenhower will not intentionally hasten it,” Dr. Alan Williamson, vice president of medical affairs of the non-profit hospital, said in a statement.
Doctors may provide information, refer patients to other sources or prescribe lethal drugs privately, Williamson said. “All we have done is say it can’t be done in our facility,” he added. In practice, however, the decision has had a chilling effect, said Dr. Howard Cohen, a Palm Springs hospice doctor whose firm also prohibits him from writing aid-indying prescriptions or serving as an attending physician. “They may be free to write for it, but most of them work a full day. When and how are they going to write for it?” he said. “I don’t know of anyone here who is participating.” Patients eligible for aid-in-dying laws include terminally-ill adults with six months or less to live, who are mentally competent and can administer and ingest lethal medications themselves. Two doctors must verify they meet the qualifications. Many individual doctors in California remain reluctant to participate because of misunderstandings about what the law requires, said Dr. Jay W. Lee, past president of the California Academy of Family Physicians. “I believe that there is still a strong taboo against talking about death openly in the medical community. It feels like a threat to what we are trained to do: preserve and extend life,” Lee said, adding that doctors have a moral obligation to address end-of-life concerns. There’s no single list of doctors willing to prescribe life-ending drugs, though Compassion & Choices does offer a search tool to find participating health systems. “They don’t want to be known as the ‘death docs,’” said Shavelson, who has supervised 22 deaths and accepted 18 other people who were eligible to use the law but died before they could, most within a required 15day waiting period. Officials with Compassion & Choices said past experience indicates that more providers will sign on as they become more familiar with the laws and their requirements. At least one California provider, Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, originally said it wouldn’t participate in the law, but later changed its position. This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation.
First week in office: Trump introduces…
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migration advocates said the community should do its part in showing solidarity with others. “Our community should be worried any time there is an attack on any community because that’s going to impact us, whether it’s Latinos, LGBTs or Muslims,” Anthony Ng of Advancing Justice — LA said. “If we don’t stand up for other communities, who’s going to stand up for us when we’re being targeted? It’s
important that we show a message of unity.” However, supporters of the president’s actions say Fil-Ams and Filipinos shouldn’t be worried. “There will be some Filipinos not agreeing with me on my support for the president...,” Henry Chen, a real estate agent in Los Angeles, told the Asian Journal. “For me, many of us went through the right way to get our statuses corrected and there are
ways in which the good lawyers can help.” Added de Leon, “Filipinos should not be concerned, most Filipinos are law-abiding, familyoriented and hard working people. Just one week in, President Trump has accomplished a lot that no other American president has ever done for this country.” (With reports from Momar G. Visaya and Eric Anthony Licas / AJPress)
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PH drug war included in Geneva summit agenda by Dana
SioSon AJPress
The alleged spate of extrajudicial killings related to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs has been included among the topics to be discussed in the upcoming 9th Geneva Summit for human Rights and Democracy next month. The annual summit, according to its official website, aims to “shine a spotlight on urgent human rights situations that require global attention.” Philippines’ Commission on human Rights (ChR) Chairman Jose Luis Gascon was invited to speak on behalf of Filipino human rights advocates at this year’s summit, slated on February 21 in Switzerland. Since its founding in 2009, this is the first time that a Filipino human rights advocate has been invited as one of the its speakers. “human rights heroes, activists and former political prisoners from China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Venezuela and other countries testify about their personal struggles for human rights, democracy and freedom, and join hands to plan action strategies,” the summit’s website read. Since Duterte took office last July, the number of people killed in drug-related cases has reached 7,000, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP), with least 2,250 reportedly killed during police operations. “Despite all of these positive gains and even greater potential, we have to face the reality of the daily accounts of unsolved killings. Many of them committed brazenly with public warnings against drug pushing or addiction,” Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno said during her speech before the Management Association of the Philippines on Wednesday, January 25. “It is not surprising, therefore, that the perception of the rule of law in our country has swung from marked improvement to a downgrade.” Sereno also took note that the country’s recent rank decline in the World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index can be attrib-
Commission on Human Rights Chairman Chito Gascon Inquirer.net photo by Grig Montegrande
uted to the unsolved extrajudicial killings. From 51 in 2015, the country’s ranking dropped to 70 in 2016. The WJP Rule of Law Index, which covers 113 countries and jurisdictions, measures “how the rule of law is experienced in practical, everyday situations by
the general public worldwide” through surveys. Sereno said that Philippine judiciary must take the index as an “indicator of the serious erosion of trust in the criminal justice system, in the civil justice system and in regulatory agencies.” She also called on three branches of government and the independent constitutional bodies to reflect on their performance. “The government pillars of criminal justice i.e., the Judiciary, the Department of Justice and its attached agencies including the National Prosecution Service and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) must come together to ponder on what kinds of genuine changes are required to bring about real justice,” Sereno added. n
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Palace: PH asserting territorial claims over S. China Sea through ‘diplomacy’ by Dana
SioSon AJPress
eignty over the South China Sea had no legal basis. The court also concluded that PhILIPPINe President Ro- Beijing had violated the United drigo Duterte has been continu- Nations Convention on the Law ing to assert the country’s rights of the Sea (UNCLOS). over its territorial claim along the Abella took note that after the South China Sea but in a ‘diplo- ruling, the Philippines was urged matic’ manner, the Malacañang said on Friday, January 28. Presidential Spokesperson ernesto Abella made the remarks following a recent Pulse Asia Survey that shows eight out of 10 Filipinos want the government to uphold the international arbitral tribunal ruling which invalidates China’s historic claims in the contested areas. “What the president is doing is asserting it but in a different diplomatic style,” Abella said in a news briefing. Last year, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) at The hague ruled that China’s historic “nine-dash line” claim of sover-
by different countries to “forcefully” assert its maritime rights but Duterte chose a “soft landing” by initiating bilateral talks with China instead. “If you remember, when the ruling was promulgated in July
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OpiniOn
Features
Abusing Oplan Tokhang THE closed-circuit television camera footage showed policemen in civilian clothes entering an office and then planting drugs in the desk drawers of employees, who were subsequently apprehended on drug charges. Sen. Panfilo Lacson presented the CCTV footage during the Senate hearing yesterday on the kidnapping and murder of South Korean business executive Jee Ick-joo. Lacson, a former Philippine National Police chief, presented the video to illustrate the threat posed by certain PNP members to the credibility of President Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs. Lacson played the video just days after the head of an anti-crime watchdog in the Chinese-Filipino community revealed that at least 11 “tokhang for ransom” cases had been recorded in the past months, all of them involving Chinese victims. Teresita Ang-See disclosed this following the confirmation of the “tokhang for ransom” case involving Jee, with the suspects belonging to the PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Group or AIDG. President Duterte, enraged by Jee’s murder, has promised justice for the Korean and the heaviest punishment for the perpetrators. The President’s rage must be supported by the speedy prosecution of those responsible, and a solution of the case that
will include everyone involved. This must be complemented by a thorough housecleaning in the PNP, starting with its procedures and requirements for recruitment. PNP applicants must pass a psychiatric examination, but the test must have missed the principal suspect in Jee’s murder, Special Police Officer 3 Ricky Sta. Isabel. It takes a psychopath to kill a man by putting his head in a plastic bag, wrapping it with packing tape and making him choke to death. If the accusations are accurate, Sta. Isabel strangled Jee to death in the Korean’s own vehicle near the AIDG office at Camp Crame, headquarters of the PNP. How many more police officers have committed such a heinous offense in the name of the war on drugs? Jee’s case as well as Ang-See’s revelation should embolden other victims of Oplan Tokhang abuses to come out and seek justice. The government must not disappoint them. And it should move to prevent a repeat of the abuses. (Philstar.com)
Guest Editorial
Philstar.com photo
‘The right to exercise your humanity as a US citizen’
“IT took nothing short of raw courage Rhizomes for participants in the movement to stand up to the governor, to the citizens’ council, to mounted police, tear gas, fire hoses, Prosy AbArquezand attack dogs. It DelAcruz, J.D. was dangerous –very dangerous—for anyone to say no to segregation and racial discrimination simply by taking a seat at an integrated lunch counter or on a public bus. It was almost like committing suicide for an African American to go to the courthouse in the Delta of Mississippi or the Black Belt of Alabama and declare his or her intention to register to vote. The cameras of reporters, their pads and pens, were seen by segregationists as an invitation to brutality. Our homes were bombed and our jobs were threatened. Some of us were expelled from college or run out of town. Peaceful, nonviolent protesters were trampled by horses, struck with bull whips, beaten with nightsticks, arrested and taken to jail. Some were shot and even killed, but we buried our dead and kept on coming. We knew we would not stop; we would never turn back until we tore down the walls of legalized segregation.”— Rep.
John Lewis (D-GA), THE ROAD TO FREEDOM, High Museum of Art, Atlanta, 2008. John F. Kennedy wrote a caption to an 18th-century British slave ship, “Thousands, unemployed and homeless, signed away their freedom for a few years in exchange for transportation, coming as indentured servants to work without wages. Redemptioners agreed to be sold in America for the sum of their passage. Above, an advertisement for “English servants, Men and Women, well recommended… indent[ur]ed for Four Years.” On its deck plan, it showed that the first African slaves were brought to Virginia in 1619, stacked much like anchovy sardines in a can with not an inch to spare. Many hundreds and thousands perished before they came to America. Those who survived the trafficking of slaves settled in Virginia first and other tobacco plantation states, mostly in the South. “All such traffic in human lives was outlawed by vote of Congress in 1807…. not until the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, the war between North
and South, and the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865 were the slaves finally free. It took another century for freedom to be transformed into the beginning of first class citizenship,” John F. Kennedy wrote in his book, “A Nation of Immigrants.” It was in 1965 when Pres. Lyndon Johnson finally signed the Voting Rights Act, giving Blacks their rights to vote, yet already entitled to them, as natural born citizens in America. How ironic and patently unfair that their citizenship rights, already a privilege of being born Americans, were repeatedly denied from being exercised, by segregationist white authorities. “Selma,” the Oscar-nominated movie, powerfully depicted how Annie Lee Cooper had gone to the registrar’s office for her fifth time to register, only to be disapproved, according to Oprah Winfrey. “That’s courage,” Oprah said at a recent Q&A session at ArcLight Cinemas in Hollywood. Courage to exercise your humanity as a U.S. citizen Oprah refused to do the role at first. Then, she learned that Annie Lee Cooper watched the Oprah Winfrey show daily, until she died at 100 years old on Nov. 24, 2010.
before the advent of the Internet. In the novel Nineteen EightyFour, George Orwell depicted a world in which the state changes daily historic records to fit its propaganda goals of the day. Orwell based much of his criticism of this on Soviet Union practices. In 2004, Ralph Keyes used the term “post-truth era” in his book by that title. The same year American journalist Eric Alterman spoke of a “post-truth political environment” and coined the term “the posttruth presidency” in his analysis of the misleading statements made by the Bush administration after 9/11. Jennifer Hochschild, H.L. Jayne Professor of Government at Harvard University, has described the rise of post-truth as a return to 18th and 19th century political and media practices in the United States, following a period in the 20th century where the media was relatively balanced and rhetoric was toned down. The pamphlet wars that arose with the growth of printing and literacy beginning in the 1600s have been described as an early form of post-truth politics. Slanderous and vitriolic pamphlets were cheaply printed and widely disseminated, and the dissent that they fomented led to wars and revolutions such as the English Civil War and the American War of Independence. A Vote Leave poster with a misleading claim about the EU membership fee is cited as an example of post-truth politics. A defining trait of post-truth politics is that campaigners continue to repeat their talking points, even if these are found to be untrue by the media or independent experts. Michael Deacon, parliamentary sketchwriter for the Daily Telegraph, summarized the core message of post-truth politics as “Facts are negative.
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stead, to honor Maya Angelou. In filming that part, Oprah also did her own stunts. On the same day, she also made a bid for Los Angeles Clippers at $1.5 billion, a price for which she said, “It was not fun anymore.” David Oyelowo as Dr. Martin Luther King When asked how he found a connection to Dr. Martin Luther King, given he was British, David Oyelowo spoke of his spiritual connection to Dr. King, as both of them are Christians. “What tugged at my heart is his selfsacrifice and love in the face of hate. He did it for 13 years straight, with threat to his life, his family and I found that so noble and so amazing,” the actor said. He gave credit to Ava Duvernay who was able to get David to act the part of Dr. King in “small and big ways,” much like the scene when Dr. King could not find the garbage bag and Coretta Scott King, his wife, had to hand it to him. The big part he was referring to was the scene when Coretta Scott King asked, “ Do you love me?” and “What do you feel about the others?” Silence, a long pause, before Dr. King said, “No.” The film touched many in the audience, who paid for the privilege of seeing it that Saturday afternoon, at the
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Bluster, truthful hyperbole and alternative facts
Fake news, fake facts, alternative truth: Welcome to post-truth politics
WITH President Benigno Aquino 3rd and President Rodrigo Duterte in succession, the Phil- Opinion ippines has indisputably entered the age of post-truth politics. The two presidential luminaries have midwifed this development with a cascade of fake news, fake facts and alternative truths yen MAkAbentA that, perhaps not surprisingly, has earned the Philippines the distinction of being the country where people have the least trust in each other. In the Mamasapano massacre, which is due for a new high-powered inquiry, Aquino and Duterte will duel with their respective versions of what happened and who is to blame. Fake news, fake facts and alternative truth will be put to the test. This is squarely in the spirit of “post-truth politics,” the buzz-word of the day, which no journalist should fail to comprehend. By itself, the term “post-truth” was selected by the Oxford dictionary as the word of the year in 2016. “Post-truth politics” is the bigger banana, because it is the politics of the times, with the advent of Donald Trump, Brexit, and a string of political leaders, Duterte included. Post-truth politics defined “Post-truth politics,” according to David Roberts (he is credited with coining the term), “is a political culture in which debate is framed largely by appeals to emotion disconnected from the details of policy, and by the repeated assertion of talking points to which factual rebuttals are ignored. Post-truth differs from traditional contesting and falsifying of truth by rendering it of ‘secondary’ importance.” While this has been described as a contemporary problem, there is a possibility that it has long been a part of political life, but was less notable
“No one does this film thinking of an Oscar nomination,” Oprah said. “I did it for my mom, my grandmother, my aunts, my uncles, my father. The right to vote and exercise your humanity as [a] citizen in the United States was so important to Annie Lee Cooper that she would risk it again and again. She lost her job and found another job in a nursing home. That was courage.” On May 28, 2014, Oprah played the role of Annie Lee Cooper, who was going to hit Jim Clark. It was also the day that Maya Angelou died. Maya Angelou, if you recall, shared a significant day with Dr. Martin Luther King. On her birthday, April 4, Martin Luther King was assassinated, while standing on the balcony of Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tenn. Maya had agreed to go with Dr. King for a month to tour the churches to solicit funds for the Poor People’s March, asking pastors to set aside one Sunday’s collection for that Washington, D.C. march, but after April 4, 1968. When Dr. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, Maya stopped celebrating her birthday for 30 years since. Instead, she sent flowers to Coretta Scott King, Dr. King’s wife. Oprah was asked if she wanted to be excused from filming that day. She said no, and she dedicated her efforts, in-
IF you’re looking for a similarity between new U.S. President Don- Street ald Trump and President Rodrigo Duterte, it is the fact that when Talk they say something, it’s difficult to tell what they really mean. Communications Secretary Martin Andanar is at his wit’s end GreG b. MAcAbentA trying to explain to a sensationprone Philippine media that the blustery things that come out of Duterte’s mouth should not be taken literally. According to Andanar, when Duterte says he is thinking of unilaterally declaring martial law, he really doesn’t mean it and the media should not misinterpret him. “The President has categorically said no to martial law. He even made a pronouncement saying that martial law did not improve the lives of the Filipinos.” And Andanar added: “We therefore decry the latest misreporting that the President will declare martial law simply ‘if he wants to’ or that ‘no one can stop the President from declaring martial law. Such headlines sow panic and confusion to many. We consider this kind of reportage as the height of journalistic irresponsibility.” The trouble is that Duterte did say that if he wants to declare martial law, he would do so over any objections of the co-equal branches of government, the Legislature and the Supreme Court. Wasn’t that “the height of presidential irresponsibility”? Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella, on the other hand, appealed to the media and the public to “use creative imagination” to interpret Duterte’s statements. Abella gave, as an example, Duterte’s threat to “cut ties” with the United States which “should not be taken literally.” Said Abella, “Dapat intindihin natin yung word na ‘cut ng ties.’ (We should try to understand the word “cut ties”) It’s a possibility that he could, that
he might... Let’s try to use our creative imagination. ‘Wag tayo masyadong literal (Let’s not be too literal).” Abella’s explanation is reminiscent of the lyrics of a Harry Belafonte song, “It was clear as mud and it covered the ground and the confusion made my head go ‘round.” Abella went on: “He carefully calibrates his statements so along that line, if we follow his style... Let us not simply just put a period at the end of his statements. Let’s wait for his clarifications regarding the matter.” Abella explained that what Duterte really meant to say was that he wants to pursue “an independent foreign policy that is not exclusive or bound to one treaty.” Couldn’t Duterte have simply put it that way? “I want you to know that the Philippines, as a sovereign nation, will pursue an independent foreign policy that is not exclusively tied to a country like the United States.” But then, that would not have sounded dramatic enough and Duterte would have failed to impress his adoring supporters as being “macho,” “matapang” (fearless) and “matinik” (sharp). Taken in that context, we are supposed to understand that when he vowed to resign from the presidency if he did not solve the drug problem in six months, and when he threatened to ride a jet ski to the Spratlys to confront the Chinese, he was simply trying to impress his adoring fans. Fair enough? Well, okay, if Duterte truly doesn’t mean every word he says, why is it that when he threatened the wholesale slaughter of suspected drug lords, pushers and users, the Philippine National Police and the vigilantes did exactly that?
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 28-31, 2017
‘The right to exercise your…
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ArcLight in Hollywood, mostly young folks. What made it special was to hear the personal and spiritual connections of the actors to the characters in “Selma.” I had seen Selma, the movie, three times now; the very first time, with my husband, Enrique, at the invitation of Ruben and Janet Nepales, our good friends, who are journalists belonging to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association; a third time, a treat from my daughter, Corina. The third time, it made me recall the philosophy of Henri Cartier-Bresson in taking photographs, the decisive moment that he finds himself one with the subject, perhaps, “even inside the photograph.” As Cartier-Bresson said, “The discovery of oneself is made concurrently with the discovery of the world around us, but which can also be affected by us. A balance must be established between these two worlds—the one inside us and the one outside us. As a result of a constant reciprocal process, both these worlds come together to form a single one.” There is not another movie that has made me want to see it a few times. And each time, new feelings come to the surface that I am willing to see it again to vicariously feel the urgency of the Voting
Rights Act as a compelling issue, given the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in June 2013, removing Section 5, an appropriate topic for the lawyers to explain to you, dear AJ readers. Until then, consider perhaps making time for this film, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture last year, and find out why black and white church communities are coming together and why middle schoolers and high schoolers are being subsidized by business owners to see this film and finally, to discover the very compelling need to exercise our humanity as U.S. citizens, by voting in the next midterm election, and the next, and the next! *** 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.
Fake news, fake facts, alternative…
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Facts are pessimistic. Facts are unpatriotic.” He added that post-truth politics can also include a claimed rejection of partisanship and negative campaigning. In its most extreme mode, post-truth politics can make use of conspiracism. In this form of posttruth politics, false rumors become major news topics. Oxford picks “post-truth” Oxford Dictionaries selected “post-truth” as its 2016 Word of the Year because of its prevalence in the Brexit referendum and the US presidential election. Oxford cited a 2,000 percent increase in usage compared to 2015. According to Oxford, the term post-truth was first used in a 1992 essay by the late SerbianAmerican playwright Steve Tesich in the Nation. Tesich wrote that following the shameful truth of Watergate, more assuaging coverage of the IranContra scandal and Persian Gulf War, Americans freely decided that they want to live in a post-truth world. The Internet was originally envisioned as egalitarian and as an opportunity for individuals to learn and for societies to improve. It hasn’t worked out that way; instead technology has magnified people’s strengths and weaknesses, exposed the frailties of human nature, and in many instances increased inequality. The Internet became a tool to serve the posttruth politics of contending political parties and groups. The information highway, says one of my readers, “was replaced by the propaganda expressway. Levels of trust have eroded as access has exploded, with governments exercising greater control and providing ‘alternative facts’ as their army of trolls and keyboard warriors sow confusion and misinformation. New euphemisms are rising, but the truth is still that, and a lie is a lie
is a lie.” “Fake news” and “alternative truth” have been served as alternative terms for what is happening in politics, but it is “post-truth” that appears to have caught on as experts, pundits and academics have adopted it. Post-truth political leadership Filipino political leaders have been no slouch in adapting to the possibilities and advantages of post-truth politics. They have readily used a pliable media in propagating falsehoods and false issues in Philippine political life. Aquino with no credentials and experience for national leadership, took to faking his way through the presidency. His lapses in governance and leadership are legion. He reached the nadir with his bungling of Mamasapano. When questions about his actions and lack of action became too much, he offered an “alternative truth” to what happened in Mamasapano, and sought to free himself from responsibility. This alternative truth is writ all over his statement the other day on Mamasapano, but it is doubtful whether Aquino can sustain it under questioning by an independent inquiry. Duterte is in a political quicksand of his own, as a result of his self- declared war on drugs, and tentative steps toward authoritarianism. The drug war looks hopelessly mired in deception. There are no facts to support the war declaration, let alone the summary killing of thousands. Instead of facts, the nation is supplied fake facts, like the doubtful “4 million drug addicts.” As a consequence, a world global survey has listed the Philippines as the country where the people have the least trust in each other in the world! This is the people’s reply to the fecklessness of their political leaders. Leadership cannot be faked, because the problems are real! (yenmakabenta@ yahoo.com)
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Palace: PH asserting territorial‌ PAGE A7 t
12, we got a lot of bragging from countries that we should forcefully assert the ruling in favor of the Philippines. But our government chose instead to have soft landing. The President chose to have bilateral talks with the Chinese government, which gave us some advantage,� Abella said. China, however, has repeatedly refused to acknowledged the ruling. “The president has said that he’s not giving up our claims
in the eeZ (exclusive economic zone) according to UNCLOS. It just so happened that the Chinese government has reclaimed three of the islands there and they also have a presence in Scarborough,� Abella added. Since taking office last July, Duterte has been restoring the Philippines’ relationship with China which had been restrained by the territorial contest. While China still insisted that it would be firm in safeguarding its “rights� over the disputed
waters, Beijing has responded to Duterte’s friendly gestures. China has agreed to collaborate on billions of dollars-worth of projects with Manila. Filipino fishermen were also able to fish around the Scarborough Shoal without being harassed by the Chinese coast guard, according to reports. Pulse Asia conducted the poll among 1,200 respondents from December 6 to 11, two months after Duterte’s state visit to China in October. n
Bluster, truthful hyperbole and‌ PAGE A8 t EXPANDED MATERNITY LEAVE. Senator Risa Hontiveros (2nd from left), chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, together with Mylene Hega (left) of the Akbayan Women, and Nice Coronacion (right) of the Sentro Women, bat for the increase of paid maternity leave from the current 60 days to 120 days and an additional 30 days for solo working mothers during a press conference held at the Philippine Senate in Pasay City Wednesday, January 25, 2017. Hontiveros is one of the authors of Senate Bill No. 1305, or the Expanded Maternity Leave Law of 2017. Senate photo by Ceasar Tomamb
Marcos calls for preliminary conference on poll protest against Robredo by Dana
SioSon AJPress
FOrMer Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong� Marcos Jr. has requested the Presidential electoral Tribunal (PeT) to proceed with the hearings on the electoral protest he previously filed against Vice President Leni robredo. On Thursday, January 26, Marcos’ camp filed an ex-parte motion before the PeT, asking for a preliminary conference so that his electoral protest could advance. “Today, Senator Marcos presses on with his quest and march for truth with the filing of an exparte motion to set the case for preliminary conference. The motion is very important as we expect the PeT to usually dispose of this incident with such dispatch and urgency so that the case will come into motion,� Marcos’ legal counsel, Vic rodriguez, told reporters after submitting the motion. He noted that “once the preliminary conference is held,� the election protest “can no longer be stopped.� In the May 2016 vice presidential election, robredo won the position with only around 263,000 votes more than Marcos. Marcos accused robredo of committing a massive electoral fraud. “The importance of our ex-parte motion ay para ho magtuloy-tuloy na ‘yung pagdinig ng election protest (is to get our election protest running) at inaasahan po natin na maglalabas na rin sila ng kautusan upang magbigay ng takdang araw at panahon para gawin ang (and we expect them to set a date for the) preliminary conference,’� rodriguez said. The 2010 rules of the PeT state that a preliminary conference is held after the last pleadings from the parties involved have been submitted.
Former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong� Marcos Jr.
According to rodriguez, the last pleading had been filed in September of last year. “We want the case to finally move forward so we can finally present our evidence of massive election fraud in the vice presidential race in the last elections,� rodriguez added. earlier this month, robredo’s camp challenged Marcos to drop his electoral protest if he failed to prove his claims of “massive fraud� during the elections. “We challenge former Senator Bongbong Marcos to enter into a written agreement that if his and his lawyer’s claimed ‘massive election fraud’ based on alleged data from 13 SD cards being decrypted by the Comelec is not proven, then Marcos should withdraw his election protest against our client, Vice President Leni robredo,� romulo Macalintal, robredo’s lawyer, said in a statement on January 19. Macalintal also dared rodriguez to surrender his license to practice law for his “irresponsible statement� if Marcos camp failed to prove its claim. If, however, Marcos is able to prove his allegation, Macalintal said he would quit his legal profession. n
Has Duterte been misinterpreted and misunderstood? And now comes, the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump, with a penchant for what he has described as “truthful hyperbole.� According to the dictionary, a hyperbole is “an extravagant statement or figure of speech not intended to be taken literally.� Political analyst Charlie Cook wrote, shortly after Trump was elected President: “At least half of Washington and plenty of people beyond the Beltway are taking a crash course in Donald Trump, trying to understand the most unconventional President-elect this country has ever seen.� Cook cited an article in The Atlantic that noted that ‘the press takes him (Trump) literally, but not seriously, his supporters take him seriously but not literally.’� Cook noted that in Trump’s book, “The Art of the Deal,� Washington Post writer, Carlos Lozada, “was struck by something that Trump described as ‘truthful hyperbole.’ Then 41, the real estate developer wrote, ‘The final key to the way I promote is bravado. I play to people’s fantasies. People may not always think big themselves, but they can still get very excited by those who do. That’s why a little hyperbole never hurts. People want to believe that something is the biggest and the greatest and the most spectacular. I call it truthful hyperbole. It’s an innocent form of exaggeration – and a very effective form of promotion,’� In actual practice, the exaggerations are neither “innocent� nor “little� but are more accurately described by writer Marta Cooper as “Donald Trump’s great, tremendous, unbelievable penchant for hyperbole.� Almost sounding like Presidential Spokesman Abella, Cook hypothesized, “When Donald Trump says he wants to build a huge wall, the media and his critics seem to think he is imagining something like the Great Wall of China stretching from Tijuana to Brownsville. But Trump’s supporters interpret his words differently. They hear him saying that he’s going to take a hard line approach to border security and illegal immigration. He’s not going to mess around. So when his supporters hear him walking it back a bit – for instance, saying it could be a fence not a wall at places – they knew what he meant all along. They understood he was speaking figuratively about the wall. “When he talks about ripping up trade deals, he’s not saying that he is going to shred the 741-
page North American Free Trade Agreement and 348 pages of annexes. His supporters take him to mean that he is going to take a much tougher approach to NAFTA and other trade deals, that he is going to enforce trade agreements much more rigorously, and that the U.S. wasn’t going to be a chump any longer.� And yet, one of Trump’s very first executive actions was to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The TPP is important to a number of Southeast Asian countries, like Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam, as well as the Philippines which has been seriously considering signing up, given Constitutional limitations. The partnership would make it easier and cheaper for them to trade with much larger economies, such as the U.S., because of the lowering of tariffs. But Trump has characterized the TPP as “a rape of the U.S. economy.� In other words, Trump isn’t all bluff. But then, which part of what he says is bluff? And which part of what the Trump administration declares is the truth and which is “an alternative fact�? By the way, “alternative fact� is the latest in the growing lexicon of things said but not meant, and things meant but said some other way – the new paradigm in the Duterte and Trump governments. This term was blurted out by Trump’s senior aide, Kellyanne Conway in a televised exchange with NBC’s Chuck Todd over the number of people who lined the streets and occupied the Washington DC Mall for the Trump inauguration. Media showed aerial shots and street shots depicting empty spaces and unoccupied bleachers, and compared that to the huge crowd during President Barack Obama’s inauguration. On his first press conference, Trump’s Press Secretary Sean Spicer castigated the media for “misleading the public� about the comparative sizes of the inaugural crowd – but photographs do not lie which, in effect, made Spicer a liar. To this, Conway declared that Spicer was not lying but was merely presenting “alternative facts.� Todd’s rebuttal: “Look, alternative facts are not facts, They’re falsehoods.� At any rate, I can hardly wait to see Duterte and Trump finally meeting each other in person, both equipped with the talent for bluster, hyperbole and alternative facts. Says one pundit, “It could be a more interesting bolahan than a Warriors-Cavaliers basketball game.� (gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)
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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, fourth from left, shakes hands with Russia’s Rear Adm. Eduard Mikhailov, third from left, at the antisubmarine navy ship Admiral Tributs at the south pier in Manila, Philippines. A flurry of goodwill visits by ships and submarines has marked the new year in the South China Sea. Philstar.com photo
Pulse Asia: Few Filipinos care, know about foreign policy
by Patricia Lourdes Philstar.com
Viray
MANILA, Philippines — Only six percent of Filipinos consider defending Philippine territory against foreigners one of the most urgent issues in the country, the latest Pulse Asia survey suggests. Pulse Asia Research Director Ana Maria Tabunda said that the survey result reflects the fact that foreign policy issues are not “close to the gut” for Filipinos as there are more pressing concerns. University of the Philippines Institute on Maritime Affairs and the Law of the Sea Director Jay Batongbacal, meanwhile, said that there was no effort on the part of the government to raise awareness on the disputed West Philippines from the 1970s until the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III. In 2014, the Philippine government filed an arbitration case before the Permanent Court of Arbitration against China’s nine-dash line claim over the South China Sea, part of which is called the West Philippine Sea. It was only during the Aquino administration that the Department of Foreign Affairs engaged media organizations and raised public opinion on the issue.
“In 2014, there was a focus in government effort to raise discourse and public awareness... It was really a show of support for the arbitration,” Batongbacal said in a press briefing after the release of the survey results at Fairmont Hotel in Makati City. Crime, poverty bigger issues for Pinoys The survey, conducted from Dec. 6 to 11, 2016, found that increasing the pay of workers, controlling inflation, fighting criminality and reducing poverty are among the most urgent national issues that the government must address. De La Salle University Professor Renato De Castro noted that Filipinos are only aware of foreign policy when the country is facing a crisis. “Usually, academics and those who make public opinion, journalists would have a more cohesive understanding of foreign policy issue, not the ordinary people,” De Castro said. De Castro cited the assistance that the US provides to the Philippines as an example. He noted that Filipinos only became aware of the partnership after supertyphoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) struck the country in 2013. “People have little understanding of the issue,” De Castro said,
adding that this case not only occurs in the Philippines but also around the world. “Generally, ordinary people are concerned on what’s happening in the domestic sphere,” De Castro added. Independent foreign policy The DLSU professor also noted that the Duterte administration has not been able to explain to the people why it is conducting a shift to a so-called independent foreign policy. Tabunda also noted that there is a “disconnect” between President Rodrigo Duterte’s foreign policy actions and on public opinion. On the other hand, Batongbacal noted that Duterte cannot be held accountable for his foreign policy as it is the president’s prerogative under the 1987 Constitution. The public cannot contest the foreign policy of the president, unlike in the United States where the Senate has a mechanism for counteracting the chief executive. “This lack of accountability for foreign policy, for example, actually contributes to these wild swings in stability of foreign policy in the country because it really depends on personal inclinations of the chief executive and how he directs foreign policy,” Batongbacal said. n
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Pia Wurtzbach on Maxine’s terno gaffe: Let’s not put our girl down by MArc JAyson
cAyAbyAb
Inquirer.net
Miss Universe-Philippines 2016 Maxine Medina with Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach
OUTGOING Miss Universe queen Pia Wurtzbach took the cudgels for Bb. Pilipinas Maxine Medina after the latter mistakenly said the Philippine outfit terno was invented by Imelda Marcos. Wurtzbach made the statement at the sidelines of the ribbon-cutting of the Miss Universe Pop-Up store in SM Mall of Asia on Friday, Jan. 27. Wurtzbach said the Filipinos should be celebrating Medina’s performance during the preliminary competition, instead of bashing her and putting her down over the terno gaffe. “Like you said, it’s a mistake. It was not done intentionally. She honestly did not know,� Wurtzbach told reporters. “Are we really going to put our girl down because of a statement like that?� she added. Wurtzbach said Medina has trained for months on end and
Nicole Ignacio Cordoves: A woman of beauty, substance and grace By Prosy
she does not need anything to discourage her ahead of the final competition on Jan. 30. “We should be celebrating, because she made it so far already. This girl has been training for months leading up to the competition, and what she really needs now is encouragement,� Wurtzbach said. Wurtzbach said Medina committed an honest mistake, which would not have been corrected had she not mentioned it. “Now we know. If it wasn’t pointed out, then it would not have been corrected,� she said. The outgoing Miss Universe reminded Medina to be more mindful of the information she is sharing especially because
the Philippines is host to this year’s most beautiful day in the universe. “It’s a mistake she did not know, and perhaps next time, she can be a little bit more mindful of facts that she will share, especially that she’s the host delegate,� Wurtzbach said. Netizens were quick to point out Medina’s mistake, which was shown in a video of the ancillary event in Vigan that was presented during the preliminary competition held at SM Mall of Asia Arena Thursday night. “The terno was actually invented by our former first lady, Imelda Marcos. She invented these butterfly sleeves and they use it (to) cover their face,� Medina said in
the video shot during an ancillary event in Vigan, where the Miss Universe candidates paraded in terno. Ramon Valera, national artist for fashion design, is widely believed to have introduced the terno by unifying the baro’t saya into a single dress while exaggerating the bell sleeves during the early ’40s, according to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCAA). The history of the terno was traced to a collective effort of various designers as Philippine fashion evolved, according to Gino Gonzales and Mark Lewis Higgins in their book “Fashionable Filipinas: An Evolution of PAGE B2
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“This is a large order! But then we are dealing with a large and wonderful principle, the divinity of man. if you remember who you are, and keep your inward contact, you will not let yourself be drawn into experiences on another’s level of thought. You will meet them on your level for your thought is your life.�—Eric Butterworth, “Discover the Power Within You�, 1992. “What is your definition of beautiful,� I asked. Smiling, Nicole Ignacio Cordoves shared her perspective: “It is a woman with a good life story who rose from [her] tragedy, but you can’t trace sadness in [her face], there are no lines. And you just know this woman can just conquer anything. When I went to a women to women weekday fellowship, I even brought a friend. Hindi mo akalain may pinagdaanan (You would not think they went through challenges), you can’t believe their testimonies, you don’t just Nicole Cordoves is shown here with Madison Anderson of Puerto Rico. look at them, you PAGE B2 Photo courtesy of Nicole Cordoves via Hydee Ursolino-Abrahan
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B January 28-31, 2017 • La WEEKEnD aSIan JOurnaL
Moonlighting by Mylah de
leon
Poetry, we’ve been taught, can open the innermost valve of the imagining heart through stirring and murmuring the delicately woven allure of words. there are no barriers to the inner intimacies that poetry is capable of displaying. It celebrates, as well as mourns; it can bubble or froth, seriously praise or quietly exult, as well as weep. Could anything be more intense, more personal and more profoundly moving than their fragments without barriers? We learned through the years that poet boundaries are man’s boundaries — neither more nor less — of different people living in a different time and culture, employing a different language, a different technique, as they write different poems. these souls, in this noise-tired timer that turn aside into unfrequented lanes, have harbored the fragrance of many a blossoming
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Global Inspiration and the The Kababayan sweetness of poetry season — filtering into perfect forms and arranging itself in lonely patterns, for those who perceive beauty. We can argue that Shakespeare was the greatest poet that the world has ever seen — in any language and in any period — yet, we cannot use Shakespeare as the standard in learning to read and appreciate the poetry of different times, places and languages. We should respect the differences in approach and its ultimate meaning: to make poetry readily comprehensible to any human being anywhere. the joy, as well as the art of reading a poem as it is meant to be read, is to learn to accept what the poet has given. there is much more to reading a poem, as there is more to learning how to hear a Beethoven quartet or how to really see a painting by rembrandt or Picasso. Inspiration A great number of serious men and women associate writers and artists of every sort with what we call inspirations (on the grounds of science, empiricism and predict-
ability.) these are men from a different school of thought, who value stability over spontaneity or responsibility over elation. they are men who assert that something there is the inspiration which hints of wildness…beyond the knowing. that which brings resolution without warning, that deprives them, used to feeling an at-homeness in their minds. they said inspiration is an intruder — a kidnapper of reason, a burglar who shoots the watchdog dead, who chases off sentries and censors and monitors. Inspirations, they say, instigate cliff-walking: it sweeps its quarry to the edge of unfamiliar abysses. Inspiration is that secret sharer who flees out of pandemonium. But isn’t inspiration the poetry-making faculty itself? Isn’t it, in fact, a truism to equate poetry and inspiration? to hear it from emerson, inspiration is potent and ubiquitous. they are in the beasts in the brooks, in the muttering oaks — where poetry PAGE B4
Programming for Kababayan Today, Jan. 30-Feb. 3, 2017
dance along to them on the show! Wednesday, February 1 - Annie Nepomuceno joins us as the Asian Monday, January 30 - As Janu- Journal shares latest the headlines ary comes to a close this week, relevant to the Fil-Am community. we encourage everyone to try the the Center For Babaylan Studies Super Feel Detox Challenge. Watch shares footage of their Conference the show for details and go to the- in 2016. Get infolved and learn more about them on the program. healist.com for more details. Thursday, February 2 - FilipinaGet involved and learn more American youtuber Jessica Maabout them on the program. Tuesday, January 31 - Charlene cleary shares her Filipino content Dipaola invites all viewers to check online with the televiewers. Friday, February 3 - When a out her online dance studio. Watch the program for the discount code Filipino-American gets a break to get a free trial period. Get up and in Hollywood, we pay attention.
G. TönGi
Watch the program to see Jerell rosales and his latest breakout project airing on the Lifetime Network this weekend! *** Giselle “G” Töngi is the host and producer of 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.
Pia Wurtzbach on Maxine’s terno gaffe...
PAGE B1
the Philippine National Dress in Photographs, 1860-1960.” In an Inquirer report, Gonzales was quoted as saying that Valera did not create the terno. “We want to correct some misconceptions, including the idea that ramon Valera invented the terno; he did not,” Gonzales said in the report. “No one person invented it,” he added. “It was a collective effort.
the removal of the pañuelo, which is usually attributed to Valera, happened way, way before [he removed it]. Women have been trying to remove it way before.” Medina would have been correct had she said that Imelda Marcos popularized the terno by wearing it at official functions when she was still first lady. She became an icon of Philippine fashion, at the same time a symbol of extravagant living, while
Nicole Ignacio Cordoves... PAGE B1 Born in the Philippines, Nicole’s name means the people’s victory. Cordoves was a surname bought by her Chinese grandparents so that they could be naturalized and own properties in the Philippines. Her great grandfather came from Fujian, China, the southeast coast of mainland China. Nicole granted a one-on-one interview with the Asian Journal, days after she competed in the Miss Grand International on october 25, 2016, held in Las Vegas. She became First runner-Up. Miss Grand International is a pageant with a mission to end war and violence: “wars exist on many layers, from full-scale confrontations between nations, to violence in the home. All of these wars must be eliminated if we are collective to achieve true happiness. In an age where we are capable of reaching out to touch the stars, we have forgotten to reach out and touch the lives around us, it is time for us to look inwards and use our combined ingenuity to make the world a better place for all humanity. our
ideal objective is an end to all forms of violence and hostility.” During the Miss Grand International competition, she was booed during the controversial Q and A portion. The controversial Q and A From 75 participants around the world, the process whittled them down to five finalists: Puerto rico, United States, thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia. “Question: If you had to choose one of these two people [to] help you to stop the war and violence, who would you choose between Donald trump and Hillary Clinton and why?” Answer: “Promise me you would react after my first sentence. I would choose Donald trump. [Boos were heard] If we convince Donald trump to switch to our side, then there won’t be war and violence anymore! I will also make sure he would read my speeches to stop the war and violence because imagine someone who could bring so much madness and emotions from these people, what if we use his voice to actually do good for the
Filipinos were poor and hungry at the height of her husband’s brutal martial law regime. In an ABS-CBN report, Medina apologized for the mistake and that she should have said Imelda popularized, and not invented, the terno. “Sorry for that word… Mali lang yung word na nagamit ko… She’s the icon in the 60s and 70s so she popularized it, those butterfly sleeves,” Medina said. world? What if we use that to our advantage? So let’s keep the peace and let Donald trump switch to our side to stop the war and violence,” Nicole responded confidently. Nicole’s prescient (predictive) and wise response flew over the crowds’ heads. they booed her. Her smarts were unappreciated. the crowd did not want to hear Donald trump’s name. Had the audience understood, perhaps her wisdom, including her compassionate view that we can change, would have been apparent. Her optimistic view on transformation fits the pageant’s mission. But, the pageant also leaned towards women power, that women are smart and capable. United States’ Michelle Leon chose Donald trump, drawing louder boos. Puerto rico’s Madison Anderson chose Hillary Clinton, as did thailand’s Supaporn Malisorn. Indonesia’s Ariska Putri Pertiwi chose Hillary Clinton, “So it is a very hard question for me, but I will choose. If I have a chance to choose, I will choose Hillary Clinton, because I know she is a PAGE B4
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Super Mountain Crystal By Sean
Shono
sands to millions of years. It is globally known for its CALLED a “Dragon Passage,� power to improve your luck day it shows the progress of its growth by day. during the span of several thouAmazingly, its mountain shaped
figure shows the constant kaleidoscopic changing of its clarity and color. Its kaleidoscopic change is said to be the proof of its power and adjusts the energy balance of its owner. The crystal should be used to improve one’s luck by setting it in your house or office, and to be treasured and inherited by your family. *Dragon God offers Specially Treated and Purified Feng Shui items by Taoist way. Ask Feng Shui master how to use. *** Feng Shui master Sean Shono owns Dragon God, a Feng Shui store in Gardena, 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.
Cherry Pie returns to theater by Ricky
caldeRon ManilaTimes.net
ChErry Pie Picache makes her comeback to legitimate theatre after 10 years of absence via the play “Buwan at Baril� sa Eb Major. The Gawad Urian and Golden Screen Awards best actress winner for “The Bridal Shower� said of her decision, “If you’ve been in the industry for a long time, you would want to bring some sense to the work that you are doing. In my own little way, I believe this is the chance to remind people to protect the democracy and freedom that we are enjoying now. With what is happening now, hindi naman natin kailangan na magkampihan.� Cherry Pie related she is happy to go back to theatre after a decade’s absence. her last play was “Supremo� for Dulaang UP, and those behind Sugid Productions, which is producing Buwan at Baril sa Eb Major, are also from the theater company such as the play’s director Andoy ranay. “I am very happy to be part of this production na may gusto rin sabihin sa nangyayari sa ating kapaligiran sa ngayon. We are not doing this to agitate anyone. We just saw it fit to stage this material,� added the actress who admitted she
was kind of worried at the start because the play sends a very strong message. She added that doing a 25minute monologue about the travails of a wife looking for her missing husband is not an easy task. “But it is a challenge. The stage is an actor’s medium and I enjoyed my craft more because it is a different process. To memorize a monologue is hard and the discipline in theatre is very different as well. you memorize everything and do it on one take. I had to make a lot of adjustment, and in our first run through I felt cold all over. No take two. If you miss a line, it is hard to catch up,� she opened up. She believes the audience will be startled after watching the play. “It’s not feel-good pero masarap ito panoorin. huwag kayong matakot manood. It is not heavy but it brings a different kind of feel good feeling. Watching the play will make you think afterwards.� “Buwan at Bala� in Eb Major, written by Chris Millado, will be staged at the Bantayog ng Bayani Center. Also in the cast are Jackie Lou Blanco, Angeli Bayani, JC Santos, Crispin Pineda, Joel Saracho, Danny Mandia, and ross Pesigan. Cherry Pie Picache traces her theatre roots via “Buwan at Baril.�
AFTER 13 YEARS OF WAITING FOR THE FAMILY TO BE REUNITED, THE U.S. EMBASSY STILL DENIED THE RELEASE OF THEIR VISAS. MISERY AND REDEMPTION ON A BRAND NEW EPISODE OF CITIZEN PINOY! Tatay Lando (2nd from right) went to the US to provide a better life for his family. After 13 years, the petition became current in 2016. However, when his son, Allan (left), and his grandson, Chean (2nd from right) went to the U.S. Embassy for their interview, some doubtful details came up in AllanĂs paperwork that caused the Embassy to deny their visas. Father and son left the Embassy heartbroken and traumatized over the incident. Immediately, Tatay Lando sought the help of leading US immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel. Watch how hope was renewed, and a family was happily reunited after many, many years on a brand-new episode of ‘Citizen Pinoy’ on Sunday at 6:15 pm (PST) on TFC.
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Valentine date ideas on a weekday McDonald’s announces participating restaurants
By Monet
Lu
February is approaching once again and you know what they say about it being the love month. I am aware that not everyone is in a relationship – or that they don’t have a date on Valentine’s. So, this piece is not just for the hashtag #alreadyhitched but also for the happily single. and since this Valentine’s Day falls on a weekday, I’ve gathered some date ideas that would suit even the most workaholic couples or for those who simply don’t have the time to set up an elaborate date (i.e. romantic dinner, ‘staycation’ weekend getaway, etc.). read on and you might just find the perfect solution to your weekday-date dilemma. An intimate video game session ‘Love the game, hate the player.” but there’s no hating anyone on this bad boy. you can both love the game and the player. after a long day, don’t you just love to unwind by sitting on your couch (with or without a date – whatever suits you)? you can up the ante by making this Valentine night your ‘Game Night.’ and by game, I mean pop up those action rPGs, survival horrors, shooter games, fighting or combat games, and get it on! While others would prefer the more laidback movie night (which is also a nice date idea), you can always switch to that once your ‘kill ratio’ is over the roof. A Spa Day or an After-Work De-Stressing Night
after a long day at work, you and your beau need this. Or if you are happily-single-and-extremelystressed out, you might as well spend this night to de-stress. Indulge yourself with a 90-minute Swedish or aromatherapy spa and fall into a deep slumber dreaming of the day you conquered the love month and wake up when February ends. They say you can’t love someone if you don’t start with yourself – baby steps: start with this and you’ll get the hang of it. A Night Fit for A Queen or King It’s Tuesday. and it is the longest day at work you have ever experienced; the grueling presentation you just want to forget ever happened, the two-hour-long meeting you had to survive, the files piled up in your desk like a stack of stale pancakes waiting to be devoured – or thrown away. It was the worst day of your life and it’s only the second day of the week. Suddenly, you remember, it’s Valentine’s and all you ever wanted is for this day to end. Well, now you can still spend Valentine’s – just not the traditional way. your slaving (at work) days are over. It’s time to be a Queen (or King, if you are a man) for a night. If you are in a relationship, you can offer your significant other your services and vise versa (if you’re both working – she’s had a rough day too you know). Order-out dinner like a boss, give each other massages, a nice long bath, rinse and repeat. I bet you, your Tuesday stress would flush down the tube in no time and both of you will live through the weekdayValentine’s together. Videoke Night Now this is exactly the kind of date your bff needs after being
dumped right before (or on…Ouch!) Valentine’s Day. Take her to a Karaoke bar or KTV restaurant. There are promos on weekdays too, so that’s another reason to be happy about going on a Videoke date-night. Who says, heartbroken lovers can’t spend Valentine’s Day? Let her hog the microphone all to herself (at least she has something that’s hers - boom!). after crooning and belting out those adelle’s hits, she might forget that she is crying over spilled beer…I mean, milk. ‘Online Dating’ before you ditch the idea thinking that I am talking about your tinder account or some blind date app you’ve just subscribed to (and regret doing so), Let me make myself clear. I am not talking about finding a date online for Valentine’s day. I am saying you can have an ‘online datenight.’ Think: shopping (I’m starting to make sense, am I?) Online retail shopping – ah, the best therapy known to man. Forget everything at work – including that ugly cardigan top your co-worker spilled coffee on. Take yourself on an ‘online date’ by shopping for a new wardrobe. you can also subscribe to sites that let you rent an entire outfit for less, or lease expensive accessories. With a few clicks, technology might your best date ever.
*** 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
Inspiration and the sweetness...
PAGE B2 is born. The majestic Zeus himself got his start as a god, who spoke out of the oak tree. Syllables of elegance and refinement from the Greeks, themselves are said to have turned the full sweetness of poetry. Greek drama, Greek poetry and Greek speculation. beyond all these Greeks is the mind of science, the mind of poetry art; of the Greeks W.H arden reminds us: “who have taught us, not to think, that all human beings have always done- but to think about our thinking” Its mythology and glory that was Greece was an inspiration. aren’t myths the greatest inspirations of all? and most blatant, each god represents an aspect of human pas-
sion — humanly resplendent, here is beauty and lust. Here is wisdom, chance, courage, mendacity and war. Isn’t that inspirational enough for poets? Some poets observed through that there is not a god nor goodness which stands for the still small voice of conscience. Scholars remember that to this day. Inspiration is ad hoc and has no history. but through it, the past has the capacity to imagine use. The reason they say in plain is that inspiration has no memory. Inspiration is spontaneity. by turning their religious life into poetry, the Greeks have been universalized. Inspiration in poetry — which is sudden and as transient as an electrical trajectory — takes a long
time to delineate because latency (a hidden prior knowledge) and unintelligibility (the mysterious grace that surpasses understanding), are said to be in its nature. It is in the nature of inspiration to be succinct. It has given birth and tongue, even to saints and prophets, early and late. Inspirations belongs to everyone. That is the point of its having been dreamed into existence at all. Without the inspiration of memory and history, we cannot imagine the life of the other. We cannot imagine what it is to be someone else. Inspiration is the reciprocal agent, the universalizing force. It makes it possible to envision the stranger’s heart. Here is to inspiration in poetry!
where 10,000 limited edition bottles of Big Mac Special Sauce will be available FOLLOWING the nationwide introduction of the Mac Jr. and Grand Mac burgers, McDonald’s uSa will be giving away 10,000 limited edition bottles of beloved big Mac Special Sauce on January 26 at participating restaurants nationwide. Customers can find big Mac Special Sauce bottles in their market by downloading the big Mac Special Sauce Finder iMessage app that highlights the nearest restaurant where the limited edition bottles will be available.* When in restaurant, customers must share the secret code “There’s a big Mac for that” to a crew member or designated representative for a chance to get their hands on one of the exclusive bottles that will be handed out on a first come, first serve basis.** Those who aren’t in a location where the bottles are being given away will have a chance to win a bottle on January 26 by following and participating in McDonald’s live giveaway on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. For the first time ever, McDonald’s will be hosting a live giveaway across each of these channels. The first bottle of big Mac
Special Sauce given away in the u.S. was gifted to the Delligatti family in memory of Michael “Jim” Delligatti. Jim shared McDonald’s commitment to listening to customers and changing expectations by doing something never done before – creating a bigger burger and introducing the big Mac in his uniontown, Penn. restaurant. as a sign of that commitment, McDonald’s gifted bottle #1 of 10,000 to the Delligatti family – four generations of family members who run restaurants in Pennsylvania and North Carolina. The bottle will join the permanent collection at the big Mac museum Jim Delligatti founded in North Huntingdon, Pa. “Speaking on behalf of the entire Delligatti family, we’re pleased to accept this first bottle of limited edition big Mac Special Sauce in honor of my father Jim Delligatti. Though he’s no longer with us, we know his legacy will live on with the big Mac sandwich. He knew customers wanted a bigger burger, so he spent weeks developing the new burger, experimenting with different buns and creating the Special Sauce,” said Michael Delligatti.
“He was all about giving the customer what they wanted, so we were glad to hear McDonald’s is continuing that tradition by giving away bottles of the iconic big Mac Special Sauce. It’s definitely one of the ingredients that sets the burger apart from others and I know how excited some McDonald’s customers will be when they receive their own bottle.” *Participating locations California 201 W. Washington blvd., Los angeles, Ca 90015 2699 union avenue, San Jose, Ca 95124 235 Front Street, San Francisco, Ca 94111 2320 Fair Oaks boulevard, Sacramento, Ca 95667 320 N. broadway, Santa Maria, Ca 93454 2705 Via De La Valle, Del Mar, Ca 92014-1905 2320 roll Dr., San Diego, Ca 92154-7237 **Disclaimer: awarded on a first come, first served basis. Must tell McDonald’s crewperson or designated representative the secret code phrase “There’s a big Mac for that.” Quantities are limited and may vary by restaurant. (Advertising Supplement)
QUIAPO: Blood, sweat, hope, and Rodallie S. Rosende’s story
A photo essay by Rick Rocamora, with an introduction by Rene Ciria-Cruz by EnriquE dE la
QuIaPO is a photo essay by award-winning photojournalist rick rocamora. Quiapo, is actually two interrelated photo essays, in one book. The first story is about the people who live in and about Quiapo, a commercial district in the heart of Manila, many of whom are street/sidewalk vendors whose makeshift stalls are weighted down with all sorts of goods. Most of these vendors are forced to sleep inside or beside these stalls to safeguard their wares at night. and an economy has thus sprung up to service their needs, from portable sleeping cots, to food, water, and what not. rick rocamora’s camera captures tender portraits of these folk and documents their living conditions. The second story focuses on one of Quiapo’s residents, a young woman, rodallie rosende, who, despite the hard scrabble life of vendors in Quiapo, has struggled to pursue a college education, thanks in part to an anonymous donor who helps with her college fees and some living expenses. rocamora’s early photographs of rodallie in Quiapo, helped bring this anonymous donor forward. as with his previous photo documentary projects, rocamora visits and re-visits his subjects over a long period of time, developing a deep empathy for their struggles, their dreams, and their hopes. This is evident, not just in his photographs (which are in black and white), but in the spare captions that accompany them. as ed Kashi notes in his promotional review on the back cover to the book, Quiapo exemplifies “the very best of what documentary photography
Cruz
can and should be.” rocamora’s Quiapo, dignifies the lives of Quiapo’s street vendors; it invites empathy for their struggles and admiration for their grit. His portraits are compelling, but gentle, revealing his subject’s sense of hope. His street scenes, on the other hand, are multilayered revealing rocamora’s sense of humor and creative eye. For the many Filipinos and Filipino americans who have not been to Quiapo, rene CiriaCruz’s introduction is instructive and provides historical context for the photographs. Dan amosin’s personal story demonstrates that even in the most hard-scrabble of circumstances, hope, grit, and self-reliance trumps (no pun intended) despair. For those familiar with rocamora’s body of work, this is a very special collection. The last time rocamora decided to collect his work into a book (america’s Second Class Veterans, 2009), a film (Second Class Veterans) aired over PbS stations during 2003-4 documenting his efforts. These, together, inspired many to join Filipino veterans of World War II, in their struggle for recognition and justice. rocamora’s Quiapo shines a much-needed light on the lives of Manila’s urban poor and homeless, and of their grit to remain self-reliant, and dignified. *Copies of Quiapo are available through the photographer: rbrocamora@gmail.com. Enrique de la Cruz, is Professor Emeritus of Asian American Studies and an avid amateur photographer.
Nicole Ignacio Cordoves... PAGE B3 very smart, independent woman and a brave woman. That is why I will choose her to walk together with me. I believe that if I and Madame Clinton walk together, I believe that I can stop the war and I ask the people to join us to stop the war and violence, so I choose her to stop the war and violence. Thank you.” Her response showed decisiveness and her belief that she is a change agent. by stressing “walk” in her answer, it suggested motion and efficacy. She took home the crown. Her reflections about inner beauty I asked Nicole to define a woman of grace and substance. She responded with ease, suggesting intimate self-knowledge. Woman of grace means: “When I think of grace, I think of my grandmother. I don’t know how mothers acquire the ability to raise good kids and at the same time endure what women go through as wives, mothers, as grandmothers, what they do to take care of husbands, their children, all their heartaches. I think of my grandmother who even if the family is falling apart, holds on to her values, and does not think of running away. She knows how to stay with her pain, unafraid, to keep the family name intact, not thinking of the years she might lose and she has held onto the family. you see her [journey] physically: the traces of white hair on her head, the wrinkles on her hands, [matching] the heartbreaks she has gone through, we all know that.” Growing up, Nicole did not live in a bubble, nor with a silver spoon in her mouth — which is why she really hung on to God in those times and it is in suffering that she actually feels closest to God, one thing she would always cherish. She realized early on that she wants to be more than the cir-
cumstances given to her, “God will always catch me. I am not afraid of falling anymore.” One key word is “ready” as that comes from one’s mindset, either we are ready to win or fail. To Nicole, her thoughts created her life. a woman of substance is “one who has fought to be relevant in the world. She looked for and found that role. She has set her mind and heart to perform her purpose. No one is born of substance or grace, you choose to become it. you need to wake up every morning and decide what kind of woman you want to become.” She excuses herself to check on laundry, washing the bed linens and towels she used at her hosts’ home, that of Hydee ursolinoabrahan and akima abrahan. Her thoughts became her life She graduated from Makati Hope Christian School. Failing math in the first-year high school, she tutored herself and became the most improved student, even an honor student. That gave her the realization of her self-worth and her potentials. She played badminton, patintero and basketball games with the neighborhood boys, sell them my toys, including drinks made of black gelatin (in cans) with sago [boba], sugar and water, including the passersby. “I earned a lot,“ not realizing she pioneered recycling. “I was always the head of the group, organizing trick or treating, my own birthday parties, including bible studies. I remember even giving them quizzes about biblical passages, including King Nebuchadnezzar, the king of the Neo-babylonian period.” She took up economics, so she can look at the world trends to help others. She took a minor in development management and “got obsessed including, photocopying the asian Development
bank’s book on rural farming as well as the underground economies, just like Muhammad yunus in bangladesh.” Her thesis was on how information technology affects economic growth. Her thesis uncovered “the use of information communications technology (ICT) appropriately in developed countries, e.g. Singapore, where they build institutions to regulate ICT and to develop programs for its productive use. In the Philippines, ICT is misused, as there are no institutions to encourage exploration, proper productive use, and improperly utilized as social media trolls,” she said. In ateneo de Manila, she obtained her economics degree but also, on how to be a woman for others. “In Tondo, we had a small room where we held bible studies. I remember Kuya rey, the only man amongst 8 women who slept in corrugated metal and thought of suicide until he met a missionary, ben from Hongkong. ben decided to live in Tondo and became a pastor. ben offered rey lodging and now, rey is a minister, a strong man who speaks with confidence,” she continued. after college, she worked as a speech writer for Secretary Cesar Purisima. She remembers doing her first draft, for Hong Kong to invest in the Philippines, “I made three to four speeches with dramatic prose and the feedback was that the boss likes data points, loves anecdotes and [he is] not a dramatic person. He is very functional, gives the best jokes, all that I learned from him.” It was during this period that she got recruited by aces and Queens. after rigorous weekend training, she joined the bb. Pilipinas pageant and won the title, bb.Pilipinas-Grand International, and later competed to become First runner-up. Nicole reflected on her journey and growth, from being Miss PAGE B5
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARy 28-31, 2017
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Pechanga celebrates Year of the Rooster with a Fresh Catch Seafood Market: A true one-stop stop $100,000 drawing, round trip tickets to Asia, plus Asian dining specials and traditional casino decor Lucky Lion Dancers at Pechanga Resort & Casino
TEMECULA - In celebration of the Lunar New Year, Pechanga Resort & Casino introduces the exciting Lunar New Year $100,000 Lucky Drawing. Pechanga Club members will receive an entry for every point earned during the promotional period from Saturday, January 28 at 8 a.m. (Lunar New Year) to 5pm on Sunday, February 19. Drawings are held on three consecutive Sundays, February 5, 12 and 19. Winners will be announced at 6pm the same evening. Each week, 10 lucky players will win 2 Asiana Airlines round trip tickets to Asia, and 8 lucky winners will receive $500 in EasyPlay. The more you play, the more you win. In addition, Pechanga resort & Casino will also have a series of lucky drawings and festivities, such as the “Lucky Red Envelope” Drawing. Every Thursday in February between 1 p.m. and 9 p.m., guests can simply swipe their Club cards at the promotion kiosk for a chance to win up to $1,000 in EasyPlay. For more information on Pechanga events and promotions, please call (877) 711-2946 or visit our website Pechanga.com. Must be at least 21 years of age to participate this promotion. Lucky lion dance performance Pechanga Resort & Casino will celebrate Lunar New Year with the Lucky Lion Dance performance at 6 p.m. on January 28, (Lunar New Year’s Day). The “Lucky Lion,” which represent blessings and good luck, awakens and begins
its opening sequence from the north entrance (adjacent to North Parking Structure) and works his way throughout the casino floor. Pechanga Resort & Casino executives will follow the lion dancers and give out red envelopes to guests to feed the lions that traditionally represent good luck, and wishing great luck to come in the New Year. Lunar New Year dining specials Guests looking for an authentic dining experience for the Lunar New Year can make plans for Bamboo or Blazing Noodles, Pechanga’s two traditional Asian restaurants. Throughout the Lunar New Year weekend, Blazing Noodles serves four popular New Year Chinese dishes. *Whole steamed fish marinated in ginger soy reduction, topped with green onions and cilantro ($45) *Whole lobster sautéed in a spicy black bean sauce with bell peppers and onions ($65) *Longevity noodles topped with 24-hour roasted BBQ pork, cucumbers and onions ($16) *36-hour braised chicken with fresh shiitake mushrooms, fresh water chestnuts, star anise, green onions and ginger with hint of soy sauce served in a traditional clay pot ($22) Bamboo serves two traditional Vietnamese New Year specialties. *Thit Kho Trung - Braised Pork shoulder and Egg with coconut juice & fish sauce ($18) *Tôm Hùm Rang Me - Stir-fried Maine Lobster with Tamarind sauce
Nicole Ignacio Cordoves...
PAGE B3 Nicole reflected on her journey and growth, from being Miss Chinatown, a college student in Ateneo, to her exposure to bible studies in Tondo: “When I became Miss Chinatown, I wanted to set up STROKES, a Filipino-Chinese organization for high school students, an umbrella philanthropy group that would allow students to share about their advocacies and together, implement them and do outreach. I wanted a curriculum on social enterprise and the ethics of serving others. People are always looking to help, but children do not know how. In Ateneo, I had a ‘terror professor’ in Fr. Dacanay, who gave me 3.5 out of 4.0, for my oral exam. I was studying very hard. I went from home to school back to home. I took LRT 1, LRT 2 (subways), then a tricycle.” “Do you consider yourself a beautiful woman of grace and substance?” I asked. With certainty, Nicole replied in soft hushed tones, “I do, I do. That realization changed my life.” During the pageant, she gave a head-turning speech, excerpted here: “Tonight I will tell you a story about our world. One day I was conducting a storytelling session in Tondo, which is an area in the Philippines where the poorest of the poor live. So I asked the kids to
fold their papers into half and then inside it, I asked them to draw who they want to be when they grow up and where they want to go, like a dream destination. But out of the ten kids sitting on the floor, only three of them knew what they wanted to be when they grow up and only two of them knew where they wanted to go. These kids – They do no need us to win wars for them. They need us to build a world for them that will allow them to grow, to dream, to live. Let’s build a world where children do not have to wake up to the sounds of bullets and bombs…where women and children do not have to face a battle the moment they take one step out of the door. I stand here tonight refusing to tell the same story to our next generation. Children do not need to risk their lives in war for us. They need to fight for their dreams, not their lives so I ask all of you tonight, let’s all write a new book about our world and our common humanity – one that could finally give the next generation the happy ending they deserve.” She now works for Manila Bulletin Rundown and MB Discussion, a recap of breaking news stories each week and select guests’ interviews on human interest stories. As a good friend said to me, “Not all beauty queens are empty heads. Nicole is interestingly a
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10125 Rosecrans Ave., Bellflower, CA 90706
17206 Norwalk Blvd., Cerritos, CA 90703
Inside Island Pacific-Cerritos
(beside St. Phelomina)
(inside Eriel Cafe Cerritos)
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Tumawag na para sa catering sa inyong mga handaan!
(562) 405-1946 (562) 866-5570
IN celebration of the upcoming Lunar New Year, Fresh Catch Seafood Market has prepared new and fun exciting events for the Filipino-American community in the Cerritos-Artesia area. From Thursday, January 26, to Sunday, January 29, you can receive gifts from Fresh Catch by purchasing their select items. Customers can also enjoy tasty free food samples from January 28 to 29. Of course the Lunar New Year festival would be incomplete without Lion dances. On Saturday, January 28, watch this colorful dance that’s been long part of the Chinese and Asian culture starting at 2 p.m. Fresh Catch is a large-scale Asian supermarket that boasts of an extensive array of fresh and live seafood selections, with wide array of live seafood tanks. The market offers live lobsters, crabs, fish, shellfish and many more seafood delights that Fil-Ams crave, not only for parties but for daily meals at home. They also provide free seafood frying and steaming services. For weary office and healthcare workers who simply do not have the
($65) Lunar New Year decor The Lunar New Year symbolizes a time for reawakening and to celebrate the season, Pechanga Resort & Casino features Year of the Rooster décor throughout the property. The decorations include lanterns, bridges, cherry blossoms, inscriptions and much more, and they offer the perfect backdrop for time and energy to cook at home group photos or selfies. after a long, arduous day at work, Pechanga Resort & Casino customers can request for items to Pechanga Resort & Casino ofbe grilled at Fresh Catch’s take-out fers one of the largest and most bar for a small fee. expansive resort/casino experiLocated right off the 605 freeway ences anywhere in the United on busy South Street, Fresh Catch is States. Voted the Number One just seconds away from the Cerritos Casino in America by readers of mall. It is, by design, a center that USA TODAY and rated a Four aims to become the cultural hub for Diamond property by AAA since many. What’s not to like? 2002, Pechanga Resort & Casino So come and don’t miss the provides an unparalleled getaway. events at FRESH CATCH SEAFOOD Offering more than 3,400 of the hotMARKET this week. You will be test slots, table games, world-class glad you did! entertainment, 517 hotel rooms, FRESH CATCH is located at dining, spa and championship golf at Journey at Pechanga, Pechanga Resort & Casino features a destination that meets and exceeds the needs of its guests and the community. Pechanga Resort & Casino is owned and operated by the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians. For more information, call toll free 1-888-PECHANGA or visit www. Pechanga.com. Follow Pechanga Resort & Casino on Facebook and This market offers a TAKE-OUT BAR. WOOHOO! Who has the time and energy to cook at home on Twitter @PechangaCasino. (Advertising Supplement)
after a long, arduous day at work? This is in complete alignment with the lifestyles of many in a workaday world.
11618 South Street, Artesia, CA 90701. For information, you can call (562) 402 2133. (Advertising Supplement)
Fresh Catch offers an extensive array of fresh and live seafood selections. Prepare to be impressed with their wide array of live seafood tanks. You can find live lobsters, crabs, fish, shellfish and many more seafood delights that Fil-Ams crave.
B January 28-31, 2017 • La WEEKEnD aSIan JOurnaL
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COMMUNITY Journal
Permanent resident status despite a prior misrepresentation
Your Immigration Solution Devin Connolly & nanCy Miller A PERSON born outside of the United States will only be granted permanent resident status (“green card”) if they are able to show that they are admissible to the U.S. If the applicant is found to be inadmissible for any reason, they will only be issued a green card if they are granted a waiver of their inadmissibility. One ground of inadmissibility results from telling a lie in order to obtain an immigration benefit. Using an assumed name or misrepresenting marital status generally results in a finding of inadmissibility. Committing a material misrepresentation triggers a lifetime bar from the U.S. Fortunately an alien who has previously committed a material misrepresentation may be eligible for a waiver of their prior conduct. And if their requested waiver is granted, their prior actions are forgiven and they are permitted to lawfully reside in the U.S. as a permanent resident. An applicant will only be issued a waiver of their inadmissibility if they are able to demonstrate they are eligible for the waiver as a matter of fact and law, and that they deserve a waiver as a matter of discretion. In order to be statutorily eligible for a waiver of a prior misrepresentation, the applicant must have a requisite qualifying relative. The only possible qualifying relatives for this type of waiver are the applicant’s U.S. citizen or permanent resident spouse or parents. An applicant’s U.S. citizen or permanent resident child is not a qualifying relative for purposes of this waiver. If the applicant does have the required qualifying relative, they must demonstrate that their qualifying relative will suf-
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fer “extreme hardship” if they are not granted a waiver of their inadmissibility. As stated above, any potential hardship experienced by the applicant’s child is not directly applicable. In determining whether the alien has met the “extreme hardship” standard, the adjudicator will consider the following factors: (1) the presence of lawful permanent resident or United States citizen family ties to the United States; (2) the qualifying relative’s family ties outside the United States; (3)
An applicant’s request for a waiver must include objective evidence that establishes “extreme hardship.” It is crucial that the applicant submits a well-documented request for a waiver because this evidence must sufficiently convince the adjudicating officer or Immigration Judge that the applicant’s qualifying relative will indeed suffer “extreme hardship” if the waiver is not granted. The adjudicating officer will not assume anything. Every claim of hardship must be supported. The submission of thorough and persuasive evidence is vital since the applicant has the burden of proving that that she is eligible for the waiver, that the qualifying relative would suffer extreme hardship and that she is deserving of the requested waiver of inadmissibility in the exercise of discretion. Preparation of the waiver is both an art and a science. For that reason, an experienced immigration attorney is essential because, in addition to knowing the required elements, a knowledgeable attorney will also be able to present the evidence in a manner that emphasizes the hardship on a qualifying relative, highlights the alien’s rehabilitation and good moral char-
It is always advisable for applicants to retain the services of an experienced and knowledgeable attorney who is dedicated solely to the practice of immigration law. the country conditions in the country of relocation and the qualifying relative’s ties to that country; (4) the financial impact of departure from the United States; and (5) significant health conditions, particularly when tied to the unavailability of suitable medical care in the country of relocation. The “extreme hardship” standard is to be viewed under a totality of the circumstances approach. This standard is difficult to meet; an applicant’s waiver will not be granted solely because their qualifying relative(s) would miss them.
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 28-31, 2017
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Minding Your Finances Atty. RAymond BulAon WHEN debts spiral out of control, bankruptcy can become an invaluable financial recovery tool in stemming the tide and getting you back on the right track. Without the “fresh start” that bankruptcy provides, it would be impossible for a lot of people to ever pay back what they owe and they will simply remain stuck in debt with nowhere to go. If you’ve tried everything you can to pay your debts but nothing has worked up to this point, it may be time to consider legal options. A financial crisis can happen to anyone at any time. No one is exempt. Bankruptcy is a fact of life. Without it, people with serious debt problems will remain stuck where they are, unable to move on with their lives. Living with stress every day caused by the burden of debt is a horrible way to live. Bankruptcy can offer hope when the future looks bleak.
Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth uRSuA ReyeS ALL property, real or personal, wherever situated, acquired by a married person during the marriage while domiciled in California is community property. Family Code 760. However, there are situations in which the marriage may be held to be null and void. These situations include, but are not limited to entering into a bigamous marriage, fraud and misrepresentation in entering into a marriage, etc. The legal consequences of having your marriage annulled by your spouse is that it results to you not having any community property interest on property acquired by your spouse during the marriage. A nullity may also cut off your claim for spousal support. What options do you have if your spouse files a nullity against you? You may still have a claim to community property and support as a putative spouse. A party to a void or voidable marriage has “putative spouse” status only if he or she believed in good faith
Community Journal
Stuck in debt with no way out? Some people will qualify for Chapter 7 to completely wipe out their debts. Others may have no choice but to file Chapter 13 and pay their creditors over a three to five year period. Much of it depends on your income and your assets. You also need to take into consideration your objective in seeking debt relief. Under the rules for Chapter 7 bankruptcy eligibility, your current monthly income must be measured against the median monthly income for a family of your size in your state. If your average monthly income is lower than the median, Chapter 7 may be for you. If your income is higher than the median, Chapter 7 is still a possibility, but there is an additional step. You have to pass what’s known as “the means test,” mathematical formula for calculating your disposable income and determining whether it is high enough to help pay off some of your debts. Chapter 13 can be the most effective way to consolidate all your
debts into one low monthly payment that you can afford. In a lot of cases, most debts are only paid a small percentage of the actual amount, resulting in significant reduction- a reduction of 50% or more is not unusual. Just imagine what this will do for you if you can cut your debt payments every month by more than half! Instead of hopelessly trying to pay your debts and not making progress, you may be better off just filing bankruptcy now to start fresh and rebuild your credit sooner than later. If you need help in getting out of debt, I would like to help you. Please call Toll-Free 1-866-477-7772 to schedule a free consultation. We have offices in Glendale, Cerritos and Valencia. *** None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped thousands of clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call Ray Bulaon Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1 (866) 477-7772. (Advertising Supplement)
Putative spouse status as a defense to a petition for nullity of marriage the marriage was valid. Family. Code. § 225; Marriage of Guo & Sun (2010) 186 CA4th 1491, 1493, 112 CR3d 906, 908; Marriage of Vryonis (1988) 202 CA3d 712, 721, 248 CR 807, 813. A party who has the requisite objectively reasonable “good faith” belief may be a putative spouse where any legal infirmity in formation of the marriage renders the marriage invalid. Domestic Partnership of Ellis & Arriaga (2008) 162 CA4th 1000, 1005, 76 CR3d 401, 404; Estate of DePasse (2002) 97 CA4th 92, 107, 118 CR2d 143, 155; see Marriage of Vryonis, supra, 202 CA3d at 718–719, 248 CR at 811–812. A party’s “good faith” belief in the validity of the marriage is not tested by whether he or she believed a “marriage” lawfully occurred under some private, secular or spiritual set of standards. A putative spouse must have had a good faith belief in the existence of a lawful California marriage. Estate of DePasse (2002)
97 CA4th 92, 107–108, 118 CR2d 143, 156; Welch v. State of Calif. (2000) 83 CA4th 1374, 1378– 1379, 100 CR2d 430, 432–433; Marriage of Vryonis (1988) 202 CA3d 712, 723, 248 CR 807, 814–815 “Good faith” belief is tested by an objective standard based on facts that would cause a reasonable person under the circumstances to harbor a good faith belief in the existence of a valid California marriage. Domestic Partnership of Ellis & Arriaga, supra, 162 CA4th at 1005, 76 CR3d at 404; Marriage of Guo & Sun (2010) 186 CA4th 1491, 1497, 112 CR3d 906, 911; Marriage of Ramirez & Llamas (2008) 165 CA4th 751, 756, 81 CR3d 180, 183. Whether a party had an objectively reasonable “good faith” belief is a question of fact to be determined in light of all the circumstances. Successfully proving putative spouse status or putative mar-
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Tax Tips VictoR Sy, cPA, mBA
1. TAX Day is April 18, 2017: While we are accustomed to a filing tax deadline of April 15, this day falls on a Saturday so the deadline is moved to Monday April 17, but the District of Columbia observes this day as Emancipation Day, so this year’s tax deadline is pushed further back to Tuesday April 18, 2017. 2. The IRS has new power to take your passport away: The IRS can now take away your passport if you have federal tax debts of $50,000 or more, courtesy of a transportation bill that was passed in December 2016 but takes effect in January 2017. 3. Tax penalties related to Obamacare are increasing again: Obamacare penalties are going up dramatically for those who don’t have qualifying healthcare coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Those penalties started at $95 per adult (1 percent of income above the filing threshold) in 2014, but they rise again to $695 per adult (2.5 percent of income). Family maximum more than doubles from the $975 in 2015 to $2,085 in 2016. 4. Standard deductions are increasing for head-of-household filers: The standard deduction rises to $9,300 for heads of household (other status filings remain unchanged). 5. Personal exemptions are increasing: Personal exemption rises to $4,050 in 2016. 6. The Earned Income Credit is
Immigration Corner
2016 federal tax changes For the 2017 filing season
increasing: The maximum allowable Earned Income Credit will go up modestly in 2016: Families without children get $506; onechild get up to $3,373; two children get a maximum $5,572; and three or more qualifying children rise to $6,269. 7. Contribution limits on health savings accounts are increasing: Health savings accounts let people with high-deductible health plans set money aside on a pretax basis to cover the costs of their health care. For 2016, the contribution limit for individual policies will remain at $3,350 but the maximum contribution for family policies will rise to $6,750. A catch-up contribution of $1,000 for those 55 or older will continue to apply. 8. Tax brackets are increasing slightly: Most of tax brackets that govern different classes of taxpayers are adjusted for inflation. For 2016, these bracket amounts rise by roughly 0.4 percent. 9. The exemption from Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) is higher: Single taxpayers will see their AMT exemptions go up to $53,900 while joint filers go up to $83,800. 10. The estate tax exemption is increasing: The lifetime exemption amount for the gift and estate tax rise to $5.45 million (up $20,000 from 2015). This limit applies to estates of those who passed away in 2016. 11. New foreign financial disclosures (offshore accounts): IRS takes a closer look at the foreign holdings of American citizens. U.S. residents have to file information about foreign holdings if
*** Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude from UE with a BBA and from Indiana State University with an MBA. Vic worked with SyCip, Gorres, Velayo (SGV - Andersen Consulting) and Ernst & Young before establishing Sy Accountancy Corporation in Pasadena, California. *** He has 50 years of experience in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS, FTB, EDD, BOE and other governmental agencies. He is publishing a book on his expertise - “HOW TO AVOID OR SURVIVE IRS AUDITS.” Our readers may inquire about the book or email tax questions at vicsy@live.com. (Advertising Supplement)
Get the green card and then do your living trust
cumulated assets, a house and you other material goods. You have children and a spouse. QUESTION: I have just re- What happens if tomorrow you ceived my Green Card. It took get in a car accident and become years of waiting and I’m so hap- incapacitated? What happens py. I have heard about getting if you pass away tomorrow for a Living Trust, but I really don’t whatever reason? What will hapsee the point. I have my Green pen to your children? What will Card and all is well. What do you happen to your spouse? By not doing anything and by think? Answer: Actually, this could thinking everything’s just fine, not be further from the truth. Yes you are just putting your faith it was difficult and time consum- that nothing will happen to you ing to get your Green Card. You or your spouse. You are essenu PAGE C3 have worked years and have ac- tially stating that by not doing
Atty. BRiAn leRneR
they exceed $50,000 at year-end if you’re a single filer. Foreign holdings exceeding $75,000 at any time during the year must also be reported. For joint filers, the limits rise to $150,000 at any time, and $75,000 at year-end. For U.S. citizens living abroad, the reporting limits rise dramatically. Single filers need only report accounts exceeding $200,000 at year-end, or $300,000 at any point during the year. For joint filers, the limits are $400,000 at year-end, or $600,000 at any time during the year. 12. Other tax provisions could change if not renewed: Nearly every year, lawmakers wait until the last minute to renew popular tax breaks such as state sales tax deductions, teachers’ write-offs for classroom supplies, deductions for private mortgage insurance, and charitable distribution from IRAs. As we go to press at Asian Journal, these provisions have not yet been renewed, but lawmakers will probably renew some of them retroactive to the beginning of this year.
anything you are allowing the State where you live to choose who gets what and to make decisions that you would have wanted yourself. You are stating that you want the State to make decisions as to your life support should it be necessary. You are stating that you want the State to determine distribution of all your assets and goods to whom the State believes they should go. All your years of hard work to protect your family will essentially be placed in the State as to what
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Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. Q: I HAVE been working five years for a company (with over 200 employees) in Los Angeles. My wife just gave birth to our first child. Being a new father, I want to be there and bond with my new baby. When I asked my boss about parental leave, he laughed at me. But when I insisted and he saw I was serious, he became upset and called me a “sissy.” He said my wife (who works for a different company) is on leave anyway, so there was no need for me to be off work. He denied my leave. Is this legal? A: No, it is not. Your rights are protected under the California Family Rights Act (CFRA). CFRA ensures that California employees have the right to take a leave of absence for health or familyrelated reasons. One of the specific provisions of CFRA is to allow employees – both male and female – to take up to 12 weeks of leave to bond with a newborn child, a newly adopted child or a child newly placed in foster care. There is no requirement that either the employee or child have a serious health condition for CFRA leave to be granted. The leave to bond with a new child must be completed within the first year of the birth or placement of the child. Under California law, parents (married or unmarried) and registered domestic partners who work for the same employer are limited to a combined total of 12 weeks of CFRA for child bonding leave. (Note: Child-bonding leave is dif-
To Live With Faith reverend rodel G. BAlAGtAS I SPENT three weeks after Christmas traveling to the Philippines and China. In the Philippines, I joined my high school seminary classmates in the celebration of our 40th year anniversary of graduation. In China, I honored an overdue invitation of a long-time friend to visit the American school that he has been running successfully, Qingdao No.1 International School. I enjoyed both travels. I fulfilled my dream of reuniting with my high school classmates and bonding with them again. We had fun recalling our adolescent years in the minor seminary and being amazed at God’s works and actions in our lives after 40 years. I also fulfilled one of my travel wishes on my bucket list: climbing to the top of the Great Wall of China. It was an amazing and unforgettable experience! But there was one surprise in my travel to the Philippines that touched my heart most deeply. It was my second visit to an impoverished village on the hills of Taytay, Rizal overlooking Metro Manila. People call this village Overlooking Valley. Accordingly, the folks who live here don’t
Community Journal
Are men entitled to take leave for their new baby? ferent from pregnancy-related disability leave, which pregnant employees are additionally entitled to.) According to researchers at The Center for WorkLife Law at the UC Hastings College of the Law, men also face barriers in the workplace as they try to balance work and family demands. For example, men requesting family leave are perceived as uncommitted to work and less masculine. They face harassment, lower performance evaluations, reduced pay, and increased risks of being demoted or downsized. Such a scenario unfolded at the Los Angeles Police Department. The Daily Journal reports the following: William Cooper was a police officer who had been promoted several times. In July 2011, he requested a leave of absence for “baby bonding.” Cooper’s lieutenant was upset and told Cooper he was “doing a woman’s work” and “No man would stay out that long.” Cooper’s lieutenant called Cooper’s family leave a “pussy leave.” Cooper went on his leave for about 3 months. The lieutenant was angry and started an audit of Cooper’s work. When Cooper returned to work after his leave, he was demoted and stripped of his supervisory duties. Cooper sued his employer (the City of Los Angeles), claiming that it violated CFRA by retaliating against him for taking a family leave, and failing to prevent harassment. After initially denying Cooper’s allegations, and stating that it had a legitimate, non-retaliatory reason for demoting Cooper, the
City agreed to settle the case and pay Cooper $850,000 in damages. To be eligible for CFRA leave, an employee must be a full-time or part-time employee working in California with more than 12 months (52 weeks) of service with the employer, and have worked at least 1,250 hours in the 12-month period before the date the leave begins. The employee must also work at a location in which the employer has at least 50 employees within 75 miles radius of the employee’s work site. After granting a CFRA leave, generally, the employer must reinstate the employee to the same or comparable position and provide such a guarantee if requested by the employee. Finally, the employer must continue health care coverage for employees during their CFRA leave. This obligation begins on the first day of leave and continues for the duration of the leave(s), up to a maximum of 12 work weeks in a 12-month period. *** 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)
happens to everything. Question: Well I don’t want to think about dying or becoming incapacitated. Maybe it is just better that I leave this in the hands of God. Answer: That is not a good idea. As the parent, you want to protect your family more than anything. Even if you are only 25 years old, you should do this. By preparing a proper Estate Plan, you are protecting your family when you no longer have the ability. It is the very reason that you are coherent and healthy now that allows you to do this. Nobody will question what you want or claim you do not lack capacity. Question: OK. What do I need to do? Answer: You will need to have
riage status in court gives rise to certain property, support and attorney fees/costs rights, as well as certain other rights that ordinarily attach only between lawfully married persons. Property that would have been community or quasi-community property had the marriage been valid is deemed “quasi-marital property” and, in a proceeding to terminate the invalid marriage, “shall” be divided between the parties as if it were community. Family.Code. § 2251(a)(2); Marriage of Tejeda (2009) 179 CA4th 973, 983, 102 CR3d 361, 368; Quasi-marital property divided pursuant to § 2251 is also liable for the parties’ debts to the same extent as if it had been community
AC 21: Changing the employer of your employment-based green card application Dear Attorney Tan, I HAVE an approved I-140 immigrant petition which was filed by Company A on my behalf. Company A would like to employ me as a bookkeeper. Based on that approved I-140 petition, I filed an application for green card (I-485 adjustment of status) in August 2014. Since that time, my green card application has been pending, as USCIS has requested additional documents in support of my application. Recently, another company, Company B, has expressed interest in hiring me for a payroll clerk position. Company B is a more established company based in the Midwest and pays $10,000.00 less but offers much better benefits. Is there a way I can substitute Company B as the employer in my green card application? --P.T. Dear P.T. Under INA Section 204(j), commonly referred to as AC 21, an approved I-140 employment-based immigrant petition filed by one employer can be used by or “ported” to another employer providing certain requirements are met. First, a green card (I-485 adjustment of status) application must have been filed and must be pending for at least 180 days. Second, the “new” job offered by the second employer must be in the same or similar occupational classification as the job for which the first employer filed the I-140 petition. In your situation, you meet the first requirement in that your application for green card (I-485) was filed in August 2014. Your application has been pending for over 1 year, which is more than the required 180 days under AC 21. In depth analysis in your case is needed as to whether Company B’s job of “payroll clerk” is considered a “similar occupational classification” to Company A’s job of “bookkeeper,” for which Company A petitioned you. In determining whether one job is similar enough to another job for AC 21 purposes, the USCIS takes into account the totality of the circumstances, including the job duties of both positions, the Standard Occupational Code (SOC) from the approved I-140 and the SOC code for the job offered by the new prospective employer, as well as the offered wages for each position. In your case, analysis would begin with the job duties of each position. The more similarity in job duties between bookkeeper and payroll clerk, the greater the likelihood that USCIS would consider them similar. Also, the SOC code for the 2 jobs would be taken into account. In addition, the wages offered by each employer would be considered. The existence of a big disparity in wages offered by each employer is not by itself a reason to conclude that the jobs are not similar. In your case, the fact that Company B is offering $10,000 less than Company A has to take into account the fact that the Midwest has a lower cost of living, as well as the fact that better benefits are being offered by Company B. If it is considered a “similar occupational classification,” Company B may be substituted in as the employer in your pending green card application, and Company B will not have to start the process from the beginning by filing a labor certification application and by obtaining an approved I-140 petition. The analysis of whether you can use or “port” your approved I-140 requires additional analysis, and consulting with an experienced attorney is recommended. *** 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)
have titles to the lands on which they built their houses -- they just have rights to them. Two years ago, I came to see this village for the first time. It’s the place where my aunt chose to retire to escape the pollution of Manila and to find some peace in her life. At that first visit, my aunt introduced me to the leaders of the community, particularly the Catholic ones, with the intention of having me hear their need to build a chapel in their village. After listening to their wishes, I gave them some money to help in the construction of a chapel. They said they wanted to buy steels and hallow blocks to start the project. I promised them that I would solicit some help from my friends in the U.S. Unfortunately, I was not able to fulfill my promise to them because of illness and preoccupation with my new assignment as a seminary formator. And so upon learning that I would be visiting their place again, they waited to talk about the construction of their chapel. They said that they didn’t have the funds to continue building the chapel. They wanted my help. The situation struck me. Here were people who had a deep longing to have a chapel in their village and, still, they have not
fulfilled their wish since my first visit to them. “God must be telling me something here,” I told myself. I know that I’ve always wanted to help people build a church, and here was an opportunity to fulfill this desire. I pulled out my cell phone to call my classmate in the seminary who is a pastor in the nearby parish. I asked him how we could proceed in building the chapel once we have the funds. He gave me some good advice and from then on the circumstances convinced me that God wanted me to help build this chapel. What impressed me about this experience was the faith and perseverance of the people in this poor village. They keep dreaming and hoping to have a place of worship. They’re waiting for generous people to help them. Their dependence on God inspired me; their poverty and weaknesses touched my heart and had become my strength; their perseverance ignited a fire within me to bring hope and life in others. The Readings of this Sunday’s Gospel relate well to my experience with the poor folks of Overlooking Valley. The Letter of Paul to the Corinthians, 1:26-31, says that “God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and
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a basic Estate Plan. While there are differences in each one, the basic documents will be: 1) Durable Power of Attorney for Financial Decisions; 2) Advance Healthcare Directive for Medical Decisions; 3) Living Trust and 4) Pour-over Will. By doing these documents properly, you will be protecting your family. If anything happens to you or your spouse, your wishes will be followed and you can have peace of mind. In fact, the State wants to follow your wishes should something happen. However, the only way to properly follow your wishes is to do these documents and have them properly done so they are legal, enforceable and revocable. Question: What if I have more
kids or later want to change who gets what, or to change the successor trustee? Answer: None of that is a problem. All of these documents are revocable at the time they are made. This means, you can properly change anything you want at anytime. *** Atty. Brian D. Lerner has been an Immigration Attorney for nearly a quarter of a century. He is married to a Filipina and has helped thousands of Filipino families all over the country. In addition to his offices in Southern California in Long Beach and Carson, he has an office in Quezon City. He is a certified specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law by the Legal Board of Specialization, California State Bar. The initial consultation is free. Call (562) 495-0554 and/or send an e-mail to blerner@californiaimmigration.us. (Advertising Supplement)
Putative spouse status as a defense to…
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When poor people become our strength Permanent resident status despite…
Get the green card and then do your…
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 28-31, 2017
or quasi-community property. Family.Code. § 2252. In addition, “temporary” and “permanent” spousal support may also be awarded in a nullity proceeding in favor of a putative spouse “in the same manner as if the marriage had not been void or voidable” Family Code Section 2254. The court may also award attorney’s fees pursuant to family code section 2030 in favor of a party found to be “innocent of fraud or wrongdoing in inducing or entering into the marriage, and free from knowledge of the then existence of any prior marriage or other impediment to the contracting of the marriage for which a judgment of nullity is sought.” Family Code Section 2255. ***
Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com. *** 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 (Advertising Supplement) is not a solicitation.
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acter, and couches the negative information (which must be discussed) in a way that will cause the least harm. Obtaining a waiver of inadmissibility for prior conduct is not easy. But it is still very possible to obtain if the request is properly prepared. It is always advisable for applicants to retain the services of an experienced and knowledgeable attorney who is dedicated solely to the practice
of immigration law. Having an experienced immigration attorney on one’s side will maximize the applicant’s chances of being granted a waiver. Hiring the right attorney may be the difference between obtaining a green card and being deported. It is therefore one of the most significant decisions that a person will make. *** Reeves Miller Zhang & Diza is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration
firms in the United States with offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Manila. For more Information please call (800) 7958009 or visit www.rreeves.com. Telephone: (800) 795-8009 E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com Website: www.rreeves.com. *** The analysis and suggestions offered in this column do not create a lawyer-client relationship and are not a substitute for the personalized representation that is essential to every case. (Advertising Supplement)
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Community Journal
Senior needs Chapter 13 relief for $24K credit cards
Debt Relief
Formerly rich seniors need Chapter 7 relief
Atty. LAwrence yAng CLIENT is 65. She still works middle management and earns $37K yearly. Although she is married, I would say that she has some kind of money agreement with her beloved husband that arrangement works well for one side only, and that’s not her side. She herself owes $24K of credit cards. She needs to pay at least $800 a month of minimum interest payments to keep the $24K current every month. With her monthly gross of $3K, her net take home pay is $2500, more or less. From her net pay of $2500, she has to pay 100% of the mortgage of $1600, leaving her $900 for utilities, food and monthly necessities for both herself and her husband. Client feels overwhelmed by the burden of paying $900 a month for credit cards at her age of 65. Next year, she can retire and get full social security benefits. SS benefits of course will be about $1600 in her case, which is less than her current take home pay of $2500. If she still has to worry about $24K of credit cards next year, half her social security would have to go to card payments. This is not something she looks forward to, to say the least. Despair and depression would be a more accurate description of how she feels right now. I tell her not to feel so bad because truthfully, she owes her creditors money only, not her enjoyment of life! “We have strength for all things in Christ who empowers us – Ce infuses us with inner strength and we are self sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency!� — Philippians 4:13 I wanted to say this because client was so depressed and I could see her depression clearly on her face. Please, it’s not the end of life and of the world, as we know it. We all can rely on Jesus who will help us. So, cheer up! Together, we can solve this problem and get rid of this burden. For the husband’s part, he gives her $1K a month as his share of all the household expenses plus the mortgage. And he doesn’t want to file bankruptcy even if he himself owes $40K of credit cards. Supposedly the $1K a month he gives her is half his take home pay. The other
50% he uses to pay his $40K of credit cards, which require at least $1200 a month of minimum payments. He’s still short $200. Perhaps he drives for UBER for the extra $200? Well, let’s just say the wall is about to break even if Mexico did pay for it. Even if POTUS used American-made cement and American citizen workers, the wall will still break under the load of too much credit card debt for this family. Can client file for bankruptcy herself to handle her $22K of credit cards? Yes. Nonfiling husband will be left to his own resources to handle his $40K of credit cards. They have $230K of equity in their house. Her homestead exemption is $175K, so that still leaves $55K of non-exempt equity. This means that she cannot do a Chapter 7 to discharge the $24K. If she did Chapter 7, trustee would sell her house, give her $175K in cash then use the rest of the sale proceeds to pay off the $24K. Who wants to lose their house because of credit cards? Certainly not this client and none of my clients want to lose their house in a Chapter 7. She can, however, file for Chapter 13. In Chapter 13, she will pay $400 a month for 60 months. At the end of the plan, she will be fully paid, because there is no interest in Chapter 13, and the court will give her a discharge order, meaning no more credit card debt! This is $500 less than $900, which is a minimum interest payment only. After paying $900 a month for 60 months, or $54K, she would still owe the very same $24K at the age of 70. Whereas, if she made all the Chapter 13 plan payments of $400 for 60 months, she would have paid $24K only which is all principal, and at the age of 70, she would owe ZERO credit cards. So, I hope client will feel a lot better now that there is light at the end of the tunnel. She can look forward to a good retirement with no credit cards to bother her. The next clients are spouses who are both 64. They have a million dollar house, which unfortunately also has a million dollar mortgage. This mortgage was taken 10 years ago with nothing down and interest only for 10 years. The problem is two months from now, 10 years
would have been reached and the interest only portion expires. When interest only portion expires, guess what, you have to start paying principal too. With principal payments, mortgage payment will double, from $3k to $6K. Time to let the house go. There is minimal equity. Clients have listed the house for sale for over a million with no offers. Just some dogs sniffing around, and stray cats looking for food. No serious buyers. As POTUS would tweet out “NOT NICE!� There is a second mortgage of $150K. And credit cards of $60K. If the house is not timely sold for the right price, the right price being, at least $1.15M, then eventually the first mortgage holder will foreclose. When that happens, they will not owe anything on the $1.0M first mortgage, but they will still owe the $150K, which becomes an unsecured debt, like a credit card debt. So, if the house is not sold, clients will owe about $200K of unsecured debt. I suggest a Chapter 7 to wipe out all debt. Let the house go if it is not sold, and go look for another residence now that is more reasonable in mortgage payments. They have two successful children who will help them purchase the new house anyway. God blesses them with two children who care for them. What more can they ask for? Good health and children who care for them. Our God has blessed them with abundance. Yes, I did not forget that clients were formerly rich. They had $750K of retirement funds. But alas, they lost all of it in the stock market. I feel bad for them losing this fortune. Losing this fortune is another story. But they do have two children who are good enough to buy them a new house, so that makes up for the lost fortune. God takes care of them through their children. “We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.� — Psalm 33:20 *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy, business, real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S. Fremont Ave, Mailstop 58, Building A-1 Suite 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803. (Advertising Supplement)
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‘He is the greatest servant-leader’
A Dash of Salt and Pepper (A simple thought of inspiration with biblical encouragement) by Henjie Pimenta
I THANK God for blessing me last year with great trips. I went to France and Belgium, and then I was in the Philippines a couple of weeks after. It is good to be back on the mainland, the United States of America. But my point of saying this is that whenever anyone would realize that I am from the U.S., almost everyone would ask me about what I think of Henjie Pimenta President Trump. And I would give them the same safe answer: “He needs a lot of prayers so he would be guided by wisdom; we shall see when he is governing already.� Yes, we all need to pray for our leaders aside from being proactive of course. The Philippines and here, from the president and even to the barangay tanods, that they would do their jobs passionately, selflessly with wisdom and conviction. Yes, as responsible citizens, we remain vigilant to their actions and leading. All those in government position must remember that they are “servantleaders� and not just one or the other. Our greatest inspiration for this is none other than but our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Philippians 2:3-11 says: 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus
Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. I say a big amen to that! The Lord Jesus Himself set His God-ship aside and became a servant to his creation and even submitted himself to death, so that all of us who will partake in this grace of salvation shed on the cross through his blood will receive eternal life. From heaven to earth, he even became lower than human—like the animal he became the sacrificial lamb; washed the feet of his own people when he is the one who is supposed to be pampered with love and care and be served. He cared for those whom no one wants to consider helping them—the lepers, the outcasts, and much more, and continuously touching everyone up to this time like you and me. Jesus, you are awesome and wonderful, majestic in all your ways. We pray that you touch every government official’s heart that they will be more like you in all areas of their lives—from the way they speak, think and act —that they will not just be driven by their power but by the calling press upon their shoulders. Bless them with a joyful heart as well, so that in their serving they will be passionately doing all their tasks. All of them Lord we entrust into your loving hands. We pray this in the matchless name of Jesus Christ. And all who agree, say Amen. We are inviting you at the first year anniversary of Praise Christian Fellowship of the Valley this Sunday, January 29 from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. It is located at 9051 Woodman Ave., Arleta, CA 91331 (located inside Helping Hands Adult Day Healthcare Center, along the alley behind CVS drugstore and Vallarta Supermarket). Pastor Arnel Manalang from the Philippines will be the guest speaker. You can call me at (818) 486-7481 or Pastor Liel Madeja at (818) 813-3971. Above all, we thank God for His blessings and faithfulness to this PCF daughter church in the Valley and for using Pastor Joe Danganan, the founding pastor of PCF. If you are looking for a family that gathers in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit in San Fernando Valley, we welcome you with open arms and let us joyfully worship and praise Jesus Christ together. We stay committed to the calling planted in our hearts—keep us in your prayers as well, so that we may not falter. To God be the glory. God bless you all.
Bankruptcy options for senior citizens
by Andrew
PArAnAl, eSQ
ARE your “golden years� golden? Not so for more and more Americans age 65 and older. The rate of personal bankruptcy filings among those ages 65 or older soared by 150% from 1991 to 2007, according to AARP. The biggest jump in bankruptcy filings occurred among people aged 75 to 84; their rate skyrocketed 433%. More than 75% of the seniors surveyed said they went into debt for medical or funeral expenses. “Most people think ‘Oh, I have Medicare — I’m covered,’� said Jean Setzfand, director of financial security at the AARP. “But in fact, there are quite a lot of outof-pocket expenses — and those continue to rise.� The biggest one, she said, is long-term care costs. Plus, a lot more people are going into retirement carrying a mortgage. Reverse mortgages and other alternatives presented to them as “solutions� quite often backfire and just dig them further into the hole. More than half of those surveyed had saved less than $50,000. What’s worse, many of that group said they have saved absolutely nothing. And yet, they retired anyway. Only 4% of those surveyed said they had delayed their retirement due to debt. The result is that they start living off of their credit cards. Twothirds of Americans who filed for bankruptcy said credit cards were the key reason for their financial problems, according to a recent study by John Pottow, professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School. “They’re using credit cards as a maladaptive coping mechanism,� Pottow says. One of the biggest mistakes seniors make when it comes to credit cards is being late with a payment. “That triggers a penalty APR that can exceed 30%, which can trap those seniors who can’t pay their balances in full each
Andrew Paranal, ESQ
month in a downward spiral of debt,� said Ben Woolsey, the director of marketing and consumer research at CreditCards.com. If you’re a senior in debt, the good news is that there is a “light at the end of the tunnel.�The law allows you to get out from under the burden of debt by filing for bankruptcy. And since Creditcard debt and medical bills are classified as “unsecured debt,� they would be “discharged� and seniors would not have to pay them. For example, let’s say your 88 year old aunt never expected to live this long. Not only has she run out of savings, but she has accumulated $25,000 of credit card debt. She has a choice - she may either continue to pay minimal credit cards payments (say $750 per month - that‘s half her income), or file for bankruptcy and use that money for in-home care or costly medications. What about the stigma of personal failure and shame? You don’t have to tell anybody. Besides you have a constitutional right to file for bankruptcy. Donald Trump filed on February 17, 2009 and now he’s our president. Other famous people who filed for bankruptcy include Abe Lincoln, Walt Disney, Henry Ford, Jerry Lewis, and Larry King. What about your credit score? Chances are, for many seniors,
you’re thinking of moving to a retirement home, not buying one. Or, your thinking of giving up the keys to the car, not buying a new one. In other words, ruining your credit score shouldn’t be a big concern for most seniors. Quite often, the adult children don’t find out how much their parents were struggling financially until they pass away. Whatever that parent owes will be deducted from his or her estate before that estate is divided among the children and other beneficiaries. Imagine a scenario where the kids are bickering over who gets mom’s house and, in the end, no one gets it because it had to be sold to pay off mom’s credit-card debt. Why not have parents file for bankruptcy? Since Social Security and certain retirement accounts are exempt from creditors, he will be allowed to keep his income. In addition, a tremendous burden would be lifted from his shoulders, which could improve his health. He can start enjoying life again - perhaps even join his friends on that next Vegas trip. In conclusion, if you or a loved one is living with the burden and guilt of carrying a lot of debt, cheer up. By filing for bankruptcy, every dollar you don’t pay to creditors is one more dollar you can use for your everyday expenses. Hopefully, your “Golden Years� will then have a real shot at being just that — golden. *** Elder Law Services of California is proud to announce that attorney Andrew Paranal has joined its trust department. Mr. Paranal began his career in estate planning in 2013 and has since expanded into asset protection and Medi-Cal planning. He became interested in Elder Law after helping care for a family member who experienced a debilitating event. Mr. Paranal is excited to join an established law firm and hopes to educate his Filipino community about the tremendous benefits of proper estate planning. For more information, please visit elderlawcalifornia.com or call 1-800-411-0546 (Advertising Supplement)
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 lowcost 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. n
When poor people become our‌ PAGE C3 t
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PSSTFAMILY GMAIL COM OR PSSTFAMILY WEBS COM
God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong.� How true. The poor people of Overlooking Valley shamed me with their humble but strong faith and pricked my conscience to share my blessings with them. They have become instruments of God to allow people like me to
be radically generous and to be faithful to my calling as a disciple of Christ in helping the poor and in bringing the salvation of Jesus Christ to all! *** 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.
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ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ
Trump’s executive order lists ‘enforcement priorities’ of those who will now be targeted for removal
ON January 25, 2017, President Trump issued an executive order on “Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States.” In that executive order, he lists those people who would now be considered “enforcement priorities,” and would be put on the top of the list for deportation/removal. It is truly a scary and chilling document, as many Filipinos could now be affected or subject to priority removal. Trump notes that “many aliens who illegally entered the United States and those who overstay or otherwise violate the terms of their visas present a significant threat to national security and public safety.” In other words, TNT’s would now be considered a threat to national security and public safety. He also states this is particularly true for aliens who engage in “criminal conduct.” He further states it will now be the policy of the executive branch (president) to “ensure the faithful execution of the immigration laws of the United States,” and
“ensure that all aliens ordered removed from the United States are promptly removed.” The executive order then lists the “enforcement priorities,” or those aliens who will now be “prioritized for removal.” The list of those aliens, with my comments in [brackets] include aliens who: “(a) Have been convicted of any criminal offense; [It is unclear what is meant by “any” criminal offense. If a person was convicted of a simple DUI, shoplifting, or jaywalking, that is a criminal offense. Are they now prioritized for removal?] (b) Have been charged with any criminal offense, where such charge has not been resolved; [Does this mean if a person has only been charged with a crime, and is awaiting trial, they could be targeted for removal before the trial is over, even though they could possibly be found “not guilty”?] (c) Have committed acts that constitute a chargeable criminal offense; [Does this mean a per-
Immigration Corner
Biz group: More business opportunities for PH in ‘America first’ policy by DANA
M. SIOSON
AJPress
ACCORDING to the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the ‘America First’ policy under the new administration of United States President Donald Trump could trigger more trade and investment opportunities for the Philippines. In an interview with the Philippine Star, PCCI President George Barcelon said that other global powerhouses who might be turned off by Trump’s “protectionist” statements could create more favorable business circumstances for the Philippines. Barcelon pointed out that it is the U.S.-China trade that would be more affected under Trump’s policies.
“He is always saying China is unfair and they play with their exchange rate to benefit them. What Trump is threatening…is imposition of tariff (on China),” Barcelon said. If the U.S. imposed the tariff, Barcelon theorized that China would instead invest in the Philippines. “If they will really impose that, it would indirectly benefit us because if that is going to happen, the Chinese would probably come to the Philippines and invest. Here is where they could be running. Their trade and investment interest could be diverted to us so of course, we benefit,” he explained. Regarding the Philippines’ exports to the U.S., PCCI said that PAGE D2
Filipinos perform the traditional dragon dance along Session Road in Baguio City ahead of the celebration of the Chinese New Year on Saturday, Jan. 28. Philstar.com photo by Andy Zapata
Duterte cites Chinese contribution to PH economy
welcomed the new year under the Chinese lunar calendar, describing SHEILA CRISOSTOMO it as opportunities for “change” Philstar.com that can “mean a forward move, MANILA - In yet another sign of a rising or a leap towards a better the country’s good relations with station, a steady ground, a reason Beijing, President Duterte greeted to be grateful for and proud for the members of the local Chinese com- gift of life and the fulfillment of our munity as they mark the Chinese aspirations.” “The government shares the New Year. The President on Friday, Jan. joys and hopes of our Chinese 27, expressed appreciation for both friends and Chinese Filipinos who the Chinese and Filipino-Chinese have found a root and reason for communities’ contribution to the staying in the country. They have country’s economy, culture and enriched the Filipino culture and history on their own,” he said. history. In a one-page message, Duterte PAGE D2 by CHRISTINA
MENDEZ,
PH economy grows 6.8% in 2016 by PATRICIA LOURDES Philstar.com
VIRAY
MANILA — Philippine economy grew at a pace of 6.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2016, bringing the full-year growth of 6.8 percent, the government announced on Thursday, Jan. 26. Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said that the 6.6-percent growth in the last quarter of 2016 is a testament that the country’s economy remains robust and grows at a steady rate. “Economic growth from the first to the last quarter of 2016 has been very encouraging, with an average full-year growth of 6.8 percent,” Pernia said in a televised press briefing.
The 2016 fourth quarter growth is lower than the 7-percent growth in the third quarter but it is higher than the 6.3 percent growth during the fourth quarter of 2015. The full-year growth recorded is along the high-end of the government’s target of 6 to 7 percent growth for 2016. “This also brings the sevenyear moving average of real [growth domestic product] growth rate to 6.3 percent—the highest since 1978,” Pernia said. According to Pernia, the Philippnes is likely either the third or fourth fastest-growing major emerging economy PAGE D2
son may have committed some criminal offense, but was never charged, or the DA decided to drop charges?] (d) Have engaged in fraud or willful misrepresentation in connection with any official matter or application before a governmental agency; [Many Filipinos entered the US under an assumed name, or committed other acts which constitute fraud or willful misrepresentation. When that happens, they seek a fraud waiver, or Form I – 601. Does this mean that if a person applies for a fraud waiver, seeking to be forgiven, they could be targeted for priority removal?] (e) Have abused any program related to receipt of public benefits; [If an alien went into an emergency room of a hospital, had a baby, applied for food stamps or other public benefits, would this be considered an abuse of the public benefits program, subjecting them to removal?] (f) Are subject to a final order of removal, but who have not com-
plied with their legal obligation to depart the United States; [Many people have old removal orders. For example, years ago they may have applied for political asylum, but never showed up to the hearing, and now there is a deportation/removal order against them. Typically, the alien would seek to reopen the case and have the case terminated. But is DHS now going to go through the court roster, and track down all people with prior removal orders?]; or (g) In the judgment of an immigration officer, otherwise pose a risk to public safety or national security.” [This is an extremely vague and broad discretionary determination to be made by an immigration officer. What is a risk to public safety or national security? The executive order states that people who merely overstay or otherwise violate the terms of their visa “present a significant threat to national security and public safety.” Does this now mean any alien who is out of status poses a risk to
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public safety or national security, and therefore can be targeted for priority removal?] As you can see, many otherwise law – abiding aliens could soon be an enforcement priority for removal merely by having overstayed or having committed minor crimes years ago. Trump had previously said he wanted to target the felons and terrorists first, but this list practically includes every alien who is out of status or committed even a minor crime. That is why it is all the more important that if you have any immigration issues, you’re out of status, applying for additional immigration benefits, or if you simply have any doubts or concerns, you should seek the advice and guidance of an immigration attorney, to help you navigate
these uncertain waters. *** 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 reenactments) 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 attorneyclient 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 · PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)
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Canadian PM Trudeau visits Jollibee in Winnipeg by ed
Margareth Barahan Inquirer.net
WhO doesn’t love Jollibee? Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was all smiles in his visit to the new Jollibee outlet in Winnipeg. Trudeau on Friday, Jan. 27 visited the Filipino fast food chain as his first stop in the city. According to Winnipeg Free Press, the Canadian leader ordered fried chicken and peach mango pie for lunch during his quick 10-minute visit. Trudeau also posed for photos with emPhoto by John Woods/Embassy of Canada in the Philippines ployees and patrons before heading t o the University of Winnipeg ration to the Prime Minister dur- eration (APeC) Summit in 2015, to host a public town hall. ing his visit in the Philippines for where netizens hailed him as an Filipinos expressed their ado- the Asia Pacific economic Coop- “APeC hottie.”
Duterte cites Chinese contribution to PH... PAGE D1 The Department of Labor and employment also reminded businesses to comply with the pay rules for the event, which had been declared a special non-working holiday by Malacañang. Former Senate president edgardo Angara and son now Sen. Juan edgardo Angara pushed for the declaration of Chinese New Year as a special non-working holiday, a measure approved in 2013. “As we celebrate the onset of the Chinese New Year, we must also observe the proper pay rules for our workers in the private sector,” said Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III in a statement. In his message, Duterte noted how the Chinese have contributed to the economy through trade and investments, as well as in cuisine.
“Their cuisine has been dearly familiar in many Filipino homes. Their philosophy and attitude in life are a wellspring of practical lessons that all of us, regardless of nationality, can learn from,” Duterte said. “May all of us develop more appreciation of our heritage as two distinct yet intertwined peoples and further fortify the goodwill that we have shared over the years.” Since he assumed office, Duterte has started to pivot to China as part of his crafting of a more independent foreign policy – seen as veering away from the US. “To everyone else who believes in the miracle of beginnings and who makes a choice for hope against fear, my best wishes on this auspicious season of the Chinese New Year,” Duterte said. On the holiday pay, Bello said
promoting workers’ welfare and protection by observing proper pay rules and other core labor standards would encourage productive and efficient workers. “Compliance is good for business. It is good for the workers. It is good for all,” he added. Under existing pay rules for a special non-working day, the “no-work, no-pay” policy would apply to an employee who opts not to work today “unless there is a favorable company policy, practice or collective bargaining agreement granting payment on a special day.” If an employee worked, he shall be paid 130 percent of his daily rate on the first eight hours of work plus an additional 30 percent of his hourly rate for overtime work rendered on the holiday.
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PH to benefit if TPP falters, says economic research firm
by Ben
O. de Vera Inquirer.net
The Philippines stands to benefit in case the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), previously pushed by the US, falters during the Trump presidency, London-based economic research firm Capital economics said. “The main beneficiaries of the failure of the TPP and the improved prospects for RCeP [Regional Comprehensive economic Partnership] are parts of Asia that were due to be excluded from TPP, namely the Philippines, South Korea and Thailand. These countries would have seen their growth prospects suffer if the TPP triggered the formation of regional supply chains which excluded them,” Capital economics said in a Jan. 24 report titled “how big a blow is the demise of the TPP to Asia?” RCeP will group ASeAN and six other countries with which it has existing regional FTAs, namely: Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea. Negotiations to form the RCeP are ongoing. In December, the head of the Duterte administration’s economic team said the Philippines would pursue membership in the planned ASeAN and China-led free trade agreement (FTA) while abandoning inclusion in the TPP. “I personally would like to look at RCeP closely because that’s the 10 ASeAN countries. That one, we are more open to,” Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said
in a statement last December. This is in line with the Philippines’ pivot to China and other Asian countries, the Dominguez earlier said. The Duterte administration, meanwhile, has been cold to joining the TPP, which former US President Barack Obama had pushed for. “With regard to TPP, that’s being reviewed all over, including in the US. So maybe we’ll put that in the back burner,” Dominguez had said. The Philippines had not been invited to participate in negotiations for the ambitious TPP as the country still has investment restrictions enshrined in the Constitution. The previous Aquino administration had nonetheless expressed interest to join the TPP later on following the conclusion of talks among 12 countries led by US early this year. According to Capital economics, “the demise of the TPP represents a major blow to some countries in emerging Asia, most notably Vietnam,” especially as US President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the ambitious FTA. “For the Asian participants of the deal, most notably Vietnam and Malaysia, who were set to be the biggest beneficiaries of the TPP, this represents a blow. These two countries already have low-tariff access to the US, but the main benefits of the TPP were likely to come through the elimination of non-tariff barriers,
including rules on government procurement, investment restrictions and hidden subsidies,” Capital economics said. “The remaining 11 countries may press ahead with the TPP anyway, but this seems unlikely as access to the US market was the main attraction,” it added. For Capital economics, “the retreat on the part of America has created an opportunity for China, which was not part of the TPP negotiations, to expand its influence in Asia.” “[China] is already in negotiations on a regional free trade deal, the RCeP, which includes the whole of ASeAN, Japan, India and Korea, but excludes the US. These talks have been given renewed impetus by Trump’s decision to withdraw from the TPP,” it noted. “Closer ties with China have the potential to provide a significant boost to the rest of Asia. For large parts of Asia, China is already a bigger export market than the US, and its growth prospects are much better. By including South Korea as well as the rest of ASeAN, more Asian countries are included in the RCeP talks than the TPP,” according to Capital economics. For his part, Dominguez had noted that “President Duterte had come under heavy fire for his sharp foreign policy turn, earning harsh criticism from certain sectors in the process, only to be now seen as the leader who had presciently seen that a timely pivot to China is in the best interests, PAGE D3
Biz group: More business... PAGE D1 there’s also no need for Filipino exporters to be alarmed. According to PCCI honorary chairman and Philippine exporters Confederation Inc. president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr., Philippine exports to the U.S. are products that the latter country “cannot really afford to make.” he added that countries such as China and Japan could easily support the export deals that could be affected by the new U.S. policy. “Our exports to the U.S. are not that big so a little change will easily be covered by China and Japan. So we should not be worried about it. Maybe, the other Asian countries should but I don’t think we should be, especially that Trump and Duterte seem to strike (it off) well with each other,” Ortiz-Luis said.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte previously announced that the Philippines would shift away from Washington to build closer ties with China, Russia, and other Asian countries like Japan. “The fact remains that at the end of the day, businessmen will decide on what they will do,” Ortiz-Luis added. early this week, the Philippines and China have agreed to collaborate on 30 projects worth $3.7 billion that focus on poverty reduction. Representatives from both countries had a meeting in Beijing to finalize the economic and investment deals discussed during Duterte’s trip to China last October. The Philippines’ Department of Finance (DOF) previously said that Beijing pledged $15 billion-worth of investments to Manila.
The government is expecting GDP growth to strengthen further towards 7 to 8 percent this year.
PH economy grows 6.8%... PAGE D1
in the fourth quarter of 2016, next to China’s 6.8 percent and Vietnam’s 6.7 percent. The Philippines could be the second fastest growing economy for the full year of 2016, with China growing at 6.7 percent, the secretary added. Net primary income slowed down by 4.1 percent while gross national income posted a growth of 6.1 percent, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. The fourth quarter GDP was driven by the industry sector which accelerated by 7.6 percent and the services sector which grew by 7.4 percent. The services sector had the highest contribution with 4.1 percentage points followed by the industry sector with 2.6 percent points. The agriculture sector, however, declined by 1.1 percent, pulling down the growth by 0.1 percentage point.
Pernia noted that domestic demand fueled the growth of the fourth quarter GDP. Intellectual property products posted the highest growth at 28.7 percent followed by durable equipment at 26.2 percent, imports of goods at 18.6 percent and exports of services at 13.6 percent. “Overall, given this growth in 2016, we believe that the target of 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent for 2017 is highly likely,” Pernia said. The government is expecting the growth to strengthen further towards 7 to 8 percent this year. “This would mean that, over the next six years, the economy will expand by about 50 percent in real terms and per capita income will rise by over 40 percent,” the secretary added. This would bring the country to upper middle income standing by 2022, Pernia said.
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Dignity Health: Glendale Memorial Hospital’s ‘Kings & Queens of Hearts’ Celebration It’s true that healthy hearts love longer. Your heart deserves extraordinary care. At the heart of the Heart Center at Dignity Health - Glendale Memorial Hospital, are physicians, nurses, and staff who are committed to serving every patient with dignity and humankindness: treating the whole person and not just the condition. Come visit our FREE “Kings & Queens of Hearts” Celebration on thursday, February 23rd from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Cardiac Fitness Center, 2nd Floor. Attendees will receive screenings and educational lectures presented by Glendale Memorial’s leading physicians along with lunch and participation in a raffle drawing. No reservations are necessary and parking will be validated.
Check out our celebration and find out why Glendale Memorial’s Heart Center and Cardiovascular Program is nationally recognized for its dedication and commitment to the prevention and treatment of heart disease. “Millions of people have at least one risk factor for heart disease, but many never get the help they need,” says Virginia Veloso, MD, Family Medicine specialist affiliated with Glendale Memorial. “In fact, at least 200,000 people die each year from preventable conditions. Don’t wait – let us help you.” If you know you’re at risk for heart disease, visit dignityhealth. org/glendalememorial or call 818.502.4533 to connect with a Glendale-affiliated cardiologist
R. CaMus
Inquirer.net
soutHEAst Asia’s budget airlines would see their collective fleets expand at a faster pace in 2017, after growth in this area hit a “low point” last year in the wake of overcapacity concerns, CAPACenter for Aviation said. CAPA, which provides aviation market intelligence, said in a report this week the region’s 21 low cost carriers (LCCs), led by giants such as Air Asia, Lion Air and Cebu Pacific Air, ended 2016 with a total of 623 planes. that was higher by 7 percent, or 41 aircraft, over the previous year. Budget airlines added 67 planes in 2015 while the collective fleet expanded by 61 planes in 2014. For 2017, southeast Asia’s budget airline fleet is forecast to grow by 80 aircraft, or 11 percent over last year. Among these, the Gokongwei family’s Cebu Pacific was planning a “modest” expansion of two planes this year. “Market conditions in the Philippines could support faster
growth, but Cebu Pacific is waiting for the A321neo before accelerating its rate of growth. the group’s fleet plan includes eight additional aircraft in 2018, driven by the A321neo,” CAPA said. “overcapacity continues to persist in several southeast Asian markets, but some LCCs are reaccelerating expansion in 2017,” CAPA said in its report. “Given the sector’s huge order book, it is likely 2016 will represent the low point in southeast Asian LCC fleet growth.” Carriers have been seeking to control capacity growth also as the industry’s penetration rate, or its market share versus full service carriers (FsCs), declined for a second year in 2016. this figure stood at 53 percent as FsCs added short haul capacity at a faster rate than budget airlines. “the LCC penetration rate within southeast Asia should start to inch back up in 2017 as the rate of fleet expansion accelerates. the narrow body growth rate in 2017 will be significantly higher compared to 2016, and similar to the growth rate achieved in 2015,”
on a campaign message of us protectionism and scaling down American engagement in international trade blocs in order to save jobs in the us,” Dominguez had said. “With the tPP’s uncertain fate,
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it added. CAPA warned a more aggressive fleet expansion would have an impact on the bottom line. “the fundamentals of the southeast Asian market remain attractive, with economic and middle class growth driving demand growth,” CAPA said. “However, the risk is that capacity will again grow faster than demand as LCCs reaccelerate growth and pursue more strategic expansion.” “Already, low yields will be further pressured as competition further intensifies—both between LCCs and with FsCs—impacting profitability, particularly if fuel prices start to increase again,” it noted. It said market conditions were already “tough” last year, when fleet expansion fell to the singledigit growth realm. “As the region’s LCCs significantly accelerate their rate of fleet growth in 2017 it could become increasingly difficult to find markets for the additional aircraft, exacerbating the overcapacity situation and impacting profitability,” CAPA said.
PH to benefit if TPP falters, says economic...
PAGE D2 not only of the Philippines, but of AsEAN as a whole.” “No one seems to be raking President Duterte over the coals nowadays with the unexpected triumph of trump, who won
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UP School of Business awards 3 Californians at its centennial celebration DURING the celebration of the 100 years of business education of the University of the Philippines Cesar E.A. Virata School of Business, three Californians were recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Award (DAA). Former Prime Minister of the Philippines and former Dean of the College, Cesar E.A. Virata, and former Senate President and House Speaker and current President of the Alumni Association, Manuel Villar Jr., were among the prominent graduates of the College present at the event. The three awardees from California are Polly Santiago-Cortez, Alma Hidalgo-Onrubia, both BSBA (Accounting) graduates, and Teresita M. Zaratan, a BSBA (Marketing) alumna. Ms. Cortez, a Northern California resident, has an MBA from Golden State University in San Francisco. She is a retired Federal Banking Regulator at the United States Department of Treasury. Over the years, she received various recognition for her outstanding performance as a federal banking regulator and as a community service volunteer. Ms. Cortez is the Vice-Chair of the Friends of UP Foundation in America headed by the incumbent UP president. In 2007, she was awarded one of the 100 Most Influential Filipinas in the U.S. by Filipina Women’s Network (FWN), a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization for women of Philippine ancestry with members worldwide. It aims to promote
Polly S. Cortez
Alma H. Onrubia
social welfare of Filipina women and advocates for Filipina women rights. Ms. Onrubia, a resident of Glendale, CA, has an MBA from Michigan State University. She is a CPA both in the Philippines and in California. She is the owner and Chief Financial Officer of Affiliated Home Health Services, Inc. (est. 1990), and Apex Homecare Services, Inc. (est. 1997). In the spirit of giving back to her Alma Mater and the community, Ms. Onrubia endowed the Alma Hidalgo-Onrubia Centennial Professional Chair for the UP Cesar E.A. Virata School of Business. She is one of the 15 trustees of the Friends of UP Foundation in America. She served as president of the UP Alumni Association of Greater L.A. In 2011, she was awarded by Filipina Women’s Network as one of the 100 Most Influential Filipinas in America. Ms. Zaratan, a resident of Westlake Village in CA, obtained her MBA in Marketing and International Business at New York University. She is a retired marketing executive of Avon Products,
Teresita M. Zaratan
Amway Corporation, L’OrealLancome, and Jafra Cosmetics. Currently she is the president of Zaratan Educational Institute which provides secondary education to poor and disadvantaged children. She shuttles between the Philippines and the U.S. to raise scholarships for ZEI students. The Board of Judges for the 2016 Distinguished Alumni Awards were former UP President Dr. Emerlinda R. Roman, UP Professor Dr. Victoria B. Jardiolin-Villa and 2015 UPVSB Distinguished Alumnus Ramon V. Segismundo. Activities to celebrate the centennial of business education included public lectures, an international academic conference, an annual meeting of deans from ASEAN universities, book projects, building renovation, and the general alumni homecoming. To cap the celebration, former Senator Manuel Villar Jr. and his wife, incumbent Senator Cynthia Villar, both alumni of the UPVSB, hosted a gala dinner at the SM Mall of Asia on the evening of December 4.
PH lowers sugar allocation for US SUGAR regulators have reduced the share of locally produced sugar intended for the United States market as they weigh uncertainties about the new Trump administration’s appetite for imports. The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) issued Sugar Order No. 1-A dated Jan. 20, which earmarks 6 percent of total domestic production to the stock meant to fulfill the Philippines US quota allocation. This means that, based on the output goals spelled out in the previously issued SO No. 1, 135,000 tons of the target 2.25 million tons of sugar output for the crop year 2016-2017 ending in August this year will be for shipping to the United States.
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SO No. 1 set aside 8 percent or 180,000 tons for the US market and all the rest— 92 percent or 2.15 million tons for domestic use. SRA administrator Anna Rosario V. Paner told reporters Filipino consumers might as well enjoy the sweetness of homegrown sugar instead of the Americans. “They are not making any commitments since there is a new administration,” Paner said. Newly installed US President Donald Trump has made statements about prioritizing American goods for US consumers on Monday, Jan. 23 in Washington, Trump signed an executive action formalizing the withdrawal of the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade bloc.
In May 2016, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced that it maintained the Philippines’ sugar quota allocation at 142,160 metric tons for their fiscal year 2017 that started last Oct. 1. Data from the USTR show that the Philippines accounts for close 13 percent of about 1.12 million tons, the minimum volume of raw cane sugar that Washington is committed to allow into the US market under the World Trade Organization agreement. Also, the Philippines has the third-largest tariff rate quota on raw cane sugar for US trade partners, after the Dominican Republic (at 185,335 tons) and Brazil (152,691 tons). (Inquirer.net)
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