September 9-12, 2017 Volume 27 - No. 71 • 4 Sections – 34 Pages
USA
DATELINE What’s next for DREAMers after Trump’s termination of DACA FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
Fil-Am DREAMer shares her experience growing up undocumented, the importance of program
TWENTY-four-year-old Jennifer* is not unlike most young people in America. She has a job, enjoys going out with her friends and has dreams of success. But Jennifer isn’t like any other young person in America. Jennifer is undocumented. When she was four months old, Jennifer’s family relocated from Quezon City, Philippines to the United States. The family settled in Rowland Heights, California, where Jennifer lived a “normal” childhood. But Jennifer always knew something was different. Her parents told her that because she wasn’t U.S.-born, she would have to be cautious and err on the safe side of things: keep her citizenship a secret, don’t fill out ap-
‘We are being sabotaged’ - Duterte by ALLAN
NAWAL Inquirer.net
DIGOS CITY – President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, September 8 blamed supposed saboteurs for the deaths of teenager Carl Arnaiz – whom he described as a relative – and other innocent victims. Speaking during the 17th anniversary of the city, Duterte said the efforts were aimed at bringing down his administration. He said he had directed Philippine National Police Chief Ronald dela Rosa to look into the matter.
“That’s why I have said to, the PNP Chief is here, to closely look into this because we are being sabotaged,” he said. Duterte said the killings “were intentional” and were definitely aimed against his government. He then said that if ever it was true that policemen would shoot at suspects, they would not bother to wrap the victims in plastic anymore. “The police would not wrap (victims). That is not the job of the police to…you wrap, that’s foolishness. So there are saboteurs,” he
said. Duterte said he could not also possibly order the police to just kill anybody, including Arnaiz. “I am telling you, one of those killed was my relative. Carl Arnaiz. He was my relative I you want you to know that. Would I allow the police to kill my relative?” he asked. Duterte did not say how he was related to Arnaiz, who was killed after allegedly shooting it out with Caloocan policemen who were responding to a report of a taxi robbery. His companion, 14-year-
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Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte (left) and his brother-in-law Atty. Manases Carpio take an oath before testifying at the hearing on the P6.4 billion worth of shabu shipment conducted by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Thursday, September 7.
US vows to return church bells but unsure when
THE United States is committed to returning three church bells seized by American forces as war spoils from the Philippines more than a century ago, the U.S. ambassador said Tuesday, Sept. 5, raising the prospects of a resolution of a thorny issue between the allies. Ambassador Sung Kim said the two governments have discussed the return of the Balangiga bells, named for the Philippine village from which they were taken in the
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President Rodrigo Duterte blames supposed saboteurs for the deaths of teenager Carl Arnaiz – whom he described as a relative – and other innocent victims. VIDEO GRAB/RTVM
PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan
Trillanes, Paolo Duterte face off at Senate probe by DANA
SIOSON AJPress
missing for 20 days. His head was covered with packaging tape and cloth, and according to the initial investigation, he had 30 stab wounds on his body. De Guzman was the last person seen accompanying 19-year-old Carl Arnaiz, who was killed by policemen in an alleged shootout along C3 Road in Navotas after allegedly robbing a taxi driver on August 18. Forensic reports, however, suggested that Arnaiz was kneeling when he was initially shot, then was killed with more shots after he was lying on the ground. “This case and those of other young people makes it even more urgent that an international level investigation takes place,” Gonzales said.
DAVAO City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte has denied “baseless accusations” linking him to the P6.4-billion worth of shabu smuggled from China into the Philippines. During a hearing before the Senate on Thursday, September 7, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV accused Duterte of being a member of the Chinese triad, a notorious group engaged in criminal activities, including drug smuggling. Citing “foreign intelligence information,” the senator claimed that Duterte’s membership in the syndicate can be proven by the “colored and a dragon-like figure” tattoo on his back. Duterte confirmed that he has a tattoo on his back but declined to provide details on what it looks like, invoking his right to privacy. The vice mayor stressed that he would not answer any allegations “based on hearsay.” “The proof of his membership is the tattoo on his back. That is what will explain all this, and there is a competition among syndicates. That is the physical evidence of his membership in the triad. The tattoo,” alleged Trillanes. According to the senator, the triad tattoo has “secret digits” that can only be decoded by experts. “If Vice Mayor Duterte is willing, we’ll take a
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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, Sept. 6, met with the family of 19-year-old Carl Angelo Arnaiz, who was killed by police in August. Malacañang has guaranteed a thorough and impartial investigation into the death of Arnaiz. In a speech on Friday, Sept. 8, Duterte said the recent killings “were intentional” and are allegedly aimed at sabotaging his administration. Presidential photo by Ace Morandante
Amnesty Int’l calls for international probe on killings of children in PH by DANA
SIOSON AJPress
HUMAN rights group Amnesty International (AI) on Thursday, September 7 condemned the recent slay of 14-year-old Reynaldo de Guzman in the Philippines. AI Director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific James Gonzales insisted that de Guzman’s death is not an isolated case or a mistake but the “latest atrocity” in the series of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines. “How many more children must die in the Philippines to end this horrific and LOOKING INTO KIAN’S DEATH. The Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, heartless violence?” Gonzales said in a chaired by Senator Panfilo Lacson (2nd from left), on Tuesday, Sept. 5, resumed its inquiry statement. into the death of Kian Loyd delos Santos, 17, who was fatally shot by police officers during Also known as “Kulot,” De Guzman was an anti-drug operation in Caloocan, Metro Manila. Also in photo are (from left) Senators Risa found dead on Tuesday, September 5, in a Hontiveros, Grace Poe, and Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV. Senate photo by Cesar Tomambo creek in Gapan, Nueva Ecija after he went
Pimentel: Immunity won’t absolve PH gov’t ready to assist Marcoses from criminal raps Filipino immigrants in US MANILA, Philippines - Granting immunity will not absolve the Marcos family from their criminal liabilities, former Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. said on Thursday, September 7. According to Pimentel, who is also the former chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee which investigated the Marcos wealth, the possible immunity
will only cover the civil liabilities of the family. “On the immunity, that will depend on the outcome of the negotiation for the return of the Marcos wealth because returning the ill-gotten wealth only covers the civil aspect of the cases,” Pimentel said. There are at least 120 cases pending before the Sandiganbayan and the Supreme Court in
connection with the Marcoses’ allegedly plundered cash and assets during the late President Ferdinand Marcos’ two-decade control. “Under our laws, you can settle the civil aspects [of the cases]. But as to the criminal aspect, that’s another thing. That would depend on evidence,” Pimentel added.
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by ALEXIS
ROMERO Philstar.com
MANILA — The government is ready to assist Filipino illegal immigrants who may be deported after the program that permitted them to stay legally in the U.S. is scrapped, Malacañang said on Thursday, September 7. President Donald Trump has announced plans to revoke the
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which shields illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. when they were children from deportation. Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said the Department of Foreign Affairs is working closely with members of the Filipino community in the U.S., especially those that would be directly af- Palace spokesperson Ernesto Abella
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Malacañang photo
A September 9-12, 2017 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JOUrNAL
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From the Front Page
‘We are being sabotaged’...
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old Reynaldo de Guzman was later found dead with his head wrapped in plastic. Duterte said what was certain was that “somebody was cooking somewhere to discredit us.” ‘Let them shout all day’ He then pointed out that a massive rally was being planned
against the killings. Addressing dela Rosa and the military, Duterte said the protesters should be given their day. “During the massive rally, I want the military confined in the barracks. Policemen should only be for traffic duties. Give them the space and they can shout all day,” he said.
Duterte said the police should not engage the protesters, whom he said, were out to make trouble. “Just leave somebody to manage the traffic, period. So that there will be no trouble because they will find a reason to create one. They would want that they will get physically assaulted so they would have more reason to…let them,” he added. Duterte then reminded policemen that their duty required them to make arrest when ordered to do so. He said arrests can also be made without any warrant if a suspect was “committing a crime in your presence, or have committed a crime and is running away or about to shoot somebody.” “That is the time you can arrest a person without a warrant,” he said, as he blasted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno for reportedly saying that suspects should not submit to an arrest without a warrant. “I told her, Madam Chief Justice, don’t teach the people a wrong thing. You have forgotten that there are arrests that can be made without a warrant. The war in Marawi, if somebody shoots at me, should I still run to the court first to secure a warrant? If an NPA rebel was being pursued, should I go to the municipal judge first?” the President said. n
ASEAN UNITY. Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Jose Ruperto Martin M. Andanar (3rd from left), and Honorable Kazuhide Ishikawa (center), Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of the Philippines, lead other officials during the opening of the 2nd ASEAN-JAPAN TV Festival, at Seda Vertis North Hotel, Quezon City on Thursday, September 7. PNA photo
PH gov’t ready to assist... PAGE A1 t fected once the program is removed. “We will provide assistance, through the use of the Assistance to Nationals Fund and the Legal Assistance Fund, to Filipinos who may end up getting deported as a result of Washington’s decision,” Abella said. Under DACA, qualified immigrants will not be deported for two years. The undocumented immigrants can renew their permits once the two-year period lapses. The policy, which officials said would pave the way to a “lawful
Trillanes, Paolo Duterte... PAGE A1 t photo of his tattoo and have it sent to the U.S.-DEA [the United States Drug Enforcement Agency],” Trillanes said. The senator then repeatedly asked Duterte to reveal his tattoo before the Senate, which the vice mayor again refused, “No way.” An irked Duterte asked the senator back, “Mr. Chair, how many times do I need to tell you I don’t want to?” At one point during the hearing, Senator Richard Gordon, chair of the Senate blue ribbon committee, reminded his colleagues to be careful with their allegations “without any basis” “The Chair would like to counsel everyone here to be very
careful because everybody has rights here and the Chair intends to ensure that we respect those rights,” he added. Gordon said the committee is not inclined to inviting Paolo Duterte and Manases Carpio — who is married to President Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter Sara, the mayor of Davao — again to the next hearing on Monday, September 11. ‘Drastic’ claim In a statement, Malacañang challenged Trillanes to provide “substantial evidence” supporting his “drastic” triad accusation against the presidential son. “Those are very serious allegations. And he better – he needs to have some pretty substantial
system of immigration,” is expected to affect over 4,500 young Filipinos. Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano assured assistance for those who would be affected by the move of the U.S. government, including legal help in their immigration-related cases. “We will authorize with certain limitations the use of the Assistance to Nationals [ATN] fund and the Legal Assistance Fund to assist immigration-related cases such as those arising from the decision of President Trump to revoke the Deevidence to support that statement,” Palace spokesperson Ernesto Abella said. Duterte’s counsel, lawyer Rainier Madrid, said he advised the vice mayor “not to play the game of Trillanes.” “We do not want to dignify Trillanes’ accusations and fishing expedition. The issue discussed in the committee is not [the] existence of the tattoo,” Madrid said, dismissing the senator’s claim as mere “propaganda.” “He’s (Trillanes) a fake. He’s a propagandist and his objective is to manipulate people’s minds, especially the media,” Madrid added. The lawyer also questioned senator’s sexuality for insisting the vice mayor to reveal his back tattoo, insinuating that the senator could be gay: “Why does he
ferred Action for Childhood Arrivals,” Cayetano said. For this year, the DFA has P400 million for its ATN and P100 million in legal assistance fund intended for overseas Filipino workers in trouble with the law in their respective host countries. Cayetano advised those who would be affected by the changes to prepare for the worse while exploring other possible legal options. “In any event, we are ready to welcome and assist our kababayan [countrymen]in whatever way we can if they are returned to the Philippines,” the DFA secretary said. (With reports from Jefferson Antiporda/ManilaTimes.net) want to see my client’s tattoo? Is he gay? If he’s gay, I may have allowed him to see it.” Asked whether he had seen the vice mayor’s alleged tattoo, Madrid told reporters: “I have not seen it because I’m not gay.” “A tattoo is a very private matter. I won’t ask my client to show it to me unless I’m gay and I want to see his body,” he explained. Madrid went on to say, “He (Duterte) has a tattoo. [A] tattoo is a fad nowadays. Even people in Hollywood, they have tattoos and he was gentleman enough to admit he has tattoos. He’s a young lad, nadadala sa mga uso (swept by trends), but to say he’s a member of triad — that’s too much.” Bank accounts Apart from being a triad mem-
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DATELINE USA
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 9-12, 2017
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Move to end DACA leaves some young immigrants fearing for their health by BARBARA
FLEET WEEK. Former Major League Baseball player Tommy Lasorda, center, shows Cmdr. Anthony Webber, commanding officer of the guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey (DDG 105), and executive officer Cmdr. Paul Lorio memorabilia before an LA Dodgers baseball game during the second annual Los Angeles Fleet Week. LA Fleet Week is an opportunity for the American public to meet their Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard team and experience America’s sea services. During fleet week, service members will participate in various community service events, showcase capabilities and equipment to the community, and enjoy the hospitality of Los Angeles and surrounding areas have to offer. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Derek Stroop
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Kaiser Health News
LOS ANGELES — For 26-yearold Paulina Ruiz, having legal immigration status is about more than going to school or holding a job. It’s about staying healthy. The University of CaliforniaLos Angeles graduate, whose parents brought her from Mexico to the U.S. illegally two decades ago, has cerebral palsy, a neurological condition diagnosed shortly after birth. In the past, Ruiz said, she relied on emergency rooms for her health care and rarely could see specialists. She developed kidney and back problems after years of inconsistent medical care and using an inappropriate wheelchair.
US vows to return church bells...
early 1900s. He said in response to questions from reporters that the U.S. is “deeply committed that the bells are returned to the Filipino people,” but that he could not specify when that would happen. Filipinos revere the Balangiga bells as symbols of their long struggle for independence. The bells gave the signal for insurgents to attack American soldiers who were occupying Balangiga after the U.S. took possession of the Philippines following the Spanish-American War.
Talks about returning the bells have been a perennial issue in U.S.-Philippine relations. Kim said there was “an ongoing discussion within the U.S. government and the Philippine government to try and facilitate the return of these bells as quickly as possible,” but added there were some issues that needed to be solved in the U.S. “We want to return them,” he said. “I believe it’s the right thing to do.” Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte asked the U.S. to return the bells in his state of the na-
tion address in July, saying “they are part of our national heritage ... return it to us, this is painful for us.” Duterte has had an antagonistic attitude toward U.S. security policies while building closer ties with China and Russia. Two of the three bells are displayed at the F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming. They are part of a memorial to 46 U.S. troops killed by Filipino insurgents in 1901. A third bell is with a U.S. Army regiment in South Korea. (Philstar.com with reports from Associated Press)
Paulina Ruiz, who has cerebral palsy, said losing her legal immigration status could mean losing her health coverage and access to doctors. Ruiz is on Medi-Cal, which helps cover some of the costs of her medical care. Photo courtesy of Paulina Ruiz
Amnesty Int’l calls for international probe... PAGE A1 t He further stressed, “The world can no longer afford to look away, stay silent, or offer muted expressions of condemnation. The brutality must stop. The victims and their families deserve justice.” According to AI, more than 50 children have died in “a wave of unlawful killings” in the Philippines. A police raid on August 16 also claimed the life of 17-year-old Kian Delos Santos, who allegedly violently resisted arrest and pulled a gun on the officers. Wit-
nesses and CCTV footage, however, point to Delos Santos being shot at close range and begging for his life. “Extrajudicial executions of people are never justified, and when it comes to killing children this is especially horrific, brutally cutting short budding lives and condemning their families to a lifetime of inconsolable sadness,” Gonzales added. Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo also denounce the recent killings, echoing calls to stop unlawful deaths. She stressed that a society where young people were among
victims of violence is “unsafe, unjust, and unacceptable.” “Hindi natin maaaring palagpasin ito. Hindi tayo ganito. Hindi ganito ang Pilipino. Kailangang huminto ang walang pakundangang patayan (We can’t just let this pass. We’re not like this. Filipinos aren’t like this. All these killings, done with impunity, have to stop),” said Robredo in a statement. She then urged the public to unite to ensure that the killings will stop and those responsible will be held accountable for their crimes. ■
and regularly see a doctor. The Trump administration’s controversial decision on But in 2012, she qualified for Tuesday to scrap the DACA prothe federal Deferred Action for gram does more than put nearly Childhood Arrivals (DACA) pro- 800,000 “Dreamers” in fear of gram, which temporarily pro- deportation and losing their tected her from deportation. In jobs. It threatens the health care California, that meant she could of thousands of young adults like get Medi-Cal, California’s version Ruiz, who either have job-based of the Medicaid insurance pro- insurance or whose incomes gram for low-income Americans, u PAGE A6
FEDER OSTROV AND ANNA GORMAN
Maria Garcia, 22, said she was able to get a job as a receptionist at a Los Angeles hotel because of the DACA program. The job also came with health insurance, which helped cover physical therapy from a knee injury. She fears getting fired and being unable to pay for her own health insurance and medical care. Photo by Anna Gorman
Dateline USa
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So advances in Georgia chess tiff by Joey
Villar Philstar.com
WESLEY So drew with Colombian Joshua Daniel Ruiz Castillo in 31 moves of a Gruenfeld Defense Monday night, Sept. 4, to complete a 1.5-.5 first round win and advance to the second round of the FIDE World Cup 2017 in Tbilisi, Georgia. So gained the early initiative and a slight positional edge but ended up opting for a draw in the second game knowing he beat Castillo with black in 59 moves of a Caro-kann in their first game to gain the early upper hand the day before. In their first duel, So won the exchange in the middlegame and easily turned it into a victory after finding a way to trap Castillo’s knight in the corner. The win arranged So a secondround encounter with German Matthias Bluebaum, who edged Argentinian Sandro Mareco, 1.5.5.
Wesley So
Julio Catalino Sadorra, the country’s highest rated chesser, could muster just a 33-move standoff in 33 moves of another Gruenfeld to fall to Russian Maxim Matlakov, .5-1.5. Sadorra, who lost their first duel, went desperately for a win that would force a two-game tiebreak with lesser time control but wound up splitting the point. Sadorra though will not
Philstar.com photo
go home empty-handed as first round losers will receive US$6,000. So for his part is assured of US$10,000 for just making it the second round of this tournament giving US$120,000 to the champion and a spot in the World Candidates Matches, the final round to gain a crack of the world title currently held by Magnus Carlsen. n Dr. Cedric J. Ortiguera performed the robotic surgery at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.
Trillanes, Paolo Duterte... PAGE A2 t ber, Trillanes further accused Paolo Duterte during the hearing of having at least two bank accounts containing hundreds of millions of pesos. The senator alleged that the vice mayor has P104.28 million in his accounts with Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) and the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) in Davao City. Duterte repeatedly refused to confirm or deny owning any accounts in the said accounts. Responding to Trillanes, he asked, “Mr. Chair, do I have to answer this irrelevant question?� “I refuse to answer anymore,�
waiver. I’m not familiar with those figures,� Carpio said. Duterte added. “This is not part Duterte also remarked, “I have of the inquiry.� the same answer. I will not sign The senator also accused Car- the waiver.� pio of P121 million in his bank In a chance interview after the accounts—which Carpio denied. hearing, Trillanes said he is con“I invoke the Bank Secrecy sidering the filing of a complaint law,� a smirking Carpio said, re- against the vice mayor over his ferring to Republic Act No. 1405, alleged ill-gotten wealth after the which states bank deposits are latter declined to waive his bank “absolutely confidential nature secrecy rights. and may not be examined, in“We have many plans. We quired or looked into by any per- can compel the opening of son, government official, bureau these accounts by having cases or office� without written permis- filed against Paolo for ill-gotten sion from the account owner or a wealth because he is a public court order. official and this is not reported Both Carpio and young Duterte in his SALN,� Trillanes told rerefused Trillanes’ request for porters, referring to the Statethem to sign a bank waiver. ment of Assets, Liabilities, and “I’m not willing to sign the Networth. n
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Fil-Am doctor performs first robotic surgery in Northern Florida JACKSONVILLE, Florida – A Filipino American doctor recently performed the first robotic surgery at the Mayo Clinic here. The procedure was also the first to be done in all of Northern Florida. Dr. Cedric J. Ortiguera performed the robotic surgery, which is a type of minimally invasive surgery using miniaturized surgical instruments that fit through a series of quarterinch incisions instead of large ones. He was born and grew up on
What’s next for DREAMers... PAGE A1 t plications without asking them and make a conscious effort to avoid run-ins with state and government officials. She learned because of her lack of papers, she wasn’t allowed to drive, work or have the same opportunities as her peers, which she found frustrating. “Growing up it was very restricting, and I didn’t really understand why I couldn’t do things like travel, drive or basically do what most teenagers are allowed to do,� Jennifer told the Asian Journal. “It just felt really restricting and that I couldn’t even breathe.� Although she knew she was undocumented early on, it wasn’t until she began applying to college that she hit her “breaking point� and understood the scope of her predicament. She had applied to three universities, excited to finally get the “real college experience� she had always dreamed of. She knew she had the grades to get in and had the determination to do well in a four-year university. But in a cautious effort to protect her, she was advised not to apply anywhere other than community college. ““I kept thinking, ‘Why me?’� Jennifer recalls with tears in her eyes. “I resented my dad for a while even though he wasn’t doing that to be strict; I know he just wanted a better life for us. It’s not what he ultimately wanted for [me and my siblings], but he was just trying to protect us.� For Jennifer, a shining beacon of hope came in the form of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was introduced in 2012. It was the first time she believed her life had some kind of direction. Through DACA, Jennifer was able to get a driver’s license, land
her first job at Disneyland and, at 20 years old, apply to Cal State Long Beach where she majored in kinesiology. In 2016, she graduated from college, the first in her family to do so. “DACA was really life-changing for me,� Jennifer remarked. “Getting that real college experience helped me discover my passion which is physical therapy. I felt very grateful being in a family with three kids and being the first to graduate from college. It was so rewarding and I thank DACA. It was all because of that I was able to accomplish all of that. And I knew it made my parents proud.� Since it came into effect in 2012, nearly 800,000 undocumented youth — called DREAMers — have signed up for DACA and have been able to find higher paying jobs which have helped more DREAMers attend four-year universities. Specific benefits vary from state-to-state; in California, DREAMers may now apply for driver’s licenses. However, on Tuesday, September 5, the Trump administration has announced plans to slowly phase out and end DACA, which could affect a large portion of the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community. California is home to more than 200,000 “DACAmented immigrants�, the most in the country. Since 2012, more than 16,000 Asian American immigrants — including over 4,500 Filipinos — received protection and benefits under DACA. And those benefits have proven to be effective for, not just individuals, but for the American economy. Impact on the economy The most recent research on the effect of DACA on undocumented youth was conducted last month by the Center for American
Long Island, New York in June 1968. He graduated magna cum laude in biochemistry at Stony Brook University of the State University of New York (SUNY). He earned his medical degree at New York University, also with honors. Ortiguera did his orthopedic residency at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota with subspecialty in sports orthopedics. He joined the surgical Staff of Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville in 2000. Ortiguera is also an assis-
tant professor of surgery at the Mayo Medical School and lectures at orthopedic conferences in South America and Central America, as well as in some medical centers in the US. Ortiguera is the son of two retired medical doctors who were graduates of the University of Santo Tomas in 1963–Dr. Jose Ortiguera, a gastroenterologist in Queens, New York, and Dr. Aida Domingo, a pediatrician and primary care physician for the New York State of Mental Health. (Inquirer.net)
Progress (CAP), a left-leaning advocacy group. Researchers surveyed thousands of DREAMers, and found the following: Since enrolling in DACA, 54.2 percent were able to land their first job, 69 percent of respondents reported that they found jobs with better pay, 65 percent “pursued educational opportunities that I previously could not�, according to the study which garnered 3,063 responses. Currently, 91.4 percent of DACA recipients are currently working where, before DACA, 56 percent were not able to work. CAP also found that an average of 30,000 people would be out of work each month if DACA was terminated. Moreover, ending DACA would put significant pressure on employers; experts say that ending DACA would impose major costs to employers: nearly $2 billion over two years. “So when I think about the data and what it all points to, it makes clear that DACA works, that DACA not only improves the lives of individual recipients and their families, but positively affects the American economy and society,� Tom Wong, associate professor of political science at UC San Diego, said in a press call on Thursday, September 7. “We also see that DACA recipients are American in every sense of the word but for a piece of paper,� Wong added. In January, the libertarian-leaning Cato Institute also found that terminating DACA and deporting those enrolled would cost the federal government $60 billion and diminish economic growth by $280 billion in the next decade. The announcement of DACA’s end has cast a shadow of doubt over the entire DREAMer community. Many are scrambling to figure out their options before the program ends in six months. “After growing up with these restrictions, I thought that I was
able to breathe again. Now I’m just back to that state of uncertainty, and it’s been really affecting me. I’m not sure what to do,� Jennifer lamented. The news of DACA’s termination has caused a national outrage and started a movement to save DACA. Options for DREAMers However, DACA isn’t the only option for DREAMers to retain their benefits. Legal and civil rights organization Asian Americans Advancing Justice (Advancing Justice) has called upon Congress to pass the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, a bill that proposes granting qualified undocumented youth conditional residency which could lead to permanent resident status. It was first introduced in 2001, and failed to pass multiple times. “We urge Congress to pass a DREAM Act by December when the debt ceiling and government funding is set to expire,� Advancing Justice wrote in a statement released Thursday, September 7. “We need a clean DREAM Act without other immigration provisions. Those in Congress who truly care about immigrant youth should demand its inclusion in upcoming bills. Our affiliation will continue to fight for DACA recipients and fight against an anti-immigrant agenda that is driven by hate and divisiveness.� Sponsor Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Lindsey Graham, (RS.C.) proposed a new version of the bill in July of this year which got a seemingly unfavorable response by the Trump administration. President Donald Trump’s legislative affairs director Marc Short expressed that the administration had “opposed the DREAM Act and likely will be consistent on that.� Still, Durbin and Graham said in a press conference Tuesday af-
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Ex-NBA player Caron Butler urges athletes to be vocal on social issues by Denison
Rey A. DAlupAng Philstar.com
FOrMEr NBA star Caron Butler has seen it all. And he hopes that younger children would be able to learn from his struggles and spare themselves the hard lessons of life. That is why he is utilizing his platform’s voice to extend his reach to troubled youths. “I’m using my platform to inspire and tell the story of basketball from my eyes — from what I’ve seen,” Butler told the COMMON CAUSE. This photo taken on Tuesday, Sept. 5 shows a Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebel with face covered, along with press during his visit at the NBA a government soldier manning a mobile check point in Datu Salibo town, Maguindanao province, in the southern island of Mindanao. The Store in TriNoMa in Quezon City, joint operation is the latest tactic by the Philippine government to try to stamp out pro-IS fighters, after months of battling a separate Thursday. faction of militants who have besieged the city of Marawi, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) to the north. Butler, now 37, was at one Photo courtesy of the Armed Forces of the Philippines point in his life, a drug dealer. He turned his life around after spending nine months in jail, picking up a basketball and learning how to play with it. Eventually, he THE Pentagon is planning to operations a month over the next lands and establishing runways, lived the dream and became an ports and other facilities on them. NBA champion with the Dallas conduct more regular patrols in few months. China claims nearly all of the Mavericks in 2011. Future patrols also could inthe South China Sea – as many as rolling out his ordeal through a two to three a month – to assert clude US military aircraft as well sea, through which $5 trillion in freedom of navigation in disputed as US Navy warships, the Journal annual shipping trade passes and book, Butler hopes that many athwhich is believed to sit atop vast oil letes could also speak out beyond waters claimed by China, the Wall said. the confines of the box put onto There have been three “free- and gas deposits. Street Journal reported. Its sweeping claims overlap with them by the sport they play. The newspaper said the aim is dom of navigation” operations “I think it’s great when you see to create a more consistent pos- since President Donald Trump Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia ture to counter China’s maritime took office in January – the last and Brunei – all ASEAN members athletes outside of what they are claims, rather than a more ad hoc one by the USS John S. McCain, a – as well as Taiwan. Washington considered to be,” Butler said of approach favored during Barack destroyer that collided with a car- and Beijing have seen their rela- the growing number of athletes go ship days later off Singapore, tions grow increasingly fraught who are standing by using their Obama’s administration. since a promising summit between social media platforms. US officials declined to say killing 10 sailors. “Whenever [someone has] talDuring the Obama administra- Trump and China’s Xi Jinping in where or when the new patrols would be made, but said the plan tion, the US Navy conducted four April. (Philstar.com with reports ent, you want them to stay in that bubble as a talent,” he offered. developed by the US Pacific Com- such operations in the South Chi- from AFP) mand calls for two or three so- na Sea, where China has asserted called “freedom of navigation” its claims by building artificial is-
US planning more regular SCS patrols
Pimentel: Immunity...
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President rodrigo Duterte earlier said that the Marcoses are “ready to return” a portion of their ill-gotten wealth, including a few gold bars, to the government. In a chance interview on Tuesday, September 7, Duterte said the family “will not agree to return (the money if) you have them jailed.” Saying he could not act independently on the matter, Duterte sought approval from Congress to start negotiations with the Marcoses. He also urged Congress to pass a law granting immunity to them. “So, I said they [lawmakers] have to craft a law on that and that is immunity. If I were a Marcos, why would I return the (money) if you’re going to have me jailed? I’d rather reserve it (for) my children and grandchildren,” Duterte told reporters. The president, however, clarified that the family did not ask for immunity in exchange for returning their wealth. He also affirmed that he is taking a “neutral stand” on the possibility of granting immunity to
the Marcoses. “They did not ask any immunity,” Duterte said. “And I could not guarantee it also. I know that I’m not the proper authority to do that.” The Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), the agency tasked to recover the late president’s ill-gotten wealth, has so far recovered at least $4 billion out of the estimated $10 billion from the Marcoses and their cronies. Duterte previously mentioned plans to abolish PCGG and is considering the formation of a new anti-graft body. Pimentel, however, said it is more practical to appoint new officials instead of a creating new agency. “And if President Digong can trust PCGG officials, then probably the better way would be for them to handle it,” Pimentel said. He added, “If the people here (PCGG) do not have his confidence, then, as president, he has the right to appoint the new members of that body who can really recover the Marcos wealth for the benefit of the people.”
What’s next for DREAMers...
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ternoon that they were calling on Congress to act on the bill before the end of September. “We need to pass in this month of September a DrEAM Act — a permanent law in this country that says that these young people will have their chance to become part of America’s future, “ said Durbin. If the revised DrEAM Act is to pass, recipients would have the same protections as DACA, as well as a path to permanent legal resident status or citizenship, if certain requirements are met — DACA did not provide either. Still room for worry On Thursday, September 7, Trump sent out another tweet assuring that DACA participants had nothing to worry about. The tweet read, “For all of those (DACA) that are concerned about your status during the 6 month period, you have nothing to worry about - No action!” Despite Trump’s attempt at comforting those affected, there are certain realities that may keep DACA grantees worried. For those already in the program, their window of making sure their documents are valid is only until Oct. 5. That deadline looks grimmer for those who
might not have the $495 easily available. As for the many that were unable to secure DACA benefits by September 5, they are left in limbo. One of the many concerns recipients had even prior to the decision that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had access to their personal information which they feared would be used for deportation. The DHS has said that DACA participant information would not be “proactively provided” to other law enforcement entities like the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), or Customs and Border Protection (CBP), unless they pose a threat to national security or public safety. They also said that the policy may be rescinded or modified at any time without notice. More recently, CNN obtained a memo by the Trump administration titled “Talking Points - DACA rescission,” that included distressing content. The 12th bullet point stated that the DHS urges DACA recipients to “use the time remaining on their work authorizations to prepare for and arrange their departure from the United States.” (Klarize Medenilla with reports from Rae Ann Varona / AJPress)
CALL OF DUTY. Female troopers who arrived in Mindanao last week were deployed to the different evacuation centers in Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, and Lanao del Sur to help in the psychosocial interventions of displaced children and women who fled war-torn Marawi City. PNA photo by Divina M. Suson
Former NBA Champion Caron Butler during his visit at the NBA Store in Quezon City. Philstar.com photo
“All you want to see them do is shoot the basketball or play football.” “But these people are human beings, too. They have feelings,” he said. Among the notable athletes who have embraced activism and promoted social awareness are fellow NBA player LeBron James and former NFL player Colin Kapaernick. “I wanna see more of it,” Butler shared. “It’s good to see athletes use their platforms and their following to educate to the best of their knowledge and talk about things that are really [problematic].” In the realm of Philippine basketball, youngsters Kobe Paras, Kiefer ravena and ray Parks Jr.
have been notably following this trend. The son of PBA legend Benjie has been spotted in the Jones Cup with a basketball shoe inscribed with a dedication for the victims of Marawi crisis. Parks and ravena, for their part, have been outspoken about the battle that’s still raging on in the southern city during the Southeast Asian Games. But while Butler actively rallies athletes to jump on the wagon, his words also bear a hint of caution. “If you wanna go out there and be vocal about something, make sure you’re educated enough to talk about these things and answer questions in an intelligent way,” he closed. n
A September 9-12, 2017 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JOUrNAL
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Sandigan junks ‘defective’ $1-M graft case vs ex-PHLPost chief by Vince
F. nonato Inquirer.net
In a 13-page resolution dated Aug. 24, the court’s Seventh Division dismissed the case in THE Sandiganbayan has connection with an anomalous tossed out the $1-million graft refund to Philpost USA, a New case against former Postmaster- York-based private corporation, General Diomedio Villanueva of in 2003. the Philippine Postal Corp. on Prosecutors failed to specifithe grounds that the Ombuds- cally allege that Villanueva acted man filed a “defective” charge with “manifest partiality,” “evisheet. dent bad faith,” or “gross inex-
cusable negligence,” which are essential elements for a case of violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. “Basic is the rule that every element constituting the offense must be alleged in the information. An Information is fatally defective when an essential element of the crime has not been sufficiently alleged,” read the resolution. The ruling was penned by Associate Justice Zaldy V. Trespeses and concurred in by Associate Justices Ma. Theresa Dolores C. Gomez-Estoesta. Besides Villanueva, then-assistant postmaster-general Antonio Siapno and then-acting director Leonido Basilio were also cleared of charges of causing undue injury to the government and giving unwarranted benefits to a private party. The case arose from the Nov. 19, 2003 refund of $1,031,936.04 (equivalent to P53,043,834.52) to Philpost USA for terminal dues paid for mail matters sent to the United Kingdom’s Royal Mail. Prosecutors claimed Philpost USA was not entitled to the refund. The information only stated the offense was committed “in the performance of their official duties as such and committing the crime in relation to their office and taking advantage thereof, conspiring and confederating with one another, did then and there, willfully, unlawfully and feloniously, give unwarranted benefit to Philpost USA.” Prior to his stint as postmastergeneral, Villanueva served as the Armed Forces of the Philippines chief-of-staff from 2001 to 2002 under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. n
FLEET WEEK. The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Pasadena (SSN 752) departs Los Angeles after participating in the second annual Los Angeles Fleet Week. LA Fleet Week is an opportunity for the American public to meet their Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard team and experience America’s sea services. During fleet week, service members will participate in various community service events, showcase capabilities and equipment to the community, and enjoy the hospitality of Los Angeles and surrounding areas have to offer. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Derek Harkins
US envoy: China must take stronger action vs drugs by Pia Lee-Brago
with China, involving syndicates that export narcotics to UNITED States Ambassador the Philippines. Gordon, chairman of the Sung Kim on Thursday, Sept. 7 underscored China’s responsi- Senate Blue Ribbon commitbility to take stronger law en- tee leading an inquiry into a forcement actions to stop the P6.4-billion shipment of shabu shipment to the Philippines of from China, said China should dangerous items used in meth- stop smuggling drugs into the amphetamine (shabu) produc- Philippines if Beijing is a true friend of Manila. tion. “I wouldn’t want to com“I think that would be the right thing to do,” he told re- ment on whether China is a porters during a roundtable true friend of the Philippines discussion at the US embassy. or not. But I will note that my Kim was asked to comment understanding is that most of on the drug problem in the the precursors that go into country which Sen. Richard shabu come from China,” Kim Gordon said begins and ends said. Philstar.com
Gordon wants China to take action against the transport of illegal drugs from its mainland to the Philippines, a long-time racket known to involve its citizens. Kim said the US has concerns about the human rights situation in the Philippines that have been well-documented in a US human rights report. Even so, he said he would not suggest that those concerns have serious negative effect on the overall relationship between the Philippines and the US because the relationship has so many aspects important to both countries. n
US donates M40 field protective masks to AFP OFFICIALS from the Joint United States Military Assistance Group (JUSMAG) delivered 1,000 M40 field protective masks and C2 filter canisters to the Philippine Navy through the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) on August 30 and 31. As the fighting continues in Mindanao, the Philippine Navy requested these gas masks in order to better prepare their
sailors and marines to respond to chemical threats. This transfer is part of a series of ongoing transfers from the US military to multiple branches of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) through both MLSA and the security assistance program. Through the MLSA, the AFP is able to receive select munitions and equipment from US military stock in an accelerated process reserved for allies and close partners of the United States. The United States is proud to work closely with the Republic of the Philippines and will continue to support capacitybuilding counterterrorism efforts and the AFP’s long-term modernization goals. (Manila- Members of the Philippine Navy and Marine Corps receive 1,000 units of M40 field protective masks from the Joint US Military Assistance Group. Times.net)
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Move to end DACA leaves...
qualify them for Medicaid in California and several other states. “I am very upset,” said Ruiz, who organizes for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles and lives near the city. “I don’t know what’s going to happen to my health.” The decision is set to take effect in six months, unless Congress comes up with an alternative plan. Trump has said the program, started under President Obama in 2012, rewards lawbreakers who hurt Americans by taking their jobs and depressing wages, a claim some economists dispute. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Tuesday that the program was unconstitutional because it was a unilateral executive action on a proposal that had been repeatedly rejected by Congress. Trump, who has suggested he has conflicting sentiments about the program, left open the door for Congress to change it. “I have a love for these people, and hopefully now Congress will be able to help them and do it properly,” he said, according to The New York Times. But the newspaper noted that he did not call for bipartisan legislation to restore its protections. The program allows immigrants between the ages of 16 and 31 who were brought to the United States illegally as children to receive work permits and temporary protection from deportation. Those who qualified were explicitly barred from receiving federal health benefits through Medicaid, Obamacare exchanges or other programs. Many DACA recipients now have jobs with health insuran ce. In addition, California, Ne w York, Massachusetts, Minnesota and the District of Columbia have used their own money to cover low-income Dreamers through Medicaid, according to Tanya Broder, a Berkeley, Calif.-based senior staff attorney for the National Immigration Law Center. There are an estimated 220,000 DACA recipients in California,
the largest number in the country. Those who meet income requirements — 138 percent of the federal poverty level or $33,534 for a family of four — can qualify for coverage under the state’s “Permanently Residing in the United States under Color of Law” eligibility category. That coverage is now in question. In California, those at risk of losing Medicaid are 19 and older, because the state under a separate law decided to cover all low-income children, regardless of immigration status, through age 18. That decision was not connected to the DACA program. With the federal government’s action, “nobody will lose coverage in the Medi-Cal program immediately,” said Ronald Coleman, director of government affairs for the California Immigrant Policy Center, an immigrant advocacy group. But Coleman worries about what happens after March 5, when DACA’s protections will end — unless Congress takes action to protect the program. The Department of Health Care Services, which oversees Medi-Cal, could not provide a comment on Tuesday, a spokeswoman said. Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center, told reporters in a conference call on Tuesday that she expects DACA recipients to start losing their job-based health insurance. Hincapié said she is particularly concerned about the effect of the president’s decision on the mental health of DACA recipients. “The need for mental health services will only be greater,” she said. At a protest in downtown Los Angeles Tuesday against the Trump administration’s decision, Jocelin Reyes made a similar point. She said DACA’s protections had helped put some young immigrants’ fears to rest, as they were able to get jobs, attend college or graduate school and come out of hiding.
“A lot of people don’t understand how much fear we had” about being deported, said Reyes, 19, who is about to start school at the University of California-Santa Barbara. “Now that fear has tripled.” Another demonstrator, DACA recipient Maria Garcia, 22, said that losing her job as a hotel receptionist would mean the end of her job-based health insurance — coverage she relies on for physical therapy for a knee injury and any time she gets sick. “If they take away my DACA, I’ll get fired,” she said. “And then what will I do for health insurance?” State Sen. Ricardo Lara (DBell Gardens) said ending DACA would only hurt “the well-being of these American children who have played by the rules.” And they could end up having to go to costly emergency rooms for medical care. Lara, who led the charge to get all undocumented children covered by Medi-Cal, said one possible solution in California would be to increase the age limit for Medi-Cal coverage for kids from 18 to 26. “We have to answer this call to ensure that our DACA students and workers are not pushed aside,” he said. The California Medical Association said that terminating DACA could indeed hurt the health care workforce. “Our nation’s health care system has the largest percentage of foreign-born and foreigntrained workers of any industry in the country. Already facing a national shortage of physicians and other health care professionals, revoking DACA could also undermine patient care and disrupt medical schools and hospitals for decades to come,” said California Medical Association President Ruth E. Haskins in a statement. *** This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation.
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D ateline PhiliPPines Marcos camp says ‘fight not over,’ cites evidence of 2016 polls anomaly by Dana
SioSon AJPress
The camp of former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. remains confident in winning its bid against Philippine Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo despite a recent court decision affirming the authenticity of the 2016 elections. The Supreme Court (SC), sitting as the Presidential electoral Tribunal (PeT), earlier dismissed Marcos’ first cause of action in his poll protest against Robredo, which challenged the authenticity of the Automated election System (AeS) in the 2016 elections. Atty. George Garcia, head of Marcos’ legal team, said they “highly respect” the court’s decision, admitting that the first cause of action “will not result to the proclamation of Bongbong Marcos.” The former senator’s camp, however, stressed that the “fight is not yet over.” “The ball is now rolling, the protest is now on its way. It’s wrong to say that the protest has been dismissed. It’s wrong to say that there was a full victory on the part of the other camp,” Garcia told ANC’s headstart. he claimed that they have sufficient evidence to prove that “more than 51 percent of the voters were not the ones who voted on election day” in Basilan, Lanao del Sur, and Maguindanao. “The Supreme Court merely set aside our motion to conduct the so-called technical examination. We will be able to prove that people who voted were not the registered voters because they were not the ones who signed on election day,” he said. In June 2016, Marcos filed an electoral protest against Robredo before the SC after she won the seat by a slim margin. Robredo won the position by only around 263,000 votes more than Marcos. Marcos filed three causes of action in his protest. In his first cause of action, Marcos called on the SC to declare all certificates of canvass used to proclaim Robredo’s victory as “authentic.”
Questioning the “flawed” AeS, the former senator also claimed that the Smartmatic vote-counting machines (VCM) used for the automated polls lack “demonstrated capability.” But in a resolution dated August 29, the high court junked Marcos’ first cause of action, deeming the hope to nullify the integrity of the 2016 polls as “meaningless and pointless.” “Allowing the First Cause of Action to continue would be an exercise in futility and would have no practical effect,” PeT said in its decision made public on Tuesday, September 5. “even if [the] protestant succeeds in proving his first cause of action, this will not mean that he has already won the position of vice president as this can only be determined by a manual recount of all votes in all precincts,” it
Former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. Inquirer.net photo
added. Several SC justices previously expressed apprehension over the possibility that the former senator’s electoral protest may put the entire nation’s election result last year into question. In his second cause of action, the former senator asked for the manual recount of votes in
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Tokhang reloaded with P900-M by JeSS
Diaz Philstar.com
MANILA — The house of Representatives has reloaded the administration’s bloody antidrug war dubbed Oplan Tokhang with P900 million in fresh funds – a move immediately criticized as a bloodstained budget passed in the dead of night. The amount is part of the proposed P131.3-billion budget for the Philippine National Police (PNP) next year, which the house approved early morning, Thursday, Sept. 7. The proposed budget is nearly P20 billion more than this year’s P111.6 billion and P43 billion more than the P88.5 billion in 2016. The P900 million was allocated specifically for Oplan Tokhang or the police house-to-house operations to catch drug personalities. The PNP is currently funding its anti-drug war from law
enforcement-related appropriations in its 2017 outlay and possibly from augmentations from President Duterte’s P2.5-billion intelligence budget. The decision of the house to reload Tokhang with a huge amount of fresh funds has elicited protest from Duterte’s leftist
allies. “Why are we financing the extrajudicial killing of poor Filipinos who are presumed to be linked to illegal drugs? We cannot fund an institution that kills our people. And this chamber should never be an accomplice
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A september 9-12, 2017 • LA WeeKeND AsIAN JOUrNAL
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OpiniOn
Features
Waiting for the bells
To the victors, the spoils. Three bells from the town church in Balangiga, Eastern Samar have been on display for the past century at American military camps in the United States and South Korea. On Sept. 28, 1901, at least one of the bells reportedly tolled to herald the start of an attack by Filipino fighters on Company C of the 9th U.S. Infantry Regiment as the soldiers were having breakfast. The Filipinos reportedly brought weapons in a coffin in a mock funeral at the church, where they holed up until the hour of the attack. Forty-eight of the 78 American soldiers were killed while up to 25 villagers died. According to several accounts, the brutality of the attack prompted U.S. Army Gen. Jacob Smith to order his men to turn Samar into a “howling wilderness” in reprisal, with any male Filipino older than 10 ordered shot. Smith and his aide, Marine Maj. Littleton Waller, were court-martialed for the attack. Waller was cleared but Smith was found guilty and retired from the service. The charges, however, were subsequently dropped and he was regarded as a war hero. And the Balangiga bells have since
been in Wyoming and a U.S. military base in South Korea. Filipinos have been trying to recover the bells for a long time, to remember the thousands who died during the Philippine-American War. As treaty allies, the bells should have been returned by the U.S. to its former colony a long time ago. Although the bells tolled the start of what Jacob Smith considered a massacre of his men, the Americans were an invading force and the Filipinos were simply fighting for independence — an ideal that is held dear by the world’s bastion of democracy. Recently, U.S. Ambassador Sung Kim said talks are underway for the return of the bells to the Philippines. The envoy has reported that there is general willingness in his country to return the bells. This is welcome news; the sooner the talks bear fruit, the healthier for bilateral relations. (Philstar.com)
Editorial
Philstar.com photo
Citing Trump’s “racial animus,” multiple states sue to block the end of DACA
The Fil-Am Perspective Gel SantoS-ReloS FIFTEEN states and the District of Columbia have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in the effort to stop it from implementing its decision to end the Obama-era program that temporarily protects “DREAMers” — young undocumented immigrants brought into the United States as kids and are now being “punished” for the “sins” of their parents. To qualify and be approved for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, these young people must prove they are not a threat to the safety and security of the United States. They must come out and register with the government, pass multiple background checks and pay fees and taxes. More than 97 percent of the 800,000 “DREAMers” who qualify for the program
are in school, in the workforce, or are serving in the Armed Forces. The program is set to be rescinded in six months, unless Congress comes up with a bill that can protect them from being deported back to their countries of birth even if most of them have no connection there, have not known the language nor culture of where their families came from, and have known and called America their “home” all their lives. Amid the outrage from many Americans all over the country who have been protesting and rallying in support of the almost 800,000 “DREAMers,” the states of California, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia, plus the District of Columbia contend in their lawsuit that the Trump administration violated the due process rights of the young im-
migrants by failing to safeguard the personal information they initially gave the government in order to enroll in DACA. As the National Public Radio (NPR) reported, the states’ lawsuit also alleges that the “racial animus or racial bias/hatred” is behind Trump’s decision to end DACA. “Trump violated the Constitution’s equal protection clause by targeting a cohort that is nearly 80 percent Mexican natives,” the report said. The lawsuit filed by the states cited Trump’s statements demeaning Mexicans as “’criminals, thugs and bad hombres,’” Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson said Trump, has revealed ”a racial animus” toward Mexicans. “Ask yourself one question: If the overwhelming majority were Caucasians, does anybody really think he (President Trump) would have taken the action he took?” Ferguson told NPR. In the meantime, many busi-
nesses across the country have also voiced their support for the “DREAMers” and their opposition to Trump’s decision to rescind DACA. Companies like Microsoft and Apple say they have no plans to fire the beneficiaries and will even offer them legal protection. Before Trump announced his decision to rescind DACA through Attorney General Jeff Sessions, more than 400 of the CEOs of the country’s big businesses signed a letter to the president and congressional leaders to save DACA, saying that these “DREAMers” are vital to the economy. As the New York Times reported, the letter from the executives stated that “65 percent of Dreamers have bought a car and 16 percent have purchased their own home. This economic activity, they argue, would be eliminated if the DREAMers were deported.” The NYT report further said that Mark Zandi, chief econo-
mist at Moody’s Analytics, “estimates that five years after a repeal of DACA, the nation’s gross domestic product would be $105 billion less than it would be if the program stays in place.” “The Dreamers are on track to be a highly educated group, and losing them will be a significant blow to businesses already struggling to find educated and skilled young workers,” the report quoted Zandi. According to the analysis of New American Economy, a national business coalition founded by former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to advocate for immigration reform, rescinding DACA “jeopardizes the livelihoods of tens of thousands of cooks, waiters, cashiers, salespeople and construction workers.” Using the U.S. Census for the analysis provided to the Washington Post, “the impact will also be felt across tech, health care and education — where many of the DACA-eligible immigrants
who are college educated work as software developers, nurses and teachers.” The Post reported that “Of the DACA-eligible immigrants over 21 years old, 12 percent have bachelor’s degrees, 3 percent have advanced degrees, 84 percent have completed high school and some college, and 2 percent did not graduate from high school.” “People have a very specific image in their mind of who an undocumented immigrant is, but the reality is that ‘dreamers,’ who are American in every sense of the word except the legal one, are working in every industry in every community,” said Jeremy Robbins, executive director of New American Economy. *** 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
DACA’s roller coaster of sadness, uncertainty, Defend DACA & support SB 54 misinformation and hope for compassion - the California Values Act “We don’t really get close to others if our relationship is made up of unending hunkydory-ness. It is the hard times, the painful times, the sadness and the grief that knit us more closely together. You’ve seen it with Ebola. People go into a hugely dangerous situation. Coming from countries where they don’t have Ebola. And they have no reason to go to Sierra Leone or wherever. They are just showing us what we are all capable of being. And by proxy we link ourselves to those and try as much as we can to enter into who we are: people of compassion.” – Archbishop Desmond Tutu, “The Book of Joy with Dalai Lama and Douglas Abrams”, 2016 PERHAPS we may have to thank the 45th U.S. President for discontinuing the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and sending the lives of 800,000 folks into a tailspin and with it, a strong backlash from many Americans supporting these DREAMERS. Should we? Never before has an issue been with bipartisan support, and according to Mark Zuckerberg, is supported by 80 percent of Americans, unifying conservative businesses with grassroots activists, church officials with small business owners and with professionals, to support the permanent legalization of DREAMERS to reside in the U.S., to provide an application form that they can all fill out so they can be with legal
documents. They are not Rhizomes illegal aliens — they are Americans, they feel American, as they have pRoSy abaRquezgrown up DelacRuz, J.D. here since childhood, and now are adults. Why have they not applied for citizenship or to be legalized, as some would say? Some have tried to apply, even paid hefty fees to lawyers, but there is not a line they can get into and there is no pathway for them to be legalized. Some had papers about to be filed with employers sponsoring them here in the U.S., but the business failed. Some had papers about to be filed but the lawyers missed the deadline. For whatever technicality they failed to comply with, there are now over 2,000,000 undocumented folks in America owning homes, with jobs and with families here. Do we just not do anything? Do we simply leave them alone? Well, former President Barack Obama tried to get U.S. Congress to give him a bill he could sign to legalize these childhood arrivals who were brought here by their parents when they were still young, in search of a better future than where they were born, but the bill never arrived, so he introduced DACA. What is DACA? DACA is an executive or-
der put into effect by Obama to allow for those “DREAMERs,” children of undocumented immigrants, who were brought by their parents to the U.S., without the benefit of visas or legal residency papers. DACA allows these children to step out of the shadows and get waivers from deportation, upon passing a background check, payment of an approximately $495 application fee and documentation that they are in school or honorably discharged from the military, and are then given a work permit. By 2017, 800,000 had qualified under DACA and about 90 percent hold down jobs and have no criminal records. Every two years, they renew their DACA waivers by passing background checks and submitting to biometrics examination. But, should we really thank Donald Trump? First, he had no clue as to the consequence of discontinuing DACA. He was unaware that these DREAMERs are working as paramedics, as teachers, as nannies, as teachers’ aides, as paralegals and are actually in jobs that require public trust and who care for our family members. Why do we as Americans allow them into the inner sanctum of our lives caring for our family and family affairs when
we cannot even lift a hand to provide them a path to legalization? Notice these Dreamers display responsibility and extraordinary diligence as 23-year-old Jesus Contreras, a paramedic who was saving lives, while Typhoon Harvey ravaged Texas. Yet, now he faces the threat of deportation as his DACA renewal will not be available. Isn’t it ironic that after saving lives, his future is now uncertain? During Inside Edition’s Sept. 5 interview, Contreras said, “I’ve had very little sleep... I’ve been exhausted. Nonetheless, I understand that I am here for a purpose. God has put me here to speak for the hundreds of thousands of us that are dealing with this right now.” With every two years’ renewal and the payment of $495 fee, that brings in $396,000,000 – yup, that is in millions. If 2,000,000 undocumented immigrants had that kind of pathway, that would have brought in $990,000,000 into the U.S. treasury, almost a billion! What is keeping Congress from passing a legalization pathway for immigration reform? There is no reason or obstacle given that the White House and both houses of Congress are all dominated by Republicans. If only they can act to serve the common public good and have the right information and the right analysis!
dishes in restauFOR generations, immigrants Commentary rants, sold off have come here family heirlooms, seeking a better and slept on park life for themselves benches until he and their children. saved enough to America has wel- alex De ocampo, reunite our famcomed these new- canDiDate foR aSSembly ily in Historic comers and we DiStRict 51 Filipinotown. all have benefited We struggled. from their contributions to our so- My parents worked 80 hours a ciety. week so that my sisters and I could That’s why I support Senator have a better life and achieve the Kevin De Leon’s legislation, SB 54, American Dream. the California Values Act. This bill Because of my parents’ determiwould prevent state and local tax nation and the values they instilled dollars from being used to support in me, I was able to take advantage the Trump Administration’s mis- of every opportunity offered to me, guided immigration policies. attending public schools, earning Our heritage as a nation of immi- scholarships, getting a college degrants is under attack. The Trump gree, and pursuing a career in the Administration has banned trav- entertainment industry. elers from certain counties. They Stories like mine wouldn’t be want to pass the RAISE Act, putting possible without America’s comstipulations on who can immigrate mitment to helping immigrants here. Now this administration is achieve a better life. rolling back DACA, the Deferred I’m running for the California Action for Childhood Arrivals pro- State Assembly because as the son gram. of immigrants, it is my duty to con22,000 DACA eligible Filipinos tinue the fight for immigrant rights will soon have their dream of being and against the misguided policies fully integrated in American society of this administration. taken away and at risk for deportaJoin me in supporting the Calition. fornia Values Act. California can lead the way by *** passing SB 54 and send a strong Alex De Ocampo is a candidate for the State response to these misguided poli- Assembly. He is the son of Filipino immigrants cies against our immigrant com- who benefited from opportunity provided by munities. public education and the guidance of mentors. This is personal for me. I am the Alex worked his way up through the ranks, son of immigrants. When my fa- starting as an assistant and ultimately managing ther came to Los Angeles from the the $400 million budget of the Saban Family Philippines in the 70s, he faced the Foundation. He helped establish the foundation’s harsh realities of starting over in a most impactful projects in Los Angeles, including new country. He did what he had to community clinics and a research institute at u PAGE A9 do to make ends meet. He washed Children’s Hospital.
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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OpiniOn & Features
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • SEptEmbER 9-12, 2017
A
CA CONFIRMS NEW AFP OFFICERS. Senate President and Commission on Appointments (CA) chair Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III (7th from left), Cavite 5th District Representative Roy Loyola (3rd from left), and San Juan City representative Ronaldo Zamora (6th from left) pose with officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) whose promotions were confirmed during the CA’s plenary session, Wednesday, September 6. Senate photo by Alex Nuevaespaña
DACA’s roller coaster of sadness...
PAGE A8 t
Why do I say that? Republican Senator Charles E. Grassley issued a news release, headlined: “Data Indicate Unauthorized Immigrants Exploited Loophole to Gain Legal Status, Pathway to Citizenship” on Sept. 1, as the Washington Post reported. It created a misimpression that these unauthorized immigrants were granted a back door to green card residency and ultimately, citizenship. On Sept. 7, Glenn Kessler of the Washington Post pointed out that a swift conclusion was drawn, without the underlying numbers bearing that out. First of all, after DACA application is granted, it simply grants an undocumented immigrant a work permit. Suppose this undocumented immigrant finds love in the right place and with a U.S. citizen, he or she can then apply for a change of status as the dependent of the citizen, and his or her status will now change to that of a green card holder, if he or she meets all the requirements. In another example, suppose DACA immigrants can get an employer to sponsor their working visas in the U.S. and get them green cards, they can also change their status that way. But this Republican senator chose to interpret the figures wrongly that Kessler questioned his conclusions that a back door to citizenship was provided by Obama, when the 44th president simply chose a very limited option to allow undocumented immigrants to step out of hiding and to visibly obtain a work per-
mit so they can have a job. After all, if that undocumented immigrant happens to be the next Einstein or has the latest cure or invention for cancer, or invent the technological app that can make a difference in our modern lives, would we not want that for all of America? The lingering ghosts of racial exclusion But 20 percent of Americans stay in the darkness and harbor misguided thoughts. Some believe that these undocumented immigrants are simply lazy and have not bothered to find a pathway to be legalized. Believe them when they say they are tired of living in the shadows and will gladly pay the fees to fall in line, if and when that application form is available for them to fill out. But there is not a single application form for them that they can qualify to get in line. Some misguided Americans and immigrants also think that these undocumented folks are taking away American jobs and are simply lazily waiting for their welfare checks to come in the mail, to qualify for food stamps, cash grants, Social Security and Medicare. Well, another wrong idea. Medicare and Social Security are benefits reserved for American citizens and qualified green card holders who have worked 40 quarters. These benefits are not available to undocumented immigrants; neither do they qualify for welfare and food stamps. But the irony is that these undocumented immigrants who have a work permit through DACA are now paying for federal
and state taxes as well as Social Security. They subsidized in part a Social Security system which they currently do not qualify to receive unless their status is changed in the future. Don’t we need to advocate for these 800,000 lives to not be at risk, to not be in peril and not to be deported when over 90 percent of them are responsible working individuals contributing to America? Even Google and the technology industry currently employ undocumented immigrants with DACA waivers and given that half of the industry has been founded by immigrants, are we not making racism and racial exclusion amputate half of our potential to innovate and to prosper as an integrated America? Will we choose a path of moral decadence as Americans or a pathway that provides a path to integration and prosperity – after all, we have always been a people and a nation marked by compassion!
*** 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.
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LP slams partymate who supports impeach bid vs Sereno by Gaea
Katreena Philstar.com
CabiCo
MANILA — The Liberal Party called out one of its members for endorsing an impeachment complaint against Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. Samar Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento was one of the 25 lawmakers who supported the
complaint filed by lawyer Lorenzo Gadon August 30. Most of the endorsers of Gadon’s impeachment complaint are members of the dominant Partido Demokratiko Pilipino– Lakas ng Bayan. In a joint statement, LP President Sen. Francis Pangilinan and Secretary General Rep. Kit Belmonte said Sarmiento’s action is a “cause for concern.”
Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
“While the party has yet to firm up its position on the matter and while it recognizes the right of its members to take a position on issues, Rep. Sarmiento could have consulted the party leadership before making such important decision.” Pangilinan and Belmonte also said that impeachment is “a double-edged sword.” “While it can strengthen democracy in a fair and impartial process, it can also destroy institutions if used to go after officials perceived to be uncooperative. Objective discussions among party members will help thresh out issues like this,” they said. On September 4, a second impeachment complaint against Sereno was filed by Dante Jimenez of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption and Eligio Mallari of the Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution. It gained 16 endorsements from solons. The grounds for the impeachment cases against the chief justice include culpable violation of the Constitution, corruption, other high crimes and betrayal of public trust. The cases alleged that Sereno, among other things, used public funds to finance her supposed lavish lifestyle, misdeclared her wealth in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, falsified court documents and manipulated the shortlist of the Judicial and Bar Council in the Sandiganbayan for personal and political reasons. Former President Benigno Aquino III appointed Sereno as chief justice, replacing the late Renato Corona, who was impeached by the then LP-controlled Congress. n
GOODBYE, CARL. Family, friends, relatives and supporters take Carl Arnaiz to his final resting place at San Roque Catholic Cemetery in Pateros on Tuesday, Sept. 5. Arnaiz was killed by Caloocan City police two days after the death of Kian Loyd de los Santos. Police claim Arnaiz, a former University of the Philippine student, robbed a taxi driver in Navotas and shot at law enforcers. ManilaTimes.net photo by Ruy Martinez
DOJ: 71 drug war-related cases filed since July 2016 by PatriCia Lourdes Philstar.com
Viray
MANILA, Philippines — Out of the thousands killed in the conduct of the Duterte administration’s so-called war on drugs, only 71 murder and homicide cases nationwide have been filed before the Department of Justice since the president took office last year. The DOJ has released an inventory of murder and homicide cases allegedly related to the government’s anti-drug campaign filed before its prosecution offices since July 1, 2016. The list showed that there was a nationwide total of 45 cases (seven pending, 25 dismissed and 13 filed in court) where the victim, who is an alleged drug suspect, was killed during legitimate law enforcement operations. There was no case filed regarding collateral damage during police anti-illegal drugs operations. Meanwhile, there was a nationwide total of 26 (10 pending, 10 dismissed and six filed in court) cases where the victim, an alleged drug suspect, was killed outside police operations. For the nationwide total, there are still 17 pending cases while 35 cases have been dismissed and 19 have been filed in court. The highest number of cases filed before DOJ prosecution offices were recorded in the National Capital Region with a total of 45 cases. In the NCR, there were 26 cases where the victim was killed during legitimate police operations while 19 cases where the victim was killed outside police operations. Upon assuming office on June 30, 2016, President Rodrigo
Duterte vowed to end the illegal drug trade in the country in three to six months. Duterte, however, recently admitted that he was wrong to as-
sume that he can end the drug problem in the country. This is amid thousands of alleged extrajudicial killings and summary executions. n
Marcos camp says ‘fight not over... PAGE A7 t
36,465 clustered precincts in 22 provinces and five cities. Areas include Cebu, Leyte, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Masbate, Zamboanga Del Sur, Zamboanga Del Norte, Bukidnon, Iloilo, Bohol, Quezon, Batangas, Western Samar, Misamis Oriental, Camarines Sur, 2nd District of Northern Samar, Palawan, Sibugay, Misamis Occidental, Pangasinan, Isabela, Iloilo City, Bacolod City, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City and Zamboanga City. In his third cause of action, Marcos also sought the nullification of the vice presidential votes in Lanao del Sur, Basilan, and Maguindanao due to alleged occurrence of “traditional” modes of cheating, such as vote buying,
pre-shading, intimidation and failure of elections, among others. “The SC merely said if the party is able to prove 51 percent of the voters were not the ones who voted or there was massive fraud, irregularity then that may result in the nullification of the results in all of these precincts or areas,” Garcia added, citing jurisprudence from the last election. In its resolution, PET gave Marcos five non-extendible days to provide at least three witnesses per clustered precincts on the three questioned provinces. “The Tribunal reiterates its directive to protestant [Marcos] to submit a new list of witnesses for the third cause of action by
limiting the number of witnesses to three per clustered precinct and already identifying the concerned clustered precinct, within non-extendible period of five days from receipt,” the PET said. “Protestant’s failure to do so will be deemed a waiver of his right to name and identify his witnesses and to present them during the reception of evidence,” it added. Robredo’s camp, meanwhile, welcomed the PET’s ruling. “The ruling’s effect is that the integrity and credibility of the automated election system [have] been upheld by the Supreme Court,” Atty. Romulo Macalintal, lead counsel for Robredo, said in a statement. n
Tokhang reloaded with... PAGE A7 t
to this killing spree,” Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Arlene Brosas said. “The PNP could not even provide the specifics of the multimillion-peso anti-drug program which has already claimed the lives of thousands of poor Filipinos,” she said. She cited the recent death of young drug suspects whom the police claim resisted arrest. Brosas decried the approval of the PNP budget in the early morning hours on Thursday. “This bloodstained budget was passed in the dead of night as another alleged drug suspect was shot dead in Manila. This is very telling of how monsters love the dead of night,” she said. Other congressmen criticized mounting deaths in the anti-drug campaign, particularly the killing of young suspects. “This barbaric cruelty is unthinkable but under the Duterte administration, it becomes the new normal. It is now the norm to kill alleged criminals with latent and excessive force, gangland-style executions that minors are not even spared,” opposition Rep. Tom Villarin of Akbayan said.
The P900 million was allocated specifically for Oplan Tokhang or the police house-to-house operations to catch drug personalities. Philstar.com photo by Edd Gumban
“There is now a breakdown in law enforcement and institutions tasked to address these killings. Our citizens are crying for justice but their pleas have fallen on deaf ears. From Malacañang, we only see how it tries to massage the negative public reaction through photo ops with the victims’ families and empty promises of justice,” he said. Villarin said it is only Duterte who could order the police to stop the killings. “Is that too much to ask or is he that callous in conscience?” Villarin asked. Opposition Rep. Teodoro
Baguilat Jr. of Ifugao also said the President “is attempting to temper the billowing outrage to the latest killings of teens and children with photo sessions with the families of the victims, commitments to bring the cops who are found guilty to justice and the explanation that these are isolated incidents and not policy.” In the Senate, Sen. Ralph Recto has vowed to scrutinize the PNP’s Tokhang funding. “Before such campaign is reloaded with funds, questions as to how it will be implemented must first be asked,” he said. n
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • SEptEmbER 9-12, 2017
A11
UP improves rating in world university rankings by Janvic
mateo Philstar.com
PSC BUDGET HEARING. Former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (right) exchanges pleasantries with Senator Juan Edgardo Angara and Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William “Butch’’ Ramirez shortly before the PSC budget hearing at the Senate Building in Pasay City on Tuesday, Sept. 4. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan
Philippines to prioritize trade ties with US over North Korea by Richmond
meRcuRio Philstar.com
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is willing to cut all trade activities with North Korea should the United States wish its ally to do so in line with the ongoing scuffle between the two nations. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the country will prioritize trade relations with the US over North Korea should the country be forced to choose between the two following a recent threat by US President Donald Trump that he would stop trade with any economy doing business with the rogue state. Trump’s warning came after North Korea claimed to have tested a hydrogen bomb last Sunday, September 3. “If and when President Trump will adopt, policy, we will prioritize trade with the US,” Lopez told The STAR. “We have a huge business with US. They are our third largest trade partner. We need to maintain and even strengthen that,” he added. Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. told The STAR that the Philippines should indeed prioritize its trade relationship with
the US, given its magnitude. Ortiz-Luis said Philippine export volume to North Korea is too small, composed likely of one or two companies shipping electronic parts. Data from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Observatory of Economic Complexity showed the Philippines is among the trade partners of North Korea, with imports from the Philippines amounting to $53.2 million in 2015. The Philippines’ receipts from exports to US, meanwhile, were valued at $9.02 billion while payment for imports totaled $7.47 billion in 2015, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed. “We should not be too worried about that. What may be lost in terms of exports is too small or it may be too small for the US to even take a look at it,” Ortiz-Luis said. Philippines backs UN The Philippines also supports all United Nations resolutions and calls on countries to take appropriate actions, including sanctions, on North Korea following Pyongyang’s nuclear test. “The Philippines is always supportive of UNSC resolutions,” Foreign Affairs spokes-
MANILA, Philippines — The University of the Philippines has improved its rating in the recently released world rankings of the London-based Time Higher Education (THE). UP – the only Philippine university in this year’s list – was ranked between 601 to 800, one level higher from the previous year’s 800+ ranking. The country’s premier state university also improved its overall rating from 18.5 percent last year to 30.6 percent this year. The ranking is based on 13 performance indicators grouped into five areas: teaching (the learning environment), research (volume, income and reputation), citations (research influence), international outlook (staff, students and research) and industry income (knowledge transfer). Based on the results released on Wednesday, September 6 UP scored 20.5 percent in teaching, 10 percent in research, 40 percent in citations, 32.6 percent in industry income and 39.8 percent in international outlook.
The University of the Philippines is still the sole university in the country in this year’s Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, after moving to the 601-800 bracket from the >800 bracket last year. Philstar.com photo
THE said the top 1,000 higher education institutions across the world were from 72 countries, mostly from Europe. Two universities from the United Kingdom led the list this year, with University of Oxford maintaining its hold in first place, followed by the University of Cambridge that jumped from fourth to second place. Following them are American institutions California Institute of Technology, Stanford Univer-
sity, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University and Princeton University. Completing the top 10 are the Imperial College London in UK, University of Chicago in the US and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich in Switzerland. The National University of Singapore is the best university in Asia, notching the 22nd spot along with the University of Toronto in Canada. n
man Robespierre Bolivar said, referring to the United Nations Security Council. Bolivar made the statement in relation to Trump’s threat which, reports said, were widely interpreted to be a reference to China. Beijing, however, is unwilling to take drastic actions against North Korea. CNNMoney reports that China is involved in 90 percent of North Korea’s foreign trade. The latest serious developments require a comprehensive response in order to break the cycle of provocations from North Korea, according to UN Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman. In an emergency Council meeting, Feltman said that “such a response must include wise and bold diplomacy to be effective.” US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said that her delegation will formulate a draft resolution on strengthening sanctions against North Korea. Last Sunday, the Philippines expressed grave concern over the detonation by North Korea of a powerful nuclear device that it claimed was a hydrogen bomb, saying Pyongyang’s testing limited the options for meaningful dialogue. (With Pia Lee-Brago)
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Why Vice Ganda turned down offer to direct his latest film by IrIs
VIcente AJPress
James Reid and Nadine Lustre
PheNomeNaL box office star Vice Ganda recently revealed that he was offered to direct his latest film with best friend and awardwinning actor, Coco martin titled “The super Parental Guardians.� however, the 41-year-old comedian said he had to decline because of his other work commitments. “I was actually asked when Direk Wenn [Deramas] passed away, sinabi ng management, ‘Walang ibang puwedeng mag-direct sa ’yo kundi hindi ikaw lang. Kasi iba ang takbo mo ganyan-ganyan. Nakakatuwa kasi pinaparamdam nila ’yon faith nila,sa akin, ’yong belief nila pinararamdam nila, Photo from James Reid’s Instagram/@jaye.wolf ’yong support ’binibigay nila. Pero ako mismo ang nagsabing, ‘I cannot do it.’ Kasi I have a daily show, “showtime,� and it would be very hard na pagsabayin ko ’yong dalawa sa paggawa ng pelikula,� Vice explained in an interview with Pep.ph. and @jayewolf didn’t even care? Does he have any plans on being better? He needs to stop partying and flirting. Stop using Nadine. You can’t even be sensitive and consistent at being a boyfriend, how much more as a husband. Just go and party with your girls and squad.) The 24-year-old actor replied, “Nadine trusts me with anyone. she has nothing to feel jealous of. sounds like you’re more jealous than her [laugh emoji]�. James explained that the reason why netizens criticize him for not being affectionate towards Nadine is because the actress doesn’t like PDa (public display of affection). “We like to keep those moments to ourselves because for so many years we’ve kissed and hugged for everyone to see on TV and movies. Is privacy too much to ask for? Judging by the way you see my life and relationship says more about you than Photo from Vice Ganda’s Instagram/@praybeytbenjamin mine,� James continued.
James Reid demands privacy in his relationship with Nadine Lustre by IrIs
VIcente
AJPress
James Reid is denying allegations of cheating on girlfriend Nadine Lustre. an Instagram user @worldisnotbalance has accused James of cheating on Nadine by flirting with his female friends and random girls in bars/clubs. “sabi niya strong women si Nadine kaya pala napuno eh no nagdeactivate at kaya din pala wala din pake si @jaye. wolf kung, if wala wala siyang planong magbago to be better grumaduate sa walwal at landian sa iba pede ba wag niyang gamitin si Nadine. Di mo nga mapangatawanan pagiging sensitive at consistent bf maging hubby material pa kaya, magwalwal na lang siya kasama mga babae niya at squad‌â€? @worldisnotbalance commented on James’ Instagram. (He said Nadine is an independent woman, is that why she deactivated [her Twitter account]
(The management said ‘You’re the only one who can direct yourself because you have a different pace, stuff like that. It makes me happy coz they make me feel that they have faith in me, they believe and support me. But I was the one who personally said ‘I cannot do it’ because I have a daily show, Showtime, and it would be very hard to work on both.) “The super Parental Guardians� will be Vice’s first movie that is not directed by the Wenn Deramas who passed away in February last year due to cardiac arrest. The late director was the one behind all of Vice’s successful movies since “Petrang Kabayo� in 2010. “The Revengers,� which is di-
rected by Joyce Bernal, is among the entries in this year’s metro manila Film Festival. It also stars Daniel Padilla and miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach. “It’s a brand-new learning experience kasi no’ng nawala nga si Direk Wenn Deramas, I had to educate myself again kasi it will be a different experience doing a movie with a different director, a different group of people, ibang environment. Kasi sobrang nasanay na ’ko, kumbaga, nakalabas ako sa comfort zone ko,� he shared. (It’s a brand-new learning experience when Direk Wenn Deramas passed away. I had to educate myself again because it will be a different experience doing a
movie with a different director, a different group of people and environment. Before i was so used to everything but now I was able to come out of my comfort zone.) aside from working on his latest film, Vice has so many things on his plate including hosting the daily the noontime variety show, “It’s showtime,� and his own sunday comedy talk show, “Gandang Gabi Vice�. Vice was also recently included in Yes! magazine’s List of 100 most Beautiful stars. “Thanks so much Yes maGaZINe for once again including me in your list of 100 mosT BeaUTIFUL. o ayan na ha confirmed beauPAGE B3
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B september 9-12, 2017 • LA WeeKeND AsIAN JOUrNAL
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‘Aladdin’ cast takes first selfie Richard & Maricar open up in conjugal book
BURBANK – Casting for “Aladdin,” the live-action adaptation of the studio’s animated classic, is complete and production is currently underway at Longcross Studios outside London. The “Aladdin” cast includes: Two-time Oscar Will Smith posts the first selfie of the “Alladin” cast with the caption: n o m i n e e W i l l “We just started shooting Aladdin and I wanted to intro you guys S m i t h ( “A l i , ” to our new family - Mena Massoud/Aladdin, Naomi Scott/Princess “Men in Black”) Jasmine, Marwan Kenzari/Jafar, and I’m over here gettin my Genie Photo from Facebook/@Will Smith as the Genie who on. Here we go!” has the power to grant three wishes to whoever possesses his magic lamp; Mena Massoud (Amazon’s “Jack Ryan”) as Aladdin, the hapless but lovable street rat who is smitten with the Sultan’s daughter; Naomi Scott (“Power Rangers”) as Princess Jasmine, the Sultan’s beautiful daughter who wants to have a say in how she lives her life; Marwan Kenzari (“Murder on the Orient Express”) as Jafar, an evil sorcerer who devises a nefarious plot to unseat the Sultan and rule Agrabah himself; Navid Negahban (“Homeland”) as the Sultan, the ruler of Agrabah who is eager to find a proper husband for his daughter, Jasmine; Nasim Pedrad (“Saturday Night Live”) as Dalia, Princess Jasmine’s hand maiden and confidante; Billy Magnussen (“Into the Woods”) as Prince Anders, a suitor from Skanland and potential husband for Princess Jasmine; and Numan Acar (“Homeland”) as Hakim, Jafar’s right-hand man and head of the palace guards. “Aladdin” is directed by Guy Ritchie (“Sherlock Holmes,” “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”) from a screenplay by John August (“Dark Shadows,” “Big Fish”) based on the 1992 animated film “Aladdin” and stories from “One Thousand and One Nights.” The producer is Dan Lin (“The LEGO Movie”) with Golden Globe winner Marc Platt (“La La Land”), Jonathan Eirich (“Deathnote“) and Kevin De La Noy (“The Dark Knight Rises”) serving as executive producers. Eight-time Academy Awardwinning composer Alan Menken (“Beauty and the Beast,” “The Little Mermaid”) provides the score, which includes new recordings of the original songs written by Menken and Oscar-winning lyricists Howard Ashman (“Little Shop of Horrors”) and Tim Rice (“The Lion King”) as well as two new songs written by Menken and Oscar and Tony Award-winning songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (“La La Land,” “Dear Evan Hansen”). (Philstar.com)
by Ricky Lo Philstar.com
“10 Things We Fight About,” a heartwarming little book by Richard Poon and his wife Maricar Reyes written in an engrossing “He said, She said” style. The book is easy to read, as much interesting as it is informative and instructive, with tips on the Think About It page after every short chapter. The easy-breezy appeal of the book is enhanced by the playful photos showing the couple in various moods depending on the situation (sulking, arguing, playing and hugging after a petty quarrel typical of any couple). Honesty is the best policy and the couple practices it in their fouryear marriage that has beautifully surmounted the humps along the way, a union of opposites who come from different backgrounds. Maricar: Richard and I met in August 2009 and became fond of each other. For us, opposites did attract. I loved Richard’s strong personality. He had a clear idea of what he wanted in life and where he was going. Life with him was always interesting! But most of all, I admired his fierce love for excellence and honesty. He was the most consistently honest man I had ever met and it was very refreshing. Richard: I was attracted to Maricar’s gentle, relaxed and peaceful nature. She brings a certain calm to every situation. People were at ease with her. She was patient, steady, level-headed, intelligent, encouraging and appreciative. Maricar: My father is a dominant and hardworking achiever. I have seen him argue with my mom and
discipline my brothers but generally, Papa is a jolly guy who does not enjoy confrontation. He prefers to make a situation light with jokes... Richard: Even if our home had its strength in honesty, excellence and dominance, it also had its flaws. My parents separated when I was four years old, leaving me without models for how to hold and grow long-term relationships...By the time I met Maricar, I had gone through a few painful breakups and rough patches with some of my friends. My heartache from these fights helped me see that I needed to improve my gentleness and patience. The “He said, She said” exchange (repartee) swings from the fun (how they kiss and make up after an argument over little things that they think mean a lot), to the trivial (Richard “scolding” Maricar on her “unmindful” driving, etc.) and to the serious. According to the couple, before they decided to get married, they laid their cards on the table, everything discussed and no secrets left unveiled. Remember, honesty is the best policy. Maricar: I became used to having a lot of “harmless secrets” which slowly led me to huge, painful and a widespread mistake during a certain romantic relationship The tell-all, no-holds-barred “10 Things We Fight About” is written by Richard Poon and that pushed me to re-examine my his wife Maricar Reyes in a ‘He said, She said’ style and is lit up by the couple’s pictures in values. Maybe hiding and avoiding various moods. conflict or correction were not the anyone marry me? I was scared to knew nothing about, especially if right ways to live. make a mistake again. it’s about an ex. I became distrustful of myself Honestly, if my tragedy never To prevent a little argument from and others, especially of men. I happened, I probably wouldn’t fall escalating into a protracted “war,” wondered what their real motives for Richard. I would get too offend- Richard and Maricar have come up were, or if I was even worth a seri- ed by his “brutal” honesty. But in with what they call the T-Sign (Time ous commitment anymore. Would that troubled time, his most endear- Out Sign). ing quality to me was his love for Maricar: Between the two of us, truth. Throughout our friendship, Richard has a greater tendency to he showed me the value of honest raise his voice during an argument. confrontation and facing my fears. I can’t blame him too much for this He was the one person who wanted because of his dominant personalto know everything bad about me ity and family background. Even and still consistently stayed around so, both of us have agreed that to help me become better. we should not tolerate shouting in In another chapter about “past our marriage conflicts, for whatrelationships,” Maricar makes this ever reason…Present your side confession: respectfully. No shouting/cursing/ Before committing, Richard and disrespectful tone. Use the T-Sign. I agreed to tell each other every- We will not tolerate shouting and thing about our past relationships, raising of voices. flings, flirtations, crushes, etc. Richard: The beauty of the TAmong other things, I had to Sign is that it puts my tone of voice tell him the details of my darkest in the hands of my loved ones. I’m relationship mistake, even if I was willing to give Maricar the right to not sure if he’d still want to marry adjust my tone of voice, as much me. It was a scary conversation that as I have the right to adjust hers. I don’t regret having. Now I know Shouting just makes our fights Richard committed to me at the worse, even if the person shoutaltar, fully aware of my flaws. ing is correct. The T-Sign helps us We both believe being open control our tempers. in this area prevents more fights Oops! That’s all for now, folks! later on in the relationship. Both of For more on Mr. and Mrs. Poon, us hate the idea of being shocked get a copy of 10 Things We Fight to discover something disturbing About(published by ABS-CBN about our loved ones’ past that we Publishing, Inc.)
Another challenging role for Allen Dizon by Ricky Lo Philstar.com
“PERSONS Of Interest” (POI) started shooting on Thursday, Sept. 7 in which Allen Dizon plays a character with two personalities (katauhan), one a blind cook accused of mass poisoning that killed his older lover and as the imaginary friend of his six-year-old son (played by JJ Quilantang) who is smart and jolly, his exact opposite. Directed by Ralston Jover from his own screenplay and starring mostly Kapampangan actors (Allen is from Sta. Ana, Pampanga) including Liza Lorena (born in Magalang town) as Allen’s live-in partner and Dimples Romana (Masantol) as Liza’s daughter who is against Allen, “POI” tackles these questions: When does a crime become an erroneous act and innocence? When a man takes a dual existence and commits a crime, whose personality is the usual suspect? When does innocence overrule guilt as a probable cause for an offense? Shot in Pampanga, which is known for delicious food and where people are known for being good cooks, “POI” marks the second time Allen and Ralston are working together. Their first film, titled Bomba, has been selected as “main competition” entry in a prestigious A-List International Film Festival to be held this October. Produced by ATD Entertainment Productions, “POI” is co-produced by Romeo Lindain and Bobby Alvarez. Allen is pleased with the projects that he had been given. He is one of the lead characters in the miniseries “AMO” on TV 5 directed by Brillante Mendoza who also got
In “Persons Of Interest (POI),” Allen Dizon plays a man with two personalities (katauhan), one a blind cook accused of poisoning his live-in lover and the other as imaginary friend of his 6-year-old son.
Allen to play one of the leads in “The Right to Kill” with Felix Roco and newcomer Vince Rillon. Come October, he will start shoot for “Palawan” where he plays the lead character named Tungkol, directed by Aureaus Solito. “I am inspired to give my best working with these internationallyacclaimed directors,” said Allen who has won awards in international filmfests. “That’s why I have not accepted offers to do teleseryes until I finish all my movies. These movies are something that I can be proud of both here and abroad.” To prepare for his role as Ramil 1 and Ramil 2 in “POI”, Allen spent time with visually-challenged people “Direk Ralston also asked me to watch some movies. I need to perfect the scenes that I am blind but I am a good cook. I have a lot of dramatic scenes and the role of Ramil is very complex. My roles in “The Right to Kill,” “Bomba” and “Palawan” are all challenging,” added Allen.
Among Allen’s co-stars are (from left) fellow Kapampangan Dimples Romana and Liza Lorena, and child actor JJ Quilantang.
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Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS What is Chelation therapy? Chelation therapy is an accepted treatment for poisoning by many metals (like lead, cadmium, arsenic, zinc, etc.) and other toxic substances. these chelating agents “cleanse” the blood of these poisons. Some unscrupulous healthcare providers, however, are bilking the unsuspecting public prescribing and giving chelation intravenous shots “to unclog heart arteries,” a claim that is false and without medical basis. Which drugs are used as chelating agents? Calcium disodium edetate, Dimercaprol, and Penillamine are some of them. Is this the “therapy” advertised to unclog arteries? Yes, there are unscrupulous individuals in the United States, Europe, Asia, and other parts of the globe (including the cities of Manila and Cebu), who victimize the innocent public with claims that intravenous injections of these drugs, which they call chelation therapy, can unclog arteries to prevent a heart attack and stroke. these “practitioners,” who advertise that Chelation therapy can dissolve hardening of the arteries and therefore preclude the need for angioplasty or open heart surgery, charge exorbitant. In the U. S., charges range from US$4000 $6000 for “the complete session.” how is chelation treatment given? the patients are given a series of intravenous injections for so many days. No one knows what drug is actually injected — whether only plain saline or dextrose instead of true chelating agents. In the U.S., this practice of using chelation therapy to dissolve hardening of the arteries is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and condemned by the medical community. there is no legitimate scientific proof or basis for the claim. Some physicians and doctors of osteopathy have lost their medical license for perpetrating this fraud. how did this practice come about? It is easy to surmise that since chelating agents are really effective in the treatment of poisoning with metals and other toxic substances, and “cleanse” the blood, some
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • SEptEmbER 9-12, 2017
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Heart chelation: a scam enterprising people conveniently “extended” the use of these agents to include unclogging blocked arteries. Since all adults develop hardening of the arteries, to one degree or another, sooner or later in life, and since heart attack and stroke are commonplace, financial greed and deception have overcome some of these “practitioners” (who may not even be licensed physicians) to go into this very lucrative business. Why does the FDa not ban these chelating agents? Chelating agents are legitimate and good drugs indicated for specific conditions: metal poisoning and toxicity from other substances. the issue here is that these chelating agents are being used for a condition for which they are not indicated or effective. they are useless as far as dissolving hardening of the arteries, or unclogging arteries. Is there any drug that can dissolve hardening of the arteries? No. there is no known safe drug that can dissolve hardening of the arteries or unclog blocked arteries. the blockages in the arteries are so hard and usually calcified like teeth or bone that to date, medical science has not discovered any medication for it. In the recent meeting of the American College of Cardiology, another study confirmed that chelation therapy for coronary artery disease is baseless, useless and ineffective. how about the enzymes injected to treat acute heart attack? these enzymes (streptokinase, urokinase, tPA, etc.), which cardiologists administer intravenously in the emergency room or ICU when the patient is diagnosed to have an acute heart attack that is 4 to 6 hours old, are substances that dissolve the solid but still soft blood clot that blocks the coronary artery causing it. these enzymes cannot dissolve arteriosclerotic plaque or hardening of the arteries. how do these “doctors” get away defrauding the public? First, we do not know if only harmless saline or innocuous dextrose is the “drug” that is administered, in order not to have the possible side effects of true chelating agents. Secondly, public ignorance makes the consumer an easy prey, the reason we have decided to educate and forewarn the public about this scam. third, both the lay and the medical communities have not organized themselves to expose and fight these moneyhungry charlatans, and bring them
to justice. how are patients adversely affected by this scam? Not only do unsuspecting patients lose their hard earned money for a treatment that has been proven by medical science as ineffective, but they are also deceived and given false hopes, which delay the proper diagnosis and treatment of their heart illness. Needless to say, this unwarranted delay could lead to worsening of the disease and a higher morbidity and mortality rate. We have heard of cases where patients have died as a result of reliance on this unconventional therapy and the delay in getting the proper treatment. So, what’s the best thing to do? In this age of modern and sophisticated medical technology, it is only prudent for all of us to safeguard our health by doing preventive measures and taking advantage of the scientifically proven and accepted convention of treatment. When needed, there is no substitute for a thallium stress test and heart catheterization in the diagnosis of coronary heart disease. For therapy, appropriately chosen medications, and/or angioplasty, or coronary bypass surgery are the proven effective management for coronary artery disease. the easier or quicker treatment is always more appealing, but consumers beware of these advertisements! If they sound too good to be true, chances are they are not true. Do not gamble your life away. the main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities, and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, recommendation or treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. this column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health. *** 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
END OF DACA. Get Answers and Information on the Rescission of DACA on this Sunday’s “Citizen Pinoy”! Attorney General Jeff Sessions just announced that the Executive Order implemented by former President Obama in June 2012 on Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is being rescinded. This immediately resulted in strong reactions and many questions. This Sunday, leading US immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel gives the latest update, and answers questions to provide a better understanding on this new development on DACA. Atty. Gurfinkel also provides options for people who fall under DACA. Tune in for important guidance and discussion on a special episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday at 6:15 pm (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)
Important updates and answers regarding the rescission of DACA on this Sunday’s special episode of ‘Citizen Pinoy’ It was all over the news, and became the trending topic on social media, immediately after Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced, on September 5, 2017, that the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is being rescinded. DACA was an Executive Action implemented by former President Obama in June 2012, which deferred deportations and granted work authorization for hundreds of thousands of people who came to the U.S. as children. President trump’s administration declared that it would end DACA after giving Congress six months to come up with legislation, such as a DREAM Act during
that six-month window. this Sunday, leading US immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel discusses the latest breaking news and developments as he answers questions and provides important updates. Attorney Gurfinkel also offers options for people who fall under DACA such as: (1) Renewing DACA if it expires before March 5, 2018, but they must apply before October 5, 2017; (2) Regular Deferred Action; and (3) Push Congress to finally pass the DREAM (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) Act. (that’s why they’re called “Dreamers.”) Some of the highlights of the proposed DREAM Act include
granting lawful permanent resident status on a conditional basis to a person who: • entered the U.S. when they were 17 years old or younger; • has been continuously physically present in the US for at least 4 years before the date of enactment of the Dream Act, or the date when the president signs it; • must be law-abiding. Be sure to tune in to a special episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday 6:15 p.m. PSt/ESt (9:15 p.m. ESt thru select cable/satellite providers), and for more breaking news updates, be sure to click and visit www.citizenpinoy.com. (Advertising Supplement)
Why Vice Ganda turned down offer to... PAGE B1
tiful ako! Ang kumontra sasampalin ko ng magazine! Chozzzzz!” Vice said as he expressed his gratitude in a humorous manner via an Instagram post.
(There, it has been confirmed that I am beautiful! I will slap this magazine to those who will disagree.) “Nakakatawa (that’s funny). Vice Ganda, for me, is a beautiful
person because, ah, he is a son who can make his mother smile. And that for me is very beautiful when you can make the most important person in your life smile, like your mom,” Vice added.
B september 9-12, 2017 • LA WeeKeND AsIAN JOUrNAL
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Getting to know Little Miss Scarlet Snow Belo by Bianca
Gonzales Philstar.com
She is barely two-and-a-half years old but she is already the most popular happy pill, stress reliever, and dose of good vibes in Philippine social media, with 1.4 million followers and growing—fast! here are 10 things you should know about the adorable Little Miss Scarlet Snow Belo. 1. “Purple is her favorite color, and her favorite animal is a cat. She’s very consistent about that, purple, and cat,” Scarlet Snow’s
dad Hayden Kho shares. On favorite characters: “She loves Peppa Pig. Now she likes dinosaurs. But also, she’s in a phase. InTrolls, she wants to be the Bergens. In Three Little Pigs, she wants to be the wolf. Why don’t you want to be the good characters?” Vicki laughs. On favorite food: “She has a very sophisticated palate. She likes truffle pasta. I like this thing with black rice and cheese, and she likes that too. Grilled cheese sandwich. She loves cheese, it’s
Scarlet Snow with her proud parents, mom Dr. Vicki Belo and dad Hayden Kho
her number one thing.” On favorite books: “She loves the Bible! She has her own kids‘ Bible and hayden reads it to her,” Vicki says. “She knows the story of Jonah, Moses, Adam and eve.” 2. On what makes Scarlet cry: “’Pag antok na tapos ayaw matulog. Or if we don’t give her the phone,” Vicki reveals. “To be fair to her, she only watches educational shows. But my advice to you is, don’t even start,” Vicki explains. “We made a mistake. When she wasn’t really eating, we noticed that when there’s a phone, she’ll eat more. She got addicted. So now, that is her punishment when she is naughty, no phone.” “When she gets her phone, she won’t make me pansin na. So now, she has not had her phone for five days, and it’s been wonderful. When she wakes up, she sings, she talks, she makes conversation!” 3. On what they do when Scarlet gets in a fussy mood: “Everybody, out.” “everybody, out,” hayden shares; that’s what he tells everyone in the room. “Then we have a talk, as in a serious talk. ever since she was eight months old. I stoop down, look her in the eye, and usually magpapa-cute muna yan,” he laughs. “I want to video it nga, eh! her eyes turn so big, then tears well up kahit wala pang nangyayari, it’s so cute,”
Vicki adds. hayden: “Do I ever get mad at you?” Scarlet: “Yes.” hayden: “When do I get mad at you?” Scarlet: “When I’m not eating” (shyly). “So I ask her muna why. Then I’ll remind her what the rules are. When you articulate it, you have to use the same syntax. So, no throwing things, no spitting out food,” hayden explains. 4. On their dream family vacation: “Africa! But probably when she’s bigger. She loves animals kasi,” Vicki says. “In her first year, we traveled almost every month,” Vicki says. Scarlet has been to Singapore, hong Kong, the U.S., the UK, Maldives, France, Italy, and UAe. “We go to Singapore a lot because we like the parks there! Scarlet loves anything nature,” she adds. 5. It was actually Hayden who first caught Scarlet’s head in the delivery room. “I got sick so the doctors would not allow me to leave,” Vicki shared. “[The surrogate mother’s] due date was Feb. 28, but the baby could come earlier. So I told hayden to go ahead [to the US] because I didn’t want Scarlet to be born without either of us there. Finally, I was allowed to leave March 2. And she’s so sweet, she really waited for me.” “The mom was putting on makeup pa,” hayden says about the surrogate while she was in labor. “The doctor was there but he was still sterilizing his hands. And I go, ‘I can see the baby’s head!’ Naka-gloves na ako ‘nun so I caught her head. I had practice in med school delivering babies, I did my internship at Fabella hospital where we would deliver 50 babies a day. It all came back!” hayden reveals. On holding Scarlet for the first time: “It’s one of those moments that you really cannot explain. It’s instant love,” hayden shares. 6. Scarlet was purely breastfed for nine months! “People were so kind! They were all donating breastmilk. Cristalle [Belo]’s batchmates, hayden’s batchmates. There was a driver just dedicated to picking up milk! When she’s older I want her to meet all her milk mommies,” Vicki says. “One time we were at a stopover in Singapore. She was almost one year old and mixed feeding already. her milk was in our suitcase checked in straight to Manila. So we bought this milk available there, and she wouldn’t drink it because she wasn’t used to that brand. And the wife of Kevin Tan, Michelle, said ‘O, I’ll offer a bottle!’ We are so amazed at how kind people are.” 7. Scarlet memorizes Our Fa-
Scarlet Snow Belo
Photos from her Instagram account (@scarletsnowbelo)
ther, Bahay Kubo, and the song Rainbow Connection. “Because of repetition,” hayden says. “She has playschool now, four hours a day. She has Mandarin classes twice a week, she also has reading classes and gymnastics once a week,” he adds. On the most surprising thing Scarlet has said: “Why was you angry at me last night?” hayden laughs. “For her, last night just means before, or earlier. That morning, nagalit ako sa kanya because before going to school, she spat her food out. So she said to me, ‘Why was you angry at me?” On Scarlet’s sweetest moments: “My designated job is to get her milk at 4 a.m.,” Vicki shares. “So I prepare it, give it, then she goes, ‘Thank you Mommy, I love you.’” “Yes, its those random moments when I’m working, she’s walking around, and she’ll suddenly say, ‘I love you, Daddy,” hayden adds. 8. Hayden and Vicki have decided to home school Scarlet. “We were discussing during Bible study what school to send her to,” Vicki shares. They had already reserved a slot for Scarlet in a particular school, but are now reconsidering. “Its more important to us that Scarlet grow up to be a good person, we don’t want to produce an einstein, just a decent human being who will contribute and be a happy person. And also because we travel so much. And the world is a school,” she adds. “She wants Scarlet to be a dermatologist. I want her to be the Secretary General of the United Nations. A leader with a good heart, that’s my dream for her,” hayden smiles.
9. On putting Scarlet to sleep at night: “Daddy, can you carry me without crying?” Scarlet sleeps beside Vicki and hayden at night, but sometimes in her own room. “She has a specific position that she likes to be carried in, tapos she’ll say, ‘Yaya Nits, Yaya Nits’ and then she’ll cry. She just really cries before sleeping. She got used to that. So I would tell her, ‘I will only carry you if you don’t cry.’ So that’s why she says, ‘Daddy, can you carry me without crying?’” hayden shares. “At 8:30 p.m., the room is dark na. We can continue talking, pero ang rule lang, dapat nakahiga na kami. Haba ng kwentuhan namin, minsan hanggang 10 p.m.! Masarap naman yung kwentuhan.” he says. 10. On the most important value they want Scarlet to grow up with: “Fear of God.” “To be God-fearing, not fear as in fear, but reverence,” hayden says. “She prays before eating and sleeping but she doesn’t fully understand yet. I explain to her, ‘God is someone you cannot see, but he’s there. Like the wind, can you see the wind? You cannot see it, right? Can you see the air?’ eventually she will be asking questions. If we don’t give her answers, she will be getting them from somewhere else, so might as well kami na ang magturo.” “She has no idea she’s famous, which is great. But she does have the attention of everyone at home because she’s the only baby. She remembers people’s names, that’s her charm,” Vicki says. hayden adds, “And every morning she does a roll call, she’ll say hello to the guards, to the houseboys, the yayas, and she asks everyone, ‘Are you happy? You, are you happy?’”
Jake Zyrus focuses on his ‘coming out’ concert by christina
alpad ManilaTimes.net
MOre than a week after the controversial “Malaala Mo Kaya” episode on the life of singer Charice Pempengco, now known as Jake Zyrus, the latter faced the press looking happy and content to promote an upcoming concert. The artist’s first bearing a new name and look, it is aptly titled, “I am Jake Zyrus” to introduce him to the world. Zyrus was in high spirits on Tuesday, Sept. 5 despite the fact that mom raquel Pempengco cried foul over her portrayal in the drama anthology, which quickly became a sticky issue for the artist. In the “tell-all,” Zyrus depicted Pempengco (played by Dina Bonnevie) as a mother who physically and verbally abused Charice. It will be remembered that Charice had a promising international career with the backing of bigwigs Oprah Winfrey and David Foster. Pempengco called Zyrus a liar in one of her interviews after the show aired, and even said she Despite some family drama he’s currently facing, Jake Zyrus remains in high spirits. is considering filing a libel case Photo from his Instagram account against her daughter. Nevertheless, Zyrus seemed bad light. out” concert on October 6, at the unaffected by the possibility. “What I really wanted was for Music Museum. “I know some of you won’t people to know that it’s really “I really don’t want to spill the understand, but I know my family happening in real life,” Zyrus beans to keep the suspense but better—I know it will take more shared, pertaining to the strug- it’s going to be a very special time but we’ll be fine,” Zyrus told gles of transpeople coming out to show because I will be able to the press. their families and society. finally express my real self,” “Mahirap kasi i-explain yung Nevertheless, Zyrus attested Zyrus noted. relationship namin. Basta ang sa that sharing the story and actually I Am Jake Zyrus will cover akin po, if I reach out to them, I acting it out was a great experi- all genres, from pop to ballads don’t think people would notice. ence albeit challenging. to dance and even rock. But I won’t share it on Facebook. In “At first I couldn’t believe that perhaps, one of the most talked fact, there we so many instances they wanted me to portray myself. about parts of the show will be [in the past] where I reached out I asked, ‘Hindi ba pwedeng iba Zyrus’ duet with the old Charice. to them but it was never known by na lang?’ But I realized na gusto This idea was floated on social the public and I prefer it that way,” ko talagang makita ng tao na ako media and went viral for some the 25-year-old singer added. ang gagawa. So now, I can say time. Now, Zyrus is gamely takZyrus then confessed that that the emotions there were true. ing the challenge. while it was surprising to hear that There were so many time na nag “Magdo-doble kara po ako,” grandmother Tess relucio agreed break down ako sa set.” Zyrus said in jest. Turning serion the details of the episode—deIn the end, Zyrus believed the ous the artist explained how the spite their word war in the past—it show served as a great means show’s musical director will use only showed that no matter what for healing. “It became my way the available technology and elehappens in their family, they are to help myself din, na binalik ko ments to showcase both remarkgoing to work it out. yung sarili ko sa sitwasyon para able voices. ‘Great experience’ maka-move on ako.” Overall, Zyrus said the conZyrus also clarified that the Jake’s the name cert will relate through music a “Maalala Mo Kaya” episode was For now, Zyrus is exerting all person and an artist’s journey never intended to put anyone in efforts to promote the “coming to freedom.
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Businesses back FPAC, pledge Hayden Kho and Vicki Belo: Their bumpy ride to a happily ever after support anew for Filipino arts & culture
Lu
There’s a well known proverb in Tagalog that’s been said so many times yet its meaning still rings true: “sa hinaba haba ng prusisyon, sa simbahan din ang tuloy.” Loosely translated in english as, “no matter how long the ‘road’ seems, it’ll still lead to one destination: the church.” Pardon my poor translation of the phrase but you get what I mean. If not, let me tell you about a couple who serves as a living testament of this proverb. They are no other than hayden Kho and Vicki Belo. I’ve known Vicki since 2005. she was reflections’ Woman of Year in 2006, a Fil-Am recognition event that I have been running for twenty years. she is known to many as Dra. Vicki Belo, the famous cosmetic surgeon and the woman who captured the heart of celebrity hunk hayden Kho, who is now a born-again Christian and reportedly training to be a pastor. Quite the transformation from being a former celebrity and a controversial figure (for not-toogood reasons) to a man who, and I quote, “gave [his] full commitment to the Lord (Jesus Christ).” Now it is not only to his Lord that he gave his commitment to. he recently committed himself to be a husband to Vicki, his girlfriend of 12 years and mother of his daughter scarlet snow. The couple recently tied the knot in Paris following their civil wedding in the Philippines. Around 50 local celebrities, most of them endorsers of Belo’s beauty empire, flew to Paris to attend the event that was said to be the “wedding of the year.” It was reported that the couple spent a total of P80 million for their grand celebration. PeP online reported, “Among these are the P1.7-million firstclass flight of Belo, Kho and their daughter scarlet snow to Paris; the P83,000 “donation” to
Photos courtesy of Hayden Kho and Vicki Belo
their ceremony church; the twoday rent for the Palais Garnier’s Grand Foyer at P11.6 million; Belo’s one-week stay at the ritz hotel’s Coco Chanel suite at P1.35 million per night; the bridal gowns by Michael Cinco at P8 million; the rented chauffeurdriven luxury cars for wedding guests at P1.76 million for 48 hours; and the five-course meal at the reception starting at P16,000 per head for 250 guests.” The hefty price tag may feel like an exaggeration (and downright impractical) for some people but to family and friends (myself included) who have witnessed all the dramas and tribulations that these two have endured, it’s the BesT way to mark the new chapter of their romance. It was such a beautiful wedding as told by their guests. It may not be your typical marriage since the couple already has an adorable daughter to begin with but their relationship is no different from any typical “hanging by a thread” kind of relationship. It was marked with controversies, lies and infidelity. I remember how these two started out as one of the most unlikely couples in the industry. For one, they came from different worlds – Vicki was formerly married with two kids, a successful business owner and a multimillionaire cosmetic surgeon and is many years hayden’s senior – who was a struggling
doctor at the time and is from a middle-class family in Marinduque. hayden was a former employee of Vicki Belo Medical Group when they fell in love and became lovers against all odds. One of the odds was the disapproval of Vicki’s daughter Cristalle. Yet love prevailed and the two officially admitted their May-December romance in 2005. In 2008, rumors surfaced that the two have broken up over a third-party issue, followed by the greatest test that they ever had to face which was the hayden video scandal that also caused him to lose his medical license. Though the public only caught wind of that specific break-up, some sources said that the two have broken up and made up so many times. The last break up was said to be the cause of hayden’s several suicide attempts. The relationship spiraled down and dragged both of them. You could say that it has to do with their age gap or hayden’s sudden fame and fortune when he tried showbiz, but nonetheless, it was a bumpy ride that they both had to hit the brakes on. It was in 2013 that hayden found Christ or, as he kept saying in his interviews, “Christ found [him].” In an episode of The 700 Club, hayden shared his testimony of how he hit rock bottom and sought Christ through the guidance and teaching of a PAGE B6
she said that through FPAC “we can share cultural knowledge and spark interest in people to find out more about their own heritage.” Pacificar traces her family roots to a long and proud line of healers and mystics from the Philippines. she inherited from her family their ancient healing practices, and infused them into the modern-day products of herbalaria. herbalaria is also part of FPAC’s Buy Pinoy Program, which helps Filipino entrepreneurs reach out to a broader market. Pacificar said that since they got involved with FilAm Arts and FPAC, their customer base has become more responsive and engaged. Long-time vendor and supporter FPAC also enlisted the support of various vendors. Among them is Neri’s restaurant, a widelypopular mom-and-pop eatery that offers traditional home cooked Filipino dishes. Neri’s is famous among LA Fil-Ams because of their authentic take on classic Pinoy recipes. Tirzah Jazelle seneres, granddaughter of owner Neri seneres, said that it is important for their brand to maintain a strong relationship with the Filipino community because it is slowly transiting to Filipino American Fusion. “Neri’s wants to keep the 6:15 PM Page 1 authenticity of Filipino cuisine
mixed with a hint of American fusion,” the younger seneres said. According to FilAm Arts, Neri’s is one of – if not, the – longest tenured vendor for FPAC, coming up to 25 years this year. And each year, they are one of the most sought-after booths in the festival. In 2016, for example, Neri’s had restock their supplies during the festival because they ran out of food in the middle of the day. This year, festival-goers should watch out for Neri’s Lechon Kawali Plate, which is touted by LA Magazine as one of the besttasting lechon kawali recipes in town. seneres said that being involved with FPAC definitely played a role in Neri’s success because of the tremendous exposure they receive during the festival. “Being a part of an organization that has a positive impact is something worth continuing to grow with,” seneres added. FPAC is a free event. No admission fee is needed for entry. It will be held on October 14, 2017, sunday, at echo Park Lake in historic Filipinotown in Los Angeles. For more information, please visit http://bit.ly/FPAC2017 or call (213) 949-4508. For sponsorship and vendor opportunities, please email info@filamarts.org. (By Mico Letargo)
(Advertising Supplement)
age gracefully
Refresh with Cool, Chia Seed Frescas
BY GRACE O
Chia Seed Frescas
Chia seeds are loaded with protein, fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. These nutty-tasting seeds can be mixed into oatmeal, sprinkled on salads or made into refreshing beverages like Chia Fresca. The seeds can also be ground into flour (available online or at health food stores) and used to replace a quarter of wheat flour in baking. There’s some evidence that chia seeds help reduce the fat that collects around your mid-section — the kind that contributes to insulin resistance.
Aguas frescas are popular, refreshing fruit drinks found in Mexico. Some roadside vendors add chia seeds to their drinks for extra texture. When soaked, the seeds develop a soft outer coating, somewhat like tapioca. Their nutty flavor and texture go well with peach tea and strawberry lemonade. They’re also nice mixed into sweetened green tea.
Serves 2 2 Tbs. white chia seeds 1/2 cup water 3 sliced strawberries 2 Tbs. lemon juice (about 1 lemon) 2 Tbs. agave nectar or honey (optional) 1 cup cold water 1 cup chilled peach tea 1/4 cup crushed ice
1. Soak the chia seeds in the water for 1 hour. 2. To make the strawberry lemonade, combine the strawberries, lemon juice, and agave nectar or honey. Mash with a wooden spoon until the fruit is well crushed. Add the cold water and stir well. 3. Combine the peach tea and the strawberry lemonade in a pitcher. Add the chia seeds. Top with crushed ice.
© 2017 by FoodTrients.com
By Monet
LOs ANGeLes – FilAm Arts, a soCal-based nonprofit that promotes the arts and cultural heritage of Filipinos, recently announced in a statement that a growing number of local and corporate sponsors and vendors are pledging support for the Festival of Philippine Arts & Culture (FPAC). FPAC, the flagship project of FilAm Arts, is an annual festival that features traditional and contemporary Filipino food, music, performances, arts, and crafts. It was established in 1990 as part of the Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department’s Festivals Program, a program that elevates the diversity and multiculturalism in LA. FPAC is now the largest and longest-running Filipino cultural celebration in soCal. “We are absolutely thrilled to have the support of numerous businesses and organizations for this year’s FPAC,” said Tina salonga-Bulchand, Fil-Am Arts’ interim executive director. Bulchand said that FPAC’s sponsors include the National endowment for the Arts, California Arts Council, California Council for humanities, LA County Arts Commission, City Council District 13 CM Mitch O’Farrell, LA Council District 14 CM Jose huizar, LA Council District 15 CM Joe Buscaino, Toyota, McDonald’s, and the Asian Journal. she went on to add that there are also a number of parties who have expressed their interest in backing FPAC. Building brands While corporate sponsors like Toyota and McDonald’s see FPAC as an opportunity to further strengthen their engagement with their Filipino customers, startup sponsors see it as a platform to establish their brand identity through cultural knowledge and appreciation. One such enterprise is herbalaria, a startup that offers herbal wellness products like balms, oils, and body polish ointments. herbalaria founder and owner Lyn Pacificar believes that their products echo the values of FPAC – honoring and expressing Filipino heritage. “It is crucial for our brand to be a part of this project because of the Filipino cultural aspect, which is in alignment with herbalaria’s vision of cultural preservation,” AJ Ads 98 July 2017_Layout 1 8/9/17 Pacificar said in a statement.
GRACE O is the creator of FoodTrients®, 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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Angeles Institute: Creating future LVNs and CNAs
What is in your “Bucket”? by Emil
PErito
Visiting the Holy Land, home to many Biblical sights and awe-inspiring landscapes, is a great opportunity to not only see a new destination, but experience one that has been the background to many historical stories! Come see the Pool of Bethesda, a site celebrated as being the location where Christ healed a paralytic man said to have been crippled for 38 years! Right next to it is the Church of st. Anne, the best preserved church in the whole Jerusalem. the fortress like sanctuary is believed to be the location of where Jesus’ maternal grand-
parents lived, and where the Virgin Mary was born. Revel in its strong medieval architecture and incredible acoustics. On the northwestern shore of the sea of galilee is tabgha, famously known for being the location of where Christ fed 5,000 people with just five loaves of bread and two fish. Commemorating the miracle is the Church of the Multiplication, embellished with intricate Byzantine mosaic images of flowers, birds, and of course, the five loaves and two fishes — a favorite piece among visitors. Located on the eastern slope of Mount Zion is the picturesque Church of st. Peter in gallicantu, or st. Peter of the Cock Crowing,
thought to be built above the ruins of the high priest Caiaphas’ house. the church observes the historical occasion of when Jesus was arrested and brought to the residence of Caiaphas where Peter denied knowing Jesus. On top of the beautifully built, four level church, is a golden rooster perched on a black cross. Come visit the Holy Land and experience the history and beauty for yourself! Air Plus travel specializes in religious travel. Join us in one of our organized trips to the Holy Land. For more information, contact Air Plus travel at (562) 863 - 0624, or visit us at www. airplustravel.net. (Advertising Supplement)
‘Mulawin vs. Ravena’ cast bid fond farewells AFtER months of keeping viewers on the edge of their seats, gMA network’s well-loved fantasy series “Mulawin vs. Ravena” is coming to its final week after tonight’s episode as lead stars share their sentiments on soon missing the show. the network’s Kapuso Drama King Dennis trillo, who reprised his role as gabriel says he is grateful to have worked with such talented and professional artists. “Mami-miss ko siyempre ‘yung samahan namin every day
on taping. Masaya ako na iba’t ibang henerasyon yung mga nakatrabaho ko dito at swerte ako kasi talagang prepared sila at nakita ko yung passion nila, kung gaano sila ka-proud.” He adds that they’re glad to have made a positive impact on their viewers. “’Kahit magtatapos na, ‘yung mga ginawa namin, yung mga na-achieve namin, lahat ng taong napasaya namin, masaya kami dun.” Bea Binene or Anya in the series highlighted lessons she
learned. “Challenging ‘yung role pero kahit mahirap ‘yung ginagawa mo, kailangan masaya mo siyang gagawin. Natutuwa kami sa pagsuporta ng mga tao and here, everyone feels like a family to one another.” Binene’s on-screen partner Derrick Monasterio, aka Almiro, is also grateful for the immense support they receive every night. “Nakakataba ng puso ‘yung mga nakikita namin sa social media na talagang sinusubaybayan nila yung story tsaka naaapektuhan sila sa characters namin. Malungkot dahil matatapos na pero masaya dahil sinubaybayan nila.” Kiko Estrada, who plays the role of Rafael, also said that he will miss the entire staff. “Everyone, from the staff, the crew, the cast, parang pamilya na kami dito and i will really miss everyone. Yung experience na lahat kami dito may teamwork, who wouldn’t love that ‘di ba?” Meanwhile, the fight between good and evil and the war between the Mulawins and the Ravenas intensifies as the final week ensues. With humans suffering in the hands of the Ravenas as they grow stronger every day, sacrifices must be made as the Mulawins try to find a way to defeat the enemy. Mulawin vs. Ravena’s final week airs from septmeber 11 to 15 after “Alyas Robin Hood” on gMA telebabad. (ManilaTimes. net)
Hayden Kho and Vicki Belo... PAGE B5 Christian evangelist named Dr. Ravi Zacharias. it was one of those moments when he saw the futility of his life and decided to commit himself to following Jesus Christ. He took a sabbatical from the limelight; in 2014 his medical license was reinstated, and a couple of years later, he was back into Vicki’s arms once again. in 2016, the two officially introduced their uber-cute and doting daughter scarlet snow, whose name was taken from a bible passage in isaiah. now that Hayden and Vicki have promised to love each other as husband and wife, i couldn’t help but get emotional as i recall what they had to go through before they finally reached their destination. Like what our grandfathers would say, “sa simbahan din ang tuloy.” to Hayden and Vicki Belo-Kho, i have nothing but best wishes to you both. it was a bumpy ride alright but it eventually led to the fairytale wedding you both deserve. *** Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, awardwinning 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
As the need for nurses, nursing assistants, and aides continue to rise, Angeles institute in Artesia, CA puts pride in creating licensed vocational nurses, certified nursing assistants, and home health aides that are dedicated to improving the lives and patients in their community through quality work. Founded in 2005, Angeles institute has been training aspiring licensed vocational nurses and certified nursing assistants in a family like environment. there, the quality experience goes full circle — students are provided with valuable resources and education that in turn prepare them to become high standard nurses who are able to have a strong impact on their community. the school has a family-like environment that boasts an impressive student-teacher ratio of 10:1. intentionally designed to be small, classes ensure that students get the absolute most out of their education. From making sure students are keeping up with their material, to helping them find jobs they love after graduation, the friendly faculty at Angeles institute make sure their bond with students last long throughout their nursing career. Walk into the facility and find a bright, stress-free environment complete with up to date learning tools, well lit classrooms with direct sunlight, a computer lab, and a full state of the art simulation lab with simulator mannequins. Angeles institute students have access to all the resources they need to feel confident and comfortable when taking their licensing exams and certifications. in addition, all clinical and skills lab materials are provided with admission, as are simulated nCLEX-Pn examinations. it is their academic goal that their students know the exams well enough in advance so that can focus solely on doing their best. in their fully equipped skills lab, students are also introduced to hands on training early on where they can be assessed in a variety of situations. While many nursing programs
start their students off with theory lessons before moving onto skills, Angeles institute’s curriculum teaches both lessons together to make sure students are well rounded and fully proficient long before they land their first nursing job. Angeles institute also takes pride in its robust student Affairs team that works with students and faculty to ensure a positive, productive, and learning experience. the school also has a Placement team that is ready to land students with a job upon completion of their studies. Faculty members also make sure to provide academic support to all students, providing early intervention for students that may be struggling, or preparing them for upcoming exams. While the school specializes in training nursing assistants, licensed vocational nurses, many students find themselves prepared to go on to complete training as registered nurses. As the demand for home-based
health care also rises, Angeles institute provides a Home Health Aide course that students can complete in just 40 hours. An education in nursing prepares students to be stewards of their community, but at Angeles institute, involvement in the community begins before graduation. students are encouraged early on in their academic plan to get out and be involved with many different organizations including the AiDs Food store, the susan g. Komen Breast Cancer organization, and the special Olympics. Many students have graduated not only with their diplomas, but with the President’s Volunteer service Award, awarded by the President of the United states. to date, Angeles institute has produced over 1,300 graduates and maintains a career placement rate of 75 percent. At Angeles institute, the goal is to not only make sure their students are skilled, but that quality work is instilled in them as they enter the workforce. The Angeles Institute specializes in certified nursing assistant (CNA) and licensed vocational nurse (LVN) training in their 11month long, full-time programs. Its Home Health Aide course is 40-hours long. The school is located in 17100 Pioneer Blvd, Suite 170, Artesia, CA 90701. More information about the programs can be found by visiting their website www.angelesinstitute. edu or by calling (833) 5506700. (Advertising Supplement)
Sharon Cuneta & the family that never weeps by JErry
Donato Philstar.covm
sHAROn Cuneta has essayed varied images of motherhood on the big screen. Remember, the young mom to an innocent child in Kahit Wala Ka na; the affectionate stepmother in Madrasta; the sacrificing, battered woman in Minsan, Minahal Kita; and the working Pinay abroad in Caregiver, to name a few? With her recent artistic collaboration with director Mes De guzman in the Cinemalaya independent Film Festival entry Ang Pamilyang Hindi Lumuluha, sharon has added Cora, an exciting and fascinating character as a pair of lens to look at motherhood, perhaps giving another layer to that mater dolorosa image moviegoers are acquainted with. Distributed by star Cinema, the comedy drama is now showing in theaters. “in this movie, i didn’t have any inhibitions,” said sharon, in a recent media call, of Cora, who looks for ang pamilyang hindi lumuluha (the family who does not weep) to make her family complete again. “i felt i had the license to play a role that’s a bit crazy (offbeat) because i was doing an indie. Yan ang masarap sa indie yata. You can do anything you want. You can gamble. Dito lasinggera ako, iisa lang yung suot kong damit sa buong pelikula.” And the cineastes are challenged to infer the meaning of a scene when the actress changes the color of her clothes. sharon shared that Cora’s desperation emanates from the latter’s troubled family life, living in a house with a trustworthy househelp (played by Moi Bien), who, “in the end, she has become part of my family,” sharon added. the film narrative follows sharon as the landowner-turnedmedia personality whose children (one of them is portrayed by Michelle Vito) and husband have pursued a life of their own. Left with an empty nest, Cora is resolved to bring back what she used to have by again seeking for that fabled family’s help. “it’s a myth in my (character’s) town that the family brings prosperity, peace and happiness,” she said. “since Cora is desperate to locate the whereabouts of the family, dun siya nag-focus
As Cora, who is desperate to make her family complete again.
at hindi sa Panginoon. Parang nanampalataya sa tao, sukdulan na sambahin niya. she believes in the (myth) and she has finally found the family.” What’s also interesting to know in the movie is the hint of the “history-repeatsitself” theme. Cora’s mother also seeks ang pamilyang hindi lumuluha and asks the family to stay with her. “Kaya pamilyang di lumuluha kasi literal silang di lumuluha kahit patakan mo daw ng juice ng sibuyas sa mata,” said sharon. “the family members couldn’t cry even if they wanted to. One day, one of the children cried with no reasons at all. that destroyed whatever Cora’s townmates had imagined about the special power the family possessed. so parang umalis o pinaalis yung pamilya, there were rumors that they sought refuge in a mountain or in a cave.” so the sub-story about the family is important to and intertwined with Cora’s personal story. “the movie is a reminder (to all) that there’s a higher power you can really run to,” sharon said. the movie somehow reflects the beginnings of Mes’ story in writing and making the film. “i’m from nueva Vizcaya. it is known for onion farming,” he said. “Lumalaki ako na naamoy ko yung sibuyas. i told myself that someday, i would write a novel or make a film about onions. When i thought about this
film for Ms. sharon Cuneta, i also saw the irony in onions na kapag naghihiwa tayo, nasinghot natin (ito), hindi naman dahil pumatak sa mata natin o natalsikan tayo, nasinghot natin kaya tayo naiiyak. i just wanted to toy with the idea. that’s the metaphor or the irony of the film. it seems to be the film’s core. Most of my films have a symbol or a metaphor where they are coming from.” After many years of starring in mainstream movies, sharon had finally plunged into independent film acting and for sure, her experience was liberating. “At this stage in my life and in my career, i had dreamed of having an independent film like what Ate guy and Ate Vi did. i wanted to experience everything an artist like me could experience in my industry. And people would send me storylines and... ay parang nakita ko na ito somewhere. Direk Mes sent me a letter introducing himself with a storyline and the list of his works. i liked the storyline (of Ang Pamilyang Hindi Lumuluha) right away because it’s unique and because of the irony.” sharon said it took them three years before they could roll or start shooting. “i was impressed by the works of direk Mes. i have DVDs of (Ang Daan Patungong) Kalimugtong and (Ang) Kwento ni Mabuti.” When she learned about the movie, sharon became excited and it was a sign that she had to give it a go.
EntErtainmEnt
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Alden Richards looks forward to Ruffa Gutierrez excited by Angel Locsin’s return in ‘La Luna Sangre’ working with Maine Mendoza again Beauty queen and actress Ruffa Gutierrez on Wednesday, Sept. 6 took to twitter her excitement for the return of angel Locsin in primetime aBS-CBN fantasy series, “La Luna Sangre.” Ruffa is the sister of Richard Gutierrez, who plays Sandrino, the Supremo vampire in the show. Locsin, who now plays political strategist Jacintha Magsaysay, only appeared in thursday’s episode for about eight seconds, and yet already caused a stir among shocked netizens and fans who thought angel is already dead in the series. as such, the episode hashtag, #LaLunaSangretheComing, immediately became the top trending on twitter. Many netizens and fans are now wondering if Jacintha is a totally new character, or is she the resurrection of Lia or Lyka? Other fans also speculate if John Lloyd Cruz, Lia’s husband in the series, is also alive and he, Lia, and daughter Malia, played by Kathryn Bernardo, will reunite in the end. Others ask whether Jacintha is going to spark romance with Supremo, the head vampire and antagonist played by Richard, who is
by Lhar
Santiago ManilaTimes.net
Angel Locsin and Richard Gutierrez in a scene together on ‘La Luna Sangre’
angel’s former love team partner. Fans of the #ChardGel love team are indeed revitalized by seeing angel and Richard together again in a scene. In a recent “La Luna Sangre” press conference, the stars of the show revealed that unlike other soap operas they did before, they, too, do not know the fates of their characters, even the fact if they are a wolf, a vampire, or a human in the show. although the leading man,
ABS-CBN photo
Daniel Padilla, has been known in the show as a vampire slayer, he too is not sure if he will stay that way. even for his leading lady, Kathryn, it is not clear yet if she will become a wolf like her mother, Lia, or a vampire. One thing is for sure though: unpredictable, unorthodox plots and shocking character appearances in the style of “Game of thrones” keep netizens engaged and ratings high. (Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo/Philstar.com)
Maxine Medina gives acting a try by Lhar
Santiago ManilaTimes.net
the two days of rest that alden Richards had in Paris have done him good. he looked much better upon arrival than leaving early Saturday morning (Sept. 2) last week to attend the much talkedabout wedding of celebrity doctors Vicki Belo and hayden Kho. With his colds and hoarse voice gone, alden is ready to jump back to work. Besides hosting “eat Bulaga,” GMa News tV’s Martial Law special “ala-ala” is waiting for alden to shoot his remaining scenes. this is one project that the actor is very excited about, especially after meeting the real life character he portrays. “My role is that of Bonnie Ilagan, a writer who is still very active in his profession today. he was a victim of human rights violation during Martial Law,” he shared. the special taught alden many things about this dark period in the country’s history. “It happened before I was born. I have heard about Martial Law but I didn’t know what really happened during that time until I read the script of ala-ala.” On his first taping day, alden was asked to do scenes that were very physical. “Mahirap siya,” alden admitted. “Not only physically but emotionally and psychologically as well. It was like experiencing what Mr. Ilagan went through. the torture scenes were very realistic that after doing the
MISS universe Philippines 2016 Maxine Medina is now a movie star. She started shooting the movie “Spirit of the Glass” under Octo arts Films, directed by Jose Javier Reyes. She stars with Benjamin alves, her boyfriend in the movie, Janine Gutierrez and Daniel Matsunaga. acting is a new experience for Maxine, and is grateful to have Direk Joey. “he guides me in everything during the shoot. he is so patient with me. I’ve already learned a lot from him. the movie that we’re doing is a horror so medyo mabigat and my co-stars have been acting for long I really have to do my best.” among his co-stars, Maxine is closest to Ben because both of them are under the management of Jonas Gaffud. he has nothing but praises for Maxine, and said after she calmed her nerves, Carmina Villaroel returns to GMA via ‘Road Trip’ and ‘Super Ma’am.’ ManilaTimes.net photo “She’s a natural.”
Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza
scene, pakiramdam ko, talagang na-torture ako. We did them in a way that was very close to reality. I agreed because I really want to give justice to the role.” With alden in “ala-ala” is his friend and co-kapuso actor Rocco Nacino. he is just so thankful that he is doing the special with Rocco because they get to help each other, especially in very difficult scenes. as he finishes “ala-ala,” alden is also busy preparing for his new movie with Maine Mendoza, which requires intense physical training. they do boxing, muay thai and other types of martial
arts. their director, Mike tuviera, however, has one rule with regards to alden and Maine’s training. “Bawal kaming magsama sa training,” he revealed. “Direk Mike made that rule because when we’re in the gym together, we don’t get anywhere. Wala kaming ginawa ni Maine kundi magkulitan!” he added laughing. Closer than ever before, Showbuzz asked alden where he thinks their friendship is really headed. he replied with a sweet smile. “everything naman has the right time.”
Carmina Villaroel returns to GMA
Miss Universe Philippines 2016 Maxine Medina
Photo from Instagram/@maxine_medina
FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS
( Mt Carmel, Mt Beatitude, Mt.Tabor, Cana, Capernum, Nazareth, Mt. of Olives, Old & New Jerusalem, Bethlehem Qumran, Masada, Jericho )
Dec 3 to 14, 2017
Spiritual Director: Rev. Fr. Alvin Cachola
by Lhar
Santiago
ManilaTimes.net
the Sunday travel show “Road trip” signaled Carmina Villaroel’s comeback to GMa, after which she went right into taping for the primetime series “Super Ma’am” topbilled by Marian Rivera. Showbuzz chanced upon Carmina on the set of the series who said, “I enjoy doing my character here. I play the role of Ceres, a mysterious woman na may malaking kinalaman kung bakit super ang powers ni Marian. Kung wala ako, slight lang ang powers niya!” More seriously, she added, “But what I’m really excited
about is working with Marian for the first time. We’ve already taped a scene together and I can say na masarap siyang katrabaho. Mabait siya kaya hindi ka maiilang.” after her “Road trip” experience with husband Zoren Legaspi and their children Mavie and Casey, Carmina is looking forward to another stint in the show. “We really enjoyed doing it. a lot of people tell me that when they were watching us, wala raw kaming acting, no pretensions. I think that’s really us—what you see is what you get, and we love that we get to bond on a show that allows the public to see the Legaspi family.”
Havan�, Cub� May 22 to 29, 2018
May 22, 2018 (Tuesday - Day 1) Los Angeles to Havana, Cuba Depart from LAX to Havana, Cuba. Upon arrival in Havana, meet our guide and transfer to the hotel for dinner. May 23, 2018 (Wednesday - Day 2) Havana, Cuba Our day will begin with mass at the Cathedral of Havana located in the center of Old Havana. After mass, proceed for a city tour of Old Havana with an experienced local tour guide. The tour will take 4 DEC-Day 2 - (Mon) - Arrive at Ben Gurion airport Tel-Aviv/Tiberias place on foot and you will visit all the squares of Old Havana. Take in the astonishing beauty of the After you have finished Immigration, collect Luggage then Meet our guide and driver. Transfer to Tiberias , Dinner /overnight Gai Beach Hotel historical buildings, sculptures, and monuments. After lunch you will have free time to bargain at the 5 DEC-Day 3 - (Tues) Cesarea /Haifa San Jose Craft Market. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) 3 DEC-Day 1 - (Sun) LAX/TLV On board meals are served
There was a certain man in Caesarea” Drive north to the sparkling port city of Haifa, viewing Caesarea en route, the city built by Herod. In Haifa, we will ascend Mt. Carmel; home of the two prophets Elijah and Elisha, Visit the Stella Maris Church celebrate Holy Mass in the main Altar, after enjoy the panoramic view of the Mediterranean, continue to Tiberias for dinner and overnight. Gai Beach Hotel (BB,D)
May 24, 2018 (Thursday – Day 3) Havana, Cuba This morning, we will visit the Convent and Church of Our Lady of Bethlehem. This religious complex is the most extensive of those surviving in Old Havana. Here you will attend mass. After mass, you will meet with the 6 DEC-Day 4 - (Wed) - Tiberias/ Cana/ Nazareth Holy Eucharist at the Church of annunciation “And Mary said, Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your nuns and assist with projects of the day. Lunch is included at a local restaurant. In the evening you will assist word” We head to Cana of Galilee, where Our Lord performed the first miracle – changing water into wine at the wedding feast. Here, we’ll a Cuban cultural demonstration. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) invite couples to renew their marriage vows. Continue to Nazareth, Celebrate Holy Eucharist at the Church of Annunciation, visit St Joseph workshop. We return to Gai Beach Hotel for our dinner and overnight. (BB/D)
07 Dec-Day 5 - (Thurs) Mt Tabor/Mt Beatitude/Capernum/ Sea of Galilee/Tabgha
We drive to Mount Tabor, celebrate Holy Eucharist at the church of Transfiguration, Visit Mt. of Beatitudes the site of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus preached to the people. enjoy a scenic boat ride across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum, home of Our Lord during his ministry. After visiting the Synagogue where he taught, proceed to Tabgha, the site of the miracle of the loaves and fishes. Gai Beach Hotel for our dinner and overnight. (BB/D)
May 25, 2018 (Friday – Day 4) Havana, Cuba You will have mass at the Convent and Church of Our Lady of Bethlehem. After mass, you will continue to assist the nuns. Lunch is included at a local restaurant. This evening in Havana, we will plan an exciting tour of the historical complex of Castillo del and La Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabana. If the timing and weather conditions permitted, you will witness the special nightly cannon at the fortress. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
08 DEC-Day 6 - (FRI)-Jordan valley/Jericho/Bethany/Jerusalem
May 26, 2018 (Saturday – Day 5) Havana, Cuba Start the morning off with mass at a local church in Havana. After, you will visit the Abel Santamaria School for the blind, located on the grounds of an old military base. The school aims to integrate the children into mainstream schools as soon as the child is ready through an outreach program which continues to support children at their secondary schools. You will spend time meeting the students 09 DEC-Day 7 - (Sat) - Jerusalem (old City) - Via Dolorosa and teachers. Lunch is included at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit Cintio Vitier Community Project Center, where arts Holy Sepulcher Church “And he bearing his cross went forth into a place of a skull, which was called in Hebrew Golgotha” Enter the old city of Jerusalem, Sing a hymn in the Church of St Anne and view the pool of Bethesda. Visit the Chapel of Flagellation, Programs of all types including painting, ceramic and dance hosted. You will learn about this community project and hear from Lithostrotos, where the soldiers played the Game of Kings, and Arch of the “Ecce Homo”. Follow the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross) to the the director of the program, Pedro Pulido. End your day with a panoramic drive through Modern Havana riding in old classic cars holiest shrine in Christendom, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, visit Golgotha and the tomb of Our Lord. This afternoon drive to Mount Zion, from the 1950’s. Be sure to have your camera ready for this unique experience. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) Drive the Jordan Valley to Jericho, the oldest inhabited city in the world. View the Mount of temptation, where Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the desert. Visit the ancient ruins of the wall. Drive through Wadi Welt to view St George’s Monastery. Continue to Bethany celebrate Holy Eucharist, and then visit the tomb of Lazarus. Arrive in Mount Scopus; enjoy the first view of Jerusalem. Dinner and overnight at Notre DAME VATICAN HOTEL (BB,D)
to visit the upper room, revered as the site of the last supper. Then survey the Dormition Abbey’s, St. Peter in Gallicantu, where Peter denied Jesus three times. Dinner and overnight at NOTRE DAME Vatican Hotel (BB.D)
10 DEC-Day 8 - (SUN) - Mount of Olives/Gethesemane/Bethlehem/New City
Holy Eucharist celebration at the Church of all nations Main altar Arrive at the Mount of Olives and enjoy the beautiful view of Jerusalem. Visit the Chapel of Ascension, Pater Noster Church and the Dominus Flevit Church”God wept “& walk the Palm Sunday road to the Garden of Gethesemane and the Church of all Nations. This Afternoon drive to Bethlehem, a city whose name the whole world recognizes ,visit the Church of Nativity, the manger, Church of St Catherine, The Grotto of St Jerome, and the shepherds fields. Dinner and overnight at NOTRE DAME VATICAN HOTEL (BB ,D).
May 27, 2018 (Sunday – Day 6) Havana – Las Terrazas – Vinales Valley Start the morning off with mass at a local church in Havana. Then you will be transferred to Las Terrazas for a tour of the community. Visit the neighborhoods, their schools, artists and community projects in the area. You will then continue to Vinales. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel for check in and rest. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
May 28, 2018 (Monday – Day 7) Vinales Valley Start the morning off with mass at a local church in Vinales. Then you will have a sightseeing Visit the Western Wall , the only part of the Herodian temple still standing and the most sacred place in the world for Jews. We drive to Dead tour. There is an opportunity to visit a Tobacco Farm and learn how to expertly roll a cigar. You will Sea, the lowest spot on earth. Visit Qumran; see the caves where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered. Continue to Masada, visit Herod’s also have the chance to visit an interesting site called the Prehistoric Wall and to take a Boat Ride fortress and the Jew’s last stronghold against the Roman. Return to Jerusalem Overnight Notre Dame Vatican Hotel (BB,D) through underground caves known as The Indian Caves. Then visit Finca Agroecolgica El Paraiso 12 DEC-Day10 - (TUE) Jerusalem New City where you will have lunch. After you will visit the gardens with the breath-taking views. Return to the hotel where you will have Return to the new City, Including the Temple Model to see a scale model of Jerusalem as it was during the time of Jesus. Here we will have a dinner. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) 11 DEC-Day 9 - ( MON) - Jerusalem/Dead Sea/Qumran/Masada
better understanding between old and New Jerusalem. Next to Ein Karem, birthplace of St John the Baptist, visit the Visitation church where Mary proclaimed her famous “Magnificat Overnight NOTRE DAME VATICAN HOTEL (BB,D)
13 Dec-Day 11 - (WED) Jerusalem/TLV/LAX
Breakfast rest of the morning Free time early PM dinner has to check out from the hotel, around 8:30 PM flight from TLV/ LAX in the 13 Dec flight depart TLV at 1:00 Am Dec 14,2017 ( end of Service )
May 29, 2018 (Tuesday – Day 8) Vinales – Havana – Los Angeles Today, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back home as your trip comes to an end. (Meal: Breakfast)
B september 9-12, 2017 • LA WeeKeND AsIAN JOUrNAL
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COMMUNITY JOURNAL
DACA is ending
Your Immigration Solution DEVIN M. CONNOLY AND NANCY MILLER AS anticipated, the Trump Administration, through Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced on September 5, the end of the Deferred Action for Child Arrivals (commonly known as “DACA”) program with a six-month delay for enactment. The delay is to allow Congress to enact legislation that will address the immigration status of those currently in the DACA program. Whether Congress will take any steps in this regard and, if so, what steps they will be are questions to which no one has answers right now. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a Memo with some guidelines as to what will happen in the immediate future: • Previously issued EADs and DACA grants will remain valid for their full validity period. • Pending (those already filed by September 5, 2017) initial requests for DACA and related EADs will be adjudicated. • Initial applications not filed by today will not be accepted after today. • Pending DACA renewals will be adjudicated. • Not-yet-filed DACA renewals will be accepted for filing until October 5, 2017. • Renewals can only be filed for those whose DACA grant will expire between September 5, 2017 and March 5, 2018. No one knows how long the renewals will be granted for. • No new DACA-based advance parole applications will be approved. All pending advance parole applications will be administratively closed and the filing fees will be refunded. • Previously approved advance paroles will be generally honored though DHS retains the authority to deny admission and/ or revoke or terminate parole where it deems appropriate. What will happen to those who were granted DACA after the pro-
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gram officially ends, assuming Congress does not pass something to replace it is a question without an answer at this time. Given the uncertainty of this situation, DACA recipients who are considering traveling outside the United States on previously granted advance parole are advised to consult an immigration lawyer before actually leaving the country. DACA was designed to help so-called “Dreamers,” a term used to refer to an undocumented immigrant brought to the U.S. at a young age. It was President Obama’s signature immigration accomplishment. Applicants for DACA were “coming out of the shadows.” They were voluntarily disclosing their full name and
said various things over the last several months that indicated he was going to continue DACA. These comments included saying that “we love the Dreamers” and “we are going to deal with DACA with heart.” Whether ending DACA was a decision made with “heart” is debatable, but what is clear is that President Trump is saying that it is the job of Congress to pass immigration legislation rather then the President, in this case President Obama. DACA will officially continue for 6 months, thereby providing Congress an opportunity to enact a suitable replacement. In the last few days and weeks there has been bilateral support for continuing DACA due to the fact that these children were brought to the U.S. through no fault of their own. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan was amongst the most high profile Republicans advocating for the continuance of DACA. However, there are also many Republicans who believe that President Obama was wrong to enact the program through executive action, rather than allowing Congress to pass legislation dealing with the issue. There are now close to a million people more confused than ever about their immigration status. They do not know whether they will be deported or granted immigration benefits by Congress. Because of this uncertainty, it is advisable to seek the assistance of a knowledgeable and experienced immigration attorney to find out if any other options are available. ***
Ending DACA was one of President Trump’s campaign promises.
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home address, their social security number and employment history, etc. In short, they were proving the U.S. government with all of the information they needed to more easily deport them from the U.S. They provided this personal information to prove they met all of DACA’s requirements, including arriving in the U.S. before they turned 16-years-old, being a high school graduate or currently enrolled in school, the lack of a significant criminal history, etc. And they were only providing this information after being told by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service that their personal information would not be shared with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security responsible for deporting people from the U.S. A grant of DACA meant that beneficiaries would receive protected status and work authorization for two years. It was renewable every two years and was considered by many to be life-changing. Ending DACA was one of President Trump’s campaign promises. However, he has also
Reeves Miller Zhang & Diza is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration firms in the United States with offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Manila. For more Information please call (800) 7958009 or visit www.rreeves.com. Telephone: (800) 795-8009 E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com Website: www.rreeves.com.
***
The analysis and suggestions offered in this column do not create a lawyer-client relationship and are not a substitute for the personalized representation that is essential to every case.
(Advertising Supplement)
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 9-12, 2017
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C SEPTEMBER 9-12, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
Minding Your Finances Atty. RAymond BulAon ARE you currently overwhelmed with debt problems that you can no longer handle on your own? Thinking about filing for bankruptcy but are afraid to make a decision? Do you feel stuck and paralyzed in your situation, unable to take any action? Maybe just thinking about your situation gives you this sick feeling in your stomach that won’t go away. Is there a way out of your seemingly hopeless situation? A famous author said: “It is in those moments of decision that our destiny is shaped.” I
Community Journal
Bankruptcy: Only you can decide what is best for you
think what this means is that the decisions we make in life are so powerful and regardless of whether you realize it or not, you are constantly creating results in your life, good or bad, at every single moment. You are the creator of your destiny. The path you take, whether right or wrong, will take you to a certain destination. Have you ever gotten lost while driving on the road or freeway and realized that you were headed in the wrong direction? What did you do? Did you just continue driving even though you knew you were going the wrong way? Of course not! Without doing a complete turnaround, you wouldn’t have reached your in-
tended destination. The same is true in life. You will never get to where you want to be unless you are on the right path. Which way are you going right now? Filing for bankruptcy when you are in debt may seem like a drastic step but when appropriate for your situation, it may be just what you need to do a complete turnaround and get back on track. If your debt problems are making you very insecure about your financial future, the fresh financial start provided by our bankruptcy laws can put you on the road to financial recovery so that you can start building wealth again instead of accumulating debts. The decision to be wealthy
To be prophets for God’s kingdom of love, peace, and justice
LAST Sunday’s First Reading from the Book of Jeremiah is one of the powerful biblical passages that I’ve encountered regarding one’s prophetic role. Realizing that the Lord duped him to take this job, Jeremiah, however, confessed that he could not be silent to speak in God’s name: “I say to myself, I will not mention him, I will speak in his name no more. But then it becomes like fire burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones; I grow weary holding it in, I cannot endure it.” I told my students in homiletics class to take Jeremiah’s words as their own because it will be their primary duty as priests to preach God’s Word like “fire burning in their hearts,” to proclaim it boldly without weariness and hesitation. I shared with them that it is my responsibility as their mentor to see them growing in unceasing love and zeal for preaching the Gospel and living it out authentically every day of their lives. This call to preach the Gospel like fire burning in our hearts is for all of us Christians. In today’s world wherein we face difficult issues of immigration, poverty, human trafficking, global warming, and homelessness, the Lord challenges us to speak courageously on his behalf. He challenges us to speak up for greater respect and promotion of the dignity of every child, woman, and man; for the care of their well-being; and for the protection of the environment and all of God’s creation. As the Lord in this Sunday’s
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mercy, justice, and peace. In his Letter to the Romans (13:8-10), St. Paul reiterates this responsibility: “The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not ReVeRend covet,’ and whatever other comRodel G. BAlAGtAS mandments there may be, are summed up in this saying, nameFirst Reading (Ezekiel 33:7-9) ly, ‘You shall love your neighbor appointed Ezekiel to be a “watch- as yourself.’ Love does no evil to man for the house of Israel,” he the neighbor; hence, love is the also sends us in this world to fulfillment of the law.” remind people to be faithful to The most pressing we need we God’s commandments of love, have in this world is to be united forgiveness, and mercy. He asks in prayer and fidelity to God’s us not to be afraid to warn peo- commandments. It is our earnest ple of their wickedness—their prayer as the Gospel tells us this selfishness, greed, corruption, Sunday (Matthew 18:15-20) to and pride. He summons us to do agree on earth about anything this not only out of great concern for which we are to pray, “for for poor and weak but also out where two or three are gathered of great love for sinners. This is together in my name, there am I evident in the words of God to in the midst of them.” Ezekiel, “If I tell the wicked. ‘O May we never stop proclaimwicked one, you shall surely die,’ ing God’s love, peace, and justice and you do not speak out to dis- for the world! suade the wicked from his way, *** the wicked shall die for his guilt, From a Filipino immigrant family, Reverend but I will hold you responsible for Rodel G. Balagtas was ordained to the his death.” priesthood from St. John’s Seminary in This Sunday’s Responso- 1991. He served as Associate Pastor at rial Psalm (Psalm 95) speaks of St. Augustine, Culver City (1991-1993); this call to be “watchmen” for St. Martha, Valinda (1993-1999); and St. the people of God: “If today you Joseph the Worker, Canoga Park (1991hear his voice, harden not your 2001). In 2001, he served as Administrator hearts.” No matter how different Pro Tem of St. John Neumann in Santa our views are regarding the is- Maria, CA, until his appointment as pastor sues of the nation and the world, of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Los Angeles, we must always defend the val- in 2002, which lasted 12 years. His term ues of the Kingdom of God that as Associate Director of Pastoral Field Jesus Christ proclaimed on earth, Education at St. John’s Seminary began which are mainly about love, in July 2014.
To Live With Faith
or to be poor is a personal decision. Don’t ever be misled into thinking that some people are destined to be rich while others are destined to be poor. This is a big lie. If everything in life has been pre-arranged, life here on earth would be pointless. You are here to make choices and to decide the kind of life that you want to have. Your choices can make or break you. If your life is out of control, only you can regain control of your circumstances by exercising your power of decision. No one can do this for you. As a bankruptcy attorney, I tell my clients that my job is to help them understand their options but ultimately, they are responsible for the decisions that they make. The people who understand this are
Tax Tips VictoR Sy, cPA, mBA
BACKGROUND: When is your tax return free from IRS audit? From your point of view, statute of limitations prevents the IRS from collecting a deficiency in tax or beginning a civil or criminal case. Statute of limitations provides a date of finality after which the IRS or the taxpayer can take no further actions. We can breathe a little easier when we know that our returns are out of the line of fire. Three-year Statute of Limitations: Normally, the IRS must assess tax, or file suit against the taxpayer to collect the tax, within three years after the return is filed. The three-year period of limitation on assessment also applies to penalties. The statute increased to four years if you omit 25% of your gross income. There is no statute for fraudulent returns. The statute never runs out and you can be audited anytime. When the Statute Runs The statute of limitations on assessment begins to run on the day after you file your return. Thus, the day of filing is excluded from the computation of the three-year period. For example, taxpayers who filed their 2015 Form 1040 on 4/15/16 are free after 4/15/19 as the IRS can’t as-
the ones who come out of bankruptcy successfully over a very short period of time. Before long, they move on to bigger and better things in life. They understand the power of decision. The refusal to decide is also a decision in itself. By refusing to decide what kind of life you want to have, you have made the decision to leave everything to chance and be a victim of circumstances. Don’t let this happen to you. There is power in decision-making. If you are burdened with financial problems, find out what options you have available and decide once and for all to get out of debt as soon as possible. If you can get out of debt without filing for bankruptcy, decide on what strategy to use to accomplish your objective. If
bankruptcy is your only solution, however, perhaps you also need to decide that this is what you must do to change your life for the better. Seek legal help as soon as possible. If you are unsure if bankruptcy is the solution to your financial problems, I can help you evaluate your options. To schedule a free confidential consultation, please call Toll-Free 1-866-4777772. I have offices located in Glendale, Cerritos and Valencia. *** None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped thousands of clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call Ray Bulaon Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1 (866) 4777772. (Advertising Supplement)
The basics of statute of limitations
sess a deficiency after that date. A return filed early is considered filed on the due date of the return. A return filed after the original due date, is considered filed on the date the return is actually received by the IRS. Extending the due date of the return does not shorten the assessment period. Example 1: If you filed your 2016 Form 1040 return on 3/5/17, the return was deemed filed on 4/15/17, and thus, the IRS can’t assess a tax deficiency after 4/15/20. If the return was extended to 10/15/17, and was filed on that date, the period of assessment would run from 10/15/17 to 10/15/20. Example 2: If you filed your 2013 Form 1040 return on 4/15/14, the federal statute would have ran out on 4/15/17. But if you did not file until recently on 3/31/17, they can get you until 3/31/200. Tough luck. Even worse is if you have not filed, there’s no statute and they have forever to get you. Reminder for Non-filers: Again, the countdown never starts for a return that not filed. Tips: 1. The usual “out” for a taxpayer under stress is to close the audit fast. 2. Consider going the opposite way: slow down the process. 3. Time can be in your favor. The IRS is not a model of effi-
ciency. 4. Auditors get sick, go for medical checkups, and take care of their kids just like the rest of us. 5. They are promoted, transferred, or fired. In the meantime, the statute can run out. 6. They have only 36 months from the time you file to the time they close the audit. 7. IRS Manual instructs them to finish audit within 28 months. 8. They only have eight months to close your audit, a narrow window for complicated cases. 9. The strategy: speed up or slow down depending on the issues of your case. 10. If you still have missing records by the last filing deadline, file anyway and amend later. *** 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)
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Community Journal
Are your paycheck deductions legal? Q: I HAVE recently joined the work force and received my first paycheck. When I reviewed my paystub, I see all these deductions. What are allowable deductions and what are not? A: A payroll deduction is essentially a subtraction of money from the employee’s paycheck so that the employee receives less than the promised compensation. In order to protect employees, the law regulates deductions. Employers must adhere to the following: 1) No deductions for uniforms. When an employer require employees to wear uniforms (apparel and accessories of distinctive design and color) as a condition of employment, California law mandates that the employer must pay for and maintain these uniforms. 2) No deductions for lost tools. A deduction for loss of tools is allowed only if the employer can prove that the employee stole the tools or if there was “culpable negligence.” However, if the employee gave advance authorization, the employer may be able to deduct from the employee’s paycheck the cost of tools (and uniforms) furnished by the employer in the event such items are not returned. 3) No deduction for business losses caused by employee negligence. The law prohibits the employer from using an employee’s wages to shift the losses of the business to the employee. Unless the employ-
Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. ee was dishonest or willfully or grossly negligent, losses due to simple negligence, such as cash shortages and breakage or loss of equipment should not be deducted. 4) No deduction for workers’ compensation costs. An employer is prohibited from directly or indirectly taking any deduction from an employee’s earnings to cover any part of the costs of worker’s compensation. 5) No right of offset for employee’s debts to employer. However, employee may authorize an employer in writing to withhold some amounts to pay a debt to the employer. If the employee is terminated before the entire debt is paid, the employer may not “accelerate” the balance but instead withhold from the final paycheck only the periodic amount due. 6) No chargebacks for commissions fully earned. A commission chargeback may be unlawful where the commission was fully earned at the time of a sale (that is, payment was not an advance on commissions) and the employee has not agreed in writing to the chargeback. However, an employee who receives both wages and sales commis-
sions may agree in writing to a chargeback against commissions advanced by the employer if the sale did not proceed (for example, the customer returns the merchandise). 7) No taking back of wages earned and paid. It is unlawful for an employer to collect from an employee any part of the wages that had already been earned and paid to the employee. However, the employer may take back overpayment of wages that had not been earned. If the employer is found to have unlawfully made these deductions, the employer is liable to the employee for the amount of the wages withheld, plus any waiting time penalties due. If an employee has doubts about the legality of a payroll deduction, it would not hurt to ask an experienced employment attorney for legal advice. *** 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)
FAQ: Consequences of the DACA rescission ON September 5, 2017, President Trump, through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), announced the rescission of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. As a backgrounder, on June 12, 2012, then President Obama, also through the DHS, issued a Memorandum Entitled “Exercising Prosecutorial Discretion with Respect to Individuals Who Came to the United States as Children”. The memorandum allowed certain individuals who came to the U.S. as children to request deferred action for a period of two years, subject to renewal. Under deferred action, removal action against an individual is deferred for a certain period of time. They were also granted work authorization for the same period. Due to the DACA phase-out, a lot of people are concerned on how the phase-out could possibly affect them. In response to these concerns, below are some of the questions frequently raised and asked: Q: I currently have DACA status. What happens to my current status? A: Previously issued DACA and work authorizations (EADs) will remain valid until they expire. As stated above, DACA and work authorizations are provided on a
but it is set to expire in six months? Can I still file a DACA renewal request? A: Yes. All individuals on DACA whose benefits will expire between Sept. 5, 2017 and March 5, 2018 can file a renewal request provided it is accepted by the USCIS as of Oct. 5, 2017. If you are contemplating filing any immigration petition for that matter, it is advisable to seek the Atty. Gwendolyn Malaya-Santos counsel of an immigration lawyer two-year basis. However, no new to guide you on the intricacies of initial DACA requests will be ac- filing for such a petition. cepted after September 5, 2017. *** Q: I filed an initial request for A tty. Gwendolyn Malaya-Santos is a DACA and work authorization prior to September 5, 2017. The member of the State Bar of California request is still pending. Will the and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. USCIS still process and adjudi- To schedule for a free initial in-person consultation, please call Tel. Nos. (213) cate it? A: As long as it is properly filed, 284-5984 or (626) 329-8215. Atty. the USCIS will adjudicate all ini- Santos’ office is located at 3450 Wilshire tial requests for DACA accepted Blvd., Suite 1200, Los Angeles, CA 90010. as of September 5, 2017. *** Q: What happens to the I nformation contained in this article does DACA renewal request and work authorization I filed prior not, nor is it intended to, constitutes legal advice for any specific situation and does to September 5, 2017? A: Just like an initial request for not create a lawyer-client relationship. It DACA and work authorization as likewise does not constitute a guarantee, discussed above, a properly filed warranty, or prediction regarding the DACA renewal authorization ac- outcome of your legal matter. cepted as of September 5, 2017 We are a debt relief agency. We help will be adjudicated by the USCIS people file for bankruptcy relief under the Bankruptcy Code. on an individual basis. Q: I am currently on DACA
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K-1 Visa: Fiancé visa to marry a US citizen IN previous editions of this article, the process of obtaining permanent residence through marriage was explored. Discussion of that procedure began with the supposition that the couple was married, and continued with the various steps to ultimately gain permanent residence. In many cases, however, a problem exists in even getting to the point at which a couple is married. Often, a foreign national is in his/her home country and, for one reason or another, the U.S. citizen cannot travel to that country to marry him/her. A solution in such a scenario can be found with the K-1 Fiance(e) Visa. A K-1 visa allows a foreign national to come to the United States to marry a United States citizen. The K-1 visa is valid for ninety (90) days after entry to the United States, during which time the marriage must take place. Once the foreign national is issued a K-1 visa, any of his/her unmarried children under the age of 21 may be issued K-1 visas. Upon arrival in the United States, the foreign national may immediately apply for permission to work. A two-step process is involved to obtain a K-1 visa. First, the United States citizen (the petitioner) must file Petition for Alien Fiance(e) along with supporting documents with the USCIS. Through the filed petition and documents, the petitioner must demonstrate three things. To begin, it must be shown that the foreign national has a bona fide intent to marry within ninety (90) days after arrival. This is of-
Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrSUA reyeS ten accomplished by producing evidence that a marriage is going to take place—i.e. wedding announcements, catering contracts, etc. In addition, it must be shown that both parties are unmarried and of legal age. Birth certificates, and if one has been previously married, evidence that the prior marriage has been legally terminated are usually satisfactory to accomplish this. Finally, evidence must be provided to show that the parties have physically met each other within the past two (2) years. The petitioner may submit photos of the couple, plane tickets, hotel receipts, etc. as proof that the couple has met. Exceptions to this third requirement apply in certain circumstances that cannot be explored here due to space limitations of this article. The USCIS may also schedule an interview of the petitioner wherein inquiry will be made on the foregoing issues. Once approved, notice is sent to the petitioner and the file is forwarded to the appropriate consulate abroad. Second, after the petition is approved, the foreign national can apply for a K-1 visa in his/ her home country. An interview is scheduled where the foreign
national must provide certain documents for issuance of the visa. An affidavit of support from the petitioner, proving that the foreign national will not be relying on public assistance upon arrival, in addition to originals of documents mentioned hereinabove, must be presented. Other documents may also be requested by a particular consulate. If all requirements are met, visa issuance will follow. After arrival in the United States and marriage, the foreign national may thereafter begin the process to obtain permanent residence. *** 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) 3881611 or e-mail kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com. (Advertising Supplement)
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 9-12, 2017
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Writ of mandamus relief for unreasonable delay in pending immigration filings A COMMON question that is asked by a person who has a pending immigration petition or application is “how much longer until USCIS makes a decision?” The question is understandable, in that an unreasonable delay in the USCIS’ adjudication of a petition or application can have adverse effects, including loss of employment and employment opportunities, possible termination of employment, and difficulties in obtaining student and credit loans. While an immigration filing is pending, the typical response by USCIS upon inquiry is that further time (usually 90 or 180 days) is needed to make a decision. However, often that 90 or 180 days that USCIS needs to make a decision turns into months and sometimes years. What option does a petitioner or applicant have to compel the USCIS to act on his or her case? Pursuant to the Mandamus and Venue Act of 1962, a Writ of Mandamus action can be filed in the US District Courts to compel the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the USCIS, DHS’s bureau, to act on a petition or application for which adjudication has been unreasonably delayed. The statute allows for an “action to compel an officer of the United States to perform his duty.” The legal duty for USCIS to promptly act on a pending petition or application can be found in the Administrative Procedures Act (“APA”), 8 USC Sec. 1571, and 5 USC Sec. 555(b). These statutes form the basis of Writ of Mandamus relief. The APA gives the court authority to “compel agency action unlawfully held and unreasonable delayed.” The policy for processing immigration applications is set forth under 8 USC Sec. 1571, which states that “the processing of an immigration benefit application should be completed no later than 180 days after the initial filing of the application.” Further, 5 USC Sec. 555(b) states that “within a reasonable time, each agency shall proceed to conclude a matter presented to it.” A typical case in which Writ of Mandamus relief is a viable option is in a green card application based on marriage. I have had several inquiries in recent months concerning delays in processing of these cases. Typically, the green card applicant along with his or her US Citizen spouse is interviewed by a USCIS officer and at the end of the interview, the green card applicant is advised that additional time is needed by USCIS to make a decision. The timeframe given to make a decision is 180 days; however, more than 180 days pass and no decision is made. The applicant then seeks to get updated status of the application via an Infopass appointment, and is advised that the case is still under consideration and more time is needed. In such a case, a writ of mandamus can be filed in Federal Court to compel the USCIS to act on the application. Often, a decision is made on the case after the Writ of Mandamus is filed in that the unreasonable delay is brought to the attention of the USCIS. A prompt decision is often made by USCIS after filing to avoid the use of government resources in having to defend the meritorious action. It is important to keep in mind that Writ of Mandamus relief is available to a variety of pending petitions and applications, not just green card applications based on marriage. To determine whether Writ of Mandamus relief is a good option in your pending immigration case, it is recommended that you seek the advice of an experienced attorney.
“A typical case in which Writ Mandamus relief is a viable option is in green card application based on marriage.”
*** 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)
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COMMUNITY JOURNAL
Senior wants Chapter 13 to stop foreclosure by 2nd mortgagee for $50K and annul judgment lien of $60K Company receives $200K lawsuit by landlord & files for Chapter 7 THE client is 72 and appears to be a widow. She previously operated a business, which closed down in 2006. She borrowed $50,000 from her friend in 2004 secured by a second mortgage on her residence for the business. Unfortunately, the business failed in 2006 and it stopped operating. The client did not pay the monthly payment of $500 monthly plus interest on the $50,000. Her friend did not collect the monthly installments for several years. This month, the client received a recorded notice of default to foreclose her residence, if the $50,000 was not paid in full in the next 90 days. The notice of default (NOD) is the first step to foreclose the house. It gives homeowners 90 days to pay the default before the foreclosure sale date can be set. The foreclosure sale date cannot be set earlier than 21 days from the expiration of the 90 days from the date of recording of the NOD. The client shows me the NOD and I verify that there is a recording date. The recording date means that this notice has been recorded with the recorder of deeds, and thus the 90 days pre-foreclosure has commenced. Without this date of recording, the foreclosure does not begin. So any other document that you receive that says you are in default on your mortgage and giving you a computation of what you owe is not the formal recorded document required to start the foreclosure process. For instance, you are three months in arrears on your mortgage. You receive a letter from the bank entitled default with intent to foreclose. The letter does not have a recording date. Four months from your date of receipt of that letter, can the bank foreclose your house? NO, because the official recorded NOD does not exist. The client says she wants to save her house from foreclosure by the second trust deed holder, and her friend who is no longer her friend. Or, let’s just say, her friend wants her house because she did not pay her back the $50,000. The problem is that her house is worth $600,000. It doesn’t seem fair. Further, the
Debt Relief
ATTY. LAWRENCE YANG
client says that there is also a judgment lien of $60,000 on her house. I ask her, which came first, the $50,000 second, or the $60,000 judgment lien. According to her, the judgment lien came later. Therefore, the judgment lien is the third lien on her house. She wants to prevent the foreclosure by the second trust deed, and she wants to get rid of and invalidate the judgment lien of $60,000. Can she do this? My first impression was that paying off the $50,000 while at the same time avoiding the judgment lien of $60,000 was going to be impossible given the fact that residential values today are sky high. But lo and behold, after determining the current fair market value of the house and what is owed by client on the first mortgage even though she was on loan modified mortgage where $200,000 was deferred but nevertheless owed, plus the second mortgage of $50,000, there was zero equity left to support the judgment lien, meaning on Chapter 13, a motion to avoid the third lien of $60,000 while paying off the second of $50,000 through the Chapter 13 plan would be successful indeed. She would not have to pay any part of the $60K judgment lien that would just be invalidated because her plan would be a zero percent plan to unsecured creditors. Upon granting of the motion to avoid the judgment lien, the $60,000 becomes unsecured, thus it does not have to be paid a single cent. The only problem is that client’s social security is only $1,000 a month. However, she says that her son is a doctor and he will help her pay the first mortgage and the plan. So that takes care of the shortage of funds because son can participate as a family contributor to make the plan feasible. Her son takes care of her. That’s good.
The next client is a California company doing business out of state. It was in the import distribution business, which was good until last year. The company leased a large warehouse out of state. Business became so bad that it could not pay the lease of the warehouse. The company closed its doors recently and stopped doing business. However, it still owed the landlord two years of the future lease at $100,000 a year. So it owed the landlord $200,000 for next two years lease. Is this correct? The company still owes the future rent of $200,000 even though it has stopped operating and has moved out of the leased premises. Yes, it is correct because client-company signed a lease contract that is still valid for two more years. The landlord has the right to demand that the future lease of $200K be paid. Nonpayment of the lease is a breach of the lease contract; therefore, the landlord can sue the client-company for $200,000 of future lease payments. The client just received an out of state lawsuit for $200,000 for unpaid commercial lease. It decides to file for Chapter 7. What happens to the lawsuit for $200,000? The lawsuit stops and the plaintiff can file a claim in the Chapter 7 case. The Chapter 7 trustee administers the case. If there are assets, the trustee liquidates those assets into cash and the cash is distributed to all creditors of the bankrupt company pro rata. If there are no assets, creditors collect nothing and an order of NO ASSET is entered. With the bankruptcy filing, the out of state lawsuit stops and the landlord is required to file its claim in the bankruptcy. The company bankruptcy does not affect the officers or stockholders in any way. Fortunately for the president of the company, he only signed the commercial lease as an officer of the company. He did not execute any personal guaranty of the lease. The best news for him: the landlord cannot sue the president for the $200,000 as an individual guarantor, therefore, he has no liability whatsoever for the lease. As I said many
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Liliwenos reunion in Las Vegas, NV Calling all Liliwenos living all around the world! There will be a three-day reunion in Las Vegas, NV starting with a picnic on Friday, Sept. 15 at Silverado Ranch Park. On Saturday, Sept. 16, it is a dinner/dance party at the Palace Station (2411 W. Sahara Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89102) at 5 p.m. The attire is semi-formal and costs $50 / person. Souvenir t-shirts cost $10 regardless of size. Deadline of payment for both the reunion and t-shirt cost is August 31 to be sent to Ms. Nerri Monteagudo at 9252 Bronze River, Las Vegas, Nevada 89149. On Sept. 17, participants are free to explore the Strip and other Vegas activities. For more information, please contact Bob and Nerri Monteagudo at (702) 339-3838; Carmen P. Manguin (702) 526-8005; Loida Borgonos at (201) 654-5482; or Fred Polistico at (818) 527-3476.
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26th annual Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture in Echo Park Save the date! The 26th annual Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture (FPAC) hosted by Advancement of Filipino American Arts and Culture (FilAm ARTS) is back at Echo Park Lake in Los Angeles, CA on Saturday, October 14. Expect a whole day filled with art exhibits, entertainment, and Fil-Am vendors. More details and special guests to be announced. For more information, please visit: http://www.filamarts.org/.
18th annual Asian Small Business Expo in Alhambra, CA On Saturday, Oct. 14, the 18th annual Asian Small Business Expo will be held at the Almansor Court Conference Center (700 S. Almansor St., Alhambra, CA 91801), featuring free workshops, exhibitors, networking opportunities, and more! Jonny Hwang, founder of 626 Night Market, is the featured guest speaker with special guest, Jerome Horton, chairman of the California Board of Equalization. It is FREE to attend! The Asian Small Business Expo is the only business-to-business expo that engages the Asian business community and brings this growing economic force into the mainstream to connect and utilize your company and its services. Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with small businesses, market your organization and tap into a network of entrepreneurs, service providers, financial organizations, franchises and governmental and legislative representatives. For more information, please visit http://www.apisbp.org/expo.html.
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NaFFAA to celebrate 20th anniversary in Washington, DC The National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) turns 20 years old this year. This October, several events are being planned to celebrate this milestone, which coincides with the national observance of Filipino American History Month. They will culminate with NaFFAA’s 20th Anniversary Gala, to be held at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, DC on Saturday, October 21. With its theme “NaFFAA 2.0: One Voice, Four Million Strong,” NaFFAA will recognize the legacy and accomplishments of the organization over the past 20 years, and highlight its comprehensive vision to unite and amplify the voices of the four million Filipinos living in the United States. “NaFFAA 2.0” represents how NaFFAA is honoring its past while forging a new forward-thinking and balanced approach in uniting, engaging, and empowering diverse Filipino American individuals and community organizations through leadership development, civic engagement, and advocacy. To learn more about NaFFAA or to purchase tickets for the 20th Anniversary Gala, please visit www. naffaa.org.
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Ateneo de Naga High School Class ’67 celebrates 50th anniversary in Naga City
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.
The Ateneo de Naga University (ADNU) High School Class 1967 is celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2017 from December 27 to 29 with various activities lined up for its 153 alumni members. (ADNU is a leading Jesuit university in the Bicol region located in Naga City, Camarines Sur, Philippines). The activities include the publication of its 50th Anniversary Yearbook, a coffee table book which features the individual life stories of the class members after high school, tributes to their mentors, and various articles about school life in the 1960s. Also scheduled for the middle of the year is a golf tournament which — aside from fostering camaraderie — will essentially be a fund-raising activity for planned alumni projects such as a medical mission to a remote provincial town, scholarships, and donations for other worthy causes. This year’s reunion will be at the ADNU main campus in Naga City with various fun and commemorative activities lined up for the occasion. All batch members, wherever they are domiciled, including those residing in foreign countries, especially those in the USA and Canada, are enjoined to contribute their life story articles for the anniversary book as soon as possible, to participate in the various identified activities and outreach projects, and attend the grand homecoming in December. For coordination and for details about the events and activities, please email or call up any of the following batch members: Jojo de Jesus (email: jvdejesus6@yahoo.com; cell: 09772114750); Nilo Ezequiel (email: nilo. ezequiel0977@gma
If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, please email us the details at info@asianjournalinc.com or calendar@asianjournalinc.com
People and Events
St. Louis University Alumni to hold grand reunion on Oct. 7 THE Saint Louis University Alumni from grade school to college and graduate school levels, affiliates, and their family members and friends will hold its International Grand Reunion on Saturday, October 7 at Harrah’s Las Vegas Hotel & Casino starting at 6 p.m. to midnight. This year’s theme is “Wisdom Builds” (Sapientia Aedificat) through the ages, a Latin motto of Saint Louis University of Baguio City. It is said that “wisdom implies the exercise of the highest and noblest powers of the soul in order to conform one’s life to what is permanently good.” In a statement issued by the Louis University International Grand Reunion Executive Committee, it is calling alumni members “to revive the bond of camaraderie and togetherness with great excitement and cheer. Your presence is requested at the Grand Reunion. Please reserve your spot as early as possible.” Dan E. Nino, a high school alum of the SLU Boys High School and a longtime journalist, is this year’s keynote speaker. He is also the president of Eclectic Dialectics Toastmasters Club No. 3828 based in the city of Cerritos, the former president
of Pangasinan Brotherhood-USA, and the former president of Alpha Phi Omega Alumni of Greater Los Angeles. Interested parties may surf SLUAinternational.org and download its registration form (PDF file) and send the registration fee ($125 per person) to Lillian Ares, the reunion treasurer. To expedite prompt processing, the check should be payable to Lilian Ares. Ms. Ares, in turn, will send a confirmation email upon receipt of your filled out registration form and fee. No tickets will be sold at the door. Registration will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m on Oct. 7. Dance music will be provided by Los Angelesbased Purple & Gem Band. Contact persons are Lilian Ares at (619) 9808727 / lilianva.1920@yahoo.com or Susan Flores Fine at (949) 633-0467 / susanfloresfine72@yahoo. com or Henry Fine at (949) 416-6046 / henryfine@ yahoo.com. For hotel bookings or reservations, there are 10 blocked rooms available at Harrah’s. Louisians can book on line at https://aws.passkey.com/qo/ SHSLU7.
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AAPA’s achievement awards and graduation gala on Nov. 6 CELEBRATE the 2017 class of AAPA Mentorship and Board Leadership Program participants, and this year’s Achievement Awardees on Monday, November 6 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Enjoy a banquet dinner, entertainment, and keynote speech on leadership from Brigadier General Mark Toy! Brigadier General Mark Toy is South Pacific Division Commander, U.S. Army Corps of civilians, managing a $1.5B miliEngineers. He is responsible for tary and a civil works program. The event will be held at the leading a professional workforce of more than 2,300 military and San Gabriel Hilton at 225 W. Val-
ley Blvd., San Gabriel, California. For more information or to sponsor and register, please visit www.aapagala2017.org.
Ateneo De Naga High School class of 1967 gears up for golden anniversary IN the continuing celebration of its Golden Anniversary, HS 67 of the Ateneo de Naga University (ADNU) held on July 10, 2017 a book donation consisting of some 800 rare and priceless law books from Chevron Philippines to its alma mater, through the efforts of batchmate Atty. Ariel F. Abonal, who was formerly Chief Corporate Counsel of Chevron. The donation came after HS 67 likewise donated the marker and plaque for the Fr. Godofredo Alingal SJ Hall which houses the new College of Law of ADNU. On July 19, HS ‘67 held a successful fundraising golf tournament at KC Filipinas Golf Resort in, San Pedro Laguna with participation from various sponsors, donors, and guests. The tournament was co-chaired by Dr. Antonio Sibulo Jr. and Atty. Ariel Abonal. For the month of September 2017, HS ‘67 will hold one of the first of its seminar series for the university, entitled “Lessons from Bank and Investment Scams”, to be conducted by
times before, do not personally guarantee commercial leases or promissory notes of the company, just sign as an officer of the company. This is very important for your financial well being in the future in case your company fails. Your company’s business failure should not affect your personal assets in any way. Follow
Please join us in celebration of our
508/ '*&45" TU '06/%*/( "//*7&34"3: 0' #"4$ JO -"4 7&("4 /&7"%" When: Saturday, October 7, 2017 Where: Gold Coast Hotel and Casino, 400 West Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, Nevada 89103 Prepaid Dinner Buffet ticket only: $65 per person
(left to right): Atty Raissa Bautista, GM Public Affairs of Chevron; Peter Morris, Country Chairman of Chevron; Fr. Primitivo Viray Jr. SJ, President, Ateneo de Naga University; Atty. Ariel Abonal, ADeN HS1967 Representative; and Atty Jose Antonio Carpio, Dean, AdeNU, College of Law.
batchmate and former banker/ consultant Frank Ysaac. This will be followed by another seminar on Career Planning to be conducted also by batchmates coming from different professions, led by Vic Magdaraog. In October, HS ‘67, jointly with FINEX Foundation, will be holding a two-day business education seminar for the faculty of the University and other schools and colleges in Naga City.
In November, the batch’s 50th Anniversary Yearbook will be launched which the editors, batchmates Nilo Ezequiel and Jojo de Jesus, with other writers, are presently putting together. Finally, on December 28-29, the grand reunion and celebration of its Golden Anniversary will be held at the Ateneo de Naga University Main Campus. For information, please contact Jojo De Jesus, jvdejesus6@yahoo.com.
Senior wants Chapter 13 to... PAGE C4 t
Town mates and Friends:
this principle and never forget it. Otherwise, you will have to see me twice, once for the company bankruptcy and a second time, for the personal bankruptcy. If you need debt relief, set an appointment to see me. I will analyze your case personally. “HUMBLE YOURSELVES, THEREFORE, UNDER GOD’S MIGHTY HAND, THAT HE MAY
LIFT YOU UP IN DUE TIME.” 1 PETER 5:6 *** 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.
Please make check payable to: Aludiya Lagmay-Ganzon 8119 Mary E Ellen Avenue, North Hollywood, California 91605 - or Priscilla Castaneto-Ruedas 6851 Dale Street Apartment # 16, Buena Park, California 90621
Nazario Perlas: Precy Castaneto- Ruedas: Lito Tambo: Ludy Lagmay-Ganzon: Mila Tadina: Josie Dolor Etrata: Mary Ann Arichea–Caunan:
nazario.perlas@yahoo.com pcruedas@yahoo.com lito.tambo@sbcglobal.net lganzon@gmail.com mrtadina@yahoo.com wilpenn@yahoo.com macaunan@ha.ucla.edu
*Discounted Room rates available at Gold Coast Hotel & Casino until September 3, 2017: Code: ABA2017
C SEPTEMBER 9-12, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
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Immigration Corner ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ ON September 5, 2017, Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions announced Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is being rescinded or canceled. DHS also issued a memo and FAQ’s, further detailing the winding down of DACA. However, there is a six-month “grace period” until March 5, 2018, in order to give Congress the opportunity to pass legislation benefiting young people who were brought into the U.S. at an early age. Let us hope Congress finally passes the DREAM Act. Under the DHS memo and FAQ’s, the following steps will be taken to end the DACA program: People currently under DACA will be allowed to keep their work authorizations until they expire. No new DACA applications will be accepted; only renewals in certain circumstances. DACA recipients with work permits set to expire on or before March 5, 2018 may apply for a two-year “final” renewal, if the renewal is filed by October 5, 2017. USCIS will not renew work authorizations for any application received after October 5, 2017, or if a DACA recipient’s work authorization will expire after March 5, 2018. USCIS will not approve any DACA-based applications for advance parole (or permission to travel outside the U.S.). Any application for advance parole that has already been filed, but not acted upon by the USCIS, will be closed/rejected and the filing fee will be refunded. Any advance parole already granted will be honored until its expiration date. However, even if a person has a currently – valid advance parole, the memo notes that “CBP retains the right to refuse admission to a person who presents themselves at a port of entry as a matter of discretion.” In other words, even if a person had been granted advance parole and travels outside the U.S. during its validity period, CBP at the airport could still possibly deny them reentry into the U.S. In justifying the end to DACA, Atty. Gen. Sessions stated the original DACA program was an unconstitutional overreach of presidential authority by former President
Rinda Wulan from Indonesia
&
The end of DACA Peso returns to 50:$1 level
Obama. Under the Constitution, it is Congress which passes laws on immigration, not the president. Therefore, if there is to be any kind of relief for the Dreamers, it must be by way of a law passed by Congress, not through presidential executive action. People who still have valid DACA and work authorization should not be targeted for arrest or removal, unless they violate the conditions of DACA, such as committing a crime or joining a gang, etc. As for those whose DACA grants that have expired (or will eventually expire), DHS notes in a FAQ issued on September 5, 2017: DACA never granted “any legal status,” to the recipients. They were still considered “unlawfully present in the U.S.”, with their removal deferred. When their DACA expires, “their removal will no longer be deferred and they will no longer be eligible for lawful employment.” Information provided to USCIS in DACA requests will not be proactively provided to ICE and CBP for the purpose of immigration enforcement, unless the person is considered to be an “enforcement priority,” such as a felon or terrorist, etc. However, this policy “may be modified, superseded, or rescinded at any time without notice…” Now, it will be up to Congress to come up with legislation, such as the DREAM Act during the next six months, and people should be urging their senators and congressmen to work fast to pass such a law. And I know Congress is capable of quickly passing laws. For example, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Congress was able to enact the USA Patriot Act within two months. That law was hundreds of pages long. So they could certainly pass something as simple as the DREAM Act, especially since various forms of that proposal have been introduced for the last 15 years. And there was a new version introduced in July 2017. Even with the end of DACA, there could still possibly be other forms of relief available to these young people. For example, I had featured young DACA recipients on my television show Citizen Pinoy, when DACA was originally introduced back in 2012. By sheer coincidence (and miracle), their green cards were APPROVED the same day Atty. Gen.
Contributed photo by Liz Ranola for Inquirer.net
Asian women’s trade successes began with a coffee lecture in PH by ANNELLE
TAYAO-JUEGO Inquirer.net
THROUGH their food, textile, jewelry and other products, the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit of women from the 10 Asean member-states filled the halls of the Philippine International Convention Center during the recently concluded Great Women in Asean Trade Showcase, which was part of the fourday Asean Women’s Business Conference. One who proudly showcased her wares was Cambodia’s Nanda Pok, who grows the world-famous kampot pepper—described as the “perfect
D1
pepper”—in her farm in southern Kep Province. “Kampot pepper is planted only in six districts in Cambodia. It has geographical certification, which is like special zoning reserved only for areas where you can grow pepper of certain taste and aroma,” she says. “If you look up kampot pepper, you’ll see that it’s world-famous for cooking. It brings out the best taste of food.” Working in agriculture for the past 15 years, Pok runs The Pok’s Farm, a 65-hectare piece of land where she organically grows, aside from kampot pepper, fruit PAGE D2
Business Quote of the Week “The winners in life think constantly in terms of I can, I will, and I am. Losers, on the other hand, concentrate their waking thoughts on what they should have or would have done, or what they can’t do” – Dennis Waitley, author of “Seeds of Greatness and “The Winner’s Edge”
Sessions announced the end to DACA, as they were derivative beneficiaries of their father’s employment-based petition. There can also be other types of benefits or forms of relief available. However, I would strongly advise people to seek the advice of an attorney, who can evaluate your situation and determine if you are eligible for any other kind of immigration benefit and assist you in applying.
by BEN
O. DE VERA Inquirer.net
THE peso on Thursday, September 7 returned to the 50:$1 level, closing at 50.93:$1 from 51.095:$1 last Wednesday. The last time that the peso closed at the 50:$1 was on Aug. 10, at 50.795:$1. “The greenback was generally weaker today (Thursday). It helped push the peso below the 51:$1 *** levels today. Expect the currency Michael J. Gurfinkel is licensed, and an to try the 50.7-50.8:$1 levels in the active member of the State Bar of Califor- near-term,” Banco De Oro Unibank nia and New York. All immigration services Inc. chief market strategist Jonaare provided by, or under the supervision than L. Ravelas explained. of, an active member of the State Bar of Ravelas pointed to the resignaCalifornia. Each case is different. The tion of US Fed vice-chair Stanley information contained herein including Fischer, North Korean tensions, testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorse- as well as a surprise Canadian ments and re-enactments) is of a general nature, and is not intended to apply to any particular case, and does not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: (866)—GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)
rate hike as “key factors” to the weak dollar. “Market players are also monitoring the category 5 hurricane ‘Irma’ bound for Florida,” Ravelas added.
The peso reached an intraday high of 50.93:$1 and a low of 51.1:$1 after opening at 51:$1. The total volume traded jumped to $613.8 million from Wednesday’s $468.8 million.
PAL seeks solutions to deal on new terminal with Pagcor by LOUELLA
DESIDERIO Philstar.com
MANILA, Philippines — Flag carrier Philippine Airlines has expressed willingness to engage with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) for its plan to build a P20-billion airport terminal at the old Nayong Pilipino premises, saying
PAL has a valid contract for the lease of the property. “PAL recognizes the role of Pagcor and reiterates its willingness to engage with Pagcor and other stakeholders in pursuit of its goal to work with government in building, developing, enhancing and upgrading airport infrastructure,” PAL said in a statement on Thursday,
Sept. 7. Last week, PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista said the carrier is proposing to build a new annex building which would house a passenger terminal designed to handle 12 to 15 million passengers per year and will have aerobridges capable of serving PAGE D2
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Metro Manila subway up for Duterte’s okay John Gokongwei leads honorees in Asean Business Awards by Mayvelin
U. Caraballo ManilaTimes.net
P355.6-B project, three others, approved by Cabinet-level panel Construction of the country’s first subway has taken a step forward following the project’s approval by a Cabinet-level committee. The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) announced on Wednesday, September 6 that Phase 1 of the proposed Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) had been cleared, along with two other infrastructure initiatives, by its Investment Coordinating Committee (ICC). This means the project will now be up for President Rodrigo Duterte’s approval in his capacity as head of the NEDA Board. The NEDA-ICC, which is chaired by the Finance secretary, includes the Socieconomic Planning, Trade, Agriculture and Budget secretaries, the Executive Secretary, and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas governor as members. Longer and costlier Originally planned to run from Quezon City to Taguig and priced at P225.17 billion, the subway will now cost P355.6 billion following the NEDA-ICC’s approval of its extension to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) complex in Paranaque. “In most of our neighboring countries … you can reach the city without ever leaving the platform. So economic managers thought we’re going to build a subway anyway so why not push to extend it to NAIA,” Transportation Secre-
by DaxiM
l. lUCas
Inquirer.net
The Mega Manila Subway is aimed to be a 25-kilometer underground transportation system connecting major business districts and government centers. In its first year, it is expected to serve 370,000 passengers per day. Philstar.com photo
tary Arthur Tugade said. “It just makes perfect sense. The extension will mean greater connectivity and improved passenger comfort and convenience,” he added. Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia, meanwhile said: “The first phase of the MMSP will not only ease traffic in Metro Manila but also improve the quality of life of Filipinos. For one, carbon emissions will be reduced. And, with greater mobility, people can spend more time on things that matter to them.” Groundbreaking is currently scheduled to be held in the fourth quarter of 2018. Official development assistance via the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will be used to fund the project, with the loan carrying an interest rate of 0.10% per annum
payable in 40 years with a 12-year grace period. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Duterte are expected to sign the loan agreement this November Other projects Also approved by the NEDAICC, meanwhile, were the mode of implementation for the Clark airport expansion and the Lower Agno River Irrigation System Improvement Project (LARISIP). The build-transfer system will be used by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) for the P15.35-billion Clark International Airport project, which involves the construction of an additional 82,600 square meter terminal with a capacity of 8 million passengers yearly. As earlier approved, P2.8 bilPAGE D4
FILIPINO tycoon John Gokongwei Jr., who built a small trading business into one of the Philippines’ largest conglomerates, was honored on Wednesday, September 6 for his contribution to supporting entrepreneurship in Southeast Asia. Gokongwei — the founder of JG Summit Holdings Inc. and the second wealthiest man in the Philippines — was recognized by the Asean Business Advisory Council during the Asean Business Awards as one of its legacy awardees for 2017. The 91-year-old Gokongwei is known as an entrepreneur who invested in agribusiness and the manufacturing of feeds and prime food commodities, and a visionary who channeled resources and expanded into financial services, textile and property, among other enterprises. Other Filipino awardees were Dennis Uy of Udenna Corp.,
President Rodrigo Duterte with Filipino tycoon John Gokongwei Jr.
who was named Asean’s young entrepreneur of the year, and Teodoro Ferrer and Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala for Erikagen Inc.’s inclusive business practices. Cecilio Pedro of Lamoiyan Corp. was honored for his corporate social responsibility efforts in the SME excellence award category, while Emma Imperial of Imperial Homes Corp. was
cited for her company’s use of green technology. Also awarded for excellence in their respective sectors were Paul Rodriguez of Asian Marine Transport Corp. for logistics; Pedro Delantar of Nature’s Legacy Eximport for wood products; Olivia Limpe-Aw of Destileria Limtuaco & Co. for agrifood, and Bernie Liu of Golden ABC for the retail sector.
With co-accused cleared, Deguito to face court alone for RCBC-Bangladesh heist by DaxiM
l. lUCas
Inquirer.net
FORMER Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) branch manager Maia Deguito is set to face trial alone for money laundering charges in connection with
Former Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) branch manager Maia Deguito Inquirer.net file photo
last year’s $81-million cyberheist on the Bangladeshi central bank after complaints against her coaccused were dropped. In a telephone interview, an audibly distraught Deguito said she is currently in the process of posting an as yet unspecified amount of bail at a Makati City court for eight counts of money laundering. “Sobrang obvious naman nito (this is too obvious),” she said, explaining that charges against all other parties in the biggest money laundering case in the country’s history, leaving her, the lowest ranking official among all the bankers involved, to face the courts alone. “You know me, I have no connections,” Deguito added. “Talagang nakakalungkot (It really saddens me).” She said she is currently being assisted by her lawyer, and that they have just received a copy of the Department of Justice resolution which excluded the owners of the shuttered money changer Philrem, Michael and Salud Bautista. Deguito was the manager of RCBC’s Jupiter Street branch in Makati City which held the fake bank accounts where the stolen proceeds from the Bangladesh heist were deposited, disappearing into the country’s opaque
casino system. During the ensuing Senate investigation, Deguito claimed she was acting under the orders of top RCBC officials to facilitate the transaction, specifically its then president Lorenzo Tan and treasurer Raul Tan, both of whom have since left the bank. Deguito has been jobless since last year and concedes that she will probably never work in a bank again after her experience. “I’m the only one in this DOJ resolution,” she said during the phone interview. “Philrem has been cleared.” Apart from facilitating the conversion of the stolen $81 million into local currency, Philrem was also accused by casino junket operator Kim Wong during last year’s Senate probe of holding on to $17 million of the missing Bangladeshi funds, which the Bautista couple deny. To this day, those funds remain unaccounted for. Wong, initially included in the money laundering complaint, was cleared by the DOJ following his Senate testimony and his return of $4.6 million and P450 million, separately, which he said were brought in by a gaming client without informing him that the cash was obtained through illegal means.
Asian women’s trade... PAGE D1 trees such as coconut, mango, durian and papaya. Kampot pepper, she says, is her favorite produce because of its international renown. “We export a lot of pepper to Europe—France, Italy, Ger-
many,” says Pok, who is also the co-founder of the Cambodia Women Business Federation. She was joined by other members selling accessories made from recycled magazines and silver and gold jewelry set with precious stones.
PAL seeks solutions to deal on... PAGE D1 12 to 17 wide-bodied and single aisle jets. The proposed annex building will rise on a 16-hectare area adjacent to NAIA Terminal 2, comprising of the now defunct Philippine Village Hotel, former Nayong Pilipino complex, as well as a property owned by Pagcor. Aside from the passenger terminal, the complex will include multi-level parking for 1,000 vehicles, a new cargo terminal and ground service facilities. The proposal is intended to decongest traffic at the NAIA. Earlier this week, Pagcor said PAL is prohibited under a lease agreement entered into in July 2014 to use the rented property other than as an aircraft parking ramp or apron facility without the regulator’s prior written consent. PAL’s agreement with Pagcor covers the lease of a 10-hectare property located at the old Nay-
ong Pilipino premises at P40 per square meters effective until July 11, 2033. Pagcor also said its review of the lease contract with PAL showed the regulator has no absolute authority to lease out the property and so, it has asked the Office of the Solicitor General to issue a legal opinion on the matter. PAL said however, the contract with Pagcor is valid. “The existing contract between PAL and Pagcor is legal, valid and binding based on the terms negotiated and finalized by both parties three years ago,” the carrier said. It also said Pagcor can still enter into a valid contract owing to the fact that it has control and/or possession over the area and has the legal personality to do so. “PAL expects Pagcor to respect the terms of the contract,” PAL said. (With Rudy Santos)
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DMCI founder David Consunji passes away by IrIs
Gonzales Philstar.com
MANILA, Philippines — David Consunji, the engineer who built the iconic Cultural Center of the Philippines and several other historical structures and landmark infrastructure in the Philippines, passed away on Monday at the age of 95, his son Jorge confirmed. David, hailed as the dean of builders and who founded construction company DMCI in 1954, was the country’s sixth richest man, with a net worth of $3.68 billion, according to Forbes’ 2017 list of richest people in the Philippines. His eldest son Isidro, or “Sid” 2ND ASEAN YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS CARNIVAL. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez (5th from left), joins hands as he is more commonly known, with the delegates of the 2nd ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs Carnival (AYEC), held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay is at the helm of the DMCI HoldCity on Tuesday, Sept. 5. September. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon ings, the conglomerate he has founded. Today, DMCI is one of the biggest companies in the Philippines, successfully surviving even in the by raadee s. sausa With the theme “Pioneer- are confident that this event will most difficult periods in history ManilaTimes.net ing Change in the Way We Do be a strategic take-off point to such as the 1997 Asian financial INCLUSIVE business (IB) can Business,” the summit has been further promote and advocate IB crisis. The conglomerate has busitransform low-income communi- described as first high-level dia- and deepen engagements with ties into new markets and new logue on IB in Asean. It aims to low-income communities and nesses in property, mining, power sources of entrepreneurial talent, formally introduce and build the micro-entrepreneurs as business a trade official said on Wednesday, case for IB through exemplary partners,” Lopez said. The summit also expects to models, instrumental government Sept. 6. “By engaging low-income com- interventions, and regional sup- further stimulate Asean companies to develop IB models and inmunities as partners, customers, port initiatives. by IrIs Gonzales “As the Asean chair for 2017, tegrate micro, small and medium Philstar.com suppliers or employees in value chains, IBs can transform com- the Philippines is championing (MSMEs) and underserved comMANILA, Philippines — Tymunities into new markets and the promotion of IB as a strategic munities, making growth sustaincoon George Ty unveiled Tuesday, new sources of entrepreneurial measure to achieve inclusive, able and inclusive for all. “Hopefully, we can have one IB September 5 his group’s latest talent,” Trade Secretary Ramon innovation-led growth. With the Lopez said in a press for the Asean summit, being the very first high- model this year and four models project, the Grand Hyatt Manila, one of the most ambitious and level gathering in the region, we by 2018,” Lopez said. Inclusive Business Summit. luxurious hotels to rise in the Philippines. President Duterte and Ty jointly unveiled the marker at the lobby of the hotel, which was opened to a small crowd that included some of the country’s wealthiest businessmen and members of the diplomatic community. by raadee s. sausa With an estimated capital expen$25 billion in revenues. The most important aspect, he ManilaTimes.net Lopez underscored the need diture of P20 billion, the 66-story said, is to conduct training and to develop an inclusive, innova- hotel is a joint venture between ARTIFICIAL intelligence (AI) related activities. “In simpler terms, we will en- tion-led industrial ecosystem that Federal Land Inc., the real estate could wipe out thousands of jobs in the country’s fast-growing deavor to make this new technol- will upgrade the competitiveness arm of Ty’s GT Capital Holdings business process outsourcing ogy work for them,” Lopez said. of the Philippine core sectors, Inc. and Orix Corp. of Japan. The unveiling ceremony proThe threat posed by AI tech- including the services sector, in (BPO) sector, but the industry can address this threat through nology is that it could replace hu- a bid to improve productivity and vided a glimpse of the hotel, which will formally open in the fourth innovation and training, Trade mans in certain tasks, such that output generation. “There is a need to strengthen quarter of the year, said Ty’s son Secretary Ramon Lopez said on computers could be programmed to answer common problems the curriculum toward computer Alfred, chairman of Federal Land. Wednesday. “Meticulously designed with “One solution to this tech- raised in call center transactions science, engineering, data sciguests satisfaction in mind, this ence and AI application design, at faster speeds. nology’s threat is to modify and The BPO industry is a key con- among others. This effort is also property houses 460 rooms and remodel the existing jobs’ nature. Another way is the organization of tributor to the country’s econom- deemed to be inclusive as dis- seven culinary destinations to groups necessary in the infusion ic growth. According to Bangko qualified BPO applicants and re- satisfy the palate of customers,” of science and technology to other Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) data, trenched agents will be retrained Alfred said during his welcome fields or areas for the realization the industry employed an esti- for AI application development message. The posh hotel boasts of a of establishing a comprehensive mated 1.3 million individuals last that will eventually enable them high-ceiling grand lobby with a year and generated more than to get jobs,” Lopez added. network,” Lopez said.
Inclusive business up at ASEAN summit
David, hailed as the dean of builders and who founded construction company DMCI in 1954, was the country’s sixth richest man, with a net worth of $3.68 billion, according to Forbes magazine. DMCI website
and water, among others. The Consunjis, like their family patriarch, are known for their hard work and ingenuity. “I learned not to be afraid of getting my hands or the rest of me dirty. I learned to have a pragmatic and hands-on approach to life. Many engineers these days have grown leery of dirt and
grime; they think of themselves as elite, white-collar workers and they don’t want any work that would sully their hands with dirt,” David said in his memoir, A Passion to Build. David, who hailed from Bulacan, was a Civil Engineering graduate of the University of the Philippines, Diliman.
Federal Land unveils Grand Hyatt Manila
BPOs must innovate to tackle artificial intelligence threat
design inspired by the Banawe rice terraces, modern guests rooms, grand ballroom, a spa treatment room and functions rooms adorned with artworks showcasing Filipino heritage. Alfred said this was intended to showcase the Filipino culture and inspire foreign travellers to go around the country, a setting that distinguishes the hotel from others. He said the project took 10 years of planning. “Dr. George Ty conceptualized the project 10 years ago, ahead of the Philippine economy’s rise to prominence today, designed to cater to a discerning market and top-level travellers,” Alfred said. “Once the hotel reaches near perfection, it is ready to open in
the fourth quarter of this year,” Alfred said. The Grand Hyatt, which would also have the 50-story Grand Hyatt Residences beside it, is located within Federal Land’s 10-hectare Grand Central Park Development in the Bonifacio Global City. Another big-ticked project in the area is Sunshine Fort, a retail and residential complex in partnership with two Japanese giants, Nomura Real Estate Development Co., a leading residential company established in 1957, and Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd., a top retail service group in Japan. Sunshine Fort, which will bring Japanese tradition of excellence, innovation and artistry in the Philippines, is targeted for completion in 2025. Tuesday’s unveiling ceremony included some of the biggest names in the business and diplomatic community such as US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim, tycoon and MVP Group chairman Manuel Pangilinan, Liwayway Group chairman and Special Envoy to China Carlos Chan, retail magnate Lucio Co, petroleum and logistics businessman Dennis Uy, DoubleDragon chairman Edgar “Injap” Sia and taipan Lucio Tan and his son Michael.
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CTA voids P2.37-B tax assessment on BSP by elizabeth
MarCelo Philstar.com
MANILA — The Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) has nullified the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s P2.371-billion tax assessment on the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas representing the latter’s supposed gross receipt tax (GRT) liabilities for 2009. In a 27-page decision promulgated on September 5, the tax court’s Second Division said the BSP “should not be held liable to pay final withholding of GRT on interest payments to banks” and other financial institutions. The court sided with the BSP’s argument that the 1998 Revenue Regulation No. 2-98, which was cited by BIR as basis for its March 28, 2014 final decision on BSP’s tax liabilities, is already considered as “revoked or repealed” by two other tax rules which both took effect in 2004.
“The provision under RR No. 2-98 on the withholding of percentage GRT on banks shall be considered as revoked or repealed for being inconsistent with Republic Act No. 9238, as amended, and with RR No. 9-04,” the decision, penned by Associate Justice Juanito Castañeda Jr. read. Associate Justices Caesar Casanova and Catherine Manahan concurred with the ruling. The court pointed out that RA 9328 or “An Act Amending Certain Sections of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997,” introduces various changes in the imposition of the GRT including the specified time and venue for its filing and payment. The tax court said RA 9328, “does not include the withholding of GRT at the source, ” in this case, the BSP, as a valid mode of GRT payment.
“With the foregoing changes in the imposition of GRT on banks, the withholding of GRT provided under RR No. 2-98 already became inconsistent with the re-imposition of GRT provided under RA No. 9328, and with the revenue regulation implementing the same, which is RR No. 9-04,” the court’s decision read. The court further said the final assessment notice (FAN) on the BSP’s supposed GRT liabilities was issued by the BIR more than three years when the assessment should have been made in violation of Section 203 of the National Internal Revenue Code. “A perusal of the records shows that at the time respondent (BIR) issued the FAN on December 7, 2012, the right to assess petitioner Budget and Management Secretary Benjamin Diokno during a press conference on Wednesday, Sept. 6 in Pasig City. (BSP) of [tax] deficiency from January to October 2009 had already prescribed,” the court said.
P51-B needed for free tuition
Gov’t to lift restrictions on foreign contractors by Mayvelin
U. Caraballo
ManilaTimes.net
FOReIGN contractors will be allowed to engage in government infrastructure projects under planned changes to the Philippines’ Foreign Investment Negative List (FINL), a Cabinet official said. “International contractors, we are taking that [prohibition]out,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary ernesto Pernia told reporters at the sidelines of the 2nd Annual Philippines energy & Infrastructure Finance Forum on Thursday. Pernia told forum participants that international contractors would be allowed to participate in so-called projects of national significance, which include the government’s 75 flagship infrastructure projects under the Duterte government’s “Build Build Build” program. he noted that the Clark International Airport expansion and the New Bohol Airport projects were now being bid out to private bidders for construction. “So there are a lot of opportunities for private sector participation because government does not have construction contractors. The government will have to depend on the private sector for contractors in the construction phase of the project,” Pernia pointed out.
The updated negative list, he said, is expected to be approved later this month by the National economic and Development Authority (NeDA). “You will see the whole list soon,” Pernia said. Besides contractors, retail trade, and services like professors being given appointments by local universities will also be taken off the list. The NeDA has said that foreigners would also be allowed full ownership of investment houses. The FINL identifies economic activities that are closed to foreign investors or where restrictions have been set on foreign ownership by the 1987 Constitution or other laws. Provided for under the Foreign Investments Act of 1991, the latest FINL was issued on May 29, 2015 by then-President Benigno Aquino 3rd via executive Order 184. A review was initiated by the Duterte administration in May this year. Japanese, Chinese firms to benefit In a related development, think tank BMI Research said Japanese and Chinese companies would be the biggest beneficiaries of the Philippines’ infrastructure push. “We are seeing evidence that Chinese and Japanese
DBM photo
companies are becoming the top beneficiaries of the greater investment and project opportunities available in the country,” BMI said in a report on Thursday. “Imports of infrastructurerelated goods from China and Japan have surged over the past year, and we expect this trend to continue to manifest with the number of project opportunities remaining significant,” BMI added. BMI noted that many infrastructure projects under the Duterte administration had shifted from the public-private partnership (PPP) mode of financing to official development assistance and have implicitly targeted generous financing packages from China and Japan. “While this raises the risk to those international firms who had previously been targeting the burgeoning Philippine PPP market, Duterte’s move offers a significant windfall for the Chinese and Japanese companies which can leverage on their respective country financing deal,” BMI said. BMI said the growing role of Chinese and Japanese companies in the Philippines risks crowding out other foreign players who may not have generous government financing supporting them.
by Mayvelin
U. Caraballo ManilaTimes.net
The government will need about P51 billion to fund the free tuition law, the Budget department estimated, which will require cuts in allocations for other agencies or approval of a supplemental outlay. “Congress and the executive are looking for ways of financing this program which will start next year –academic year 2018 to 2019,” Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said on Wednesday, Sept. 6. “At this time, we have a preliminary estimate of the total cost of the program, which is P51 billion [for the first year of implementation]… We will finance it one way or another,” he added. “It will be a combination. We will have to find ways to cut and maybe if necessary we might submit a supplemental budget. That is being deliberated right now with the legislators.” Diokno pointed out that the government’s P16-billion scholarship program won’t be enough
to cover the free tuition program. “Some of the scholarships cannot be touched. There is really a need to look for money and worse comes to worse we might submit a supplemental budget,” he added To make the program sustainable, Diokno said state universities and colleges had been told that capacities and enrolees couldn’t be expanded prior to full implementation. “We will not allow universities to say ‘I have more students now’ during transition,” he said. President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 10931, also known as The Universal Access to Quality Tertiary education Act, last August 3, 2017. The law covers 112 SUCs: eight in Metro Manila, 49 in the rest of Luzon, 26 in the Visayas, and 29 in Mindanao, as well as Commission on higher education-accredited local universities and colleges and Technical education and Skills Development Authority-run technical vocational institutions.
The law will exempt all enrolled students from 2018 onwards from paying tuition and miscellaneous and other school charges such as registration fees and laboratory fees, among others. In order to ensure meritbased admission to public higher education institutions (heIs), the Budget department is proposing a national entrance examination for aspiring enrolees on top of tightening admission and retention policies in heIs. Another component of the law is the Tertiary education Subsidy that will provide allowances for books, school supplies, transportation, and miscellaneous personal expenses to select student beneficiaries. Students who are part of 4Psbeneficiary households will be prioritized for the subsidy. Those who are not part of such households will be evaluated based on income. Student loan options will also be made available for students from private universities.
Metro Manila subway up... PAGE D2 lion will be sourced from the Transportation department for pre-construction activities while the remaining P12.55 billion will be provided by the BCDA. Lastly, the LARISIP will cover the development of new service
areas and the rehabilitation of the Lower Agno River Irrigation System at a cost of P3.5 billion. At least 10,000 farmers will benefit, especially as the government has committed to provide free irrigation. The project is expected to begin in January 2018
and end by December 2021. “We want to improve our farmers’ quality of life by providing them access to irrigation and financing. This will increase their productivity, output, and income,” Pernia said. (With Reicelene Joy N. Ignacio)
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Japan Tobacco acquires Mighty for P46.8-B by IrIs
Gonzales Philstar.com
MANILA — The Japan Tobacco Group has completed the P46.8-billion acquisition of Mighty Corp. from the Wongchuking family, heralding a new era in the local cigarette industry with multinational cigarette companies now the dominant players. Japan Tobacco Inc. (JTI), the third largest cigarette company in the world, said the deal was closed on Thursday, Sept. 7, nine days after the Philippine Competition Commission, the government’s anti-trust body, approved the acquisition. Caesar Wongchuking, the youngest son of the late Mighty founder Wong Chu King, said his family welcomed the deal. “My mom has been the strength and foundation of our family. She inspires us. She knows in the long term it’s best for the family. And we will continue to perpetuate our father’s legacy,” he told The STAR. JTI, the parent company of JTI Philippines, said the acquisition is in line with the group’s geographic expansion for sustainable growth. “It also provides a nationwide distribution network in
the Philippines and strengthens the group’s brand portfolio with the addition of local brands such as Mighty and Marvels,” JTI said. The company said the transaction would not have any material impact on JT Group’s consolidated performance for fiscal year 2017. On Aug. 29, the PCC approved the deal, noting that the transaction would not result in anti-competitive coordinated behavior. JTI Philippines officials, led by general manager Manos Koukourakis and representatives of the Wongchuking family led by matriarch Nelia Wongchuking, signed the acquisition agreement at Mighty’s head office in Makati on Aug. 22. With the completion of the acquisition, JTI Philippines now owns the sales and distribution network, manufacturing and equipment and inventories of Mighty, while JT International SA (JTI SA), an affiliate of JTIP, will own the trademarks and associated intellectual property of Mighty Corp. and Wong Chu King Holdings Inc. Mighty’s assets include three operating plants in its sprawling nine-hectare factory in Malo-
los, Bulacan, a state of the art tobacco processing plant and two cigarette manufacturing facilities. With the buyout, the Philippine cigarette industry is practically left with two players led by multinational companies. PMFTC, a partnership between Philip Morris and Lucio Tan’s Fortune Tobacco, is the market leader with a 71 percent share. Mighty held a 23 percent share while JTI accounted for 4.2 percent of the market. According to JTI’s earlier disclosure, Mighty’s gross sales reached P18.8 billion last year with operating profit of P600 million. Mighty, which marks its 72th year as a cigarette company this year, started in 1945. It was founded by Wong who founded La Campana Fabrica de Tabaccos Inc., the company that would become Mighty. In the early ’80s, the Wongchuking family decided to develop new Virginia-tobacco type cigarettes and in 1985, they changed La Campana’s name and brand to Mighty. Wong died in 1987 but the business continued with his wife Nelia and sons Alex and Caesar at the helm.
Duterte backs ban on open-pit mining by CatherIne
Valente ManilaTimes.net
PReSIdeNT Rodrigo duterte on Tuesday, Sept. 5 backed a ban on open-pit mining amid reports that government officials were looking to rescind an order issued by former environment Secretary Regina “Gina” Lopez. Speaking to reporters, the President said that he had asked Lopez’s successor, environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, “to look into the eventual closure of open-pit mining.” “I agree with Gina Lopez that [that]has to stop after some time,” duterte said. But then I will give mining companies enough elbow room for eventual change on the modality of getting what’s inside the bowels of the earth.” Lopez on Monday criticized reports that an interagency mining council had been asked to review the ban. “each open pit is a financial
The Panian Mine operated by Semirara Mining Corp is the biggest open-pit coal mine in the Philippines. Image from NASA, file
liability to government for life because no matter if the mining company commits to take care of that open pit, will they take care of it forever?,” she told reporters. “The existence of open pits
violates the constitutional rights of our people to a clean and healthy environment…For whatever law or whatever legal thing they say, it is a violation of our constitutional rights,” she added.
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