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DATELINE Fil-Am named AAPI outreach director for Clinton campaign from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA
A fILIPINo-American was named the new Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) outreach director for the campaign for Democratic presidential candidate hillary Clinton. the announcement of Jason tengco’s appointment on thursday, march 24 comes nearly a week after Lisa Changadveja stepped down from the position. Changadveja, who was first appointed outreach director last August, is moving to Colorado to take a position with the Democratic Party. Prior to joining Clinton’s campaign, teng-
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APIDC hosts statewide conference on Americans with Disabilities Act PAsADeNA, Calif. — Asians and Pacific Islanders with Disabilities of California (APIDC), a non-profit volunteer-run organization that assists with bridging the services and cultural barriers faced by the Asian and Pacific Islander community, hosted its fifth statewide conference on march 18 and 19, at the Westin hotel in this city. With over 400 people in attendance on both days, the conference aimed to facilitate an exchange of learning ideas and resources through workshop sessions, panel discussions, and exhibitors. “It’s an opportunity for everyone who
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AMLC files raps vs 2 businessmen tagged AmLC accused Kam sin Wong, a.k.a. Kim Wong, and Weikang Xu of laundering “hacked� or ManilaTimes.net stolen funds from New York that the Anti-money Laundering ended up in local casinos. Council (AmLC) on tuesday, Wong has been tagged as the march 22 slapped money-laun- mastermind of the money-laundering charges against two busi- dering scheme. he flew out of nessmen linked to the controver- the country when the controversial transfer of the $81 million sy broke out. stolen from the Bangladesh Bank on the other hand, Xu is said to the rizal Commercial Banking to be a junket operator who alCorporation (rCBC). legedly owned the bank accounts In a nine-page complaint filed where the funds ended up. at the Department of Justice, the the two businessmen have by joel
and
Julia Abad
ManilaTimes.net photo
M. sy egco KrisTyn niKa M. lazo
been tagged as the main players who facilitated the illegal transfer of the funds in connivance with their local bank contacts. the AmLC complaint stemmed from testimonies of witnesses who appeared before the senate blue ribbon committee that also investigated the scam. Xu was said to have received $30.5 million from withdrawals he made between february 5 and 13 this year. Wong, president and general
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9 linked to Brussels bombings arrested Evidence of link to Paris attacks mounting by agnes
consTanTe AJPress
seVeN people have been arrested in a series of raids in connection with the bombings at Brussels Airport and subway station earlier this week, according to Belgian prosecutors. the attacks involved three explosions in Brussels on tuesday, march 22, that killed at least 31 and wounded about 270. they were found to have been conducted by two brothers and a suicide bomber linked to the Paris attacks in November. Ibrahim el Bakraoui, 29, and his brother Khalid, 27, were Belgian nationals both known to authorities for previous crimes, USA Today reported. el Bakraoui carried out a suicide attack at Brussels Airport. Agence france-Presse reported that 24-year-old Najim Laa-
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Carlos Primo David, executive director of the Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD), said that with the successful launch of Orbital ATK’s Cygnus spacecraft that carried Diwata-1 as one of its 7,500 pounds of payload, the next step was for the release into orbit of Diwata-1 in late April.
Filipino nurses rally behind 15 crucified on First Filipino-made satellite Bernie Sanders during LA visit Good Friday
NASA photo by Ben Smegelsky
by chrisTina
and
M. oriel agnes consTanTe AJPress
DemoCrAtIC presidential candidate Bernie sanders was in southern California earlier this week for rallies in san Diego and Los Angeles, drawing in thousands of supporters. speaking before a packed crowd at the Wiltern theatre in Los Angeles on Wednesday, march 23, sanders covered various issues, including in-
come inequality and free college tuition. “What this campaign is about is asking the American people to think outside of the box and not think of the status quo today as the status quo we have to live in,� sanders said to the crowd, which was met with loud applause. Among those who came out in support of sanders was a group of nurses, including 10
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in Pampanga by ToneTTe
orejas Inquirer.net
CItY of sAN ferNANDo — fifteen men volunteered to be crucified on Good friday, many of them repeating a ritual they have undertaken as an expression of penance in Central Luzon. In san Pedro Cutud village,
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‘Diwata-1’ launched into space by ian
Kelly jaMoTillo AJPress
the Us commercial spacecraft Cygnus carrying Diwata1, the first Philippine-made satellite, was launched into space on Wednesday, march 23 from Cape Canaveral, florida. In a historic feat for the Philippines, Diwata-1 -- originally
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named the Philippine earth observation microsatellite -- was unveiled to help monitor weather patterns and agricultural health using its four wide and middle field cameras. Diwata-1 was assembled by a team of nine filipino engineers from the Dost-Advanced science and technology Institute (AstI) and the University of the
Philippines, in collaboration with scientists and engineers from tohoku and hokkaido universities in Japan. It was handed over to NAsA on January 18, after conducting a series of test by the Japan Aerospace exploration Agency (JAXA) in tsubaka space Center in Japan. “the launch today of the
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From the Front Page
AMLC files raps vs 2 businessmen… PAGE A1 t
manager of Eastern Hawaii Leisure Co. Ltd., was also accused of amassing P1 billion ($21.6 million) through several withdrawals he made from his personal and corporate accounts on February 10 and 11 this year. During the hearings, it was claimed that Wong introduced RCBC branch manager Maia Santos-Deguito to individuals who
opened bogus bank accounts where the stolen money was wired. The AMLC earlier filed moneylaundering charges against Deguito at the Justice department. Deguito was summoned to answer charges during preliminary investigation set on April 12 and 19. Sen. Sergio Osmena 3rd claimed that Wong appears to have masterminded the opera-
tion and that Deguito may not be the “most guilty” and thus, could be considered a credible witness to indict the other suspects. Osmeña said Deguito told senators that Wong asked her to open the bank accounts where the $81 million was wired, with the instruction to use the services of foreign exchange remittance company Philrem Services Inc. Wong reportedly gave Deguito the information sheets and the P$2,500 to open five dollar accounts. Only four of the accounts, however, were used when the stolen money was wired to the Philippines. The fifth account, under the name Picache, was not used, according to Deguito. The addresses given by the four account owners turned out to be fictitious. Normal transaction The AMLC admitted that it was clueless about the transfer of the $81 million. Julia Abad, executive director
SERVING THE PEOPLE. With the theme: “Serving the People. Securing the Land,” The men and women of the Philippine Army participate in the pass-in review during the 119th Founding Anniversary of the Philippine Army at the Brigadier General Tirso Fajardo Building, Headquarters Philippine Army Grandstand, Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City on Tuesday, March 22. Malacañang photo by Joseph Vidal
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chraoui, a Belgian who was linked to the Paris attacks in November, was confirmed by police sources as the second suicide bomber at the airport, where blasts occurred at around 8 am. Khalid blew himself up at the u PAGE A3
Maelbeek metro station near the European Union (EU) headquarters at around 9 am. The identity of a man who accompanied two of the bombers at Brussels Airport was formerly unknown, but ABC News reported that authorities now believe they
have identified him, according to an unnamed US official. The name was not released but it was already in US terrorism databases when the bombings occurred, the news agency reported. Among other developments, The New York Times reported that top Belgian officials on Thursday, March 24, acknowledged errors they made prior to the attacks in Brussels, including not responding to a Turkish alert about Ibrahim El-Bakraoui, who was briefly arrested in Turkey in 2015 for suspicion of terrorist activity. Khalid, similarly, was wanted since December in connection with the Paris attacks, according to the Times. Growing evidence of links between the Brussels and Paris attacks by the Islamic State exists, suggesting a wide network of trained attackers tracing back to Syria is now in Europe, the Times reported. In Germany, another two people were arrested during investigations into the Brussels suicide bombings. In France, authorities say they prevented a militant plot in the country “that was at an advanced stage,” according to CNBC. US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Brussels on Friday, March 25, where he offered assistance in security. “The United States is praying and grieving with you for the loved ones of those cruelly taken from us, including Americans, and for the many who were injured in these despicable at-
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Philippines’ first microsatellite “DIWATA-1” from Cape Canaveral in Florida is a historic and proud milestone for Philippine science and technology,” Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose L. Cuisia Jr said on Wednesday. According to the ambassador, the launch of Diwata-1 into orbit was the culmination of a research program of the Philippine Department of Science and Technology (DOST) that begun in 2014 to develop the necessary local expertise in space technol-
ogy and allied fields in science and engineering. Diwata-1 is expected to be in orbit for approximately 20 months and will be imaging the country twice daily. Images from Diwata-1 will be received in a Subic facility, and later on also in the UP Diliman Microsatellite Research and Instructional Facility that is currently under construction. “The satellite will also aid the rest of the country in terms of agriculture and tourism, with the satellite giving data that will help farmers decide what crops
to plant and where, while also capturing the country’s natural wonders,” DOST secretary Mario Montejo stated. Montejo also added that the satellite will help the country in terms of agriculture and tourism. Before Diwata-1, there was Agila-1 and Agila-2 (renamed ABS-3), the country’s first known satellites but was managed by non-Philippine companies at the time of their launches. The nine Filipino engineers in Japan are already working Diwata-2 that will be launched later, according to reports. n
first victim identified from the attacks. Other confirmed deaths are Belgian law student Leopold Hecht and a man named Oliver Delespesse, CNN reported. A Chinese national was also reported to have been killed, according to the Chinese Embassy in Belgium. Fourteen people were killed at the airport and 20 at the metro station. Taxi driver helps with investigations After the attacks, a taxi driver tipped authorities to a house in Schaerbeek, a municipality of Brussels, where they found nearly 33 pounds of explosives and about 40 gallons of chemicals used to create an explosive called TATP. Authorities also found a computer in a trash can containing Ibrahim’s will. “Being in a hurry, I don’t know what to do, being searched for
everywhere, not being safe. If it drags on it could end up with me in a prison cell next to him,” El Bakraoui wrote. It was not immediately clear if he was referring to Salah Abdeslam, who was arrested last week for his involvement in the Paris attacks. At least one of the bombs used in the attacks, specifically one at the airport, appeared to be stronger than those used in Paris. It blew out a number of windows in the large departure hall and shook nearby buildings, The New York Times reported. A third bomb at the airport was neutralized “with a controlled action,” said Florence Muls, a spokeswoman for the Brussels Airport. EU, US respond to attacks In response to the attacks, Belgium initially raised its terror alert to the highest level. Flights in and out of Brussels Airport are
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tacks,” he said. US President Barack Obama, who was in Cuba at the time of the attacks as America works toward normalizing relations with the communist country, urged international unity in the battle against terror. “We will do whatever is necessary to support our friend and ally Belgium in bringing to peace those who are responsible,” he said, according to CNN. At least two Americans were killed in the bombings, as well as two Dutch citizens, a brother and sister, who planned on becoming American citizens. Multiple Americans were also injured in the explosions, including three Mormon missionaries, and a US service member and his family, according to the Department of Defense. Adelma Tapia Ruiz, a Peruvian mother of twins, was the
A VISIT FROM TAGLE. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle blesses the inmates after the celebration of Holy Wednesday Mass inside Manila City Jail in Sta. Cruz, Manila on Wednesday, March 23. Inquirer.net photo by Richard Reyes
AMLC files raps vs 2 businessmen… PAGE A1 t
of the AMLC, said the country learned of the money laundering only when the governor of the Bangladesh Bank called Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Gov. Amando Tetangco Jr. on February 11. “There’s no way we would have known [without the Bangladesh Bank notice],” she told reporters. Abad said that when the $81 million was deposited in the RCBC Jupiter Branch, the transaction was automatically recorded in the AMLC’s database. u PAGE A4 It was not looked into, however, because the amount is considered “normal” given the “other bigger transactions reported to the AMLC” everyday. The AMLC started its initial investigation and called the RCBC Jupiter Branch to gather details
15 crucified on Good Friday in…
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veteran Ruben Enaje spent 11 minutes nailed to the cross, instead of the conventional 5 minutes, on his 30th time to undergo the ritual, said Ching Pangilinan, city tourism officer. Aside from Enaje, San Pedro Cutud also witnessed the crucifixion of Ronald Lazaro, Crisaldo Macaspac, Bernardo Calosa, Ramil Lazaro, Victor Caparas and Byron “Bobby” Gopez who came from Quezon province. The rituals were started in Santa Lucia village, followed by San Juan village. Crucified in Barangay (village) San Juan were Wilfredo Salvador (on his 10th year) and Alex Viray (on his eighth year). Meanwhile, Barangay Santa Lucia witnessed
after the agency was alerted by Bangladesh. But RCBC submitted a transaction report only on February 12. “We conducted initial investigation, and they submitted a suspicious transaction report. The suspicious transaction report will trigger the investigation. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to discover,” Abad said. When asked why the AMLC took long in filing the petition to freeze the concerned accounts — only doing so on February 29 — the AMLC executive director said the AMLC did fast data gathering, verifications and investigation but the number of weekends and holidays hampered the process. She noted that thousands of bank transactions enter their database each day but the agency only has 28 personnel looking at these transactions and only nine
of them are financial analysts. Abad said the agency will ask Congress to amend the AntiMoney Laundering Act so that casinos and real-estate brokers can be covered by the law. She pointed to the need to strengthen supervisory powers of the BSP and to lift the bank secrecy law. Abad said the Philippines is one of two countries that do not cover casinos in their anti-money laundering laws. “The Philippines is [also] only 1 of 3 countries in the entire world where tax authorities cannot access bank transactions [Switzerland and Lebanon being the other two], and remain only one of two countries in the world where tax evasion is not a predicate crime to money laundering,” Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said. n
Filipino nurses rally behind Bernie Sanders… PAGE A1 t Filipinos. When the nurses arrived, people in line and at the rally cheered and said, “Thank you nurses!” Zenei Cortez, a Filipina registered nurse who is vice president of National Nurses United (NNU) and co-president of the California Crucifixion in Pampanga Inquirer.net photo Nurses Association (CNA), said the crucifixion of Melchor Mon- cross in Barangay Lourdes North that Sanders’s values -- “caring, toya, Danilo Ramos and Fernan- West were Rey Sabangan, Erwin compassion and community” -do Mamangun. Lumacang and Angelito Men- align with those of nurses. “He is for health care for all In Angeles City, nailed to the gilla. n
- which means access to actual health care not just being covered by an insurance policy. [It is] very important to us Filipinos by culture [because] we have a lot of health issues,” Cortez told the Asian Journal. NNU, the nation’s largest organization of nurses, endorsed Sanders for president last year. The organization represents over 185,000 nurses across the country. “Bernie is for the 99 percent
-- for us, the working class. He has been on point and continues to stand his ground since he was first elected many many years ago,” Cortez added. “He will speak and fight for us, the immigrants, the elderly, the children and the underserved.” Cortez, along with fellow Filipina nurse Dahlia Tayag, joined Sanders on stage during the rally. Sanders trails behind op-
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APIDC hosts statewide conference on Americans‌
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shares the same vision of improving services, and striving for creating an environment for people with disabilities. We are one big family,� said APIDC Chair and co-founder Patricia Kinaga. Noting that the event happens every three to five years throughout California, Kinaga said, “I think these conferences are so well-attended, because there is such a need. We do this to help educate the mainstream service organizations, who do not know how to reach a lot of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. It’s a special opportunity for them to find out how to better access mainstream services.� Enlightening workshops included mental health disparities, autism, occupational therapy, health care and the Affordable Care Act, civil rights in employment and transportation, technology access, financial issues, special education, and outreach to the community. “We provide people with a safe space to come and share their stories, and meet others who are going through the same thing,� said Peter Wong, APIDC Research Director. “Asian Americans are always the last to sort of catch up. Now we are being included, asking more questions, learning about access to services and rights, to improve our quality of life.� Asian Americans with disabilities have gotten the lowest in funding for employment, according to APIDC research. They are
also the most underemployed demographic than any other group in the US. The two-day event also happened to fall on the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which has changed the lives of so many people by giving them better mobility access and resources. “The 25th anniversary [of the ADA] created an opportunity for it to be a momentous conference. It was an opportunity for us to look back at progress in the last 25 years,� Kinaga noted. “But it’s also a reminder how many issues are still needed to be addressed, as they relate to APIs with disabilities. We have a long ways to go, because of cultural barriers.� APIDC’s first conference took place in 2001, and was the first convening of physical/mental health service providers, elected officials, organizations, educators, families, and consumers in the disabled community. “We looked around and realized the great need,� said Kinaga. “we started doing original research, looked at data, looked at the needs of our community We realized we needed to train the next generation of young adults with disabilities, so that they can become community leaders. We needed to network more, through social meet-ups. We generated fundraisers, came up with an action plan, and all the while the APIDC conferences continued to grow.� Consumers, families, agencies, and advocates gathered together
in the Pasadena Westin ballroom that weekend, with more than 30 exhibitors showcasing their useful services to participants. Conference co-chairs and APIDC board members Johnna Cho and June Kuehn introduced special guests at the conference, including activists, community groups and elected officials. Pasadena Vice Mayor and City Councilmember Gene Masuda welcomed the crowd on March 18. “The goal is to improve the quality of life of all persons with disabilities, focus on strength, celebrating successes, and being open to opportunities. Learn as much as you can here, so that you can become an advocate. I am confident that you will gain new knowledge and feel empowered with this experience.� The conference kicked off with a ceremonial tea, featuring the Vice Mayor and Miss Wheelchair CA Foundation owner Jennifer Kumiyama, who was crowned in 2010. “This conference and organization [are] very important,� Kumiyama, who was born with arthrogryposis, shared. “As an API myself, I grew up in a culture where, if you’re different, with any sort of disability, you’re kind of put in the background. People don’t realize that you’re there. And I think that we as a community as a whole are as strong as our weakest link.� “If you take advantage of what the APIDC offers, you’re on the right path to becoming a proac-
Democratic presidential hopeful Senator Bernie Sanders delivers remarks at a rally in Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 22. Photo below shows Sen. Sanders with Zenei Cortez (to his left) -- a Filipina registered nurse who is vice president of National Nurses United (NNU) and co-president of the California Nurses Association (CNA) -- and other nurses at the NNU National Conversation with Bernie Sanders, August 2015. Photos courtesy of National Nurses United
Filipino nurses rally behind Bernie Sanders‌ PAGE A1 t
ponent Hillary Clinton who is ahead 1,182 to 893 in delegates for the Democratic presidential nomination. Clinton did well in the South, but Sanders told the crowd, “We’re not in the South. We’re in the West now.� On Tuesday, March 22, the presidential hopeful also rallied in San Diego with an estimated crowd of 10,000 supporters. According to reports, he plans to campaign Clinton was also in Los Angeles this week for two fundraisers, an appearance on “Jimmy Kimu PAGE A5 mel Live� and a roundtable discussion with Mayor Eric Garcetti about counterterrorism. Her time in Los Angeles marks her ninth trip to the area since she declared her candidacy in April 2015.
The Democratic candidates are gearing up for primaries in Washington, North Dakota and Wisconsin the June 7 California primary, where 475 delegates are at stake. n
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expected to be canceled until at least Saturday, March 26, Mirror Online reported. On Friday, authorities lowered Belgium’s terror threat level by one notch, according to NBC New York. The country is also undergoing three days of mourning. “What we feared has happened,� Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel told reporters shortly after the attacks, according to the Los Angeles Times. “In this time of tragedy, this black moment for our country, I appeal to everyone to remain calm but also to show solidarity.�
Belgian federal prosecutor Frederic Van Leeuw called the three blasts in Brussels “terrorist attacks,� according to the Associated Press. In the United States, airports and transit systems nationwide were placed on heightened alert on Tuesday due to concerns about potential copycat attacks, the LA Times reported. Among these airports include those in Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, Denver, Miami and Philadelphia. The information contained in this article is accurate as of press time. n
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Man in Baltimore nabbed for buying child porn from PH
SAN FRANCISCO — A Baltimore, Maryland man was charged with trafficking in child pornography after he was discovered allegedly paying women in the Philippines to send him images of girls engaged in sexual acts. Federal authorities charged Louis Francis Bradley, 65, of Baltimore with distribution, receipt and possession of child pornography. If convicted, Bradley could face five to 40 years in prison for distribution and receipt of child pornography, and up to 20 years for possession. Federal prosecutors allege GLOBAL THREAT. President Barack Obama and National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice talk on the phone with Homeland Security Advisor Lisa Monaco to receive an update on a terrorist attack in Brussels, Belgium. The President made the call from the residence of the U.S. Chief of Mission in Havana, Cuba, on Tuesday, March 22. White House photo by Pete Souza
APIDC hosts statewide conference on Americans…
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tive advocate for people with disabilities,” she added. As a non-profit, APIDC continues to promote the rights and accessibilities of the disabled community, connecting them to accessible opportunities, and debunking cultural stigmas. It also develops youth leaders through their Youth Leadership Institute, a yearly program aimed to identify and train young people to become leading advocates for AAPIs with disabilities. Left and right at the conference were stories of people who overcame their struggles, by not letting it define them. “As people with disabilities, we used to be invisible…but today, we have gained confidence, and work to change the environment so that we could participate,” shared Lillibeth Navarro, Executive Director of Communities Actively Living Independent & Free, and a speaker at the conference. “I learned more about the disability rights movement. It’s not just an American thing; it affects us Filipinos too.” “One thing that binds us all together is the common struggle. It’s our shared story, across all generations. Our Lolas and Lolos, those with disabilities. We all have close cultural ties; we bring to the table our families
and friends, and our people are very persevering.” Navarro’s work as an advocate for the disabled community includes increasing Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for people who need extra financial help. Brian Thomas McGrath, a student at Pasadena City College, sustained brain and spinal cord injuries in a serious motorcycle accident. “I’ve always liked working won my feet; always been a kinesthetic learner. When I started taking welding classes, I was still shaking and stuttering,” he shared. Thomas left the hospital in three months to return to school, where he initially faced huge challenges in his speech and memory. “Studying the bookwork and practicing welding [in college] has been a continuation of my physical and occupational therapy. It’s so much fun -- I get paid to melt metal, make loud noises, and I teach others now. It sparked a light in me.” “There are some days that it feels like this will never end… you’ve got to push through those dark days,” Thomas continued. “It’s not going to stay dark forever. Don’t give up hope.” Ms. Wheelchair California 2014 Theresa de Vera proudly wears her title with a shiny
thiS Week in RevieW US Poll: Clinton, Trump in the lead ACCORDING to a Fox News poll, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton continue to lead their respective presidential primaries, but Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has closed the gap with candidates who have dropped from the race. Trump leads Cruz 41% to 38% in the GOP race, with Ohio Gov. John Kasich behind at 17 percent. Trump is between 47 to 41%, while Cruz trails behind between 31 and 26%. GOP voters generally still believe Trump should get the party nomination, even if he doesn’t get all 1,237 delegates needed to take the nomination outright, according to CNN. For the Democrats, Clinton leads Bernie Sanders 55% to 42% among likely Dem voters.
CA flu season might be over NEW state data shows that the worst of California’s long drawn-out flu season may have come and gone. Influenza cases and deaths appear to have peaked in mid-February, and are now trending downward. The new numbers show that 26% of the patients tested came back positive for the flu last week, compared with 30% in the previous week and 31% before that, reported LA Times. 1,343 flu cases were reported in March, down from nearly 2,000. Experts warn that the flu season is “unpredictable, and another round of cases could erupt in the coming months.” Flu season commonly peaks in February. “We’re holding our breath and seeing what happens with the rest of the season,” said Dr. Robert Schechter, medical officer with the immunization branch of the California Department of Public Health.
SeaWorld will stop holding killer whales captive SEAWORLD theme parks has announced it will no longer breed killer whales, the famed Shamu, in captivity. The oceanthemed park’s treatment of its orcas became public after the 2013 release of the documentary Blackfish, which chronicled the death of an orca trainer, and the negative impact years in captivity has on the whales. Critics have demanded that SeaWorld end its captive breeding program, and increasing pressure has greatly affected park attendance as well as stock price, causing SeaWorld management to make major changes. In a joint announcement with the Humane Society, Joel Manby, president and CEO of SeaWorld, said, “SeaWorld takes seriously its responsibility to preserve marine wildlife. As one of the largest rescue organizations in the world, we will increase our focus on rescue operations— so that the thousands of stranded marine mammals like dolphins and sea lions that cannot be released back to the wild will have a place to go. Together with HSUS, and with our 20 million guests and 20,000 employees we can build an army of advocates to protect animals and wild places.” The announcement marks a turning point in the movement to phase out the use of orcas for show.
crown pin, while continuing to serve her community on the Los Angeles City Commission on Disability. An advocate, de Vera has pushed for reform in special education, transportation and mobility infrastructure, and supported the installation of access stands at LAX to make it easier for drivers to know when and where to pick up riders. “Embrace yourself for who you are and what you offer to the world,” de Vera shared, flashing her Miss Wheelchair pin. “I want to teach my future children that they can live as normal of a life in the chair, as they can without.” (Allyson Escobar / AJPress)
young girls engaged in sexually explicit acts. The criminal complaint alleges the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a tip that eight images had been uploaded to a Google+ Photos account linked to Bradley. Armed with search warrants on Bradley’s social media and email accounts, investigators found Facebook conversations Louis Francis Bailey. MD sex offender with the women in the Philipregistry pines from whom he was buying that Bradley contacted women in the images. They also allege he the Philippines over the Internet sent child pornography to at least and paid them to send images of one woman there. n
Fil-Am named AAPI outreach director for Clinton…
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co was deputy director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI). His past roles also include the Initiative’s liaison in the White House Office of Public Engagement and as a senior advisor directing community engagement. “Jason is passionate about engaging AAPIs in the political process, building a pipeline for youth empowerment, and ensuring that the AAPI community’s diverse issues are heard and addressed,” a campaign statement emailed to the Asian Journal said. Among Tengco’s accomplishments are managing the firstever White House Summit on AAPIs and launching the E3! Ambassadors Program for young
leaders, the campaign noted. Tengco, whose parents are from the Philippines, was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and graduated from UCLA with honors with a bachelor’s degree in political science. In 2014, he was selected as a delegate for the Philippine Embassy’s Filipino American Youth Leadership Program (FYLPro), a weeklong immersion trip that brings young Fil-Am professionals to the Philippines. As election season unfolds, both Democrats and RepubliJason Tengco, deputy director of the White cans have continued to reach House Initiative on Asian Americans and out to AAPI voters, an electorate Pacific Islanders, was named the new Asian considered to double by 2040. A Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) outreach director for Hillary Clinton’s 2015 report from the UCLA Center for the Study of Inequality and presidential campaign. Photo courtesy of the White House Initiative Asian Pacific American Institute on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
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A MARCH 26-29, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
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Earn less than $13,870? California rewards low-income tax filers by Viji
Sundaram NewAmericaMedia
SACRAMENTO — The Golden State’s poverty statistics are grim: Two in five people live just over the federal poverty level (FPL), and the state has the highest child poverty rate in the nation. But this year, for the first time, California’s working poor will get to keep more of their earnings in their pockets thanks to the California Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). But people with low incomes – less than $13,870 a year – must be sure to file their taxes in order to get their money back. 600,000 Families Eligible Around 600,000 families in California are eligible for the state EITC. Some 12 percent are Asian Americans or Pacific Islanders, 30 percent are Latino, 12 percent are Black, and more than 15,000 individuals are Native American. The majority of those eligible are single women who are working part-time jobs. Signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown last year, the state’s EITC program is expected to cost the state $380 million. California is the 25th state, plus the District of Columbia, with such a program. The tax credit is modeled on the federal EITC program, which has been around since 1975. California Budget and Policy Center (CBPC) Communications Director Steven Bliss called the state program “an important tool for helping move the lowest earners toward economic security.” Some of those targeted for the program, he said, “have earnings so low that they may not even file state income taxes.” To qualify for the California’s EITC a person must earn no more than $13,870 a year. On average those who apply for the credit will receive $900 back from the state. Families with three or more children could get back more than $2,500. “Every community has people who live in deep poverty,” said state Assembly Member Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, speaking on
Asian Inc. tax preparer Crystal Huang helping a client prepare her 2015 tax returns.
a panel with other state officials in Sacramento, March 9. “The state’s poorest communities will benefit from this.” Asian-Community Gap Even though California is doing outreach around the new program, not everyone knows about it, especially in the Asian community, said Crystal Huang. She wears the hats of tax preparer and housing counselor at Asian, Inc., in San Francisco. San Francisco resident Hou (who would only share her last name) was one of them. The Chinese immigrant, 40, has been raising her five-year-old son alone since her husband died two years ago, leaving her with very few resources. She pulls in about $5,000 a year from her three part-time jobs and struggles to put rice on the table. She came to Asian Inc. to get her taxes filed for free and found, to her surprise, that she could get back $1,300 from the state’s EITC program, plus another $1,500 from the federal EITC, plus an additional $250 from San Francisco’s Working Families Credit – a little over $3,000 in all. Rick Kim, economic development services manager with Koreatown Youth and Community Center in Los Angeles, which provides free tax help for lowincome people among other services, said it’s too early to know how many people will apply for the new state program. Many of his clients, he said, work in very low-paid, high-stress jobs, such as in the garment industry or su-
permarkets. He noted that the CalEITC could motivate more people who fall below the federal filing threshold to file returns because they could qualify for the benefits. “For a family making around $10,000 or $12,000, a benefit of $500-$800 is significant,” he said. Outreach to Immigrants CalEITC4Me.org, a coalition of community-based organizations, is conducting outreach to neighborhoods with the highest number of eligible families. Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministries is one of them. It is working with the Southeast Asian population in Fresno, many of whom are Hmong and Laotian. “We are making sure the community has in-language materials and helping people get free tax assistance,” said Executive Director Zachary Darrah. He noted that not speaking English limits many immigrants’ employment and educational opportunities. That aside, many immigrants have a “general mistrust” of government, and it takes some persuasion by organizations, such as his to convince them otherwise. “For folks who are living in poverty, [the extra money] is a game-changer for them,” Darrah said. “That goes a long way toward paying bills, paying for housing costs, paying for education, perhaps a mode of transportation--there are a lot of uses for those funds for families living in poverty, as many families are here in Fresno.” San Francisco’s Hou, who speaks very little English, has decided to invest the tax credit dollars she will get back in her son’s education. n
Fil-Am named… PAGE A5 t for Congressional Studies found that the electorate would rise to 12.2 million by then. “Hillary Clinton’s campaign shakeup is a clear indication of her failing effort to win the hearts and minds of Asian American and Pacific Islander voters across the country,” Ninio Fetalvo, the Republican National Committee’s Asian-American and Pacific Islander press secretary, said in an email. “The only consistency with Clinton’s AAPI outreach campaign is that she has and always will take our communities for granted.” (AJPress)
(L-R) Gillian Zucker, President of Business Operations, Los Angeles Clippers; Jeanie Buss, President and Co-Owner, Los Angeles Lakers; Dan Beckerman, President & CEO, AEG; Eric Garcetti, Mayor, City of Los Angeles; Adam Silver, Commissioner, NBA; Kathy Schloessman, President, Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission; Lee Zeidman, President, STAPLES Center & L.A. LIVE Photo courtesy of STAPLES Center
Los Angeles to host NBA All-Star 2018 City to host game for record sixth time
LOS ANGELES -- The NBA announced on Tuesday, March 22 that Los Angeles has been selected to host NBA All-Star 2018. The 67th annual game will take place at Staples Center, home of the L.A. Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers, on Sunday, Feb. 18. This will mark the record sixth NBA All-Star in Los Angeles, which hosted in 2011, 2004, 1983, 1972 and 1963, and the third All-Star at Staples Center (2011 and 2004). NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made the announcement on Tuesday during a press conference at Staples Center, where he was joined by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, AEG President and CEO Dan Beckerman and Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission President Kathy Schloessman. “Los Angeles is known for first-class hospitality and entertainment, making it the perfect host for NBA All-Star,” said Silver. “The city is home to some of the most passionate basketball fans in addition to extraordinary facilities, including Staples Center and L.A. Live. We thank Mayor Garcetti, Clippers Owner Steve Ballmer, Lakers President and Co-Owner Jeanie Buss and AEG President and CEO Dan Beckerman for their support in bringing All-Star back to L.A.” “We are proud that the NBA has selected Staples Center, L.A. Live and the L.A. Convention Center to host NBA All-Star for the third time in just 14 years,” said Beckerman. “All-Star in Los Angeles will bring worldwide attention, thousands of fans and over $100 million of economic activity to our City. We believe that L.A. Live, with its variety of venues, hotels and other hospitality options, creates a true headquarters district that will be the
ideal showcase for NBA All-Star 2018. Finally, on behalf of AEG, we thank our partners at the City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission for your commitment to bring back this incredible event and thank Commissioner Silver and the NBA for your faith in our great City.” “Since becoming part of L.A. through my ownership of the Clippers, I’ve witnessed firsthand the passion this city has for basketball and celebrating worldclass talent, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for both players and fans during NBA All-Star 2018,” said Ballmer. “I’m also thrilled that Mayor Garcetti and the city of Los Angeles will be able to show off their vision and the incredible evolution of downtown L.A.” “All-Star is a premiere event, so it’s fitting that it’ll be hosted by Los Angeles, the premiere sports city in America, and by Staples Center, one of the premiere arenas in the world,” said Los Angeles Lakers President and Co-Owner Jeanie Buss. “2004 and 2011 proved what a great combination this is, and 2018 will prove it again.” NBA All-Star on-court events will tip off on Friday, Feb. 16, at Staples Center with the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge, where the league’s top rookies and second-year players take the court. On Feb. 17, State Farm All-Star Saturday Night will feature current NBA players showcasing their skills in exciting basketball competitions that include the Taco Bell Skills Challenge, where participants compete head-to-head in a series of passing, shooting and agility drills; the Foot Locker Three-Point Contest; and Verizon Slam Dunk. The weekend concludes on Sun-
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day with the NBA All-Star Game. “Los Angeles is one of the world’s great basketball cities – a place where players become legends and great NBA moments last forever,” said Mayor Garcetti. “Now we will make history again, in 2018, by hosting our sixth NBA All-Star Game, something no other city has done. I look forward to working with the NBA and our local partners on this amazing event at Staples Center, which will bring thousands of visitors to Los Angeles, and generate more than $100 million of economic activity.” In partnership with AEG, the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission (LASEC) and the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board (LATCB), the NBA will host several events for fans of all ages at venues throughout the city, including the Los Angeles Convention Center and L.A. Live. These events, including NBA All-Star Practice, the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game presented by Mountain Dew and the NBA Development League All-Star Game presented by Kumho Tire, will feature interactive programming bringing fans closer to NBA and WNBA players and legends. “It is exciting and humbling for us to be hosting NBA AllStar again for the third time in 14 years,” said Schloessman. “Events like the NBA All-Star fill our hotels, employ Angelenos and bring direct spending to our restaurants, shops, attractions, and an economic windfall to our city. Having the unique assets and venues of L.A. Live continues to play an important role in bringing these great high-profile events to our City.” During NBA All-Star 2018, the NBA will continue to celebrate
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Pacquiao camp on LA mall ban: It’s a shame
MANILA — The camp of Manny Pacquiao said it is “a shame” that an upscale mall mall in Los Angeles banned the boxer for his recent comments on same-sex relations. Balitangamerica.tv carried the statement of Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz saying that while it is The Grove’s prerogative to ban Pacquiao, they are saddened by the decision. “It is America and the owner of the Grove is entitled to make that decision to ban Manny Pacquiao. However, it is a shame that he is punishing someone for expressing his religious beliefs,” Koncz’s statement read. It was reported last week that Pacquiao has found the doors of The Grove, a high-end shopping center, slammed before him when he took his entourage to a movie date. This after Grove owner Rick Caruso tagged Pacquiao’s highly controversial anti-gay comments last month to be “statements of hatred.” “These are statements of ha-
Manny Pacquiao
tred,” Caruso told TMZ. “A lot of people from the gay community come to The Grove and they have a right not to feel uncomfortable. Manny Pacquiao is no longer welcome.” The same mall actually banned Pacquiao in 2012 for similar comments on gay people, but it was eventually found that he was misquoted. (Dino Maragay, with previous report from Abac Cordero)
its tradition and commitment to social responsibility with a full schedule of NBA Cares events. Through partnerships with schools, government and local nonprofit organizations in Los Angeles and surrounding areas, the league will reach thousands of children and families and provide important resources to community-based programs. NBA All-Star Game 2018 will be televised in prime time on TNT for the 16th consecutive year, marking Turner Sports’ 33rd year of NBA All-Star coverage. The game will be broadcast worldwide in more than 200 countries and territories and in more than 40 languages. NBA All-Star 2016 in Toronto featured the highest-scoring AllStar Game in NBA history; an epic Verizon Slam Dunk won by reigning champion Zach LaVine of the Minnesota Timberwolves; and an exhilarating Foot Locker Three-Point Contest won by the Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson, who narrowly beat teammate and 2014-15 Kia NBA MVP Stephen Curry. NBA AllStar 2017 will take place in Charlotte, N.C. NBA All-Star history in Los
Angeles Staples Center last played host to NBA All-Star in 2011, when dazzling performances by hometown favorites Kobe Bryant of the Lakers and Blake Griffin of the Clippers highlighted the weekend. Bryant was named Kia NBA All-Star MVP for a recordtying fourth time after scoring 37 points as the West overcame LeBron James’ triple-double to defeat the East 148-143. Griffin played in the game as a rookie, an appearance that followed his memorable victory in Verizon Slam Dunk and his role in helping the Rookies beat the Sophomores 148-140 in the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge. NBA All-Star’s return to Los Angeles in 2018 will mark the 55-year anniversary of the first midseason classic in the city. In 1963, Bill Russell finished with 19 points and 24 rebounds to lead the East past the West 115-108 at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena. Russell took home the MVP award, an honor also bestowed on the Lakers’ Jerry West (1972), the Philadelphia 76ers’ Julius Erving (1983) and the Lakers’ Shaquille O’Neal (2004) in subsequent All-Star Games in Los Angeles. n
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 26-29, 2016
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Mayweather quashes Pacquiao rematch rumors anew by Bong Lozada Inquirer.net
FLOYD Mayweather Jr. stressed once again that he is retired and no one can take him off his retirement chair. Not even a rematch against Manny Pacquiao. Talking to FightHype.com, Mayweather dispelled his father, Mayweather Sr., who said Pacquiao can get another shot at Money. “So many fighters use my name to stay relevant. Whether
Los Angeles to host NBA…
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it’s MMA or boxing, fighters constantly use my name to stay relevant. I don’t knock them for doing that, but as far as when they talk about me fighting Pacquiao, totally false,” Mayweather said in the report. Mayweather Sr. said in a podcast “Pacquiao can get it again” if the Filipino comes out victorious against Timothy Bradley on April 9, but Junior has made it clear once again he is not interested. “Any time you hear a trainer or someone…they said that my
father said something about that. It doesn’t matter what my father says. My father can only express his opinion on what he feels, but I’m letting every know as of right now, I’m not interested in fighting anyone,” Mayweather told FightHype.com. Mayweather retired with a 490 record, matching legendary heavyweight Rocky Marciano, with his last fight a unanimous decision victory against Andre Berto. And even a chance to get to 50-0 doesn’t entice Mayweather.
He added he doesn’t need to give Pacquiao a rematch after he convincingly beat the Filipino boxing champion in 12 rounds. “I don’t want to hear this anymore, Floyd Mayweather-Pacquiao. That’s over with. That chapter is over with. That’s totally over with. I don’t want to hear nothing else about MayweatherPacquiao. That’s not going to ever happen again. That will never happen again. Never. Out of 12 rounds and I win 10 out of 12 rounds, why should I have to prove myself? Blowout!” n
A MARCH 26-29, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
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OpiniOn
Features
A borderless war
CLOSED-circuit TV footage showed the three men pushing luggage carts into the check-in area at the Brussels airport. On each cart sat bags, now believed to contain the two bombs that were set off last Tuesday morning in the Belgian capital. Two of the men wore black gloves, believed used to conceal detonators. The two died as they set off the explosives; the third man walked out of the airport as people lay wounded and dying. Probers believe his bomb failed to detonate. Shortly after the attack, another explosion ripped through the Brussels Metro system. As of yesterday, 14 people had died in the airport attack and 20 in the Metro train. The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria has claimed responsibility for the worst terrorist attack in the city that hosts the headquarters of the European Union. The attack is just the latest warning about the borderless war that ISIS is waging, if not directly then through adherents inspired by its gospel of hate. In the Philippines, security officials have downplayed reports of local extremists pledging to support ISIS. The group is said to be trying to gain
a solid foothold in the Philippines. This shouldn’t prove too hard, considering that the country is already home to several of Southeast Asia’s extremist troublemakers: the Abu Sayyaf, Jemaah Islamiyah, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and other rogue elements of the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front, and a faction of the Moro National Liberation Front. These groups have launched terrorist attacks from Mindanao to Metro Manila in the past two decades, killing hundreds of civilians and security forces. Authorities cannot discount the possibility that apart from being inspired by ISIS, these homegrown extremists might receive funding from the Islamic State, using the same financial loopholes exploited by money launderers. The attacks in Brussels should lead to tighter security controls, not only in terms of public safety but also in preventing terrorist financing. (Philstar.com)
Guest Editorial
Philstar.com photo
Easter seeds of faith to live by HAPPY EASTER! Where ever you may be in your journey of life — mourning in your Good Friday or rejoicing in anticipation of the fulfillment of God’s promise in resurrection — know in your heart that Easter morning comes after the darkest night. This is the gift of rebirth, of new beginnings, no matter how much you think you have sunk deep in the quagmire of your own doing. The gift of resurrection if for all us, saints and sinners alike. Such is the enduring and overflowing mercy of God. This is why He has sent His only begotten son jesus Christ to live in our midst, agonize and die in the cross, so we may all live, and live life abundantly. Start the new day of the rest of your life holding on to God’s mercy, reclaiming your joy that you may have lost. Today is that new day. Let me share with you this new collection of Easter seeds of faith. May they take root in your heart and help you bear fruits of love, peace, happiness and abundant blessings for you and your loved ones: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever
believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who The Fil-Am lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” Perspective (John 11:25-26) “…just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans Gel SantoS-ReloS 6:4) “Easter is the demonstration of God that life is essentially spiritual and timeless.” (Charles M. Crowe) “The resurrection of Jesus changes the face of death for all His people. Death is no longer a prison, but a passage into God’s presence. Easter says you can put truth in a grave, but it won’t stay there.” (Clarence W. Hall) “The resurrection gives my life meaning and direction and the opportunity to start over no matter what my circumstances.” (Robert Flatt) “Tomb, thou shalt not hold Him longer; Death is strong, but Life is stronger; Stronger than the dark, the light;
A love letter to my mother: Gone too soon “HOW does God come to me as I listen to the word? Where do I discern the healing hand of God Rhizomes touching me through the word? How are my sadness, my grief, and my mourning being transformed at this very moment? Do I sense the fire of God’s love pu- PRoSy abaRquezrifying my heart and giving me DelacRuz, J.D. new life? These questions lead me to the sacrament of the word, the sacred place of God’s real presence.” ––Henri J. M. Nouwen ‘Pak.’ ‘Slap.’ That marked the very first and last time you got mad at me, Mom. Elegant, dignified and smiling are the words my friends use to describe you. And you are, but for one moment. Justifiably so, I was 18 years old, about to throw my future away. “What is this?!?,” you said pointing to the luggage I packed to the brim. “I am going up to the mountains,“ I boldly answered. More like defiant, and you knew it. That was the early 1970s. Mountains were for the activists, havens from military pursuit, for patriotic citizens who were fighting for democracy and freedom in the Philippines . C ertainly not for adventure trails, as they are known for now. Months from finishing my bachelor of science degree, you knew I had to be stopped. Standing in the hallway and with a raised voice, ‘pak,’ ‘slap,’ your hands landed on both of my cheeks -- the very first time, to stop my heartfelt passion to join the movement. Nevermind that I never lived in the provinces. Nevermind that I was chauffeured by a driver to go to college. Nevermind that I did not even know how to pitch a tent, yet I was determined. With tears in your eyes, “No,” you exclaimed. That was the very first time and the very last time I experienced your anger, physically and emotionally, as you always showed me your love and concern. I am certain I made you mad many more times, yet you had the enormous self-restraint to show me, as you knew how sensitive I was. Legacy of love and care When you got married, it was months after Japan officially surrendered aboard the USS Missouri, and after 100,000 were killed in Manila, in 1945.
What trauma you must have felt, bodies abound, running to escape Japanese soldiers. Yet, amidst the trauma, the conflict, and deaths you saw, you bravely took on a new chapter . It was when you met the love of your life, Eleazar. What excitement you must have felt, when you married him in 1946 and gave birth to my older sister “ Ate “ Rose in 1948? While you took care of Ate Rose in a one - room apartment on Matimyas, Street in Sampaloc, Manila, you felt the sting of poverty, a life you were not used to. Yet, you shouldered on and finished your bachelor’s degree in education from Far Eastern University with Tita Remy. A year after you graduated, you gave birth to me in 1952; four months after, your dad died. Mom, I now imagine how broken-hearted you must have felt losing your father and with your post-pregnancy blues, how did you even manage to start your teaching career? Yet, you gave me loving care, and kept us all together as a family. By 1958, you and dad had saved enough to build a house that did not get flooded. I remember the happy days in that house near Central Market. But not just happy memories, of laughing, story telling and eating lechon, lanzones, and fresh fish bought at the wet market. But also, happy memories in school. I remember your face lit up when you pinned the valedictorian medal on Ate Rose, onstage at Saint Rita College. I wanted your smiles too, imagining you pinning a medal on me, so I dreamt I would graduate valedictorian. I wanted to be the best student in arithmetic, not knowing I was following your footsteps as a math and science teacher. And then the day came, you pinned the medal on me, and I had the biggest smiles, plus a mom so pleased. Remember when I got to go to the prom, with my crush, the president of the UP Student Council, as my escort? Ate Rose, through her friends, asked him, and he agreed. Even then, roles were reversed for me, I was not asked. I could not contain my joy. You had a prom
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Stronger than the wrong, the right…” (Phillips Brooks, “An Easter Carol”) “The best proof that Christ has risen is that he is still alive. And for the immense majority of our contemporaries, the only way of seeing him alive is for us Christians to love one another.” (Louis
Evely) “Let every man and woman count himself immortal. Let him catch the revelation of Jesus in his resurrection. Let him say not merely, “Christ is risen,” but “I shall rise.” (Phillips BrooksCOE) “Easter is not a time for groping through dusty, musty tomes or tombs to disprove spontaneous generation or even to prove life eternal. It is a day to fan the ashes of dead hope, a day to banish doubts and seek the slopes where the sun is rising, to revel in the faith which transports us out of ourselves and the dead past into the vast and inviting unknown.” (Author unknown) “Where man sees but withered leaves, God sees
sweet flowers growing. (Albert LaightonCOE) “Let the resurrection joy lift us from loneliness and weakness and despair to strength and beauty and happiness.” (Floyd W. Tomkins) “Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring-time.” (Martin Luther) “The entire plan for the future has its key in the resurrection.” (Billy Graham) “As believers, we are commanded to be thankful. I believe this is a natural result of allowing the peace of God to rule our hearts. Did you know that you can choose to have peace? You dont have to let things upset you. You dont have to be anxious and worried. That word peace means to set at one again. When you set your mind at one with God and His Word, you will have peace.” (Joel Osteen) *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www. facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
President should secure Supreme Court that is diverse
PRESIDENT Obama, as is his right, has nominated to the US Community Supreme Court another white man from Harvard, Merrick Gar- Voice land. Yet Mr. Garland is highly unlikely to ever be confirmed given the Republican leadership’s Faith Bautista and unanimous position that no JeFF nino Lim Presidential nominee will be confirmed while President Obama remains in office. The question raised by California’s more than six million Asian Americans and the nation’s twenty million Asian Americans is why did the President forgo an opportunity to win over our nation’s 130 million minorities and those who did not graduate from Harvard Law School? As the President and Congress know well, in our nation’s more than 225-year history, no Asian American has ever been nominated for or served at the U.S. Supreme Court. However, an increasingly large pool of highly qualified, non-controversial Asian American jurists are available to be nominated. This includes California’s highly qualified Ninth Circuit Appellate Justice Jacqueline Nguyen and Sri Srinivasan, also highly qualified and noncontroversial from the D.C. Court of Appeals. We raise the question of ignoring Asian Americans in the context of both Asian American judges being highly qualified immigrants and being relatively noncontroversial. Further, nomination of an Asian American jurist would be consistent with both President Obama’s call for more diversity and the late Justice Antonin Scalia’s call for more diversity, including ending the Harvard/Yale law school monopoly at the Supreme Court. We are particularly mystified given that Mr. Garland is one of the oldest candidates nominated for the Supreme Court since Richard Nixon’s day and President Obama has the opportunity to win over the Asian American vote over the long term whether or not an Asian American candidate is confirmed. In contrast, both Jacqueline Nguyen and Sri Srinivasan are under 50, as was Justice Scalia when he was successfully nominated by President Reagan (President Obama’s nominee is 63, which is a little too old to provide an enduring legacy. This is particularly so since a number of Americans believe that a mechanism should be put in place for mandatory or strongly encouraged retirement from the U.S. Supreme Court after the age of 75.)
Since the President’s nomination of Mr. Garland will be futile, perhaps the President should consider an option that will encourage Mr. Garland to withdraw and provide the President the option of nominating our first Asian American to the Supreme Court. This is a viable option since some nominees have withdrawn in the past when facing strong hurdles to confirmation. The advantage to the President includes the potential to convert what will be 50 million Asian Americans by 2050 to the Democratic Party. Although Asian Americans now strongly tilt to the Democratic Party in national elections, this was not the case under President Reagan. Therefore, a reinvigorated Republican Party whose Presidential candidate supports immigrants could evenly split the Asian American vote including securing a majority of Asian American business leaders. Although the authors of this article have different political views, one generally supporting the Republican Party and the other supporting the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, we both concur that the Asian American vote, given its growing size, educational attainment and wealth accumulation should not tilt toward any major party. As other minorities have learned, we are often far more influential when our votes are up for grabs in both national and local elections. For example, the general absence of viable Republican candidates, particularly on a statewide level, has meant that minorities in California are disproportionately ignored since their votes are far too predictable. As of the writing of this Op-Ed, we are endeavoring to meet with the President on this matter. The meeting will include a broad range of Asian American leaders from both parties. However, we are not unduly optimistic given that the President rejected our mid-February request to meet with him in D.C. during a time when we met with Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen, the Chairs of the FDIC and FTC, and the Director of CFPB on income and wealth inequality.
*** Faith Bautista is the President & CEO National Asian American Coalition and an immigrant *** Jeff Nino Lim is the owner of 15 Island Pacific Supermarkets and Chair of National Asian American Coalition and an immigrant
The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal. ROGER LAGMAY ORIEL Publisher & Chairman of the Board
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OpiniOn & Features
A love letter to my mother: Gone…
PAGE A8 t dress fashionably made for me, with white pinafore lace, pleats and ribbons. I felt like a queen wearing it. You persuaded Dad to let me go, and he did, but with a chaperone. That was one of my cherished gifts from your heart! As you kept our family together, you dreamt a better future for us. Then, I only knew I missed my mother and I was lonely. Now, I fully appreciate the depths The author’s late mother Photos by Alfred Tecson and Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz of your personal sacrifices. Travel to seek better life: fided in, a mom who shared her wisdom. Broken hearts abound We all felt lost, yet I was in college. No wonder “The relative ease and comfort in life were pro- I was ready to throw it all away. cured upon the broken heart of a mother who sufIn 1970, you came back to Manila to bury your fered separation from her beloved children pre- youngest brother, and you stayed. I appreciated cisely to secure for them a better future…When I having you back. understand in that intimate sense what it took for Two years after, in 1972, Ate Rose petitioned my mother to sever her ties from our small town, you, and you then petitioned us all; in 1975, we from our immediate presence to forge a better fu- were all reunited. I can just imagine what Ate Rose ture for all of us, I experience a broken heart my- had to sacrifice, three years without you, yet she self.” – Claire Navarro Espina kept her wits about her, holding onto hope that she Claire said it best, capturing my sentiments. will see all of us again. In 1967 – four years after you gave birth to your How happy you must have felt when you had all youngest in 1963 – you went to New York. of us, all five girls around the dining table, with I can imagine in the depths of your loneliness, you and Dad, happily exchanging stories, after a you felt the cold snowstorms of New York and the day’s work. harsh stings of being discriminated. Yes, we were cramped, seven folks in a two-bedYou came back two weeks later, and we were all room apartment, yet we came home to happy meal so happy. I kept praying it would be permanent, times. that you would not leave again, but your dream I felt how happy you were then, with smiles all had to be actualized. the time. But when I met the love of my life, EnFive years later, on August 1, 1968, you took rique, all hell broke loose. When I decided to live Ate Rose -- my support in college -- with you to with him, Dad banned me from the house for two become your support in America. You also had a years, however, you took the bus to meet me and safety net with the Lazaro and Taguiam families. to reassure me I was still loved and that I am still But, even when you left, we all seemed to re- your daughter. I am just now beginning to undermember that the Ruby Towers collapsed during an stand the depths of your sacrifices for me to feel earthquake in the Philippines. loved and to have a better life. When I got married, Why, it seemed to be the metaphor of our lives. the embargo to see the family was lifted for me and While we had food on the table, balikbayan boxes we were reunited again. we got excited about (personally, for me it was the I loved our telephone conversations, which I Betty Crocker cake mix, food technology books on looked forward to because I got to know you more. sensory evaluation and shoes), we were all scared Sometimes, my timing was off and you would simthat our family felt like it was falling apart. ply say, “I am eating lunch now, may I eat, I love We felt the void of not having you, Mom, the you.” I would laugh and say, “I will call you back, heart and soul of our family, a mom whom I con- Mom.”
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 26-29, 2016
That was cool, as it was you, Mom, functionally focused, but also loving. Remember when you sensed I was in danger and you had Sion come to my rescue? Your mother’s instincts were so spot on! Thank you for being my solid anchor then -- it felt so special to get your handwritten cards, affirming me for my personal strengths because I felt like a spiritual millionaire. I heard from one of my sisters that you missed my calls, especially when I went camping with Enrique because I could not call. When I returned, you smiled at my Instagram photos, admiring the places I have been to, including your biggest smile, when I showed you I covered Pope Francis at the White House. You whispered, “We did not travel much.” Most of all, you enjoyed seeing what my grandchild was up to, and in your soft, gentle voice, “Ay, naku she makes me laugh and smile, she is so amiable.” In your last months, my nephew said that he shared my Instagram account to show you the latest photos of my apo, which elicited a smile from you. When I took your hand on your last day on earth, you looked into my eyes, when I said, “I love you, Mom. Thank you for all your sacrifices.” You nodded. You sat up to acknowledge me, even if sitting was difficult for you. “Mom, you gave us all a better life here in America, you are a good mother, you are a good grandmother, you were a good teacher and you were a good wife.” You smiled. Mom, you have given us a great legacy, a fortitude and a determination I personally may not have. A focus that you will sacrifice to give your family a better life. A life of exemplary excellence, undeterred by personal challenges. You did not drive a car, yet you got to every graduation of every family member, even if you ha d to ride four
A
buses because you insisted that you want to get there by yourself. Now that you are in heaven, you are no longer by yourself, you are now reunited with your mom, your dad, your brother, and most of all, the love of your life. Mom, thank you for allowing me the space to make my mistakes, for giving me unconditional love, forgiveness for all the hurts I caused you and making me feel loved, even when shunned. I wish I made more visits, but I know you will not hear of that now, as you always said, “keep moving forward!” Thank you so much for being a strong woman and a feminist, although you will not use that word. Thank you for the most powerful example of a woman, who chased her dreams and made them come true! You gave us new lives, anchored in God’s word and America! P.S. I know, if you were alive, you would balk reading about this. Please forgive me, Mom, as this is my way of grieving you and the loss of your heart and soul in our family! May we stay united, as orphans!
*** 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.
A10 MARCH 26-29, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
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Dateline PhiliPPines
CBCP: Pope Francis not endorsing Duterte by arieS JoSeph
Inquirer.net
GLOBAL THREAT. President Barack Obama and National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice talk on the phone with Homeland Security Advisor Lisa Monaco to receive an update on a terrorist attack in Brussels, Belgium. The President made the call from the residence of the US Chief of Mission in Havana, Cuba, on Tuesday, March 22. White House photo by Pete Souza
Comelec commits to make 2016 polls most transparent by Marvin
Sy
Philstar.com
MANILA – Despite challenges brought about by the Supreme Court (SC) decision on the printing of voter receipts, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it is committed to making the May 9 polls “the most transparent elections in Philippine history.” At a hearing by the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the Automated Election System (JCOCAES), Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista said the poll body has set in place safeguards as required by law to ensure transparency in the conduct of the polls even if the SC ruling has “dealt a curve ball in our preparations for the upcoming elections.” “But that is the past and we’re here to move on. We are looking to catch up,” he said, referring to the initial shock felt by poll officials after the SC issued the ruling requiring the printing of vote receipts. “However, we would like to categorically announce to the committee and to the public that all the safeguards provided in Republic Act 8436 as amended by Republic Act 9369 or the Au-
tomated Election Laws, all the safeguards will be in place for the 2016 elections and in fact even more,” Bautista said. “We will endeavor to make this 2016 elections as the most transparent elections in Philippine history,” Bautista said. The SC recently ordered the Comelec to activate the voter verified paper audit trail feature of its vote counting machines (VCM) in compliance with the Automated Election System Law. The Comelec is now in the process of procuring thermal paper, scissors and boxes for the printing and storage of the voter receipts. On schedule Comelec commissioner Christian Robert Lim said that they are on schedule on all aspects of preparations for the May 9 elections. Lim noted that training of the Board of Election Inspectors is 90 percent complete while all the ballots are expected to be ready by April 25 or even earlier. With regard to voter receipts, Lim said the opening of bids for the supply of the thermal paper would be on April 5 and, barring any obstacle, delivery would be on April 20. Lim said they sought permis-
sion from the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) to forego public bidding, but was told the body was authorized to act only on the request if the procurement is P500 million and above. The required thermal paper would only cost P85 million. Bautista asked the JCOCAES to provide the Comelec with legal cover to proceed with the purchase of thermal paper without public bidding, but this was not granted. Both Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, chairman of the JCOCAES, and Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga said the committee does not have the authority to grant this request of the Comelec. “Let me just be clear, this is not the course of action we wanted to take. If the committee can say that you believe there is an emergency then maybe we can take that into account when we make a decision as to whether or not we will proceed with the regular bidding or go through alternative mode of procurement,” Bautista said. But even using the current timetable, the Comelec said it would be able to disseminate the thermal paper to precincts across the country in time for the
hegina
THE Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has denied that Pope Francis is endorsing Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte for the presidency. Through the Papal Visit-Philippines 2015 Facebook page, the CBCP Media Office denied on Wednesday claims that the Catholic Church is endorsing candidates for the May national and local elections. The statement was made following a viral post which claims that Pope Francis is “admiring” Duterte for his “honesty.” The statement from the CBCP read: “May we inform the public that the statement from the Pope is not true. It came from a satire piece and is fake.” The CBCP asked the faithful to stop spreading the fake post and “cease from maliciously using the Pope for political gains.” Aside from the fake post where the Supreme Pontiff is suppos-
SCREENGRAB from the Papal Visit-Philippines 2015 Facebook page
edly heaping praises for Duterte, the CBCP also belied another post which claims that the Catholic Church is calling for a “block voting” for the administration tandem of Manuel “Mar” Roxas II and Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo. In discrediting the supposed
call for block voting, the CBCP cited the guide issued by CBCP President and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas to Catholic voters last year. “Reject claims by candidates that they are candidates of the CBCP, or of a diocese, or of a particular bishop. It has never been the practice of the Catholic Church to hold out a candidate to the faithful as the ‘chosen’ candidate of the Church,” Villegas said. It can be remembered that Duterte drew flak for supposedly cursing Pope Francis for the heavy traffic which ensued during his papal visit to the Philippines last year. “Sabi ko, ‘Bakit?’ Sabi sarado na [ang daan]. Sabi ko, ‘Sinong darating?’ Sabi si Pope. Gusto kong tawagan, ‘Pope, p——- ka, umuwi ka na. ‘Wag ka nang bumisita dito,” he said in jest during the PDP-Laban proclamation rally last November. Duterte has since apologized for what he said. n
Escudero, Marcos in statistical tie for top spot in VP survey by Jonathan de
SantoS
Philstar.com
MANILA — Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero was in a statistical tie with Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. although Escudero led by 2 points in a Bilang PilipinoSWS Mobile Survey on vice presidential candidates conducted on Tuesday, March 22. Escudero was chosen by 30 percent of respondents while Marcos got 28 percent. Camarines Rep. Leni Robredo, Liberal Party candidate, got 23 percent of respondents and 11 percent picked Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano. Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV got 4 percent and Sen. Gregorio Honasan II of the United Nationalist Alliance got two percent. According to the survey, as much as 3 percent of the respondents were previously undecided or had picked someone else in an earlier survey on March 18. In that survey, Escudero and Marcos got 26 percent each while Robredo was picked by u PAGE A11 19 percent of respondents. Cay-
Sen. Francis Escudero was chosen by 30 percent of respondents while Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. got 28 percent. Philstar.com / Efigenio Toledo IV
etano had 16 percent, Honasan had six percent and Trillanes had 5 percent. Escudero’s running mate, Sen. Grace Poe also topped a Bilang Pilipino-SWS survey on presidential candidates done the same day. Poe had 35 percent of potential voters while Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte had 26 percent.
Vice President Jejomar Binay was in a statistical tie with former Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II at 18 percent to 17 percent. Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago had a score of 2 percent. The survey originally had 1,200 respondents on March 18, but only 866 responded to the March 22 survey. n
PAUNAWA NG PAMPUBLIKONG PAGDINIG Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Awtoridad sa Transportasyon ng Kalunsuran ng County ng Los Angeles) Ang Independiyenteng Komite sa Pagbabantay ng mga Tagabayad ng Buwis na Kaugnay ng Panukala R ng Metro (Komite sa Pagbabantay) ay magsasagawa ng isang pampublikong pagdinig sa 10:30 p.m., ika-18 ng Abril, 2016, sa Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) Boardroom na matatagpuan sa One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles. Ang Komite sa Pagbabantay ay itinalaga sa ilalim ng Panukala R, kilala rin bilang Ordinansa sa Kaluwagan sa Trapiko at Pagpapalawak ng Riles, na nagpataw ng karagdagang 1/2 ng isang porsiyentong buwis sa mga transaksiyon at paggamit upang pondohan ang mga pagpapabuti sa transportasyon sa County, na inaprobahan ng mga botante noong 2008. Ang Komite sa Pagbabantay at proseso ng pagbabantay ay itinatag upang siguruhin na ang Metro at mga lokal na tumatanggap ay sumusunod sa mga tadhana ng Ordinansa. Ang proseso ng pagbabantay ay nagaatas na ang isang taunang pagsusuri ay isagawa upang matiyak ang pagsunod sa mga tadhana ng Ordinansa na may kaugnayan sa pagtanggap at paggasta ng mga kita sa buwis sa pagbebenta sa taon ng pananalapi. Ang mga pagsusuri ay dapat ipagkaloob sa Komite sa Pagbabantay upang makagawa ito ng pagpapasiya tungkol sa kung ang Metro at mga lokal na tumatanggap ay nakasunod sa mga iniaatas ng Panukala R. Bilang pagsunod sa Ordinansa, kinontrata ng Metro ang BCA Watson Rice, LLP (BCA) upang gawin ang independiyenteng pagsusuri ng Espesyal na Pondo ng Panukala R at kinontrata ang Vasquez & Company, LLP at Simpson & Simpson upang suriin ang pagsunod ng 87 lungsod (mga Lungsod) at ng County ng Los Angeles (County). Ang layunin ng pagdinig na ito ay upang tumanggap ng mga komento ng publiko tungkol sa mga resulta ng mga independiyenteng pagsusuri na isinasagawa sa Iskedyul ng mga Kita at Paggasta para sa Espesyal na Pondo ng Kita ng Panukala R at Pagsunod sa mga Iniaatas na Angkop sa mga Patnubay sa Local Return ng Panukala R mula ika-1 ng Hulyo, 2014 hanggang ika-30 ng Hunyo, 2015, at sa taunang ulat ng Komite sa mga pagsusuring ito.
MGA ULAT NG MGA INDEPENDIYENTENG TAGASURI Pagsusuri ng Espesyal na Pondo sa Kita ng Panukala R Isinagawa ng BCA ang pagsusuri ng pagsunod alinsunod sa mga pamantayan sa pagsusuri na pangkaraniwang tinatanggap sa Estados Unidos ng Amerika at sa mga pamantayang angkop sa mga pagsusuri ng pananalapi na nasa Mga Pamantayan sa Pagsusuri ng Pamahalaan, na inisyu ng Komptroler Heneral ng Estados Unidos. Ang mga pamantayang ito ay nag-aatas na ang BCA ay magplano at magsagawa ng pagsusuri upang kumuha ng makatwirang pagtiyak tungkol sa kung ang mga kita at paggasta ng mga Iskedyul ng Panukala R ay walang mahalagang maling pahayag. Napag-alaman sa pagsusuri na ang Metro ay sumunod, sa lahat ng mahahalagang bagay, sa mga iniaatas na angkop sa mga kita at paggasta ng Panukala R para sa taong natapos noong ika-30 ng Hunyo, 2015. Mga Pagsusuri ng Pagsunod ng mga Lungsod at ng County sa Panukala R Isinagawa ng Vasquez & Company, LLP at Simpson & Simpson ang pagsusuri ng pagsunod sa Mga Patnubay sa Local Return alinsunod sa mga pamantayan sa pagsusuri na pangkaraniwang tinatanggap sa Estados Unidos ng Amerika at sa mga pamantayang angkop sa mga pagsusuri ng pananalapi na nasa Mga Pamantayan sa Pagsusuri ng Pamahalaan, na inisyu ng Komptroler Heneral ng Estados Unidos. Ang mga pamantayang iyon ay nag-aatas na ang Vasquez & Company, LLP at Simpson & Simpson ay magplano at magsagawa ng mga pagsusuri upang makakuha ng makatwirang pagtiyak ng tungkol sa kung ang di-pagsunod sa mga iniaatas na nasa Ordinansa ay nangyari na maaaring magkaroon ng tuwiran at mahalagang epekto sa programang Local Return ng Panukala R. Ang Vasquez & Company, LLP ay nagsagawa ng pagsusuri ng 49 na lungsod, at ang Simpson & Simpson ay nagsagawa ng pagsusuri ng ibang 38 Lungsod at ng County. Ang mga tagasuri ay nagpasiya na ang mga Lungsod at ang County ay sumunod sa lahat ng mahahalagang bagay sa mga iniaatas na nasa Ordinansang Panukala R na angkop sa programang Local Return ng Panukala R para sa taong natapos noong ika-30 ng Hunyo, 2014. Ang mga pagsusuri ay nakakita ng 17 kakulangan sa panloob na kontrol sa pagsunod, wala sa mga ito na itinuring na mahalaga. Tatlo sa mga kakulangang ito ay itinuturing na materyal na kahinaan. Taunang Ulat ng Independiyenteng Komite sa Pagbabantay ng Tagabayad ng Buwis na Kaugnay ng Panukala R Nirepaso ang Komite ang tatlong independiyenteng ulat ng pagsusuri at batay sa pagrepasong ito, bumuo ng taunang ulat. Ang taunang ulat ay naglalarawan ng mga resulta ng pagsusuri at gumagawa ng ilang mga pagpapasiya. Ang ulat ay nagpasiya na: 1) ang mga pagsusuri ay isinagawa alinsunod sa Ordinansa na inaprobahan ng mga botante noong 2008; 2) ang Metro ay sumunod, sa lahat ng mahahalagang bagay, sa mga iniaatas na angkop sa mga kita at paggasta ng Panukala R para sa taong natapos noong ika-20 ng Hunyo, 2015; at 3) ang mga lungsod at ang County ay sumunod sa mga iniaatas na nasa Ordinansang Panukala R na angkop sa programang Local Return ng Panukala R para sa taong natapos noong ika-30 ng Hunyo, 2015, gayunman, ang mga pagsusuri ay nakakita ng 17 kakulangan sa panloob na kontrol sa pagsunod, wala sa mga ito na itinuring na mahalaga. Ang mga nakasulat na komento sa bagay na ito ay tatanggapin hanggang ika-18 ng Abril, 2016. Lahat ng mga komento ay dapat ipadala sa Board Administration, LACMTA, One Gateway Plaza, Mail Stop 99-3-1, Los Angeles, CA 90012-2952. Ang mga kopya ng Mga Ulat ng mga Independiyenteng Tagasuri at ang Taunang Ulat ng Komite sa Pagbabantay ay makukuha sa Metro.net, at ang mga papel na kopya ay makukuha mula sa Records Management Center ng Metro sa LACMTA Plaza Level sa (213) 922-2342. Ang mga dokumentong ito ay ihahanda rin para makuha sa bawat aklatang matatagpuan sa loob ng County ng Los Angeles para sa pagrepaso ng publiko. Ang mga miyembro ng publiko na nais magbigay ng pampublikong komento nang personal sa panahon ng pampublikong pagdinig sa ika-18 ng Abril ay hinihimok na tawagan si Michele Jackson, Kalihim ng Lupon, sa (213) 922-4605. CNS-2845512#
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Dateline PHiliPPineS
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 26-29, 2016
A11
Ortega clan of La Union endorses Roxas, Robredo by rosette
adeL
Philstar.com
MANILA — The Ortega clan of La Union expressed its support for the candidacy of Liberal Party’s (LP) standard bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II and his running mate, Camarines Sur Rep. Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo. Clan patriarch Rep. Victor Ortega announced the endorsement during the 18th cityhood anniversary of San Fernando City last Monday where Roxas was a keynote speaker and a guest of honor. “The late President Roxas was a person who had never been tainted by any wrongdoing in government. The same goes to Mar, who, in his stints as head of various government agencies, has had a clean slate,” Ortega HOLY WEEK DESTINATION. Workers of Holy Land prepare life size statues of the Crucifixion of Christ, one of the many stations of the religious theme park located in Badiwan, Benguet. Holy Land has become a popular destination for pilgrims during the Holy Week break with its Biblical scenes – from the Garden of Eden to the Resurrection of Christ. Philstar.com photo by Andy Zapata Jr.
Singaporean couple pleads guilty to starving Filipina helper by Patricia Lourdes Philstar.com
Viray
MANILA — A Singaporean couple facing charges under the city-state’s Employment Foreign Manpower Act pleaded guilty of starving their Filipina domestic helper, according to a report. In a report published on Channel News Asia, Lim Choon Hong and his wife Chong Siu Foon, both 47, were accused of failing to provide enough food for domestic helper Thelma Oyasan Gawidan. Gawidan, who started working for the couple in January 2013, reportedly lost almost 20 kilograms over 15 months as the couple only gave her slices of
Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle.
white bread and instant noodles to eat twice a day. The 40-year-old Filipina helper also claimed that she was only allowed to shower just once or twice a week in a public toilet and made to sleep in a storeroom. Gawidan noticed that she started losing weight two weeks after she started working for the Singaporean couple. She also observed loss of strength and hair loss due to malnutrition. The Filipina helper asked Chong for more food as she was constantly hungry but often refused to grant her request, according to a report. Lim told Gawidan that he will not intervene and advised her to
Inquirer file photo/ Maerianne Bermudez
Tagle: To follow Christ, one must love, serve by nestor
corraLes Inquirer.net
MANILA Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle has advised the Catholic faithful that to walk with Jesus, one must practice love and service. During his Maundy Thursday homily at the Manila Cathedral, Tagle expounded on the importance of loving and serving in the lives of Jesus’ followers. “(But) we need to cross altogether with Jesus where there is love and service,” Tagle was quoted as saying in a CBCP (Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines) News report. Tagle urged the Catholic devotees to be merciful like Jesus. “Serve by loving until the end,” he said, adding that “love and service are inseparable.” Tagle said that Jesus’ washing of the feet of His disciples showed that “true love is service.” “The washing of the feet is the work of a slave. Even Christ’s
death is part of His service to us. He died for us to live,” said the cardinal. “Love and service. Love that serves. Love until the end. And serve by loving until the end. That’s how to walk with Jesus,” he said. He said that “genuine love” comes from God and is expressed through his mercy, adding that to be merciful is to follow the humble path of Jesus. “It’s not our achievements or the projects that we built… in the end it doesn’t matter. If you want be with Jesus the only question is did you love until the end?” Tagle asked the Catholic faithful. “This Jubilee of Mercy, love is very concrete— love until the end,” he said. He also urged the public to unite in bringing peace and justice in the Philippines. During the Mass, Tagle washed the feet of 12 individuals, including Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Andres Bautista. n
The Commission on Elections said it is committed to making the May 9 polls “the most transparent elections in Philippine history.” File photo
Comelec commits to make…
PAGE A10 t
elections on May 9. Lim said the Comelec is prepared to tap the various vehicles of the Armed Forces of the Philippines as well as commercial airlines to transport the thermal paper to the provinces. With the additional steps required for the printing of voter receipts, Lim maintained voting hours on May 9 would be from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bautista urged all voters to go to the precincts early and not wait for the last minute to cast their votes. He said the adjustment in the voting hours was intended to
take advantage of daylight. Lim also said it’s all systems go for the overseas absentee voting to be held from April 9 to May 9. Mall voting Bautista also said they are ready to defend the legality of the mall voting project even before the SC. He expressed confidence the project can withstand legal test if critics opt to contest it before the SC. Both the Constitution and the Omnibus Election Code, he said, give the Comelec the power to determine and designate polling places. (With Mayen Jaymalin, Christina Mendez)
take the food that his wife is giving her. During a three-day trial last year, Lim admitted that his wife suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder and has a history of anorexia nervosa. Gawidan escaped in April 2014 and found refuge at HOME, a non-profit organization for migrant workers. n
Manuel “Mar” Roxas
said. “Iboboto sya ng mga mamamayan ng La Union sapagkat si Mar ay isang opisyales na marangal, matalino, maginoo, malinis, masipag at mahusay,” the
solon added. The solon said that La Union has always been an LP stronghold since the political party was launched in the town of Bauang. He added that it was founded by Mar’s grandfather and namesake Manuel Roxas with Elpidio Quirino and Francisco Ortega, among others in 1945. During the endorsement, local government officials from the municipalities of Pugo, Bacnotan, San Juan, Balaoan, Santol, Luna, San Gabriel, Sudipa, Bangar and San Fernando City were present to show support to the LP bets. Roxas ranked fourth in the latest Pulse Asia survey, tailgaiting candidates Sen. Grace Poe, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Jejomar Binay. n
Philippine schools included in world university rankings per subject by JanVic
Mateo Philstar.com
MANILA — Three Philippine universities were included in the latest world university rankings per subject released by ratings firm Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). The University of the Philippines was ranked in four subjects this year, but less stellar than its performance last year with rankings in eight subjects. According to QS, the country’s national university is included
in the 2016 subject rankings for English, Language and Literature (101-150), Agriculture and Forestry (101-150), Modern Languages (101-150), and Medicine (301-400). But UP dropped out of the list of rankings for development studies where it was in the Top 100 last year; communication and media studies; politics and international studies; and sociology. Meanwhile, Ateneo de Manila University ranked 151-200
in English, Language and Literature, down from the 101150 range last year. Ateneo ranked 24th in the said subject in 2012. De La Salle University maintained its 151-200 rank in English, Language and Literature and also entered in the rankings for Education at 201-300. The rankings highlight the world’s top universities in 42 subjects, based on academic reputation, employer reputation and research impact. n
A12 MARCH 26-29, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • mARch 26-29, 2016
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Journal
Kim Chiu: Xian helped me move on from Gerald Baby Zia goes on first Holy Week vacation in Palawan MAnILA—Kim Chiu admitted that Xian Lim has helped her get over her heartbreak from Gerald Anderson. It was in 2010 when Kim ad Gerald ended their “special relationship” to focus on their respective careers. “Siguro self-worth, self-respect and then ‘yong mga taong nakapaligid sa akin ‘yon ang sinasabi nila,” Kim replied when asked how she was able to say that she was over Gerald, in an interview in “Tonight with Boy Abunda.” “Then si Xian, dumating siya, e,” she added, smiling. Since they were paired together, Xian has always been vocal of his feeling for Kim. now that some reports say they’re already an item, Xian remained firm that they don’t want to put a label on their relationship. However, he didn’t deny that “nagmamahalan kami.” Asked where she sees their
In true celebrity fashion, the daughter of star couple Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera went on her first Holy Week vacation in Palawan on Maundy Thursday, March 24. Rivera took to Instagram to share a photo of her first-born Maria Letizia on a beach in Busuanga. “I fall in love with you more and more everyday, anak. Haaaay!” Rivera said in the caption. In his own Instagram page, Dantes shared that it was their baby’s first plane ride. Letizia was born in november last year and baptized in February. (Inquirer.net) Kim Chiu saus one person who helped her get over her heartbreak from Gerald Anderson was Xian Lim. Philstar.com photo
relationship ten years from now, the Kapamilya actress replied, “Siguro naman ano, magkasama pa rin kami.” Meanwhile, Kim will have a
ten-year anniversary concert titled “Chinita Princess The FUntasy concert” that will happen on April 9 at the Kia Theater. (Philstar.com)
Pauleen Luna, Vic Sotto share ‘kilig’ moments in US neWLyWeDS Pauleen Luna and Vic Sotto are like on their second honeymoon. The couple arrived in San Francisco USA on Sunday, March 20, to have a vacation with their family. Based on Pauleen’s posts on her Instagram ac-
count, they’ve been enjoying different restaurants around the state, but her personal favorite are seafood dishes. Check the couple’s sweet moments in San Francisco, posted by Pauleen on her Instagram account. (Joyce Jimenez/Philstar.com)
Vic Sotto and Pauleen Luna’s gestures are sweeter than the ice cream they’re eating while on vacation in San Francisco, USA. Screengrab from Pauleen Luna’s Instagram account
Screengrab from Marian Rivera’s Instagram account
B march 26-29, 2016 • La WEEKEND aSIaN JOUrNaL
Moonlighting by Mylah
It’s spring once again
Features
EVA adds 2nd Philippine gateway, starts Cebu flights New, daily Taipei-Cebu service start March 27
TAIPEI, TAIWAN—EVA Air is launching daily flights between Taipei and Cebu in The Philippines, starting March 27. The new nonstops complement EVA’s existing twice daily service to MaTodAy, we stop and breathe benila and, with the option of flying cause there it is, the scent of hope, into one gateway and returning love and lust — spring. from the other, expand itinerary It is land’s perpetual gift of sudpossibilities for Philippines-bound den grace. It is upon us in a scent passengers. that grows deeper — dizzying, A thriving business and trade probably because of the trees that center, Cebu also offers a rich are starting to spurt out dark, green cultural heritage as the oldest city leaves in covered with clusters of in The Philippines and location of small creamy blossoms. This transthe first Spanish settlement. It is formation is as sudden as first love, also known for stunning mountain a flower that releases its strongest Philippine Airlines President and COO Jaime Bautista welcomes tourism-oriented innovations views, beautiful beaches, excelfragrance at night, separate from this summer with FACLA Prez. Fernandico Q. Gonong Jr. lent diving and luxurious resorts. the sun. It spreads scents of winInformation about EVA’s inflight ter-blooming jasmines, in a calcu- I keep up with everything that is fashion, cuisine and other many hospitality, services and schedules lated seduction, with its nocturnal going on in the Los Angeles Fili- splendored things. Add it on is available at www.evaair.com. pino community. Tidbits about with polite, soft news of men and redolence. Early morning arrivals and easy Like watching spring blossom, their world — charity, music, women, who speak eloquently one-stop connections make the about themselves. With some new Cebu service especially conluck, you can be in the best company or simply part of those who nod or smile at one another, standing alone in a swarm of gorgeous people. In one pocket of ostentatious merriment onto another, they equally are people who are always in pursuit of a deeper purpose in life that assures us that not everyone wants Cong. Pacquiao reads FACLA’s program for something and that there are lots the 71st anniversary Gala Dinner to be held of gifts left in life. All these make The Philippines’ Pop Diva Kuh Ledesma on April 24 at the Glendale Hilton. one’s deadlines easier to meet without discarding sordid politics back home: PR stories yell to be legitimate news, colossal overkill society and political parties of Jhong Hilario every color of feverish fundraising abound, no matter how it is sugar coated, infers donor fatigue. At the recent media meet and by Joyce JiMenez greet welcome for LA Tourism Philstar.com director Richard Jimenez,there MANILA—It was a star-studwas an abundance of peace and ded christening for the daughter harmony. The media stepped of Beauty Gonzalez and Norman back, chilled out with the open Crisologo. bar, courtesy of FACLA President Beauty gave birth to baby BBM-USA Chairman Fernandico Q. Gonong Jr. and BBM United California Chair. Dr. Carlos Fernandico Q. Gonong Jr. olivia on February, which she Manlapaz sharing parallel efforts and common goals on Tuesday, March 22. Pictures matter because they announced on her Instagram mirror the Fil-Am community’s temper and taste, their stature, as well as their fundamental pursuit of excellence. Events each week that may reflect accomplishments on expectancy are shown in the shots. Somehow, we are enriched or diminished, informed or influenced. These ideals, goals and values have open new horizons (or imposed new responsibilities), whether ordinary or not, are all momentous. Sometimes the words are more Consul General Leo Herrera-Lim, Mrs. Fides Herrera-Lim and Ms. Trini P. Foliente at the “Meet and Greet” with Richmond Jimenez, Philippine Department of Tourism Director for Los grace notes and the photos are the The couple Kaye Abad and Paul Jake Soriano were also godparents to baby Olivia. message. Angeles. de
leon
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Route
Flight No.
Frequency
depart
Arrives
Taipei-Cebu
BR281
daily
07:10
10:05
Cebu-Taipei
BR282
daily
11:05
14:00
venient for EVA passengers from North America, including Houston, Los Angeles, New york, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver. The airline is serving the route with comfortable Airbus 321-200s configured to carry eight passengers in Business Class and 176 in Economy. EVA flight BR281 departs Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport at 7:10 am and arrives in Mactan-Cebu Philippines International Airport at 10:05 am. Flight BR282 returns from Mactan-Cebu at 11:05 am and lands back in Taoyuan at 2:00 pm (14:00). EVA makes quality service and safety priorities throughout all of
its operations. In 2015, AirlineRatings.com ranked the airline’s Elite Class premium economy and Economy service among the world’s top-10 “best for economy plus and economy class travel” and, for the third consecutive year, recognized EVA among the world’s Top-10 Best Airlines. SKyTRAX awarded EVA its top, first-place rating for Best Airline Cabin Cleanliness. Repeatedly since 2004, Aero International has ranked it among the world’s 10 safest airlines. AirlineRatings. com recognized it among the world’s Top-20 Safest Airlines for 2016. (Advertising Supplement)
Jhong Hilario leaves ‘It’s Showtime’ MANILA—Jhong Hilario has left “It’s Showtime.” on the Wednesday, March 23, episode of the show, he announced “last day ko na ngayon.” He didn’t mention the reason for leaving the show, but his fans assumed it was due to his candidacy for councilor in Makati under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA). “Gusto ko lang magpasalamat
sa lahat sa inyo. direk Bobet [Vidanes], maraming salamat!” he said. “Mami-miss ko kayo,” he added. Jhong was the third host who left the show. First was Coleen Garcia which was due to the series of projects she’s working on. She was followed by Eric “Eruption” Tai who left to focus on his sport. (Philstar.com)
Beauty Gonzalez celebrates daughter’s christening account. on Sunday, March 20, olivia was baptized which was attended by family and friends.
Some of the celebrities that were present are John Lloyd Cruz, Aga Muhlach and Charlene Gonzales.
The happy family of Beauty Gonzalez, The couple Aga and Charlene Muhlach were also partner Norman Crisologo and godparents of baby Olivia. daughter Olivia. Nice Print Photography
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Features
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • mARch 26-29, 2016
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New hope for family who missed CSPA’s one year ‘Sought to Acquire’ filing deadline on ‘Citizen Pinoy’ LOLITA went through two previous lawyers, hoping to have her two aged-out daughters join her in the US under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA). Each time, her dreams were shattered, and the daughters were left devastated – as the Embassy said they were not eligible, because years ago, they missed the one year deadline to “seek to acquire” a visa. The other attorneys gave up, and said there was nothing more that could be done.
When Lolita finally consulted with the Law Offices of Michael J. Gurfinkel, he immediately requested the Embassy to reconsider, based on “extraordinary circumstances,” since it was the previous attorneys who missed the one-year filing deadline, not Lolita. However, the Embassy declined to recognize an attorney missing the CSPA filing deadline as an extraordinary circumstance. But Atty Gurfinkel never gave up. His persistence and multiple
requests for reconsideration resulted in a major policy shift that qualified Lolita’s case under “extraordinary circumstances.” A mother who never lost hope and an attorney who never gave up resulted in visa issuance and much-awaited reunion with Lolita and her daughters, on a brandnew episode of “Citizen Pinoy”– on Sunday, March 27 at 6:15pm PST/EST (9:15 pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers). (Advertising Supplement)
Mackintosh: ‘Finding Filipino artists a miracle’ by Patricia
EstEvEs Philstar.com
MANILA—World-renowned theater producer Cameron Mackintosh recalled his light banter with Alex Tim, the director of recent hit theater play Here Lies Love, which cast our very own Mark Bautista in the lead role. Alex was ribbing Cameron that he was getting all the talented Filipino actors, both in the Philippines and elsewhere, to play in all his shows. “Alex keep on saying to me, you’ve taken so many Filipinos that I’ve wanted. So between the two of us, I’ve signed up every Filipino artists here and in Europe,” Cameron said. The man behind “Miss Saigon,” “Cats” and “Phantom of the Opera” breezed into town for a limited engagement to oversee the Manila production of his widely-acclaimed theater production, “Les Miserablés.” Cameron said he has always been in awe at the talent and charisma of Filipino artists ever since he first came here in 1988 to look for the lead star of “Miss Saigon,” which we know by now, is Lea Salonga. “Claude-Michel Schonberg, Alain Boublil and myself coming to Manila 28 years ago to look for the lead star of ‘Miss Saigon’ and finding the Filipino talents here was a miracle. Little did I know then that I would be returning time and time again to find more exciting talents for the worldwide productions of my shows,” Cameron said. He cited the Filipinos’ American and Spanish heritage as one of the factors why they excel in the international theater stage. “There’s something about the Filipino soul and the fact that
Cameron Mackintosh
they are born out of their Spanish and American heritage to sing Western music as brilliantly as they do without losing their Asian specialty that made them tell a story of ‘Miss Saigon’ better than any other nation,” Cameron said. “‘Miss Saigon’ will not be a worldwide success if we have not come here and found the talent here. And because it’s a huge country with Asian talents that have actually gone into other areas of theater as what always happens when you’re really talented people, you get opportunities to do a lot of other stuff, and that’s wonderful,” he said. He’s particularly in awe of Rachelle Ann Go, who was first cast as Gigi in “Miss Saigon” and now plays Fantine in “Les Miz.” “Rachelle Ann is special. I could tell that from the first time, we auditioned her here. You know, that’s why we took her to London to play Gigi. I wanted to give her the opportunity to play Fantine. She’s Fantine in London and just taking a leave of absence because
she wanted to come home here, but you know when we see a lot of artists, when you see someone special, you know there’s something about them. Rachelle’s got it,” Cameron said. He sees bright opportunities for Filipino talents who want to try it out on West End. When asked if Filipino artists still face discrimination in London, Cameron said, “No, not at all.” “The problem now is there are not enough Filipino artists in London. I think that if Filipino artists are right for the material, then they will definitely get the roles. I mean Filipino artists over in England are valued. We seek and find them. We found Eva Noblezada in America to play Kim, we found Rachel here. I know Joanna and many, many other artists who have become artists of national theater and work regularly there. If they’re talented, we want them in London,” he said. Cameron said they’re currently holding auditions for the Broadway, UK tour and German productions of “Miss Saigon.” “We’re gonna hopefully open in ‘Miss Saigon’ in Germany, we’re looking here to take people to Germany as we did 20 years ago,” Cameron said. A musical-to-movie adaptation of “Miss Saigon” could finally materialize, he added. “I think there’s a strong possibility we will have a ‘Miss Saigon’in the next few years but first things first, we will release a movie documentary for the 25th anniversary of ‘Miss Saigon’ in London. We’ve universally filmed all the company shows, plus the extra filming of what they did. It turned out pretty amazing. I’m in the middle of editing it for PAGE B4
A MOTHER’S AND HER ATTORNEY’S PERSISTENCE RESULT IN HER DAUGHTERS FINALLY BEING ISSUED CSPA VISAS BASED ON “EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES”— ON A BRAND NEW EPISODE OF “CITIZEN PINOY!” Lolita (left) left her two daughters in the Philippines to seek a better life in the US, with the dream that she would eventually have them join her. However, her previous attorney missed the one year “sought to acquire” filing deadline for CSPA eligibility, resulting in the Embassy refusing to issue their immigrant visas. Leading US immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (right) was her beacon of hope, as he did not give up in trying to convince the Embassy that the daughters should be entitled to visas, despite missing the one-year deadline. Find out how Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel was able to prove extraordinary circumstances, have the two “aged-out” daughters be issued visas, and reunite this family on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday, March 27 6:15pm (PST) on TFC.
Arron Villaflor: Answered prayer by Boy
aBunda Philstar.com
NOW it can be told: There was a time when Arron Villaflor felt like he wanted to quit show business. This was about four years ago, he recalls, and lasted some six to eight months, when he wasn’t getting any projects. He actually told his parents that he felt his career — which began when he finished first runner-up in Star Circle National Teen Quest (he came in second to Erich Gonzales) in 2005 — had hit a plateau and that there was nothing more left out there for him. In the meantime, other young actors were coming into their own. It wasn’t a good place for Arron to be, and he felt it. So on visits home to Tarlac (where his parents are based) or the occasional phone call, he would pour out his frustrations to them.“I told my parents that I wanted to quit,” said Arron, tearyeyed, as he recalled that time in his life. He confesses that he lost his enthusiasm for show business. “When I had a long break, that’s where I began to lose my interest,” he says. “Nawalan ako ng gana sa pag-aartista. Panahon ‘yon na six to eight months, totally
wala akong trabaho. “ He had a hard time coping. “Ang hirap kasi every day nag- iisip ka, nu’ng SCQ, grabe halos di na kami natutulog, tapos biglang ganoon,” he reflects. “It was a hard feeling for me, nalungkot talaga ako ng sobra.” Arron tried positive thinking. He also tried praying. “Nahirapan ako sa desisyon ko, but I tried not to entertain such idea. I told myself, it’s better to ask help from the Lord.” And it worked. “Pinakinggan ang dasal ko, doon na nag-start,” says Arron. “With God’s grace, projects were starting to come in like Juan dela Cruz (opposite Coco Martin, in which Arron played the
Arron Villaflor
villain Kael to Coco’s title-roler).” All of a sudden, he was back in business. Not only did the show rate exceptionally well, Arron PAGE B4
B march 26-29, 2016 • La WEEKEND aSIaN JOUrNaL
Features
A time to reflect on faith and belief
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The Global Kababayan
Programming of Kababayan Today, March 28-April 1, 2016
Wednesday, March 30 - Midweek News Updates from the Asian Journal and Mia Mcleod of Mcleod and Associates gives real Monday, March 28 - As part of estate advice. our Filipino-American Women’s Get to know what is happening Month celebration, we will pay with our kababayans in Hawaii. tribute to Mona Pasquil, AppointProfessor Brandon Reilly ments Secretary to Governor Jerry comes to the show for “Know Brown. History, Know Self.” Tuesday, March 29 - We are Thursday, March 31 - Get to re-airing our Filipino-American know Joy Ancheta, the Pacific Women’s Month celebration Voyager. call-in show. Joining us are an Friday, April 1 - We will launch attorney, a professor and a social National library Week with Carworker as we take your calls in lene Sobrino Bonniver. Join us for los Angeles. an exclusive reading of her book,
G. TönGi By Monet
Lu
Holy Week or lenten season is the time when Christians, Catholic and other religious denominations remember Christ’s passion (his suffering and death) and resurrection. Ash Wednesday (forty days before Easter Sunday) marks the beginning of this season, it is when you will see Catholics with ash smudged on their foreheads in the shape of a cross. Holy Week is from Palm Sunday to Black Saturday, then Easter Sunday. It is traditionally a solemn occasion, most commonly known as Semana Santa in the Philippines and other countries. Priests and religious statues are dressed in purple to symbolize gloom. Devout Catholics go to church everyday; some fast as a symbol of respect and faith while the born again Christians just pray directly to God without worshiping statues or saints. Although different, these practices convey the same message. This time of the year commits people to fulfill their vows, to ask God for forgiveness or favor, such as a cure for health, personal and financial problems. Palm Sunday commemorates the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. Filipino Catholics bring palaspas (palm fronds) to church to be blessed by the priests. Then they bring the fronds back home with them. In the Philippines for most of the week, especially after Tuesday, the towns are eerily quiet with TV and radio stations going off the air and no loud noises or revelry whatsoever. Catholics stop eating meat, turning to fish, and the more devout ones go on a completely liquid diet. Many businesses are closed, so make sure you have supplies, especially food, stocked up.
The traditional pabasa (the “reading” or chanting of verses about the suffering of Christ) starts on Sunday and ends on Maundy Thursday, which is the day when the washing of the feet is celebrated. Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion and death of Christ. on this day, you will see religious figures being carried through the towns on top of carrozas (carriages). religious images and statues are veiled in black in mourning of the death of Jesus. Now the tourist spot and the most striking feature of Holy Week celebrations in the Philippines is the sight of Filipinos publicly whipping themselves. These are reenactments of the torture and death of Jesus. Some of the hardcore devotees not only whip their backs into a bloody mess, they also have their feet and hands nailed to a wooden cross. Tourists comes from all over the world for the sight! In Manila, Tondo is the place to see these flagellants. outside the capital, Pampanga and Nueva Ecija are famous for their flagellants who cover their faces with white cotton hoods. Crowns of thorns are placed on their heads to cause blood to drip. I remember the superstitions on Good Friday is the prohibition against children playing. This is because they might injure themselves and not have their wounds heal. you will always be reminded that during this time when Jesus
Mackintosh: ‘Finding Filipino artists... PAGE B3 the moment and for the special performance, we’ve brought back Jonathan Pryce at the end. This is what we’re gonna bring on the screen at the cinema. I mean this
is a stage show but it’s a cinematic version of the stage and so maybe that’s what you’ll see first for ‘Miss Saigon,’” Cameron said. He is also happy “les Miserablés” is finally in the Philippines.
is dead, and so everything is awry and bad things are apt to happen. Black Saturday is when Christ is entombed. Filipinos spend the day preparing for the night vigil leading up to Easter Sunday. Easter Sunday is a celebration of the resurrection of Christ. At four o’clock in the morning, Filipinos do a ceremony commemorating how the Virgin Mary met her son Jesus who has come back to life. Her image will be brought to the image of the Christ at the local church. Flower petals will be rained down on them. Everyone is happy that Jesus is alive again and that the world is back right. In contemporary times, these Philippine traditions are slowly disappearing. young Filipinos now use the Holy Week to vacation at the beach socialite and the upper class society flew to out of the city or go another country . I have experience the Holy Week and this is really the time to renew our faith and feel the the lords suffering for mankind. *** 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
“It’s the first time in the Philippines that my production les Miserablés has come here, hopefully they are gonna see something incredibly special. It’s the play’s 25th production. It’s the same story, it’s the same songs, visually but the design of the show is completely different,” he said.
“Memoir of a Stranger.” We will also share an important announcement about the Philippine Heritage Collection in Echo Park. *** 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.
US-based Pinoy artist learns humor from ‘Simpsons’ talents by oliver
M. PuluMBArit Inquirer.net
“WHAT I am going to share is my experience on how I’ve been able to have a place in the mainstream motion picture industry in Hollywood,” US-based Filipino artist Jess Española said of his participation in the Fil-Toon Comic Con 2016 in Clarkfield, Pampanga. Española, who moved to the United States over two decades ago, told the Inquirer that his involvement in the coming event was made possible by a freed-up schedule: “[The convention] coincides with the ‘off season’ of the animation industry, when most animators are on hiatus.” Formerly an animator in a studio that handled foreign cartoon shows in Pasig back in the 1980s, Española works as assistant director on the long-running “The Simpsons.” He won an Emmy for an episode, “Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind,” which bagged the outstanding animated program award in 2008. He elaborated, “I have been working alternately as assistant director—making sure that established qualities and ‘funniness’ of episodes I work on are met—and as a character layout artist, equivalent to an animator, on 20th Century Fox shows such as ‘King of the Hill,’ ‘Futurama,’ and ‘The Simpsons.’” on what he has learned from working on “The Simpsons,” he explained, “It’s not like Saturday morning shows we grew up with; it’s the longest-running animated sitcom which [satirically depicts] a working class lifestyle. I have learned from the great script writers and voice actors… what
A scene from “Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind,” the episode that won an Emmy.
makes people laugh, which is the main substance in producing [this] show.” Española described having a Filipino background as advantageous in his chosen profession. “Filipinos are getting known as hardworking people, with attention to detail,” he said. “Besides our Western orientation, part of our abilities is to adapt to any situation, when we decide to find jobs in other countries. We have our heritage, homegrown outlooks, storytelling [skills]… that we are able to integrate into the [other culture].” other guests of the Fil-Toon convention include “Johnny Bravo” creator Van Partible, comedian Joey Guila, and local comic book creators and animators. He will expound on his career, Española said, in a straightforward manner during the event: “A direct, simple conversation, I think, would be more interesting to the attendees—I find it more convenient to speak in my native tongue, in the presence of fellow Filipinos.” Those who aspire to work in
Jess Española won for his work as assistant Inquirer.net photos director.
the animation industry require patience and determination, according to the artist, who has over 30 years of experience under his belt. “Find your creative strength and focus your energy on that— keep practicing to the point of mastery,” he advised. “learn from others, watch award-winning shows, explore and experiment… you just have to keep going, and you will see your reward in the end!”
How Pope Francis opened doors for this seminarian by Boy
ABundA Philstar.com
WHEN seminarian Kenneth Parsad sang the Responsorial Psalm at a Mass for Pope Francis during his visit to the country in January last year, there were a lot of things he never expected to happen. For one, he didn’t count on becoming a viral sensation. And second, he didn’t think that becoming one would open up more opportunities, and in mainstream entertainment at that. Thanks to all the publicity his singing for the Papal Mass generated, Kenneth — who now also teaches Theology at his Alma Mater, the University of Santo Tomas — was recently signed up by Universal Records and has released an album titled “Still.” Actually, prior to the offer, Kenneth and one of his spiritual and musical mentors, identified only as Ferdinand Bautista, planned to make an album of his psalm compositions. But when Bautista suddenly had to leave for France, the plans came to an unexpected halt. That was when the UR offer landed on the table. It was like God was giving him a second chance to go out and reach more people. “I eventually saw it as God’s reoffer for evangelization.” In the beginning, says Kenneth, doing this sort of thing didn’t even cross his mind. “During the Papal Mass at the Cathedral, I just desired to deliver the message of the psalm. But it generated many things such as this (album). I feel happy and blessed for all the opportunities that have opened up for me, most especially the friends I have met. They are amazing. God truly reveals himself through the people and events in our life!” Kenneth, who hails from Abra and who was born to an Indian father and a Filipina mother, reveals that he has always loved music. He has what could be called a very normal life. Aside from his
Seminarian Kenneth Parsad
interest in music, Kenneth plays basketball and reads theology books. His current read is Pope Francis’ The Name of God is Mercy. When he was a child, he remembers playing street games with the other neighborhood kids. “We played paway, tumbang preso, texts and (yugi-oh) cards, tagu-taguan, etcetera. And during the afternoons after class, I would go home immediately to watch animé like “Dragon Ball Z” and “Ghost Fighter.” It was not yet a computer world, but it was fun!” Then the religious life came calling, but Kenneth did not forget his interest in music. “Ever since I entered the seminary, music has been a huge part of my personality. I love music. I love singing and playing the guitar. However, it was not my (ultimate) dream to be a singer who performs on stage. Nevertheless, I enjoy performing, especially with friends!” But he clarifies that despite having recorded and released this album, being a priest is still his
Arron Villaflor: Answered...
PAGE B3 even won an award as Best Drama Supporting Actor in the 27th Star Awards for Television of the Philippine Movie Press Club for his portrayal of Kael. He also had some big breaks recently, including a pivotal role in the historical biopic “Heneral luna.” Now, he has renewed energy
and enthusiasm for his career. From that time in 2012 before Juan dela Cruz came along until now, he considers himself to be “very, very blessed” and is thankful for the support of his management and all the people who have his back, particularly his parents. “I’m thankful to be part of these projects, and that I’m still here
ultimate dream. “I believe singing will not cause any conflict with my intentions to be a priest. In fact, it is a wonderful instrument that could be used for evangelization for the Catholic Church! I say this because singing is just a means for me. It is never an end in itself. What I mean to say is that my identity as a Christian precedes my talents, that my talents are only there to serve one ultimate purpose: To proclaim God’s reality and goodness.” When they began recording the album, he was nervous and felt like the proverbial fish out of water. “Honestly, I felt nervous at first,” he recalls. “But as I progressed with the songs, I felt more comfortable and confident. It was quite a hard process since we needed to find time to record since I also teach Theology in UST. In this, Universal Records graciously adjusted to my available time for which I really am grateful.” kahit nawalan ako ng pag-asa at dahil sa dasal,” says Arron, who will be meeting with his management in the coming weeks and months to discuss forthcoming projects. Arron expects 2016 to be a “good and great year” for him. He promises to double his efforts and work even harder to pay his supporters back. “Sisiguraduhin ko di sila mapapahiya,” he promises.
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Features
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • mARch 26-29, 2016
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Wi Spa: an urban sanctuary in the heart of La Jamie Rivera urges young
THINK of a spa and the immediate perception is an air of pretense and privilege that only a select few can indulge in, given the exorbitant prices. However, if you live in Los Angeles, Korean spas have sprouted up, contributing to the idea that pampering oneself and affordability are not mutually exclusive. Though the options are abundant, among the best is Wi Spa, known as the “Disneyland of Korean day spas.” While there are no shiny bells and whistles to it, the spa certainly lives up to its reputation as an urban sanctuary, and it’s family-friendly too. Prior to venturing into a Korean spa, one must understand the significance it plays in Korean culture: a communal place for friends and families to gather, bathe and receive the therapeutic benefits rooted in ancient bathhouse traditions. Conveniently located in between Koreatown and Downtown, Wi Spa itself is an expansive, multi-level facility (48,000 square feet, to be exact) that blends the bathhouse tradition with the modernity of marble and glass interiors. It is open 24/7, so you can go anytime, even on a whim. Enter Wi and the process of unwinding begins. For starters, valet parking is complimentary to relieve you of the stress of having to find parking, especially when there are a lot of guests checked in. With the $25 admission fee, you gain full access to amenities like a fitness room, pools, showers, saunas, a restaurant, and the rooftop deck. A wristwatch is given as your locker key and form of identification during your stay. The rush of cramming in the day spa experience and trying out all the rooms is practically gone, as you are welcome to stay for hours on end. There are spaces to lounge in between services and even designated “sleeping rooms” for those who want to doze off in peace. Wi is divided into gender-specific floors, where the spa and other facilities are located, as well as locker rooms and changing areas. For Korean spa newbies, it’s best to take a shower once you get settled in to wash away the day’s grime (dirt and the tubs do not make a great combination) and to ensure you get the maximum benefits of anything you decide to do, like sweating it out in the sauna. Outside the bathing areas, you’ll find changing rooms, complete with vanities and toiletries. And take this as a fair warning to expect nudity from guests of the same gender, but any judgments and awkwardness should be left at the door. If you want to treat yourself further, the spa offers a menu of body treatments at the fraction of the price tag you’d find at a spa elsewhere in the city. Better yet, if you purchase a treatment worth $110 or more, the entrance fee is waived. The usual spa treatments, like acupressure massages, facials, manicure/ pedicure, can be booked by reservation. But
people to vote wisely by Boy
ABundA Philstar.com
one must try the full-body scrub, perhaps Wi’s signature offering. Based on the traditional Korean technique of buffing, the scrub entails a procedure of sloughing off dead skin cells with an exfoliating towel, as you lie down on a table and get doused with water every so often. It may take a few minutes to get accustomed to the intensity, but the person (of the same gender) administering the service repeatedly asks you if you’re doing fine. The service can last 35 minutes ($30) or can be reserved as a $90 package complete with the scrub, aroma oil massage, a face mask and hair shampoo, which all lasts for 90 minutes. Depending on one’s pain tolerance, the impression afterward may vary, but you’ll feel cleaner after the dead skin is washed off to make way for the lasting effects of radiating, supple skin. On the co-ed floor (called the Jimjilbang, which translates to “bathhouse”), guests are required to wear the yellow T-shirt and khaki shorts received upon check-in. There you’ll find families and couples convening at one of the five specialty sauna rooms, noshing on Korean cuisine staples at the full-service restaurant, or taking in fresh air on the rooftop deck. The floor also features a kid’s area, a library and computer room. It’s worth noting that the five sauna rooms—Bulgama, Salt, Clay, Jade and Ice—boast unique characteristics that contribute to the detoxification and healing powers. The Bulgama is set at 231 degrees, inviting guests to lie down somewhere between 10 to 15 minutes to sweat out toxins from the body; Salt features minerals to purify and strengthen the body; layers of clay improved from Korea are placed in the Clay sauna to aid in lymphatic stimulation and heavy metal detoxification; the Jade room is hot to relieve any tension and stress; and the Ice sauna is recommended to end your visit to cool the body’s temperature, tighten the skin and improve circulation. If you felt like you’ve detoxed enough from technology, free Wi-Fi is provided throughout the building to bring you back from your moment of zen, as are TVs in lounge areas. Before you leave, don’t forget to take another shower and close out your tab. Whether you stay for an hour or the whole day,
“GOD-FEArING. Honest, hardworking, intelligent and compassionate. Someone who would be looking after the welfare of the Filipinos without abusing their power.” Those are the qualities that Jamie rivera thinks we should be looking for in our next set of leaders. The country’s Inspirational Diva, singer-songwriter and album producer has had the upcoming elections on her mind lately, with the release of her single, “Pag-Isipan Mo Ang Boto Mo,” which urges voters—particularly young people—to pick their future leaders wisely. It’s a big deal for Jamie, who grew up campaigning for her father in Pulilan, Bulacan where he ran for councilor. But the political situation and how elections are conducted—in fact, the whole election-related scenario—was different back then, she says. There was no social media, for one thing, and of course, we had a different set of leaders then. Young people thought, acted and behaved differently as well. This time, Jamie became really concerned after hearing that a lot of young people had already decided, as early as January, who it’s nearly impossible to not feel Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, they would vote for in the 2016 rejuvenated and make you itch CA 90057 (on the corner of elections. “I felt that some of them for another visit. Good thing, Rampart). Visit http://www.wis- made their decisions without reWi won’t leave holes in your pausa.com/ for more details on ally thinking about it,” explains spa services and specials. wallet. (AJPress) Jamie. Wi Spa is located at 2700 (Advertising Supplement) And because the best way she
Jamie Rivera came up with the song “PagIsipan Mo Ang Boto Mo” for the coming elections.
knew how to reach out to them was via a song, she came up with “Pag-Isipan Mo Ang Boto Mo.” She has a very specific message, directed at a specific audience. She wants to urge young people, in particular, to think about why they are voting for a certain candidate. The song is non-partisan. Its only advocacy is to choose wisely. As a mom especially, Jamie worries about her daughter and other people of her age making the right choice. “I want my child and her children to grow up respecting their country and become proud to be called Filipinos wherever they go,” she says. Jamie hopes that not just young people, but all Filipinos, will end up choosing their leaders wisely. It’s always a good thing to be informed, responsible and learn how to see the bigger picture — now, more than ever.
B march 26-29, 2016 • La WEEKEND aSIaN JOUrNaL
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COMMUNITY Journal
Your Immigration Solution Atty. RobeRt Reeves ben LovemAn And nAncy e. miLLeR USCIS recently announced that it expects the expanded provisional waiver program to be open for business within the first part of 2016. Seeing as March is already upon us, it would seem the provisional waiver expansion could be here any day now. Before the expanded waiver program could go into effect, USCIS was required to publish proposed new regulations and allow time for public comment. At last announcement, USCIS was completing review of public comments and anticipated publishing the final rule shortly. With the new rule and program expansion right around the corner, now is a good time to take a look at the provisional waiver program and how the expansion of the program may be able to benefit you or your family. Importantly, the program expansion will open up the waiver to many applicants who previously could not qualify. The provisional waiver is a relatively recent and much welcomed program for those subject to the 10-year bar for being unlawfully present in the United States for a year or more. The bar is invoked when one leaves the US so it affects those who are unable to adjust their status (meaning complete their immigration process in the US) Typical applicants include persons who entered the US to serve as crew members aboard a ship or airplane, persons who entered with fiancé visas but never married their fiancé petitioner, and persons who entered without papers. For those eligible, it provides the opportunity to apply for a waiver before departing the US to consular process for their green card. Thus, the immigrant can remain with their family pending a decision on their waiver. Once the waiver is approved, the intending immigrant leaves the United States with the con-
USCIS reveals provisional waiver expansion coming soon
fidence and relief that they will only be gone a short time and will be able to return as a lawful permanent resident. This process is a welcome contrast from the regular waiver process which requires applicants to depart the US and then apply for a waiver. Under that process, the person may be outside the US for at least six months while waiting for a decision on their waiver, which, of course, they hope will be favorable. That uncertainty has caused many people to forgo applying to legalize their status. The pain of being separated from their family for a long period of time and the possibility of denial was too great a risk. However, the provisional waiver process eliminates most of the uncertainty by allowing for pre-approval prior to departure from the US Originally, the provisional waiver only benefitted those who had petitions filed by by a US citizen spouse or child. However, the expansion to the provisional waiver program will open it to another large group of potential applicants. The new open the program to all applicants eligible for immigrant visa processing. Thus, under the new regulation, all persons with an approved petition and available visa, regardless of visa category, will be eligible to participate in the provisional waiver program, if otherwise eligible. This means that those who have overstayed their authorized pe-
riod of stay and have a visa petition filed on their behalf by a parent, sibling, or employer may be eligible to apply for the provisional waiver. Of course, obtaining a provisional waiver still requires establishing extreme hardship to a ‘qualifying relative’ which means a US citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse or parent. Here too, there are some positive developments. On October 7, 2015 USCIS disseminated a draft policy memorandum which, if made effective, will significantly impact the way the agency makes decisions on applications for ‘extreme hardship’ waivers. The new policy would impact all types of waiver applications, including provisional waivers for unlawful presence.The new policy will provide clarification and uniform instruction to USCIS officers as to the standard that should be used to decide what factors “strongly suggest and support a finding of ‘extreme hardship’”. Some of the factors identified include substantial displacement of care of applicant’s children, Travel Warnings against travel to country of residence, active military duty of qualifying relative, and prior grant of asylum or refugee status. Up until now, USCIS adjudicating officers have been inconsistent in the weight or significance they gave to these and other factors. With the new policy guidelines in effect, those
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 26-29, 2016
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Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth uRsuA Reyes COUPLES get divorced for various reasons. California is a no fault state. The reasons why a couple is getting divorced are often irrelevant to the issues of the family law case. Divorce is often a difficult and negative experience for most families. However, getting divorce may have
Minding Your Finances Atty. RAymond BulAon BEING in debt can be pretty depressing. I understand how you feel. When you’re drowning in debt, you may feel that your situation is hopeful and you have no motivation to even plan for your future. Your self-esteem may be shot. You may be experiencing anger, depression, guilt- or a combination of all three. You may even consider yourself a failure, perhaps feeling angry with yourself for certain decisions you have made in the past that led to your present situation. A lot of people in your shoes feel the same way, but I’m here to tell you that like most things in life, whatever you’re going through is most likely only temporary and will soon pass. How can I possibly say this? Well, did you know that as I write this article, millions of honest, hardworking people just like yourself are having problems paying their debts? As a matter of fact, there
whose provisional waivers were denied and who chose to remain in the United States and wait for better times, should consider reapplying. This could be that time for them. If you or a loved one may benefit from the coming expansion to the provisional waiver program, you should contact an experienced immigration attorney to discuss your situation. *** Atty. Reeves has represented clients in
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4 ways filing for divorce can benefit your immigration case some unintended benefits in the immigration law arena. Four situations in which filing for divorce can be beneficial to your immigration case are as follows: Married Sons and Daughters of US Citizens If you were petitioned for legal permanent residence by your US Citizen parent as a married son or daughter 21 years old or over, you are classified in immigration law under family sponsored third preference (F3) which usually carries a long wait time. The
wait time for Filipinos for example is currently 22 years. The priority date is normally the date the petition was initially filed by your US Citizen parents. If you get divorced, you revert back to single status and your category automatically becomes reclassified to first preference (F1) where the waiting time is substantially shorter. For example, for Filipinos the wait time under F1 category is 10 years shorter than F3 category. This means if your parents filed your immigration petition 12
Bankruptcy: Why blaming yourself will not help help your situation one bit. As a matter of fact, having such negative feelings may impact your ability to make intelligent decisions in the midst of problem-solving. Instead, be proud of the fact that you have affirmatively taken action to change your life for the better instead of remaining stuck where you are. Can you imagine where a lot of people would be right now if we didn’t have bankruptcy laws in this country that help deserving individuals get out of debt legally when they are no longer able to help themselves? As a bankruptcy attorney, I am perplexed as to why some people wait until the last minute to do something about their debt problems when they could have taken action sooner to stop things from getting worse. If you haven’t taken the time to find out what your legal rights are, it’s important to do that, the sooner the better. Soon, after you realize that things may not actually be as bad as they first seemed when you didn’t know any better, you’ll look back to this moment and thank yourself that you took the first step. numerous landmark immigration cases As you consider the possible that have set new policies regarding INS benefits of bankruptcy protecaction and immigrants’ rights. His offices tion, you might like to call us for are located in Pasadena, Irvine, San a free consultation at Toll-Free 1Francisco, Las Vegas and Makati City. 866-477-7772. We have offices in Telephone: (800) 795-8009 Glendale, Cerritos and Valencia. E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com *** are more than 1 million personal bankruptcy filings in the United States every year as a result of being in debt. Do you think these people file bankruptcy simply because they do not want to take personal responsibility for their debts? Far from it! It is an established fact that most people who file bankruptcy do so as a result of circumstances beyond their control. Study after study has shown that some of the most common reasons why people file for bankruptcy -unemployment, sickness, disability, death in the family- are events which are beyond our control. It is not always your fault. So quit blaming yourself because doing so will not get you anywhere. So if you’ve found yourself in a situation where bankruptcy is the only way out, don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s not as bad as you think. Like most people, you will survive bankruptcy, get on with your life and do just fine. Wallowing in self-pity and feeling sorry for yourself will not
USCIS reveals provisional…
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Community Journal
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)
years ago, then you can adjust to a green card now instead of waiting another 10 years. Married Sons and Daughters of Legal Permanent Residents If your parents are legal permanent residents, getting divorced will convert you back single status making you eligible to be petitioned by your legal permanent resident parents under the family based second preference (F2b) category if you are 21 years old or older or under the family based second preference A (F2a) if you are under 21 years of age. For those who married after they were petitioned by their LPR parents (F2A and F2B), the petition is automatically revoked under operation of law the moment you get married and cannot be reclaimed by a divorce. In theory, it can be argued that filing a subsequent petition after your divorce under the same category inherits the previous petition’s priority date under 9 FAM 42.43 N10 and 8 CFR 204.2(h), Part 205. However, success of such argument is not clear since the old petition was automatically revoked the moment you mar-
ried. The best thing that can be done in this situation is to have your LPR parent repetition you as an F2A or F2b even if you are unable to reclaim the previous petition’s priority date. Conditional Legal Permanent Residents in failed Marriages For those who obtained their legal permanent residence status through marriage based petition by their US Citizen spouse of less than 2 years marriage, the legal permanent residence status conferred is usually a “conditional legal permanent residence” valid only for 2 years. The couple would need to sign and file a joint petition to remove this condition prior to the expiration of the 2 years or the conditional legal permanent resident spouse would fall out of status. The problem arises when the marriage is in trouble. Often it becomes difficult to obtain the cooperation of the US Citizen spouse specially when the couple has separated. US Citizen spouse often refuse to sign the I-751 for or appear at the I-751 interview if one is set by the USCIS. Filing for divorce would terminate the
marriage and allow you to file a “waiver” of the joint petition to remove the conditional LPR status based on entering into the marriage in good faith. Terminating the marriage by filing a divorce is a requirement in order to file the “waiver.” It is important to time this correctly as soon as the marriage starts falling apart because by terminating the marriage early on, you might be able to file the waiver before the expiration of your 2 year conditional LPR thus allowing you to extend your LPR status in 1 year increments until a final decision is made in your case. Married Aliens in Non-Immigrant Visas and those without Status For those who enter the US as a non-immigrant and are separated from their spouse but still married, filing a divorce would open up opportunities in case they meet a new significant other who is a US Citizen and who can petition them as an immediate relative. This is usually the fastest of process in obtaining legal permanent resi-
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Average itemized deductions
Tax Tips
I mean), this table should be of special interest. Having claimed too many exemptions at work to increase VictoR sy, your take-home pay or failed to cPA, mBA pay estimated taxes, you suddenly find yourself owing Uncle FOR those of you who item- Sam. Before your creativity takes ize, the table below should be you over, keep your cool and of interest. For those of you who check this table out. It could save play the odds (you know what you from visit the IRS.
The table shows the latest available average deductions taken by taxpayers in different groupings of Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). For example, a taxpayer with an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $37,000 deducted an average of $7,192 of medical expenses, $3,950 of state and local taxes, $7,976 of interest, and $2,285 of contributions.
Average Itemized Deductions for Various Income Levels* Adjusted Gross Income Ranges
Medical Expenses
15,000 to 30,000 30,000 to 50,000 50,000 to 100,000 100,000 to 200,000 200,000 to 250,000 250,000 or more
7,590 7,192 7.312 9,932 19,850 30,408
Note that these are averages for the whole United States. There are exceptions. Mortgage None of the information herein is in- interests in California, Hawaii, tended to give legal advice for any specific and New York are much higher. situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has success- Contributions by tithe-giving fully helped thousands of clients in getting Catholics, members of the 7th out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation Day Adventists, the Church of of your situation, please call Ray Bulaon Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1 (866) 477-7772. Iglesia ni Cristo, and other faiths (Advertising Supplement) exceed these averages.
Taxes 3,271 3,950 6,111 10,860 18,078 47,178
Interest
Contributions
7,976 7,976 9,320 12,093 16,450 23,194
2,285 2,285 2,815 3,857 5,824 19,651
Again, these averages are for your guidance only. Do not claim these amount if you do not have documents to support your deductions. * Based on latest available figures for 2013. *** 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)
Community Journal
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Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. IN some industries, employees perform work-related activities before they clock in. Some do it after they clock out. These are called preliminary and postliminary work. It is important to know because time spent for these activities, although not recorded, should be paid to employees. However, employees do not get paid every time as the following case illustrates. Employees at Tyson Foods’ pork processing plant in Iowa is a place where hogs are slaughtered, and prepared for shipment. Because the work is dangerous, employees are required to wear protective gear to do their jobs. Employees wear different gear depending on the tasks they perform during a shift. Employees at the plant were paid under a system called “gangtime,” which pays them only for time spent at their workstations, not for the time required to put on and take off their protective gear. In 1998, in response to lawsuits, Tyson began to pay all its employees an additional four minutes a day for what the employer says is its estimated amount of time that employees needed to put on and take off their protective gear. However, in 2007, Tyson stopped paying the extra 4 minutes to all employees. Instead, it paid only some employees for between four and eight minutes, and paid the rest of them nothing except their gang-time wages. Tyson never recorded the time each employee spent putting on and taking off their protective gear. Unsatisfied by the changes in pay, the employees sued Tyson in a class action, claiming overtime violations under federal law. The employees claimed that putting on protective gear before and taking the gear off after work are activities that are integral and indispensable to their dangerous work. They argued that time
To Live With Faith reverend rodel G. BAlAGtAS AN explosion of new life and hope happened on that Easter morning when Jesus resurrected from the dead after three days in the tomb. It was an explosion that brought conversion to billions of people in the world. Peter and John run fast to the tomb of Jesus that Sunday morning upon hearing Mary Magdalene’s news that the body of Jesus was missing. They too could
Working ‘off-the-clock’ can be proved and should be paid Supreme Court upholds pay for employees’ work despite lack of records spent for these activities should be paid. The law also requires the employer to keep records of its employees, including hours worked, wages paid, and other required information. The employer opposed the class action. It argued that different employees wear different protective gear and the amount of time it takes to put on a gear depended on what kind of gear it is. Some gear take a longer time to put on and others take only a few minutes. Therefore, the employees have different claim amounts and these claims cannot be resolved as a class. However, the trial court allowed the class action to proceed to trial. In order to recover overtime wages, the employees had to show that they each worked more than 40 hours a week, excluding the time spent putting on and taking off their protective gear. Because the employer did not keep records of the time employees spent doing this, the employees’ attorneys had to hire an industrial relations expert to figure it out. The expert conducted 744 videotaped observations and analyzed how long it took employees to put on or take off their protective gear. He estimated that, on average, employees at the cut and re-trim department took 18 minutes a day and employees at the kill department took 21.25 minutes a day to put on and take off their protective gear. These estimates were then added to the timesheets of each employee to find out which employees worked more than 40 hours a week and what was the total wages owed to the entire class. These items were presented to the jury during trial. The jury returned a verdict in favor of the employees and awarded the employees $2.9 million in unpaid wages. The employer wanted the jury
verdict thrown out and the case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The employer argued to the Supreme Court that the case should not have gone to trial as a class action because each employee has different damages. The employer said that it was “unfair” to allow the employees to use the statistical sample derived by the expert as evidence of each of the employee’s damages because not everyone spent the same amount of time putting on and taking off their gear. The high court ruled that the employees should be allowed to prove their damages by using “reasonable inference”. This can be shown by the statistical sample used by Tyson’s expert to obtain an average of how long it took to put on and take off protective gear. Statistical sampling is acceptable especially in this case where the employer violated its legal duty to keep proper records which prevented the employees from proving the exact number of hours that they were not paid. Employees should not give up when their unpaid work is not reflected in the company records. There are creative ways that experienced employment practitioners can creatively utilize to prove their claims. *** 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 selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is a member of the Million Dollar-Advocates Forum. (Advertising Supplement)
not believe what they had seen. The tomb was empty! In their minds, they must have recalled the words that Jesus preached: “Destroy this temple, and in three days, I will raise it up…”(John 18:22) “For just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days, and three nights.” (Matthew 12:39-40) Later on the Resurrected Jesus would appear to them many times just as Peter gave witness: “They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. This man God raised on the third day and granted that he
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4 ways filing for divorce can benefit…
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dence. In countries such as the Philippines where there is no divorce, many people come to the US to start a new life after they have been separated from their old spouse (often still married to them). Even if the alien over stays their status as a visitor, the alien can still adjust to that of a legal permanent residence if petitioned by a US Citizen spouse. If the alien was never inspected, the alien can still adjust to legal permanent residence if they are grandfathered under INA 245(i) and there are no special restrictions on their status. To be grandfathered under INA 245(i), the alien must have been a beneficiary of a legal permanent residence petition filed no later than April 30, 2001.
Finally, a common concern of divorcing immigrants is “What happens if my spouse refuses to sign the divorce papers?” The truth is you do not need your spouse’s signature to obtain a divorce in California. You only need to provide your spouse notice that you filed a divorce by personally serving your spouse the divorce petition and summons. In countries that are members of the Hague Convention, special procedures need to be followed to effect service. So yes it is possible to divorce your spouse even if your spouse is in a country that does not recognize divorce among its citizens such as the Philippines. For some immigrants, filing for divorce opens up opportunities in this land of milk and honey.
*** 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 is not a solicitation. (Advertising Supplement)
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Maximizing recovery in personal injury cases UNDER Howell v. Hamilton Meats & Provisions (2011) 52 C.4th 541, the California Supreme Court ruled that persons who are injured and who are pursuing a personal injury claim cannot recover the full amount of medical bills incurred if an insurer paid a smaller, negotiated amount to the medical provider. The Court’s ruling further limited an injured person’s right to recover for past medical expenses. In light of the Howell decision, it is even more important for a person who suffered injury to develop his/her claim for other economic damages. The term “economic damages” means “objectively verifiable monetary losses including medical expenses, loss of earnings, burial costs, loss of use of property, costs of repair or replacement, costs of obtaining substitute domestic services, loss of employment and loss of business or employment opportunities.” Civil Code Section 1431.2(b)(1). A person’s claim for economic damages apart from medical expenses are often overlooked and not pursued by inexperienced counsel. Loss of earnings are often a significant part of an injured person’s claim for economic damages. Damages are recoverable for both past and future lost earnings. To recover for past lost earnings, a person must prove the amount of income or earnings that he/she has lost to date. To recover damages for future earnings, a person must prove the amount of income or earnings that he/she will be reasonably certain to lose in the future as a result of the injury. CACI No. 3903C. How are past lost earnings proven? Medical records, which show the doctor authorizing a release from work or giving instructions to restrict work activities, can support the time taken off from work due to the injury. For those self-employed, medical providers typically do not provide a release from work; however, medical records should record work restrictions placed by the medical provider. After showing that the time off was justified, the next step is to value the lost earnings. A letter from a person’s employer that outlines the amount of time that one has lost as a result of his/her injury, the loss of benefits, and the rate of pay during the time of loss is evidence of the value of one’s loss of earnings claim. Other supporting documents include pay stubs, time cards, and tax returns. The monetary value of sick leave and vacation time that are used due to the injury are also recoverable. For those self-employed, earnings history as reflected by tax returns and profit and loss statements can help prove the value of lost earnings. Similar supporting documentation must be presented for future lost earnings. If you were suffered injury in an auto accident or someone’s premises, please contact our office to discuss your case. To maximize monetary recovery, it is important to have the assistance of an experienced attorney in presenting your personal injury claim. *** 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@ (Advertising Supplement) dtanlaw.com.
Missionary Society of St. Columban Dinner-Dance
THE Missionary Society of St. Columban will hold its annual dinner dance event on June 4 at 6pm, at the Friendship Auditorium (3201 Riverside Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027). Organized by the Dancing for the World, an affiliate of the Columbans, will celebrate the “Year of Mercy” to echo and emphatically support the call of Pope Francis’s Jubilee Year. This year is very important to be visible, not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen be responsive to the call of the by God in advance, who ate and church and be faithful to the drank with him after he rose from mission of God because God is the dead. He commissioned us to by nature merciful. Thanks to preach to the people and testify the many dedicated missionarthat he is the one appointed by ies, priests, sisters and lay misGod as judge of the living and the dead.” (Acts 10:39-41) Two thousand years later, the whole Christendom continues to preach the Resurrected Christ, building Christian communities, and proclaiming to the whole world Jesus Christ’s words of eternal life. Must we grow weary of preaching Jesus Christ—the power
An Easter Sunday message
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 26-29, 2016
sionaries who responded to the call of God and live among the poor to make a difference and allow God’s mercy to flow into the hearts of those they minister. For more information, please visit www.columban.org. The Dancing for the World event on June 4 is also an opportunity to meet supporters, donors and friends to thank them for their valuable contribution to the Columban mission. Event will include delicious food, ballroom dancing, and fabulous raffle prizes. (For this year, the first prize will be a cruise for two to Mexican Riviera. The second prize is a Flat screen TV. The
third prize is a Tablet.) There are many amazing prizes available for all lucky winners. The dinner dance ticket is $40.Reserve your tickets now or before May 15. For information and tickets please contact Carmencita Enriquez (213) 880-5075 or Ariel Presbitero (323) 691-5262, or at: 2919 Moss Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90065. Thank you in advance on behalf of the Missionary Society of St. Columban and the Dancing for the World committee members. Please continue praying for all Columban Missionaries all over the world and the success of this event. n
C MARCH 26-29, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
Debt Relief Atty. LAwrence yAng I HAVE two chapter 7 cases right now where the trustees are aggressively pursuing debtor houses. Trustees are tasked with the responsibility of getting whatever non-exempt asset they can get their hands on and sell them to liquidate them into cash for distribution to creditors. When the values of houses are high, the calculation of how much homestead equity is exempt because the bone of contention between trustee and debtor. The homestead exemptions at this time in California, although there is credible news that the limits are going to be increased next month are as follows: $75K for a single person without any other family living in the house; $100K for a person who has another family member who lives in the house who doesn’t own another house, $175K for seniors who are 65 irrespective of what their gross income is, and $175K for debtors who are 55 with household income that doesn’t exceed $35K annually. To be sure, most debtors still have homestead equities that are within these limits specially those who have HELOCs or 2nd trust deeds, or who recently obtained refinancing increasing their mortgage. But sometimes, we have clients who are borderline cases. In borderline cases, a very aggressive trustee who really wants the house under any circumstances can turn into a nightmare for debtor. In one client’s case, there are two issues that argue in favor of a complete exemption of the $100K homestead claimed by debtor. One is the fact that when he bought his house, there were two partners who put in $50K each, and there was a written express trust agreement among the parties that allowed the debtor to hold legal title only in his name, as well, the mortgage was only in his name because the other two partners were foreigners who had no residency in the United States. But the agreement provides that once the property is sold, the profits will be divided 40% for debtor and the other partners 30% each. Property was bought 2.5 years ago, but the express trust agreement was not recorded. Since it was not recorded, the trustee’s position is
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Watch out for current fair Calendar of Events across market value of residence and tax refunds in chapter 7 that the agreement does not bind him. Debtor’s position is that he holds the property in trust for the other two partners and there is documentary proof of wire transfers from the two partners from abroad directly into escrow at the time of purchase of the property. Since the property is held in trust, irrespective of the unrecorded status of the agreement, 60% of the property is not property of the bankruptcy estate that is subject to administration by the trustee. Debtor’s 40 under this agreement is completely covered by his $100K exemption. And should the trustee be correct in his legal position, debtor has a 2nd argument, stronger than the first and strong enough to defeat the trustee’s claim, and that is the fact that there is a judgment lien for $97K recorded in LA county six months before debtor’s bankruptcy was filed. This argument is very strong because the $97K recorded judgment lien effectively wipes out the $127K free equity that trustee is gunning for. If you add a 6% cost of sale, there is zero free equity. Thus, there is nothing for the trustee to liquidate for creditors. Trustee filed an adversary proceeding even without asking for proof of the recorded judgment lien, and proof of the unrecorded trust agreement, claiming falsely that debtor lied in his petition, to hide non-exempt equity that debtor should be denied a discharge, for misrepresenting himself in the bankruptcy petition, and for the court to order debtor to transfer his house to trustee. I was really surprised by these allegations because these allegations have no credible factual basis. Trustee attached a preliminary report of title showing that there were no judgment liens on the property. Fortunately, debtor had copies of the recorded judgment lien for $97K and proof of the express trust agreement, and the wire transfers of $100K from his partners. Needless to say, we filed an answer to the complaint attaching all documentary exhibits to prove that debtor was not lying. Of course, this will take at least six months to go to trial, which may even take a year, depending on the court’s schedule.
But this is an example of a debtor being demonized just because the trustee thinks there is free equity that he can take, when in fact, there is none. We expect to win this case at trial with our God’s help. We pray to Yahweh who loved us so that He sent his one and only beloved son Jesus Christ, who became man through the Immaculate Conception embodied by the blessed Virgin Mary, now Queen of heaven, and who was tortured & died for us on the cross, to redeem us from the consequences of sin, 2016 years ago today, and the Holy Spirit for total victory. With the other client, we just went to his hearing this morning. His house is owned half by him and half by his son. His half is completely within his homestead exemption of $175K because he is 55 and he and his wife have income that is less than $35K a year. Indeed, debtor and his wife have zero income since he lost his business, which paid his salary in 2014. Since that time, his son, who is a US marine, has been paying the mortgage. The line of questioning by trustee was too aggressive, I thought. I knew what the trustee was trying to do. He wanted to elicit testimony that would show that debtor was actually receiving income, by way of support from his ex-wife, divorced 9 years ago. Trustee even questioned the rank of the US marine son and questioned if the son actually existed. I thought that was way overboard. He asked what was the rank of his son. Debtor answered he doesn’t know but said he has been with the marines for 9 years. Is he an officer? Debtor said yes, he is. What is his name? Debtor must have repeated his son’s name 3 times, but trustee still could not get the name right. So trustee shows a preliminary title report that states the name of the son as for example Sun Ning. Then, trustee shows debtor’s tax returns for 2014 and says, ‘How can your son be a US marine when you claim his name here on your tax returns (Adam Sun Ning, for example) as a dependent?’ Debtor says because Adam Sun Ning is my second
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America
ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS M A R C H 26
FREE Citizenship Workshop in Los Angeles On Saturday, March 26, Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles will help local green card holders take the first step towards becoming citizens through a free event as part of the New Americans Campaign. This workshop will provide lawful permanent residents with free naturalization application assistance by professional and trained volunteers. Legal counsel by probono attorneys and legal experts will be available. Services are available in English, Chinese, Khmer, Korean, Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese and Spanish. WHAT: Free Citizenship Workshop WHERE: Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles, 1145 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90017 WHEN: Saturday, March 26, 2016 at 9:00 am RSVP: Registration for this workshop is required. For more information and to register, call 888-349-9695
M A R C H 28
An Evening with Jose Antonio Vargas Filipino American, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and filmmaker Jose Antonio Vargas will be speaking at Pasadena City College (1570 E. Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA) on Monday, March 28, from 6 to 8 pm in Sexson Auditorium at the Pasadena City College. Vargas’ work centers on advocating for undocumented immigrants, and in June 2011, through The New York Times Magazine, he revealed and chronicled his life in America as an undocumented immigrant. A year later, Vargas appeared on the cover of TIME magazine worldwide with fellow undocumented immigrants as part of a follow-up cover story he wrote. Now, he is the head of Define American, a non-profit media and culture organization that seeks to elevate the conversation around immigration and citizenship in America. We excited to bring this speaker to campus and we hope that you will join us. Doors open at 5pm. This event is open to the public and tickets are FREE, so please feel free to share with your networks! Tickets are available at http://joseavargas-mar28.eventbrite.com/
APRIL 1
Eagle Rock High School Monthly Open House Tours laureate Open House Tours, from 8-10am during the spring semester on Friday, April 1. Eagle Rock Junior/Senior High School serves students in grades 7-12, and was the first school in the LAUSD to be authorized to offer the prestigious International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (grades 7-10) and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (grades 11-12), a project-based program for concept and content-based learning to promote global mindedness and service to others. The IB Open House is open to all interested students, and will include an introductory presentation in the ERHS library, followed by campus tours, classroom visits, and a short question-and-answer period. To register for the Open Houses, please visit www.erhs.la, and click on the “IB Open House Registration” link. Please email Mylene Keipp mylene.keipp@lausd.net for more information. We look forward to your visit!
APRIL 9
Prisoners of War Day at the Filipino Veterans Education Center All WWII veterans and families, please join us as we commemorate the historic 74thanniversary of Prisoners of War Day and the Fall of Bataan, the Day of Valor, on Saturday, April 9th. In the spirit of reconciliation, friendship and international cooperation, let us leave the past behind us as we move forward with joined hands to attain peace for all mankind. The formal Commemoration and remembrance ceremony will start at 2:00pm in the Filipino Veterans Education Center, at the War Memorial Performing Arts Veterans Building (401 Van Ness Ave. San Francisco, CA 94102). This event is open to the public. Please RSVP RudyAsercion@gmail.com; naffaasf@gmail.com. Tel: 415 564 6262.
A P R I L 23
Chino Hills Multicultural Festival Inspired by last year’s successful celebration of the community’s diversity, the Rotary Club of Greater Chino Hills Foundation will host its second Multicultural Festival on Saturday, April 23, from 3 to 9 pm, at the Chino Hills Community Center (14250 Peyton Drive, Chino Hills, CA 91709). Admission is free. There will be food booths, live entertainment, music, dance and performances by an array of participants. Sponsorship and advertisement packages are available for non-profit organizations to fundraise, and for businesses interested in market their products and services. For more information, contact rotary.chinohills@gmail.com or visit www.chinohillsrotaryclub.org. Contact: Ted Alvarez (909) 456-0359, tedalvarez@verizon.net; Tessie Lightholder (909) 576-4152,tessielightholder@gmail.com, or Ginny Mondonedo (951) 212-4624, vmondonedo55@gmail.com.
APRIL 30
COSC celebrates 27th Anniversary The Candonians of Southern California (COSC), under the leadership of their newly elected president, Mrs. Elizabeth Gacula Singh, will celebrate their 27th Anniversary on April 30 at the Doubletree Hotel-Monrovia (924 W. Huntington Dr., Monrovia). Music will be provided by The Midnight Motion Band. For questions and those interested, please email thecandoniansofsocal@gmail.com.
APRIL — SEPTEMBER
Pilgrimages to Eastern Europe, Mexico and India Amazing Pilgrimages for the Jubilee Year of Mercy! All are welcome to join Fr. Joe Joseph of Holy Trinity Church for the spiritual and fun-filled experiences of EASTERN EUROPE (April 17- 30): Poland, Czech., Austria, Hungary, Medjugorje; COLONIAL MEXICO/ OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE (June 20 - 27): Mexico City, Theotihuacan, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Ocotlan, Xochimilco, Guanajuato, San Miguel De Allende, Guadalajara, San Juan De Los Lagos, Cristo Rey, Zapopan, Tonala; and INDIA (September 15 - 29): Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Kolkata, Kerala. For more pilgrimage information and detailed flyers, please contact Bernadette at bcorp1114@hotmail.com OR call 323-344-1548 & 323-547-6618.
If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, please email us the details at info@asianjournalinc.com or calendar@asianjournalinc.com
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An Easter Sunday…
of his love, mercy and forgiveness—especially now that the world continues to be threatened by terror, violence and death of innocent people? Must we be silent in preaching the peace of Jesus Christ in a world where terrorists keep exploding bombs and some nations keep threatening the rest of the planet with their nuclear weapons? Our answer is an absolute no! We must be warriors for Christ, not with a violent means but with hearts of love and mercy for all people. Of course, we need to protect our nations and ourselves from further threats of terror and death, but we, Christians, must always keep in mind that the kingdom that Jesus Christ
preached is a kingdom of peace, love and justice for all. And so, it is more urgent now that we stand up for our Christian faith. Others have died for it; they have become our new Christian martyrs. We all must work together to bring the peace of Jesus Christ on earth. We must pray for our persecutors to stop the killings of their fellowmen. And we must pray for leaders of all nations work together to eradicate terrorism in all societies. In times of war, pestilence, famine, drought and other disasters, we, Catholic Christians, turn to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, for her powerful intercession. Let this be our work. Let’s implore Mary to ask God to transform hearts of violence and
hatred into hearts of mercy. Let’s ask her to pray that this world explode not with bombs, but with new love and hope for the whole humanity! A Happy and Blessed Easter 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 Immaculate Heart of Mary, Los Angeles, in 2002, which lasted 12 years. His term as Associate Director of Pastoral Field Education at St. John’s Seminary began in July 2014.
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PeoPle & events
Janette Vengco-Dalan (middle) receives the director’s employee recognition award from Joe Prusak (left), acting division chief and Philip Browning (right), director for the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).
Pinay social worker receives recognition from LA County Dept. of Children and Family Services ON March 2, 2016, Phillip Browning, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), awarded the Director’s Employee Recognition Award to Janette Vengco-Dalan, making her the first Pinay social worker to receive the award. Mrs. Dalan, an adoption social worker based in the DCFS Covina office, was commended for her unwavering commitment and passion in pursuing permanency for the children under the Department’s supervision throughout her 20 years of employment. She uses a variety of approaches to engage children in the adoption process, resulting in meaningful and professional relationships. Mrs. Dalan sends the youth Disney birthday cards, distributes stickers, treats them to ice cream and lunch, and actively encourages them to express their feelings, hopes and dreams. Guided by social work principles and enhanced by Filipino cultural values, she works effectively with culturally diverse clientele and staff. She is very much appreciated by her clients who keep in contact by sending her photos and current information on their children, even after their adoptions have finalized. To learn more about adopting a foster youth, please call 888811-1121 or visit: www.shareyourheartla.org. (By Feli Gutierrez, DCFS Adoption Division)
Watch out for current fair market value of…
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son who was born in the United States and who is in high school, that’s why I called him Adam Sun Ning, while my older son was not born in the United States, that’s why I named him Sun Ning. What a perfect response because it’s the truth! Truth is stranger than fiction. Still, trustee asks for mortgage statements for last two years, tax returns for last two years, bank statements for last two years etc., and continues the hearing to next month. But the truth is, trustee cannot touch debtor’s house because he really
does qualify for $175K homestead exemption. Watch out also for tax refunds because it’s tax season now. If you expect a refund, you have to exempt it on schedule C; otherwise, you will be asked to turn over your refund to the trustee. Or get the refund first and use it to pay your rent or mortgage so it’s no longer a receivable that is part of the bankruptcy estate. “Then pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged. The soldeirs twisted together a crown of thorns & put it on His head. They clothed Him in a purple robe and
went up to Him & again, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they slapped Him in the face… carrying His own cross-, He went to Golgotha. There they crucified Him…” — John 19
*** 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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MARKETPLACE SHOWROOM
& Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ
The Philippines was identified as one of the major money-laundering countries in 2015 in a report on money laundering and financial crimes by the US State Department released earlier this month. Inquirer.net photo
Hacking the bank and money laundering in PH by Mike
Wootton ManilaTimes.net
WITHOUT wishing to appear too pedantic, the recent Bank of Bangladesh/RCBC event is not really “money laundering” —it’s just simple theft. According to Interpol, money laundering is “any act or attempted act to conceal or disguise the identity of illegally obtained proceeds so that they appear to have originated from legitimate sources.” Well, as I understand it, the money did originate from a legitimate source, the Bank of Bangladesh, it arrived in RCBC and then it vanished. Eighty-one million dollars may be a lot of money to me, or even to some of this newspaper’s readers, but it’s not too significant in the international banking business which handles through its electronically controlled systems anything up to $14 trillion a day.
Mechanisms for controlling this sort of thing include the Large Value (Interbank) Transfer System, a tool of the national central bank utilized, amongst other things, to ensure that private banks have sufficient credit in their account with the central bank to continue to meet statutory requirements (the statutory requirements, by the way, are much less than the actual money which the bank is handling or has loaned out, but that is another story). The way in which this lot all works is quite complex and depends very heavily on information technology systems by which transactions frequently pass through several banks, each of which has to account to their central bank, in order that the money gets from payer to payee in a short time. It is really no surprise that things can go wrong or that knowlPAGE D4
Moody’s: PH to grow faster than neighbors by LaWrence
agcaoiLi Philstar.com
to diverge in 2016 and 2017,” Moody’s said the gross domestic MANILA—Moody’s Investors product (GDP) of the Philippines Service said domestic demand- would expand faster at six perdriven economies among mem- cent for 2016 and 2017. The country’s GDP growth ber countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations eased to 5.8 percent last year (ASEAN) led by the Philippines from 6.1 percent in 2014 due to are expected to grow faster than weak global demand. “Economic expansion in Indoexport-oriented economies in the nesia and the Philippines would next two years. In a report titled “Growth likely strengthen in 2016 and outlook of ASEAN economies PAGE D2
(L-R) DTI Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo, DOST Undersecretary Amelia Guevara, DAR Secretary Virgilio De los Reyes, and DA Undersecretary Segfredo Serrano are the panelists of the High-Level Discussion on PH Agriculture, Manufacturing and Science and Technology held at the Philippine Embassy, Washington DC on last Thursday, March 17.
Ph agriculture, manufacturing and S&T examined at a high-level panel discussion in Washington WASHINGTON, DC—Secretary Virgilio De los Reyes of the Philippine Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and a panel of senior Philippine officials recently discussed the “opportunities and challenges” in Philippine agriculture, manufacturing, and science and technology, highlighting the country’s economic growth, the inclusiveness of progress, the sustainability of reforms, and the quality of the Filipino workforce. The panel discussion was held at the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. on 17 March 2016. Secretary De los Reyes was
joined by Department of Agriculture (DA) Undersecretary Segfredo R. Serrano, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Undersecretary Amelia P. Guevara, and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Ceferino S. Rodolfo, Jr. They also discussed initiatives aimed at building capacities and improving Philippine competitiveness in key sectors. Secretary De los Reyes asserted that agrarian reform has made lives better for Filipinos. Mandated under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Act of 1988 (CARP), DAR has PAGE D5
Business Quote of the Week “Would you like me to give you a formula for success? It’s quite simple, really: Double your rate of failure. You are thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn’t at all. You can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it, so go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because remember that’s where you will find success.” — Thomas J. Watson, former chairman and CEO of International Business Machines (IBM)
SOME people, with only limited knowledge or understanding of immigration laws, try to strategize and handle their immigration case on their own. They follow the advice of friends or relatives, or listen to gossip or rumors they hear on the streets or at parties. But they may not be aware of all the critical facts or laws, or recent developments. Partial or incomplete information about immigration laws and benefits can have devastating effects, resulting in denials, deportation, or many additional years of separation from your family. A woman came to my office for assistance for her daughter, who aged out. She followed the wrong advice. But had she gone to an attorney at the outset, her child would have been in the US years ago. In this woman’s case, she was petitioned by her mother, right after the mother had naturalized. But the mother could have filed a petition for her, as a single
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Would you perform surgery on yourself, or would you let a doctor do it? Partial or incomplete information about immigration laws and benefits can have devastating effects, resulting in denials, deportation, or many additional years of separation from your family.
adult child of a green card holder parent (F-2B) years earlier, which would have included the woman’s daughter, who was still under 21. Instead, the family thought it would be “faster” for the mother to hold off for at least 5 years to become a US citizen, and then file the petition. That is wrong! By waiting until the mother naturalized, and only then filing a petition, they wasted at least five years. Also, a petition by a US citizen takes much longer than a petition by an immigrant parent. So, by the time the priority date became current, the child had already aged out. Now, the woman wanted to know if her daughter was eligible under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA), under her mother’s original petition. After doing the mathematical computation, the daughter was considered mathematically over
not be fully aware of. Instead, they rely on partial information, which, as you can see from the above example, can have devastating effects. That is why you should consult with an attorney, 21 and not CSPA eligible. The who can evaluate your situation, mother will now need to file a to make sure you are going the new petition for her daughter, fastest, most direct route, to acwhich could take another 10 complish your immigration goal. years before the daughter can *** finally immigrate to the US. Michael J. Gurfinkel is licensed, and an Had they obtained proper legal active member of the State Bar of California advice from an attorney at the and New York. All immigration services are outset, both this woman and her provided by, or under the supervision of, an daughter could have been in the active member of the State Bar of California. US years ago! Instead, by rely- Each case is different. The information ing on partial information, the contained herein including testimonials, daughter now must wait again “Success Stories,” endorsements and refor decades to immigrate. enactments) is of a general nature, and is not My point is that people think, intended to apply to any particular case, and “What’s so difficult about pe- does not constitute a prediction, warranty, titioning a family member? I guarantee or legal advice regarding the can just do it on my own, be- outcome of your legal matter. No attorneycause it is simple and straight- client relationship is, or shall be, established forward.” Just as some people with any reader. may say, “Why should I have to WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com hire a surgeon? It’s easy. I can Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for do it myself.” But there could anywhere in the US: be complications. And in im(866)—GURFINKEL migration, there may be faster Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ways to bring family members · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINES to the US, which a person may (Advertising Supplement)
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PH foreign debt shrinks to $77.5-B Stronger dollar, higher investments in Philippine papers by Lawrence
agcaoiLi Philstar.com
MANILA—The country’s outstanding external debt slipped for the third straight year in 2015 due to the continued strengthening of the dollar as well as higher investments in Philippine debt papers, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported on Wednesday, March 23. BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said external debt amounted to $77.47 billion last year, $200 million lower compared with $77.67 billion in 2014. This was the third straight year the country’s external debt declined from $79.95 billion in 2012 to $78.49 billion in 2013 and to $77.67 billion in 2014. Tetangco traced the improvement in the country’s external debt level to the $1.8 billion increase in investments largely by banks in Philippine debt papers. The BSP chief also cited the $456 million negative revaluation adjustments due to the strengthening of the greenback last year in view of the gradual recovery of the US economy and expectations of the interest rate liftoff by the US Federal Reserve. “A stronger dollar results in lower debt figure expressed in US dollar terms,” he said. However, the $2 billion net availments as debt drawdowns exceeded payments as well as previous periods’ audit adjustments negated the impact of higher investments and a stron-
BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said external debt amounted to $77.47 billion last year, $200 million lower compared with $77.67 billion in 2014. Philstar.com photo
ger US dollar. External debt refers to all types of borrowings by Philippine residents from non-residents. More than 65 percent of the country’s external debt is denominated in US dollar, while 11.7 percent of total debt is denominated in Japanese yen. About 11.8 percent of the external debt is US dollar-denominated multi-currency loans from the World Bank (WB) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) while 11 percent are denominated in 17 other currencies including the peso with 6.6 percent, the special drawing rights of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) with 2.2 percent, and the euro
with 1.5 percent. The country’s external debt at end-2015 was 2.5 percent higher compared to the endSeptember level of $75.6 billion. The increase was attributed to net availments amounting to $1.8 billion by private banks and corporations to finance various projects arising from positive sentiment. Data from the central bank showed the country’s gross international reserves (GIR) amounted to $80.7 billion last year, enough to cover 5.3 times the country’s short-term debt under the original maturity concept. “Key external debt indicators remained at comfortable levels at the close of the year,” Tetangco said. The debt service ratio continued to improve to 5.3 percent in end December from 5.6 percent in September and from 6.3 percent in December 2014 due to a larger decline in payments. About 80.5 percent of the country’s outstanding external debt consisted of medium- and long-term accounts set to mature in over a year. The weighted average maturity of these accounts stood at 16.5 years. “This means that foreign exchange requirements for debt payments are well spread out and, thus, more manageable,” he added. On the other hand, short-term external debt comprised 19.5 percent of the country’s total external borrowings.
Wells Fargo introduces Go Far Rewards Go Far Rewards goes beyond traditional credit card rewards programs, offers customers a flexible platform to make the most of their rewards and feel truly rewarded
SAN FRANCISCO—Wells Fargo & Company on Monday, March 21 announced Go Far Rewards, its enhanced credit card rewards program available to all customers with a rewards-based credit card from Wells Fargo. Through the program, customers can redeem their rewards at any Wells Fargo ATM, use rewards to-
ward their qualifying Wells Fargo checking or savings account or apply toward the principal balance of a qualifying Wells Fargo line or loan. Customers can also take advantage of options to pool rewards with other customers, gift rewards to other customers or to charity, create wish lists and more—all while on-the-go. These features are in addition to all the things consumers have come to expect from a rewards program, like travel, merchandise and gift cards. “Customers use their credit cards to pay for ordinary things they do every day, and we want the rewards they earn from doing that to feel extraordinary,” said Beverly Anderson, head of Consumer Financial Services for Wells Fargo. “With an emphasis on the flexibility and accessibility our customers told us they want, we spent the past few years updating our rewards program so significantly we felt it deserved a new name. ” Helping customers pay it down Because every little bit helps, the program supports customers as they work toward their financial goals. Go Far Rewards offers the ability to redeem rewards toward the principal balance of a qualifying Wells Fargo line or loan (mortgage, home equity, credit card, personal or auto loan). Helping customers pay it forward The program supports customers’ desires to help friends, family and their community. These features include pooling rewards with other rewards customers or gifting rewards to other program participants. Cardholders can also redeem their rewards toward a “CharityChoice” gift card, thereby making a donation to charity through the program. Helping customers reward themselves Last year, Wells Fargo an-
nounced the ability for customers to redeem their rewards as cash from any of Wells Fargo’s 13,000 ATMs with their Wells Fargo Debit or ATM card. Wells Fargo was the first major US financial services provider to introduce this functionality, continuing the company’s history of customer-centered innovation. In addition, cardholders can redeem rewards as a deposit to their qualifying Wells Fargo checking or savings account. In addition, the program helps customers reward themselves through an enhanced travel search engine—including an interactive “How Far Can I Go” feature that provides destination recommendations based on accumulated rewards. Customers can also choose from redemption choices including merchandise, gift cards and digital downloads. Easy to access rewards when, where and how customers want Go Far Rewards also supports customers’ on-the-go lifestyles with adaptive design – the ability for customers to navigate the site on their mobile device, tablet or desktop. Customers can personalize their experience using the “Tailor Your Preferences” widget that allows them to “Love It” or “Leave It” with regard to certain categories. Recent updates to Go Far Rewards have already begun to receive accolades. The program received a grade of “A-” in the Credit Card MonitorSM report Rewards Redemption Options by Corporate Insight, a research company that focuses on financial institutions. The high grade, shared by only two other programs, came after Corporate Insight examined redemption options available through 11 card issuers’ programs with special focus on flexibility and choices as well as the design of the site and ease of use. Advertising Supplement
Moody’s: PH to grow faster... PAGE D1 2017, with domestic demand providing the main engine of growth,” Moody’s said. The debt watcher said gross fixed capital formation growth is accelerating rapidly in the Philippines and is picking up pace in Indonesia. “In each case, public investment contributed to the pickup as governments in both countries sought to gain further traction in developing much-needed infrastructure,” it added. Moody’s said lower oil prices have provided greater lift to economic growth in the Philippines with household consumption growing in excess of six percent for only the second time over the past 25 years. On the other hand, the debt watcher said Vietnam is expected to book the fastest GDP growth this year at 6.1 percent before slowing down to six percent in 2017. “Vietnam, meanwhile, will remain a regional growth outperformer on the back of robust manufacturing activity and strong foreign direct investment flows,” Moody’s said. Indonesia’s GDP is expected to grow 4.8 percent this year and 5.4 percent next year. However, Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia are expected to post slower GDP expansion compared with Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia. “Against a backdrop of subdued global demand, the growth prospects of ASEAN’s major export-orientated economies, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, will remain weaker than those of more domestic demand-driven economies, Indonesia and the
Philippines in 2016 and 2017,” Moody’s said. The debt watcher pointed out the overall economic impact of the slumping exports growth would vary based on the relative importance of trade to GDP. Total trade accounts for 346 percent of GDP in Indonesia, 131 percent in Malaysia, and 130 percent In Thailand. On the other hand, total trade accounts for 58 percent of GDP in the Philippines and 41 percent in Indonesia. “As such, these three economies are susceptible to a prolonged period of subdued global demand via both the export channel and weaker investment demand,” Moody’s added. The rating agency explained private consumption in Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia would be constrained by high household debt burdens. “Household debt-to-GDP in these three economies has risen rapidly in recent years to elevated levels. Weaker household balance sheets could therefore weigh on banking sector asset quality, and limit the effectiveness of monetary policy in stimulating consumer spending,” it said. Moody’s upgraded the country’s credit rating to Baa2 or two notches above “junk” status in December 2014 on the back of the government’s reduced debt levels and the country’s robust economy. Standard & Poor’s has assigned a credit rating of “BBB” or two notches above “junk” status while Fitch Ratings rates the country’s debt at “BBB-“ or the first notch in investment grade ratings.
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WIN Hyundai and WIN Chevrolet: Three giant locations to serve you There’s no better place for kababayans to shop for hyundai vehicles than WIN hyundai in Carson, Calif. established in 2011, the young dealership started with the goal of becoming the premiere hyundai dealership. since then, it has lived up to its aim by consistently ranked among the top five dealers in the district. In 2012, the dealership, which is also equus Certified, was also ranked No. 1 in district sales. WIN is proud to carry hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power and Associates ranked the automaker No. 2 among nonpremium automakers in the 2015 Automotive Performance, execution and Layout (APeAL) study. “Finishing among the top two non-premium brands in this year’s J.D. Power, the APeAL study shows hyundai takes design, technology, features, and performance seriously across the entire lineup. having the bestselling sonata ranking among the top two in its class is a remarkable accomplishment and we are committed to delivering the highest customer experience possible to our owners,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president of corporate and product planning at hyundai. WIN hyundai offers a wide selection of quality hyundai vehicles and extends its offerings across the Los Angeles area with its two locations: one in Carson and another in el Monte. On both sites, customers can find new and certified pre-owned vehicles – including the santa Fe, sonata, elantra and Genesis Coupe – to meet a variety of budgets and preferences. Because the Carson and el Monte locations serve just about anyone and everyone in southern California, its experienced sales representatives are prepared and eager to help customers find the cars that best fit their preferences and needs. When it comes to purchasing a hyundai, WIN specializes in working with all types of credit, good or bad, and has the ability to refinance current loans. Additionally, although it sells hyundai cars, the dealership services vehicles of all makes and models and currently has an oil change special of $19.95 For Chevrolet owners and
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shoppers in Los Angeles, you may check out WIN’s third location at WIN Chevrolet, which will make sure to handle everything from helping you purchase a new or used Chevy. schedule an appointment or just stop on by to take any of our 2015 Chevrolet models for a test drive including the 2015 Chevrolet Camaro, 2015 Chevrolet Impala, and 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe. Beyond the highly-praised brand WIN offers southern California residents, it has departments dedicated diverse groups found throughout the Los Angeles region, including Chinese, Korean, hispanic and Filipino communities. “ We w a n t t o m a k e t h e buying process as easy as possible, so we understand communicating in your native language can be important to completely understanding the purchasing and financing of your vehicle,” said Munir Younis, general sales manager of the dealership. Younis, who is of Middle eastern descent, grew up in the Philippines and can speak Tagalog fluently, just as the Filipino sales representatives at the dealership. “We have a dedicated team that serves the largest Filipino community in the U.s. We believe in giving back to the community and have participated in multiple sponsorship opportunities with multiple Filipino groups and organizations, including the Philippine Independence Day Foundation,” he said.
Among Filipino members of the WIN hyundai Carson team include long-time car industry veterans Jun Milan and Jay Trinidad. “WIN is a great dealership and customer service is the best it can be,” Milan said. Also on the Filipino team is Franklin Magarro, the dealership’s internet sales manager. In addition to its on-location offerings, those shopping for hyundai cars can browse WIN’s inventory online with userfriendly filters. Whether you know specifically what make and model you’re looking for, are trying to shop based on a budget, or simply want to browse through what is available, the dealership website makes it easy to shop around from home. Live chat is also available and sales representatives are happy to assist customers via phone. WIN Hyundai Carson 2205 e 223rd street Carson, CA 90810 (877) 354-4253 Monday through saturday: 9am to 9pm sunday: 10am to 8pm WIN Hyundai El Monte 3462 N Peck road el Monte, CA 91731 (877) 290-2164 Monday through sunday: 9am to 9pm www.winhyundai.com Win Chevrolet 2201 e. 223rd street Carson, CA 90810 (818) 639-1216 www.winchevrolet.com 8[m\ik`j`e^ Jlggc\d\ek
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Robertson Honda’s ‘Hassle Free, One Simple Price’: Sin tax collections increase to P18.46-B A fast, smart and simple process to car buying by Prinz
Magtulis Philstar.com
Purchasing a vehicle has long been associated with back-and-forth negotiating and hidden fees. however, it shouldn’t be a stressful experience, and robertson honda aims to change that by creating a fast, smart and simple process. Located in north hollywood, robertson honda is defying the stereotypes surrounding vehicle buying with its “hassle Free, One simple Price” program. When shoppers step into its state-of-theart showroom, they won’t be greeted by the conventional image of a “car salesperson,” but rather a “product specialist” will take care of them and listen to their needs to match them with the right vehicle that fits their budget. Each vehicle in the lot (and also listed on its website) has a single, definitive price based on availability, demand, color, equipment and inventory age. gone are the days of haggling for a better deal, as the best price will be offered upfront. all of the prices are based on in-market purchase prices and third-party resources like edmunds.com and KBB.com.
additionally, vehicle buying shouldn’t take up too much of a buyer’s valuable time; in record speed, he or she will be driving off in a new car. For over 40 years, robertson honda has been a renowned honda dealership in the united states. Drawing in loyal and new customers alike from around southern california and beyond, robertson honda provides a high standard of customer service that doesn’t simply focus on selling cars, but creating lifelong relationships. The “hassle Free, One simple Price” program further reflects its commitment to listen to what customers want. “Our new ‘hassle Free, One simple Price’ program is geared toward the 75 percent of car shoppers in our community who told us that they not only dread the inflated prices at most dealerships, but also the time and pressure involved in negotiating down to the bottom line,” said Mike reyes, general sales manager of robertson honda. “By removing the frustrating back-and-forth and doing a lot of the pricing research for our customers,
we’ve developed a sales process that is fast, fair and simple for anyone who walks through our doors.” The benefits of robertson honda’s “hassle Free, One simple Price” program doesn’t just stop once buyers leave the dealership. if unsatisfied with their vehicle within the first two days or 200 miles after a purchase, robertson honda has instituted a 2-Day/200-Mile Exchange Policy. When it comes time to trade in a vehicle down the road, the dealership is also now offering straightforward trade-in pricing based on the autoTrader.com Trade-in Marketplace and Kelley Blue Book fair market value. When buyers shop at robertson honda, they’ll never again drive off the lot wondering if they could have gotten a better deal. robertson honda is conveniently located at 5841 Lankershim Blvd. in north hollywood, ca. For more information, please call (818) 301-3800 or visit http://www. robertsonhonda.com/ to browse the dealership’s extensive inventory of honda models. *Advertising Supplement
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MANILA—Tax collections from tobacco and alcohol products surpassed the target for the first two months due to the fresh implementation of an increase in excise taxes. Sin tax revenues totaled P18.46 billion as of February, 14 percent higher than the P16.19-billion goal, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) reported. Compared to last year’s haul, collections also increased 37.4 percent. Broken down, tobacco revenues reached P10.86 billion, collections from fermented liquors’ amounted to P5.55 billion, while distilled spirits and compounded liquors contributed P2.06 billion. “Every year, the rate will need to go up, according to the law,” Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares said. Republic Act 10351, enacted in 2012, prescribed for yearly specific adjustments in tobacco and alcohol excise tax rates until 2017.
Sin tax revenues totaled P18.46 billion as of February, 14 percent higher than the P16.19-billion goal, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) reported. Compared to last year’s haul, collections also increased 37.4 percent. Philstar.com photo
After which, succeeding years will see rates rise by four percent. The rise in revenue collections was coupled with an increase in market supply of tobacco and alcohol products, data showed. Cigarette packs rose 32.9 percent. By liter, fermented liquors and distilled spirits increased 19.18 percent and 6.2 percent, respectively.
But Henares said this does not defeat the purpose of RA 10351, packaged as a measure to deter smoking and excessive drinking. “If we didn’t increase the rate, supplies would have been higher,” she said. Excise taxes form part of the BIR’s total collections, which account for 80 percent of state tax revenues.
Hacking the bank and money laundering... PAGE D1
edgeable computer people can work out ways of hacking into these enormously complex and all-pervading systems and then whizzing the money out to wherever they want. The RCBC event is just theft and not money laundering, albeit once the funds got into the hands of whoever managed to withdraw them in record time then these stolen funds may well have been laundered. All speculation on that so far points to one of the Philippines’ most remarkably successful economic development areas—the casinos. Frankly, I find it very hard to imagine being able to withdraw several million dollars or even pesos over a bank counter in the Philippines at the drop of a hat, retail banking transactions really are so slow—it must be the security procedures! Real money laundering is, I am sure, carried out on a grand scale every day all over the world. Frequently though, the perpetrators don’t seem to get found out. HSBC got caught a couple of years ago in Mexico washing drug money into respectability to the tune of thousands of millions of dollars. In one year alone, they shifted $7 billion on behalf of the Mexican drug cartels, over to the USA and then back to Mexico. HSBC was
fined $1.9 billion for this, equivalent to about five weeks’ income for their US subsidiary. The way banking systems work with the use of interest payments on overnight deposits and the like, the fine was probably just a drop in the ocean compared to the money that had been made by the bank’s use of the drug billions. And then there is money in the international banking system going to Iran during periods of sanction, to terrorist organizations, and on and on. Laundering has been going on since the case of drug money being handled by the Bank of Credit and Commerce International in the 1980s; it can be said to be a well established activity! The problem with all this criminal activity around banks and banking systems is that it makes it almost impossible for ordinary people—i.e., those of us who are not members of drug cartels, or funders of terrorist organizations, white slavery traders, genocidal despots or players in any other unwholesome sort of “business” area—to get a simple transfer of a few hundred or even thousand something-or-others sent and withdrawn in a straightforward way. It puts me in mind of the trials of security surrounding air travel. Everybody is a potential
hijacker until proved otherwise, imposing massive inconvenience on the travelling public. Now heightened security features around getting money out of banks—these additional security features suit the banks very well, of course, they can delay honouring their obligations to customers for days, weeks or even months, allowing them to play with their depositor’s money for a while longer, earning some more for themselves. It doesn’t take much imagination to see that the RCBC event will require bank branches to buy even more white plastic chairs to accommodate the even longer waits that people will have in trying to do straightforward bank transactions. Let’s just hope that we don’t get to the requirement of HSBC in the UK who demanded customers to show letters or bills from third parties as a condition of being able to withdraw funds—they quickly dropped that bright idea a few weeks after it was introduced! So once again, the banks can’t lose. They handle massive amounts of money generated by criminal activities, on which they make interest. They get caught. Extra security requirements are introduced allowing them to delay withdrawals, meaning that they keep the money for longer and can make interest on it!
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PH agriculture, nanufacturing and S&T... PAGE D1 assured ownership of land and access to technical support and legal services. The Secretary explained that “based on our statistics, most of the land under the scope of DaR has been distributed to small landowners.” The Secretary stated that DaR is in the process of digitizing a landholding database and developing a technology-enabled framework to expedite resolution of land disputes. The agriculture sector employs over 30 percent of the Philippine workforce yet contributes less than 15 percent to gDP. Citing the report he presented at the annual World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty, Secretary De los Reyes emphasized the need to improve profits of small farmers. Lack of access to affordable credit has limited farmers’ resources. The Secretary described the government’s role as an “enabler” who provides assistance to more adaptable and business-minded farmers, and improves collective capacities of farmers’ cooperatives. Undersecretary Serrano said that under the aquino administration, seed and farm subsidies were eliminated, with funds diverted to infrastructure - building farm to market roads and irrigation facilities that can withstand extreme climate events. To prepare for projected temperature and sea-level rise, Undersecretary Serrano stressed the need to align development policies and research with scenarios 5-7 years onward. The effects of slow onset of climate change can be devastating to agricultural productivity in the long term. For her part, Undersecretary guevara reiterated that “innovation is the engine of any modern economy; and one look around the Philippines tells us that we have the natural inventiveness to be
one of the leaders in this regard.” She challenged Filipinos to chart their own course and become selfreliant. The Philippines has come a long way towards becoming “technology self-reliant.” initially relying on foreign technology adapted to local needs, the country is set to launch the first Filipino-made micro satellite called Diwata-1. She also presented several DOST innovations serving farmers and fishermen. One of these innovations is the nationwide Operational assessment of Hazards (nOaH) that was conceptualized in collaboration with weather agencies and the University of the Philippines, as an early warning tool for flooding and typhoon preparedness. The Disaster Risk and Exposure assessment Mitigation (DREaM) program completed mapping 18 of the country’s major river systems by flying LiDaR scanners mounted on small aircraft over the various bodies of water. She also noted that the future of innovative solutions rests on effective collaborative efforts by agencies, universities, innovation centers, and returning Filipino scientists under DOST’s Balik Scientists Program. Food processing, a key component of the manufacturing industry, is a major growth sector as demand for packaged food is fueled by rising income and urbanization. By linking manufacturing to agricultural products such as cacao, coffee, rubber, and coconut-based products, processed food has moved up the value chain, explained DTi Undersecretary Rodolfo. Regional development councils play a key role as a coordinating mechanism for various government agencies - agriculture, Manufacturing, Science and Technology, and Trade - in the development of products from raw supply to packaging. Undersecretary Rodolfo estimates that 2,000 new food products are introduced annually.
Economic reforms likewise continue to boost the investment climate and economic growth. Undersecretary Rodolfo emphasized the importance of bilateral trade agreements and regional economic agreements. according to Undersecretary Rodolfo, in 2015, 23 percent of exports represent trade to Japan, aSEan countries account for 15 percent, the United States 14 percent, China 13 percent, the European Union 11 percent, South korea 4 percent, australia and new Zealand about 1.2 percent and india 1 percent. The Philippines conducted technical consultations with the Trans Pacific Partnership countries, exploring trade agreements with Canada, Chile and Mexico. Foreign Direct investment (FDi) inflows to the country improved from $1 billion in 2010 to $6 billion in 2014. in the near term, it seeks to attract more foreign capital to finance infrastructure projects. “i trust that the high level panel has provided the Washington community a clear and comprehensive idea of the state of Philippine agriculture, trade policy and science and technology as we come to the close of the aquino administration. The presentations also very clearly provide a basis to hope that Philippine economic growth will continue, reforms will be sustainable, and that our development objectives will be achieved in the next few years,” Philippine ambassador to the United States Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. said in a statement. in his closing remarks, US-Philippines Society President ambassador John F. Maisto thanked the panel saying, “Their admirable dedication to public service, professionalism, and competence has contributed to a stronger and more dynamic US-Philippines relationship.” The event was co-organized by the Philippine Embassy and the US-Philippines Society.
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Introducing the Toyota C-HR: A fresh new take on the Crossover
Making its world debut at the 2016 geneva motor show, the CHR gives Toyota a powerful new presence in the crossover market. Designed to stand out both within the Toyota line-up and in its segment, it represents akio Toyoda’s determination to allow greater stylistic freedom and promote engineering creativity in order to achieve eye-catching designs and enhanced driving pleasure. The Toyota C-HR’s unique character demonstrates the flexibility that the Tnga (Toyota new global architecture) gives to vehicle developers in the three key areas of design, powertrain and dynamics, enabling them to deliver a new and fresh take on the increasingly commoditized crossover segment. as a result, the Toyota C-HR remains remarkably true to the general features of the conceptcars that attracted so much public attention in Paris in 2014 and in Frankfurt in 2015. its coupelike lines are a testimony to the resolve of its designers to create a style that stands out in the Toyota range, and to establish a new direction amongst mid-sized crossovers. The Toyota C-HR also brings innovation to its segment through the introduction of a hybrid powertrain. Using Toyota’s very latest 1.8 hybrid system, the C-HR’s driving experience is perfectly aligned with modern urban life, and matched to a level of efficiency previously unseen in the crossover segment. US-Philippines Society and Philippine Embassy representatives with the panelists of the High-Level Discussion on PH agriculture, manufacturing, Finally, guided by Chief Enand science and technology. gineer Hiroyuki koba’s vision
“Response, Linearity and Consistency,” the C-HR’s driving dynamics have been deliberately benchmarked on the precision and control experienced at the wheel of a modern C-segment hatchback, thanks to the meticulous refinement of Toyota’s most recent platform and its low center of gravity. The aim was to allow the C-HR to carry its speed through corners, with excellent body control and steering fluidity, making it enjoyable not only when flowing through busy city traffic but also on the open road independent of the surface condition, in a way that exceeds the current standards for a crossover. A Coupe-like Design in response to the tastes and requirements of this target customer, the Toyota C-HR introduces a distinctive styling that brings newfound dynamism and sensuality to the crossover market. Featuring a body with a diamond architectural theme with wheel arches projecting prominently at all four corners to emphasize the new crossover’s strength and rigidity, the C-HR’s modulated structure combines the powerful lower body and raised ground clearance with the slim and sleek cabin profile of a coupe. Viewed from any angle, the C-HR’s combination of facetted gemstone-like shapes with fluid surfaces and elegantly integrated detailing create a delicate balance of precision and sensuality. Responsive and frugal power trains The Toyota C-HR will be equipped with an engine-range
that is designed to deliver exactly the fluent driving behavior that its customers are looking for. This finds its full expression at the wheel of the hybrid version, the intrinsic characteristics of which guarantee a smooth, jolt-free ride. Fitted with the latest-generation hybrid power plant, the C-HR has CO2 emissions of less than 90 grams per kilometer, unrivalled within its segment. Delivering 122 Din horsepower, this new hybrid power train is more efficient and lighter, and offers sharper performance than the previous system. Detailed design changes to the engine have resulted in a thermal efficiency of 40-percent – a world-beating performance for a petrol unit. Other hybrid system components have been made lighter and smaller, and have been repositioned for optimum packaging, further contributing to the car’s lower center of gravity. alternatively, the Toyota C-HR is available with the new 115 Din hp/85 kilowatt 1.2-liter turbo engine, which debuted in the auris. Advanced safety equipment as standard in line with Toyota’s strategy to democratize advanced safety equipment, the C-HR will be equipped with technology usually reserved for higher segments. The Toyota Safety Sense system that will be offered as standard on C-HR includes a Pre-Collision system, Lane Departure alert, Road Sign assist and automatic Highbeam, as well as Pedestrian Detection and adaptive Cruise Control. (ManilaTimes.net)
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