October 21-24, 2017 Volume 27 - No. 85 • 4 Sections – 30 Pages
DATELINE
USA
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
Palace: Accepting EU grants ‘depends on conditionalities’ by DANA
SIOSON AJPress
Authorities revealed on Friday, October 20 that Fil-Am Joseph Orbeso, 22, fatally shot his girlfriend Rachel Nguyen, 20, before turning the gun on himself in a remote area of Joshua Tree National Park. The pair’s bodies were recovered on Monday, October 16, after being reported missing nearly two months ago. Photo from a GoFundMe page set up for the couple
MANILA - Malacañang clarified on Friday, October 20 that the Philippine government’s acceptance of grants from the European Union (EU) “depends” on the conditions attached to them. In a media briefing, Palace Spokesperson Ernesto Abella was asked if the Philippines would turn down all kinds of grants from the bloc, including any
possible help for the rebuilding of the war-torn Marawi City in Mindanao. While admitting that the country has “a lot of needs,” Abella noted that “if certain conditionalities are tied to the aid and grant,” Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s position “at this stage” is to decline it. “It all depends on the conditionalities that are being given, but one thing we are sure, we are open to, of course, is trade,” the Palace official said.
The European Commission recently pledged to provide €850,000, or about P49 million, in humanitarian aid for the victims of the Marawi crisis. Abella maintained that the Duterte administration does not wish to subject the country “to monitoring or be dictated to.” Earlier on Wednesday, October 18, Duterte announced that the Philippines will no longer accept grants from the EU, saying that it is an insult to the
Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella Inquirer.net photo
country’s sovereignty. “I will not accept it. Hindi na baleng maghirap tayo (It’s doesn’t matter if we remain poor). Sabihin ko sa mga tao, magtiis tayo pobre tayo, pero kung ganun lang naman kung tuturuan ka kung paanong gawin (I will tell people that we can remain poor, but if they just keep telling us what to do)...We cannot forever be dependent on aid,” Duterte said.
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Missing young Fil-Am hiker and girlfriend died in Pres. Duterte dares apparent murder-suicide West to help PH, Bodies found at Joshua Tree National Park after nearly three months
INVESTIGATORS said on Friday, October 20 that a young couple, whose bodies were discovered in a remote area of Joshua Tree National Park earlier this week, died in a murder-suicide. The bodies were of 22-year-old Filipino-American hiker Joseph Orbeso and his
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Federal judges blocks Trump’s latest travel ban
Two judges from Hawaii and Maryland temporarily restrict Trump’s third version of controversial travel ban
PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s third attempt at instituting a temporary ban on U.S. entry from certain countries was once again shut down by two federal judges from Hawaii and Maryland earlier this week. U.S. District Judge Derrick K. Watson of Hawaii blocked the administration from
spearhead drug war in ‘civilized way’ by DANA
SIOSON AJPress
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has no qualms with any Western countries lending the Philippines a hand in solving its problems as long as it is done in a “civilized way.” A sardonic Duterte on Thursday, October 19 said he would be glad to appoint any Western country the “lead role” to deal with the Philippines’ problems, particularly on cracking down illegal drugs. “Tell us if you are ready to deal with the problem, I’d be happy to order my soldiers and my policemen just to relax. And if any western country is interested to do it the civilized way, then come. I am inviting you to join the fray,” he said. Otherwise, foreign countries should “at least be educated” in their assessment of how the Philippines was conducting its war on drugs, Duterte remarked. In a speech at a high-level Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) forum in Pa-
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SEND OFF. President Duterte salutes members of the Army’s 1st Infantry Battalion as they prepare to leave the Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental on Friday, Oct. 20. Soldiers of the 1IB were among the first to be deployed in Marawi when the battle against the terrorists broke out almost five months ago. Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez
NAIA no longer on list of Palace hoping Trillanes ‘worst airports’, other airports did not spread lies in US named among Asia’s best by CHRISTINA
DOTr vows more improvements
A recent survey released by “The Guide To Sleeping In Airports” on Sunday, October 15 AFTER consecutive years of showed that the Philippines’ being named as among the worst premier gateway is no longer inairports around the globe and in cluded in the world’s top 20 worst Asia, the Ninoy Aquino Interna- airports. tional Airport (NAIA) is finally out From 2011 to 2013, NAIA of the list this 2017. u PAGE A3
by AJPRESS
The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1
Inquirer.net photo
Three Philippine islands named among world’s best Condé Nast Traveler readers rank Boracay, Cebu, Palawan top three islands outside the US by KLARIZE
MEDENILLA
AJPress
Boracay topped this year’s “Best Islands in the World” list ranked by Conde Nast Traveler readers AJPress file photo
AS a part of its annual Readers’ Choice Awards survey, readers of Condé Nast Traveler have ranked three Philippine islands as the top three in its annual ranking of the 30 “Best Islands in the World.” Topping the list was the island of Boracay, famous for its white sand beaches and clear, ceru-
lean waters. Traveler described it as a Southeast Asian tropical paradise with “gentle coastlines and transportative sunsets” that, come sunset, turns into an energetic nightlife destination. The densely populated island of Cebu came in second for its expansive beaches on the mainland and the surrounding Visayan Islands. “Not as wild as Phuket in Thai-
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MENDEZ
Philstar.com
MALACAÑANG is hoping Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV did not spread lies when he met with U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio to discuss corruption and the human rights situation under the Duterte administration. “We do hope the correct information has been given and not biased information designed to adversely affect U.S.-Philippine relations,” presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said on Friday, Oct. 20. He refused to comment on reports that Trillanes was trying to prevent President Donald Trump and other U.S. officials from attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit next month in Manila. “We understand that Senator Trillanes went on a trip to the United States. On whether the senator went to the U.S. to ask some sectors to convince the US President not to visit, the Palace is not privy to that,” he
Sen. Antonio Trillanes AJPress photo by Momar G. Visaya
pointed out. Malacañang, he said, was informed of the two senators’ meeting. The office of Senator Rubio, who has been critical of the Philippines’ drug war, said the two senators talked about PhilippineU.S. alliance, combating corruption and protecting human rights amid the government’s campaign
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A october 21-24, 2017 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JoUrNAL
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From the Front Page
Palace: Accepting EU grants... PAGE A1 t The president remarked that he has been hurling expletives to the bloc because the European countries “do not know how to respect sovereignty.” Duterte recently slammed the EU over the recent criticism from a seven-member delegation of in-
ternational parliamentarians on the administration’s war on drugs. The bloc later clarified that the delegation does not represent the EU as “falsely reported” in the media. Following the president’s verbal rejection, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the government has stopped ac-
cepting grants from the bloc. According to Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, the grants are apparently being used by the EU as an “excuse” to criticize the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, particularly its anti-illegal drugs campaign. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the president’s visit to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City, Cayetano claimed that countries have been using grants to undermine the Philippines’ sovereignty. “We have an issue about how we are treated as a sovereign nation, and these are donations or grants but usually may agreements, but they use it as an excuse to criticize us on certain aspects of our governance,” the foreign secretary said. Concerning the possibility for the country to accept aid from EU again, Cayetano said it is likely as long as it was offered without conditions. “[In my] personal view, if EU starts giving us with no strings attached, everyone could use the help. But if [it affects our] sovereignty, I don’t blame the president in drawing the line,” he said. The foreign secretary also assured that the move to turn down the grants will not affect the Philippines’ trade with EU-member countries. The Philippines, likewise, will continue to strengthen its bilateral relations with separate memberstates of the EU. “So, it’s a policy for us now not to accept grants from them, but I’m saying our relationship should not be affected. What the president wants is: ‘Do not accept new EU aid,” Cayetano added. EU Ambassador to the Philippines Franz Jessen previously said that cutting aid from the bloc would mean the loss of about €250 million or $278.73 million worth of grants. It can be recalled that earlier this year, the Philippine government announced it would reject aids from the EU that “may allow it to interfere with internal affairs” of the Philippines. Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia, however, said the move to reject EU grants was “not a policy.” n
BACK ALIVE. Members of the Army’s 1st Infantry Battalion are greeted by family members and friends upon their arrival on Friday, Oct. 20 at the Villamor Air Base. As of October 19, 897 terrorists have been killed by government forces, including Maute leaders Omar Maute, Isnilon Hapilon and Malaysian terrorist Mahmud Ahmad. ManilaTimes.net photo by Boy Josue
Pres. Duterte dares West to help PH... PAGE A1 t say City, Duterte slammed anew the “Western world” for repeatedly denouncing the drug war over its alleged police abuses. But the administration, for its part, repeatedly denied the existence of the supposed state-sanctioned killings. Duterte accused foreign nations, including human rights organizations, of supposedly interfering the domestic affairs of the Philippines whenever it criticizes the campaign. The president also lamented at how most dead bodies in the Philippines appear to be a result of “extrajudicial killings.” “In my country today, when
somebody there lies dead, it is always an extrajudicial killing. If there is no suspect that can be pointed at, it is extrajudicial killing,” he remarked. “All killings whether perpetrated by a state or by the ordinary citizen, is always extrajudicial. In the sense that it is not the property of a court and to discuss the matter of how human being should be killed or not,” he added. While the drug war may not be to the satisfaction of his critics, Duterte noted that “there are things that we have to do because we have to do it.” He pointed out that “all countries suffer from social problems” and the “Philippines is no
Palace hoping Trillanes... PAGE A1 t against illegal drugs. Rubio confirmed the meeting through a post in his official Twitter account on Oct. 18 that read: “Senator Trillanes and I discussed U.S.-Philippines alliance, combating corruption and protecting human rights amid their narcotics crisis.” The White House confirmed last month that Trump is set to visit the Philippines in November to attend the ASEAN summit and related meetings. The visit will take place during a tour from Nov. 3 to 14, which will also
include stops in China, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and the U.S. state of Hawaii. “Trillanes has been discussing the human rights situation in the country and trying to convince the U.S. senators to discourage Trump from coming to the Philippines,” a source said. However, the source stressed that Trump’s visit to the Philippines is “really about ASEAN and not just the Philippines.” President Duterte, in a speech before migrant workers and diplomats in Pasay City yesterday, reiterated that he has no plans of
exception.” “Plenty,” the president added. “But we try to correct it along the way with meager resources and certainly not or cannot adopt the way they term it as the principle doctrines on how to deal with a democratic problem in a democratic state.” Duterte likewise called on the West to respect Philippine sovereignty. “These are the things that I would like to address myself now to the Western world. Please do not impose your will on us. Do not derogate our sovereignty by lecturing on us, the civilities of a country which we turn a democratic state,” he said. n visiting the U.S. “I was invited by Trump. Two senators said, ‘We will protest.’ I answered, ‘Who told you I will go there?’” Duterte, who has criticized the U.S. for expressing concern over the killings tied to his war on illegal drugs, said. The tough-talking leader has repeatedly said he would not allow any country or group to derogate Philippine sovereignty. Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said Trillanes’ trip to the U.S. is treated in good faith and as a normal engagement unless the government receives confirmation that his purpose was to seek U.S. help to topple Duterte. n
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From the Front page
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 21-24, 2017
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Missing young Fil-Am hiker and girlfriend died... PAGE A1 t Vietnamese-American girlfriend Rachel Nguyen, 20, and were found on Sunday, October 15 in the northern vicinity of the Maze Loop trail area of the park, from where their car was left. The pair reportedly went missing nearly three months ago. The two bodies were recovered on Monday, October 16 and in the following days, the respective families identified them as Orbeso and Nguyen, who were both from Orange County. On Friday, a release the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department Morongo Basin station said that the autopsy found “injuries consistent with a gunshot wound were located on both Nguyen and Orbeso.” It added, “Based on evidence located at the scene, detectives
believe Orbeso shot Nguyen, then shot himself.” Orbeso’s actions remain under investigation as the motive is unknown, as of this writing. The pair were last seen on July 27 and were thought to be missing after they failed to checkout out of their Airbnb in which they left their belongings. The owner of the Airbnb called the police after the two had not come back which then led to an extensive search. Before the bodies were identified by the San Bernardino Sheriff Coroner’s office to which they were sent, Orbeso’s father, Gilbert, was among the ones who found the bodies along with the Joshua Tree Search and Rescue (JOSAR) team. “It’s been a journey,” said Gilbert Orbeso to the Desert Sun earlier this week. “I’m glad
Federal judges blocks Trump’s... PAGE A1 t implementing the third draft of the president’s travel ban which barred U.S. travel from six countries on Tuesday, October 17, one day before it was set to go into effect. This means that the administration cannot restrict entry of travelers from six of the eight the affected countries listed in the ban: Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. Watson’s ruling, however, did not affect North Korea and Venezuela; the Trump administration is may prohibit
travel from those countries. Watson, who blocked previous versions of the ban earlier this year, wrote a 40-page decision that granted Hawaii’s request for a temporary nationwide restraining order of the ban. He wrote that Trump’s latest reincarnation of the ban “suffers from precisely the same maladies as its predecessor” and it “plainly discriminates based on nationality” that violates “the founding principles of this Nation.” Additionally, Watson wrote that the president has “wielded
we have a conclusion to this journey. We’re just in a different recovery process now.” Joseph Orbeso was said to be found embracing Rachel Nguyen to which Gilbert Orbeso described his son as a “caring, thoughtful” who was “clearly taking care of her.” Nguyen’s uncle Son Nguyen forwarded a statement to News Channel 3 that read: “We’re humbled and grateful for the outpouring of love and support from the public. We cannot thank enough the folks from San Bernardino Sheriffs, Joshua Tree Search and Rescue, volunteers, and all agencies involved in the search efforts. We also thank all of our family and friends for their prayers. We thank God for bringing peace and closure for our family.” (Rae Ann Varona / AJPress) his authority unlawfully.” The following day, U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang of Hawaii issued a less restrictive halt on the ban, allowing U.S. entry only for people who can prove a “bona fide” relationship or entity in the U.S. Like Watson, under the Hawaii judge’s ruling, U.S. entry from North Korean and Venezuelan nationals is still restricted per the ban. Granting a motion on behalf of plaintiffs led by the International Refugee Assistance Program (IRAP), Chuang’s decision to issue the block came from analyzing
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NAIA no longer on list of ‘worst airports’...
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ranked first place on the globe’s worst airports list. It landed in 4th place in 2014. The following year, it was no longer included in the world’s top ten worst airports but was rated 8th worst airport in Asia. In 2016, NAIA landed in the fifth spot on Asia’s worst airports, which the government attributed to the issue of “laglag-bala” or “bullet-planting” scheme, wherein personnel allegedly planted bullets in luggage to extort money from travellers. But this year, NAIA is also no longer among Asia’s top five worst airports list. Four Philippine regional airports likewise maintained its spot on the top 25 best airports in Asia. These include the Iloilo
International Airport, MactanCebu International Airport, Clark International Airport, and Davao International Airport. In a statement, Philippine Department of Transport (DOTr) Chief Arthur Tugade welcomed the travel website’s positive feedback as he vowed to continuous development of the country’s services. “Work, work, work lang. While it is good that we are not listed among the worst, let us work even harder to be included amongst the best,” Tugade said, reminding that there are several things yet to be improved at NAIA. “We should be careful that we do not backslide. The show must go on — and better!” he added. The DOTr also noted that since the new administration of Presi-
dent Rodrigo Duterte took over in June last year, there has been “no single incidence of a passenger missing a flight for possessing a bullet.” “Passengers no longer feel the need to wrap bags and luggages in plastic or masking tapes,” the department said. According to the DOTr, among the reforms implemented under the new administration were restriction on general aviation to prioritize commercial flights; reducing flight delays; and construction of Rapid Exit Taxiways to allow an aircraft to leave the runway at higher speed and increase flight movements. It likewise include provision of cleaner toilets additional seats, free Wi-Fi, and Well-Wishers’ Area. n
Palawan
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Cebu
AJPress file photos by Gemma Fabro
Three Philippine islands named...
land, Cebu City is more personal, with plenty of up-and-coming restaurants and shopping,” Traveler wrote, suggesting to readers to “get off the grid” and visit the Camotes Islands, a couple hours east of Cebu. The breath-taking tourist destination Palawan was third on the Traveler’s list. The small, but charming island is home to the famous Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, a “natural wonder” that travels five miles through an underground system of caves. “Guided boat tours take visitors down a portion of the waterway, where karsts, natural rock formations created by dissolving limestone, loom in every direction,” Traveler wrote. The following renowned islands that made the top 10, from top of the list, were Mallorca, Spain; Mykonos, Greece; Bermuda; St. Barts; Turks and Caicos; Bali, Indonesia and the Cayman Islands. Despite the increasingly tense political climate (portions of Mindanao are currently under martial law), tourism to the Philippines saw a 2.3 increase in 2016, according to the Philippines Statistics Authority. More than 300,000 travelers took part in the survey, according to Traveler’s website. n Echoing the transport chief’s remarks, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Ed Monreal said the latest result “is only as good as the last race.” “We are happy to hear the recent development [delisting of NAIA]. However, the bigger challenge now is on how we can maintain or even surpass this achievement. We are only good as the last race,” Monreal said. “The task ahead is enormous, we are wishing to be part of the list of the best airports in the future,” he added.
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California first state to pass law requiring only rescued animals to be sold in pet shops
California has passed a law that requires pet shops to sell solely rescued animals, to be enforced by 2019.
Inquirer.net photo
GOVeRNOR Jerry Brown signed the law Friday, Oct. 20 which requires pets such as dogs, cats and rabbits to be sourced from shelters or adoption centers, reports the Los Angeles Times. A fine of $500 (about P25,600) per non-rescue animal will be slapped on offenders.
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Down with puppy mills The bill, AB 485, aims to address operations such as “puppy millsâ€? which breed animals for commercial purposes. These “factoriesâ€? tend to keep animals in substandard conditions. “Puppy mills usually house dogs in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions without adequate veterinary care, food, water or socialization,â€? states the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) on its website. “In order to maximize profits, female dogs are bred at every opportunity with little-tono recovery time between litters.â€? According to the bill author, legislative assembly member Patrick O’Donnell, $250 million (about P12.8 billion) of California taxpayer money goes to shelters which euthanize animals. Commercial breeders resist bill The American Kennel Club and the California Retailers Association have expressed strong opposition to the bill. “AB 485 blocks all of California’s pet lovers from having access to professional, licensed and ethical commercial breeders,â€? Sheila Goffe, vice president of government relations for the American Kennel Club, said in the report. Overpopulation leads to animal abuse According to the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), overpopulation of dogs and cats is the top risk factor for animal abuse. The group also advocates adoption, and spay and neutering of pets, to address overpopulation. “When people are inconvenienced by too many cats or dogs, they turn to cruel dumping or releasing of their pets into the streets or sidewalks. In these situations, dumped ex-housepets are at the highest risk of getting run over or targeted by cruel individuals,â€? explains PAWS. Pets sent to city pounds in the Philippines also stand to be euthanized, and likely in a painful way. As the group states, “A humane death cannot be guaranteed because many of these pounds still use inhumane methods of putting animals down.â€? (NiĂąa V. Guno/Inquirer.net)
PORT VISIT. Three Russian Navy vessels – The Admiral Pantaleev and Admiral Vinogradov and Boris Butoma – are welcomed by the Philippine Navy as they dock in Manila’s South Harbor. The Russian vessels are in the country for a port visit and to deliver military equipment. ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma
Kobe Paras asks: ‘What if Jordan Clarkson and I played together for Gilas?’ IF you’ve ever wonder how it would look like if Kobe Paras and Jordan Clarkson are playing for the same team, you are not alone. Paras on Monday, Oct. 16 tweeted a photo of him with the Los Angeles guard. He captioned it: “Imagine what (Jordan Clarkson) and I would do if we were given a chance to play together for Gilas Pilipinas.� The 20-year-old Paras has represented the country numerous times. In 2017 alone, he donned the country’s colors in the FIBA 3x3 World Cup in France and the Williams Jones Cup; and was a vital cog in the Southeast Asian Games where he averaged 11.4 points per game. Clarkson, for his part, had repeatedly expressed his intent to represent the country. He was supposed to suit up for the Philippines in the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship, but the NBA’s current collective bargaining agreement barred him from playing. He was also included in the 17-man pool for the 2016 Rio Olympics qualifying tournament but was dropped due to time constraints and eligibility issues. The Filipino-American averaged 14.7 points, 2.6 assists and 1.1 steals in the 82 games he played for the Lakers last season. (Philstar.com)
Jordan Clarkson with Kobe Paras
Photo from Twitter/@_kokoparas
Fil-Am shot dead by fellow taxi passenger in PH by Marc Jayson
cayabyab
nand Marcon who picked them up at the victim’s residence. A 63-year-old Filipino AmeriFermo was suddenly shot can in Valenzuela City, Phil- by the suspect in the cab ippines was shot dead last when they reached McArthur Wednesday, Oct. 18 by an un- Highway in Barangay Daidentified man while they were landanan. both riding the same taxi. After shooting the victim, Antonio Fermo first met with the suspect got out and rode a the suspect at his house in Ba- white van parked nearby, which rangay Marulas at 2 p.m., sup- sped off to Barangay Malanday, posedly to discuss renting the police said. victim’s house, police said. Senior Police Officer 2 Felix Two hours later, the two Viernes, case investigator, said boarded a taxi driven by Ferde- police are looking for the susPhilstar.com
Federal judges blocks Trump’s... PAGE A3 t Trump’s rhetoric from his presidential campaign and his Twitter. Mirroring Watson’s reasons for implementing the block, Chuang was convinced that the latest ban proved to be an “inextricable reanimation� of the previous versions that were shut down by federal courts. The judge added that the plaintiffs, who are refugees from the affected countries, will likely “suffer irreparable harm in the absence of injunctive relief, and that the balance of equities and the public interest favor an injunction,� according to his official order. “To the extent that the Government might have provided additional evidence to establish that national security is now the primary purpose for the travel ban, it has not done so,� Chuang wrote in his ruling. In response to the two judges’
rulings, the Justice Department — on behalf of the Trump administration — formally filed an appeal to challenge the ruling from the Maryland judge. As of press time, it has not filed a notice of appeal in the Hawaii case. But in order to get the ban fully in effect, the Justice Department will have to win both cases; victories are needed in both the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit for the Maryland case and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit in the Hawaii case. Both appellate courts have previously ruled against the Trump administration in the second version of the travel ban. Trump’s third travel ban involved barring all entry into the U.S. of nationals from Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Chad and North Korea. Additionally, certain people from Iraq and Venezuela would face stricter security protocols, as previously reported
pect, described to be between 30 and 35 years of age. The two must have gone out so the suspect could make an advance payment on the rent, Viernes said. Police recovered two bullet casings and a slug from the vehicle. The bullets went through Fermo’s abdomen and his right cheek. Police are still investigating the taxi driver’s involvement and the motive for the killing, Viernes said. n by the Asian Journal. The ban also included stronger collaboration with foreign governments to strengthen identity-management protocols and information-sharing practices as a way to limit “risk-factors� when welcoming travelers from affected countries. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has been legally advocating on behalf of IRAP and condemned the administration for the third travel ban, maintaining that it is unconstitutional in that it still promotes Islamophobic policies. “Like the two versions before it, President Trump’s latest travel ban is still a Muslim ban at its core. And like the two before it, this one is going down to defeat in the courts. Religious discrimination with window dressing is still unconstitutional,� said Omar Jadwat, director of ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, said on Wednesday following the rulings from the two judges. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)
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Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage: How to choose by Judith
Graham Kaiser Health News
As health insurers struggle with shifting government policies and considerable uncertainty, one market remains remarkably stable: Medicare Advantage plans. That’s good news for seniors as they select coverage for the year ahead during Medicare’s annual open enrollment period (this year running from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7). For 2018, 2,317 Medicare Advantage plans will be available across the country, “the most we’ve seen since 2009,” said Gretchen Jacobson, associate director of the Kaiser Family Foundation’s program on Medicare policy. (Kaiser Health News is an editorially independent program of the foundation.) Medicare Advantage is an alternative to traditional Medicare. Run by private insurance companies, the plans — mostly health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and preferred provider organizations (PPOs) — are expected to serve a record 20.4 million people next year, or slightly more than one-third of Medicare’s 59 million members. On average, seniors will have a choice of 21 plans, though in some counties and large metropolitan areas at least 40 plans will be accessible, Jacobson said. Availability tends to be far more restricted in rural locations. While a few insurers are enter-
Photo courtesy of Kaiser Health News
ing or exiting the Medicare Ad- provide the same benefits offered vantage market, most established through traditional Medicare players are remaining in place. (services from hospitals, physiEight insurers dominate the mar- cians, home health care agencies, ket: UnitedHealthcare, Humana, laboratories, medical equipment Anthem, plans affiliated with Blue companies and rehabilitation faCross and Blue shield, Kaiser cilities, among others). Nearly 90 Permanente, Aetna, Cigna and percent of plans also supply drug WellCare. (Kaiser Health News is coverage. In 2018, 68 percent of plans ofunaffiliated with Kaiser Permanfered will be HMOs, while 27 perente.) Despite Medicare Advantage cent will be PPOs, Jacobson said. plans’ increasing popularity, sev- The remainder are small, speeral features — notably, the costs cialized plans that are expected that older adults face in these to have relatively few members. plans and the extent to which In general, HMOs require memmembers’ choice of doctors and bers to seek care from a specific hospitals is restricted — remain network of hospital and doctors while PPOs allow members to obpoorly understood. Here are some essential facts tain care from providers outside the network, at a significantly to consider: higher cost. The basics Pros and cons Medicare Advantage plans must
Philstar.com photo
Half of Filipinos favor autocratic rule, Pew poll says by audrey
morallo Philstar.com
DEsPITE strong satisfaction with the way democracy is working, five in 10 Filipinos are still open to an autocratic form of government, a global Pew Research Center survey found. According to Pew Research, 50 percent of Filipinos favor autocracy, bucking a global trend in which only around three in 10 people support a system with a strong leader who can make decisions without interference from parliament or the courts. Almost half of the Filipinos polled think that rule by a strong leader will be bad, and of this figure 21 percent opine that such as system will be “very bad.” “In Asia, 55% of Indians, 52% of Indonesians and 50% of Filipinos favor autocracy. such support is particularly intense in India, where 27% very strongly back a strong leader,” Pew said in a report released this week. One factor that could determine support for military government is education, according to Pew. Although lower than the support for autocracy, 47 percent among the less educated in the Philippines think that a military government will be good for the country, in contrast to around 56 percent who say that a system run by generals will be bad. In contrast, 37 percent of those surveyed with more education support an administration run by generals. “Particularly strong backing for military rule also exists among the less educated in Vietnam (76%), Nigeria (57%), Kenya (49%) and the Philippines (47%),” Pew said. Mindanao, the second largest island in the country home to around 22 million Filipinos, is currently under martial law as security forces continue to battle a small band of Islamic state-inspired militants still occupying a small area of Marawi City which has been under siege since May. President Rodrigo Duterte said martial law is needed to completely quash the threat posed by Islamist militants who tried to establish a local province of IsIs in the region. Critics, however, contended that military rule would result in an erosion of civil liberties and commission of human rights violations. Views on technocracy, democracy Countries in Asia Pacific, in-
cluding the Philippines, also see the merit of a government ruled by experts or technocracy, according to the polling agency. sixty-two percent of Filipinos think that a government run by experts will be good while only 34 percent say otherwise. Despite these tendencies, Filipinos polled are still found to be supportive of representative democracy, with 82 percent of those surveyed saying that such a government system is good while only 16 percent said it is bad. This is higher by two percentage points than the global median for support for representative democracy, Pew said. According to survey firm, representative democracy refers to a system of governance in which representatives elected by citizens decide what becomes law and is the mode of government in one form or another in most of the 38 countries surveyed. Filipinos also favor direct democracy, a system in which citizens, not elected officials, vote directly on major national issues, Pew said. A little less than seven in 10 Filipinos see direct democracy as good while only 29 percent deem it bad, it said. Filipinos who participated in the survey are also generally satisfied with the way democracy is working in the country. seven in 10 Filipinos say that they are satisfied with the country’s democracy while only 31 percent say otherwise. “Overall, people in the Asia-Pacific region are the most happy with their democracies. At least half in five of the six Asian nations where this question was asked express satisfaction,” Pew said. In terms of trust in the government, 36 percent of those polled have a lot of trust in the government while 44 percent say they somewhat trust the administration. According to Pew, support for the party in power and the country’s economic growth are some of the important drivers of its people’s trust and satisfaction with its government. “Publics that have experienced a higher level of economic growth over the past five years tend to have more confidence in their national government to do the right thing for their country,” it said. The Pew Research Center was conducted in 38 countries with 41,943 respondents from February 16 to May 8 this year. n
LETTING OFF STEAM. Members of Anakbayan Youth group shout slogans during a lightning rally held near the gates of Malacañang on Thursday, Oct. 19. The group slammed the government’s alleged brutal attacks on the people. ManilaTimes.net photo by Nica Gallardo
The Center for Medicare Advocacy recently summarized the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage plans. On the plus side, it cited: • Little paperwork. (Plan members don’t have to submit claims, in most cases.) • An emphasis on preventive care. • Extra benefits, such as vision care, dental care and hearing exams, that aren’t offered under traditional Medicare. • An all-in-one approach to coverage. (Notably, members typically don’t have to purchase supplemental Medigap coverage
or a standalone drug plan.) • Cost controls, including a cap on out-of-pocket costs for physician and hospital services (Medicare Part A and B benefits). On the negative side, it cited: • Access is limited to hospitals and doctors within plan networks. (Traditional Medicare allows seniors to go to whichever doctor or hospital they want.) • Techniques to manage medical care that can erect barriers to accessing care (for example, getting prior approval from a primary care doctor before seeing a specialist). • Financial incentives to limit
services. (Medicare Advantage plans receive a set per-memberper-month fee from the government and risk losing money if medical expenses exceed payments.) • Limits on care members can get when traveling. (Generally, only emergency care and urgent care is covered.) • The potential for higher costs for specific services in some circumstances. (some plans charge more than traditional Medicare for a short hospital stay, home health care or medical equipment such as oxygen, for instance.)
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A october 21-24, 2017 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JoUrNAL
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US: We will not ignore China’s challenge to rules-based order by Patricia Lourdes Philstar.com
HARD LIFE. A girl gathers materials that she can recycle or sell at the murky waters of Navotas Bay. The latest Pulse Asia Survey showed that more than illegal drugs, most Filipinos are worried about rising cost of goods and services. ManilaTimes.net photo by Rene Dilan
Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage... PAGE A5 t • Lack of flexibility. Once someone enrolls in Medicare Advantage, they’re locked in for the year. There are two exceptions: a special disenrollment period from Jan. 1 to Feb. 14 (anyone who leaves during this time must go back to traditional Medicare) and a chance to make changes during open enrollment (shifting to a different plan or going back to traditional Medicare are options at this point). Medigap implications Choosing a Medicare Advantage plan has implications for the future as well as the present. Notably, if someone enrolls in a Medicare Advantage plan when she first joins Medicare and stays with a plan for at least a year, she may not qualify for supplemental Medigap coverage if she wants to join traditional Medicare at a later date. Medigap policies cover charges such as deductibles, coinsurance and copayments that seniors with Medicare coverage are expected to pay out-of-pocket. People who join Medicare for the first time are guaranteed access to Medigap policies, no matter what their health status is, only for a limited time. Afterward, they can be denied coverage based on their health in most states. Parsing costs There’s a widespread perception that Medicare Advantage plans cost less than traditional Medicare. But actual costs depend on an individual’s circumstances and aren’t always easy to calculate. Seniors often first consider what they’ll pay in monthly premiums. This year, the average monthly premium for Medicare Advantage plans is $30, almost $2 below last year’s. But nearly half of Medicare members are enrolled in plans that don’t charge a monthly premium — so-called zero premium plans. (Seniors also need to pay Medicare Part B premiums, although some Medicare Advantage plans cover some or all of that charge.) To get a full picture of plan
costs, which can vary annually, seniors should look beyond premiums to drug expenses (including which drugs are covered by their plan, at what level and with what restrictions); deductibles (plans can charge deductibles for both medical services and drugs); what plans charge for hospital care (some have daily copayments for the first week or so); and coinsurance rates for services such as home health care or skilled nursing care, experts said. “It’s really critical that folks dip deep and find out about all possible costs they may incur in a plan before they sign up for it,” said Chris Reeg, director of Ohio’s Senior Health Insurance Information Program. (Every state has a program of this kind; find one near you at https://www.shiptacenter.org.) “Part of the equation has to be what you’ll have to pay if you need lots of care,” said David Lipschutz, senior policy attorney at the Center for Medicare Advocacy “In our experience, that’s often more than people expected.” Since 2011, Medicare Advantage plans have limited members’ annual out-of-pocket costs to no more than $6,700 — a form of financial protection. There is no similar limit in traditional Medicare. Yet, protection isn’t complete since out-of-pocket limits don’t apply to drug costs, which can be considerable. (In PPOs, a cap of $10,000 limits costs for services received from out-ofnetwork providers as well.) Plans have discretion in setting out-of-pocket limits. In 2018, 43 percent of plans will have out-ofpocket limits exceeding $6,000; 31 percent will set limits between $4,000 and $6,000; 20 percent will have limits between $3,000 and $4,000; and 6 percent will set limits beneath $3,000, according to a new Avalere Health analysis. Information about Medicare Advantage plans’ deductibles, copayments and coinsurances rates for medical services as well as coverage details for the medica-
tions you’re taking can be found at Medicare’s plan finder. Finding a doctor One way that Medicare Advantage plans try to control costs and coordinate care is by working with a limited group of physicians and hospitals. But reliable information about these networks is hard to find and published directories often contain mistaken or out-of-date information. “It’s not easy to determine who’s in-network for a Medicare Advantage plan,” said Fred Riccardi, director of client services at the Medicare Rights Center. “This information isn’t on Medicare’s website and there’s no one, streamlined way to search for information about provider networks across plans.” His advice to consumers: Call all your doctors to ask if they’re participating in a plan you’re considering. (Make sure you have your plan number when you do, because a single company may offer multiple plans in your market.) Making matters even more difficult: Plans can drop physicians or hospitals from their networks during the year, leaving members without access to trusted sources of care. A new report discloses data about the size of Medicare Advantage plans’ physician networks for the first time. It finds that, on average, Medicare Advantage HMOs included 42 percent of physicians in a county in their networks while PPOs included 57 percent. Altogether, 35 percent of Medicare Advantage members are in plans with narrow physician networks, which tend to be the cheapest plans. Although this data highlights the choices that seniors have with regard to physicians, it doesn’t speak to the wait time they may encounter in accessing care, Jacobson said, adding that, to her knowledge, this kind of information about Medicare Advantage plans is not publicly available. KHN’s coverage related to aging & improving care of older adults is supported by The John A. Hartford Foundation. n
Viray
WHILE maintaining relations with Beijing, Washington stressed that it will not “shrink or ignore” its challenges to the international rules-based order. In his remarks on U.S.-India relations, U.S. State Secretary Rex Tillerson criticized China for its activities in the disputed South China Sea. “China’s provocative actions in the South China Sea directly challenge the international law and norms that the United States and India both stand for,” Tillerson said Thursday (Manila time). In a separate media briefing, the U.S. State Department noted that international order has been under a lot of strain. A senior U.S. State Department official added that Tillerson said that he wanted constructive relations with China and that he is in regular contact with the Chi-
nese leadership. “China has risen alongside India, but China has done so less responsibly and China has undermined the international rulesbased order while countries like India operate within this rulesbased order,” the State Department said. The official added that the US has supported the rise of both China and India, which have “risen very differently.” “But we are not going to shrink or ignore China’s challenges to the rules-based order, or where China subverts the sovereignty of neighboring countries,” the US State Department said. “And when you look, as the Secretary (Tillerson) said about the shared values, shared security, shared national security interests, shared economies, shared democracies, this is a great friendship that we want to expand and deepen on all ar-
eas,” the official added. Earlier this year, Tillerson accused Beijing of using its economic power to evade issues such as the South China Sea dispute and the tension on the Korean Peninsula. “We desire productive relationships, but we cannot allow China to use its economic power to buy its way out of other problems, whether its militarizing islands in the South China Sea or failing to put appropriate pressure on North Korea,” Tillerson said in Sydney last June. China has been undermining the 2016 award issued by an international arbitral tribunal under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The tribunal ruled that China violated its commitment under the UNCLOS when it constructed artificial islands within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. n
How other countries helped regain Marawi by Patricia Lourdes Philstar.com
Viray
FOREIgN aid, through technical assistance and financial support, poured into the country as government security forces fought with the Maute terror group to regain control of Marawi City. As the battle in strife-torn Marawi comes to an end, the government is looking to start its reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts in the city. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana earlier said that more than P50 billion would be needed to cover the repair and construction of government and private infrastructure. Foreign governments have so far pledged around P2 billion for Marawi. Asia In September, Lorenzana announced that Japan and Thailand have pledged P100 million each for Marawi rehabilitation. On June 27, the Chinese government donated P15 billion for the relief operations in Marawi. Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua presented the check to President Rodrigo Duterte as a sign of the “flourishing partnership” between the Philippines and China. As of September, China has donated a total of P85 million, according to Lorenzana. “The said donation from China to the Philippines is an example of the flourishing partnership between the two countries and their shared commitment towards sustainable peace in the region,” Malacañang said in a statement. Europe Despite the earlier announcement of the Duterte administration not to accept new funds from the European Union, the European Commission has pledged to provide 850,000 euros or about P49 million in humanitarian aid to the country. EU funding will mostly focus on the provision of food, water supply, healthcare, hygiene kits, sanitation facilities and essential
household items. “This grant from the EU will support the delivery of immediate life-saving assistance to those most in need and contribute to increased protection of populations affected by the conflict,” said Pedro-Luis Rojo, head of the East, Southeast Asia and Pacific Regional office for the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. United States Last September 5, the US announced that it will provide P730 million (approximately $15 million) for ongoing relief operations in Marawi City. Through the United States Agency for International Development, P153 million will be used for humanitarian assistance while over P577 million will be allotted for the stabilization and rehabilitation of the city. “I should note that these efforts are just the latest installment of U.S. government non-military assistance that totals 65 billion pesos in the past six years,” US Ambassador Sung Kim said. Aside from financial assistance, the U.S. has also provided equip-
Philstar.com photo
ment to the Armed Forces of the Philippines including two Cessna C-208 aircraft worth P1.5 billion. Washington also recently U.S. delivers weapons for PAF amid Marawi siege to the military as support to its counterterrorism efforts in Marawi. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has admitted that the U.S. has provided a lot of assistance to the Philippines in its operations in Marawi City. “It’s not publicized but the U.S. helped us a lot in Marawi: gadgets, drones, surveillance, info from Middle East,” Lorenzana said. Australia Australia had also provided financial and military assistance to the country in its fight against ISIS-inspired militants in Marawi. On June 23, the Australian government sent two AP-3C Orion aircraft from the Royal Australian Air Force to provide surveillance support to government troops. Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop had also announced that their government will provide $20 million worth of assistance over four years to civilians affected by the Marawi conflict. n
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Duterte claims minors nabbed Canada’s Trudeau expected to in drug ops are couriers, runners attend ASEAN summit in Manila by Kristine Joy
Philstar.com
by Patricia Lourdes
Patag
MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, Oct. 19 claimed that minors arrested by the police in anti-drug operations are drug couriers, citing Kian Delos Santos’s case. In a speech during the 43rd Philippine Business Conference and Expo concluding ceremony, Duterte lamented: “Why is it that in every arrest, during the night, there is always a minor and a person of age? Why?” “Because this is the courier, this is the runner,” Duterte said. There is no data to support that there is always a minor arrested in drug operations. News reports on buy-bust operations and raids tend to disprove the president’s claim. Among the latest killed under the government’s drug war is 17-year-old Kian Delos Santos, who was killed by Caloocan police on the night of August 16 during a “One Time, Big Time” operation. Duterte, in the same speech, cited Delos Santos’ case, adding that he is “not attributing it to anybody,” but challenged the audiences to explain why are there minors arrested in antidrug operations. Human rights groups have estimated that as many as 13,000 have been killed in the government’s bloody war but government data releases say around 3,900 drug “personalities” have been killed in police operations. Other deaths have been classified as homicides and murders. Kian Delos Santos, a drug runner? In the defenses filed at the Department of Justice by relieved Caloocan cops implicated in Delos Santos’ case, they blamed the Grade 11 student for his own death. Chief Inspector Amor Cerillo, sacked Caloocan Police Community Precinct 7 head, stated in his counter-affidavit: “If only Kian Delos Santos did not engage our police officers in a shootout, that tragic incident would not have happened.”
Philstar.com
Pres. Rodrigo Duterte
He reiterated that during the August 16 operations, three other minors were rounded up by the police but “it is only Kian Delos Santos who ran away and worse engaged our police officers in the shootout.” Cerillo said: “The fact that one
Philstar.com photo
minor was turned over to the Caloocan City Social Welfare Department and the other two minors were turned over the barangay, it shows and proves that respondent has educated and supervised his personnel
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Viray
MANILA — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to attend the ASEAN Summit in Manila, the Philippines’ top diplomat confirmed Thursday, Oct. 19. Last August, President Rodrigo Duterte issued an invitation for Trudeau to attend the summit in November as guest of the chair. “Yes, we’re expecting Trudeau,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano told reporters at the sidelines of the ASEAN High Level Forum on Thursday. Trudeau may attend the ASEAN-Canada 40th anniversary commemorative summit which is scheduled on November 14. Cayetano also said that United Nations Secretary General An-
tónio Guterres has confirmed his attendance to the summit. China’s Xi, Russia’s Putin might miss Manila summit Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, might not attend
the meetings in Manila as they will also participate in the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in Vietnam. “President Xi Jinping will be in APEC while Premier Li (Keq-
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A8 OCTOBER 21-24, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
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AFTER hitting rock bottom, there’s no other way to go but up. Never mind if it took some time: the Ninoy Aquino International Airport is finally out of the list of the world’s worst airports. People voting in the popular travel website The Guide to Sleeping in Airports have excluded the NAIA from the world’s 20 worst gateways. The new team at the NAIA now has two missions. One is to remain out of the worst list. The other is to aim for entry into the ranks of the world’s best. The state of disrepair of the NAIA Terminal 1, together with stories of extortion by airport personnel compounded later by the bullet-planting scandal, put the NAIA at the top of the worst list from 2011 to 2013. It improved to fourth worst in 2015 and eighth worst in Asia, and was rated the fifth worst in the region as of last year. Betraying a failure to understand the functions of a modern airport, air transport officials in the previous administration said airports are not meant for sleeping. This was aggravated by the fact that the NAIA suffered in comparison with other main gateways in this part of the world. Asia is home to airports competing to be the world’s
best, among them South Korea’s Incheon airport and Singapore’s Changi, with airports in Japan, China and Taiwan also aiming for No. 1. Malaysia and Thailand are moving to catch up. Renovations at the original NAIA terminal and the full operation of the NAIA 3 gradually improved travelers’ perceptions of the NAIA. One of President Duterte’s earliest moves was to put an end to the bullet planting. The improvements, however, can be reversed. Long lines at NAIA immigration counters persist. Congestion continues to delay flights, whether taking off or landing. At the Centennial Terminal 2, the air conditioning breakdown is starting to rival the chronic glitches in the Metro Rail Transit 3. Staying out of the worst list is a continuing effort. Rankings are only as good as the last survey. (Philstar.com)
Editorial
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Prayers and help for the victims of the California wildfires
The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS OUR HEARTS go out to the victims of the California wildfires that have been devastating many parts of the wine country in Northern California this month. This is personal to me as our friends who live in Santa Rosa are among those whose lives will forever be changed by this tragedy. Dr. Marlon De Castro, wife Ina De Castro, their two boys and their dog had to evacuate their home in the wee hours of Sunday, October 8, when their next
door neighbor called them up to alert them about the fire. Ina, who usually mutes her phone at night, was so tired that day that she forgot to turn the ringer off. It was divine intercession indeed to save their family because when she looked out the window, she saw the blaze burning so near it appeared to be on the verge of engulfing their neighborhood. Marlon and Ina immediately took the kids, dog, a few clothes, and valuables like photo albums and documents to their cars and headed off to safer grounds. The De Castros finally took shelter in their friends’ home in San Francisco, and later on were welcomed by our common fam-
ily friends Dr. Jojo and Lulu de Pala in their home in Petaluma. Their family could not go back to their neighborhood up to now because of the mandatory off limits imposed by the city as the air quality in the disaster areas remained to be dangerous. Based on what they had been hearing from local news reports, their neighborhood in Santa Rosa had been decimated to ashes. Marlon and Ina thought they had lost the house they have worked so hard for, the home where they have raised their family and made so many memories — until they got a call from one of the neighbors who told them that the De Castro’s
home was the only one house still standing in their neighborhood. The De Castros’ home had been spared, and this was indeed a miracle for them. Their home insurance company told them it may take about six months to a year for the damage caused by smoke and intense heat to be repaired. They would have to be housed in a rental home before they could go back to Santa Rosa. While it will be a long time before their lives go back to normal, the De Castros are grateful they are safe, alive, and that they can still go back to their home. Other families have not been as fortunate.
As of press time, 42 people have died, including Filipina caregiver Teresa Santos. As The Filipino Channel’s daily newscast “Balitang America” reported, almost 7,000 homes and other buildings were destroyed by the wildfires. The California State Insurance Commission estimated that the blazes will cost at least $1 billion in damages. Officials say the total damage cost, particularly to insured properties, is expected to rise. More than 15,000 remain evacuated as of Thursday, October 19, as tens of thousands have been allowed to return to their homes. Last week, about 100,000 had to leave their
homes. BALITANG AMERICA and ABS-CBN Foundation International are supporting communities affected by the devastating wildfires. Your donation of a small amount of $5 or $10 can already provide packed relief good items and comfort kits for each evacuee. To donate, visit ABSCBNFOUNDATION.ORG or call 1(800) 527-2820. *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https:// www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
Shepherd of his slaughtered sheep: Their stories entered our bodies What is the US president missing?: One American’s point of view Rhizomes Commentary PROSY ABARQUEZDELACRUZ, J.D. “Using a lot of primary sources and interviews, [Raissa] Robles wrote an account of the atrocities that happened during the Marcos Years that is different from what was written before. She not only documented the experiences of the victims, rather, she also sought the perspective from the other side – those of the punishers and executioners. She produced an account of an aspect of the regime which is truthful, comprehensive, readable, at times touching, but engaged—which is the most important thing—making a stand after seeing the facts. If this is not scholarship, I don’t know what is.” – Prof. Michael Charleston “Xiao” Chua, historian, De La Salle University, Manila RIDING in tandem and 10,000 funerals When investigative journalist Raissa Robles shared the Philippines’ experience of “riding in tandem,” at a UCLA seminar on Monday, October 16, she was not referring to the common manner of hailing a motorbike and the passenger seated at the rear, a form of commuting in the provinces. She was describing riding in tandem, with the driver in front and a rear passenger, equipped with a gun, shooting and killing would-be targets. On a visit to a Los Angeles church on Thursday, October 5, Bishop Pablo David described himself as a “shepherd of his slaughtered sheep.” It is a take on what Pope Francis taught his seminarians then, to reach out to folks and they would come
JOHN DAVIS
Raissa Robles at UCLA’s Bunche Hall
Bishop Pablo “Ambo” David at a Los Angeles church
back with mud on their boots to the seminary. “My diocese is a marginal, neglected diocese, nasa laylayan ng Metro Manila (on the seams of Metro Manila). It is composed of 27 parishes and 32 incardinated priests and encompasses 2 million parishioners who live in Caloocan, Navotas and Malabon,” he said. In Pampanga, where he was last assigned, it had 95 parishes and 150 priests for the same population. “When the new government started, it was respectful of people’s opinions. This government [of Pres. Duterte] was voted by 16 million people, so I respect that,” he added. But then, great disillusionment and great disappointment of corruption ensued, while some held onto their beliefs that the Philippines needed a leader like Lee Kuan Yew, the Prime Minister of Singapore, with “kamay na bakal (fists of steel)”, he continued. Then, the extrajudicial killings started to happen in July 2016. The new president had
just been installed in office. According to Bishop David, it was a lot of killings but the bishops wanted to confirm first before issuing a pastoral statement, as there was a proliferation of drugs and the new government has to fight this problem comprehensively. But, it is a policy gone wrong, Bishop David said. He likened the drug wars “to burning a house to kill some mice,” and soon, the killings got folks worried about the daily findings of dead bodies. He watched killings reported on television but, the killings started to cluster in Caloocan, prompting him to call the parish priest and say, “Have you heard of this killing? Have you blessed the dead?” By September of last year, he met the night crawlers, reporters working at night who would hang out at key places to wait for news so that they can keep tabs on who were killed each night. One category kept emerging, “Nanlaban sa police (Those who resisted the police),” while
Photos by Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D.
the other category was “DUI” – deaths under investigations, perpetrated by men wearing ski masks, where the suspects are abducted, and left dead in the gutters, with a sign “Drug addict ako – don’t imitate me.” “They are already [on] the margins of society, still in the margins of the church,” he said, so he waived the fees for funerals. The dead in Caloocan started to get blessings of the sacraments. He started wondering: Why have most casualties come from Navotas, Caloocan and Malabon? He was told that they have lots of drug pushers and drug addicts. With Caloocan’s 1 million population and Navotas with less population, they were comparable in the statistics of killings. “Pantay sa statistics ng drug war,” he said. Which led to a question, what about the big drug suppliers – “wherein 23 containers of shabu (estimated value of P22 billion) got passed through the green lane, leaving only five contain-
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COULD our American President Donald J. Trump be missing something? I mean something real. Something physical. Something psychological. I believe he is. When after 12 days he finally acknowledged that we lost 4 precious souls in an ambush in Niger, Africa. The largest number of military deaths in one battle incident since he was sworn in on January 20th of this year, he drops the emotional ball. These were 4 American Green Beret Soldiers. But more importantly, these were sons, husbands, brothers, uncles... and three of them were fathers. Imagine the heartbreak those surviving family members are feeling. On Monday, October 15th, he was asked by the press if he has contacted the families of the fallen soldiers, he said he wrote letters, but was vague about whether he would call. Although he says he likes to usually do both. Then of course he tried to deflect criticism by saying Barrack Obama didn’t call families. Which is incorrect. The next day he called the family of 25 year old Sgt. La David Johnson who was the married father of 2 with one on the way. As his wife, Aunt and a U.S. Congresswoman, who is family friend, were en route to the airport to receive Sgt. Johnson’s remains Trump called. Along with his condolences to the family, he said “you know that this could happen when you signed up for
it. But it still hurts.” It still hurts? It’s just beginning to hurt for this family and will change the lives and destiny of his wife and 3 children. “BUT it still hurts”. PLEASE! He never mentioned La David by name, he kept referring to him as “your guy.” No Mr. President he was OUR guy. He gave his life for OUR country. After the call, his grieving widow Myeshia said. “And the worst part of it “he didn’t even remember his name.” So, back to my original point. What is our President missing? I truly believe he lacks Compassion and the ability to be compassionate. Webster’s Dictionary defines it as sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it. You can call it the compassion gene, or the caring bone. Whatever you say when you feel people are not kind on a regular basis. Especially to others in need of a kind word or understanding. Compassion comes from a specific part of our brain. Mary Helen Immordino-Yang and colleagues at the Brain and Creativity Institute, at the University of Southern California studied strong feelings of compassion for social and physical pain in others. The neuropsychology of the brain’s compassionate emotions in relation to others has effects on the prefrontal cortex, inferior frontal cortex, and the midbrain. I truly believe our American President lacks the neurotransmitters or electricity in the brain to stimulate compassionate feelings and behavior. Sad isn’t it? That this is the man who is supposed to be our country’s ‘Consoler in Chief’. But we shouldn’t be surprised. Trump has shown his contempt
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The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.
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Shepherd of his slaughtered sheep: Their stories... PAGE A8 t ers of shabu worth P6.5 billion, when the warehouse was raided.” P22 billion pesos worth of shabu were snuck out already. We are not pursuing the real war on drugs, according to the bishop, as it is being fought too quickly but the policy did not define the enemies, the allies and how to do it. From October 2016, there have been daily findings of two to 10 cadavers on the streets. The DUIs, deaths under investigations, were never resolved, as there was no evidence and there was no list of casualties from the police and their data came from the news reporters, the bishop continued. Then on Dec. 28, 2016, a group of unidentified assailants, known as “bonnet gang,” was looking for JR. They approached a group of young men gathered in front of the house, looking for JR. These men killed all four, two of whom were 16 years old, while the others were 15 and 19. The gang went inside the house and they also killed the parents of these young men, one of whom was a pregnant woman. In five minutes, eight folks died. Three days later, three more JRs were killed. Bishop David referred to it as ‘Hit and Miss’ killings, reminding him of the Japanesemakapilis (those who pointed to Filipinos, who were then killed by the Japanese soldiers), during World War II. The bishop decided to collaborate with the mayor who in turn acknowledged that the mayor’s office, when apprised of a raid by the police, would subsequently turn off the street lights and the CCTV. The net effect: no evidence of random slaughter of the citizens. When Kian delos Santos was killed in August of this year, it ignited a firestorm of backlash. He was 17 years old at the time of his death and was about to graduate from high school. He reportedly pleaded with his captors to have mercy on him as he had exams the next day. His dream was to be a cadet and he was a supporter of Pres. Duterte’s war on drugs. Police alleged Kian resisted and they suspected Kian to be a drug mule. Yet, witnesses and the CCTV footage revealed Kian was dragged and made to run while police claimed he shot his firearm. A firearm was recov-
ered in his left hand, and yet, Kian was right-handed. Crux Now published a report on August 28 that said, “More than 3,200 drug suspects have been gunned down by police since Duterte launched his crackdown in July 2016. More than 2,000 others have died in drug-related killings, including attacks by motorcycle-riding masked gunmen, who human rights groups allege are policemen in disguise or their civilian hit men.” In the report, Jesuit Father Antonio Moreno was quoted as saying, “We cannot build the Philippine nation on the cadavers of the Filipino people.” Bishop David described one victim with 32 pricks of ice picks and gouged eyes, recalling what tortured victims had gone through during the Marcos years decades earlier. Marcos’ martial law: Never again Raissa Robles’ book begins with “The Boy Who Fell From The Sky,” a story of 16-year-old Luis Manuel “Boyet” Mijares, son of Primitivo Mijares, a former aide of the dictator, Ferdinand Marcos. Luis Mijares’ body was dropped from a military helicopter circling around Antipolo and the examining doctor counted 33 shallow wounds, apparently gouged with an ice pick, as written on page 1. The parallels are chilling in terms of the torture techniques, making Robles’ claim persuasive, that the police and military learned these methods of torture from Fort Bragg. Liliosa Hilao, a student at the University of the City of Manila, was about to graduate summa cum laude when she was taken to Camp Crame, the headquarters of the Philippine Constabulary. Her family was told she committed suicide. Primitivo Mijares confirmed knowing about this body, and goes on to say on page 58 of Robles’ book, “When the victim’s body was turned over to the family, it was clothed in Lily’s bloodied and torn skirt, while the entire torso was covered with bandages. Her underclothing was missing and her face, especially her mouth, was scorched by muriatic acid. Her neck and throat were badly punctured. Two pin punctures were found on the arm.” According to Robles, “Mijares
claimed that her torturers tried to mask the real cause of her death.” On page 27, she outlines the seven elements of Marcos’ plan to grab power: 1) Control the military and police; 2) Control the Supreme Court; 3) Undermine the Philippine public’s faith in democracy; 4) Exploit and abet lawlessness and instability; 5) Exaggerate the Communist threat; 6) Get U.S. backing; and 7) Hijack the Constitutional Convention. In her talks in San Francisco and Los Angeles, Robles drew clear examples of how Duterte is following the playbook of Marcos. She described how the current president has cultivated the loyalties of the military and police quite early after he was inaugurated into office. He has also silenced his main opposition and jailed Sen. Leila de Lima as an accomplice of drug pushers. Now, an impeachment case has been initiated against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. Of Robles’ book, Candy Quimpo-Gourlay wrote, “the accounts are harrowing, many perpetrators are at large, and the martial law story clearly remains unfinished.” Removal of the black veil Bishop David has set up rehabilitation centers for drug addicts, hoping to save lives and divert them away from drug addiction. He called his first rehabilitation center, Salubong, reminiscent of the removal of the black veil from a sorrowful Virgin Mary, with an angel suspended in mid-air and tasked to remove the veil. When the bishop presided over the Salubong ritual in his diocese, he saw the people in tears. He realized that the Salubong is a form of prayer — it is like our lives are covered by a black veil of misery and yearning for a glimpse of Resurrection and to have a glimpse of God’s light in our lives in the Philippines. He partnered with the local government and encouraged their collaboration to train counselors, with psychologists to assist in rehabilitation work. He believes that the government can really stop the killings, instead of the police resorting to Tokhang (bang bang), where they do the arrests, searches and seizures without the benefit of warrants and respect of
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 21-24, 2017
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A10 OctOber 21-24, 2017 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JOUrNAL
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The Inter-Parliamentary Union to send observer for De Lima trial by Dana
SioSon AJPress
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) will send a representative to the Philippines to monitor and report on the upcoming proceedings against Senator Leila De Lima. The IPU announced the decision on Wednesday, October 18 based on the report and recommendation of its human Rights Committee, which recently visited the country to check on the status of De Lima and the supposed extrajudicial killings (eJKs) under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. The organization, which is composed of national parliaments around the world, seeks to “protect and build global democracy through political dialogue and concrete action,” according to its website. In its recent report, the IPU noted that an observer is necessary to ensure a fair trial for the Filipina senator. “Should the criminal cases against Senator de Lima proceed, the delegation recommends that an IPU trial observer should mon-
itor and report on respect for fair trial standards,” the panel said. De Lima has been detained since February of this year and is facing three drug charges in connection with her alleged involvement in the proliferation of illegal drugs at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) during her term as the country’s justice secretary. She was accused of violating Section 5 of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, which penalizes the “sale, trading, administration, dispensation, delivery, distribution and transportation of illegal drugs.” The senator, a staunch critic of the administration, has repeatedly dismissed the charges against her as “political persecution.” The IPU called on the release of the senator, claiming that the charges against her were based on “dubious evidence and overreliance on testimonies of convicted drug inmates.” The delegation added that it also “fails to understand” how the accusations against the senator make sense, given that she was the one who took action against the alleged drug trafficking in the
NBP. “The delegation believes that there is no evidence to justify the criminal cases against Senator De Lima. It therefore calls on the relevant authorities to release her immediately and to seriously consider abandoning the legal proceedings should serious evidence not rapidly be forthcoming,” the IPU said. It further called on Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III to ensure that De Lima’s rights are protected as she faces the charges against her. De Lima expressed gratitude toward the IPU and vowed that she would not give up in the legal battle. “Despite the Duterte administration’s obvious effort to intimidate and silence me through my continued unjust detention, I am grateful that the Inter-Parliamentary Union vows to fight for my right to fair trial,” the senator said. She added, “I thank the IPU for defending my causes and vouching for my integrity. I know that my fight is not my fight alone as this is the fight for human rights, democracy and rule of law.” n
Trillanes files ethics complaint against Gordon by Dana
SioSon AJPress
SeNATOR Antonio Trillanes IV on Thursday, October 19, formally filed an ethics case against Senator Richard Gordon. In his complaint, Trillanes accused Gordon of committing “slander” and “unparliamentary acts, language and disorderly behavior” during several hearings. Citing their exchange of messages during a Senate blue ribbon hearing on the P6.4-billion worth of smuggled shabu on August 31, Trillanes said Gordon expressed “malicious utterances” when the latter called him a peddler of gossip. The opposition senator added that Gordon also accused him of turning the Senate into a “cockpit of tsismis.” Trillanes likewise noted that Gordon declared him “out of order” and decided to suspend the session by himself. “Needless to say, such words coming from a senator, especially when addressed to a colleague, clearly constitutes oral defama-
tion or slander as penalized by Article 358 of the revised Penal Code,” the complaint read. On the other hand, during the October 3, 2016 hearing of the Senate committees on justice and public order on the alleged extrajudicial killings in the country, Trillanes claimed Gordon “launched a vicious and vitriolic attack” and “maliciously attacked” Senator Leila De Lima. Trillanes pointed out that Gordon accused De Lima of “material concealment” when she allegedly failed to disclose early on the kidnap-for-ransom case filed against witness edgar Matobato, a self-confessed hitman of the Davao Death Squad. It can be recalled that Trillanes later presented transcripts before the Senate committee which showed that Matobato already disclosed the case against him. Trillanes demanded an apology but the latter refused. Trillanes added that Gordon also accused him and De Lima of deliberately allowing Matobato
to leave the Senate to avoid scrutiny of his testimonies. he claimed that Gordon made an “unfair and unwarranted” allegations against him and De Lima without asking them to explain their side. “Again, these allusions are in violation of Article 358 of the Revised Penal Code penalizing oral defamation or slander which besmirches my and Senator De Lima’s reputation in the Senate,” Trillanes said. According to Trillanes, Gordon’s “improper acts” were a violation of the Rules of the Senate, the Revised Penal Code, the Code of Conduct and ethical Standards for Public Officials and employees and/or Lawyers’ Code of Professional Responsibility. Last month, Gordon filed an ethics complaint against Trillanes. This was after Trillanes called Gordon’s panel “committee de absuwelto” (committee of exoneration) and accused the latter of “lawyering” for President Rodrigo Duterte and his family during the August 31 hearing. n
FIRST VISIT. President Rodrigo Duterte chats with inmates at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City. The president promised to provide a television set for each cell. ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma
Shepherd of his slaughtered sheep: Their stories...
PAGE A9 t
rights, reminiscent of Marcos’ martial law. he pointed to an example of the suspended Operation Tokhang from January to March 2017, when the killings stopped. he has now asked 27 parishes to ring all church bells at 8 p.m., much like what was done when the blood of the lamb was put on doorposts and the angel of death would pass the house and spare the residents inside during biblical times. he described another operation, “One Time, Big Time,” when in one night just months ago, 25 were killed in Tondo
and 32 were killed in Bulacan. “We cannot allow them to slaughter my sheep,” he said. “Just like exequiel the prophet, who denounced the false shepherds of Israel, when the president says: ‘Drug addicts are not human and criminals are not human,’ this is plain madness!” The bishop asserted, “The law is based on restorative justice, with all due respect, I disagree with the president. We are bound by the law, we are bound by the constitution, as a duly-elected president, they are not stray dogs and cats. Walang karapatan patayin sinuman (No one has the right
to kill anyone). *** 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.
What is the US president missing?...
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for anyone who isn’t currently kissing his ring, or showering him with praise. In 2015, he said he didn’t think Senator John McCain was a war hero. McCain was captured by the enemy in Vietnam, beaten, tortured and imprisoned for 5 years. Trump said “he’s not a war hero. he’s a war hero because he was cap-
tured. I like people who weren’t captured.” Wow Mr. President. hmmm, maybe Mr. Trump could have been nicer to the Johnson family. But he likes soldiers who DON’T get killed. John Davis - Just 1 of 301 U.S. Citizens *** John spent nearly 30 years in television, both in front and behind the camera. He
spent seven years at NBC television network as a Senior Field Producer, Feature Writer with NBC’s “Access Hollywood”. He was the Broadcast Producer for primetime NBC specials and was an occasional Field Producer for NBC’s “Dateline” episodes. John spent 5 years in New York as a host with FOX’s FX cable network. He also spent 9 years in Nashville as an entertainment reporter for TNN’s “Crook and Chase”. John is currently preparing to launch his own podcast.
Canada’s Trudeau expected to attend... PAGE A7 t
iang) will be here. I think President Putin will be in APeC and then [in Manila will be] Prime Minister (Dmitri) Medvedev,” Cayetano said. The Department of Foreign Af-
fairs is yet to release the final list of the heads of state who will be attending the ASeAN Summit in Manila. heads of state from ASeAN member states and major dialogue partners such as the US,
Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand are expected to attend the meetings. The european Union has also been invited as guest of the ASeAN chair. n
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 21-24, 2017
Duterte claims minors nabbed in drug... PAGE A7 t
FOR BETTER SERVICE. The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) received 150 brand new motorcycles and 485 bullet proof vests from the city government on Wednesday, Oct.18 at Camp Karingal. The donation is part of the several tranches of logistical equipment included in the 2017 procurement program from the Quezon City government, Mayor Herbert Bautista said. Inquirer.net photo
Palace: Martial law in Mindanao stays by Nestor
Corrales Inquirer.net
does not automatically result in the lifting of martial law,” Abella said during a media briefing in PReSIDeNT Rodrigo Duterte Malacañang. According to Abella, there are would not lift martial law in Mindanao even if radical leaders and still “remnants” of Maute supMarawi City siege instigators Is- porters, who have pledged allenilon Hapilon, Omar Maute, and giance to the Islamic State. “There are remnants includMalaysian Dr. Mahmud Ahmad ing networks supporting the were all dead. Presidential Spokesperson er- Maute cause within Mindanao. nesto Abella reiterated on Friday, The President is duty-bound not Oct. 20 the statement issued by to compromise public safety,” he Duterte that revoking the decla- pointed out. But Abella said President ration of martial law in Mindanao would not happen “until the last Duterte is set to convene the security cluster to discuss the isterrorist is taken out.” “The death of the ringleaders sues and draw the next actions of the Marawi rebellion, which in- that need to be taken by the govclude Omar Maute, Isnilon Hapi- ernment. “The Commander-in-Chief, lon, and Dr. Mahmud Ahmad,
however, will confer with the members of his Cabinet’s Security, Justice and Peace Cluster, particularly the Secretary of National Defense, who is the designated Martial Law Administrator; and the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, who is the designated Martial Law Implementor, on the necessary action to be taken,” he noted. Duterte placed the entire region of Mindanao under martial law after the local terrorist, Maute group, attacked Marawi City in a bid to establish an IS-inspired caliphate there. However, the 60-day martial rule in Mindanao was extended by Congress until December 31, 2017. n
Zero votes in 2016 polls ‘statistically improbable’ by reiNa leaNNe
toleNtiNo ManilaTimes.net
He told reporters that “’yung Calbayog, Samar, nagtataka kami… merong mga ballots na PReSIDeNTIAL adviser on po- from the 2013 elections and litical affairs Francis Tolentino on we’re referring to 2016 senatoFriday, Oct. 20 said he got zero rial elections so kinukwestyon votes in some towns, a result that namin ‘yun, bakit ‘yung laman was “statistically improbable,” nung iba are 2013 ballots [the adding that there were 2013 bal- Calbayog, Samar [ballot boxes], lots in some ballot boxes in Cal- we are wondering… there were bayog City, Samar. 2013 election ballots and we’re Tolentino, former chairman of referring to 2016 senatorial electhe Metropolitan Manila Devel- tions so we are questioning that, opment Authority who lost in the why the contents of some are 2016 senatorial elections, filed an 2013 ballots].” election protest last year against De Lima won the last of the 12 Sen. Leila de Lima. senatorial slots in the 2016 elecHe was at the Senate electoral tions, with Tolentino losing by Tribunal on the third day of a bal- 1,332,972 votes. lot recount. According to Tolentino, he got
zero votes in Isabela City, Sumisip and Tabuan-Lasa in Basilan; Turtle Islands in Tawi-Tawi; and Parang and Matanog in Maguindanao. “Kinukwestiyon namin iyon… kasi for instance… provincewide I won in Maguindanao. So statistically improbable naman na may towns ka na zero when you won in the province…even in the capital town,” he said [We are questioning that… because for instance… provincewide, I won in Maguindanao. So it is statistically improbable that you have towns where you got zero when you won in the province… even in the capital town].” n
in the proper conduct of Oplan Galugad.” During the Senate investigation on the rise of teenage killings in the anti-drug war, Senior Superintendent Chito Bersaluna , sacked Caloocan police chief, said they “validated” the teen’s alleged drug involvement through some social media posts after he was killed. Cerillo, in his counter-affidavit, stressed: “This is no longer surprising because it is a public knowledge that minors are being used by criminal syndicates in perpetrating crimes, particularly illegal drug trade.” No case or complaint was filed against Delos Santos before he was killed on August 16. Neither did he have a derogatory record in school or with the barangay government. Juvenile Justice law? Duterte also blamed Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan for letting minors impleaded in serious crime to go free, an inaccurate statement. This is essentially a repeat of his tirade against the senator in April. Pangilinan authored Republic Act 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, which held that a child under 15 years old who commits an offense shall remain exempted from criminal liability. Children in Conflict with the Law are, however, “subjected to an intervention program, unless [ they have] acted with discernment, in which case, such child shall be subjected to the appropriate proceedings in accordance with this Act.” Minors are also not exempt from civil liability. But Republic Act No. 10630, signed by former President Benigno Aquino III on July 23, 2012, effectively amended the Juvenile Justice law. Under the amended law, those between the ages of 1215 who commit parricide, murder, infanticide, kidnapping and serious illegal detention, rape, robbery, destructive arson, carnapping, or violate the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act “shall be deemed a neglected child” and be “mandatorily placed in special facility with youth care faculty or ‘Bahay Pag-asa’ called the Intensive Juvenile Intervention and Support Center.” Duterte said that Pangilinan
“created a vacuum” for the minors. He added: “ The right thing — Pangilinan, siguro should have done was, if there was this radical change in law at least he could have a colatilla or a condition provided that in cities and provinces there ought to be correctional facilities or halfway houses where the children are brought there and lectured upon of his role in the society, the sense of accountability in his character and the duty of being respon-
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sible for the community.” Laws are written and passed collectively, with both Houses of Congresses working on and passing their versions of a piece of legislature. Bills need approval from a committee before being deliberated on, amended and voted on in plenary. A bill also needs a president’s signature to be enacted. Bills can also lapse into law if a president fails to sign it within 30 days of being transmitted by Congress. n
A12 OctOber 21-24, 2017 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JOUrNAL
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 21-24, 2017
SHOWBIZ&STYLE
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Journal Tanduay Rum, Golden State Warriors Bea spends her 30th birthday with Gerald link up in historic partnership by Clarizel
abanilla Inquirer.net
by Joseph
RumoRed couple Bea Alonzo and Gerald Anderson were spotted again vacationing together, this time in Palawan, as part of the actress’ 30th birthday celebrations last oct. 17. In recent Instagram posts of fan page, @bearald_rock, photos and videos of their beach escapade were shared with the public. In one photo, the two are holding hands as they walk through a pedestrians’ boulevard jutting out into the sea. A simple birthday cake for Alonzo was also posted. enjoying the cool water activities in Palawan, the two were seen riding a jetski and diving into the
peralta
AJPress
oAKLANd, Calif. – Tanduay Rum, Asia’s first and the world’s largest dark rum brand, announced on Tuesday, october 17 that it will be an official partner of 2017 NBA Champion Golden State Warriors, marking a first for a Philippine brand to link up with an NBA championship team. The two-year partnership with an option for an extension became official via signing ceremonies at the Tanduay Rum Club at the mezzanine floor of the oracle Arena, with Tanduay Rum President Lucio Tan Jr. and Golden State Warriors Chief marketing officer Chip Bowers representing the two companies. “Tanduay is proud, and as basketball fans, thrilled to be associated with the Golden State Warriors,� said Lucio Tan Jr. in a release distributed to media. “The world champions of rum teamed with the 2017 NBA Champions? Let’s toast to that!� “With over 500,000 Facebook followers from the Philippines, and having a large Filipino following in the Bay Area, this partnership is a perfect fit for both our brands,� Chip Bowers stated in the same release. “This partner-
Tanduay Rum President Lucio Tan Jr. and Golden State Warriors Chief Marketing Officer Chip Bowers shake hands after the ceremony behind a backdrop featuring the Tanduay Rum and Golden State Warriors logos. AJPress photos by Joseph Peralta
ship is another great way we are able to engage with our fans at a global level.� As part of the partnership, Tanduay Rum will be designated as an official partner of the Golden State Warriors, as well as the title sponsor of the team’s Tanduay Rum Club inside oracle Arena, located at the mezzanine suite level. Tanduay Rum crafted, specialty cocktails will also be available at select beverage stands
throughout oracle Arena, and the company will have a variety of signage integrated throughout the venue. Tanduay Rum will also be a presenting sponsor of the Warriors’ Filipino Heritage Night on Sunday, october 29, as well as several other games within the year. “There is no better team than the Golden State Warriors,� Lucio PAGE B2
Bea Alonzo and Gerald Anderson in Palawan.
Photo from Instagram/@bearald_rock
crystal clear waters. Some of these activities were caught on video. The two prime Kapamilya actors and their friends were given a warm welcome by the resort staff.
Although they have not admitted the real status of their relationship, the photos and videos of their travels together suggest that they are indeed special to each other.
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*LSS! The Tanduay Bay cocktail uses the Tanduay Asian Rum Silver Edition, along with pineapple AJ Ad 100_Layout 1 10/19/17 4:06 PM Page 1 juice, lemon, bitters, ginger beer and Tanduay Asian Rum Gold and Silver editions are on display at the Tanduay Rum Club bar. grenadine syrup.
age gracefully
Souper Powered Pumpkin and Squash
Moringa Vegetable Soup Serves 2–4
1. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, boil the squash or pumpkin in the chicken stock for 10 minutes. 2. Add the eggplant, okra, and string beans, and boil the vegetables until they are tender, about 7–10 minutes. 3. While the soup is cooking, heat the oil in a sautÊ pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion and stir-fry until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. 4. Add the tomato to the sautÊ pan and continue cooking for 3 minutes. Add the flaked fish or fish sauce and cook an additional 5 minutes. 5. Remove soup from heat and stir in the sautÊ mixture. Add the moringa leaves or powder. Season with the salt and pepper.
Š 2017 by FoodTrients.com
BY GRACE O
You may only associate pumpkins with Halloween, but fresh pumpkins are available from October through February. They contain large amounts of potassium (33 percent more than a medium banana) and beta carotene without a boat-load of calories—49 per cup mashed. The high amounts of potassium in pumpkins works with sodium to balance the amount of water in the body. A diet high in potassium helps keep blood pressure at a healthy level and assists with the prevention of strokes. Pumpkins contain more than 2400 mcg of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which are important for eye health. I like to make a Moringa Vegetable Soup, which also contains powdered moringa leaves, pumpkin, eggplant, okra, onions and many other vegetables. The moringa leaf powder is rich in protein, vitamins A, B, C and minerals. It’s a delicious, high FoodTrient meal in a bowl! In Africa and Asia, where moringa plants grow in abundance, people add the tiny leaves to soups and stews just before serving. The leaves are wilted by the hot liquid but are not fully cooked, so their vitamins stay intact. I also like the flavor of moringa combined with squash, eggplant, and okra (another African ingredient). For this soup, any smoked fish, such as salmon, can be used. To make this soup vegan, use vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock and omit the fish or fish sauce. To give this soup an Asian flair, add 1 tablespoon of ginger root, cut into strips.
2 cups diced kabocha squash or pumpkin, seeds removed and rind on 1 quart chicken stock ž cup diced eggplant 9 pieces okra, cut in halves or thirds ž cup cut string beans Ÿ cup olive oil 2 tsp. minced garlic ½ cup diced onion ž cup diced medium tomato Ÿ lb. flaked smoked fish or 1 Tbs. fish sauce ½ cup fresh moringa leaves or 1 Tbs. moringa powder dissolved in 3-4 Tbs. warm water Sea salt and ground pepper to taste
GRACE O is the creator of FoodTrientsŽ, a unique program for optimizing wellness and longevity. She is the author of two award-winning cookbooks — The Age Gracefully Cookbook and The Age Beautifully Cookbook, which recently won Gourmand’s ‘Best in the World’ Award for Innovation. She is a fusion chef with a mission to deliver delicious recipes built on a foundation of anti-aging science and her 20 years in the healthcare industry. Visit FoodTrients.com to learn more. Email us at info@FoodTrients.com
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Barbie and Ken: Lovers or friends? by Lhar
Santiago ManilaTimes.net
In the middle of the press conference for the movie “This Time I’ll Be Sweeter” from Regal Entertainment, Ken Chan suddenly upped and left his seat. His leading lady, Barbie Forteza looked quite puzzled, all the more so when “Born For You” started playing through the speakers. Just as suddenly, Ken came into sight again, singing as he walked toward her with a bouquet of roses. Then speaking directly to the Barbie, Ken said, “When I was a student and dreaming to be an actor, I was making movies in my mind, imagining my leading lady was you. “When we did ‘Tween Hearts’,” he continued, “I was already happy we were in a project together kahit hindi tayo magka-partner so that ‘Meant to Be’ [as one of your leading men]made me happier. And now that we’re actually in a movie together, my dream has come true.” Asked to react to Ken’s grand gestures, Barbie said, “Nagulat talaga ko. When he left his seat, I was thinking he was just going to the men’s room. Before I knew it, he was heading back here singing. I saw the bouquet in the waiting room but I didn’t think that it was for me. Grabe naman ‘tong pasurprise ni Ken!” Since its online release, the movie’s trailer has counted hundreds of thousands of views and very positive feedback. Undoubtedly, Barbie and Ken are a hit love team, so much so that their fans
Barbie Forteza and Ken Chan
GMA photo
are hoping their chemistry turn into a real-life romance. But Barbie and Ken seem believe they’re just meant to be friends. “I can say that Barbie is the type of girl na hindi mahirap mahalin,” Ken admitted. “She is so caring, and you’ll feel it when you work with her. She’ll bring you food, send you coffee. I always tell her nga, I’m so spoiled already that I always look forward to whatever she has for me when she arrives on the set. Pero hanggang du’n lang kami. Parang we’ve decided that we will just be friends because as friends, we work well together. Hindi kami nagkaka-ilangan.” “I agree with Ken,” Barbie seconded. “As it is now, we really enjoy each other’s company. Nakakapagbiruan kami na hindi naiilang sa isa’t isa. “We’ve known each other for
over six years. There were times when we had separate projects and we didn’t see each other pero pag nagkita kami, nothing changes. The friendship remains and TV monitors within the Tanduay Rum Club will feature Tanduay Rum commercials and the company’s signature products during home games. that’s what we want to keep.” The GMA network teen star furthered, “Saka si Ken, competitive yan. When I send him food, PAGE B1 “We started here in the U.S. TV monitors within the Club and he will also send me kahit anong Tan Jr. told the media during knowing that there are a lot Oracle Arena state, “Tanduay makakain. When I send him cofa brief interview. “I have been of Filipinos here, especially in Asian Rum, Distinctly Filipino.” fee, he will send me a bigger cup “The best rum in the world following the Warriors since the California and new York. In the of coffee. ‘Yung parang ayaw na late ‘80s. The Warriors is the East Coast, we started with a is finally here in the U.S.,” Tan niya ko patulugin!” best fit for Tanduay because it partnership with the Barclays answered when asked what his “This Time I’ll Be Sweeter” is a championship team. There Center, which is home to the message would be to Filipino opens in theaters on november are also a lot of Filipinos in the Brooklyn nets. We will be part of Americans. “I’ve heard many 8, which means Barbie and Ken Bay Area, which gives us a good all the events they will hold there, people asking for Tanduay Rum will be busy with promos, together including concerts,” he related. to come to the U.S. Finally, we fan base.” with their co-stars Kim Rodriguez, The Tanduay president re- “And soon, we may be going to are here!” Akihiro Sato and Hiro Peralta. Tanduay Rum’s history and vealed that when he took over the Texas, Miami… one by one.” “I’ll be absent for some schedAccording to Tan, Tanduay legacy dates back to 1854 and company reins three years ago, ules as I have a show to do in Sinhe wanted Tanduay to become actually started by joining events represents the triumph of the gapore, but for rest of the promo, a global brand, especially since in Miami where the brand won Filipino spirit around the world. I’m looking forward to being with Tanduay Rum is made with worldthey have been in business for some awards. Barbie and the rest of the cast,” The rum distributed here in class, heirloom sugarcane, grown 164 years. Ken enthused. the U.S. is different from the in the tropical islands of the Tanduay sold in the Philippines. Philippines where the climate “The Gold is good on the rocks, produces the sweetest varietals while the Silver is good for cock- in the world. Tanduay Rum is a tails,” he told media, while also proudly Philippine-made rum that pointing out that the branding is distinctly Filipino and undeniand Tanduay commercials in the ably world-class.
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Lucio Tan Jr. and Chip Bowers pose for media after signing the agreement making Tanduay Rum an official partner of the current NBA champion, the Golden State Warriors. AJPress photos byJoseph Peralta
Valeen & Jerald still can’t believe it
AUGUST 2018
by ricky Lo Philstar.com
The Asian Journal Media Group, now on its 27th year in business, is a leading ethnic multimedia agency serving the global Filipino industry. Asian Journal publishes over 7 million weekly community newspapers annually in the USA from California, Nevada, New York, to New Jersey. In addition to this, the Asian Journal also publishes a quarterly magazine that is distributed in 60 countries and 101 cities throughout the World. Complementing these frequent print publications are a variety of digital channels such as AsianJournal.com, BalikbayanMag.com, and LoveOfCounry.ph. As an extension of that core mission, the Asian Journal, in cooperation with the Philippine Departments of Tourism (DOT), and Trade and Industry (DTI), is organizing multi-city “Travel, Trade, and Consumer Roadshows” to connect the US and Philippine markets together. These events are in line with the “Balikbayan Program” of the Department of Tourism and Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) and the “One Town, One Product” of the DTI. The organizers collectively aim to ignite, drive, and fuel business-to-business, government-to-business, and business-to-consumer networking while showcasing and promoting tourism, investment, studying abroad, philanthropy, and retirement in the Philippines.
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DURInG a mini-presscon for “The Write Moment” over the weekend, Jerald napoles kept on lifting Valeen Montenegro’s arm and trying to kiss her armpit, so flawless that it seemed to light up the little spot of the restaurant where they were perched on stools. no malice, really. Valeen (granddaughter of Mario Montenegro, a respected actor-painter dubbed a Brown Adonis because of his kayumanggi complexion and wife Letty Alonzo, both of LVn Pictures) was not at all offended since she and Jerald are close and comfortable with each other, they both being regulars on GMA’s “Sunday Pinasaya.” In fact, they were having fun with themselves and with the movie writers who, thankfully, refrained from asking (confronting) them with ticklish questions — you know, how Valeen was able to survive the bashing that trailed the nasty rumor about her personal life (she is said to be happy now with a “walang sabit” guy)…and, haven’t you wondered, how is Jerald related to the woman in the pork-barrel mess? At 34, the Tondo-born Jerald appeared in stage plays (Dulaang UP’s “St. Louis Loves Them Filipinos” and Tanghalan Pilipino’s “noli Me Tangere,” and also “Magsimula Ka,” “Care Divas” and “Rak of Aegis,” etc.) before he started working at GMA (now in “Super Ma’am” with Marian Rivera who is managed by Triple A Talent Management, same agency managing Maine Mendoza and, yes, Jerald). Valeen herself has proven her worth in a few movies and TV shows (as a comedian in “Bubble Gang” and “Sunday Pinasaya” and as villainess [Alexander Lee’s “ex”] in “My Korean Jagiya”). And still, they couldn’t believe that they are now bida in “The Write Moment” (one of the eight official entries in the 2017 QCinema, from today until Oct. 28) which marks the feature-film debut of writer-director Dominic Lim (who said that the story was inspired by his fantasies).
Jerald Napoles and Valeen Montenegro in “The Write Moment.” Philstar.com photo
Jerald plays a heart-broken writer who tries to get back his ex (Valeen) with his romantic-comedy“hugot” script but fails and instead finds himself magically living out the scenes he has written, forced to follow everything verbatim or else face being stuck in an existential loop of scenes that repeat over and over again. An instructor at the Asia Pacific Film Institute, Lim has been writing for TV (#ParangnormalActivity, LolaBasyang.com for TV5) and for film (“My Rebound Girl” for Regal Films and the digital series “Forever Sucks,” “The Complex” and “Sabagay Life” for D5), and trained under Jun Lana’s Cine Panulat Screeenwriting Lab. PAGE B3
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Features
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 21-24, 2017
B
Glaiza De Castro turns pink by lhar
santIago ManilaTimes.net
GLAizA De Castro has colored her hair pink! According to the dramatic actress, she had been wanting to do so for a while now but had TV commitments to finish first. Now on a break from teleseryes, she took advantage of the opportunity and spent Thursday, Oct. 19 last week in the salon. “it was not easy an easy process. it took one whole day just to get this color,” she feigned a wail. Truth be told Glaiza is very happy she got to do something adventurous. “Ang sarap ng feeling. it’s kinda liberating and i feel more confident now. i’ve been wanting to color my hair for a long tiem and it wasn’t just because i’m a KPop fan. Part of it is also my fondness for anime and other
with a full band arrangement,” she enthused. “i’m also excited to have Pinoy rock icon Mike hanopol as a guest. i was surprised he accepted my invitation since hindi naman niya ko kilala. i’m so elated, so flattered, so honored he did. his song ‘Ang himig Natin’ is one of the songs in my new album and we will sing it in the concert live! Who wouldn’t be proud to do that?” But before her concert, Glaiza will join GMA Pinoy TV’s “Kapuso October Feast” at the singapore Nexus Theater in the weekend, along with Ken Chan, Dave Bornea, Tetay and Jak roberto. Glaiza De Castro “i’m happy to be doing the Photo from Instagram/@glaizaredux show with them. We did our Japanese series and movies. When Glaiza mounts her solo promo for the show at doon pa concert, “Kun(g)diman,” at the lang, sobrang kulitan na. i love Music Museum on October 27, their energy. it’s contagious. i’m she’ll be sporting her pink hair, sure our Kapuso in singapore will have a great time when they watch and she’s very excited. “All my songs are ready and it’s our show on sunday,” Glaiza the first time i’ll be singing them ended.
Why The Vamps keep coming back to PH by Iza IglesIas
Kean Cipriano on wedding with Chynna Ortaleza
ManilaTimes.net
BriTish pop-rock band The Vamps composed of Brad simpson (lead vocals and guitar), James McVey (lead guitar and vocals), Connor Ball (bass guitar and vocals) and Tristan Evans (drums and vocals) returned to Manila for the fourth time on October 6 at Ayala Malls Vertis North for their “Middle of the Night Tour,” which is in celebration of their third studio album, “Night & Day.” The Vamps—who first gained fame in late 2012 with cover songs uploaded to YouTube—performed their hits songs “somebody To You,” “Wild heart,” “Oh Cecilia,” “Wake Up,” “rest Your Love,” and their most streamed song “All Night” in front of their thousands of Filipino fans. According to the Brits, who were once compared with One Direction and being labeled as a boyband, they keep coming back to the Philippines because of the overwhelming support of their followers. “The Philippines has been the [third]most interactive country in the world. Where we are now, they’re the top of all our Facebook and instagram statistics. it’s amazing how the people all over the world reach to our music and we thoroughly appreciate their support. We’re definitely coming back to the Philippines every year until you get sick of us,” McVey said in a press conference at seda Vertis North. “The fans’ support has been incredible. it continues to grow especially here, we found out how our music is going on here. i remember the first time we came here in 2015 at the airport, we couldn’t get through the fans surrounding us. it was the first time we have experienced that. We want to thank the fans here,” narrated simpson. “it’s also because of the culture, the food, the weather and obviously the fans! Every time we have a show here, we always leave the stage saying how crazy that
by Jan
MIlo severo Philstar.com
The pop-rock band comprised of Brad Simpson, Tristan Evan, Connor Ball and James McVey.
was. You know how in the arena there are seats on the floor? And they would get up on the seats and just jump on them! i mean, it’s dangerous but it’s amazing how much they are having fun while we are on the stage and that’s what makes us come back all the time,” added Evans. Despite their success, the band is hoping to collaborate with other artists in the future like The Chainsmokers. They are also open to collaborating with Filipino artists if given the chance. “We’re gonna try do one with Liza [soberano],” simpson joked. McVey—who once describe the actress as “lovely” when he got a chance to have a selfie with soberano and posted it on instagram agreed and added, “Yeah, she’s gonna sing, maybe rap as well.” soberano is known to be a fan of the band and has attended their last two concerts here in Manila. since then, she became not just a fan but a friend as well. “We haven’t like had enough time to come and immerse ourselves into the culture. so we’re very lucky to meet Liza, too. she was a fan of the band in the begin-
ning, and now, we’ve kinda built a really cool friendship with her and see her grow. Apparently, she’s going to do like the ‘Wonder Woman of the Philippines.’ That’s like really cool to see her progress and grow,” simpson shared. The group even opened up that they have invited her to come to the show. however, soberano was busy with work which include her preparation for the role of “Darna,” the reason why she couldn’t make it to the show. “i texted her this morning (October 5, the date of the interview). We’ve not invited her to the show actually… so yeah, maybe i’ll mention the show and see if she wanted to come,” McVey said. Finally, the young boys who have spent six years together making music shared that seeing new fans, touring around the world and sing their song for them are enough reasons to continue what they are doing. “The best part of this whole process is playing the songs live and it’s connecting people. One of the most humble things is you can see that it helped out someone during the hard time of their life, the reason why we wanted to continue playing,” simpson said.
Patrick & Nikka’s ‘rainbow baby’ by rIcky lo Philstar.covm
iN barely one month, Patrick Garcia’s wife Nikka Martinez will deliver their third child — yes, another girl! The couple’s other daughters are Michelle and Patrice. “Every day there’s something new,” Patrick toldFunfare. “There’s a lot of drama since our home is dominated by girls. Michelle, 4, is growing older, so she’s picky about the dresses she wears, the lipstick, the make-up. si Patrice, one year old, wala pa masyado. But it’s all been fun.” According to Nikka, had the child been a boy, she and Patrick would have been satisfied with just having three children. “i think four is a good number,” Patrick said. “Nikka grew up by herself, and i grew up with one brother and one sister, so i think the more the merrier.” The third is their “rainbow baby,” a term used to call a child that comes after a miscarriage. “The miscarriage was painful to us,” admitted Patrick (who has a son with ex-girlfriend Jennylyn Mercado; Nikka and Jennylyn are friends). “The night before, i think she was bleeding. We didn’t want to give it much thought. We were alarmed, but we didn’t want to think it was something serious. The next day, there was still more bleeding, so we went to the hospital. The doctors told us that the baby had no more
Patrick Garcia and wife Nikka Martinez-Garcia with daughters Michelle and Patrice. Philstar.com photo
heartbeat. We were shocked because we didn’t know it would happen to us, but we had to move on from it.” Nikka’s pregnancy happened a month after the miscarriage. “Even before we found out the gender, i just had a feeling that it was a girl,” said Nikka. “Whatever the Lord gives, i will accept and i will be happy, whether a boy or a girl. A baby is a blessing.” The recent baby shower was hosted by Japanese stroller brand Aprica. On her eighth month, Nikka was glowing and pretty in pink. Patrick is a doting father and husband. “i help Nikka any way i can, in whatever i can such as massaging
Valeen & Jerald still can’t... PAGE B2 “Are they sure?” Jerald recalled himself asking when offered the project which is executive produced by Jun and Perci intalan’s ideafirst Company in partner-
TWICE HE APPLIED FOR AN IMMIGRANT VISA. TWICE, HE WAS DENIED. FIND OUT THE FINAL SCORE THIS SUNDAY, ON “CITIZEN PINOY”! Joseph (center) was initially petitioned as a minor child of a green card holder, but his visa was refused at the interview because he admitted to drug use. When he aged out, his petition was reclassified to F-2B. At his second interview, he was denied for the same reason. His mother, Josie (right), and his sister, Evelyn (left), felt hopeless. They were running out of options, and were desperate. It felt like Nanay Josie’s promise of having the family reunited in America would just remain a dream. Mother and daughter consulted with leading U.S. attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel, after seeing a case similar to Joseph’s that was featured on Citizen Pinoy. Atty. Gurfinkel went to the U.S. Embassy in Manila and becomes a major contributor to a landmark decision and policy change that benefitted Joseph and many more. Watch a mother’s promise fulfilled on a brand-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC.
ship with CMB Films and the QC Film Development Commission; they were also behind the QCinema hits “sleepless” (2015) and “Ang Manananggal sa Unit 23B” (2016). “i asked myself, ‘Sigurado
her,” shared Patrick. “As a dad, i’m a spoiler, not much of a disciplinarian. i love my role. i didn’t know i would enjoy it so much. sometimes, it’s a challenge. But seeing these kids grow up in front of my eyes is a treat.” A prayerful and faithful couple, Patrick and Nikka have survived their own share of storms. To couples who are going through their own storms or losses, Patrick said, “God has plans for everybody. At first, it will hurt so much, but prayers will ease the pain. You just have to trust him. No (piece of) advice is good enough because no words can comfort them. in time, prayers will make the pain go away.”
kaya sila?’” Oh yes, Jerald and Valeen assured that they were comfortable during their love scenes. No malice between close friends, right?
sa umaga nakikita ko ang misis ko. Ano pa kung nakita kong naKAPAMiLYA actor and Cal- kaayos siya as my bride? That’s lalily frontman Kean Cipriano what really excites me, ‘yung announced that all is set for his makita si Chynna sa moment na intimate church wedding with ‘yon,” he said. wife, Kapuso actress Chynna OrFor their entourage, Kean said taleza, this November. only close friends are in the list, “it’s really a small, intimate wedding. Actually we really call it a church blessing,” Kean announced during a recently lunch with the media. The actor-singer said they tried to mount an out-of-town wedding but it did not pan out since theirs is not going to be the usual celebrity grand wedding. “Kumbaga ‘yung gusto lang namin ni Chynna eh ‘yung essence, kung bakit ba namin ginagawa eh paramagpa-bless, get a blessing from God,” he explained. Kean said they are excited in their upcoming church wedding. According to him, if there is an event in their lives to look forward to, the wedding is the most important, though they tied the knot in a civil ceremony last 2015. “Kasal na rin naman kasi kami ni Chynna pero ito kasi there’s this feeling na ito kasi... kung may event sa buhay ko, ito ang pinakaimportante at pinakamalaki ‘yung kasal. Natutuwa ako paggising ko
but he confirmed that it includes some celebrities. “We only chose close friends lang talaga. There are a few celebrities also, ‘yung mga kaibigan ni Chynna like si Glaiza de Castro. Maliit lang talaga siya, less than PAGE B4
B october 21-24, 2017 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JoUrNAL
By Monet
Lu
WITH only a couple of days away from the coronation night, the Grand International title is just within reach of the 77 lovely candidates representing their countries for the 2017 Miss Grand International being held – as we speak – in Vietnam. And as expected, votes are being cast on who are going to make it to the Top 5. Sources say our candidate Elizabeth Durado Clenci is one of the best bets on all the categories and has a good chance of taking the crown home. Miss Grand International has been in the beauty pageant field since 2013 and in such a short amount of time has established itself to be one of the world’s leading international beauty pageants with its good quality and unique theme. The show prides itself for its fast-paced production, upbeat music, engaging camera angles and energy. Last year, I witnessed the overall atmosphere of Miss Grand International 2016 Final Show at the Westgate International Theatre of Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino. Every part of the show was spectacular and charming and the production was outstanding. It was that year that our Philippine representative Nicole Cordoves won first runner-up. And with the way we’ve been winning beauty pageants for the past six years, it’s no surprise that we might actually win the title this time. I like our candidate. She is very graceful, sophisticated and she sure knows how to project and carry herself in front of the camera. She knows how to walk like a fullfledged beauty queen and gives total justice to the gorgeous gowns she’d worn even from the time she competed for the 2017 Binibining Pilipinas. It seems like I am not the only one who sees the possibility of her becoming Miss Grand International 2017 because apparently Elizabeth Clenci is acing most of the pageant portions! She is one of the crowd favorites throughout the competition. Joining her in that list are Indonesia, India, Venezuela, Vietnam and Thailand. Her white evening gown and national costume were highly praised as well as how she handled the group interviews and Q&As. I have a good feeling that she would get into the top 5 but of course I really hope
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Things are looking up for Radiation in Hiroshima and Nagasaki 2017 Miss Grand International Health@Heart PH candidate Elizabeth Clenci PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS
she’d bring home the crown. Elizabeth Durano Clenci is half Filipina, half Romanian. She grew up in Australia and studied Music. She is a full time musician; a session bassist, singer and also plays guitar and piano and she is a fan of Marvin Gaye. During the interview with Rappler, Liz mentioned that one of the musicians she looks up to is Marvin Gaye. “Singersongwriter, there’s a few, definitely Marvin Gaye, Lian La Havas would be like a good modern-day inspiration for me. Fleetwood Mac, I love their songs. I think they write incredible songs,” she said. In her interviews she would often talk about how she suffered with a skin condition and how she overcame it. “Out of nowhere, my body erupted in severe eczema. It was the most agonizing year and a half of my life, everything became painful. I invested thousands of dollars and precious time with multiple doctors and specialists who just vaguely addressed my case. One doctor even told me that this is how I would live the rest of my life. In my heart I knew this wasn’t true and there was a way. Having a background and Interest in natural health I was able to eventually completely heal myself. Taking the natural route meant that healing wasn’t going to happen over night, and took a year of slow yet sure healing. My experience taught me patience and trust. I had to trust in my instincts knowing that I was making the right decision to lead to true healing. It also showed my determination to strive and push for my goals. I proved to all the non-believers who said I couldn’t ... that I could, and I learned that above everything, believe in yourself and trust yourself. I now openly tell my story so that I can serve as an inspiration and guide to those who too are suffering and hope
to someday, after or even during my music career be of assistance to people through natural health whether its through Naturopathy or Music Therapy,” Liz said. Like most beauty queens (who have won-eventually after joining Bb. Pilipinas multiple times), it wasn’t Liz’s first time to join the pageant. She first tried to compete in Bb. Pilpinas back in 2011 where Shamcey Supsup won the title of Miss Universe Philippines. In an interview with The Philippine Star, Liz said she saw the second chance as very different for her, adding that maturity has played a role in her most recent foray into the pageant world. “I don’t see it as joining a second time; I see it with fresh new eyes as a more mature woman. I was so young when I joined the first time. I don’t see repeating as a disadvantage or anything. If anybody has a dream, it doesn’t matter how many times you fail, it’s about getting up and trying again and risking everything, and that’s what makes you a winner.” Very well said. Such confidence oozing from this young lady who is indeed “beauty queen material.” Good luck to you Elizabeth, we are here cheering and supporting you. We’re elated to hear that you are doing well. May you continue to shine and be proud to be a Filipina! *** 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
My wife, Farida, and I just returned to Las Vegas from an 11-day Japan Explorer Cruise on the Celebrity Millennium with some colleagues, claimed to be the largest cruise vessel in Asia, at 91,000 tons, 965 ft. long, 105 beam, and an occupancy of 2,138. There were more than 300 Filipinos working admirably onboard. We felt at home, and proud of our kababayans. Besides going to Tokyo, Chiba, yokohama, and other ports of interest in Japan; we toured Nagasaki, a city of 263,000 (among them 9,000 Japanese soldiers and 400 Allied POWs) when it was devastated by an atomic bomb dropped by American squadron commander and pilot of Bockscar, Major General Charles W. Sweeney, at 2:45 a.m. on August 9, 1945, killing about 80,000. Three days earlier at 8:15 a.m., the American B-29 bomber “Enola Gay,” piloted by BG Paul W. Tibbets deployed the world’s first atomic bomb over Hiroshima, then Japan’s 7th largest city, with a population of about 420,000. The bomb plummeted to 137,197 following the nuclear disaster. The second bombing (Nagasaki) was the final warning that led to the unconditional surrender of Japan on August 14, 1945, named V-J (Victory over Japan), which ended World War II and saved millions of lives on both sides. As of 2015, the population of Hiroshima was 1.594 million and Nagasaki, 429,508. Both are thriving cities today — vibrant, booming with millions of tourists visiting from around the world. Level of radiation mystery The radioactive particles from the atomic bombs 72 years ago were supposed to render both cities uninhabitable for thousands — and millions — of years. “Today, the background radiation in Hiroshima and Nagasaki is the same as the average amount of natural radiation present anywhere on Earth. It is not enough to affect human health,” according to scientific reports. But why? What happened? Why are these two cities in Japan safe again, so soon? Uranium-235 was used for the bomb over Hirsohima and Plutonium-239 over Nagasaki. The half-life of U-235 is 700 million years, the Pu-239, 24,000 years, if they had reach and exploded on the ground. Information from the Hiroshima and Nagasaki Peace Mu-
seums provided the answer to the mystery. Both bombs exploded high up in the air, 1,968 feet for Hiroshima and 1,800 feet for Nagsaaki. They never hit the ground. The 139 pounds of U-235 and the 12 pounds of Pu-239 were pulverized into particles and the plume dissipated by the wind over land and mostly to the sea. Data show there was only a slight increase of leukemia in Nagasaki region but there were no added incidence of cancers in and around Hiroshima. An amazing feat of luck. I could not find information as to whether these two atomic bombs (Code-named “Little Boy” for Hiroshima and “Fat Man” for Nagasaki) were specifically designed to explode high up in the air to minimize ground contamination. Those atom bombs are grenades compared to the present day nuclear bombs, which are more sophisticated, more powerful, and greater in their ability to obliterate even an entire nation. Indeed, 38-year old Kim Jong Un should grow up and realize that he could get burned (and North Korea could disappear from this earth) when he continues to play with fire with bravado and recklessness. Outbreaks on cruise ships Thank God, our Japan Explorer cruise was a healthy and totally enjoyable experience. Sometimes, cruises could be marred by an outbreak of illnesses. On May 9, 2016 CNN reported that, “More than 200 passengers on a British cruise ship have fallen ill with the gastrointestinal condition norovirus. The U.S. Center for Disease Control said 252 of 919 passengers — 27 percent — have gotten sick on the Balmoral, a ship operated by Fred Olsen Cruises and most recently docked in Maine. Eight of 520 crew members have come down with norovirus.” New reports on May 4, 2017 said cruise ships norovirus outbreaks at a 15-year low in 2017, the lowest since 1994. Nearly 25 million are expected to take a cruise this year. There were outbreaks in 19 cruise ships in 2004, only two as of May this year, like in 2001. The cruise industry is mandated by law to report to the CDC any outbreak that exceeds 2 percent of the total number of passengers/crews on onboard. In the case of the Celebrity Millennium we just cruised on, that would mean an outbreak involving at least 43 persons. U.S.-bound ships from foreign ports are required to report the total number of gastrointestinal disease cases, including zero, evaluated by the medical staff 24 hours prior to arrival at U.S. ports. Norovirus is a common cause
of acute gastroenteritis, popularly called the stomach bug or stomach flu, which causes about 20 million illnesses a year in the United States, most often in crowded environments like dormitories, restaurants, hotels, cruise ships, nursing homes, and day care centers. The common cold is higher in incidence than norovirus, but it is more infamous because of the mandatory strict reporting legal requirement. When exposed to norovirus, it takes about one to three days for symptoms to appear, and it usually lasts for 24 to 48 hours. Victims may be contagious for about two weeks after recovery. Hygiene is the key Since the introduction on all cruises of hand sanitizer (70 percent ethyl alcohol which kills 99.9 percent of germs within 15 seconds), the outbreaks of norovirus and other contagious illnesses on cruises have dramatically gone down. As always, the onus is on all crewmembers and guests on board. One single infected person’s virus is enough spread and contaminate the entire ship and cause an epidemic on a cruise or a hospital, household, dormitory, nursing home, restaurant, day care center, etc. The good old-fashioned handwashing, with or without soap, works wonders anywhere we are, even at home. Norovirus and common cold viruses could contaminate food, tables, chairs, plates, cups, glasses, utensils, hand rails, door knobs, elevator buttons, dialpads, counters, tables, etc. Those surfaces are “naturally” teeming with microorganisms. This is the reason why frequent handwashing and not touching the face (and those surfaces) are essential habits that significantly lower the risk of acquiring these infections. While the viruses we commonly encounter cause illnesses and misery, using hand sanitizers after touching handrails and doorknobs, etc., in public areas, and washing hands frequently will greatly protect us. Always be aware that germs, invisible to the naked eyes, are on our skin, especially in our hands, and are swarming, ever-present, all around us. All we have to do is to wash them away, often. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com
Janno Gibbs passes Pedro Penduko torch to James Reid by Clarizel
abanilla Inquirer.net
SINGER-comedian and original Pedro Penduko actor Janno Gibbs has handed the torch of the iconic character to Kapamilya heartthrob James Reid. In an announcement by Viva Artists Agency, Reid and Gibbs were seen together in a photo with the caption, “Si Penduko noon at Ang Penduko ngayon!” (Penduko before and the new Penduko) The first Filipino actors to play Pedro Penduko on the big screen were Efren Reyes Sr. in 1954 and Ramon Zamora in 1973. But the most famous version of Pedro Penduko was given life by Gibbs. He first did “Ang Pagbabalik ni Pedro Penduko” in 1994 which he starred in with fellow comedians Leo Martinez, Chiquito and Arnel Ignacio, among others. His leading ladies were Donita Rose and Vina Morales. It was only years after in 2000 that he did a remake of the movie through the hit “Pedro Pen-
James Reid and Janno Gibbs
duko, Episode II: The Return of the Comeback”. This time, his daughter Alyssa Gibbs was already part of the cast. His leading lady was LJ Moreno.
Photo courtesy of Viva Artists Agency
Reid, meanwhile, now starts his training for the movie. Just as in the past movies, Viva Films will be producing the next “Pedro Penduko” film.
Kean Cipriano on wedding with Chynna... PAGE B3
Chynna Ortaleza and Kean Cipriano
Photo from Instagram/@keanedward
a 100 lang ang guest,” the actorsinger said. For their daughter Stellar’s part in the wedding, Kean said she is supposed to be a ring bearer but they opted to not give her pressure. “Kung gusto niyang maglakad at umabot siya hanggang dulo eh okay. But definitely ang main role niya sa wedding namin ay magpasaya, magbigay ng good vibes,” he said. Kean is currently busy doing movies and recordings. He has four movies to be shown, including the recent blockbuster “Seven Sundays,” “Hilom: Doctor to the Barrio,” ”Historia Graphika Errata,” and the Metro Manila Film Festival entry “All of Me” starring Jennylyn Mercado and Derek Ramsey. His band Callalily will soon release a single.
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Bridging generations at the 26th annual Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture Eza Cheeza, had a table display of handmade Philippine-ethnic-inspired jewelry, prints, and With Filipino-American Histoa vibrant portrait painting of the ry Month celebrations underway world famous Whang-od, who is across the United States, the the Philippines’ oldest tattoo art26th Annual Festival of Philipist and last of the mambabatok pine Arts and Culture (FPAC) (traditional Kalinga tattooist). once again brought the Los An“A lot of inspiration comes geles Fil-Am community togethfrom self knowledge and self er in celebration of Filipino and awareness — digging into my Fil-Am culture through the arts. cultural roots and finding about Presented by the Association who I am,” Barbosa told the for the Advancement of FilipiAsian Journal. no American Arts and Cultures Barbosa, who was born in the (FilAm ARTS), the festival took Philippines but grew up in the place on Saturday, October 14 U.S., used art to connect with and featured over 50 Fil-Am artwhere she came from and saw ists, performers, and culinary the festival as a platform for The five awardees at this year’s FPAC were the Pilipino Workers Center (Community Service Award), LA County Supervisor Hilda Solis (Public vendors at the Echo Park Lake in helping others do the same. Service Award), Philippine Expressions Bookshop (Literary Award), the late Martial Arts Guru Richard Bustillo (Excellence in Arts), and NBC Los Angeles. LA-based photographer Fran- show “Grimm” actor Reggie Lee (Excellence in Arts). AJPress photos by Noel Ty “Are we proud to be Pinoys?” cis Gum whose fashion editoriasked Black Eyed Peas’ Fil-Am al photos of colorfully dressed He added, “The incredible member Apl.de.ap before his set models aboard an equally col- talents ranged from traditionon the main stage. orful jeepney, caught the eyes al forms of dance, music, and Titled Salin-Lahi (bridging of many festival goers who were martial arts, to the funky sounds generations), this year’s festival attracted to the photos’ tradi- of Manila Disco all while showtheme looked to bring together tional yet modern aesthetics. casing creatives in hip hop, r&b, people from all ages in recon“The whole team was Filipi- pop, electronic, OPM (Original necting with Philippine culture no,” Gum told the Asian Jour- Pilipino Music), comedy, and through music, food, and the nal. Inspired by the concept even magic.” arts. of bayanihan which refers to This year’s famous headliners “It’s reminding the new genthe Filipino custom of helping included singer Jessica Reynoso eration where they came from eachother out, Gum looked to from “The Voice Philippines,” — from the food, the culture… use an all Filipino team from Los Angeles Laker shooting What it means to be Pinoy,” Apl. its fashion designers, wardrobe guard Jordan Clarkson, and de.ap told the Asian Journal. stylists, and models. Black Eyed Peas’ member Apl. “Pinoys are very family orient“These people I worked with, de.ap who also performed at last ed, so we like to keep it together including me, are the new gen- year’s FPAC. in community, and represent our erations of Filipinos and we’re “I’m going to keep representculture,” he added. appreciative of our culture,” said ing LA and the Filipino commuThroughout the festival Gum. nity,” Clarkson told attendees grounds were pavilions curated Other FPAC pavilions were who packed the stage area. to provide attendees with handsthe Literary Pavilion which feaClarkson’s Filipina mother and on activities. tured works and performances grandmother (whom he called of written and spoken talents, lola) went up on stage wearing and of course the Culinary Pa- Jordan Clarkson fan club t-shirts. FPAC 26’s headliners R&B singer Jessia Reynoso, Lakers shooting guard Jordan Clarkson, vilion which had over 15 differJessica Reynoso, who wowed and Apl.de.ap of the Black Eyed Peas before performing a few songs on stage. ent Filipino food options from the coaches of “The Voice PhilBenaddictz, Grublife, Kapamilya ippines” with her rendition of his 2016 Philippine Tourism tion, Bella Fiasco, Joel Quizon Restaurant, Stoked! BBQ, and “Fallin’” by Alicia Keys in the Campaign song appropriately from Disco Manila, and Anatalia the Ensaymada Project, among show’s first season, did so again titled “It’s More Fun in the Phil- Villaranda from the The Voice others. on the FPAC main stage with her ippines” which listed off many of U.S. Season 12, among many Special appearances cover of Keys’ song “If I Ain’t the country’s cities. others. Throughout the years, FPAC Got You.” Apl.de.ap, who has long been Community awardees has featured many special “Who else here speaks taga- active in the Fil-Am community, The five awardees at this guests like comedian Rex Na- log?” asked Reynoso. encouraged audience members year’s FPAC were the Pilipino varrete (2002), Filipino rapper The singer, who moved to the to visit the Philippines. Workers Center (CommuniBambu (2008), and Filipino op- U.S. a year ago, showcased her “You’ve got to see the Philip- ty Service Award), LA County A Filipinana dress and barong were on display at the Pilipino Artists Network pavilion. era singer Rodell Rosel (1994) to bilingual Tagalog and English pines and its beauty,” Apl.de.ap Supervisor Hilda Solis (Public name a few. speaking skills, before singing later told the Asian Journal. Service Award), Philippine ExRichie Menchavez, this year’s a sample of the classic tagalog “You have to see it and feel pressions Bookshop (Literary FPAC stage programming direc- song “Dahil Sa Iyo.” it, and then it gives you ideas,” Award), the late Martial Arts tor and founder of TRAKTIVIST, On the final song of her set, he added. Guru Richard Bustillo (Excelwanted to not only provide en- Reynoso took a lucky audience Other favorite songs included lence in Arts), and NBC show tertainment for all generations, member’s phone and captured in his setlist needed no introduc- “Grimm” actor Reggie Lee (Exbut to include up-and-coming a selfie video of herself perform- tion as crowd members imme- cellence in Arts). talents who are paving new ing. diately lit up at the songs’ first Accepting Bustillo’s award roads for Fil-Ams in music and Perhaps the most awaited per- sounds. was his wife Mary Bustillo, to aren’t often heard in heritage former for all age groups was Whether it was the tagalog whom Richard was married to celebrations. Black Eyed Peas’ member Apl. song Bebot or the english song for 57 years before his passing “I was extremely excited de.ap, who started his set with a “Where is the Love,” audience in March. about this year’s group of per- very relatable question. members of different age groups “He was so proud of his herformers because I believe they “Is there any palabok left? I’m sang along to every word. itage,” said Mary. “He always truly represent this year’s theme kind of hungry right now,” said “I’m really thankful that our wanted to promote the Filipino of Salin-Lahi or ‘Bridging Gener- Apl.de.ap jokingly. message still resonates for even arts all over the world.” The day-long festival featured an extensive line-up of performers, from traditional Filipino ations,’” said Menchavez. First song on his setlist was the next generation. I’m very Upon receiving the festival’s dances to rising Fil-Am singers. thankful that our message is still final award, Lee shared a few coming across,” Apl.de.ap told encouraging words at his first the Asian Journal on the timeless FPAC experience. songs, especially “Where is the “We live in a time that is kind Love.” of fraught with political turmoil, For his final song, Apl.de.ap, with natural disasters like hurrialong with other performers and canes and earthquakes, and terspecial appearances, sang and rible acts of violence,” said Lee. danced along to the Black Eyed “There’s never a better time Peas’ party anthem “I’ve Got a to come together than now as a Feeling.” community — as a Filipino comOther main stage performers munity — to heal. And one way included DJ Virman of Far East we can do that is through the Some of the merchandise that was available Movement, Kronika of Soulec- arts.” Echo Park Lake, near Historic Filipinotown, served as the venue for the 26th annual FPAC on Saturday, October 14. at Jordan Clarkson’s fan club booth. by rae
anne VarOna AJ Press
At the Youth Pavilion, young festival goers (in age and at heart) got in touch with Philippine culture through stories, music, martial arts, dances, and games like pabitin. Participants got basic tinikling dance lessons from the Filipino Cultural School, and got a chance to create traditional Maguindanaon sounds during the kulintang workshop led by the Pakaraguian Kulintang Ensemble. Kids also had fun trying some moves of the Philippine National Martial Art and Sport, eskrima (also known as arnis or kali), with PaaMano Eskrima — rather than using the usual sticks, kids used pool noodles. Gathering a crowd in the balisong booth were the balisong flippers who showed off their knife spinning skills. The winner was pronounced the Balifornia 2017 Champion. For the first time, FPAC also had a Wellness Pavilion. There, festival early birds participated in a morning mile walk or run, did some yoga stretches with Salamat Yoga, and got tips on how to adapt traditional Filipino wellness practices into their modern lifestyles with skincare company Herbalaria. Being that FPAC is an arts’ gathering, festival attendees were able to look and purchase works by local Filipino artists at the Pilipino Artists Network (PAN) Pavilion. Painter, illustrator, and designer Eza Barbosa, who goes by
Lakers’ Jordan Clarkson graces FPAC, shows pride in Filipino-American heritage by Christina
M. Oriel
AJ Press
The Pilipino Workers Center’s jeepney was an attraction at the festival.
Art and photography by Filipino artists were on display at the Pilipino Artists Network pavilion
Festival goers line up to try one of the over a dozen food vendors and trucks at FPAC.
Jordan Clarkson, the Filipino-American shooting guard of the Los Angeles Lakers, received a warm welcome on Saturday, October 14 during this year’s Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture (FPAC) at Echo Park Lake, marking his first public appearance at a large Filipino-American community event. Leading up to start of the NBA season, which officially began this week, the Fil-Am basketball player took time out of his intensive training schedule to meet with local Fil-Am organizations and businesses and engage with his Filipino fans in the U.S. and even back in the Philippines. “I’ve been doing a lot of activities around here [in LA] to learn about my Filipino heritage,” Clarkson told the Asian Journal, adding that he has visited local Fil-Am-owned restaurants and the famous “A Glorious History, A Golden Legacy” mural by Eliseo Silva in Historic Filipinotown. During the early afternoon on Saturday, Clarkson, who came with his family, did a special meet and greet with select festival goers who signed up for a membership to his fan club. At the Team Clarkson booth, members had the chance to spin a raffle wheel and win prizes that could be autographed by the guard. In his brief remarks on stage, he remarked, “it feels good to be Filipino,” eliciting roars from the
Clarkson gives remarks on stage alongside his grandmother Marcelina Tullao (left) and mother Annette Davis (right).
Jordan Clarkson of the Lakers and his grandmother Marcelina Tullao share a moment backstage at FPAC.
crowd. “This is a cool experience for me,” he said. “I just want to say thank you, thank you for all the love and support you all give. I’m going to keep representing LA as well as the Filipino community, as well as the Lakers. We still run this city.” Clarkson’s mother Annette Davis and grandmother Marcelina Tullao — who hails from Pampanga, Philippines — live in a small town just outside of
San Antonio, Texas, but made it a point to travel to LA for the weekend to accompany Clarkson to the event. They briefly went on stage with him and enjoyed several Filipino dishes and desserts that they had been missing. “Being able to support an event like this and learn about my culture is definitely something I’ve been focusing on recently, just trying to connect with as many people as I can,” Clarkson told select media back-
stage at FPAC. Later in the program, Clarkson joined fellow headliners Apl.de.ap and Jessica Reynoso to dance and sing along to the Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling.” On what it means to be a FilAm, Clarkson told the Asian Journal, “it means a lot — it’s a part of my culture. I feel like a pioneer…with me being a Filipino-American in the NBA right now and being the only one is definitely something I want to represent.” “I know we take a lot of pride and passion in our culture. It’s just something to be proud to be a part of and I’m looking to be involved in many ways,” he added. In addition to continuing his career with the Lakers, Clarkson has been exploring opportunities to give back, such as philanthropy through his own foundation. He is also hoping to travel againto the Philippines in the coming year once the season is over.
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COMMUNITY Journal
Your Immigration Solution Devin M. Connoly anD nanCy Miller COUNTLESS people want to live in the United States. It is, therefore, not surprising that people sometimes misrepresent facts in order to accomplish that goal. These lies are told for an obvious reason – telling the truth would not get them an immigration benefit. However, an immigration benefit obtained through a lie renders the alien removable. If (or when) the Department of Homeland Security discovers the truth, they will take steps to deport the person to his native country. An immigrant in this situation may be eligible to apply for a waiver of their prior misrepresentation pursuant to Section 237(a)(1)(H) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). And if the waiver is granted, and they are otherwise eligible, they will be able to apply for U.S. citizenship. A waiver under INA 237(a)(1)(H) “forgives” the fraud and allows the alien to keep the green card if they are the spouse, parent, or son or daughter of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (LPR) and can meet the requirement of showing that the equities in their case outweigh the liabilities. This balance is called “favorable exercise of discretion”. The fraud or misrepresentation must be of a material fact that was made in connection with the attempt to obtain a visa or green card. The applicant must be “otherwise-admissible” to the U.S., but-for the material misrepresentation. This means that the immigrant will not be eligible for the waiver if they are inadmissible for reasons in addition to the fraud, such as criminal convictions. The waiver may be granted whether the misrepresentation was made at the U.S. Consulate or a Citizenship & Immigration Service (CIS) Office. The Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) has said that a person may be eligible for the waiv-
From fraud to waiver to citizenship in 3 not-so-easy steps
er even if they got their green card through a sham marriage. A “sham marriage” is a marriage entered into solely for the purpose of obtaining a green card. The qualifying relative, however, may not be the spouse from the sham marriage. Many other circumstances exist for which this waiver may be appropriate. A common scenario involves a prospective immigrant who has been petitioned by an LPR parent who marries before the priority date becomes current. That petition is denied or revoked as a matter of law immediately upon the marriage – whether CIS is told about the marriage or not. Even if the parent is a USC, many years can be added to the wait-time. The prospective immigrant wants their spouse and their green card so they lie at the time of the interview and say they are single. Clearly, the green card was obtained through fraud. A 237(a)(1)(H) waiver can cure the original fraud and allow the person to keep their green card – which be valid back from the date it was issued. A less common scenario involves one whose Immigration Court case was administratively closed. When he becomes eligible to obtain a green card, he lies and claims he was never in Court. CIS has no authority to grant the green card but it does not know that. So the green card that the immigrant obtained through fraud is worthless and he needs the waiver. When applying for the waiver an immigrant must demonstrate that they deserve a favorable exercise of discretion. The factors that an Immigration Judge may consider when making their decision include the immigrant’s family ties within the United States, the length of their residence in this country, whether the immigrant or any family members would suffer hardship
if the immigrant was forced to return to his or her native country, the immigrant’s employment history, the existence of any property or business ties, evidence of value or service to the community, as well other evidence of the immigrant’s good moral character. The Immigration Judge will balance these positive factors against any negative factors in an immigrant’s case. These negative factors may include the original fraud or misrepresentation, any criminal activity, or any other evidence of the immigrant’s lack of good moral character. In the end, the immigrant must demonstrate that the positive factors in their case outweigh the negative ones. A well-documented waiver application and persuasive testimony at the court hearing are essential to a successful outcome. And, yes, I did just say court. A waiver under INA § 237(a)(1)(H) may only be applied for in Immigration Court. With so much riding on the end result, it is important to retain a knowledgeable immigration attorney who is experienced in these types of waivers. And what is the end result? After being granted the waiver, the immigrant can go on to successfully apply for U.S. citizenship. That is a successful outcome. *** Reeves Miller Zhang & Diza is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration firms in the United States with offices in Pasadena, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Manila and China. Telephone: (800) 795-8009 E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com website: www.rreeves.com *** The analysis and suggestions offered in this column do not create a lawyer-client relationship and are not a substitute for the personalized representation that is essential to every case. (Advertising Supplement)
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 21-24, 2017
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Community Journal
If your debts are growing faster than your income, read this
Minding Your Finances Atty. RAymond BulAon ARE your growing debts starting to worry you and cause you sleepless nights? Are you trying hard to pay what you can every month but feel like you’re just running on a treadmill and not getting anywhere? Do you dread getting those credit card statements every month knowing that you don’t have the money to pay them? According to a recent study, about one-third of households in this country are either just barely making it or are having trouble paying their debts each month. The Federal Reserve Board reports that consumer credit card debt is now about $1.1 trillion! In the last decade, credit card debt has increased 81 percent while the average family’s income grew only by 9 percent. This is scary. If you are like the rest of the population and your debts are growing a lot faster than your income, how can you avoid debt from creeping up on you? The banks and the credit card companies know that when income is short, most people will resort to loans and credit cards to make up for the shortage in income. So now you know why consumer credit card debt is steadily in-
creasing. Unless you get a handle on your finances and control your borrowing, before you know it, you will be buried in debt and it will be difficult for you to get out. A lot of people owe so much in credit card debt that they will never pay off their debts in this lifetime. What’s sad is that because these people are just so used to being in debt, they have reached a point where they don’t even realize what their debts are actually costing them. So, like robots, they just continue to work long hours, sometimes two to three jobs just so they could continue to make the banks richer with the interest that they are paying on their debts. These people have zero savings and no money for unexpected emergencies. Any unexpected disruption of income can turn into a major catastrophe. Financial planners tell us that we should try to keep our debtto-income ratio below 36 percent (about 28 percent for housing and 8 percent for other recurring debt payments). To calculate your own ratio, divide your total monthly debt payments by your total monthly gross income. In your monthly debt payments, include your mortgage, car, loan and credit card payments. What
do you get? What I usually find is that some people are way above this amount, sometimes as much as 70-80 percent! And then they wonder why they never have enough money for food, utilities and other basic living expenses. If your debts are out of control and you need help in figuring out what your options are, we can help you explore all your non-bankruptcy and bankruptcy alternatives. Bankruptcy is not always the solution to debt problems. If it is, we will explain to you how this may be your best option in getting a fresh financial start so you can start rebuilding your credit. If you have other options available, I will point them out to you as well if they are worth considering. Bankruptcy should be your last option, not the first. To schedule a free consultation, please call us at Toll-Free 1-866-477-7772. We have offices in Glendale, Cerritos and Valencia.
victoR sy, cPA, mBA
YOU may choose to do business as a corporation. A corporation is a legal fiction. It exists only in contemplation of law. It has a separate legal identity. That entity, not you, operates the business. It owns the business assets, owes business debts, collects business revenues, and pays business expenses. It possesses characteristics such as continuity of life, centralized management, free transferability of ownership, and that limited liability that we all look for in our business dealings. There are two basic types of corporation: 1. C corporations (regular corporations).
2. S corporations (corporations that elect to be taxed as “S’ corporations). The “C” and “S” refer to code sections of the Internal Revenue Code that govern taxation in the U.S. Let’s enumerate the benefits and drawbacks of regular C corporations in this article. A. Benefits: 1. Limited liability – business problems can be kept in the corporation without exposing personal assets; likewise, personal problems do not have to put the business in jeopardy. 2. Limited liability – is enjoyed since it is a corporation, a separate entity. 3. It has a lower audit profile than sole proprietors. 4. Income splitting – between
Estate Corner Atty. BriAn Lerner
QUESTION: I have won asylum as of about two years ago. Is there anything I need to do? Answer: If you have come to the U.S. as a refugee or been granted asylum in the U.S. — whether from the Asylum Office of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or by an immigration judge in court —you are now allowed to live in the U.S., accept U.S. employment, and travel and return (with a refugee travel document in place of a passport). Additional rights will become yours with time, such as that to apply for a U.S. green card after one year, and to apply for U.S. citizenship four years after that. Learn more about how to protect and make the best use of your refugee or asylum status here. However, you MUST apply for the Green Card after the one year grant. It is not automatic and will not happen unless you apply. Question: Can I bring my *** spouse and children into the None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any U.S. now? Answer: Once you have been specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped thousands of clients granted asylum, your immediin getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call Ray Bulaon Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1 (866) 477-7772.
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Should you form a regular “C”corporation?
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family members is possible as spouse and children can work for and get paid by the corporation. 5. Passive activity losses – can be deducted in full. Closely held C corporations may offset passive losses and credits against active business income (but not portfolio income). 6. Exclusion of capital gain – by investors who hold qualified business stock for five years are able to exclude 50% of gain from sale of stock. 7. Dividend received exclusion – of 80% from another domestic corporation. 8. Multiple corporations – can be used, subject to some limitations. 9. Election of fiscal year – can choose fiscal year ends from Jan-
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The Prophetic Voice ReveRend Rodel G. BAlAGtAs WE can’t escape this world. We can’t isolate or numb ourselves from all its influences and its happenings. Be it a political issue, a natural disaster, or a threat of nuclear war, our personal lives--which includes our spirituality, faith, or religious beliefs--interface and intertwine with the affairs of this world. This fact is much more evident now in an era of social media and digital world. We’re more connected with the rest of the inhabitants of this planet. The news comes to us rapidly through Facebook and Twitter. We can’t help become affected by anything that we see on our laptop or cellphones. For example, the news about the Las Vegas massacre became immediately viral to the rest of the world a few minutes after the tragic event. As our personal lives interface with any world or local event, we find ourselves constantly challenged to look at our Christian faith and beliefs. What and how is this occurrence calling us to do? How is it helping us discern the right principle or position
Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth uRsuA Reyes IN the absence of a premarital agreement, the general community property presumption under California family code section 760 controls which provides “ ….all property, real or personal, wherever situated, acquired by a married person during the marriage while domiciled in this state is community property.” Family Code §760. This becomes a problem if you are the spouse that has the substantially higher income or the one who accumulates the majority of the assets during the marriage. You are called in family law lingo “the in spouse.” The other spouse (or in our lingo also called the “out spouse” gets a half interest on everything accumulated during the marriage even if the asset is under your name alone or it was accumulated solely due to your sweat and hard work. The out spouse, who stayed at home most of the marriage, gets a one half interest on all the accumulations during the marriage under California community property law. For example, if you opened a savings account during the marriage under your name alone for which you religiously and diligently stash away 25% of your earnings during the marriage while your spouse blows away his/her salary during the marriage, your spouse still gets a half interest in the money you saved in your savings account. Another example would be if you purchase a piece of real property during the marriage under “your name alone” and have your spouse sign a “quit claim” deed, your spouse may still have a claim for a half interest in your real property. Another example would be if you owned a business prior to marriage, but due to your hard work, long hours of labor, and efforts, the business grew exponentially during the marriage, your spouse may still have a claim for an interest in the business. Signing a premarital agree-
What do you do after you win asylum? ate family members (spouse and children)—whether they are in the U.S. or outside—are entitled to a “derivative” grant of asylum. If your spouse and children were included in your asylum application and are physically present in the U.S., they will automatically receive asylum at the same time as you. If they are overseas, or were not included in your application, you can file USCIS Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition to obtain asylum for them. Use a separate form for each family member. For your spouse to be eligible for asylum, the two of you must have been legally married (that is, with a government-issued certificate) before you were granted asylum. For your children to be eligible, they must be unmarried and younger than 21. Thereafter, once you qualify for the Green Card or residency, they will as well. As for the CSPA, the grant of asylum while your children who are under 21 years of age will have their age locked in so as to be able to apply as an immediate relative for them even after they are over 21 years old.
Question: Can I later become a U.S. Citizen? Answer: You may apply for U.S. citizenship (to “naturalize”) five years after obtaining your green card by filing Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. Technically, you are eligible to apply for citizenship five years after you officially become a permanent resident. However, one year of your time as an asylee counts as if you already had a green card. This is known as “rollback.” Hence, your green card will specify your starting permanent residence date as one year before your residence application was actually approved. *** Atty. Brian D. Lerner has been an Immigration Attorney for nearly a quarter of a century. He is married to a Filipina and has helped thousands of Filipino families all over the country. In addition to his offices in Southern California in Long Beach and Carson, he has an office in Quezon City. He is a certified specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law by the Legal Board of Specialization, California State Bar. The initial consultation is free. Call (562) 495-0554 and/or send an e-mail to blerner@californiaimmigration.us.
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Our faith and our world that is faithful to the teachings of Jesus Christ or the values of the Kingdom of God? The Gospel this Sunday (Matthew 22:15-21) recalls to us the famous words, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” What Jesus means here is to be responsible citizens of this world according to the values and precepts he taught and preached. And so, if he instructed to us to respect the life of every human being, then that’s what each of us, including government leaders, should do. If he taught us to be merciful, then that’s what every bill, humanitarian effort, and political reform should manifest and promote, especially in regards to the weak and needy members of our society. It’s clear that our problem in Christianity is the lack of congruity between our faith and actions. Often, we don’t practice what we believe. We live a split-level Christianity. We’re good Christians during a one-hour of worship, but we’re different people the rest of the time. Often, we give our allegiance to the moral principles of a political leader than to those that the Church teaches us. Can God and Caesar coexist? For sure they can, as long as Cae-
sar operates under the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes of Jesus Christ. As Fr. John Foley S.J. says, “God put us in this world to sanctify it, to befriend the things of Caesar.” As Christians, our fundamental principle is that we’re all created in the image of God. Our task is to protect this image—our own and those of our brothers and sisters. Whether we’re involved in Church, government or secular affairs, it is our responsibility not to distort this image of God stamped in every soul of all human beings. May all actions give God glory and honor! May we always remember the famous line from St. Irenaeus: “The glory of God is man fully alive.” *** 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 (19912001). 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.
Do I need a premarital agreement before getting married? ment may serve as added protection to the future “in spouse” and a hurdle for the future “out spouse” by avoiding or altering the applicability of California community property law to assets 1) already owned by each and 2) to property and income to be acquired or earned during their marriage. Marriage of Grinius (1985) 166 CA3d 1179, 1186, 212 CR 803, 807 Premarital agreements may validly provide that the earnings and accumulations of each party during marriage will remain that party’s separate property, free of any claims, community property or otherwise, of the other party. Marriage of Dawley, supra, 17 C3d at 350, 131 CR at 8; Cheney v. City & County of San Francisco Employees Retirement System (1936) 7 C2d 565, 569, 61 P2d 754, 756. Premarital agreements may also serve to preserve a person’s estate for his or her heirs, free of the other party’s inheritance claims. Estate of Wamack (1955) 137 CA2d 112, 115, 289 P2d 871, 872. Pursuant to Family Code §1612(c ),“ Parties to a premarital agreement may contract with respect to all of the following:(1) The rights and obligations of each of the parties in any of the property of either or both of them whenever and wherever acquired or located. (2) The right to buy, sell, use, transfer, exchange, abandon, lease, consume, expend, assign, create a security interest in, mortgage, encumber, dispose of, or otherwise manage and control property.(3) The disposition of property upon separation, marital dissolution, death, or the occurrence or nonoccurrence of any other event.(4) The making of a will, trust, or other arrangement to carry out the provisions of the agreement.(5) The ownership rights in and disposition of the death benefit from a life insurance policy.(6) The choice of law governing the construction of the agreement.(7) Any other matter, including their personal
rights and obligations, not in violation of public policy or a statute imposing a criminal penalty. However, the right of a child to support may not be adversely affected. Family Code §1612(b). Premarital agreements that are entered into voluntarily by parties who are each represented by independent counsel and aware of the effect of the agreement, a post 1985 premarital waiver of post dissolution support does not offend contemporary public policy and is not per se unenforceable. Fam.C. § 1612(c); Marriage of Pendleton & Fireman (2000) 24 C4th 39, 53–54, 99 CR2d 278, 288–289; Marriage of Facter (2013) 212 CA4th 967, 981, 152 CR3d 79, 90. Under both the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act and prior law, the spouse claiming the agreement is invalid or not enforceable bears the burden of proof on that allegation. Family Code. § 1615(a); Marriage of Bonds, supra, 24 C4th at 27, 99 CR2d at 269; Marriage of Iverson (1992) 11 CA4th 1495, 1502, 15 CR2d 70, 74–75; However, the UPAA (as amended effective 1/1/02) deems that a premarital agreement was not executed voluntarily unless the court makes five prescribed findings provided for under Family Code. § 1615(c) (1) The party against whom enforcement is sought was represented by independent legal counsel at the time of signing the agreement or after being advised to seek independent legal counsel, expressly waived, in a separate writing, representation by independent legal counsel. (2) The party against whom enforcement is sought had not less than seven calendar days between the time that party was first presented with the agreement and advised to seek independent legal counsel and the time the agreement was signed. (3) The party against whom enforcement is sought, if unrepresented by legal counsel,
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Community Journal
Sanctuary state: New laws protecting immigrant workers IN honor of Larry Itliong Day on October 25, this column will highlight the plight of immigrant workers and the new laws that were recently signed to protect them. California lawmakers recognize that immigrant workers are vital to California’s economy. Immigrant workers are also the most frequent victims of wage theft and exposed to the greatest hazards at work. When they come forward to report unfair, unsafe, or illegal conditions, they face retaliation from the employer, often involving threats to contact the police or immigration enforcement agencies. On January 1, 2014, it became unlawful for an employer to engage in unfair immigration-related practices against any employee in order to retaliate against the employee’s exercise of a protected right. “Unfair immigration-related practice” means any conduct undertaken for the retaliatory reasons such as threatening to file or filing a false police report, or threatening to contact or contacting immigration authorities, among others. In addition, the employers’ attorneys are also prohibited from reporting or threatening to report the suspected immigration status of employees or their witnesses (or family members) simply because these persons exercised their employment rights. On October 5, 2017, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law certain provisions regulating immigration worksite enforcement actions. The highlights of the law include the following:
Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. Employers are prohibited from voluntarily allowing an immigration enforcement (ICE) agent entrance into any nonpublic areas of the workplace. Employers must ask for a judicial warrant before granting access to the workplace by ICE agents. Employers are prohibited from voluntarily allowing an ICE agent access, review, or acquisition of the employer’s employee records without a subpoena or judicial warrant. The employer is allowed to challenge the validity of a subpoena or judicial warrant in court. If a Notice of Inspection has been provided to the employer by an immigration agency for an inspection of I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification forms and other employment records, the employer must provide to each employee (and their representative) written notice within 72 hours of the employer receiving notice of immigration worksite enforcement action. This means if the employer received notice that ICE agents will be conducting a “workplace raid,” the employer must let its employees know within 72 hours of receiving the notice. Written notice shall also be given within 72 hours to the employee’s authorized representative, if any. Violations of the above requirements would be punishable by a
civil penalty of between $2,000 and $10,000 for each violation by the employer. Though not related to employment, the Governor also signed what’s being nicknamed the “sanctuary state law,” which states that law enforcement authorities are prohibited from asking about immigration status during routine interactions. Law enforcement also cannot unlawfully detain persons because of their immigration status. Furthermore, the law prohibits the commandeering of local officials to do the work of immigration agents. As a matter of public policy, California’s laws regulating wages and working conditions apply to undocumented workers who are also entitled to the following rights: prevailing minimum wage; overtime pay for working more than eight hours per day or 40 hours per week; meal breaks and rest breaks; safe and healthy work environment; protection against employer retaliation. *** 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 or our Facebook page Joe Sayas Law. [C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. is an experienced trial attorney who has successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is the recipient of PABA’s Community Champion Award for 2016.] (Advertising Supplement)
Avoid the bondage of debt, especially seniors
Debt Relief
Atty. LAwrenCe yAng
ACCUMULATING debt is the easiest thing you can do in America. Even your dog can get credit cards with a fake social security number. If you are an immigrant and have just arrived, you will have no history of credit here. Chances are that in your country of origin, you probably had no credit card debt, or if you did, maybe you had an insignificant amount. In other countries, most people are on a “cash” basis. In other words, you buy everything in cash, not credit. If you buy a house abroad, you either paid cash for it, or you put a substantial cash down payment and have a small mortgage on it. Outside of the U.S., the objective in life is to accumulate cash and assets but have no debt. But here in America, MasterCard, Visa and other credit card companies, sell you the American lifestyle, which is to bury yourself in debt to get all the things you want. Want a brand new 80inch flat and thin high definition TV, the one that curves on both ends of the screen to let you watch it clearly from almost any angle? It’s only $3,000. Don’t have the $3,000? No problem. Just charge the $3,000 on your credit card. Bring the TV home today for your whole family to enjoy! You don’t have to pay $3,000 up front. Next month, just set aside $90 to make a minimum monthly payment on the $3,000. Instant gratification! This is the American way. Want to bring the family to Hawaii for Christmas? Let’s see. It’s $1,500 for a week’s stay at one of the five-star resorts in Waikiki, including the round-trip plane fare and hotel per head. Since you are a family of four, that would be a grand total of $6,000 for a one-week Christmas and New Year vacation in paradise. LA gets cold in winter even if it doesn’t snow but the climate in Hawaii is a comfortable and breezy 80 degrees. “Mele Kalikimaka” — that’s how they say “Merry Christmas” in Hawaii as you probably know. And the food, the luaus are terrific. The scenery is spectacular. Plan on riding a helicopter to look at the Big Island Volcano, which only adds another $1,000 to your vacation budget for your family of four. So, the one-week Christmas vacation will cost about $8,000, all expenses accounted for, with first-class accommodations. There’s only one problem. You didn’t have $3,000 for the big screen TV that looks so good in your family room, so where will you get the $8,000 for your Christmas vacation? No problem. In America, the
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credit cards keep on giving and giving. They are perennial Santa Clauses. The wife wants to go. The kids want to go. You want to go. So go. I mean, former President Obama spent a lot of his vacations in Oahu where he was born, so why can’t you bring your family to paradise this Christmas? By all means, go and give the family a great time this Christmas. With the brand new TV at $3,000 and the Hawaii Christmas vacation at $8,000, you will owe $11,000 at the end of this year. So what? You got the TV and you’ll still have your Hawaii tan for a couple of weeks when you get back right after the New Year. Your co-workers will envy you when you say you just got back from paradise and you feel totally relaxed and ready to face the challenges of 2018 head-on. Yes, that’s right, everything is still status quo but then, at the end of January 2018, you will have to take $330 out of your take-home pay and pay the mini-
back to your country of origin which requires a lot more money because as everyone knows, family back home expect to get a lot of expensive gifts from their now “rich” American relatives, not to mention paying the tab for all the restaurant food that you and your family back home will be enjoying. If all of these scenarios took place 10 years ago, mark my words: you would now owe maybe $30,000 in credit card debt. These now cost you $1,000 a month of minimum payments. For the next 12 months, you will pay $12,000 of minimum payments, but at the end of the 12 months, you will still owe $30,000. In 24 months, you will pay $24,000 of minimum payments, but you will still owe $30,000. Then, if you are objective enough to see you own financial situation, you will know that you are now in what is called “financial bondage.” You are now a debt slave. What’s worse than being a debt slave? Being a senior debt slave is the worse. Let’s say that you are now 62 and you owe $30,000 in credit cards. Social security and retirement are just around the corner. You’re looking at $1,800 of social security, which is not too bad. But you’re also on the hook for $1,000 of minimum monthly credit card payments. This is more than half of your social security benefits. Imagine the hardship caused by having to fork over more than half of your social security to pay $1,000 to your credit card masters every month for the rest of your life during your golden years. It sucks! But as you have now learned, after paying your credit card masters $120,000 in the last 10 years, you still owe your masters the same $30,000 of credit card debt! Just like “Django Unchained,” it’s time to break free of credit card debt! What you need now is the full legal power of a Chapter 7 petition to give you a fresh start without the $30,000 in credit card debt. Break free from your credit card masters and live with freedom and joy and be productive again and start fresh again without accumulated debt. Turn you back on the $30,000 and nuke them with a bankruptcy discharge. You won’t regret it.. It’s the right thing to do. Even Pres. Trump has said that Puerto Rico’s $70billion debt must be discharged. Well, he should know, the Trump companies filed for bankruptcy four times, discharging hundreds of millions of debt. Even Walt Disney filed for Chapter 7 twice before he became successful. Milton Hershey of Hershey chocolates, now a global multi-
Let’s say that you are now 62 and you owe $30,000 in credit cards. Social security and retirement are just around the corner.
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mum for the TV and Hawaii trip. At the end of 2018, you will have paid your credit card masters $4,000, but you would still owe them the same $11,000. But the reality of life here in America is that you will buy a lot more good stuff on credit. Maybe two brand new computers for the kids? A brand new leather sofa set? Maybe you need a new fridge? Or, even a new roof because the roof leaks. There is a high probability that in 2018, you will add another $10,000 of credit cards because you don’t really feel the pain when you buy stuff on credit, isn’t this true? It’s not like you have $10,000 of cash in the bank and you have to take $8,000 from it to pay for Hawaii, right? That would be painful. On the other hand, charging $8,000 on credit cards is practically painless. You just have to take the card out of your wallet and swipe it. It’s so easy to spend money that you don’t have here in America. One can easily get addicted to credit cards the same way that a person can get addicted to drugs. Just like cocaine and LSD, using credit cards gives the user a “high”. Just like drugs, it’s addicting. In a couple of short years, starting from a $3,000 for your TV, and $8,000 for your Hawaii Christmas vacation in 2017, you will owe $30,000! You would have added a trip to Europe, a trip to China, Japan, Thailand and Bali for the family. These trips do not even include the family trip
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 21-24, 2017
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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 selfemployed, 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 selfemployed, 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@dtanlaw.com. (Advertising Supplement)
Should you form a regular...
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uary to November. 10. Trust Fund – Discuss with your tax adviser how you can save on the employer’s portion of problematic delinquent payroll taxes. B. Drawbacks: 1. Double taxation – Corporations pays tax on net income. Shareholders pay tax again later upon receipt of dividends. New law reduces this disadvantage by taxing dividends at a very low rate of 15%. Traditional tax planning ideas of “zeroing out” bottom lines should be re-examined to consider leaving net income that can be distributed later as dividends. Along the same lines, S corporations with accumulated earnings and profits from prior
years of operating as regular C corporations should consider declaring and distributing dividends at the low rate of 15%. 2. Constructive dividends – can be asserted for personal use of assets in an IRS audit. 3. Accumulated earnings tax – 20% (15% through the year 2012) can be assessed on accumulated earnings in excess of reasonable needs. This is in addition to regular income tax. 4. Personal holding company tax – 20% (15% through the year 2012) applies to undistributed personal holding company income in addition to the regular income tax. 5. Alternative minimum tax – 20% applies to taxpayers who would otherwise escape taxa-
tion. 6. Accrual method of accounting – is generally required. The cash basis, of course, is easier to operate, as one does not have to account for receivables, payables and inventory.
*** 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)
C OCTOBER 21-24, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
Community Journal
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How to obtain a waiver for certain Do I need a premarital agreement... criminal grounds of inadmissibility PAGE C2 t
IN our prior article, it was pointed out that an application for an immigrant visa and certain non-immigrant visas may be denied due to certain criminal grounds of inadmissibility. In some cases, the applicant can request for a waiver so a visa can be issued despite that ground. A waiver is a request by the alien applicant to the U.S. government, through the USCIS, for “forgiveness” for the ground that the alien applicant has been found inadmissible so he can be granted the visa or green card despite of that criminal ground. Under the Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA), waivers are available for the following criminal grounds: • Certain crimes involving moral turpitude (CIMT). As a general, an alien who has committed or admits committing a CIMT is inadmissible. However, there is no need to file a waiver because you are not deemed to have committed a CMIT if: • The crime was purely a political offense, • The crime was committed when the alien was under 18 years of age, the alien has been released from prison or confinement, and it has been more than 5 years before the date of application for a visa was filed. • The maximum penalty possible for the CIMT did not exceed imprisonment for one year and, if the alien was convicted of such crime, the sentence of imprisonment is not excess of 6 months
Atty. Gwendolyn Malaya-Santos
According to the Board of Immigration Appeals, a CMT “refers generally to conduct that shocks the public conscience as being inherently base, vile, or depraved, contrary to the rules of morality and the duties owed between man and man, either one’s fellow man or society in general”. Examples of CIMT are murder, rape, incest, spousal abuse, and fraud, among others. • A controlled substance violation of the laws of a foreign country or US state related to a single offense of simple possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana, • Two or more convictions (not purely political ones), for which the sentences to confinement were a total of 5 years or more, • Prostitution, • Unlawful commercialized vice whether or not related to prostitution, and • Certain aliens involved in serious criminal activity who have asserted immunity from prosecution. The applicant must show one of the following: (1) he is an ap-
proved VWA self-petitioner, (2) the US citizen or permanent resident relative (spouse, son, daughter, or parents) would suffer extreme hardship if the applicant is denied, (3) at least 15 years have passed since the event, or crime happened and the alien have been rehabilitated, or (4) if it’s a crime involving prostitution, the alien has been rehabilitated and the admission to the US is not contrary to national welfare, safety, and security. If you are contemplating of filing any waiver application or any immigration petition for that matter, it is advisable to seek the counsel of an immigration lawyer to guide you on the intricacies of filing for such a petition. *** Atty. Gwendolyn Malaya-Santos is a member of the State Bar of California and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. To schedule for a free initial in-person consultation, please call Tel. Nos. (213) 284-5984 or (626) 329-8215. Atty. Santos’ office is located at 3450 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1200, Los Angeles, CA 90010. www. gms-la-legal.com *** Information contained in this article does not, nor is it intended to, constitutes legal advice for any specific situation and does not create a lawyer-client relationship. It likewise does not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter. We are a debt relief agency. We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the Bankruptcy Code. (Advertising Supplement)
Avoid the bondage of debt... PAGE C3 t billion dollar business, filed for Chapter 7 before he became successful. M.C. Hammer, Francis Ford Coppola, Kim Basinger and Mickey Rooney — these celebrities all filed for Chapter 7 to get a fresh start in life. It’s easy to get into debt in America. But it’s really hard to get out of debt in America. That’s why you need the full legal power of Chapter 7 to get out of debt and get a fresh start. It’s a federal right given by law to the debtor who needs relief from accumulated debt. Why be embarrassed to exercise a right given by law? Life after bankruptcy is great, you still keep everything you
own as long as you qualify for applicable exemptions. You will be able to save money again every month. Anyway, the cards have enabled you to bring your family around the world already and you still have the big screen TV in your family room. Have your cake and eat it too and get a fresh start with no debt. Only in America! Get back on solid financial footing, get rid of your accumulated debt with Chapter 7, and face your retirement years with peace of mind! If you need debt relief, set an appointment to see me. I will analyze your case personally. “FOR IT IS BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED, THROUGH FAITH-AND THIS NOT FROM
YOURSELVES, IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD.” EPHESIANS 2:8 *** Disclaimer: The foregoing is an expression of opinion and is not meant to be legal advice to any reader. There is no attorney-client relationship established by this article with the reader. If you want to discuss your situation, you have to set an appointment to consult with the attorney. The first general consultation is free. *** 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 or at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789.
was fully informed of the terms and basic effect of the agreement as well as the rights and obligations he or she was giving up by signing the agreement, and was proficient in the language in which the explanation of the party’s rights was conducted and in which the agreement was written. The explanation of the rights and obligations relinquished shall be memorialized in writing and delivered to the party prior to signing the agreement. The unrepresented party shall, on or before the signing of the premarital agreement, execute a document declaring that he or she received the information required by this paragraph and indicating who provided that information.(4) The agreement and the writings executed pursuant to paragraphs(1) and (3) were not executed under duress, fraud, or undue influence, and the parties did not lack capacity to enter into
the agreement.(5) Any other factors the court deems relevant. In addition, the parties are required to provide each other with full disclosure of all material financial information. A premarital agreement may be unenforceable if found to be unconscionable when it was executed and the requisite disclosures were lacking and not waived Additionally, a spousal support provision in a premarital agreement executed under the UPAA, whether before or after January 1, 2002, is not enforceable if found to be unconscionable at the time of enforcement. Family Code § 1612(c). If you are the higher earning spouse and have assets to protect, it is important to seek the representation of experienced counsel in drafting a premarital agreement to make sure that all statutory requirement are met which increases the likelihood that your premarital agreement will be deemed en-
Calendar of Events across
forceable when attacked in court in case of a divorce. * * * 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. * * * Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com. (Advertising Supplement)
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Small business workshop in El Monte, CA New and existing businesses are invited to a Small Business Workshop on Wednesday, Oct. 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at PACE Business Development Center (11100 Valley Blvd. #116, El Monte, CA 91731). Course topics include credit reporting, banking service, organizational types, getting licenses and permits, financing and financial assistance to small businesses. The workshop will be in English. It is FREE but seats are limited so you must RSVP by Monday, Oct. 23. Breakfast and course materials will be provided by Cathay Bank. There are 3 ways to register: online at www.pacelabdc.org/calendar, email Daniel Ing at ding@pacela.org, or call (213) 989-3209. nesses. The workshop will be in English. It is FREE but seats are limited so you must RSVP by Monday, Oct. 23. Breakfast and course materials will be provided by Cathay Bank. There are 3 ways to register: online at www.pacelabdc. org/calendar, email Daniel Ing at ding@pacela.org, or call (213) 989-3209.
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FACC-GLA’s Halloween Dance Party in Canoga Park, CA FACC-GLA’s Halloween Dance Party in Canoga Park, CA The Filipino American Chamber of Commerce - Greater Los Angeles (FACC - GLA) invites members and guests to its Halloween Dance Party on Friday, October 27 from 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. at the Best Western Canoga Park Hotel. Come in with your scariest attire as there will be special gifts for the best costume attire. Food & drinks will be included. Tickets are limited and entry will only be allowed for those who paid online or through check on or before Tuesday, October 24. Payment can be made through the website www.filamchambergla.org. Strictly NO payment will be accepted at the door.
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3rd annual Larry Itliong Day parade & festival in Los Angeles
ğ įōíľ ÀðıÃæµįPçį ʼn æIJįıÀ ØÃĉÃæîÂ ß ğÃqPç qíß߼æÃıŎįĤÀíĽØ ÕæíŊįPdíĽIJĕ If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, email us the details (title, description, time & date, location, etc.) at info@asianjournalinc.com. And for consideration in our print calendar, please send submissions at least three weeks before the date of the event. To be included in our online calendar/ e-newsletter, please allow at least two to three weeks' notice. The Asian Journal would be delighted to list your event in our Calendar of Events.
Join the Larry Itliong Day Committee (LIDC) in honoring the legacy of Filipino American Labor Leader Larry Itliong on Saturday, October 28. There will be a parade followed by a festival with cultural music, dance performances, food vendors, art exhibits, health screenings and various vendors. Parade starts at 9 a.m. with a light breakfast, opening ceremony and line-up at 8 a.m. at Unidad Park (1648 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026). The festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Columban Church at 125 Loma Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90026. There will be film screenings of “Delano Manongs” by Marissa Aroy at the church at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. For more information on sponsorships, parade registration, exhibitor opportunities, and volunteering, please email larryitliongdayLA@gmail.com.
PHII presents Tribute 2017: Recognition ceremony and dinner dance The Philippine Heritage Institute International celebrates its 28th anniversary with its annual recognition ceremony and dinner dance on Saturday, October 28, 6:30 p.m. to midnight, at the Pasadena Hilton, 168 S. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena, CA 91101 -- 19th Tribute to Outstanding Filipino American Nurses and 11th President’s Award: ‘Profiles in Services, Pillars of Community.’ Cost is $65; attire, formal. PHII’s annual tribute is in answer to the White House Millennium Council Initiative from then Pres. Bill Clinton, who came with his wife Hillary to Los Angeles in January 1998. They created the Council in August 1997, with the theme ‘Honor the Past, Imagine the Future’ and traveled across the United States to promote its objectives -- an agenda with 21 ‘Ways to Commemorate the Millennium.’ “Mrs. Clinton gave a speech, stirring and inspirational,” said the late Mrs. Armada. In 1999, PHII became a partner to the White House Millennium Council selecting the ‘Millennium Recognition Awards’ to pay tribute to outstanding individuals whose contributions have enhanced the quality of life in the community. PHII seeks to improve the quality of life affecting Filipino American communities through research, education and recognition with the youth as its main focus. The foundation sponsors a youth congress annually with featured speakers. For more information, contact President Josie E. De Jesus (714) 272-0300; or Executive Director Anna A. Chickey, M.D. (562) 900-0379 (payments can be mailed to Dr. Chickey, daughter of Mrs. Armada, at 2032 Redfield St., Fullerton, CA 92833); or Email Lydia V. Solis at lvsolis@ aol.com.
Philippine Heritage Arts and Culture Celebration in Glendale, CA Join the Filipino-American Business Association of Glendale (FABAG), Glendale LibraryArts and Culture and Alexis Louise Quiza Foundation (ALQ) on Saturday, October 28 from 5:30 p.m. at the Glendale Central Library (222 E. Harvard St.) for the “Philippine Heritage Arts and Culture Celebration.” This event is OPEN TO ALL and is FREE admission. It will be a wonderful evening showcasing folk dances by Malaya Fil-Am Dance Arts, a Filipinana-inspired creation fashion show by designer Carl Andrada, and music and songs by Holy Family Filipino Chorale, Ethel and Clarita Alejo, Jennifer Kumiyama and the INTROVOYS... and more. Meet&greet and food sampling will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., after which an exciting program will start until 8:30 p.m. Bring your family and friends! The Office of the Philippine Consulate, Legislative Offices, City Officials, GCC Board, GUSD Board and other organizations were also invited. For further info, please contact Marlene Cagatao at (818) 450-9704 or Edith Fuentes at (818) 736-1911.
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Franchise Expo West in Los Angeles Franchise Expo West, the premier franchise event in the western U.S. is returning to Los Angeles after a five-year absence, to provide the strongest business opportunities for potential franchisees in this dynamic, growing region. Attendees can engage with over 200 franchise brands in every industry at every investment level, access over 60 free educational sessions where in depth answers are provided to any franchising questions, and meet with lenders and consultants to learn about financing options. It will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center at 1201 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90015 from Thursday, Nov. 2 to Saturday, Nov. 4. For more information, please visit: www.franchiseexpowest.com. For free registration, use promo code AJ here: https://r1.events-registration.com/franwest2017/.
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&
The November 2017 priority dates
Immigration Corner
The Priority dates for the Philippines are as follows: FAMILY CATEGORY:
ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ EACH month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes, in the Visa Bulletin, the priority dates for that particular month, for the various family and employment based categories. A priority date is a person’s “place in line” for a visa, meaning immigrant visas (or green cards) would be available for persons whose priority date is earlier than the cut-off date listed below. If your priority date was “current,” but later retrogressed (or “moved backwards” and became unavailable) before your immigrant visa was issued (or before you adjusted status in the U.S.), you would have to wait until it becomes current again. Beginning last October 2015, the format of the Visa Bulletin changed, in that a new column was added, called the “Application Filing Date.” If a person’s priority date is earlier than the Application Filing Date, they can already file for adjustment of status and work authorization (provided they are otherwise eligible and USCIS indicates on its website it will use PAGE D3
Application Filing Date
Visa Issuance Date
October 1, 2007
January 1, 2007
First Preference
Unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens (over 21 years of age)
Second Preference
(2A) Spouse and minor children (below November 1, 21 years old) of green 2016 card holder
November 15, 2015
(2B) Unmarried sons and daughters (21 years old or older) of green card holder
September 1, 2007
January 1, 2007
Third Preference
Married sons and daughters of US Citizens.
June 15, 1995
March 1, 1995
Fourth Preference
Brothers and sisters of US Citizens.
March 1, 1995
June 8, 1994
LABOR CERTIFICATION:
Application Filing Date
Visa Issuance Date
Second Preference
Advanced Degree (Masters)
Third Preference
Professional/ Skilled Workers
August 1, 2016 January 15, 2016
Other Workers
Non-Skilled Workers
August 1, 2016 January 15, 2016
Current
Current
Finance chief: PH-US ties ‘can only grow stronger’ by BEN
O. DE VERA Inquirer.net
ACKNOWLEDGING that the United States had been instrumental in economic and public governance reforms undertaken in the Philippines of late, the head of the Duterte administration’s economic team expressed optimism that such reforms would
entice more American investors to do business here. “We appreciate the support extended by the U.S. government intending to help modernize our governance, improve policy formulation across the board and strengthen the rule of law in our country,” Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said on Finance Secretary Carlos “Sonny” G. Inquirer.net photo PAGE D2 Dominguez
Business Quote of the Week “People who succeed have momentum. The more they succeed, the more they want to succeed, and the more they find a way to succeed. Similarly, when someone is failing, the tendency is to get on a downward spiral that can even become a self-fulfilling prophecy.” — Tony Robbins, author and business strategist
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National Diversity Coalition announces launch of lending platform Netflix aims to spend $8 billion for original content to finance underserved homeowners and small businesses Founders Faith Bautista and Steven Sugarman announced completion of a record equity capital raise at the 14th Annual National Asian American Coalition Conference on October 20, 2017
FAITh Bautista, President of the National Diversity Coalition (“NDC”) and National Asian America Coalition (“NAAC”), announced on Friday, Oct. 20, a partnership with private investors and banking professionals, led by Steven Sugarman, to launch a lending platform to finance underserved homeowners and small businesses. This venture will seek to finance prime borrowers that are currently unserved by banks and other traditional financial institutions. It is estimated that this diverse population of borrowers currently accounts for over $100 billion in annual credit-worthy lending opportunities that is unable to access traditional sources of capital. “It has been my dream to help enable these underserved and minority homeowners get the credit they deserve at rates they can afford. This will be the gold standard of community development. I am thrilled to have partnered with Steven Sugarman and his experienced team of executives,” said Faith Bautista. Ms. Bautista, who recently received a Presidential appointment to serve on the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Community Development Advisory Board, will Chair the venture’s Community Advisory Board (the “CAB”) to represent the interests of underserved and minority borrowers and to ensure they receive equitable access to capital and credit counseling services. Vice-Chairs of the CAB will
include Pastor Mark Whitlock, Gil Vasquez, NDC Chair Jin Sung, and NAAC Co-Chair Jeff Lim. “For community development to be successful, it must be collaborative, profitable, and prudent,” Ms. Bautista continued. Founding investors – led by Jeffrey Seabold, Mario De Tomasi, Scott Simonich, Marshall Geller and Lawrence Taylor – have committed to provide $20 million in equity to the venture, which will seek federal certification as a Community Development Financial Institution (“CFDI”) and membership with the Federal home Loan Bank of San Francisco. This represents the largest ever equity capital raise to launch a new, non-bank CDFI since the founding of the program in 1994. “These socially responsible investors are to be commended for their commitment to providing prudent financing to underserved, but credit-worthy borrowers. This lending partnership is innovative, important, and just beginning. As the state legislature recently stated, California has a shortage of two million affordable homes. The efforts of NDC and NAAC alongside their partners are poised to creatively reduce this lack of affordable homeownership,” said Bob Gnaizda, General Counsel of the NDC and NAAC. “I am proud to be joined by a strong, passionate, and growing team of banking and lending professionals with the experience and
track record to lead this venture and maximize its impact over time,” said Sugarman. “We are excited to continue working to empower the dreams of California’s diverse homeowners and small businesses by providing much needed access to prime capital to nontraditional borrowers. This is a huge, attractive market that has been overlooked and ignored for nearly a decade; it will no longer be.” The venture will focus on meeting the credit needs of the unbanked and underbanked such as low income, minority -- including African-Americans, hispanics, and Southeast Asians -- and women. Background Following the 2009 recession, Congress passed the Dodd-Frank Act to reform the financial system including to establish the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the “CFPB”). In 2013, the CFPB implemented Regulation Z, Truth in Lending, which sought to prevent predatory lending and to ensure lenders had a reasonable expectation of repayment by each borrower at the time a mortgage loan was made. The rate of homeownership has seen a material decline from its peak in 2008, as lenders have tightened lending underwriting standards to conform to Regulation Z, making more sound credit decisions and eliminating potentially predatory lending practices. While much of this decline in homeownership was an appropriate
result of more prudent lending, the CFPB recognized that Regulation Z had the risk of reducing financing for credit-worthy borrowers in need of non-traditional underwriting methods. To do so they provided certain exemptions to organizations including CDFIs to enable thoughtful approaches to providing access to capital to these credit-worthy, underbanked borrowers. In fact, the rate of homeownership now stands several percent below its long-term average homeownership rates during the decade preceding the recent real estate bubble and great recession. This reflects a potential reduction in lending to homeowners of approximately $100 billion annually below the long-term averages. According to The Urban Institute, the tightening of the mainstream mortgage market since the recession prevented 5.2 million mortgages between 2009 and 2014. As the market looks to responsibly expand access to credit, special considerations should be provided for groups that are underbanked to help bridge them into the standard banking system. Community Development Financial Institutions have attempted to close the gap in lending to these underserved communities, but have not historically had the financial resources to meet the size of the challenge. For instance, California based non-bank CDFI’s PAGE D3
by Katrina
Hallare Inquirer.net
ONLINE streaming service Netflix has planned to spend $8 billion next year to supply its library with all-original content by at least 50 percent. As reflected in its third quarter earnings report, the company has $2.5 billion in value of allotted content, such as the gritty series “Narcos”, the adaptation of the Japanese manga “Death Note”, and Marvel’s ‘The Defenders”. It also has set aside $17 billion to further supply its library with content. “Our future largely lies in exclusive original content that drives both excitement around Netflix and enormous viewing satisfaction for our global membership and its wide variety of tastes,” the statement read. The plan was to release 30 new anime series and 50 original films, according to a previous report from The Verge. Meanwhile, free cash flow for the quarter was at $465 million, down from $608 million from the previous four months. For global streaming revenue, it rose by 33
percent from an increase in average paid membership. however, 35.8 percent was tallied for domestic contribution margin, down from 36.4 percent of last year. With competition heading its way, such as Disney being in talks of setting up its own streaming service, Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said in a video conference posted on Youtube that such an event will be good. he pointed out that competition would prompt Netflix to be more creative. “We just have to focus on creating content that our members can’t live without and get pretty excited about every month,” Sarandos said. “We’re thrilled that more people are doing it. I think it’s great for innovation, it’s great for consumers that have a lot of choice, and we just have to be the best choice out there,” he added. To better cater to audiences, the streaming site has partnered with mobile telecommunications company T-mobile and added the telecom’s services into its family bundle plan in the United States. The same deal was made with SLR/Altice in France.
PH seeks US grant for local tax academy by Mayvelin
U. Caraballo ManilaTimes.net
ThE Philippines is seeking a grant from the United States for the establishment of the country’s first tax academy. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III pitched the project during a recent meeting in Washington D. C. with David Malpass, the U.S. Treasury undersecretary for international affairs, the Finance department said on Wednesday, October 18. Dominguez was quoted as telling Malpass that the Philippine Tax Academy, which the department wants to set up in January, would help professionalize the bureaus of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Customs (BoC). “Both [agencies]are under me and we’re doing short-term things but really, in the long term, we need better skills, better ethics,” he said. Dominguez said the planned tax academy would not involve the construction of new buildings and would instead focus on training revenue and customs officers to improve efficiencies and competencies. Malpass was said to have described Dominguez’s plan to save on funds by renting space in local schools a “good idea.” The tax academy, which is mandated by law, is expected to initiate a culture change within the BIR and BoC. “We could use a lot of help
from (the United States). You have a very good IRS (Internal Revenue Service) and Customs and we can learn certainly a lot from you,” Dominguez told Malpass. Dominguez said he would like to transform the BIR and BoC into highly professionalized agencies where employees carry out their duties like agents of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). he also briefly discussed the tax academy project in a forum organized by the think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). “I want these guys to be like your FBI, the men in black … And really, it is a culture change that we are looking for. And we can benefit a lot from that,” Dominguez said at the CSIS forum. The Finance department is now coordinating with the University of the Philippines’ School of Economics and the University of Makati for the hosting of the Philippine Tax Academy. The academy’s operations will be funded from excess Bureau of the Treasury income as recommended by the Department of Budget and Management. Republic Act 10143, signed into law almost seven years ago, empowers the Finance department to set up a tax academy that will provide continuous training and education to personnel of the BIR, BoC and the Bureau of Local Government Finance.
Diokno: PH gov’t to hit 2017 spending target by Mayvelin
Caraballo Philstar.com
ThE government expects to hit its full-year spending target despite disbursement issues in some agencies, a Cabinet official said. “We are optimistic that we will approach our full-year target of P2.909 trillion and will continue to exert our best efforts to reach our goals,” Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno told reporters on Wednesday, October 18. Year-to-date disbursement figures remain firm, he said, with spending from January to August
having hit P1.78 trillion, 9.8 percent stronger compared to the same period last year. Capital outlays and current operating expenditures, which posted growth rates of 11.5 percent and 9.6 percent, respectively, were said to be the primary drivers. Some government offices, however, have been underspending and Diokno identified these as the Office of the President, Department of Agriculture (DA), and the Department of Education (DepEd). PAGE D4
Finance chief Dominguez... PAGE D1
Sunday, October 15 in a speech during a forum organized by the Washington-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). “The support likewise covers winning peace and progress for Mindanao, facilitating trade and modernizing our agriculture,” he added. “With the help of generous development assistance from the US, we have accomplished much.” For Dominguez, the relations between Washington and Manila had been “tested by time and made more enduring by the shared values we hold.” “Let me say that the partnership between the Philippines and the US can only grow stronger in the coming period,” he added. According to a statement issued by the Department of Finance (DOF), Dominguez is hopeful that “improvements in our governance and a benevolent conjuncture of factors favoring stronger growth will encourage private investments from the US to take a much closer look at our
economic prospects.” As far as domestic policies are concerned, Dominguez told the CSIS forum that the proposed comprehensive tax reform program and the ambitious “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure tack were expected to move the economy further. “We are optimistic and we are committed,” he said. “We are confident we have the correct strategy and moving in the right direction. We will continue to rely on your support in this grand effort to reduce poverty, build strong institutions and properly care for the most vulnerable among our people.” “Dominguez cited the government’s continuing efforts to improve the ease of doing business by cutting red tape, curtailing corrupt practices and limiting its negative list for foreign investments, and training the country’s young and talented workforce to be more globally competitive, as among the factors that would sustain the Philippine economy’s high growth and haul in more long-term investments,” the DOF said. /atm
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Pala Casino Spa & Resort breaks ground on $170-M expansion and renovation 400 construction jobs to be created
PALA, Calif. – Officials of Pala Casino Spa & Resort on Tuesday, October 17 held a groundbreaking ceremony to honor the commencement of the resort’s $170 million expansion and renovation project. Pala Band of Mission Indians Chairman Robert Smith provided the keynote address at the groundbreaking ceremony, which took place at the outdoor resort pool area. To officially break ground, Smith drove an excavator through a 15’x 17’ brick kiosk building. The groundbreaking was followed by food and refreshments indoors at Pala’s CAVE Lounge. “Our ability to exponentially expand and refresh Pala Casino Spa & Resort is a true testament to, not only the growth of Pala, but also to the thriving economy and the continued strength of the gaming industry in California,” Smith said. “This is a significant milestone for our Tribe and we look forward to continuing to exceed the expectations of our loyal patrons.” The renovation and expansion will include the addition of a new 348-room hotel tower The resort’s existing hotel tower also will be completely remodeled. When complete, Pala will boast 853 rooms including 104 unique suites and 749 deluxe rooms with dramatic views of the resort’s multi-pool and entertainment complex, event lawn and the scenic Palomar Mountain Range. To accommodate more hotel guests, the hotel parking structure will be expanded by adding 420 additional spaces. The conversion of the existing resort pool into a multi-pool and entertainment resort complex will offer guests the opportunity to enjoy four pools, two whirlpools, a new poolside bar, a new poolside restaurant and various outdoor lounge spaces
complete with fireplaces for evening cocktails. Pala’s gaming area also will be expanded by 12,000 square feet. Within that expanded casino space, 500 new slot machines, several new table games and a new casino bar and lounge will be introduced. The interior of the entire 100,000-square-foot casino will be remodeled. Pala’s food promenade will be converted into a restaurant complex offering a wide variety of food options in a variety of settings. The restaurants will include casual café dining, Asian dining, a premium sushi restaurant and a sports bar restaurant offering live entertainment and dancing every Friday and Saturday night. The new restaurants will complement Pala’s signature Choices the Buffet, the elegant Oak Room Steakhouse, the eclectic underground wine cave with its new California-casual restaurant, Bar-Meets-Grill, which will open in January 2018. During the ceremony, Bill Bembenek, Pala’s Chief Executive Officer, California State Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez-Fletcher, Assemblymember Randy Voepel and Assemblymember Marie Waldron also provided remarks. “I am proud to have played even a bit part in this important event for the Pala Band of Mission Indians, the State of California, and the local economy by authoring Assembly Bill 629 to ratify the tribal gaming compact that made today’s groundbreaking a reality,” said Assemblymember GonzalezFletcher. “This legislation was overwhelmingly supported by representatives from around California because of Pala’s commitment to the economic selfsufficiency of its people and to the surrounding community.”
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 21-24, 2017 D
The November 2017 priority... PAGE D1 the Application Filing Date for that month). This could allow people to obtain work authorization much sooner than before, where they had to wait for the priority date to be current (in the Visa Issuance Date column) in order to both file for adjustment and be eligible for a green card. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bar of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different. The information
contained herein including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and reenactments) is of a general nature, and is not intended to apply to any particular case, and does not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorneyclient relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: (866)—GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)
National Diversity Coalition...
When completed, Pala’s 853 deluxe hotel rooms and suites will be beautifully appointed with stone countertops throughout, luxurious linens, Keurig coffee makers, free, in-room Wi-Fi and 50-inch, high-definition televisions. New palatial presidential suites and balcony suites will provide stunning views of the surrounding vista and awardwinning Starlight Theater concerts. The project will also increase Pala’s casino from its current 90,000 square feet to over 102,000 square feet of gaming space. The expansion will allow Pala Casino to increase its offer-
ing of slot and video machines to 2,500 and its offering of table games to 88. “Pala has been a great neighbor to the surrounding communities in our district,” said Assemblymember Waldron. “The casino and resort employs thousands of our residents and has had a tremendous impact on the economic prosperity of the Tribe’s members. Under the leadership of Chairman Smith, Pala has been a vast economic driver in my district and the surrounding areas. Our region is a better place because of your efforts.” Pala’s renovation and expan-
PAGE D2 made less than $2 billion in total home loans in 2016, most of which were loans made to be sold to third parties pursuant to U.S. Government and Agency programs (e.g., Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and FHA). This has left unaddressed the needs of a significant population of borrowers who do not fit within the narrow confines of these programs. The NDC and NAAC believes that many of these borrowers are prime credits requiring loans with low loan-to-values (the loan-to-value measures the amount of the loan in comparison
to the value of the house being financed). As co-Founder Seabold noted: “There exists significant unmet demand in California and nationally from underbanked, minority and women borrowers for low LTV, prime mortgage loans. This need can be met in a sound and prudent manner.” The NDC and NAAC will continue to seek partnerships with social impact investors, banks, and other corporations to help address this critical need and to better serve the over 25% of the population that the FDIC has deemed unbanked or underbanked.
sion project will create 400 construction jobs and, once complete, add over 200 new employment opportunities to Pala’s current team of 2,000 team members. “Today we employ over 2,000 team members who work diligently to ensure that our resort is consistently friendly, clean, safe and just a fun place to visit,” Bemenek said. “The symbolic relationship between the owners and team members of Pala Casino Spa and Resort makes it no surprise that half of our team members have been employed [here] for a decade.”
Construction of the AAA Four Diamond award-winning property is officially underway and will be completed in phases. The first phase will be completed in spring of 2018 and the final phase in late 2019. Bemenek said the majority of the casino and resort’s guests travel from San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. “To them, we say thank you so very much and wait till you see what we have in store for you next,” he said. (Advertising Supplement)
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Remittances rise to $20.72-B in 8 months by lawRenCe
agCaoili Philstar.com
Clock In’s coworking spaces encourage collaboration and a sense of community among startup companies and independent entrepreneurs. Inquirer file photo
PH startup companies prefer tapping foreign market to boost growth by Roy
Stephen C. Canivel Inquirer.net
MOre than half of local startups that want to grow said that they are looking into tapping the markets outside the country, implying that the Philippines may “not be ready for” the products that they have to offer, findings of a recent study suggested. According to the 2017 Philippine Startup Survey, 61 percent of startup companies in the country said that they want to enter new territories outside of the Philippines as part of their “strategies for growth in the next three to five years.” The study, conducted by PwC Philippines, is the first of its kind that surveys 106 startup founders in the country, providing a snapshot of the local ecosystem comprised of an estimated number of more than 200 active startups, officials said. The survey, which was conducted in the past two months, included 22 face-to-face interviews. PwC Philippines Chairman and Senior Partner Alexander Cabrera said in a press briefing on Tuesday, October 17 that exploring the market outside the country does not necessarily mean that these companies would “drop the Philippine market.” “They care about the timing of these opportunities because opportunities may no longer be there in a brief while. That’s the nature
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of technology. That’s not really giving up the Philippine market,” Cabrera said. Asked to clarify if not dropping the local market also meant maximizing it, he said that local consumers may not be ready for the products and services of these startups. “If the Philippine market can be maximized, I’m sure it would be. But you also need to admit that there are a lot of these products that the Philippine market is not ready for,” he explained. Local traditional businesses, he said, would more likely focus on their core market here in the Philippines. On the contrary, startups are “so obsessed with the potential of (their) products” that going regional, or even global, has become a “natural tendency.” Trade Undersecretary Nora Terrado said in the same briefing that startups are distinct from traditional businesses because of how they incorporate a “digital component” into their business that would disrupt or innovate the way operations are being normally done. Startups don’t necessarily have to be app-based. Other strategies for growth in the next few years, according to the findings, pointed to a plan to improve existing products or services (as said by 84 percent of respondents), and introduce new products or services (79 percent). However, when exploring other
areas in the Philippine market is also being considered, the findings showed that 95 percent of startups want to enter new territories. About 56 percent cited other areas in the country, 59 percent in Indonesia, 57 percent in Thailand, and 55 percent in Malaysia, among others. About 35 percent of the founders interviewed launched their startups in 2016, while 19 percent launched it last year, which are noticeably larger than the previous years. About 11 percent of the startups began before 2012, 4 percent in 2012, 6 percent in 2013, 14 percent in 2014, and 11 percent in 2015. Upon starting their operations, a significant number of these startups cited the following as top challenges: capital requirements (88 percent), regulatory requirements (54 percent), and general economic/business conditions (50 percent). To build sustainable businesses, more than half of the respondents said that the top focus areas of improvement should be tax incentives for startups, ease of doing business, and access to capital. These are part of the findings of the survey, which will be released during Slingshot ASeAN: Startup and Innovation Summit on Friday in Manila. PwC Philippines partnered with QBO Philippines, the country’s first public-private initiative for startups, for the study. /jpv
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M A N I LA — T h e a m o u n t of money sent by overseas Filipinos to the Philippines in August grew at its fastest pace in five months as new markets for skilled Filipino workers have been found, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported yesterday, October 16. BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said the strong demand for Filipino labor has been sustained due to aging populations in advanced economies and some countries in the Asian region. “Skill sets are vastly different, new markets for Filipino skills have been found,” Guinigundo said. BSP data showed personal remittances rose 9.8 percent to $2.8 billion in August from $2.56 billion in the same month last year. This was the fastest since the 10.7 percent increase and the highest since the record high $2.91 billion posted in March. For the first eight months, personal remittances rose 6.4 percent to $20.72 billion from $19.48 billion in the same period last year. Personal remittances represent the sum of net compensation of employees, personal transfers, and capital transfers between households. It measures cash and non-cash items that flow through both formal or via electronic wire and informal channels such as money or goods carried across borders. On the other hand, the central bank said cash remittances coursed through banks grew 7.8 percent to $2.5 billion in August from $2.32 billion in the same month last year.
BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said the strong demand for Filipino labor has been sustained due to aging populations in advanced economies and some countries in the Asian region. Philstar.com photo
This was also the fastest in five months or since March when it grew 11.8 percent and the highest since cash remittances reached a monthly record of $2.61 billion last March. According to the central bank, primary contributors to the rise in cash remittances last August were the United Arab emirates, the U.S., Singapore and Qatar. Cash remittances went up 5.4 percent to $18.59 billion from January to August compared to $17.64 billion in the same period last year. Data showed the bulk, or 82.5 percent, of the cash remittances in the first eight months came from the US, Saudi Arabia, UAe, Singapore, Japan, the United Kingdom, Qatar, Kuwait, Germany, and Hong Kong. The BSP has pegged the projected growth in personal and cash remittances at four
Diokno: PH gov’t to hit 2017... PAGE D2 “If you look at the data, underspending by the Office of the President is because of the hosting of the Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Summit,” he explained. The bulk of the P15-billion budget for the Asean Summit, which will be hosted next month by the Philippines, still has to be spent, Diokno noted. “Among the departments, I would say the DA also underspends because of the farm to market roads. To some extent,
also the Deped because of the delays in the building of their schools. The budget is under Deped but the construction arm is the Public Works department,” he added. Diokno said the government remained committed to address underspending, which in the past led to the slow delivery of public services, He said that P426.7 billion of the P3.35-trillion national budget for 2017 was still to be released to line agencies. Of this amount, P236.8 billion
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percent this year. remittances from about 12 million Filipinos living and working abroad contribute about 10 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP). remittances together with business process outsourcing (BPO) and tourism receipts serve as a major source of foreign exchange buffer that help shield the Philippines from external shocks. “This is good for the current account. As imports continue to grow but at slower pace and exports rebound, resilient remittances can mitigate the emergent current account shortfall and also provide support to the peso,” Guinigundo said. The Philippines is seen posting its first current account deficit in 15 years at $600 million or 0.2 percent of GDP instead of a surplus of $800 million or 0.6 percent of GDP due to strong import growth.
accounts for allocations lodged in Special Purpose Funds. Most, if not all, of this is expected to be released before the end of the year to fulfill budgetary requirements for government subsidies and performance-based bonuses, among others. “Disbursements will continue to be buoyed by higher spending requirements of line agencies in the succeeding months given the acceleration of program or project implementation as we approach the year end, especially so, with the one-year validity of the 2017 appropriations,” Diokno said.
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