Las Vegas Edition -- April 7 -- 13, 2016

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Volume 27 - No. 14 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages

APRIL 7 - 13, 2016

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Pacquiao, Bradley make grand arrivals before big fight by Agnes

ConstAnte AJPress

As manny Pacquiao nears what he has said will be his final bout in the ring, the boxing champion says he plans to donate a portion of his guaranteed $20 million earnings to the Phil-

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from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

Apl.de.ap honored for work combating blindness in Filipino babies AsIDe from his musical accomplishments with Grammy award-winning group the Black eyed Peas, Apl.de.ap is making his mark in the world by preventing premature filipino babies from going blind. through the Apl.de.ap foundation International’s Campaign for filipino Children, the Black eyed Peas member has partnered with the Vision Center at Children’s hospital Los Angeles (ChLA) to help treat and diagnose premature filipino babies who develop retinopathy of prematurity (roP). roP is a rare eye condition that causes abnormal blood vessel growth in the retina from excessive oxygenation. If not tended to within 48 hours of birth, it could lead to blindness. Last fall, the foundation delivered its first retCams (retinal imaging systems to screen PAGE A4

DNC CEO emphasizes importance of AAPI vote Confident Democrat will win presidency A WeeK after Democratic presidential candidates hillary Clinton and Bernie sanders made campaign stops in Los Angeles, Democratic National Committee (DNC) Ceo Amy Dacey visited the city to lay the groundwork to expand the party’s base and meet with Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) voters, who comprise a crucial electorate in coming elections. At a roundtable discussion with reporters on tuesday, march 29, Dacey remarked that she is confident that a Democrat will win the presidency this November. “[Donald trump] isn’t just talking over the republican Party — he is the republican Party. that just shows to us how much we have at stake,” Dacey said. “I think the choice before us is clearer than ever. We, throughout this campaign, have had both our candidates, Bernie sanders and hillary Clinton, who have shown that they have the right priorities. Whether you’ve seen them at debates or out on the trail, the discourse between them, with the voters they’ve reached out to, has been incredible.” While Dacey did not hint at whether sanders or Clinton would be the party’s PAGE A2

ippines to help his countrymen build houses and make other improvements so they can emerge from poverty. “I’m not keeping that [purse money alone],” Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 knockouts) said, according PAGE A2

Is Pacquiao still hot in Las Vegas? by roy LuArCA Inquirer.net

LAs VeGAs—there they were, manny Pacquiao’s bus and a fleet of 30 cars and sUVs rolling into mandalay Bay one by one monday, April 4. team Pacquiao came to reclaim the adulation of this glitzy city of gambling. the bulk of his entourage arrived around 8:30 p.m. after a five-hour drive, including the traditional stop at Barstow, from hollywood which is around 445 kilometers away. they were herded into one of Pacquiao’s two suites at mandalay Bay Delano where a large table of Chinese food awaits them. Pacquiao, accompanied by wife Jinkee, came in from the other suite at past 10 p.m. still in high spirits, despite a morning run in PAGE A2

A spectator tries to snap a photograph of Manny Pacquiao during the Pacquiao-Bradley 3 Grand Arrivals at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in Nevada Tuesday, April 5. Philstar.com photo by Abac Cordero

FINAL FIGHT. Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley pose for photographers during the final press conference for their upcoming fight at the David Copperfield Theatre in the MGM Grand Las Vegas on Wednesday, April 6. The two fighters will face each other for the third time at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday, April 9. Pacquiao is expected to retire and focus on his political career in the Philippines after the fight. Photo by JP Yim

Wong turns over P38M, promises P450M more by Ben

o. de VerA /Inquirer.net

CAsINo junket operator Kim Wong, through his lawyers, on monday, April 4 returned P38.28 million in stolen money from Bangladesh’s central bank, but the turnover hit a slight snag when authorities found two fake P500 bills amid the mountains of cash. Wong’s camp said it would return a third tranche, amounting to P450 million, in 15 to 30 days. Last week, it turned over $4.63 million to the Antimoney Laundering Council (AmLC) office in the Bangko sentral ng Pilipinas (BsP) complex in manila. AmLC executive Director Julia Bacay-Abad said two counterfeit bills were found during the counting of P38.28

million that started at 11 a.m. and ended at 1 p.m. Abad and Wong’s lawyer, Victor fernandez, said lawyer Inocencio ferrer Jr. had to shell out P1,000 to replace the fake banknotes. the P38.28 million was in denominations of P500 and P1,000, placed in a trolley bag, Abad said. the BsP cash department assisted in counting the money using machines that can detect fake banknotes. the turnover was witnessed by officials of AmLC, Bangladesh Bank (BB) and Bangladesh’s embassy in the Philippines. AmLC issued an acknowledgment receipt for SECOND INSTALLMENT. It took personnel of the Anti-Money Laundering the amount to be turned over Council (AMLC), who used machines, two hours to count the P38.28 million, consisting of P500 and P1,000 bills, that casino junket operator Kim Wong Inquirer.net contributed photo

PAGE A2 turned over to the AMLC on Monday.

PH launches world’s first US-PH Balikatan exercises begin as China issues warning mass dengue vaccination by IAn JAmotILLo AJPress

the United states and the Philippines began the annual “Balikatan” exercises on monday, April 4, after China issued a warning against “outside interference” in relation to the ongoing territorial dispute in the south China sea.

over 8,000 Us and filipino troops, including 80 Australian forces, will participate in the 11-day war games dubbed as “Balikatan” (shoulder-toshoulder), from April 4 to 15. the military drills will involve several intense exercises including simulation events, an amphibious landing and strengthening the combat

skills of the soldiers. “the Balikatan exercise is designed not to address a particular concern but the whole lump in the spectrum of warfare,” Vice Admiral Alexander Lopez, Philippine military exercise director, said in a news conference. China’s state media, Xinhua, PAGE A2

SHOULDER-TO-SHOULDER. United States and Philippine officials link arms during the Balikatan opening ceremonies on Monday, April 4. US and Philippine troops began major exercises on Monday as China’s state media warned “outsiders” against interfering in tense West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) territorial disputes. (L-R) Vice Admiral Alexander Lopez, Foreign Undersecretary Evan Garcia, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, US Ambassador Philip Goldberg, Armed Forces chief Gregorio Pio Catapang, and Brig. Gen. Christopher J. Mahoney, US Exercise Deputy Director.

by IAn JAmotILLo AJPress

the Philippines began rolling out the world’s first mass dengue vaccine named “Dengvaxia” last monday, April 4. About seven hundred children, ages 9-10 at a

public school in marikina were the first to receive the dengue vaccine. Dengue or Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne tropical disease transmitted by certain species PAGE A2

DENGUE VACCINATION. A pupil from Parang Elementary School in Marikina receives an anti-dengue vaccine from a Department of Health worker at the start of the nationwide dengue vaccination program in schools on Monday, April 5. Inset shows vials of the vaccine. Philstar.com photo by Miguel De Guzman

A

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april 7-13, 2016 • laS VEGaS aSiaN JOUrNal

From The FronT Page

Pacquiao, Bradley make grand... PAGE A1 to the Los Angeles Times. “I will help‌that’s the commandment of God.â€? At the final press conference before the match in Saturday, April 8, his opponent, Timothy Bradley, whom he has faced in the ring twice before, said he plans on throwing punches at Pacquiao’s head and body. However, he also took the opportunity to endorse Pacquiao for the Philippine Senate. “He’s a man of his word, the right man for the job,â€? Bradley (33-1-1, 13 knockouts) said at the final press conference on Wednesday, April 6. “... To me, he’s the only one who is going to do right by the Philippines.â€? Both boxers also addressed the fight, with Pacquiao asking that people tune in. “I believe it’s more action compared to the last two fights that

we had because of his new coach, Teddy. He did a good job for Bradley and we saw that in his last fight. He’s adding more strategy and techniques for Bradley and that makes more action in the ring,� he said. Bradley told media that the match, for him, is about legacy. “I’m getting at third crack at it. I’m ready and if I’m going to win this fight, it’s now. I’m ready for everything. More than any other fight I’ve ever been in. If I’m going to beat Manny Pacquiao, it’s now. This is my last opportunity and I’m ready for it,� the boxer said. The trainers of both champions also expressed confidence in their fighters, with Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, saying Pacquiao is in great shape. “He’s looking really, really good,� Roach said. Teddy Atlas, Bradley’s trainer,

said his fighter is up against one of the best in the last 10 years with what he called a God-given blessing of speed and power. “And the good news is we know exactly what we’re facing, and that I happen to have the privilege of training a fighter who has also been born with great God-given abilities and also fights with great pride and will for his family, and [will] be remembered in history as a special fighter and a special person,� Atlas said. “Nothing else can be done. We’ve done everything.... I feel as confident as you can humanly feel in such a tough business when you’re getting into the ring and you’re responsible for a fighter fighting someone [as] dynamic as Manny Pacquiao...� he added. Pacquiao vs. Bradley III will air Saturday, April 9, 6pm PST/9pm EST via HBO pay-per-view.

Wong turns over P38M, promises... PAGE A1

to Bangladesh Bank. The money will be stored at the BSP’s vault for safekeeping, while the AMLC is making arrangements with the Bangladeshi government for its return, Abad said. The P38.28 million “represented the funds abandoned by Gao Shuhua in Eastern Hawaii Leisure Co. Ltd. and/or Midas Casino,� Fernandez said. Wong is a stockholder of Eastern Hawaii. Abad said the AMLC was informed that Wong’s camp would return the additional money on Monday morning, after Ferrer called up BSP Deputy Governor Vicente Aquino before 10 a.m. to inform him that they would bring the money to the AMLC. In a letter to AMLC Chair Amando M. Tetangco Jr., Wong’s lawyers said, “(W)e reiterate that this token of utmost sincerity and effort to cooperate and retrieve the funds abandoned by Gao Shuhua in [Eastern Hawaii] and/or Midas Casino should not be interpreted or construed, directly or indirectly, as admission by EHL or Kam Sin Wing [Kim Wong] of any guilt, or participation in, or complicity to the offense for which Kim Wong is be-

ing charged by AMLC or any suit/s, case/s or proceeding/s relating to or in connection with the subject matter of the aforementioned hearing or investigation.� Fernandez said it would take 15 to 30 days to raise some more funds before Wong could return another P450 million that was earlier borrowed by Gao. “According to Wong, he was even willing to sell properties to be able to raise the necessary money,� he said. The lawyer said Wong would attend today’s (Tuesday) Senate hearing “because he wants to finish this thing as soon as possible.� Abad reiterated that “as far as AMLC is concerned, a bigger amount of money should be recovered from their groups� as “there’s still much to be returned.� She confirmed reports that AMLC had asked Wong’s camp to directly turn over the money to Bangladesh Bank “because this money belongs to the Bangladesh government.� “AMLC and BSP’s participation is to facilitate the return of the money to the Bangladesh government. We are just safekeeping the money while the Bangladesh government

The Las Vegas MGM Grand Lobby was the site for the formal arrival of eight-division world boxing champion Manny “Pacman� Pacquiao and Timothy “Desert Storm� Bradley on Tuesday, April 5. The two fighters will face each other for the third time at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday, April 9. Pacquiao is expected to retire and focus on his political career in the Philippines after the fight.

is making the necessary arrangement to the transfer of the money to their country,� she said. Earlier, the turnover hit an impasse at the AMLC office. Sources said AMLC officials insisted that the P38.28 million be given directly to the Bangladesh ambassador to the Philippines. Wong’s counsels maintained that, in accordance with the Senate blue ribbon committee’s mandate, the funds “abandoned� by Gao in Eastern Hawaii should be turned over to the AMLC/BSP for “safekeeping.� “We have no mandate to turn it over to the Bangladesh government. Our client, Mr. Kim Wong, has no business speaking directly with the Bangladeshis. Our clear understanding is that after turning over the funds to AMLC ‘for safekeeping’, its disposition should be subject to a government-to-government agreement,� Fernandez said. To help the Bangladesh Embassy in Manila beef up efforts to recover the money stolen by cyberthieves, two officials of Bangladesh Bank went to the Philippines. (With reports from Daxim L. Lucas and The Daily Star/Asia News Network)

PH launches world’s first mass...

PAGE A1

of mosquito of the Aedes type, most prominently Aedes Aegypti. Symptoms usually begin three days after the infection and include high fever, vomiting, skin rash, and muscle or joint pain. The Philippines is one of the countries with the highest cases of dengue fever with 200,000 last year resulting to 600 deaths. About 20,000 cases had been reported this year until February 20. “We are the first country to introduce, adopt and implement the first-ever dengue vaccine through the public health system and under public school settings,�

said Philippine Health Secretary Janette Garin. Developed by the French pharmaceutical company Sanofi Pasteur, Dengvaxia was approved last December 2015 in the Philippines and was launched for use in individuals aged 9 to 45. It is estimated that it will cost about 18,000 pesos to treat each dengue patient and the Philippine government will spend3.5 billion pesos ($76 million) to administer the free vaccines. A clinical test performed by the New England Journal of Medicine states that the vaccine reduces the risk of contracting dengue by 65.6 percent, thus preventing hospital-

izations by 80 percent. The World Health Organization (WHO) was in full support for the use of Dengvaxia in the Philippines. “It is the prerogative of a country to license the product (and) determine its use based on the internal scientific appraisal of the clinical research that is underpinning the product,� WHO country representative Gundo Weller said. Health Undersecretary Vicente Belizario told the press that only 27 were reported to develop side effects, proving it was an effective vaccine in contrast to the safety concerns raised by several public health advocates.

Is Pacquiao still hot in...

PAGE A1

California and a two-hour workout in the afternoon, Pacquiao also attended to the distribution of room keys to supporters. As an offshoot of Sunday’s Hollywood incident, where a 6foot man attacked but failed to hurt Pacquiao outside a Japanese restaurant, security for Pacquiao was beefed up. Oddsmakers have installed Pacquiao a minus-250 favorite—a $250 bet on Pacquiao winning

$100. Bradley is at plus-200, or a $100 bet will win $200. This despite Bradley’s ninthround stoppage of Brandon Rios late last year. The protagonists will stage their Grand Arrival Tuesday afternoon, with Bradley entering MGM Grand Garden’s main lobby first. Pacquiao will follow suit 30 minutes later and is expected to cause a stir once again owing to his popularity and recent comment on LGBTs (lesbian,

AJPress photo by Robert Macabagdal

gay, bisexual, transgender) that sparked outrage among the third sex. Despite negative publicity, ticket sales are expected to spike this Fight Week, with promoter Bob Arum projecting about 14,000 in attendance at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Arum is also hoping for a strong pay-per-view showing of about $700,000 buys. If met, these sales will prove that Pacquiao is still hot item in this city.

US-PH military exercises begin...

PAGE A1 recently reported about the Chinese government warning outsiders entering the disputed islands in the South China Sea, which the country is claiming. US Defense Secretary Ash Carter is scheduled to visit the Philippines next week to observe the annual Balikatan exercises and monitor several US navy ships. He will be the first top US defense official to observe the war games after the two allies started holding joint military exercises. Carter’s visit concurs with the implementation of a new military agreement between the two countries, the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) and will be highlighting this year’s Balikatan. “Our alliance is strong. The United States is committed to this relationship and these are not empty words.... peace in Southeast Asia depends on our cooperation,� Lieutenant-General John Toolan, commander of US Marine Corps forces in the Pacific told Philippine media. He also added that the exercises would help the allies improve maritime security and maintain regional stability. The ongoing territorial dispute includes several islands in the South China Sea namely the Para-

US Marines fire practice rockets from an M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System at the Crow Valley gunnery and firing range in Capas, Tarlac on Tuesday, April 5 as part of Balikatan 2016.

cels Islands, the Pratas Islands, Scarborough Shoal and the Spratly Islands. Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims to parts of the waters, in which the Philippines has sought international arbitration on the disputed islands.

Major General Rodolfo Santiago, assistant exercise director, however, said that the drills were designed to practice “generic scenario[s]� and were not targeted toward any specific country, in the midst of China’s aggression in the South China Sea.

DNC CEO emphasizes importance of... PAGE A1 nominee, she said that they have both “run campaigns worthy of the office.� “I’m confident that one of them will be the 45th President of the United States, but I’m not underestimating the amount of work that’s going to take,� she added. Dacey also took a slam at the “divisive politics� of the Republican Party. “You’re watching the debates on the Republican side and I’m working harder the next day because it’s just unbelievable what you see,� she said, describing some of the Democratic Party’s work to reach out to more millennial voters and devote resources to various communities. Despite the two Democratic candidates sparring over different views on the campaign trail,

Dacey said she expects that supporters of either candidate will come together once a nominee is selected. With four months until Philadelphia, a contested DNC convention is not expected, unlike what many predict may happen in Cleveland at the RNC convention should no presidential candidate win a majority of the delegates. “I’m fully confident that we’ll go through this process — that we’ll have a presumptive nominee going into the convention. Our convention is literally going to be about bringing everybody together, having conversations, holding trainings,� Dacey told reporters. “We want to have outreach at the convention. It’s a substantive, inclusive process so that when we leave Philly, you’ll see a stark contrast from the week before

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in Cleveland, where I do think it could potentially be in disarray.� The DNC’s CEO went on to say that her party is focusing on issues that voters care about, especially those relevant to AAPI communities. Among those issues Dacey mentioned were the Affordable Care Act, equal pay and comprehensive immigration form. “We saw a record turnout from the Asian American community and support of President Obama in the 2012 election cycle. We’ve also seen that 4.5 million Asian Americans were registered to vote in 2012, so I do think they have a strong voice in this election. I do think that the issues we’re talking about are issues they care about,� she said, adding that various party programs are geared specifically toward AAPI voters and figuring out how AAPIs acquire information and become civically engaged. Fritz Friedman, a Filipino American who is part of the credentials committee for the DNC’s upcoming convention, lauded the Democratic Party’s outreach to the Filipino-American community in particular. “A lot of the issues that Amy mentioned are core to the lives of Filipinos and Filipino Americans, specifically immigration and health care. Also the fact, I find personally, the Democratic Party is much more inclusive than the Republican Party. They understand the issues that are relevant to minority groups, like the Filipino-Americans,� Friedman told the Asian Journal. Friedman added that the values of the Filipino-American community align with the Democratic Party, and that should guide voters come November. “The bayanihan spirit — we are a community, the Democratic

Party is a community. Filipinos and Filipino Americans take care of family and friends, as does the Democratic Party,� he said. “I think those base, core things are really are one of the important reasons why the goals of the Democratic Party align with the goals of Filipino Americans.� Even with the party’s confidence, Dacey said there is more work to be done in the coming months. “It’s going to be a tough general election. I think anybody discounting it because they’re seeing what’s happening on the Republican side, is making a mistake,� she said. Following the roundtable, Dacey attended a fundraiser with AAPI supporters — which was cohosted by actor George Takei and attended by elected leaders, such as Rep. Judy Chu, Rep. Ted Lieu and Rep. Mark Takano — and spoke at the Advancing Justice conference co-hosted by the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation and Asian Americans Advancing Justice. “[We’re] trying to make sure the [AAPI] community knows that there’s a home for them in the Democratic Party and that they’ll turn out and vote for Democrats in the fall,� she said. Both Democrats and Republicans have continued to reach out to AAPI voters, an electorate considered to double by 2040, reaching 12.2 million, according to a 2015 report from the UCLA Center for the Study of Inequality and Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies. Leading up to California’s primary on June 7, both Clinton and Sanders are expected to continue campaigning in the state, where 475 delegate are at stake. (Christina M. Oriel / AJPress)

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • ApRIL 7-13, 2016

A

SCOTUS upholds law counting total population in voting districts by Agnes

ConstAnte AJPress

THE Supreme Court on Monday, April 4, unanimously upheld that the traditional method in which voting districts are created – based on total population – is constitutional. The lawsuit that challenged the rule was brought on behalf of Sue Evenwel, a Republican county official from East Texas who claimed that the way individuals are counted when drawing districts was “diluting” votes of citizens like herself. Conservatives wanted districts to be based only on voting-age populations. “As history, precedent, and practice demonstrate, it is plainly permissible for jurisdictions to measure equalization by the total population of state and local legislative districts,” wrote Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the majority decision. Had the high court ruled otherwise in the case (Evenwel vs. Abott), power would have been shifted to Republican, rural districts, and away from Democratic urban areas, Richard Hasen, an expert in election law at UC Irvine Law School, told the Associated Press. It would have also eliminated many representatives from areas surrounding Los Angeles and Houston where many

are immigrants who aren’t citizens. The decision comes as a victory for the Asian Americans, who constitute about 6 percent of the population in the United States, according to a 2011 report by the Pew Research Center. “We are pleased that the U.S. Supreme Court agrees that in our democracy, elected officials do not only represent the people who voted for them or the people who are eligible to vote, but everyone in the community, including children and other notyet-eligible voters,” Mee Moua, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, said in a statement. “Particularly in this election year, the ruling is a timely reminder that those who cannot or do not vote are still impacted by government: they attend public schools and universities, walk and drive on public roads, and depend on so many more government services. This is a huge win for our democracy and today’s decision ensures that all members of society are represented by our government.” Stewart Kwoh, president and executive director of Advancing Justice – Los Angeles, noted in a statement that 20 percent of Asian Americans in California – or nearly 1.2 million children and adults – are not yet US citi-

zens. “Had the Supreme Court ruled that district lines need to be drawn based only on eligible voters, 2.3 million Asian Americans in California would have been discounted, including immigrants and youth who are not able to vote,” he said. Edward Blum, the conservative activist who launched the suit, said he was “disappointed that the justices were unwilling to reestablish the original principle of one person, one vote for the citizens of Texas and elsewhere. But the issue of voter equality in the United States is not going to go away,” the Los Angeles Times reported. The top court, however, did not vote on whether it would be constitutional for states to adopt such a rule if it chooses to do so. The Obama administration argued such a move would be unconstitutional. “Whether a state is permitted to use some measure other than Activists gather in front of the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles to condemn the bloody dispersal of farmers seeking relief from the Photo by Kayden Riambon total population is an important drought in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato. and sensitive question that we can consider if and when we have before us a state districting plan that, unlike the current Texas plan, uses something other than total population as the basis for equalizing the size of districts,” said Justice Samuel Alito, who LOS ANGELES — A Methodist ers were wounded after police they can feed their families.” concurred with the decision but Church pastor, a Latino human forces opened fire at the farmers, Terrie Cervas, secretary generwrote a separate opinion. rights advocate and more than 50 many of them from the Lumad al of GABRIELA USA, described other community activists held tribes, and their supporters on the dispersal as “horrendous and a rally in front of the Philippine April 1. despicable.” Some of the farmers took refConsulate here on Saturday, April Among those violently dis2 to condemn the bloody disper- uge at a United Methodist Church persed on April 1 was Bangsamare trained in “a lot of information sal of farmers seeking relief from compound and have remained oro activist Bai Ali Indayla, the needed to conduct the elections the drought in Kidapawan City, there as of press time. keynote speaker at the GABRIproperly” and the revised GI will North Cotabato. Padilla said the government ELA USA’s National Congress in contain information concerning Roy Padilla, a pastor at Rose- that was supposed to help the New York two weeks ago. the required printing of voter wood United Methodist Church farmers “became the oppresNap Pempeña, vice chairperreceipts. (UMC) in Los Angeles who sors.” son of AnakbayanUSA, said it “We believe we can disseminate spoke at the rally, praised the “As Central Americans and was ironic that farmers in the information quickly and dissemi- UMC in Kidapawan for support- Latinos in the United States, we Philippines, one of the world’s nate it effectively. By the start of ing and providing sanctuary for denounce all acts of violence largest producers of rice, end up the OAV, we believe our SBEIs will the farmers, saying the church (against those) demanding their not having enough rice to feed be well equipped to handle the use “helped people take a stand in basic human rights such as food, their families. of the voter receipts,” he added. their faith and in their love for land and water,” said Nancy “They face hunger, abject He also said that since OAV is others.” Zuniga, a Los Angeles-based poverty and landlessness,” said a month-long process and does “This should be done by every- community organizer for the Hu- Pempeña, who lambasted land not involve “the deluge of voters” one who believes that justice can man Rights Alliance for Child grabbing by foreign multinationduring elections in the Philippines, be achieved by serving those in Refugees and Families, who also al corporations and called for a such endeavor can be achieved. need,” said Padilla. “(The farm- spoke at the rally. genuine agrarian land reform. “It might seem like a very dan- ers) only wanted a better life.” “What we just saw is a govMeanwhile, two other LAgerous thing right now, (but) it’s The farmers sought govern- ernment that would rather kill based organizations, Alliance actually not an insurmountable ment help for drought-stricken its people and let them starve Philippines and Bantay Pilipinasproblem… I’m not trying to trivi- communities affected by El Niño. than let them stand up for their USA, released a statement conalize the importance of the GI. All They formed a human barricade rights,” said Romeo Hebron, demning the incident. I am saying is that our election blocking the national highway Southern California regional co“We stand with the oppressed workers are not coming into this to dramatize their call for relief, ordinator of BAYAN USA. farmers in Mindanao,” said Art election with zero knowledge,” he such as rice subsidies. “We have to demand that the Garcia of Alliance Philippines. added. (Philstar.com) Two were killed and many oth- people get their needs met, that (Nimfa U. Rueda/Inquirer.net)

Non-release of OAV guidelines worries ex-Comelec exec BARELY two days before the month-long overseas absentee voting (OAV) starts on April 9, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has not yet come out with a revised General Instruction (GI) that includes voter receipts. Former Comelec commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said this is a cause for concern because the GI shall contain the protocol on how the Special Board of Election Inspectors (SBEIs) should implement the voter receipt feature of the vote counting machines (VCMs). “It is important to have specific guidelines that will be followed by the SBEIs. Since they still do not have the GI, that means they were not able to include the procedures for the VVPAT (voter verification paper audit trail) in the FTS (final testing and sealing),” he explained. FTS is a procedure where the VCMs undergo final testing before

they are sealed. The machines will be reopened when it is time for them to be used in actual elections. Larrazabal noted that FTS is important because it could showcase the possible problems that may happen once the OAV starts. Around 1.4 million migrant Filipinos have registered for OAV around the world. The Comelec is automating the elections in 30 Philippine posts abroad while the rest will be manual, either by mail or personal voting. Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the poll body is drafting the GI and it is expected to be distributed primarily through email by Friday. “A lot of people are working overtime on that… You have to understand also that the changes will actually affect the use of the receipts,” he added. Jimenez explained the SBEIs

Activists protest in LA, demanding justice for Kidapawan farmers

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april 7-13, 2016 • laS VEGaS aSiaN JOUrNal

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Calif Gov. signs $15 minimum wage measure into law by Agnes

ConstAnte AJPress

(from L-R): Robbie Fabian; Mel Avanzado, Esq.; Fritz Friedman; Ted Benito; Apl.de.ap; Audie Vergara; Dr. Thomas Lee, CHLA; Michael Sampiano, CHLA; Sonia Delen. Photos courtesy of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Apl.de.ap honored for work combating...

PAGE A1 for ROP) to the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao. For these efforts, CHLA recently honored Apl with a spotlight on the hospital’s celebrity charity wall, becoming the first Filipino to be recognized. “[This issue] is close to my heart because I myself am legally blind. I know the difficulties of growing in the Philippines and with sight [problems], it is 10 times harder,” Apl said during the unveiling of his spot on the wall on Thursday, March 24. “It’s a privilege, it’s an honor to be part of this mission, and I feel like it’s only the beginning of this partnership.” Apl.de.ap (whose real name is Allan Pineda Lindo) was raised in Angeles, Pampanga, before he was adopted and moved to

Los Angeles to receive treatment for nystagmus, a condition that causes involuntary rapid eye movement. On top of having vibrating eyeballs, Apl is nearsighted and legally blind, which all contributed to hindrances to learning and self-esteem and confidence issues growing up. Sonia Delen, chair of the Campaign for Filipino Children, shared the impact of delivering the RetCam to the Philippines. “There [were] only four existing RetCams in the Philippines prior to the equipment we brought to Davao. It’s the fifth RetCam in the Philippines, for a population of 120 million,” Delen said. “There are at least 34 RetCams in California alone.” Dr. Thomas Lee, division chief for the Vision Center at CHLA,

added that the foundation has partnered with the Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology to train doctors to diagnose and treat ROP. So far over 60 doctors have undergone training. “What makes this program so wonderful is that we’re going to leverage technology. All the technology that we have on our phones — the cameras and the video — can actually go into the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU),” Lee explained. “Once that RetCam is in the NICU, the doctors can treat and diagnose those children appropriately and what’s wonderful is that they can be taught remotely from doctors and experts in Manila, who can then see the training of other Filipino doctors in cities like Davao.” About 30 percent of premature babies in the Philippines develop ROP each year, but by training at least six to 20 medical practitioners in each of the four partner hospitals the foundation has identified, 4,380 premature babies can be saved from the impairment, Lee told the Asian Journal. Apl.de.ap Foundation International Executive Director Ted Benito and members of the foundation’s executive committee, Mel Avanzado, Robbie Fabian, Fritz Friedman and Audie Vergara were also present at the ceremony. The foundation is on track to provide RetCams to hospitals in Iloilo and Pampanga later this year. “[I]n the poverty stricken areas where our kababayans can’t afford to get diagnosed or have their eyes checked, this is definitely very important, especially in the outskirts of the Philippines… ,”Apl said. (Christina M. Oriel / AJPress)

GOV. Jerry Brown made history on Monday, April 4, when he signed legislation that made California the first state in the nation to set its minimum wage to $15 per hour. “This is about economic justice,” Brown said prior to signing the bill at the Ronald Reagan State Building in Downtown Los Angeles, according to the Associated Press. “It’s about people. It’s about creating a little, tiny, amount of balance in a system that every day becomes more unbalanced.” Under the plan, California’s hourly minimum is scheduled to rise from the current $10 to $10.50 on Jan. 1, 2017 for businesses with more than 25 employees, $11 in 2018, and an additional $1 per year after until 2022. Businesses with 25 or fewer employees have an extra year to comply. The law also allows the governor to temporarily pause the hike depending on economic conditions and budget deficits. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who approved in 2015 an ordinance to boost Los Angeles’ minimum hourly wage to $15 by 2020, touted the legislation on Monday. “Today California leads the nation once again, passing a historic minimum wage increase that will help lift millions of hardworking men and women out of poverty,” he said in a statement. New York on Monday also passed legislation to gradually boost its statewide minimum wage to $15 an hour. But before the raise is applied statewide, the new minimum will be implemented in New York City first. “Proud to sign into law $15 statewide minimum wage and the strongest paid family leave policy in the nation,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo tweeted after he signed the bill at a labor rally in New York City. For many Filipino workers, the passage of the law is a victory. Joanna Concepcion, executive director of Filipino Migrant Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to organizing and mo-

bilizing low-income and workingclass Filipinos in Southern California, said the group welcomes the passage of laws that would boost the incomes of struggling, hard-working families. “Many Filipino immigrants in Southern California work multiple jobs in order to place food on the table, pay for health care and other basic necessities on top of supporting family members in the Philippines,” Concepcion told the Asian Journal. “We have seen the detrimental effects this can cause to the health and wellbeing of many Filipino families and children facing economic hardship.” In the Asian community, one business organization says that the wage is expected to hurt for small business owners, particularly in the short run. “Going from $10 to $15, that 50 percent [increase] for a company or small business [is] a big difference,” said Dennis Huang, executive director of the Asian Business Association, a nonprofit organization representing Asian American business owners. One good aspect of the legislation, Huang said, is that the wage increase is mandated statewide, rather than varying in different cities. However, he said he expects that the price of goods for business owners will increase to cover the higher wages, noting that businesses compete on these prices. Huang added that higher wages also equate to increased worker’s compensation, which is an additional expense for businesses. As for the six years businesses are given to pay employees $15 per hour, Huang said it would have been better if companies had more time to meet the wage requirement. “I think its a good idea to space it out, but I do think it’s a little bit tighter for small businesses. It takes a little time for them to adjust for this,” he said. Other business owners, like financial adviser Cynthia Tan, whose firm is based in Los Angeles, welcomed the new legislation. “I’m a believer in increasing

Calif Gov. Jerry Brown

the minimum wage. I believe in providing benefits. If you take care of your employees they will take care of you,” Tan said. As a financial adviser, Tan works with business owners to reduce their taxes. She said that although payroll taxes rise along with higher wages, businesses are able to write it off on their taxes. “One of the ways of [reducing taxes] is to increase payroll. The bottom line is, when I talk to different business owners, ultimately the question is: Who do you want to pay? Uncle Sam? Or would you rather give benefits to the employees?” she said. In the state legislature, Filipino-American Assemblyman Rob Bonta (D-Alameda) who supported the move, said the legislation would have a positive effect on Californians living in poverty and on Filipinos residing in the state. “For small businesses, when minimum wage earners get more money in their pockets, they’ll be taking that money and spending it in the economy, at retail stores and at Filipino-owned businesses. It will be good for businesses. But overall, it’s more productivity for these workers and employers. It’s healthier employees. These are all good things that small business owners should want. The positive outcomes that studies show far outweigh any negative ones. It’s a win-win for the state of California,” Bonta told the Asian Journal.

USCIS now accepting H-1B petitions for 2017 WASHINGTON, DC—US Citizenship and Immigration Services on April 1 began accepting H-1B petitions subject to the fiscal year 2017 cap. US businesses use the H-1B program to employ foreign workers in occupations that require highly specialized knowledge in fields such as science, engineering and computer programming. The congressionally mandated cap on H-1B visas for FY 2017 is 65,000. The first 20,000 H-1B petitions filed for individuals with a US master’s degree or higher are exempt from the 65,000 cap. USCIS expects to receive more than 65,000 petitions during the

first five business days of this year’s program. The agency will monitor the number of petitions received and notify the public when the H-1B cap has been met. If USCIS receives an excess of petitions during the first five business days, the agency will use a computer-generated lottery system to randomly select the number of petitions required to meet the cap. USCIS will reject all unselected petitions that are subject to the cap as well as any petitions received after the cap has closed. Premium Processing H-1B petitioners may still con-

tinue to request premium processing together with their H-1B petition. However, USCIS has temporarily adjusted its current premium processing practice based on the possibility that the H-1B cap will be met in the first five business days of the filing season. In order to prioritize data entry for cap-subject H-1B petitions, USCIS will begin premium processing for H-1B cap-subject petitions requesting premium processing no later than May 16, 2016. Filing Petitions H-1B petitioners are reminded that when the temporary employment or training will be in different locations, the state where the company or organization’s primary office is located will determine where they should send Form I-129 package, regardless of where in the United States the various worksites are located. If temporary employment or training will be in different locations, the address on page 1, part 1 of Form I-129 is for the filing organization’s primary office. When listing a “home office” as a work site location on Part 5, question 3, USCIS will consider this a separate and distinct work site location. H-1B petitioners must follow all statutory and regulatory requirements as they prepare petitions in order to avoid delays in processing and possible requests for evidence. USCIS has developed detailed information, including an optional checklist, Form M-735, Optional Checklist for Form I-129 H-1B Filings, on how to complete and submit an FY 2017 H-1B petition. The optional checklist for FY 2017 will be available within the next week. Cases will be considered accepted on the date USCIS receives a properly filed petition with the appropriate fees. For more information on the H-1B nonimmigrant visa program and current Form I-129 processing times, visit the H-1B FY 2017 Cap Season Web page or call the National Customer Service Center at 800-375-5283 or 800-767-1833 (TDD for the hearing impaired). We encourage H-1B applicants to subscribe to the H-1B Cap Season email updates located on the H-1B FY 2017 Cap Season Web page. For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on Facebook (/uscis), Twitter (@uscis), YouTube (/uscis) and the USCIS blog The Beacon.

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • ApRIL 7-13, 2016

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It’s final: SC says Poe can run Olongapo court junks Pemberton’s bail High court throws out DQ pleas by Tarra

Quismundo

Inquirer.net

BAGUIO CITY—It’s final: Sen. Grace Poe can run for President. Removing the legal impediment to Poe’s candidacy, the Supreme Court Tuesday, April 5 decided with finality to allow the senator to seek the land’s highest post, throwing out reconsideration pleas that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and critics had filed to push for her disqualification. During its first summer en banc session here this year, the high court junked all three motions for reconsideration against the high court’s March 8 ruling that had upheld Poe’s qualification as a presidential candidate, a court source told the Inquirer. The separate pleas, filed by the Comelec, a joint appeal by former Government Service Insurance System chief legal counsel Estrella Elamparo, former University of the East law dean Amado Valdez, former Sen. Francisco “Kit” Tatad, De La Salle University professor Antonio Contreras, and third one filed solely by Valdez, were all thrown out. Court spokesperson Theodore Te announced in his press briefing Tuesday that the court would make an official announcement on the motions on April 9, exactly a month before the May balloting. The court is also expected to release separate opinions that the justices will write on the final ruling by that time. However, Te did not disclose details of the decision. Poe’s critics and legal experts have been calling for a speedy resolution of the case, given the consequences on the electoral process. Tuesday’s ruling permanently voided Comelec’s resolutions that canceled the certificate of candidacy (COC) filed by Poe, who has been consistently topping preelection surveys. While details of the ruling have

AJPress

Sen. Grace Poe

yet to be released, the denial of the motions for reconsideration meant the high court had opted to uphold the majority decision, which said the Comelec had committed grave abuse of discretion in canceling Poe’s COC. It has yet to be clear whether the justices held a revote on the merits of the case, particularly the thorny citizenship and residency questions that had hung over Poe’s candidacy. In the March 8 landmark ruling penned by Associate Justice Jose Perez, the court said Poe “is a qualified candidate for President in the May 9 elections,” as she is natural-born and met the 10-year residency requirement for presidential candidates. The court ruled that Poe, while a foundling of unknown parentage, was natural-born, as the 1935 Constitution had intended to include abandoned babies under this class of citizens despite the lack of an explicit provision on such inclusion. Born in 1968, Poe is covered by the prewar Constitution. The court also ruled that Poe, who became an American citizen in 2001 but reacquired her Philippine citizenship in 2006 and then renounced her US allegiance in 2010, had satisfied the 10-year minimum for the domicile of a presidential

candidate, saying the reckoning date of her return to the Philippines should be May 24, 2005. Poe had returned to the Philippines on that day, fully intent at reestablishing domicile in the Philippines and uprooting her family from the United States, the court ruled. Poe’s critics contended that Poe may not be considered a naturalborn citizen, and that she fell short of the residency requirement, having declared in her 2012 COC for senator that she reestablished domicile in the Philippines only in June 2006. The respondents also cited the lack of a clear majority in the high court ruling, given separate votes on the citizenship and residency issues. While the court voted 9-6 to cite Comelec in grave abuse of discretion, seven justices voted to declare that Poe is natural-born, five dissented, and three did not take part. The court also voted separately on the residency question, with seven in favor and six against affirming that Poe had satisfied the residency requirement. Only a majority vote—or eight out of the 15 high court magistrates—makes a ruling a legal precedent, the respondents had asserted.

cayabyab

Inquirer.net

The camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay accused Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales of harassing the political opposition when she ordered the filing of charges against his known allies. In a statement on Wednesday, April 6, United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) spokesperson Mon Ilagan said the Ombudsman is “overzealous” in its bid to smear the reputation of Binay’s allies ahead of the May 9 elections. Ilagan said the Ombudsman wanted to derail the election bids of those it charged who were allied with Binay such as Cebu Representative Gwendolyn Garcia and ousted Laguna Governor Emilio Ramon “ER” Ejercito. Garcia and Ejercito hail from vote-rich provinces. Cebu has 2.7 million registered voters, while Laguna has 1.7 million registered voters. Garcia was indicted by the Ombudsman for graft over the anomalous procurement for the architectural and engineering design and various civil and other works for the P425.6 million-Cebu International Convention Center (CICC). In 2006, Garcia as then governor resorted to the alternative method of procurement without public bidding, the Ombudsman said. Garcia is running for reelection as congresswoman under UNA in the upcoming polls. Meanwhile, Ejercito was charged before the Sandiganbayan for graft for entering an allegedly anomalous insurance deal for tourists plying the Pagsanjan gorge when he was Pagsanjan mayor in 2008. He is seeking to reclaim the gubernatorial seat under UNA. The Ombudsman prosecutors

“The accused shall suffer six years to 10 years in prison with full credit for the period of his THE Olongapo Regional Trial preventive imprisonment pursuCourt (RTC) on Monday, April ant to Article 29 of the Revised 4, dismissed the petition for Penal Code,” the ruling read. bail and motion for reconsideration of convicted US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton for the death of Filipino transgender Jennifer Laude. The dismissal, however, led the court to reduce his sentence from 12 to 10 years in prison. “Wherefore in view of the foregoing, the Partial Motion for Reconsideration of the decision promulgated on 01 December 2015 and the Motion to be Admitted Bail pending motion for reconsideration are DENIED for lack of merit,” a portion of RTC Branch 74’s decision reads. The murder occurred last October 11, 2014, when Laude met Pemberton, a US Marine from Boston, Massachusetts, at the Ambyanz disco bar in Olongapo. Thirty minutes after checking in at Celzone Lodge, Pemberton left the motel and the staff found Laude’s naked body near the toilet bowl. Autopsy revealed that “asphyxiation by drowning” was the cause of death. Harry Roque, the private lawyer of Laude’s family stated, “we are happy that Pemberton’s Motion for Reconsideration was not fully granted, and we are happy that the decision remains – that Pemberton is guilty of killing Laude.” Although the Laude family was relieved after the court denied Pemberton’s appeal, they did not welcome the reduction of his sentence. “We are not pleased with the lighter penalty granted,” Roque said as he stressed that the penalty of six to 10 years still disqualifies Pemberton from seeking parole. Judge Roline Jines-Jabalde of the Olongapo RTC Branch 74 said that Pemberton’s jail sentence should be lowered by two years due to mitigating circumstances of passion and intoxication, according to reports. by ian JamoTillo

Binay lashes at Ombudsman for hitting opposition allies by marc Jayson

plea, reduces jail sentence to 10 years

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales

said the insurance deal was entered into without public bidding and that the insurance company was not licensed by the Insurance Commission to engage in the business. In 2014, Ejercito was ousted as Laguna governor by the Commission on Elections for overspending in his 2013 campaign. Also charged by the Ombudsman was sacked Special Action Force (SAF) commander Getulio Napeñas, who was indicted for usurpation of powers and graft for his alleged role in the botched Mamasapano operation that claimed the lives of 44 elite cops. Napeñas is running as senator under UNA. In a statement, the Office of the Ombudsman said it charged Garcia for the criminal aspect based on the same information for which Garcia was also administratively charged. However, the office dismissed the administrative case which would have dismissed Garcia as a public official because of the condonation doctrine, under which an official may be spared from administrative liability by

virtue of his or her reelection in office. Ilagan said while the Ombudsman has charged opposition members, it has yet to file cases against administration allies like Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad and Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala over the outlawed Disbursement Acceleration Program and the alleged pork barrel scam. Ombudsman Morales has denied targeting the opposition and maintained her impartiality in filing cases. Binay’s camp made the statement as the Ombudsman also indicted the vice president and his son dismissed Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay for graft, malversation and falsification of public documents for the alleged rigging of the procurement for the design and construction of the allegedly overpriced P2.8 billion Makati car park building. While the Ombudsman has yet to charge the vice president because he is immune from suit, it has charged his son dismissed Makati mayor before the Sandiganbayan for graft and falsification.

WARM WELCOME. Thousands of San Mateo, Rizal residents give vice presidential bet Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. a rousing welcome during his Unity Caravan to the municipality on Monday, April 4. Senate photo

The court originally ordered Pemberton’s detention at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City after a ruling on March 29, affirming the decision to convict him of homicide.

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OpiniOn

Features

E-politics

DESPITE the generally slow Internet connection and only half of its population having access to the World Wide Web, the Philippines has been tagged as a social media haven by digital experts. Filipinos are adoptive to new technologies. According to a survey by Wave 7, Filipinos are the most social people online. The poll found that Filipinos spend 53 hours socializing in a week, 11 hours more than the global average of 42 hours. This was made apparent when Makati City was named the “selfiest” city in the world in 2014. According to research by Time Magazine, Makati City registered an average of 258 selfies or self-portrait photographs per 100,000 people over the course of seven days. Other Philippine cities also made the top 100 list, including Cebu City (9), Quezon City (59) at Iloilo City (72). In lieu of its 10th anniversary, popular social media application Twitter named five of the most significant world record achievements set by its users. The phenomenal love team of Alden Richards and Maine “Yaya Dub Mendoza,” more popularly known as “AlDub” from “Eat Bulaga!” made the list and was cited by the Guiness World Records. “#AlDubEBTamangPanahon,” was as “The Most used hashtag in 24 hours on Twitter” with 40,706,392 uses from October 24-25, 2015. With the onset of the Philippine national elections, social media is expected to play a major role in taking the country’s electoral process to another level. In an era when the Filipinos’ time and attention are increasingly invested toward various social media platforms, political aspirants are now using the In-

ternet to mobilize people to vote for them. While the correlation between social media and the election has yet to be determined, the impact of social media has surely motivated politicians to become more creative in their campaign tactics to capture the attention of the voting public effectively. Based on online popularity in social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago is at the top among presidential aspirants with 3,205,407 (Facebook) and 2,094,618 (Twitter) followers. Vice President Jejomar Binay is second with 1,802,535 (Facebook) and 271,111 (Twitter) followers. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is third with 1,176,664 (Facebook) and 13,230 (Twitter) followers. Former Interior Sec. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II is fourth with 1,138,162 (Facebook) and 547,449 (Twitter) followers. Ironically, Senator Grace Poe, who is consistently leading in the surveys, is at the last place with 737,711 (Facebook) and 58,154 (Twitter) followers. While these numbers are small compared to the 54.4 million registered voters for the May elections, through social media, politicians are able to reach a wider set of audience with just a click away. “What will define if the candidate will win or not is the message the candidate has for the campaign. Social media is a channel that will allow them to

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective Gel SantoS-reloS HILLARY CLINTON and DONALD TRUMP—they are the frontrunners in the Democratic and Republican races, respectively. But the voters in Wisconsin delivered a divergent verdict in their primary elections last Tuesday, April 5, favoring Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Let us discuss how crucial the Wisconsin primary may be as each party chooses its nominee for president. Republican Party Leading up to the Wisconsin primary, Donald Trump experienced perhaps the most challenging weeks of his campaign. The Republican Party establishment has been openly trying to stop his momentum, and some GOP elites have given full support to Ted Cruz. Trump has been criticized after he said in an interview that women who have had an abortion -when it is illegal -- will have to be punished. This statement is

ManlaTimes.net photo

reach more people, to mobilize their fans and volunteers to be able to act,” Carlo Ople, Managing Partner and Director of digital advertising agency DM9 Digit said. For Cristina Montiel, a political psychologist, honesty is the best way for the candidates to win the hearts of the voters. She also added that the effectiveness and reach of the message of the candidate would determine whether the message or a candidate’s propaganda would go viral.

“Honesty is the best policy in social media. When you address issues that’s when people will understand where you are coming from.” Montiel said. Regardless of who wins the most likes, or who becomes the most trending, social media is not only a welcome development to the country’s traditional politics. It offers politicians, and the civically engaged citizens with a virtual arena to easily and conveniently establish a rapport that is beneficial to the country’s democratic process. (AJPress)

Wisconsin primary: Game changer in US politics? Cruz’s victory in Wisconsin, makes it harder for Trump to get the magical 1,237 delegate number he needs before the Republican National Convention in July. If Trump does not reach 1,237, he may have to hurdle a contested convention, where the party will implement rules that may nominate another candidate, despite him winning the most number of states. Democratic Party Bernie Sanders’s victory in Wisconsin is his seventh win in the past eight primary contests over front-runner Hillary Clinton. This victory may continue to give Sanders the momentum to win in the delegate-rich state of New York on April 19, which may snowball to California and other states. Sanders was born in Brooklyn, New York, but Hillary Clinton has made New York her adoptive state. She owns a home there and Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton has served as senator before she incongruous to the GOP’s posi- changed his position three times Korea should be allowed to build was appointed Secretary of State tion that women are victims in in a span of three hours, raising nukes to protect their own secu- by President Barack Obama. Through Clinton has kept the rity, a policy that negates the goal this situation, and that the medi- doubts about his policies. Trump was also hit hard for his of the international community to lead over Sanders in New York, cal practitioners shall be the ones who will have to be punished for foreign policy position when he make the world safer by aiming such lead has been diminishing, and may turn the table toward a performing the abortion. Trump said countries like Japan or South to make it nuke-free.

Sanders victory. Political analysts say if Sanders continues to win in the remaining states with at least 60 percent, he may have the chance to overtake Clinton’s delegate lead and reach the 2,383 delegates needed to clinch the nomination. If Sanders falls short of the majority vote, he may still potentially prevent Clinton from getting the magic number 2,383, which means they both go to a contested convention. Part of Clinton’s lead in the delegate math is the heavy support she has been getting from superdelegates (party-elected officials, not ordinary voters). Bernie Sanders’s strategy is to convince these superdelegates to shift their votes to him if the voters of states they represent choose Sanders as their nominee. ABANGAN! *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www. facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos

Considering Merrick Garland’s SC nomination Should we worry about a terrorist attack? Commentary

Senator Harry reid ON March 16, President Obama did his constitutional duty by nominating DC Circuit Court Chief Judge Merrick Garland for the Supreme Court. Now, it is the Senate’s turn. It is time for Senate Republicans to do their duty under the Constitution and give Judge Garland a fair hearing and a timely vote. The Constitution does not exempt Senators from doing their jobs because it is an election year or because they don’t like the President. The Senate simply does not ignore Supreme Court nominees during election years—even when the Senate is not controlled by the President’s party. Since 1900, six justices have been confirmed in presidential election years, including three Republican nominees. The most recent was nominated by Re-

publicans and confirmed by Democrats. Another 11 justices have been confirmed in nonpresidential election years. While Senate Republican Leaders have vowed total obstruction of Judge Garland’s nomination, there is no denying that the Senate has a constitutional obligation to give Supreme Court nominees legitimate consideration and a prompt vote. Since the 1980s, every person appointed to the Court who has not withdrawn has been given a prompt hearing and vote within 100 days. In poll after poll, the American people say they want the Senate to adhere to the Constitution, hold hearings and vote on Judge Garland’s nomination. The Senate should give the very same consideration that it has given to every other Supreme Court nominee to Judge Garland—a widely-admired and deeply-experienced jurist with a stellar judicial record. Judge Garland has proven throughout his career that he has the wisdom, legal expertise, and dedication to the Constitution to be a fine Supreme Court justice. Having served on the D.C. Court of Appeals since 1997 – and

as Chief Judge for over three years—Judge Garland has more experience as a federal judge than any Supreme Court nominee in history. Both parties have recognized Judge Garland’s outstanding judicial qualifications. He has garnered bipartisan praise as a consensus builder for years—earning a robust, bipartisan 76-23 confirmation to the D.C. Circuit Court. Republican Senator Orrin Hatch, the former Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called Judge Garland a “consensus nominee” for the Supreme Court, and asserted that Judge Garland “would be very well supported by all sides.” Senate Republicans’ radical refusal to consider any Supreme Court nominee of the President— even when that nominee has impeccable qualifications and has already won overwhelming, bipartisan support—is breathtakingly partisan and entirely unprecedented. It is time for Republicans to quit playing games and do their jobs. It is time for Republicans to join Democrats and give Judge Garland the fair hearing and vote he so rightly deserves.

Street Talk GreG B. MacaBenta FOLLOWING the March 22 bombings in Brussels, Belgium, spokesmen of the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines immediately issued official statements to the effect that there were “no validated terrorist threats in Metro Manila.” One of the major dailies promptly ran the headline, “No terror threats in Metro, says PNP,” and described the statement of the authorities as an “assurance.” In fact, there was no such assurance of the absence of a terrorist threat—simply the absence of reliable information about such an eventuality. The only assurance given by the PNP was that its “security forces and the intelligence network are continuously monitoring and doing their jobs.” That is the best we can expect

from them. To those who scoff at the capabilities of our Philippine intelligence infrastructure, it helps to know that the quiet, unassuming clerk in your local city hall or barangay or the friendly assistant in that Philippine consulate abroad may, in fact, be an imbedded intelligence operative. These folks may be taking note of any suspicious meetings or conversations you are engaged in. I am told that the days of Marcosian disappearances are over and that the likelihood of being picked up for subversive activities is remote—unless you live in the rural areas or are a very high profile activist. But please, don’t take my word for it. Rodel Rodis, a lawyer friend in the San Francisco Bay Area and a vocal critic of abuses in past Philippine administrations, related an intriguing incident in a posting on social media. Someone had gone up to Rodel claiming to be a former intelligence agent assigned to tail Rodel and to find an opportunity to do him harm. According to Rodel, he didn’t think the fellow was worth taking seriously—until he read the man’s name in US media. The fellow was being deported for “human

rights violations” as a Philippine undercover operative. The man had been telling the truth! Indeed, I wouldn’t underestimate the capabilities of our intelligence community. When the PNP and the AFP say that their agents are on the job, that’s a better reassurance than when you drive up to the parking area of a mall in Metro Manila and the security guards go around your vehicle with a mirror attached to a pole, ostensibly checking its underbody for a hidden bomb. A determined terrorist with a whole armory of explosives would get past those security guards undetected. So, how serious is the “terrorist threat” in the Philippines and in places like Metro Manila, in the wake of bombings in Paris, Brussels and other major cities? For a US resident and a frequent traveler like me, quite frankly, it is as serious as the threat in any big city in America. Perhaps, the only difference is that the intelligence community in America may be much better trained and concededly much better equipped to monitor suspicious activities among PAGE A7

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • ApRIL 7-13, 2016

A

Bad luck blamed for NAIA blackout by rudy

santos Philstar.com

EMERGENCY AID. Celebrities Robin Padilla and Anne Curtis sent emergency aid to some 4,000 protesters encamped at Spottwood Methodist Center in Kidapawan City after their bloody dispersal as human rights groups pleaded to the government and police to lift a food blockade for victims of the prolonged El Niùo drought. Outside the church compound, police blocked some 300 farmers from Makilala town seeking a share of 400 sacks of rice donations from Padilla, Curtis and other individuals and civic organizations. Three farmers were killed and at least 100 were wounded when gunfire erupted during Friday’s violent dispersal by the Philippine National Police of peasants seeking government relief from the dry spell that had caused widespread losses in their farms. Inquirer.net photo by Allan Nawal

Marcos: Santiago to return to campaign trail soon by Frances

Mangosing

Inquirer

Vice presidential candidate Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong� Marcos Jr. said his running mate Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago might return to the campaign trail soon and a sortie of their tandem “sometime next week� is being planned out. “Meron kaming pinaplano (We are in the planning stage). I think we will have a joint appearance. Wala pang mga (There are no) details so far but we will announce it as soon we have it,� Marcos said on the sidelines of his Las Pinas sortie on Wednesday, adding that their campaign is scheduled sometime next week. Last month, Santiago announced that she will take a break from the campaign to try a clinical trial for a new anticancer treatment that would have otherwise cost her half a million pesos every three

weeks. The trial will require Santiago, who was diagnosed with a stage 4 (advanced) lung cancer in 2014, to undergo outpatient radiation treatment daily at a hospital for a short period. Since the campaign launch last Feb. 9, she only appeared publicly six times, mostly at universities. A few days before she announced her treatment, three of her scheduled appearances, including a sortie in her hometown in Iloilo, were cancelled. She also skipped the debate hosted by the Commission on Elections last month. Santiago and Marcos last appeared together on Feb. 14 at the Ynares Sports Center for the Youth For Miriam event. Marcos admitted that given the health condition of Santiago, they really did not plan to campaign together at all times. He also said

Presidential candidate Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago. Inquirer.net file photo by NiĂąo Jesus Orbeta

it would also be practical for them to campaign separately to cover more areas.

Ex-RCBC branch head: ‘I am but a pawn...’ by Maila

ager Inquirer.net

A “PAWN in a high-stakes chess game played by giants in international banking and high finance.� This was how the former branch manager of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC), Maia Santos-Deguito, described herself on Tuesday, April 5, when she returned at the ongoing Senate blue ribbon committee’s investigation into the alleged $81 million stolen funds from the Bangladesh’s central bank. “Recently, other resource persons have laid practically all the blame on me for the alleged moneylaundering as if I had the reources at my mid-management level to put all the pieces in place for a crime involving almost P4 billion,� Deguito said, reading from a prepared statement. “Truly, a crime of this magnitude could be possible only with the participation of people from the highest wealthy businessmen whose far-reaching powers and influence span several countries.� “On hindsight, I have unwittingly allowed myself to be set up as the scapegoat when all I wanted was to advance my career, boost performance as a bank manager, and together with my husband, help provide for my family. These are

red-flagged foreigners, as well as permanent residents and citizens with “unusual backgrounds.� I use the term “unusual� for lack of a more precise understanding of what the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security consider a red flag among the millions who populate the USA. My own impression, however, is that the kind of near-seditious statements routinely made by local politicians, columnists and social media pundits that go in one ear and out the other of Philippine authorities, would raise serious concerns in the US. We have such an unbridled mass communications environment in the Philippines that the line between freedom of speech and licentiousness is often breached. If you ask me, as a media person, I prefer the Philippine situation over the Big Brother monitoring in the US. A freer press, in spite of abuses, is preferable to the feeling that your every movement and every statement, your every email and every mobile phone call is being closely watched. This is not to say that this is exactly what is happening in the US. But the possibility that it is, in fact, happening, already serves as a deterrent. It is pretty much the feeling you get when you encounter a full stop sign in the middle of nowhere in California. For some uncanny reason, when you choose to disregard the stop sign, a highway patrol officer suddenly appears. Believe

Transport Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya and MIAA general manager Jose Angel Honrado during a recent inaugural flight at the NAIA-3. President Benigno Aquino III has been urged to fire and punish those responsible for the five-hour airport blackout at Terminal 3. Philstar.com photo by Rudy Santos

officials. The NAIA is under the Department of Transportation and Communications that is headed by Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya, the LP secretary general. Senator and vice presidential bet Alan Peter Cayetano called for the dismissal of Abaya for “unparalleled level of incompetenceâ€? following the blackout that hit Terminal 3 of the NAIA until early Sunday. The lawmaker questioned in a statement what makes Abaya “so special that despite his series of monumental blunders, MalacaĂąang can’t seem to sack him?â€? He said the blunders at the Department of Transportation and Communications include special screws, overcharging of nondelivered stickers, late license plates and no available driver’s licenses, frequent MRT breakdowns, abandoned license plates at the Bureau of Customs, stolen plate sheets and now airport blackouts. In a text message, Abaya said: “We continue to be focused on our work, and right now that includes ensuring that a similar incident will not happen at NAIA.â€? The “DOTC ineptitude is so meteoric that it borders on the criminal. Worse, it not only victimizes our people but our foreign guests as well. It’s a continuing international embarrassment,â€? Cayetano said. He urged Abaya to show compassion to his department’s rank-

and-file employees by saving them from further ridicule and ire from the public. Vice presidential candidate Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also called for Abaya’s resignation. He described the latter as a “disappointment.� He also called for the resignation of MIAA’s Honrado, whom he described as someone who does not know his job. The airport blackout, Marcos added, is just one of many incidents that show the “incompetence of the people at the DOTC.� Overseas Filipino workers’ advocate and senatorial candidate Susan Ople also pressed for a comprehensive “vulnerability check� on all international and domestic airports nationwide. “That calamitous power outage may have branded NAIA as among the world’s most vulnerable airports, thus catching the interest of international terror groups,� Ople said in a statement. She said the DOTC must immediately conduct a comprehensive sweep of all airports and seaports to ensure all security features, including emergency power supply, are up and running. Ople is concerned that the recent problems at the DOTC will create a lingering effect on the mindset of both foreign and domestic tourists. (With Mike Frialde, Robertzon Ramirez, Mayen Jaymalin, Louella Desiderio)

)65.)65. 4(9*6: Former RCBC bank manager Maia Santos-Deguito

legitimate goals of every working mother,� she said. It was Deguito, former RCBC branch manager on Jupiter Street, Makati City, who facilitated the opening of five bank accounts allegedly used to receive and withdraw the said stolen funds. If there was a conspiracy, Deguito said she had no knowledge of it. And if she had mistakes, she said, it was that she believed and trusted the RCBC President Lorenzo Tan, followed him and relied on the fact that he “could

not have been unaware of a transaction that has been labelled the biggest ban heist in the history of the world.� “I am but a pawn in a higheststakes chess games played by giants in international banking and high finance,� she said. “If this is committee is looking for the ‘grandmaster,’ it is not me. The line runs much higher and involves persons with much more clout and authority than a simple bank manager with modest capabilities has,� Deguito added.

Should we worry about a terrorist attack? PAGE A5

MANILA—It was tough luck and they are sorry for the crippling blackout, transport and airport officials said on Tuesday, April 5, even as they brushed aside calls for their resignation. Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) general manager Jose Angel Honrado attributed to bad luck the blackout at the Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Saturday night, April 2. The incident led to the cancellation of 82 local flights and delays in at least four international flights, but Honrado said he has “no plans to resign.â€? “Sorry, minalas kami,â€? he told a press conference. He said the airport generators did not function as well as expected, failing to provide enough power to run the lighting, airtraffic control, elevator and escalator, conveyor and almost a dozen other systems. Honrado blamed the poor preventive maintenance of all 10 standby generator sets. “Instead of jolting automatically through the automatic transfer switch in five to 10 seconds, the gensets failed such that they had to be manually started. When they came to life, the required power to activate the lighting system was found to be insufficient,â€? Honrado narrated. Honrado, along with senior assistant general manager Vicente Guerzon and Terminal 3 manager Octavio Lina, rushed to MalacaĂąang the other day to meet with President Aquino, who admonished them and ordered that the incident that affected at least 14,000 passengers should not happen again. Liberal Party presidential candidate Mar Roxas said heads must roll over the embarrassing power outage that hit Terminal 3 as he called for a thorough and impartial investigation to determine exactly what happened, including the accountability of concerned officials. “Where was the tripping? Why was this (power outage) not immediately addressed... because the system was supposed to have back-up and double backup generators, so this should not have happened,â€? Roxas told reporters. He wanted “those responsible fired, punished and reprimanded,â€? stressing that politics should not come into play in sanctioning

me, it often happens. And yet, in spite of such a high-tech intelligence environment, recent events in the US have shown that there is no airtight guarantee against a terrorist attack. The threat is not simply from foreign travelers with evil intent but also from home-grown “sleepers� who might suddenly be activated by their handlers and transformed into suicide bombers. It is easy to say that the bombing at the Boston Marathon in April 2013 and the December 2015 terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California happened because of a “lapse in intelligence,� but the harsh truth is that there is no fail-safe protection against individuals who are prepared to give up their lives in the course of murdering innocent people. If you are the kind who worries about these things, Google will tell you that “In the period from 2000 to 2007 (terrorist) attacks killed nearly 400 Filipino civilians and injured well over 1500 more, more casualties than caused by bombings and other attacks in Indonesia, Morocco, Spain, Turkey, or Britain during the same period.� That would make the Philippines a “high risk� country. However, I am not aware of any new advisory issued to US citizens by the US embassy about travel to the Philippines, aside from one released in December last year. That advisory was about visiting critical areas in Mindanao. The same warnings have been given

by the British and Australian governments to their nationals. I frankly have no worries about traveling to Manila and even to Mindanao, in spite of media reports of ISIS recruitment and training activities. Of course, there is always the possibility of stray bullets or shrapnel unexpectedly coming my way, but, where I live near the city of Richmond in the San Francisco Bay Area, the possibility of getting caught in a crossfire between gang members is just as real – or just as remote. I recall how my family worried about my planned trip to the Atlanta Olympics in July 1996, the day after a radical exploded a bomb at the Centennial Olympic Park, killing one person and injuring 111. I told my wife that after the bombing, the Olympic premises would be the safest place in America. In sum, in a world where terrorism has become a daily threat, life must go on. Just cooperate with the strict airport security personnel, play along with the earnest efforts of the security guards at the malls and watch your language when you notice that quiet, unassuming clerk in city hall or at the Philippine consulate casting furtive glances at you. And, remember, vigilance and its corresponding inconveniences are the price we must pay for our security. This may sound like a joke, but at any airport, I would think twice about saying “Hi� to my son-in-law. His name is Jack. (gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)

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A

april 7-13, 2016 • laS VEGaS aSiaN JOUrNal

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B

Journal

Is Kendal Jenner ‘secretly dating’ Fil-Am Laker Jordan Clarkson? A FeW days after her photos with One Direction lead vocalist harry Styles at Saint Barths became widespread, rumors spread that Kendall Jenner is dating FilAm and Los Angeles (LA) Lakers point guard Jordan Clarkson. According to People Magazine, the supermodel was spotted recently with 23-year-old Clarkson at The Nice Guy, a bar in West hollywood. “They have been secretly dating for months and they are super into each other,” People Magazine quoted a source as saying. “he is super sweet and a total gentleman and Kendall loves that.” According to reports, it was none other than Kendall’s sister Khloe Kardashian who paired them. The ‘Keeping up with the Kardashians’ cast are not new to hooking up with NBA players. Khloe herself is married to LA

Kanye West

The classic song “Bakit Di Totohanin” popularized by Carol Banawa was used in one of the scenes of the hit US supernatural series “Vampire Diaries.” In episode 716 of the said show, the song played in a scene featuring elizabeth Blackmoore (Valerie) and Paul Wesley (Stefan). Banawa expressed her gratitude to the showrunners on Instagram. “They have aired it already!? #thevampirediaries used my song in one of the scenes for the episode 716. It was a scene between Stefan and Valerie? They used, “BAKIT DI TOTOhANIN”? I am in disbelief right now but very grateful!” she said. She also thanked the show’s music supervisor Chris Mollere,

Paradise music fest: When Kanye West meets Wiz Khalifa in Manila

The advance party of Kanye West’s production team has been in Manila as early as March 29, in preparation for the iconic hip-hop artist’s 90-minute set at the ParaKendal Jenner and Jordan Clarkson dise International Music Festival, Laker Lamar Odom while her humphries for a few months until which Kanye will headline on April elder sister Kim was married their divorce in 2011. (Gianna 9 at the Aseana City Open Grounds to Atlanta hawks player Kris Francesca Catolico/Inquirer.net) in Parañaque. “More people from his camp are expected to arrive in the coming days, but the directors in charge of the lights are already here, assisting us with the setup,” Boardworks Media director of operations Joshua Ylaya told the Inquirer in a phone interview. The lighting, he added, is one of the most “intricate” aspects of West’s coming show. “Some of the equipment were difficult to find and had to be outsourced abroad. We’re very excited to see how everything comes together,” said Ylaya, who described West as “meticulous” and “hands-on.” “Kanye is a creative person, so of course he wants everything to be good. even the posters had to go through his team,” he related. “We have been coordinating with his camp since August last year.” West, who is lauded by critics Carol Banawa’s “Bakit Di Totohanin” was playing in the background during this scene in the for having one of the most brilliant “Vapire Diaries.” musical minds in the business and The song was first released in is known for his progressive take actor Ian Somerhalder and the show’s cast for featuring her 1997 under the album “Carol.” on hip-hop, has always been at the song. (Inquirer.net) top of Boardworks’ list of potential

Carol Banawa’s song ‘Bakit Di Totohanin’ featured in hit CW series ‘Vampire Diaries’

Wiz Khalifa

topbillers. “One of our criteria when we began conceptualizing the festival last summer was that our main act should be an icon who has yet to perform here,” he said. “Someone who transcends demographics.” Meanwhile, the inclusion to the lineup of another popular hiphop artist, Wiz Khalifa of “Black and Yellow” and “See You Again” fame, is sure to ignite some curiosity among ardent followers of the genre, as the 28-year-old rapper was involved in a Twitter war with West earlier this year. In January, West revealed on the social networking site that he was planning to name his latest album, “Waves” (now officially called “The Life of Pablo”), which Khalifa took as an affront to one of his inspirations, harlem rapper Max B, who popularized the slang “wavy.” All hell broke loose, however, when West mistook Khalifa’s use of the initials “KK”—which actually stood for Khalifa Kush, a type of weed—as a reference to the more senior rapper’s wife, reality television star Kim Kardashian. The two have reportedly made up since the Internet feud, and Ylaya assured that both artists’ parties know that they will be taking the stage at the same event. “They’re aware that they will be performing right after each other

… Their respective groups are actually looking forward to it,” he said. But do not count on seeing the two sharing the spotlight. “I doubt it,” quipped Ylaya, when asked if concertgoers can expect West and Khalifa—who, on the other hand, is dishing out a 70-minute set in one number. The roster of the day-long festival is a mix of local and foreign acts and bands representing different musical genres, such as Rudimental, Austin Mahone, Up Dharma Down, hale, Itchyworms, Yolanda Moon, Maude, Lenses, Giniling Festival, Jessica Milner, Clara Benin, Katsy Lee, DJ Nina and Joyce Pring, Cheats, The Airplane Boys, 4th Impact, Afrojack and DJ Rivero. While many music fans, especially of hip-hop, were thrilled about the lineup, some were also disappointed that there were no local rappers included. Ylaya, however, stressed that Paradise envisions itself as a “multigenre” event. “The two biggest draws being hip-hop acts perhaps gave the impression that it is solely a hip-hop festival. We can’t please everyone,” he said. “But we want to have as many types of artists as possible to attract different audiences.” (Inquirer.net)

B april 7-13, 2016 • laS VEGaS aSiaN JOUrNal

EntErtainmEnt

Lea Salonga guests in ‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’ season finale by Ruben

V. nepales

Arnel Pineda takes ‘Rockville’ to the world by ChRistina

alpad ManilaTimes.net

Inquirer.net

LOS ANGELES—As befits the country’s No. 1 musical export, Lea Salonga will guest in the season finale of “Crazy ExGirlfriend,” the first prime-time series on mainstream US television to depict Filipino-American life, with a large cast of Filipino actors. Rachel Bloom, the star and cocreator of the groundbreaking comedy-musical series on CW network, revealed details of Salonga’s appearance on the April 18 episode to the Inquirer. The 2016 Golden Globe best actress in a TV series—comedy or musical—portrays Rebecca Bunch, a Harvard-educated lawyer who gives up her high-powered New York job. Rebecca moves to West Covina, a Los Angeles suburb where many Filipinos live, to pursue her exboyfriend from teen camp, Josh Chan (Vincent Rodriguez III). “Lea Salonga is playing Josh’s Aunt Myrna, the sister of his mom, Lourdes (Amy Hill),” Bloom revealed. She said, “We knew Lea was both a musical theater icon and a Filipino icon so we were looking to cast her in some role throughout the season. When the writer’s room started coming up with the story for the season finale, Aline (Brosh McKenna, cocreator) and Rene Gube (the episode’s Fil-Am writer) realized that a certain role would be perfect for her.” Season finale Gube penned the season finale which involves the wedding of Josh’s sister, Jayma, played by another Fil-Am thespian, Tess Paras. One of the episode’s stills shows Josh and three of his friends in barong Tagalog (traditional Filipino shirt), doing a dance number at the wedding reception. In the episode directed by McKenna, Rebecca’s and Josh’s relationship, as well as that of Rebecca’s and two of her friends, are severely tested. “Lea sings an astounding solo number that we wrote specifically for her!” exclaimed Bloom, who cowrites the show’s musical numbers. Bloom recalled being very impressed when she first heard the Tony and Olivier Award winning actress. She recalled, “The first time I heard Lea sing was when she voiced Jasmine singing in ‘Aladdin.’ The first time I saw her per-

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Lea Salonga’s selfie with Rachel Bloom and Santino Fontana on the “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” set. Inquirer.net contributed photo

form was when she sang ‘On My Own’ on a televised broadcast of a live concert of ‘Les Miserables,’ where she played the role of Eponine. I remember thinking she had the best singing voice I’ve ever heard.” Best time Of her guest stint in LA, Lea Salonga said: “I really had the best time. It’s such a wonderful family (the writers have) created, and everyone is so nice to work with. Rachel is just a funny, generous, sweet human to be around with. “Most of my scenes though are with Amy Hill and Vince Rodriguez,” Lea added. Gube also wrote the series’ Thanksgiving episode, which marked the first time that a mainstream TV show portrayed a Fil-Am family celebrating the American holiday in its own way, with dinuguan (pork blood stew) and all. Bloom explained why the FilAm community scene is familiar to her. “I was a little bit familiar with Filipino culture before the show through my friend Tess (Paras), whom I’ve known for many years. “We knew that Josh Chan should be Asian and, once we cast Vincent Rodriguez, we wanted to dig into the fact that he is Filipino,” she added. “We believe that creating good characters comes from exploring specificity, and one’s culture is a massive part of one’s identity and specificity.” The Los Angeles native, who also won a Critics’ Choice Television Award for best actress in a comedy series, said, “I have learned so much about Filipino customs and culture (while) doing

FROM performing in dinky bars for small crowds with his cover band to stadiums and arenas around the world for mammoth audiences, Arnel Pineda has indeed come a long way since becoming American rock band Journey’s front man in 2007. Now used to performing on the stages of Quinta Vergara Amphitheater in Chile for 20,000 people; the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida for 65,000; and the SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds here at the home front for some 30,000 fans, the OPM artist-turned-international rock star admits there is still a venue that gives him the jitters. “The ‘unseen’ online audience,” Pineda spelled out as he was reunited with the Philippine press to announce his upcoming concert at the Newport Performing Arts Theater of Resorts World Manila, dubbed “A Voyage To Rockville.” And you guessed it right—the live production will be streamed real-time around the world. Acknowledging that stage fright will always have its benefit in pushing artists to give their hundred-percent in every performance, Pineda went on to talk about how the idea of live streaming first appealed to him. And it was more for giving budding artists a boost in the right

this show.” Filipino elements She is grateful to Gube, who also acts in the show as Father Joseph, a Filipino Catholic priest nicknamed “Brah” by Josh. “Rene is an essential resource when it comes to the Filipino elements in this story,” Bloom acknowledged. “He is our Filipino ambassador. We really start getting into specifics about Filipino culture in episode 6, which was the first episode Rene wrote.” She added: “Every single Filipino specific in that episode is due to Rene. Even little things were due to Rene, like when Rebecca talks to Josh’s aunt about frozen shrimp dinners. And, I know that he felt and continues to feel a massive amount of pride being the main ambassador for his culture in our show.” Recounted the series’ star: “When there was a shot demanding that my character stir the dinuguan, Rene pointed out that the dinuguan we had on set didn’t look real. We immediately cut the shot. It is very important to us that we represent Filipinos and their culture accurately.” Bloom pointed out, “It just goes to show that diversity in a writer’s room is essential to telling new stories.” The lack of diversity in Hollywood is an issue raging in Hollywood, especially in the weeks leading to the Academy Awards show, which critics denounced for its predominantly white and male nominees. “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” is being hailed for its pioneering vision to feature Asian, specifically Filipino, key characters on prime PAGE B5 Whang-Od

Arnel Pineda

direction, rather than himself. “The first time I did this was in 2013 at my bar Rockville in Timog (Quezon City). My concept there was to help local bands to be live streamed via internet,” the successful singer recalled. Besides giving rock music fans around the world a front-row seat to an Arnel Pineda concert, what he describes as the “magical place of Rockville,” where he seeks to help others make dreams a reality has, will reach the farthest places around the globe. “Rockville is a land of reality and fantasy. It’s a land where, if music is your thing, it touches your soul. It’s a story within a

concert,” Journey’s frontman continued. For the Newport concert of course, imagine the Timog bar show in grand proportions. And indeed, performing as his guests are quality acts from around the world, namely 2016 Grammy nominee for best live performance, Morgan Rose of the band Sevendust (acclaimed to be one of the world’s best drummers), and new pop rock sensation from America, Namesake. Produced by Sanre Entertainment, the online streaming of A Voyage To Rockville is priced at $14.95 at Sanrestreaming.com, with additional options for a delayed telecast at $9.95 (valid for a seven day period from the time of purchase); and VIP access at $24.95 for fans who wish avail of an autographed Cd for Pineda as well as 8 weeks access to delayed telecasts. (The broadcast period will run from April 9 to June 11). Asked what kind of magic he has in store for his Filipino fans and the rest of the world, Pineda replied, “This will be the first time for me to mix a lot of original songs with cover songs that I’ve been doing for the past 30 year, including songs from Journey. It’s very nerve-wracking for me because I don’t know what the reaction of the audience will be, but at the same time I’d like to see that risk and see what happens.”

Legendary Cordillera tattoo artist Whang-Od featured in int’l exhibit CORdILLERA’S oldest and sole original “mambabatok” Whang-Od is featured in an exhibit in Toronto, Canada. drawing record crowds last year in Paris, the exhibit “Titled Tattoo: Ritual, identity, obsession, art,” traveled to the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in Canada to draw people to the history and beauty of body art. “Tattoos: Ritual. Identity. Obsession. Art. explores the 5000year-old multifaceted world of tattooing, showcasing a visual history of body art and markings, ancient tools, and commissioned tattooed silicone body reproductions, inked by some of the most respected tattoo artists in the contemporary world,” the

release said. On display are more than 200 works of art, including photos, posters and documentary videos and a series of 13 silicone body part replica showing some of the work of the world’s illustrious tattoo artists like Apo Whang-Od. Whang-Od also known as Fang-od Oggay, uses indigenous Filipino tradition of tattooing—inscribing tattoo on person’s skin using pomelo tree thorn and bamboo doused in water and soot. Because of her historical significance in the heritage and culture of the Philippines, many proposed that she be hailed as a National Artist and given a Pambansang Alagad ng Sining award. (Inquirer.net)

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Ben Chan on AlDub as Bench endorsers: No-brainer Whatever happened to Jessica Rodriguez? by Phoebe

Marquez Philstar.com

MANILA—The phenomenal loveteam of Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza, collectively known as AlDub, was recently launched as the newest product endorsers for the clothing and lifestyle brand Bench. AlDub Nation flocked to the Trinoma Activity Area and filled the event with deafening shrieks and screams of support, with some fans already lining up hours before the event. The hashtag #MaiChardforBench also trended on Twitter. Fans were treated to a number of mini-games, as well as equally energetic dance performances each from Alden and Maine. But the kilig factor reached fever pitch when Alden, while singing God Gave Me You, was finally joined on stage by Maine. They also talked about how thankful and honored they are to be part of the Bench family. The event culminated with a meet-andgreet with some lucky fans. Before ending the program

Maine Mendoza and Alden Richards with Bench founder Ben Chan

proper, however, Alden and Maine revealed that they have a huge surprise for AlDub Nation in July. “Something everyone has been waiting for,” teased Alden. “It’s an anniversary gift,” added Maine, pertaining to the birth of AlDub last July 2015. Asked why Bench chose Alden and Maine to represent its products, Bench founder and Suyen Corporation chairman Ben Chan

Philstar.com photo

told The STAR during the launch event that “it’s a no-brainer na kunin sila (to get them as endorsers). Furthermore, Chan described Alden and Maine as “very traditional Filipino.” “I think that every young Filipino should look up to them because they’re very down-toearth even if they’re so successful. Their values are very good,” Chan added.

Cristine Reyes tries something different in new flick by Dolly

anne Carvajal Inquirer.net

MARRIAGe and motherhood suit Cristine Reyes well. It shows in her glow. Although she’s already content in the domestic front, the hot mama still yearns to soar more as an actress. Cristine tries something different in her new movie by Viva Films, “elemento.” The supernatural horror drama is about a mother (portrayed by Cristine) experiencing creepy things after her son comes home from a school field trip to a forest. After making our jaw drop with her curves, now Cristine is out to send chills down our spine. here’s my chat with Cristine: How do you balance being a mother, wife and an actress? I always make it a point to have time for my family every Sunday. Our routine is always going to church in the morning, then have lunch with family. Then, [my hubby] Ali (Khatibi) and I would have our date night. How has Ali redefined love for you? Ali showed me the true meaning and value of love. he taught me a lot of things I never knew. Love is not just something that can make you smile or make you happy. Love, for me now, has a deeper meaning. It’s a never-ending cycle of giving and forgiving. And you know that you can only do this to

someone you truly love. Tell us the latest about your baby, Amarah? Amarah is a very curious, expressive and happy baby. She loves to interact with people, especially kids. We took her to Thailand recently. It was her first time out of the country. When she is old enough, what love advice will you give her? I’m not really the expert when it comes to love but, as her mother, I have to try to give her the best advice I can give about love. She shouldn’t rush into it and make sure to listen to me and Ali. How has marriage and motherhood changed you? I became more patient and selfless. What can your fans expect from your new film? It’s so intense! It will give you an adrenaline rush. What are your tips on how to be a hot mama? No tips at all. Just be a mom! By that, I mean take care of your family and everything will be OK. Live, and love your body. Big or small, you just have to own it and don’t mind the people around you. As long as you’re happy and comfortable with your body … [it will give you] the best feeling. What’s a misconception about you that you want to correct? There are many things that I can say and misconceptions I can correct. But I’d rather not say

Cristine Reyes (right) with Albert Silos in “Elemento.”

Inquirer.net photo

Luis Manzano remains friends with Angel Locsin MANILA—Luis Manzano is in good terms with with Angel Locsin, despite having to end their relationship for the second time. They first broke up in 2009, got back together in 2014, and have again broken up again early this year. “We’re friends, yes,” he replied when asked how he is and Angel, in a recent interview on Monday, April 4. “I don’t want to add color. Sa lahat ng pinagdaanan namin we’re friends.” The two of them work together in the talent search show “Pilipinas Got Talent.” he admitted that at first there was awkwardness between them, which they eventually worked on. Asked if there’s any chance for them to get back together for the third time, Luis chose to keep mum. “Let’s not talk about that. Nakakahiya naman kay Angel, especially wala naman siya dito, baka isipin nagagamit siya for the

Luis Manzano

Philstar.com photo

promo,” he said. “Less talk, less mistake, parang gano’n sa industry na ‘to,” he added. however, if there’s one thing he learned from his recent breakup, Luis said that’s “to live life.” “Life’s too short not to be lived, and I think that’s what happens with every relationship,” he said. (Philstar.com)

anything at all. It’s better this way. The only thing that matters to me are the people who truly care for me and my loved ones. How do you want to be remembered? I want to be remembered as a good actress and the best mom and wife to my family and husband.

The name Jessica Rodriguez still rings a bell in showbiz circles to this day. To be sure, the former talent manager and actress who married triathlete David Bunevacz, will be remembered for several controversies, the most serious of which was a high profile business partnership gone wrong that had them fleeing for safety in the United States. It has been 15 years since that painful day for the former celebrity, who according to her publicist Shirley Matias Pizarro, has gotten over the Beverly hills 6750 fiasco and happily living with David and their three children still in the US. The latest news about her though is that she is officially a book author now, having released a self-help title, “Date Like a Girl, Marry Like A Woman: The Polished Woman’s Guide to Love, Romance and Sex” via Amazon.com, now available for purchase. “She’s actually preparing for a bigger launch soon,” Pizarro told The Manila Times. Apparently, Jessica found good use of all her complex life experiences by writing them down, with the message that “even the wildest of dreams can become a reality.” Through her publicist, Jessica said of her new book, “I will be the first person to tell you that I never thought it was in me to write, much less author an entire book! Since we resided in California, I have been in search of my real purpose. My relationships are always the best part of

US-based Jessica Rodriguez releases a self-help title on Amazon.

my life and I found I had it in me to inspire people, and actually give them sound advice about love and life. So, I learned to write. And then I found my purpose. I hope people will enjoy reading this book as much as I had enjoyed writing it and sharing my life in the process.” “Date Like a Girl, Marry Like a Woman,” she added, will help readers navigate how to have a good time with “Mr. Right Now” and how to hold onto “Mr. Right” once they find him. “her book is about shedding your insecurities, and offers insight on looking, feeling, and being your best, with an empha-

sis on having your own life. Additionally, this is the book you’ll come back to even after you say ‘I do’ to your man. Understanding that happily ever after may be a good way to end a movie, but isn’t a good way to start a marriage. You can find real tips about everything from friendship to sex to finances with both humor and heart,” Pizarro interjected. “Ultimately Date Like a Girl, Marry Like a Woman: The Polished Woman’s Guide to Love, Romance, and Sex is meant to transcend beyond the pages as it’s lessons are applied in daily life,” Jessica concluded. (ManilaTimes.net)

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Sarah Geronimo denies Kean Cipriano gets steamy in offbeat role engagement with Matteo Guidicelli by Dolly

Anne cArvAJAl Inquirer.net

Sarah Geronimo denied that she’s already engaged and living with boyfriend Matteo Guidicelli. “Maraming naglabasan. Naglilive in na daw kami, buntis daw ako at engaged na kami. Wala, wala,” she said in an interview with push.com. although she revealed that she hopes to settle down in her early 30s. The two were together last holy Week when Matteo celebrated his birthday in Cebu and opened his restaurant “Trattoria Da Gianni.” The Popstar Princess was also asked about moving out of their home, which according to reports was because of her mom Divine. She denied moving out of their home, but became mum when asked to confirm about the rift with her mom. “Gusto kong gawing private yung ganyang issue. Okay lang ba na huwag na natin pag-usapan?” she asked the members of the press.

Sarah Geronimo and Matteo Guidicelli

On a happier note, Sarah has signed a two-year contract with aBS-CBN. For her new contract, the singer-actress hopes to have projects

Inquirer.net photo

that “mayro’n akong ma-i-impart na magandang lesson sa mga tao, inspirasyon. hindi lang ‘yong magpakilig o magpatawa.” (Joyce Jimenez/Philstar.com)

KeaN Cipriano is enjoying the best of both worlds as Callalily’s vocalist and as an actor. The heartthrob shows a different side of him in a horror-comedy film, “echorsis: Sabunutan between Good and evil” (opens april 13), where he portrays a gay exorcist-priest. Kean got steamy with hunky devils in the movie. his offbeat role made him do things he never thought he could pull off. The rocker related that he surprised himself. Brace yourself for a scarily funny movie experience. here’s my one-on-one with Kean: If you had to choose between singing and acting, what would you give up? Nothing, really. When I ask myself why I am singing and acting, I still can’t explain it. I just enjoy them. I don’t realize what I’m doing until I watch my movie or listen to my new song. Why did you and Chynna Ortaleza opt to keep your wedding

low-key? It’s hard to be private and public; we always say that it’s your choice to be quiet. How did you know that Chynna is the one? You know when you know. The whole universe will tell you. God will find ways to tell you about things you need in your life. What’s your favorite scene in “Echorsis”? The one with the bunch of naked dancers. I’m not saying it’s my fave because of their bodies. It defines me as an actor. What’s your take on gay marriage? I believe in equality. every human is meant to love and be loved… no bounds. No one can dictate what love is all about. If you were still single, would you be open to having a relationship with a gay man? It’s a matter of preference. I prefer girls. What’s your unsolicited advice for our next president? Do what you have to do. respect

Kean Cipriano

Inquirer.net photo

human rights. Please, no corruption. Just be fair. In what way are you not a rock star? I don’t consider myself a rock star. I’m just a musician, a selfproclaimed artist. I’m just a person who loves to play and make music. If your life story were made into a song, what would the title be? “Untitled Me.”

Meet the newest Sang’gres of ‘Encantadia’ K-pop actor Lee Min Ho dazzles fans in Manila, Cebu by

Joyce Jimenez

the role of Pirena, which was portrayed before by Sunshine The long wait is over for the Dizon. Kylie Padilla is amihan, a role “encantadia” fans as the newest played by Iza Calzado. Sang’gres have been revealed. Gabbi Garcia is alena, which On Monday, april 4, Glaiza de Castro, Kylie Padilla, Gabbi was portrayed before by KarGarcia and Sanya Lopez were ylle. Sanya Lopez is Danaya, the named as the newest stars in the remake of GMa’s 2005 popular role played by Diana Zubiri. It has been announced before fantasy-series. Glaiza de Castro will play that Marian rivera will portray Philstar.com

Lee Min Ho

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the role of Ynang reyna. also part of the cast are Solenn heussaff, John arcilla, rocco Nacino, Christian Bautista, Pancho Magno, Carlo Gonzales, Buboy Villar, Kate Valdez, Mikee Quintos, Migo adecer, Klea Pineda, rochelle Pangilinan, Vaness del Moral and ruru Madrid. The series is directed by Mark reyes and will air soon in GMa.

KOreaN actor Lee Min ho entertained thousands of Filipino fans during his mall tours in Manila and Cebu over the weekend. This is the fifth time Lee visited the country as the endorser of the clothing line Bench. his first Benchsetter Fun Meet was in November 2012. he charmed the audience with his ‘Be My Yeobo’ Fun Meet on april 2 at the Trinoma activity Center and SM Megamall Fashion hall and on april 3 at the SM Seaside Cebu and ayala Cebu. he said that he was busy with his next movie ‘Bounty hunters’ , a 35-billion won (Php 1.4 billion) movie collaboration with South Korean and Chinese producers. The movie will be released in China in June, and Lee will star with Chinese actress Tiffany Tang in the film directed by Shin Tae ra. Other commercials are lined up for the Korean heartthrob, who became famous for his unforgettable roles in Boys Over Flowers and Gangnam Blues. Lee also announced that he would be in the main cast of an upcoming Korean soap opera. (Gianna Sanya Lopez, Gabbi Garcia, Kylie Padilla and Glaiza de Castro are the new Sang’gres in the remake of the 2005 popular fantasy-series “Encantadia.” Photo from Bench’s Facebook account Francesca Catolico/Inquirer.net)

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Recent developments in asylum Your Immigration Solution Atty. RobeRt Reeves RAfAel toRRes, III NANcy e. MIlleR As the world continues to suffer from tumultuous conflicts and wars, there are people in many countries who are victims of persecution and might desire to seek safety outside their home country. The United states accepts applications for asylum or refugee status from those people fleeing their home country due to their fear of persecution based on specific protected grounds. The process of applying for, and receiving, asylum or refugee status is complicated and constantly evolving. Thus, any person potentially interested in seeking asylum or refugee status should consult a knowledgeable and experienced immigration attorney to navigate this path to relief. The terms asylum and refuge are not interchangeable. They refer to distinct avenues of relief based on the location of the person applying for relief. If the applicant is outside the United states, they would apply for refugee status and their application would be adjudicated while the applicant remains outside the United states. If the applicant is within the boundaries of the United states, the person would apply for asylum status and their application would usually be adjudicated while the applicant remains inside the United states. Employment authorization may become available to the applicant for asylum if their asylum application remains pending before the United states Citizenship and Immigration service (“UsCIs”) for a requisite period of time. One year after having been granted asylum, the asylee may apply for a green card.

Health@Heart PhIlIP s. chuA, MD, fAcs, fPcs “IDEAL medicine, the unbeatable nutrition, the sound economics of a free good, the deep ecology of no waste, and last, but not the least, the sheer joy of bonding of mother and child -- these five petals of the power of breastfeeding make it one of the basic pillars of ‘The Good society,’ one that nurtures its future caringly, competently, and completely,” wrote the late economist Galbraith. What a poignant way to describe the benefits of breastfeeding! It is an accepted scientific fact that we humans (homo sapiens) are animals, just like the lady ape “Lucy,” possibly our earliest direct human ancestor 3.2 million years ago, whose fossils were discovered by paleontologist Donald C. Johnson in Hadar, Ethiopia in 1974. Under the class Mammalia and the order Primates, humans “have the basic pattern of breastfeeding and weaning activity that has been molded by more than 65 million years of natural selection to ensure the best possible survival rate of primate offspring,” explains K. A. Dettwyler, Ph.D, of the Natural Child Project. While humans are domesticated tool-using animals, who are intelligent and have the power of reasoning and deduction which they could articulate well, scientists nonetheless, often compare human behaviors with the behaviors of other primates, like chimpanzees and gorillas, and even with those of other animals, like dogs, sheep, deer, horses, etc. when they study man’s “natural” behavior and instincts. Evolution and us One example is breastfeeding. A study (Breastfeeding: Biocultural Perspectives), using regression analysis, concluded that the “young primates should have an average weaning age of between 2.8 and 3.7 years.” Elephants and chimpanzees wean their young at age 4 to 5, while gorillas, at about 3.

The protected grounds upon which a claim for asylum or refugee status may be made are the same for both programs. There are five, and they are: 1. Race, 2. Religion, 3. Nationality, 4. Membership in a Particular social Group, and 5. Political Opinion. An applicant may base their claim in one or a combination of the above-enumerated protected grounds. To illustrate, we can consider the following hypothetical. An indigenous person is on their way home from a religious ceremony and suffers a violent attack. During the attack, the persecutor(s) makes racist and derogatory comments about the indigenous person’s race and threatens the indigenous person with additional violence if the indigenous person ever returns to practice their religion. In the above hypothetical, the indigenous person might apply for asylum or refugee status based on a combination of the protected grounds of race, religion, and possibly membership in a particular social group of native indigenous persons. As can be seen in this relatively short hypothetical, possible legal arguments in support of the person’s claim may become quite complicated. One protected ground that has recently received attention from the courts is the protected ground of Membership in a Particular social Group. On March 21, 2016, the United states Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit published a decision in the matter of Ramirez-Munoz v. Lynch regarding a claim of Mexican citizens about their fear of persecution based on membership in a particular social group of “imputed wealthy Americans.” In this case, the Court found that the proposed group was not cognizable. In other words, the group as defined was not recognized as a viable protected ground for a claim of relief in the form

of asylum. This does not mean that a different definition for a similar group might not be valid particular social group. In another venue, the Board of Immigration Appeals is currently accepting amicus curiae, also known as “friend of the court,” briefs on the issue of whether immediate family members, such as husbands and wives and their children, can be considered a cognizable particular social group. Amicus curiae briefs are those that are submitted by a person or a group who is not involved in the case pending before the court, but who has a strong interest in the subject matter of the case and desire to influence the court’s decision. The nuances within each possible claim need careful analysis in order to provide the best chances for success. In addition, the evidence submitted in support of the claim must be strong enough to persuade the asylum officer that the applicant has a well-founded fear of harm if they return home. It is important to remember that immigration law is constantly in flux and a claim that might not have been viable in the past may well be approved under current law. Any non-citizen who fears being harmed if they return to their home country should consult a knowledgeable and experienced immigration attorney to determine if they are eligible to apply for asylum. *** Atty. Reeves has represented clients in numerous landmark immigration cases that have set new policies regarding INS action and immigrants’ rights. His offices are located in Pasadena, Irvine, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Makati City. Telephone: (800) 795-8009 E-mail: immigration @rreeves.com Website: www.rreeves.com. *** The analysis and suggestions offered in this column do not create a lawyer-client relationship and are not a substitute for the personalized representation that is essential to every case. (Advertising Supplement)

Breastfeeding until 5? Mankind, especially thousands of years ago, and even today, among the poor, nursing practices have been and are determined by the exigencies of life. The now extinct Karankawa Indians in the narrow strip of south Texas, from Galveston to Corpus Christi, nursed their children until age 12 because of the scarcity of food, where family members were usually without food for several days. some studies suggest that “primates are like other mammals in weaning each offspring when they reach one-third their adult weight,” which equation translates to an average weaning age between 2.8 years and 3.7 years. Current data The World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTi) released its research report on ‘The state of Breastfeeding in 33 countries2010,’ which among other issues, revealed that in the Philippines only 75.5 percent of mothers breastfed their babies. Fifty-four percent of these mothers initiated breast feeding within one hour after giving birth, which is an excellent practice that decreases neonatal mortality rate. Ideally, these two practices should be closer to 100 percent. The median duration of breastfeeding among Filipinos in this study was 14.1 months, weaning the babies at the age of about a year and two months, compared to sri Lanka (33), Bangladesh (32.8), Napal (30), and India (24.4). The average in the United states is 2.5 years, usually 3 years for the youngest child. The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding “for two years and beyond.” The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding up to “at least one year and as long as it is mutually desired by the mother and the baby.” Benefits of breast milk More studies are coming out in favor of breastfeeding for up to at least 3 years old, and in some, up to 5, on top of regular food items. Breast milk provides valuable substances not found in formulas or even in food. It also lowers rates of ear infection, eczema, diarrhea,

lower respiratory tract infection, sudden infant death, obesity, leukemia, and childhood diabetes. It also reduces the risk for allergy and asthma, confers immunity to the child against bacterial and viral illnesses, and maximizes brain development, cognitive power, leading to a higher IQ. Breastfeeding also promotes bonding, especially for toddlers, satisfies the child’s emotional needs, and lowers the risk for breast cancer for the baby when she grows up (formula fed female infants have a higher risk for breast cancer when they grow up). Breastfeeding also helps shrinks the mother’s uterus after childbirth and reduces the mother’s risk for breast and ovarian cancer. The first 6 years of the child is when the brain develops significantly, double in size by age 8. The years could definitely benefit from the wonder substances in breast milk, as proven science. The decision rests in the mother of today, whose circumstances vary, but who are better educated and very well-informed. Later weaning is safe, and better Dr. Dettwyler’s studies on 1,280 children in the United states whose mothers nursed them for more than 3 years showed they were “perfectly fine and they didn’t need therapy and they didn’t think they were having sex with their mothers.” The burning question is whether breastfeeding for more than 4 years could be accepted as a beneficial biological function or a tabooed cultural activity as practised and scrutinized today by a pragmatic society in a rush. *** 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

Lea Salonga guests in ‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’ season... PAGE B2 time. Bloom and McKenna will be honored on April 25 by the East West Players, the premier Asian American theater in the Us, for helping raise “the visibility of Asian-Pacific American community through their craft.” Rodriguez was quoted as saying in another interview, “I’m proud of the show” because “I didn’t see a Josh character on TV (when I was) growing up.” said Bloom: “From the beginning, we wanted Josh Chan to be an Asian ‘bro.’ I grew up with a ton of Asian bros and it was a character type we hadn’t seen on television before. It felt

new, specific and very true to the show’s setting of southern California. We were just going for something that felt fresh and new and, inadvertently, broke new ground with a sexy male Asian lead, something that hadn’t really been done before.” Apparently, being exposed to another culture was a good experience for Bloom as well. “I did taste the dinuguan and it was delicious!” the actress said about the Filipino dish which her Rebecca character cooked to impress Josh and his Filipino family at their Thanksgiving celebration. “I truly loved every second of eating in that Thanksgiving episode.

I was also a massive fan of the kare-kare (stew cooked with a thick peanut sauce)—that was my favorite dish.” Asked if another Filipino food item would be featured in the show, Bloom replied, “I don’t know whether or not Rebecca will eat balut but it’s a definite possibility!” On whether other Filipino talents will guest star in the series, which was renewed by CW for season 2, Bloom said, “We have just started writing the second season, so we are not sure yet! Whoever it is, our standards for guest stars have been set very high by Lea salonga.”

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Prisoners of War Day at the Filipino Veterans Education Center All WWII veterans and families, please join us as we commemorate the historic 74thanniversary of Prisoners of War Day and the Fall of Bataan, the Day of Valor, on Saturday, April 9th. In the spirit of reconciliation, friendship and international cooperation, let us leave the past behind us as we move forward with joined hands to attain peace for all mankind. The formal Commemoration and remembrance ceremony will start at 2:00pm in the Filipino Veterans Education Center, at the War Memorial Performing Arts Veterans Building (401 Van Ness Ave. San Francisco, CA 94102). This event is open to the public. Please RSVP RudyAsercion@gmail.com; naffaasf@gmail.com. Tel: 415 564 6262.

A p R I L 23

Chino Hills Multicultural Festival Inspired by last year’s successful celebration of the community’s diversity, the Rotary Club of Greater Chino Hills Foundation will host its second Multicultural Festival on Saturday, April 23, from 3 to 9 pm, at the Chino Hills Community Center (14250 Peyton Drive, Chino Hills, CA 91709). Admission is free. There will be food booths, live entertainment, music, dance and performances by an array of participants. Sponsorship and advertisement packages are available for non-profit organizations to fundraise, and for businesses interested in market their products and services. For more information, contact rotary.chinohills@gmail.com or visit www.chinohillsrotaryclub.org. Contact: Ted Alvarez (909) 456-0359, tedalvarez@verizon.net; Tessie Lightholder (909) 576-4152,tessielightholder@gmail.com, or Ginny Mondonedo (951) 212-4624, vmondonedo55@gmail.com.

ApRIL 30

COSC celebrates 27th Anniversary The Candonians of Southern California (COSC), under the leadership of their newly elected president, Mrs. Elizabeth Gacula Singh, will celebrate their 27th Anniversary on April 30 at the Doubletree Hotel-Monrovia (924 W. Huntington Dr., Monrovia). Music will be provided by The Midnight Motion Band. For questions and those interested, please email thecandoniansofsocal@gmail.com.

ApRIL — SEpTEMBER

Pilgrimages to Eastern Europe, Mexico and India Amazing Pilgrimages for the Jubilee Year of Mercy! All are welcome to join Fr. Joe Joseph of Holy Trinity Church for the spiritual and fun-filled experiences of EASTERN EUROPE (April 17- 30): Poland, Czech., Austria, Hungary, Medjugorje; COLONIAL MEXICO/ OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE (June 20 - 27): Mexico City, Theotihuacan, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Ocotlan, Xochimilco, Guanajuato, San Miguel De Allende, Guadalajara, San Juan De Los Lagos, Cristo Rey, Zapopan, Tonala; and INDIA (September 15 - 29): Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Kolkata, Kerala. For more pilgrimage information and detailed flyers, please contact Bernadette at bcorp1114@hotmail.com OR call 323-344-1548 & 323-547-6618.

M AY 27-29

PUP/PCC to hold 1st Global Reunion Attention all graduates of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and the Philippine College of Commerce: join us in our FIRST GLOBAL REUNION being organized by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Alumni Association, USA Inc. scheduled on May 27-29, 2016 (Memorial Day Weekend) at the New Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. We promise a weekend of fun-filled activities, of friendship and camaraderie as we reminisce our best memories during our high school and college days. There will be lots of entertainment, singing and dancing and photo opportunities with your classmates and friends. For more information, please contact any of the following: Loi Herrera at 562-5448210 orloiherrera@yahoo.com; Monette Santillan-Rivera at 818-970-8317 orMonette_santillan@yahoo.com; Rose Mejia at 323-997-3838 or Rosemariemejia@kw.com; Marissa Sugay-Palanca at 818-281-7460 or marispalanca@yahoo.com; Rose Maghari at661-7948906 or rmaghari@gmail.com; Sally Mendoza at 323-695-0235 or sally.mendoza616@ yahoo.com; Honeylette De Leon at 562-480-5743 orhoney@worldclassfreight.com; Virginia Herbito at virginiaherbito@gmail.com; Connie Acosta at 323-854-5303 or connieacosta1@ att.net; Violeta D. Cristobal at 310-880-5808 orvee@cristobalcpa.com; Jun Mapoy at 323627-5326 or jcmapoy@yahoo.com.

JUNE 4

Missionary Society of St. Columban Dinner-Dance The Missionary Society of St. Columban will hold its annual dinner dance event on June 4th, 6PM, at the Friendship Auditorium (3201 Riverside Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90941). Organized by the Dancing for the World, an affiliate of the Columbans, will celebrate the “Year of Mercy” to echo and emphatically support the call of Pope Francis’s Jubilee Year. This year is very important to be responsive to the call of the church and be faithful to the mission of God because God is by nature merciful. Thanks to the many dedicated missionaries, priests, sisters and lay missionaries who responded to the call of God and live among the poor to make a difference and allow God’s mercy to flow into the hearts of those they minister. For more information, please visit www.columban.org. The Dancing for the World event on June 4 is also an opportunity to meet supporters, donors and friends to thank them for their valuable contribution to the Columban mission. Event will include delicious food, ballroom dancing, and fabulous raffle prizes. (For this year, the first prize will be a cruise for two to Mexican Riviera. The second prize is a Flat screen TV. The third prize is a Tablet.) There are many amazing prizes available for all lucky winners. The dinner dance ticket is $40.Reserve your tickets now or before May 15. For information and tickets please contact Carmencita Enriquez (213) 880-5075 or Ariel Presbitero (323) 691-5262, or at: 2919 Moss Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90065. Thank you in advance on behalf of the Missionary Society of St. Columban and the Dancing for the World committee members. Please continue praying for all Columban Missionaries all over the world and the success of this event.

JUNE 11

Piyesta Pinoy Bolingbrook Please join us on Saturday, June 11 for the 3rd Philippine Fest Celebration (Piyesta Pinoy sa Bolingbrook) at the beautiful Bolingbrook Performing Arts Center (375 W. Briarcliff Rd. Bolingbrook, IL). This year’s event will include a variety of food vendors, business, merchandise, and non-profit organizations, as well as hours of dance, games, and musical entertainment, including special guest performances. The Philippine American Cultural Foundation (PACF) is proud to promote and share our rich Filipino cultural heritage and traditions in America. Your participation and support are always valuable and critical to the survival of PACF and its programs. For more information, or to volunteer, perform, exhibit, or donate, please visit www.piyestapinoy.net.

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Retooling coping techniques 101 Powerful lessons from China’s richest man Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond

I’ve used up all my sick days, so I’m calling in dead.

Kite Runner

— Graffiti

Monette AdevA MAglAyA WE all have known of friends, family and complete strangers who passed away quite unexpectedly over the course of our lifetimes. there seemed to be no warning signs. all the deep, dark emotions of shock, grief, denial and finally, calming, quiet acceptance must have washed over those left behind like a devastating tsunami wave as they come to grips with the finality of death. No one is exempt. Death does come like a thief in the night. and in many life stories, mercifully so … they were there one moment, living, breathing, smiling and so full of life. In the blink of an eye, they were gone. and just like that, it was over. It leaves one with a profound sense of mortality – that final end game. We derive comfort in knowing that those we know of and care about may have lived good lives and are now free of all the pain and strains of human bondage. Death, after all, makes it possible to finally come home. and yet, while we are alive and kicking, most of us who are aware of our own mortality must strive to make the most of our lives. We try to make each day count. We try to live purposeful lives as best we can. But it is not always easy. It seems we are always at the throes of uncertain times. Can anyone remember a time that was not uncertain? Most of the things that weigh us down or at the very least, ruffle our feathers, will come from within us, from our own heads and hearts, as we process the external world from one day to the next. Oftentimes, our bodies simply follow the lead. If we recognize this mind-body-spirit dynamic, perhaps we can retool the coping skills we need to adapt to tough, troubling times and still come out whole. the mind-body-spirit connection is real. How often have we heard of this about stress? It is not what we eat but what is eating us. stress is a silent killer. It is not unusual to read or hear about people in the prime of life— sixty, fifty, forty and even thirty year old

men and women who drop down dead without warning because of strokes or massive brain aneurysms—the body’s reaction to unrelenting stress that typically characterize modern life. there are increasing numbers of horrific news accounts of ordinary people who felt they have reached the end of their ropes. Driven by severe depression and complicated by addictive drug intake, many end up killing themselves. sadly, there are increasing numbers who murder their families in one fell swoop before killing themselves. Whatever the circumstance, murder is never the answer. there are a few simple stressbusting techniques we can adapt and perhaps, give us a few more good years out of life. Become a presentist. Learn to focus on the present to savor the joy of the moment. Regretting the past and worrying about the future only increases stress. For as long as we are alive, stress is like a chisel that is meant to shape our characters as real human beings. the most adjusted people have learned to deal with their own stresses. When life becomes too stressful, find a quiet place to pray and meditate. Jesus Christ, the son of God, was stressed too and He would always find a place to be by himself and pray, specially when he has ministered to the crowds, teaching them, healing them and feeding them by the thousands. He would slip away and pray with a few of his apostles. as a Godman, he needed to recharge his internal batteries with prayer and meditation. and so should we. the best times are in the early morning hours when no one is stirring—not even the mouse. Hie off to a quiet corner and get your bearings straight for the day. Listen to the silence as it quiets your mind. Imagine your mind as a blank computer screen with your stresses in teeny tiny bundles which you then drag and drop into a mental trash bin and emptying it out into the netherworld of cyberspace. Poof — all gone! It is astonishing what this quiet half hour can do for us in the quality of our physical and spiritual life

each day. take a break in the middle of a workday. Eat a light, balanced lunch — without hurrying, preferably with good company you enjoy. slow down deliberately. Find the humor in situations and laugh often. Laughter and exercise produce endorphins in our brain that make us happy and healthy. Once in a while, try taking a nap during lunch breaks instead of eating. Machines need to power down. and so do we. Downtime is just as important in recharging one’s batteries. Hold your calls. Carpe diem! Be ready to admit it when you need help. at the root of the most serious problems is foolish, foolish pride — hubristic pride, being the worst of them all. the fallen angels had this kind of pride. the ego will prevent us from asking for help — effectively dragging us to a whirlpool of denial until stresses and problems have us on a stranglehold. It takes courage and humility to finally admit that we need help. When we get down on our knees and humbly ask for the grace and the strength to finally snap out of it, seek help as soon as possible. It can be our spouse, a friend, a professional or someone we can trust to help us sort out our problems and support us in doing something constructive about them. Deep emotional or psychological problems are the worst burdens for they can weigh us down and seriously threaten our entire wellbeing and also affect the lives of those whom we care about. Unload the burden of a heavy heart. allow time to mend and heal a broken heart or it will bury us six feet deep. Know thyself. Gauge what we can and cannot do, both in our personal and professional life. Do not set unrealistic pie in the sky goals. We can choke ourselves to death when we bite more than we can chew. Resist overextending ourselves. the mortgage crisis is caused by millions of borrowers overextending themselves and the financial titans allowing such foolishness to go unchecked. Each human being is created for a specific purpose in life. PAGE B7

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Prof. EnriquE Soriano Last week was a relatively tough but gratifying week for my family as we were practically living in a suitcase for 6 nights while traversing Osaka, Manila and Hong kong. My Family Business coaching work in Japan and a speaking engagement in Hong Kong to celebrate Julie’s Bakeshop’s 35th anniversary were the highlights of the twin overseas trips. While in Hong kong which is a special administrative Region (saR) of China, I decided to research on the success lessons of Wang Jianlin, China’s newly minted Richest Billionaire with a fortune of $40.7 Billion. Wang is almost 4X richer than our local taipan, mall king Henry sy. In a Business Insider report, Wang Jianlin, a former People’s Liberation army soldier who is now a real estate mogul and the world’s largest cinema chain operator, is the richest person in China and he’s caught in a riches race with Hong Kong business magnate Li-Kashing to become the wealthiest man in asia. Wang, born in sichuan Province in 1954 just after the Communist revolution, spent the first few decades of his life in anything but luxury. In 1970, Wang entered the military, where he remained until 1986 when he took a city government job in the city of Dalian in Liaoning Province. Wang became chairman of Wanda in 1989 at age 35. His fortune more than doubled following successful public offerings of his real estate firm Dalian Wanda Commercial Properties, which has 125 shopping plazas

and 68 five-star hotels, and Wanda Cinema Line, one of China’s largest movie theatre chains. according to a Forbes Magazine report, Wang bought 20 percent of spanish soccer team atletico Madrid and purchased the Us organizer of Ironman triathlons for $650 million. Wang’s Dalian Wanda Group purchased Us movie theatre chain aMC Entertainment Holdings for $2.6 billion in 2012 and took it public in December 2013. His Wanda Group teamed up with the auchan Group to invest 3 billion euros, or $3.3 billion, in a business and entertainment center in Paris. the project will be the largest ever in France by a China company, and will include an indoor and outdoor theme park, stage show, hotels, and business and conference centers. the French investment is part of an aggressive push by 60year-old Wang to move Wanda beyond its roots in China’s real estate business. the company has in recent years expanded into entertainment, particularly film and sports, and committed billions of dollars to overseas investments. the project in France will be located next to the Charles de Gaulle airport, about 10 kilometers from downtown Paris. some 14,000 jobs will be created once the facility begins operation. Wang’s recent book, a compilation of public speeches entitled “the Wanda Way,” claims to give an inside look into his managerial philosophy and the values that turned his company into a giant conglomerate with big global ambitions. Here are some nuggets of advice from Wang as detailed by sophia Yan in a CNN report: 1. Get tough in the army Wang joined the Chinese military as a teenager in 1970. His gruelling training involved epic

marches that took the soldiers through “knee-deep stretches of snow.” He recalls, “We were deprived of everything. In the snow, we had to dig our own hole to spend the night. anyone who faltered could forget about being chosen to move up that year, or earning your Exemplary Fighter award.” this experience built his “teeth-gritting spirit and a desire to fight until the end,” he says. Wang suggests there’s a direct relationship between a military background and success, pointing out that many top Chinese entrepreneurs previously served in the military. 2. Differentiate and innovate, like Starbucks “the first key is to understand how you can differentiate yourself from others and be innovative,” Wang said. “For instance, everyone knows how to sell coffee, but starbucks redesigned the coffee-making process, innovated the business model and became a successful chain business.” Wang disputes the idea that only high-tech companies can lead the way forward -- “No matter whether you are in a traditional or an emerging industry, as long as you’re capable of innovating the existing business model, you can reap super profits.” (Part 2 will continue out next week) *** Prof. Soriano is an ASEAN Family Business Advisor, Book Author, Executive Director of ASEAN-based Consulting group, Wong + Bernstein Advisory and former Chair of the Marketing Cluster of the ATENEO Graduate School of Business. He is back in Manila after a 2 week coaching work and book launch in the US where he shared his second book “Ensuring Your Family Business Legacy” to Asian and American Family Business owners. Get Prof Soriano’s book by calling Marianne at +639255224713 or email her at mrevilla@wongadvisory. com. Prof Soriano’s business articles can also be accessed at www.Faminbusiness. com.

Talc powder and ovarian cancer: Is there a connection? The recent US jury verdict was on whether J&J withheld information about the potential risks; more research appears needed to establish a definitive link by Anne

A. JAmborA Inquirer.net

tHE safety of one of the most ubiquitous personal products recently spurred concern worldwide when a Us jury verdict linked the regular use of Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder and shower to shower talcum powder to a woman’s death from ovarian cancer. Jacqueline Fox from Birmingham, alabama, claimed she used Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder and shower to shower for feminine hygiene purposes for over 35 years. three years ago she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. she died October last year at 62. In February this year, a Missouri jury awarded $72 million in damages to her family. Fox’s is one of 1,200 lawsuits in the United states currently being brought against the american multinational company, from consumers who claim they were not informed of the risks of talcum powder. But are the risks posed by using products containing talc real? Before throwing out your favorite eyeshadow or dusting powder, according to the scientific american, scientists said the evidence of a real danger “is inconclusive at best.” talcum powder, made of the planet’s softest mineral, talc, contains magnesium, silicon and oxygen. It is used in a variety of cosmetic products, including powders used to absorb moisture or to cut down friction. In its natural form, talc contains asbestos, a known carcinogen. However, all talcum products used for homes in the United states have been asbestos-free since the 1970s. But while the Us Food and Drug administration (FDa) does not allow talc-based products to contain asbestos, cosmetic products do not need to be reviewed or approved before hitting the store shelves. Health Magazine said that in a study from 2009 to 2010, the FDa tested random retail outlets in the Washington, DC metro area and bought a variety of cosmetic products containing talc. No traces of asbestos were found in all products across a wide range of prices. still, that does not prove that all talc-based products in the market are asbestos-free. Different kinds the american Cancer society (aCs) pointed out that it’s important to distinguish between talc that contains asbestos and talc that does not contain asbestos when talking about cancer links. talc that contains asbestos can cause cancer when inhaled; hence, some studies suggest

Can powder particles in women’s genital areas make them sick? Inquirer.net photo by Cheche V. Moral

higher risks of lung cancer and other respiratory diseases among talc miners and millers. Other studies, however, found no increased risk of lung cancer. the studies on miners and millers are complicated, says the aCs, since talc in its natural form can contain varying amounts of asbestos and other minerals. But the use of cosmetic talcum powder so far has shown no increased risk of lung cancer. But what about the ovaries? since some women use talc powder for feminine hygiene purposes, there have been suggestions that talcum powder may cause ovarian cancer if powder particles—after application in the genital area or sanitary napkins, diaphragms or condoms—travel through the vagina, uterus and fallopian tubes to the ovary, and cause inflammation. Dr. adetunji toriola, a Washington University epidemiologist at siteman Cancer Center in st. Louis, told scientific american that such an association is scientifically plausible. “We know that inflammation increases ovarian cancer risk,” he noted. “We know talcum powder causes inflammation. the question is, does talc cause cancer by causing inflammation in the ovaries?” ‘Possibly’ the International agency for Research on Cancer (IaRC), a part of the World Health Organization, classified talc that contains asbestos as “carcinogenic to humans.” and, based on limited evidence from human studies of a link to ovarian cancer, IaRC classifies the perineal (genital) use of talc-based body powder as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” the word “possibly” has raised concern among consumers, especially after the court ruling. But the american Cancer society says more research is needed on the topic. a 2014 report by the National Center for Biotechnology Information—where 61,576

postmenopausal women were followed for a mean of 12.4 years without a history of cancer or bilateral oophorectomy—concluded that “perineal powder use does not appear to influence ovarian cancer risk.” the scientific evidence linking ovarian cancer to the use of talc powder is not overwhelming. the Johnson & Johnson trial, however, was on whether the company withheld information from its consumers about the potential risks of talc powder, and not about proving its safety or danger. there is still very little known about ovarian cancer, the fifth most common cause of cancer-related deaths in women. at present, there is not even a screening tool for the disease. science, so far, has only been able to show its risk factors. this, according to some scientists, is probably why people are so keen to believe there is a connection between talc and ovarian cancer. In response to the verdict, Johnson & Johnson issued a statement to CNN saying its products are safe. “the recent Us verdict goes against decades of sound science proving the safety of talc as a cosmetic ingredient in multiple products, and while we sympathize with the family of the plaintiff, we strongly disagree with the outcome,” said Carol Goodrich, Johnson & Johnson spokesperson, in a statement sent to CNN. On its website, Johnson & Johnson states that its talc-based products, based on studies made by the FDa, are asbestos-free: “Various government agencies and other bodies have also examined talc to determine the potential for any safety risk, and none have concluded that there are safety risks. In fact, no regulatory agency has ever required a change in labeling to reflect any safety risk from talc powder products.”

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With tax deadline less than 2 weeks 2016 Las Vegas Helldorado Parade on May 14 away, free tax services available for all taxpayers at IRS.gov/freefile WASHiNgTON, DC—With less than two weeks left until the tax deadline, the Free File Alliance, a nonprofit coalition of industryleading tax software companies partnered with the internal Revenue Service (iRS), today reminded taxpayers that free tax solutions are available to all Americans at www. iRS.gov/FreeFile. Taxpayers with a 2015 Adjusted gross income of $62,000 or less can access free, industry-leading tax software to prepare, complete and e-file their federal tax returns at no cost. Free state return options are also available to everyone making $62,000 or less. Taxpayers who have an Agi that exceeds $62,000 can e-file their

federal tax returns or an extension using Free File Fillable Forms—a service designed for taxpayers who are familiar with tax law and need no preparation assistance. Free File also helps taxpayers with the new health care requirements. Using Free File, most taxpayers will simply have to check a box to report health care coverage for the entire year. The service is also available in Spanish. “Every American taxpayer can and should take advantage of the Free File program,” said Tim Hugo, executive director of the Free File Alliance. “Whether you need to e-file a tax return or an extension, Free File is the fast, safe and free way to tackle your taxes. Free File

is also the only place where the industry’s best tax software is available at one place and at no cost. Simply visit iRS.gov/freefileand choose the software offering that fits your tax needs.” The Free File program has provided nearly $1.4 billion in free tax software over the last 13 years. Free File Alliance member companies have continually worked with the iRS to strengthen the Free File program, and taxpayers have consistently reported that it is userfriendly and efficient. Responding to a 2009 iRS survey, 96 percent of users said they found Free File easy to use, while 98 percent said they would recommend the program to others.

Iya Villania explains doing exercise amid pregnancy

Iya Villania continues her exercise routine amid her pregnancy, explaining that it can reduce chances of undergoing caesarean labor. Photo from Iya Villania’s Instagram account

iyA Villania continues to do her exercise routine despite her pregnancy. The Kapuso actress-host explained in her instagram post on Tuesday, April 5, that maintaining her usual exercise routine “reduces the chance of having a caesarean [labor] by 75 percent.” She’s now on the second trimester of her pregnancy. iya posted this after some of her followers expressed their concern about her pregnancy, since she’s still doing different exercise routines like core training and running. She also pointed out that she has been adjusting the intensity of her routine since her pregnancy, adding that “if your body was used to an exercise prior to pregnancy then it will be safe to carry on (adjusting intensity accordingly) as long as your body says it’s still okay and your doctor approves.” Her husband Drew Arellano is supportive of her fitness routine, even doing some of the activities with her. (Philstar.com)

Retooling coping techniques...

PAGE B6 He who finds his purpose early enough and fulfills it saves himself from unnecessary and unwanted frustrations and crushing disappointments. Filter the messages that bombard us daily. The constant barrage of messages and suggestions from songs, news, features and advertisements from the media and the internet is designed to make us feel inadequate so that each one of us as a consumer will buy a product or service. We can listen, if we have to, but we must always think for our-

selves. give no one the power to even suggest we are unworthy or inadequate as human beings who need to buy something in order to feel whole. Media and the internet serve a purpose—for good or ill. Together, they are a potent force and we will all do well to keep it at bay. Use self-editing filters, because media agenda-driven messages have the most awesome power to influence thought, feelings, self-image and behavior. There is always the MUTE OR OFF button. We are still the BOSS. Knowing what we can do within our own set of circumstances will

save us a lot of angst from wanting to do that which is beyond our capacities. When we begin to relax and REFUSE to be driven by the ego, it is uncanny how life permits us to naturally flow into that glowingly wonderful state of peace and contentment, where our abilities fit with WHAT WE WANT TO DO AND more importantly, WHAT WE HOPE TO BE, like a hand in glove. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, email monette.maglaya@asianjournalinc.com

HigH school marching bands, groups can receive $1,000+ for entering float in annual @HelldoradoVegas parade May 14. The annual Las Vegas Helldorado Parade will begin at 10am Saturday, May 14, downtown on Fourth Street. The parade route heads north on Fourth Street from gass to Stewart avenues. There is NO fee to enter the parade and HigH SCHOOL MARCHiNg BANDS will receive $1,000 for participating! HigH SCHOOL gROUPS that build and enter a float will get $1,500, just for participating!All community members are welcome to submit entries at no charge -- local businesses, car clubs, equestrian groups, civic groups, nonprofits and more. See the application packet for rules and guidelines. go online to download the information and application packet.

Submit your application to participate online or by fax or mail no later than April 18, 2016. information about the parade, the Helldorado Rodeo, PBR Last Cowboy Standing, and all other Helldorado community events can be found at www.elkshelldorado. com/. See the map for parade route, staging areas and available public parking for the downtown parade. For more information on the Helldorado Parade, call 702229-6672. Helldorado Days, an annual cowboy-themed outdoor festival celebrating Las Vegas’ tribute to the Wild West, offers a daily rodeo and carnival, exhibits and food, as well as a parade, Whiskerino contest, and other activities. Created in 1934 and produced by the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks Lodge No. 1468, the 82year civic event has raised more than $4 million during its history

to assist local children’s and veterans’ charities. The parade is sponsored by the Commission for the Las Vegas Centennial. Real time availability of parking spots in downtown Las Vegas is now conveniently available for free through the ParkMe app, available for iPhone and Android users.

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