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USA

from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

Arum: Pacquiao vs Mayweather rematch possible if filipino boxing champion and now sen. manny Pacquiao succeeds in his return fight in november, he’ll most likely have two more major matches in 2017, his long-time boxing promoter Bob Arum said on Wednesday, August 10. Pacquiao could be pitched against WBC junior welterweight titleholder terence Crawford, and even have a rematch with floyd mayweather Jr., according to Arum. “if he wins this fight, we have the idea for a couple of big fights next year. And i think that will end his career with two more fights in 2017,” Arum told reporters. “Crawford is a possibility, and who knows, mayweather may be a possibility. You know, mayweather’s making noises about returning and going to a 50th fight.” Pacquiao lost to mayweather by a unanimous decision in may 2015. “Let’s see manny with a fully-healed shoulder. i think manny would give a lot better account of himself in that fight. i thought it was a very close fight. i thought manny could have won that fight. When they fight again, if they fight again, i have PAGE A4

US think tank: Satellite images show China’s reinforced jet hangars in the South China Sea WhiLe a recent United nations arbitral ruled in favor the Philippines’ claims in the south China sea, recent satellite images showed by a Washington-based research organization revealed that China appears to be building at least two dozen hardened concrete hangars suitable for housing Chinese air force planes on its reclaimed islands. the photos — taken in June and July, were collected by Washington-based research organization the Center for strategic and international studies (Csis) — illustrate the construction at fiery Cross, subic and mischief reefs. there were no military aircraft seen at the time the photos were taken, however, the Center’s analysis suggests that the hangars on all three islets have room for “any fighter-jet in the People’s Liberation Army Air force.” “they are far thicker than you would build PAGE A2

august 11-17, 2016

Duterte refuses to apologize for his ‘gay’ remarks on golDberg

Despite ‘tirades’ with ambassador, president reiterates PH-US alliance by Dana

M. SioSon

AJPress

President rodrigo duterte refused to apologize for his ‘undiplomatic’ remarks against United states Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg, reiterating that the latter should not have meddled in Philippine politics.

“Just ignore my tirade against their ambassador because they were true anyway,” he said in a mix of Bisaya and english during his speech at the 1st infantry division in Labangan on Wednesday, August 10, in Zamboanga del sur. “simply the truth at the time of elec-

the “statements” the president was referring to were the ones Goldberg made after duterte attempted to make a joke about the 1989 case of an Australian missionary who was raped and murdered during a jail assault in davao City when he was still a mayor. PAGE A2

tion. Why would he give a statement when the election is going on?” duterte pointed out that Goldberg should not have meddled into Philippine politics. “You (Goldberg) should not have meddled. that is our business. it was the campaign season.”

Filipinos respond to Trump’s statements suggesting immigration ban for PH by MoMar

G. ViSaya, ChriStina M. oriel Klarize MeDenilla

anD

In this July 19 photo, US Ambassador Philip Goldberg pays a courtesy call on Pres. Rodrigo Duterte at the Music Room in Malacañang Palace. The US Department of State earlier this week summoned the Philippines’ charge d’affaires in Washington after Duterte delivered a speech before troops in Cebu City last Friday, Aug. 5. The President openly slammed Goldberg for some statements made during the campaign season. Photo by King Rodriguez/Presidential Photographers Division

AJPress

fiLiPinos everywhere are reacting to donald trump’s comments that suggested a ban on immigration from areas with high rates of terrorism, including the Philippines. At a rally on thursday, August 4 in Portland, maine, the republican presidential nominee once again criticized the United states immigration system for what he believes is its leniency, allowing terrorists to enter the country. he proposed that immigrants from several many countries should be heavily scrutinized, even those who obtained citizenship legally. he named a number of alleged cases of naturalized immigrants who he said had committed or were plotting acts of terrorism. he described the system as a “trojan horse” that allows terrorists to easily come to the country, without being thoroughly vetted. in one instance, he alluded to the case of sohiel omar Kabir and ralph deleon, two immigrants living in ontario, California who were both sentenced to 25 years in prison for PAGE A2

Diaz’s silver medal shines over Team Philippines’ rocky start Filipina weightlifter bags 1st medal for PH in 20 years coming into her third olympic appearance thanks to notable performances on the fiLiPinA hidilyn diaz professional lifting circuit. overcame her doubts to claim however, Chinese taipei’s silver in the women’s 53kg hsu shu-Ching and China’s Li division weightlifting contest Yajun were strongly favored on sunday, August 7 at the to win sunday’s competition. 2016 olympic games in rio, they recorded the heaviest earning the Philippines’ first lifts for the competition’s first medal since 1996. event, the snatch, according the 25-year-old weight- to Cnn. lifter had earned some buzz “discouraged ako (i was by eriC

anthony liCaS AJPress

discouraged),” admitted diaz, who had been tied with Korea’s Yoon Jin-hee for fourthplace behind Latvia’s rebeka Kohn after the first portion of sunday’s contest. “Pero sabi ng coach ko na wala na kaming magagawa; sa clean and jerk ako bumawi (but my coach told me there’s nothing left to do; just recover for the clean and jerk).” Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz shows off her Olympic silver medal in a special wooden case. Philstar.com photo by Abac Cordero PAGE A3

marcos to receive hero’s burial by Dana

SioSon AJPress

President rodrigo duterte on sunday, August 7, approved the plan to bury former president and dictator ferdinand marcos at the heroes’ Cemetery (Libingan ng mga Bayani) next month -- a move that has angered several local politicians and human rights groups. Built in 1947, the heroes’ Cemetery was established to pay tribute to filipino soldiers and Freedom lovers gather at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani—a memorial center built to honor the fallen heroes, former Philippine victims of martial law—to share their experiences under the Marcos dictatorship and make presidents, war veterans, notable their opposition known to President-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s plan to bury him at the Libingan government statesmen, dignitarng mga Bayani. Inquirer.net photo by Alex Corpuz ies and national artists.

duterte argued that as former president and a soldier, marcos is qualified to be buried at the heroes’ Cemetery. since his death in 1989, marcos’s remains have been frozen in a glass coffin in his hometown of Batac, ilocos norte. “marcos was a president and, as a matter of fact, i voted for him,” duterte said at a news conference in davao on sunday. the president said that those buried at the cemetery were not all heroes. he added that he would leave it up to the military whether to bestow the former president full funeral honors or PAGE A2

Duterte: ‘sereno misunderstood what i said’ by Dana

SioSon AJPress

President rodrigo duterte said on Wednesday, August 10, that Chief Justice maria Lourdes sereno ‘misunderstood’ his statement when he revealed a list of personalities allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade. President Duterte warned that if Chief “di nakuha ni sereno gusto ko Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno precipitated a sabihin (Sereno misunderstood constitutional crisis, he would defy her, and what i said),” duterte said in a would order all members of the executive branch to do the same. Philstar.com photo

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From The FronT Page

Despite tirades with Ambassador... PAGE A1

ily,â€? he said. “But I will reiterate our strong alliance with America.â€? The United States State Department earlier on Monday asked Philippine diplomats in Washington, D.C. to “clarifyâ€? Duterte’s “inappropriateâ€? comments about Goldberg. “I would say two things on that. The first, specifically on the remarks, we’ve seen those inappropriate comments made about Ambassador Goldberg. He’s a multi-time ambassador, one of our most senior US diplomats,â€? said Elizabeth Trudeau, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State in a press briefing. “We have asked the Philippines ChargĂŠ to come into the State Department to clarify those remarks,â€? she said. Trudeau declined further discuss the meeting on Monday but pointed out that “it was specifically on those remarks...specific Pres. Rodrigo Duterte during his visit to the Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Division headquarters remarks that were made about our ambassador to the Philipat Camp Evangelista, Barangay Patag, in Zamboanga del Sur on Tuesday, Aug. 9. Inquirer.net photo by Jigger J. Jerusalem pines.â€? In his speech on Monday, August 8, in Cagayan de Oro, Duterte said he’s “OKâ€? with US Secretary John Kerry but added that he “quarreled with his gay ambassador,â€? referring to Goldberg. “I am pissed with him. He meddled during the election, giv-

ing statements here and there. He was not supposed to do that,� Duterte pointed out. Despite his tirades, Duterte reiterated the Philippines’ strong alliance with the US. “There is only one source. Two or one. The United States with whom we have alliance militar-

Photo from the Asian Maritime Transparency Initiative of the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies shows Chinese structures on Panganiban (Mischief) Reef, part of the Kalayaan (Spratly) group of islands being disputed by China, the Philippines and neighboring countries. The think tank claims China has built reinforced hangars on the reef and two other islets that will allow each to accommodate 24 fighter jets and three to four larger planes.

Filipinos respond to Trump’s statements... US think tank: Satellite images show China’s... PAGE A1 a terrorist plot to join Al Qaeda. “An immigrant from Afghanistan, who later applied for and received U.S. citizenship, and a legal permanent resident from the Philippines were convicted for planning to join Al Qaeda and the Taliban in order to kill as many Americans as possible,� Trump said during the rally. Deleon, a Philippine citizen, was found guilty of conspiring to provide materials and support to Al Qaeda, to travel to Afghanistan to receive training from the terrorist organization and to commit murder, kidnapping, or maiming overseas. The FBI had called the case an example of “homegrown� terrorism in which the suspects were influenced by ISIS. Immigrants from other “terrorist nations� Trump mentioned include Morocco, Uzbekistan, Syria, Somalia, Iraq, Pakistan and Yemen. Initial reports following the real estate billionaire’s speech said that he called immigrants “animals.� However, he was referring to the terrorists he was naming. “An immigrant from Syria, who later applied and received United States citizenship, was accused by federal prosecutors for planning to go to American military base in Texas and kill three or four American soldiers, but ‘preferably execution style’ — we’re dealing with animals — ‘preferably execution style,’� he said. The Republican nominee went on to say that there are allegedly more immigrants “that we don’t know about� who are potentially dangerous. Philippine lawmaker calls for Trump ban Philippine Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella responded to Trump’s comments on behalf of the country, saying that Trump should “really understand his

PAGE A1

constituents� if he wants to become president. “Baka he’s just speaking in broad strokes na hindi nuya alam talaga ‘yung napag-usapan niya (Maybe he’s just speaking in broad strokes, and he doesn’t really know what he’s talking about),� Abella said on state-run broadcaster dzRB. Communications Secretary Martin Andanar noted Trump’s post in Philippine real estate and the construction of the Trump Tower in Metro Manila in his response to the presidential nominee’s remarks. “Mr. Trump even professed his love for the Philippines during the launch of his 57-story luxury apartment in Makati,� Andanar said. “He did say, ‘I’ve always loved the Philippines. I think it is just a special place, and Manila is one of Asia’s most spectacular cities. I know that [the Trump Tower Manila] will be second to none.’� A congressman from the Philippine House of Representatives has called to ban Trump from the country. Rep. Jose “Joey� Salceda introduced a bill, House Resolution No. 43, in which he called Trump’s presence in the country harmful to “national interest.� “Whereas, there is no feasible basis or reasonable justification to the wholesale labeling of Filipinos as coming from a ‘terrorist state’ or that they will be Trojan Horse,� Salceda said in the legislation, according to Philstar. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte — whom many international media outlets have likened to Trump for his unfiltered rhetoric — has not reacted to the remarks, as of press time. Uproar in Fil-Am community Filipino-American community leaders and elected officials across the U.S. have condemned

Trump, asserting that his remarks disregard the contributions Filipinos have made to the country. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau states that there are approximately 3.4 million Filipino immigrants and their children living in the U.S., making Filipinos the fourth largest immigrant community in the U.S. behind Mexicans, Chinese and Indians. Margie Gonzalez, a Filipina activist and community leader in Las Vegas, called Trump’s statements “dangerous� and “misguided.� “As a proud Filipina dedicated to uplifting and empowering our community, I refuse to allow immigrant families like mine to be the target of Trump’s reckless and baseless discrimination. The Filipino community in Nevada makes our economy vibrant and the fabric of our nation stronger,� she said. California Assemblymember Rob Bonta — the first and only Fil-Am elected to the state Legislature — echoed President Barack Obama’s sentiment that Trump is “unfit to serve as president.� (Obama had urged other Republicans to drop support for Trump earlier last week.) “Trump’s call to restrict immigration and tourism from the Philippines doesn’t represent the America my mother believed in when she made the journey to this country decades ago. It doesn’t represent the America that my 1.5 million Filipino-American brothers and sisters in California know. And it’s definitely not the America I want my children to grow up in,� Bonta said in a statement emailed to the Asian Journal. Bonta has also put out a call to action on social media to ban Trump, urging Fil-Ams to share videos and pictures with a sign that says “#BawalSiTrump.� PAGE A4

for any civilian purpose,� Gregory B. Poling, director of the center’s Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, told the New York Times on Monday, Aug. 8 in a telephone interview. “They’re reinforced to take a strike.� The largest hangars, 200 feet wide, are more than enough for strategic bombers and refuelers, according to Poling. On the other hand, the smallest

hangars are 60 to 70 feet wide, enough to accommodate China’s largest fighter jets. China has said the new islands are primarily built to assist fishermen and to reinforce its sovereignty claims. It also claimed that they are entitled to build whatever structures it wishes on them, noting that the islands should be able to defend themselves. Evidence of the military hangars emerged a month after an in-

ternational tribunal in The Hague ruled that China’s claims over the disputed South China Sea — based on nine-dash-line — were invalid, including its assertion of expansive sovereignty and construction of artificial islands. Despite continuous diplomatic pressure and international clamor to halt its militarization of the disputed sea, China said it wouldn’t recognize the Hague ruling. (Dana M. Sioson / AJPress)

Marcos to receive hero’s... PAGE A1 not. According to Duterte, he would allow street protests as long as traffic and motorists are not inconvenienced. “He is qualified to be buried there. Kung ayaw ng ibang Pilipino (If other Filipinos are against it), fine,� he said. “Magdemonstrate kayo (You can demonstrate), go ahead. You can use the streets.� Stiff opposition Former President Benigno Aquino III, Vice President Leni Robredo, several members of the Senate, left-wing activists, and claimed victims of human rights abuses during the Marcos regime were in unison as they expressed their opposition to the recent executive order. “We strongly oppose the decision to bury former President Ferdinand Marcos in the Libingan ng mga Bayani,� Robredo said in a released statement. The vice president pointed out that Marcos “plundered our country and was responsible for the death and disappearance of many Filipinos,� she said. Furthermore, she argued that the decision will not bring unity

Through the #bawatbato movement launched at the Libingan ng mga Bayani on Sunday, antiMarcos groups hope to send a strong message to President-elect Rodrigo Duterte: The late dictator does not deserve a hero’s burial. Inquirer.net photo by Lyn Rillon

but “will only deepen the unhealed wounds of the survivors and family members of victims of the terrible years under [the] Marcos presidency,� citing the alleged ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses and their cronies. Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano also didn’t agree with the president regarding the issue. “Well, you know, I see the point of the President that if it’s completely legal issue, he’s entitled to it. But the name of the cemetery is Cemetery for Heroes, and we do not consider him [a hero.] He had heroic moments during his life. But we do not consider it totality heroic because of the things that happened in martial law,� Cayetano told Rappler. “Unless we change the name to Cemetery of Heroes and Dictators, then we would not have problems,� he added. Meanwhile, Pimentel said that he does not consider Marcos a hero, but will respect the decision of the president. Senators Franklin Drilon and Francis “Kiko� Pangilinan on the other hand, urged the president to reconsider. “At this point in the history of our country where Filipinos are starting to hope again, what our nation need is unity in order for our country to succeed socially, economically and politically,� said Drilon in a statement. “Hence, such a sensitive issue

would not help but only divide our people and reopen the wounds of the past that up to now, were not completely healed.� DND issues memo The Department of National Defense (DND) issued a formal memorandum, dated August 7, instructing the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Ricardo Visaya to “undertake the necessary planning and preparations to facilitate� the interment of the late dictator at the heroes’ cemetery. The AFP was ordered to plan and prepare the transfer of Marcos’s remains. The Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) was designated as the overseer and focal agency interment of former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Heroes’ Cemetery. “We don’t have yet the finality of the details but everybody is getting ready. A great deal of it is really coming into terms with the idea that he will be brought to the Libingan which is a very well appreciated gesture, a privilege and some would call, a right, which will finally be given to him and we are happy about it,� Ianree Raquel, head of the Ilocos Norte Tourism Office. “We can feel the sadness and hesitation from our elders but at the same time, they are happy that the present administration is [keen] towards giving him the burial honors that the family has longed for.�

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US concerned about killings in PH, clarifies use of $32 million aid by Eric

Anthony LicAs AJPress

A WEEK after President Rodrigo Duterte confirmed plans to receive $32 million in U.S. aid, American officials on Monday, August 8, urged his administration to end human rights abuses in its violent war on drugs. The aid committed by the U.S. is meant to fund “training and services” for Philippine security forces. It was announced while the Philippine National Police (PNP) are engaged in a bloody crackdown on the illegal drug trade. As of August 1, 465 people have died in connection with drug enforcement operations or instances of vigilante justice, CNN reported. More than 110,000 alleged drug dealers and users have turned themselves into police, flooding jails. Duterte told members of the Presidential Security Group at Malacanang Park on Sunday, July 31, that the U.S. aid was partly a show of support for his hardline stance against crime, according to a previous report by

the Asian Journal. However, U.S. State Department spokesperson Elizabeth Trudeau bristled at the notion of American money funding the killings of untried criminal suspects during a press briefing on Monday, August 8. She said all security assistance coming from the U.S. is intended to “promote human rights ... professionalism, due process and the rule of law.” Trudeau went on to “strongly urge the Philippines to ensure its law enforcement efforts comply with its human rights obligations.” Duterte has been openly calling for the deaths of those associated with drug trafficking. On Friday, August 5, the president expressed commitment to his zero-tolerance mindset. “My order is shoot to kill. I don’t care about human rights,” said Duterte, who invoked the severity of the Philippines’ drug problem and dismissed the concerns of his critics. “We have a crisis.” The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC) published a statement on Wednesday, Au-

gust 3, condemning the Duterte administration’s public support of extrajudicial killings. UNDOC Executive Director Yury Fedotov said the Duterte administration’s methods for dealing with drug traffickers “do not serve the cause of justice and will not help to ensure that all people can live in health, dignity, and peace.” Duterte responded to the UNDOC’s statement on Wednesday, August 3 by challenging them to come up with a better solution, according to Philstar. However, Fedotov’s statement echoes comments made by billionaire philanthropist Richard Branson. Branson, founder of the Virgin Group and a member of the Global Drug Commission, told Cathy Yang in an episode of “The Boss” on ANC that the war on drugs was bound to fail. “Getting tough on drug addicts does not work,” he said. He suggested focusing resources on recovery and rehabilitation programs for former dealers and users, rather than purging them from society.

Taking a closer look at Hep B and the Asian American community by MoMAr

G. VisAyA

AJPress

NEW YORK - The statistics are overwhelming to digest: one in ten Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders live with chronic Hepatitis B and two-thirds of those who are infected are not aware of their status. Globally, hepatitis B virus infection is the primary cause of cancer after tobacco use and, if untreated, an estimated 15 percent to 25 percent of those infected will die from a related condition. Among U.S. populations, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders have the highest rate of liver cancer (up to 7.2 times higher than non-Hispanic whites). Hepatitis B virus is spread through contact with an infected person’s blood, semen or other body fluid. A pregnant woman infected with the virus can pass it to her unborn child. There are a variety of drugs now available to treat chronic hepatitis B, which can slow or prevent damage to the liver.

Shawne Jabonero Lopes (second from right) explains the need to get tested for Hepatitis B because it is a disease that is a silent killer among Asian Americans. Shawne, her brother AJ, AJ’s wife Melisaa Jabonero (right) and broadcast journalist Alan Wang (third from right) are among the subjects in the documentary ‘Be About It,’ which aims to raise awareness of the deadly disease. Joining them on the panel were (from left) Dr. Danny Chu and Dr. James Park of the NYU Langone Medical Center and director Christopher Wong. AJPress photo

“Be About It” is a documentary directed by Christopher Wong, which chronicled the lives of Bay Area reporter/news anchor Alan Wang and Fil-Am athlete AJ Jabonero as they battle chronic hepatitis B was screened in New York recently to coincide with July 28 as World Hepatitis Day. Medical experts and community advocates

joined forces to raise awareness of a disease that affects as many as two million Americans. Up to one million Asian Americans have hepatitis B, half of all the cases in the country today and way more than any other racial or ethnic group in the United States. While anyone can contract hep PAGE A4

A

NEW GAME. Philippine National Police (PNP) launched on Monday, Aug. 8 a mobile app game featuring the newly installed PNP chief, Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa. The endless runner game titled, “Tsip Bato Ang Bumangga Giba” allows you to catch criminals (in green masks), while avoiding obstacles like pedestrians and other vehicles. You can move the character by swiping on your phone screens.

Diaz’s silver medal shines over ... PAGE A1 Hsu would go on to win gold, but Li wound up hyperextending her left elbow in the second half of the contest while attempting to lift 123kg (271.17lb). Li’s injury prevented her from finishing the tournament. That opened up the path to the podium for Diaz and Yoon. The Filipina went on to clean and jerk 112kg (246.92lb) in the second half of the competition, besting Yoon by a single kilogram and Kohn by 5. Diaz’s accomplishment garnered her a P5 million reward from the Philippine government in addition to a spot in history. A private property developing firm is also furnishing the athlete with a house and lot according to Philstar and lucrative sponsorships are likely in the Olympic medalist’s future. A steady path of progress Don’t ask Diaz for any shortcuts to strength or success — she took the long route. The competitive weightlifter persevered for years before claiming her spot in history during this year’s games. She had been training since the age of 11 before placing second to last in her Olympic debut at the 2008 games in Beijing. She aimed for a personal best during London’s 2012 games and managed to hoist 97kg (213.85lb) over her head in a single motion. However, after three attempts, she failed to pull off a 118kg (260.15lb) clean and jerk and left the games with an official score of DNF (did not finish). Rather than succumb to de-

feat, Diaz grew from her setbacks. Long sessions at her gym in Zamboanga and the decision to drop down from the 58kg division to 53kg paid off. “Ginawa ko yung best para sa country (I did the best I could for my country),” Diaz told CNN. “Yun lang talaga yung goal … Bronze lang talaga yung aim namin ng coach ko (That was really my only goal … my coach and I were actually aiming for bronze).” Diaz’s 14-year long journey to the 2016 games features milestones and breakthroughs in addition to its hurdles. She is only the second person to ever compete as a weightlifter for the Philippines, and the first woman to do so. In 2012, she became the first Filipina to bear her country’s flag during the opening ceremonies. Following mixed results in London, Diaz bounced back to claim first place in the 2015 Asian Weightlifting Championships and Bronze in that year’s world competition. She then placed third in the 2016 Asian Championships. “I have tried so hard. I have stumbled many times,” Diaz told Philstar. “I wanted to quit, but now all of my sacrifices have paid off.” Team Philippines determined The Filipina competitor’s success outshone woes over what had been a rocky start to the games for her team. The Philippines had sent 12 other athletes to this year’s games in addition

to Diaz. Swimmer Jessie Lacuna, weightlifter Nestor Colonia, table tennis player Ian Lariba and boxer Charly Suarez were knocked out of the competition before Diaz’s event began. The Philippine delegation’s only other boxer, Rogen Ladon, was eliminated by Carlos Quipo Pilataxi of Ecuador on Monday, August 8. Then, on Tuesday, August 9, Italy’s Matteo Marconcini defeated underdog Kodo Nakano in the men’s 81kg judo competition, leaving just six Filipinos to compete in this year’s events. On Wednesday, August 10, Jasmine Alkhaldi made her second Olympic appearance in the 100m freestyle race. Golfer Miguel Tabuena will also return to the course for the second day of the men’s individual tournament on Friday, August 12. Next week, track and field athletes Mary Joy Tabal, Eric Cray and Marestella Sunang will compete in their respective events, the marathon, 400M hurdles and long jump. On Saturday, August 20, Filipina Taekwondo practitioner Kristie Alora will face off against 2008 gold medalist Maria Espinoza of Mexico in the 67kg division. Alora and her coach, Roberto Cruz, acknowledged the challenge before her, but she remains undaunted. “Basta laban lang (It’s enough just [to have a chance to] fight),” Alora told Rappler. “Get through her early on; that’s the mission anyway.”

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5,000 water systems violate federal law by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

MORE than 5,000 water systems in the United States violate federal law, affecting approximately 18 million Americans, according to a report released Tuesday, June 28. The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) found that these systems violated lead and copper laws, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the body that is responsible for regulating the water systems, knew about them but did little to nothing about it. A CNN report indicated that in approximately nine out of 10 cases of contaminated water, the EPA took no enforcement action. NRDC said that the water systems required to complete thorough water testing, regular reporting of contamination and meticulous water treatment, but these water systems have failed to do so; in other words, these systems have committed health, monitoring and reporting violations. “These violations were recorded because the systems were not doing everything that they are required to do to protect the pub-

lic from lead issues, which could include failure to treat to reduce lead levels in the water (health violations), failure to monitor the water for lead as required (monitoring violations), or failure to report lead results to the public or government,” the report said. But the 5,000 systems that have committed violations only made up the reported violations and failed to account for unreported instances. Erik Olson, health program director at NRDC, told CNN that some water utility companies manipulate the systems’ machinery and purposefully use imprecise testing methods so that they don’t detect higher levels of lead. In other words, there are water systems who are breaching the law but don’t get reported.any level over 15 parts per billion (ppb) The NRDC mapped out leadrelated issues reported throughout the U.S. and found that lead contamination is rampant across the country and the contaminated systems cover an expansive geographic scope. According to NRDC’s findings, there were 13 reported violations in Los Angeles County water

systems that served over 5,000 Angelenos. Kern County’s water systems were especially affected with 74 reported violations that affected 102,691 residents. There are many reasons why a water system can fail, but one of the most common reasons is through repairs gone wrong. Unsafe levels of lead were discovered in Sebring, Ohio earlier this year after workers altered the water’s chemistry to prevent pipe corrosion. It took five months before the city issued a warning of the water’s detrimental effects to children and pregnant women, according to reports from The Columbus Dispatch. In 2001, the Washington Post reported that lead levels in Washington, D.C.’s tap water escalated to 20 times the federallyapproved level, and it took three years before residents found out. Yet the problem may be a product of the country’s infrastructure. Thirty years ago, Congress passed a law that banned lead water pipes, yet between 3.3 million and 10 million of them remain in today’s water systems, allowing lead to infiltrate many of the country’s water systems.

OBON FESTIVAL. Rep. Dina Titus attended the Obon Festival on Saturday, August at Clark High School where she presented a Congressional Proclamation to Las Vegas Buddhist Sangha marking the 28th anniversary of the festival to President Gene Nakamura and Mr. Wayne Tanaka.

Taking a closer look at Hep B and the... PAGE A3

B, people of Asian descent bear the heaviest burden, representing nearly three quarters of individuals affected worldwide. Shawne Jabonero Lopes is a first-generation Filipino American living with hep B. Both Shawne and her brother AJ, contracted the virus from their mother at birth. Shawne’s viral loads are currently undetectable, and she has a chronic form of the disease that is regularly monitored to detect potential liver damage. Her father and brother, however, had high viral loads, and eventually both of them developed liver cancer. When her brother AJ was three years old, he had to be brought to a hospital and the doctors told the family that the young boy had jaundice. Everyone in the family was tested as well and the results showed that they all had hep B. But that was just it. At the time, Shawne and her family were not aware of the serious risks associated with hep B. “It wasn’t clear what that meant then. We didn’t understand that we AJPress file photo by Robert Macabagdal could potentially die from it. I grew promise and I’m determined to up being told that I was a carrier of the virus,” Shawne told the Asian keep it.” Arum described Vargas as a Journal. Their dad passed away in “tough” opponent for Pacquiao 2005 due to liver cancer yet they and “is not an opponent who still did not make the connection goes into his shell, who’s a de- with hep B. “We had an idea but we just thought that he was unfensive fighter.” “He’s very very offensive, he healthy,” she added. Shawne recently became an adis beginning to really punch with authority,” he said. (Dana M. vocate to raise awareness and empower people to get screened and Sioson/AJPress) know their status. She and AJ had no idea how to navigate the situation they were in, no one told them

Arum: Pacquiao vs Mayweather rematch... PAGE A1

no doubt that Manny will win,” said Arum. With a career record of 58 wins and 66 fights, Arum announced Pacquiao’s retirement from his boxing career last April after winning a 12-round unanimous decision against Timothy Bradley Jr. Pacquaio decided to focus on his political career and was elected as senator last May. He made it clear that if he ever decided to fight again, it would not affect his responsibilities in the government. “I don’t know how extensive the work is as a senator in the Philippines. Manny does, the other senators do, they all feel and Manny feels that he can train here in Manila and not miss any sessions, fight in the period when the Senate is in recess, and give a great performance,” Arum said. “In fact whether he can do that or not, that’s up to him. It’s something that we have never ever seen before in the sport of boxing.” Pacquiao earlier confirmed in a statement that he would

Manny Pacquiao and Bob Arum

fight World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Jessie Vargas on Nov. 5 in Las Vegas. “Boxing is my passion. I miss what I’d been doing inside the gym and atop the ring,” he said. “My entire training camp will be held here in the Philippines so I can attend to my legislative work. This is my campaign

that they were still at risk, that they had to consult a liver doctor and that they had to monitor their liver. But on their own, they tried to get healthier. AJ for example experimented with vegetarianism, got into endurance athletics and partied a lot less, according to Shawne. He also ate a lot better and exercised a lot. In August 2014, AJ even joined and finished his first Iron Man competition after doing a number of triathlons. He began complaining about pain in his abdomen and chest around November and by December, a tumor was found and he was diagnosed with liver cancer. “Spreading the word and helping others is something AJ inspired me to do,” Shawne said. “This film and my advocacy work are a great tribute to my brother and his fight.” Shawne is a devoted wife and loving mother to her 3-year-old son. She recently obtained her Masters of Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is currently working as a board certified acupuncturist and herbalist. She looks forward to using her educational and personal life experiences to help others to live a healthy and balanced life. Hep B can be detected and diagnosed with a simple blood test, and health officials hope to impart the importance of screening since people with chronic hep B usually do not experience any symptoms until advanced liver diseases has already developed. Chronic hep B can slowly de-

stroy the liver over many years – even decades – without producing symptoms. It may cause lifethreatening complications including liver cancer or cirrhosis, which is severe liver scarring. U.S. Rep. Mike Honda, founder of the Congressional Viral Hepatitis Caucus, has been staging a long fight to educate Asian Americans and help end hepatitis B, a disease which disproportionately affects the Asian American community. “By educating our community, and increasing access to testing services, we can help those who are infected address the disease earlier, and take measures to keep from passing it on to their children,” said Honda. “As Asian Americans, it is the responsibility of all of us to get tested ourselves, and to take action to educate our communities about this disease.” In 2015, Honda offered an amendment to increase funding for the Viral Hepatitis Division at Center for Diseases Control (CDC) by $31.3 million to improve their public education programs. According to the CDC, Hepatitis B is common in many parts of the world, with an estimated 350 million people living with the disease worldwide. In the US, an estimated 1.2 million Americans are infected. However, hepatitis B disproportionately affects Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders because it is especially common in many Asian and Pacific Island countries. While AAPIs make up less than 5% of the total U.S. population, they account for more than 50% of Americans living with chronic hepatitis B.

Filipinos respond to Trump’s statements...

PAGE A2 Along with other migrant communities and the colonial history of the U.S. and the Philippines, countless contributions have been made by Filipino workers and their families to the growth of the U.S. in various fields: agriculture and industry, health and wellness, performance arts and humanities, science and technology, public service and social movements, mass media and even security and defense. “Donald Trump disrespects Filipinos and exposes his own ignorance and racism by calling for a ban on immigration from the Philippines. His lack of appreciation of the contributions Filipino laborers have made to this country is shocking,” SEIU Executive Vice President Luisa Blue, a Filipina whose parents emigrated from the Philippines, told the Asian Journal. Since the 1920s, Filipinos have immigrated to the United States to work on farms and in the fishing canneries of the Pacific Northwest, helping to build the nation’s agriculture and fishing industries. “While Donald Trump and the GOP attack Filipinos with divisive and harmful rhetoric, the Democratic Party has enshrined and honored us in their party’s

platform with the inclusion of Filipino American labor leader Larry Itliong among the warriors for social and economic justice. Our choice in November could not be more clear: We need to elect Hillary Clinton to be our president and commander-in-chief,” said Aries Dela Cruz, president of the Filipino American Democratic Club of New York and a member of Filipino Americans for Hillary National Leadership Council. Members of Congress, including Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz, Rep. Mike Honda and Rep. Ted Lieu, have issued statements as well. Asians, Latinos, immigrants and other minority groups will make up almost one-third of the electorate for the November polls. For the first time in history, Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) and Latino voters are key to winning several battleground states including Nevada, Colorado and Virginia. Fil-Am Republicans defend statements Meanwhile, Fil-Am Republicans argue that Trump’s comments were taken out of context. “Donald Trump did not say that Filipinos are animals,” Dolly De Leon, a Filipina in Las Vegas who founded Baby Boomers 4 Trump, told the Asian Journal. “The main-

stream media is to be blamed for taking out of context what Donald Trump said as much as when he made comments about the criminals who come from Mexico.” The Filipino-American Republicans USA Facebook page denounced the media reports that suggested Trump had referred to all Filipinos as “animals,” and encouraged Filipinos to be more mindful of the news. “We urge our fellow Filipinos to continue to have an open mind and to seek the truth in every issue. We are proud of our readership’s vigilance and not giving into the biased media’s pandering,” the post said. The news comes during a period when Trump is faring poorly among Americans, Democrats and Republicans alike. Following his criticism over Khizr and Ghazala Khan, Muslim American parents whose son lost his life fighting in the U.S. Army, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle expressed outrage. Fifty of the nation’s leading Republican lawmakers — including many former aides or cabinet members from George W. Bush’s administration — signed a letter released on Monday, August 8 warning that Trump “would be the most reckless president in American history.”

Duterte: ‘Sereno misunderstood what I... PAGE A1 speech at the 1st Infantry Division in Zamboanga del Sur. Sereno questioned Duterte’s recent announcement, which accused seven judges allegedly involved in illegal drugs. In a letter, she stated that only the high court was authorized to discipline members of the judiciary. The judges allegedly involved in drug trafficking should not surrender to law enforcement unless the warrants of arrest were issued, the chief justice advised. Presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo said that he thinks Sereno “misunderstood and misconstrued” the president’s statement. He said Duterte was merely asking the people on the list to come forward to defend themselves and was not was not forcing their arrest or surrender. “I think CJ Sereno has misconstrued the statement as well as the announcement of President

Duterte when he mentioned the list in public,” he told reporters in an interview. “I think there has been a misappreciation of the crisis as well as she misunderstood the statement of the President. The President was not ordering the arrests, or even requiring the surrender of these people involved or appears to have been involved because what he said was for them to report.” Sereno on the other hand, refused to further engage in a word war with Duterte. “Many things have been said. The Chief Justice sees no need to add to what are being said,” Supreme Court spokesman Ted Te told reporters. Duterte earlier on Tuesday, August 9, warned Sereno of a possible declaration of martial law if the Supreme Court (SC) decides to hinder his ongoing campaign against illegal drugs. “Please wag mo ako..hindi

ako…di ako gago. If this continues, pigilin mo ako, sige pag nagwala, would you rather that I declare martial law? (Please, don’t order me. I’m not a fool. If this continues, (that) you’re trying to stop me, I might lose my cool. Or would you rather I declare martial law?)” he said, addressing Sereno. He also warned the Chief Justice not to make a ‘constitutional crisis.’ “Do not create a crisis because I will order everyone in the Executive Department not to honor you.” He added that Sereno “must be joking” for asking for a warrant of arrest. “Magbigay ka warrant (Giving a warrant)? Madam Chief Justice, you must be joking. You must be joking. Dalawa tayo abogado, lahat kayo sa SC (We are both lawyers, all of you in SC) know how long it will take [the] government to secure [a] warrant of arrest,” he said.

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DUTERTE’S FEDERALISM CORE GROUP PROPOSES

‘Let’s create our own federalism model’ by LLanesca

Panti

ManilaTimes

THE PHILIPPINES should develop its own brand of federalism and need not adopt the models of other countries that may be inapplicable here, members of President Rodrigo Duterte’s informal ‘core group’ on federalism said Wednesday, Aug. 10. Philippine-style federalism, which can emerge as a result of grassroots political involvement, would address concerns over the viability of the proposed federal states as well as the overall readiness of the country to shift to a decentralized government from a unitary or centralized one. Federalism advocates Raul Lambino and Gary Olivar made the call during a roundtable discussion with The Manila Times editors and reporters, a day after Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel 3rd and Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez of Davao del Norte announced that Charter change deliberations would start by January 2017. Lambino, a lawyer and law professor, contrasted his proposal with that of former Senate President Aquilino Pimentel Jr., who is proposing to carve 11 federal states. “The new Constitution should have a provision which allows different provinces, cities, especially highly urbanized cities, to discuss and agree among themselves what particular autonomous region or autonomous territory they want to be part of. They cannot be dictated upon [by the new Constitution],”

Federalism advocates Raul Lambino and Gary Olivar argue that the Philippines should develop its own style of federalism rather than copy models of other countries. Lambino and Olivar joined a roundtable discussion with The Manila Times editors and reporters on Wednesday, Aug. 10. ManilaTimes.net photo by Lanz Mendoza

Lambino said. Shifting to a federal from a unitary form should not be difficult but could take a longer process, he said, citing the cases of Belgium, Switzerland and Italy. Belgium and Switzerland were once unitary states that became federal because of diversity in languages and geography, respectively, he noted. But the Philippines should not necessarily “federalize” based on enthno-linguistic or geographical groups. “We should have our own model. You can’t just state in the Constitution that Regions 1, 2 and CAR (Cordillera Autonomous Region) will be the autonomous region of Northern Luzon. It cannot happen

that way,” Lambino said. “If certain provinces and cities want an autonomous territory, how big is that? How many people are needed to be a part of it? The Constitution should allow them to form autonomy because federalism will have to happen gradually. You can’t disaggregate the provinces [from existing regions] immediately,” Lambino added. Provinces and cities that have decided to come together to form an autonomous territory, based on Lambino’s proposal, should then submit an application for Congress’ approval, just like how a bill becomes a law. Deputy Speaker Romero Quimbo of Marikina agreed with Lambino, PAGE A7

Kuwait arrests Pinay linked to Islamic State by JosePh

aLmer B. PedraJas AJPress

STATE-run Kuwait News Agency (Kuna) announced last week that authorities have arrested a Filipino woman for allegedly pledging allegiance to the Islamic State militant movement and attempting to launch an attack. According to Kuna, the Ministry of Interior stated that the suspect, Livani Azvilo Pescaeda, had been communicating with the international terrorist network Daesh (Arabic acronym for Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant). Reports said that local security forces discovered the 32-year-old Filipina after her email was monitored and found out that Pescaeda, who used a different name, had been contacting the militant’s local affiliate in Libya. “The ministry said she confessed she was ready to carry out any terrorist attack once circumstances and means were ripe, in order to undermine security and stability in Kuwait, as well as ignoring [sic] sedition,” Kuna reported. Meanwhile, sources told Kuwaiti daily newspaper Al Rai that Pescaeda joined the militant group after her Somali husband, a member of the terror group, promised her to conduct a “successful suicide attack in order to enter Paradise.” In June, Pescaeda entered Kuwait to plot the suicide attack and

Cardinal Rosales: Duterte on the right track

Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has found an ally in the Catholic hierarchy—Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales—who said fault-finders were wrong to think they had a monopoly over righteousness. Rosales, the archbishop emeritus of Manila, said Duterte had shown decisiveness in government “you have never seen in many decades.” He chided the President’s critics and urged Filipinos to pray to “lessen the faults” of the new leadership. “Now there is a new leader and we can see he is on a right track, the leadership really is

on a right track,” he said at the Church-run Radyo Veritas 846 over the weekend. The prelate acknowledged that Duterte’s methods had drawn criticisms, but said he would rather pray for the President. In an apparent invitation to the public to try to see good in Duterte’s actions, Rosales argued that God does not limit goodness to one shape, as goodness can come in many shapes. “You know you cannot own goodness. Sometimes we think we’re the only ones who are good. No way, that’s not right,” Rosales said.

A

The cardinal’s statements contrasted with those of Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, who said on Sunday he could no longer stomach the widespread killings of suspected drug pushers and traders. “I do not have to be a bishop to say this. I do not have to be a Catholic to be disturbed by the killings that jar us every time we hear or watch or read the news,” the prelate said in a statement entitled, “Let the Humanity in Us Speak.” (ManilaTimes.net)

applied as a domestic helper to avoid raising any suspicions. During her questioning, the Filipina said she worked in Saudi Arabia for two years and converted from Christianity to Islam upon marrying her husband. Subsequently, she pledged allegiance to Daesh and decided

to join her husband and the terror group in Libya. However, she failed to reach the country. Instead, Pescaeda decided to go to Kuwait where she was eventually caught. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has yet to release a statement.

A

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OpiniOn

Motivation

Features

ONE can win races and break world records, but an Olympic medal is still the highest feat an athlete can accomplish. To conquer the Olympics is every athlete’s dream. On Sunday night, Aug. 7, Hidilyn Diaz feasted on cheesy pizza and adobo as her celebratory dinner. Earlier in the day, the 25-year-old was atop a podium as she waves to the crowd, after winning the silver medal in the women’s 53-kg weightlifting event at the ongoing Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Back in her home country, her silver shines like gold as cheers linger on and praises pour in for the Zamboanga City native who made history as the first Filipina to bring home an Olympic medal. She will be heralded a hero’s welcome upon her return. “Salamat. Saludo po ako sa inyo (Thank You. I salute you),” Pres. Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday, Aug. 8 as he congratulated Diaz for bringing the honor to the country. “I am impressed, and I would like to wait for you, to receive you in the People’s Palace of Malacanang. As a president of this country, I am overjoyed,” Duterte said of her fellow Mindanaoan. In the Senate, Sen. Sonny Angara filed Senate Resolution No. 88, where he described Diaz as “rare shining star.” “Diaz’s silver-medal victory is momentous, being a veritable first in various respects in Philip-

pine sports history. Hers is the first Philippine Olympic medal since Mansueto ‘Onyok’ Velasco won silver in the light flyweight boxing competition during the 1996 Summer Olympics in the United States,” the resolution read. “The inspiring story of Diaz is the story of Filipinos,” Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a statement. “Hers is about overcoming shyness but for an inspired nation, her road to Rio is a journey of grit, patience and determination which ended a 20-year long medal drought for the Philippines.” In these days marred by political disarray, natural calamity and other depressing news, people look for an inspiration to live through difficult days. A hero is an inspiration—an entity that invokes the beleaguered spirit. A hero is a source of strength that keeps his or her peers going. More than a cause for celebration, Diaz’s recent triumph has become a source of inspiration and hope. Not all heroes die on the battlefield or are killed in the line of duty. Heroes come from all walks of life and in any profession. They are just ordinary men and women who inhabit extraordinary lives that make a change and inspire other people.

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Diaz and the 12 other Filipino athletes in Rio are modern warriors who do more than represent the flag where they came from. Their presence in the elite sporting event gives their countrymen hope, self-respect, and to many people—pride in who they are. In her own way, Diaz encourages those who

want to follow her footsteps that if you persevere, you can claim victory and be a hero yourself. Every journey will be brutal, hard-nosed and beautiful. This Olympic victory is a reminder that even though times are cloaked with uncertainty, life has some moments of great pride and joy. (AJPress)

Do you support Donald Trump’s plan to ban immigration from the Philippines?

DONALD Trump has declared before that should he be elected President of the United States, he would ban immigration from countries identified to be a hub of terrorists so he could protect America from ISIS. The Philippines has been named by the State Department as one of those countries. However, it was when Donald Trump mentioned the Philippines in his campaign speech in Portland, Maine that this hit many kababayans to their core. Trump proposed a temporary ban on ALL Muslims from what he called as “terrorist nations”. “We are letting people come in from terrorist nations that shouldn’t be allowed because you can’t vet them…You have no idea who they are. This could be the great Trojan horse of all time,” he said. Trump warned that terrorists, including members of the Islamic State extremist group, will sneak into the United States as refugees. Trump then went on to mention immigrants from countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Morocco, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, Uzbekistan and Yemen - who were arrested for conducting or threatening to carry out violent attacks, teaching bomb-making to recruits, and otherwise supporting terror

groups. [NOTE: permanent residents are NOT illegals] The Fil-Am And then he went on to say in no uncertain terms, that indeed, Perspective the Philippines is part of this list of terrorist nations, and I quote: “An immigrant from Afghanistan, who later applied for and received U.S. citizenship, and a legal gel SantoS-ReloS permanent resident from the Philippines were convicted for plotting to join Al Qaeda and the Taliban in order to kill as many Americans as possible,” Trump said during the rally. ”We’re dealing with animals,” Trump also said earlier in his speech. But the uproar did not only come from kababayans. Here in the United States, even U.S. politicians came to Filipinos’ defense against Trump’s statement. As Balitang America Senior Correspondent Henni Espinosa reported on The Filipino Channel, Democratic Senator from Hawaii Brian Schatz was among those who were quick to denounce Trump’s statements saying these do not have a place in

American politics. “His call to ban Filipinos from coming to the US demonstrates an absolute ignorance of the contributions that Filipino-Americans have made to American society but it also fails to recognize the strong relationship that the US and the Philippines have and have had for decades,” Sen. Schatz said. A quarter of Hawaii’s population is Filipinos. “He doesn’t understand that Asian Americans generally, Filipino-Americans, in particular, are a growing voting bloc, to the extent that they can have an influence on the elections. I have no doubt that they will,” Sen. Schatz added. Balitang America also reported on the statements two American politicians who are sons of Filipino immigrants. California Assemblymember Rob Bonta, the first and only Filipino elected to the State Legislature, said in a statement, “ Trump’s sweeping, irresponsible and vitriolic pronouncements on race have no place in our America.” There are more than 1.5

million Filipinos in America, the state with the biggest Filipino population. In New Jersey, Jersey City Council President Rolando Lavarro Jr. also made strong statements against Trump. In a report by Balitang America New York Correspondent Don Tagala, Lavarro said, Trump disregards “over a century of relations between the U.S. and the Philippines” and insults over 127,000 Fil-Ams residing in New Jersey. But there are kababayans who support Trump’s plan. Balitang America Los Angeles Correspondent Steve Angeles interviewed a Filipina who said she agrees with Trump, so long as the temporary ban is for MUSLIMS only. Do you support Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s plan to ban immigration from the Philippines? *** 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

Are we seeing a New Revolution led by Supremo Duterte?

TO understand the question and its rel- Commentary evance, we have to understand first the different definitions of what a revolution is. The strict Marxist notion of revolution RigobeRto tiglao is the overthrow of one ruling class by the exploited class, i.e., the overthrow of the landlords by the peasants, and in the communist dogma, the bourgeoisie by the proletariat at some future time. A more common and broad understanding of revolution is one in which a state or a political regime is overthrown by a popular movement in an irregular, extra-constitutional fashion, whether violent or not. A rather deeper and broader idea of revolution is that it is a social movement led by a leader with substantial popular support, which changes an existing order radically and rapidly — how political power is redistributed, how people view the world and the nation, how they see in a very new light their nations’ problems and how these are to be resolved. The “classic” French Revolution encompassed both definitions: It overthrew both the monarchy as well as the medieval culture of obeisance to the Church and its dogmas. The revolutionaries who founded our nation, especially Rizal, rapidly removed the ideological chains used by the Catholic Church to bind the Filipinos to a life of servitude for four centuries so that they couldn’t see the exploitation of their nation by their Spanish colonizers, and couldn’t conceive of a future beyond being just a Crown colony and the faithful servant of the Church. EDSA II, by that common definition, qualified as a revolution as it overthrew Marcos’ 13-year dictatorship in a popular, extra-constitutional fashion. It wasn’t a social revolution at all since the

Cory Aquino regime retained the ruling elites, (that, in fact, grew during Martial Law) less those close to Marcos (i.e., the cronies) and restored the old political-economic magnates that were the dictator’s enemies. What isn’t accepted too widely — because the victors normally write history — is that Marcos’ Martial Law was also a revolution: the old order, the system of elections, which was a game of thrones by which factions of the elite fought to determine whose turn it was to rule, was overthrown. Replacing it was a weird one because the legal system that was built up since the Commonwealth period was retained even as the country was placed under the rule of one man, supported by the military and police establishment and by most of the middle and ruling classes, especially by what would be called “oligarchs” today. (The demonized “Rolex 12” — actually they were given fake Omegas, according to then Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Romeo Espino — who signed off on Marcos’ martial declaration on the evening of September 21, 1972 actually consisted of Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile, and the chiefs of all the uniformed services, including Philippine Constabulary Chief Fidel Ramos.) Indeed, Marcos called his dictatorship, validly I think, a “Revolution from the Center.” Marcos’ purge Until Martial Law turned sour, roughly during the global 1980s recession, Filipinos’ prime values weren’t at all the right to vote or to choose their leaders, but economic growth, for themselves and for the nation. What has been forgotten, and which I was reminded of only by President Duterte’s public naming yesterday morning of over a hundred judges, police and military officers, as well as

incumbent and former public officials allegedly involved in the illegal-drug industry, was Marcos’ order a few weeks after he declared Martial Law removing about 4,000 officials, both elected and in the government bureaucracy and state firms, for corruption. Marcos hailed it as a revolutionary move toward curbing corruption that had been a burning issue in that era, as it is now. I remember that Marcos’ move distinctly since an uncle in a government bank was included among those purged. Whether he was corrupt or not, or only included in that list by enemies, I never found out. The poor man, a good man … though he never recovered from his shock, and had since been unemployed until he died. I am starting to suspect that what we are seeing now is a Duterte revolution. His naming of more than a hundred judges, military and police officials, as well as politicians, as being involved in the illegal drug trade, has upended the old order, in which it would have required massive resources and even decades for “due process” to be undertaken to dismantle the illegal-drug industry’s infrastructure. Call it trial by publicity, but Duterte’s announcement in one fell swoop has neutralized this corps of supporters of the illegal-drug industry. When Marcos purged 4,000 allegedly corrupt government bureaucrats, and when Cory Aquino in 1986 removed more than 1,500 mayors and governors in March 1986, they were exercising revolutionary power, upending the old order by suspending due process. Perhaps, it is in this bigger picture where we are in the midst of a revolution, that we should judge the widespread extrajudicial killings of drug dealers and addicts. A revolution, as Mao Ze Dong had poetically pointed out, is not a picnic. There will be many innocents killed as revolutionaries storm their Bastilles. I think Duterte, without declaring it as such and with us not realizing it, had

launched — from the time he delivered his speeches that shocked the bourgeoisie during the 2016 election campaign period to his initiatives in the past 36 days — a revolution. His campaign — and victory — had overthrown the old order of well-financed political parties, of political machines, and patronage networks. His curses and off-color jokes had broken the old order of respectable campaign speeches. He has challenged the Press, the first time a President has ever done so. (Estrada challenged only the Philippine Daily Inquirer, not the entire media.) Locus of power Duterte has moved the locus of political and bureaucratic power from metropolitan Manila, where it had been located since Independence, to Davao City, which would have positive economic consequences for our “frontier” region. Cut — so far — under Duterte has been the magnates’ and oligarchs’ influence and even control of the presidency that had been a mark of our Republic since our independence. Duterte’s disregard of protocol — his wearing of jeans even in official functions, his irreverence toward ambassadors, his past-midnight press conferences — are in reality his gestures that reveal his intent to upend the old order. However, not all revolutions have been laudable or successful. The EDSA I Revolution merely restored the old ruling classes’ almost absolute powers. In other countries, Indonesia’s Sukarno’s revolution was defeated by a counterrevolution that led to the massacre of 500,000 ethnic Chinese suspected of being communists and its leader Suharto’s 31-year dictatorship. The attempt at revolution by China’s Democracy movement and its 1989 Tiananmen protests were brutally crushed by the Chinese Communist Party, which, later on led the country to become what is now the world’s second biggest economy, next only to the US. The Philippine elite have learned, es-

pecially after the overthrow of former President Joseph Estrada, how to get rid of a President who is not one of them. Duterte has to move fast to defang the elite to neutralize its prime weapons. Duterte, at 72, is a very old man compared with Rizal, Bonifacio and General Luna, who were all in their 30s when they were engaged in revolutionary struggle. Mao Ze Dong was 54 when his revolution won. Revolutionary fervor, some say, wanes at almost the same pace as libido does. I’m worried that Duterte has said not just once that if he senses the “people” don’t want him anymore, he’ll just go back to Davao. He hasn’t totally disproved claims during the campaign that he has some serious illness. I certainly hope Duterte’s siege of the illegal-drug industry is just the start of this modern Supremo’s revolution, that it is just the low-hanging fruit he has to capture first. For me, what could bring hope are his statements critical of the mining industry and his reference to “oligarchs” that have influenced all past administrations. These point to his understanding that one of the reasons behind our nation’s poverty is a greedy ruling class, many of whom see themselves as Spanish, or the new cosmopolitan Chinese, concerned only over profits and never over the fate of this community we call the Philippine nation. In the quagmire where we find ourselves, dug even deeper by the past incompetent hacendero administration, we need nothing less than a revolution, especially given the much faster pace of our world today. Even a war-devastated country like Vietnam is starting to overtake us, thanks to its leaders’ nationalism and the absence of greedy oligarchs. We’ve gone from bad to worse: one of the newest, and biggest, oligarchs we have in this country is not even a Filipino. How bad can it get? I’m afraid Supremo Duterte is our last chance. (tiglao.manilatimes@ gmail.com)

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Pacquiao pushes return of death penalty in first Senate speech by Dana

SioSon AJPress

IRONMAN CHAMPIONSHIP. The 2016 Cobra Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 Philippines marks its biggest year with the Asia Pacific Championship. This year’s race brought in the strongest line up of professional triathletes across the globe coming together on August 7 in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu. Inquirer.net photo by Tristan Tamayo

Purisima seeks Sandigan’s permission to visit son in US by Dana

SioSon AJPress

IN response to the prosecutor’s opposition to his travel bid, dismissed Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima pleaded the Sandiganbayan to allow him to visit his son in the United States. Purisima has a standing hold departure order (HDO) filed on last May 16 by the Sandiganbayan 6th Division while his graft case is being heard. He was charged with graft over the PNP’s allegedly anomalous courier deal with Werfast Documentary Agency in 2011, along with 16 other co-respondents. The HDO prevents an individual from departing the country but allows an accused to travel abroad upon securing permission from the court. According to Purisima, his scheduled flight was booked way back in March. In his travel motion, Purisima asked the court’s permission to visit his son Jason Arvi from Sept.

5 to 27. His son is currently studying at the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, California. “Section 6, Article III of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that the right of every individual to travel shall not be impaired except in the interest of national security, public safety or public health. Accused Purisima humbly submits that his travel abroad does not, in any means, impair the interest of national security, public safety or public health,” the motion read. “Accused has been in service with the government for more than 38 years, and during that period, accused never had the opportunity to spend time with his entire family.” Purisima stressed that his visit abroad could be used to make up for lost time with his family, especially when the accused has “dedicated his life to the service of the country,” pointing out that family, as a basic unit of society, should be given primary importance. However, the prosecution ar-

gued that there is no urgency for Purisima to leave the country and visit his son. The prosecution said that Purisima failed to indicate his itinerary during his 22-day visit to the U.S. as it cannot be proven that he will just be staying at the address indicated in his motion. Aside from Purisima, HDOs were also given to PNP officials Eduardo Acierto, Nelson Bautista, Sonia Calixto, Napoleon Estilles, Lenbell Fabia, Gil Meneses, Allan Parreño, Raul Petrasanta, Melchor Reyes, Ford Tuazon and Ricardo Zapata, Jr; and WERFAST incorporators Salud Bautista, Mario Juan, Juliana Pasia, Lorna Perena and Enrique Valerio. The prosecutors also filed graft against Purisima and dismissed Special Action Force (SAF) commander Getulio Napeñas for allegedly violating the police chain of command in the raid “Oplan Exodus” that caused the deaths of 44 elite cops in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on January 25, 2015. n

DRUG SHAME CAMPAIGN NETS 35 POLICE, 27 POLITICIANS

Metro Manila mayors next

were mentioned on the list, whether or not the allegations are true, makes me furious because this would destroy the police organization,” he told reporters. The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group will handle the investigation of local officials, while the PNP Internal Affairs Service (IAS) and the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management will handle the probe of all police personnel, PNP spokesman Sr. Supt. Dionardo Carlos said. Carlos said all incumbent local officials named by the President had been stripped of authority to exercise direct supervision and control over local police forces. All active PNP personnel on the list were directed to turn over their firearms and were told not to leave IAS jurisdiction until the investigation into their drug links is finished. De la Rosa also received Cebu’s second most wanted drug suspect, Franz Sabalones, who admitted to having assumed control of Cebu’s drug trade after the death of drug kingpin Jeffrey “Jaguar” Diaz during an encounter with police in June. Asked why he surrendered to the PNP, Sabalones said: “I want to change.” The alleged drug bigwig was accompanied by his brother, Vice Mayor Fralz Sabalones of San Fernando, Cebu. Duterte on Sunday, Aug. 7 accused the vice mayor and more than 150 other individuals of being involved in the drug trade. (Anthony Vargas, Jing Villamente, Neil Alcober, Francis Earl Cueto, A total of 32 police officers and 27 local executives from different parts of the country surface on Monday, Aug. 8, at Camp Crame to clear their names after President Rodrigo Duterte gave Lydia Pendon, Roselle Aquino/Maout the list of officials who are allegedly engaged in the drug trade. PNP photo nilaTimes.net)

METRO Manila mayors are next in line in the shame campaign being waged by the Duterte administration to weed out protectors of illegal drug traders. Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael “Mike” Sueno made the announcement as 35 policemen and 27 politicians on President Rodrigo Duterte’s list of “narco-officials” turned up at the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Camp Crame to issue denials. Sueno told radio station DZMM on Monday, Aug. 8 that the government was in the process of building airtight cases against some Metro mayors when he was asked why Duterte’s list did not contain names of local government officials in the National Capital Region. “When it comes to Metro Manila, we need to validate and revalidate information, we’re really gathering evidence against them,” he said in Filipino. Sueno added that he was sure another list will be made public

soon but did not give a timeframe. Robert “Bobby” Eusebio, the mayor of Pasig City which made the headlines following the raid of a large drug den dubbed “shabu tiangge” in 2006, jumped the gun and denied any involvement in illegal drugs. “That’s an urban legend. There’s no truth about that. I have been waging a relentless fight against illegal drugs in our city for the past years,” Eusebio told reporters. Cebu No. 2 surrenders Sueno promised a “swift yet fair” investigation to all local officials linked to the illegal drug trade. The PNP chief, Director General Ronald ‘Bato’ de la Rosa, also said “due process” will be given to those on the President’s list, as he received 35 PNP personnel and 27 local officials in Camp Crame. De la Rosa cursed at and threatened to kill the police officers if they return to their alleged illegal activities. “The mere fact that their names

‘Let’s create our own federalism...

PAGE A6 saying that the composition of federal states or regions should not solely be up to Congress. “The Constitution may prescribe the [grouping] as an initial setup but allow the people to modify these regions through Congress,” Quimbo said in a text message. “A plebiscite on the Constitution allows the people to participate in the determination of these regions,” Quimbo, a member of the Liberal Party (LP), added. Former Palace economic spokesman Gary Olivar, also a member of the federalism core group, underscored that federalism would be part of the solution to poverty and underdevelopment in the regions. “With devolved government, we will be able to make the people in local government more responsible because they will be the ones managing the resources. Being closer to the people, their constituents will be

able to demand more in the delivery of services and can even take them to task by not voting for them again in the next election,” Olivar said. Appointed Con-Con possible Lambino made a case that delegates to a Constitutional Convention (Con-Con), one of the modes of revising the 1987 Constitution, need not to be elected. The 1987 Constitution does not require the election of Con-Con delegates, he argued. From being in favor of Con-Con in revising the Constitution, President Duterte now prefers a Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass) wherein lawmakers propose amendments. Duterte said calling a Con-Con would cost billions of pesos. Lambino however said: “If you are going to read the Constitution very carefully, it does not say that Con-Con delegates will have to be elected.” “What is provided under Ar-

ticle 17 of the Constitution is that Congress, with two-thirds of its members agreeing, may convene the Con-Con,” Lambino told The Manila Times. “The Constitution made no mention that the Con-Con should be composed of elected delegates. There was no prohibition of having appointed delegates,” Lambino added. Lambino suggested that the Con-Con be composed of 48 delegates appointed by the President, as well as 12 representatives each from the Senate and the House of Representatives. The 1987 Constitution was drafted by a Constitutional Commission whose members were appointed by President Corazon Aquino. The last time a Con-Con was called was in 1970, when citizens elected delegates to a convention that wrote the 1971 Constitution under President Ferdinand Marcos.

IN his first privilege speech, Senator Manny Pacquiao pushed the reimposition of the death penalty in the Philippines on Monday, August 8. “Everyone has a right to life. But as a lawmaker, we also have the obligation to our citizens to provide them the right to live their lives peacefully and orderly,” he said. He assured that Filipinos don’t have to fear the death penalty, as it’s only for those who commit heinous crimes. Last week, the senator filed Senate Bill No. 185 or “An act to impose the Death Penalty and increased penalties on certain heinous crimes involving dangerous drugs, amending for that purpose other special penal laws, and for other purposes.” It insists that the death penalty is lawful, moral and a sanctioned government action. “Dapat natin linawin na mula noon hanggang ngayon, hindi pinagbabawal sa Saligang Batas ang parusang kamatayan…

Senator Manny Pacquiao

Philstar.com photo

lalung-lalo na sa mata ng ating Panginoon (We need to clarify that from then until now, the Constitution never barred the imposition of the death penalty, especially in the eyes of God),” said Pacquiao. In his 14-minute speech, he cited Bible quotes to support his appeal to reimpose death penalty. “The death penalty is lawful, moral and sanctioned governmental action. Having read the Bible on a regular basis, I am convinced that God is not just a God

of mercy, but also a God of justice,” he added. Pacquiao, however, stressed that the suspects have the right to a fair trial. Joke ‘not funny’ Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III asked Pacquiao which of the three modes he preferred the most — lethal injection, hanging, or firing squad. “Sisipain lang po ‘yung upuan (We just have to kick the chair),” Pacquiao answered, drawing laughter from people inside the session hall. However, Pacquiao’s joke did not sit well with Senator Francis Pangilinan, appealing that humorous remarks should not be made regarding serious issues. “E sa akin po ‘di ho biro ang buhay ng ating kababayan. Sana po maging mas sensitibo tayo sa usapin po ng pagkitil ng buhay ng kapwa (For me, our citizens’ life is not a joke. I hope that we will be more sensitive in taking the lives of others),” Pangilinan said. Pacquiao later apologized after Pangilinan raised his point.

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VEGAS&STYLE

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Journal The culture of health in Filipinos On living well: Fit Chef for Life Katrina Palana-Soledad By Malou liwanag-Bledsoe AJPress

When it comes to health, Filipinos in the United States tend to have a different view of sickness, health and wellness than that of Americans. According to “Culture and health of Among Filipinos (2007),” it all depends on which generation one belongs to, and how much of the traditions and culture are retained about health and health care. One example is that FilipinoAmericans who have assimilated into U. S. culture see health through the lens of an American. Therefore, most of their health problems are clinically diagnosed and knowledge is obtained through medical sciences. On the other hand, Filipinos (majority are first generation immigrants) still embrace traditional cultural views of health and medicine. They are also considered the least acculturated and of low socioeconomic status, and thus rely on a traditional healer (referred to as a “hilot”) for selected illnesses or injuries; and would rely on natural remedies — such as herbs and oils — before going to a licensed doctor. Current health problems: High blood pressure and obesity One major health problem prevalent among Fil-Ams is high blood pressure. In 2012, 60 percent of Fil-Am men and approximately 65 percent of women over the age of 50 had high blood pressure. even with these high numbers, controlling the disease is particularly poor and increases the risk for heart disease and death. Many factors have been associated with the cause of hypertension among Fil-Ams, which include immigration-related stress, diet, and cultural beliefs. Of course, the lack of exercise, smoking and lifestyle — elements that are common with other Americans — are also contributing factors. Obesity/being overweight is

By Christina

M. oriel

AJPress

According to “Filipino Heart Disease” which was published in 2012, cardiovascular disease is the first leading cause of death for Fil-Ams. Philstar.com photos

another health problem affecting the Filipinos, and it persists because of overeating, unbalanced meals, irregular meals, unhealthy food choices and lack of exercise. This is where culture comes in, as Filipinos love food and celebration. Also, many traditional Filipino dishes are high in fat and sodium. Along with food from other cultures, such as American fast food, Filipinos are at risk for heart disease. however, just like many Americans, financial and time constraints prevent Filipinos from changing their diets and having some form of exercise or physical activity. “For me, it’s not being able to eat my meals on time,” said Marian (not her real name), a 43year-old Filipina registered nurse in Vallejo, who was diagnosed with high blood pressure two years ago. She is also a diabetic and about 30 pounds overweight. “My job schedule is erratic, so I tend to eat whenever I can.” With her work schedule, Marian added that she’s either too tired or too lazy to exercise. “Sometimes I try to exercise at times and eat healthy, but I know that both should be a regular thing.” Also, smoking is a big problem for the younger Filipino population, as it is seen as a socially acceptable behavior. This increases the risk for chronic

respiratory conditions, as well as risk for heart disease, stroke and cancer — which are the leading causes of death for Asian Americans according to the Centers for Disease Control (2013). All about the heart According to “Filipino heart Disease” which was published in 2012, cardiovascular disease is the first leading cause of death for Fil-Ams. “Among Asian Americans, Filipinos have the second highest risk of CVD (cardiovascular disease) after Asian Indians,” the study said. Several classic risk factors for CVD include blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking and diabetes. As mentioned above, hypertension rates are higher in Filipinos compared to other Asian American groups and smoking is high in the Filipino male population. Another risk factor for CVD that is prevalent in Filipinos is Type 2 diabetes. The second leading cause of death in Filipinos is cancer and the mortality rate of breast cancer is higher in Fil-Am women (including the elderly) compared to other Asian American groups. Also, according to “Patterns of health Risk (2013),” Fil-am men have the highest incidence and death rate from prostate cancer and lung cancer among Asian PAGE B2

FOR Katrina Palana-Soledad, living well has been a journey — one 12 years in the making. “Growing up in the Philippines, there’s no such thing as dieting,” she shared. When she came to the United States, that’s when she began to explore ways to change up her routine by eating more balanced meals and making exercise a daily habit. In 2011, she launched her website, Fit Chef for Life, and released an eCookbook under the same name. On both, she shares how her food choices have helped her reach her fitness goals and maintain her current lifestyle. “This lifestyle is basically: when you reach your goal, it’s not over. When I started the website, I wanted to look good and feel good. But after, I just worked on myself and thinking on a longterm basis because I want to be fit for life — not just with the way I look, but with my health and overall wellness. I want to age gracefully — not live forever but to make sure I don’t have diseases,” she said. now, she’s a certified fitness nutrition coach, bodybuilder, triathlete and advocate for health, wellness & body positivity. She also has plans to release a cookbook next year tailored for a Filipino audience. “To me, wellness doesn’t just mean being physically fit. It has to be something that is physical and spiritual — mind, body and spirit. You cannot excel just in one.” She shared with the Asian Journal some of her tips: Small changes Implementing small changes like talking a daily walk or swapping soda with water will go a long way, said Palana-Soledad. When taking on a new workout schedule or trying to eat healthier PAGE B2

Photos courtesy of Katrina Palana-Soledad / Fit Chef for Life

Ground turkey with potato-bell pepper omelette topped with Grilled orGanic eGGplant (Pork giniling & tortang talong inspired)

Ingredients: GROUnD TURKeY BASe 1/2 cup Onions, diced 1 Tbsp, Garlic, minced 1 Tbsp Grapeseed Oil 16oz extra Lean Ground Turkey 16oz Lean Ground Turkey 1/4 cup Bragg’s Liquid Aminos 1/2 tsp Fresh Ground Pepper 1/2 tsp Pink himalayan Salt 1.5 cups water 2 cups Organic Potatoes, peeled and diced 1 cup Organic Yellow Bell Peppers, diced GRILLeD eGGPLAnT 1 large organic eggplant (slice lengthwise, 1/3 inch thick) OMeLeTTe 1 cup of Ground Turkey Base 1 large organic brown egg + 1 large egg whites only, well beaten Directions: • Pre-heat non stick pan to medium heat. • Add grapeseed oil when pan is hot. Add diced potatoes immediately. Cook for 3-5 minutes.

Remove from pan then set aside. • Spray Canola spray on the pan, add onions then sauté a bit. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute…do not brown! • A d d t h e l e a n g ro u n d turkey, Bragg’s Liquid Aminos and water. Cover pan with lid and cook for 8-10 minutes until meat is not longer pink. • Add bell peppers, black pepper and potatoes. Cover pan with lid and cook for another 5 minutes until bell peppers are soft. Set aside. GRILLeD eGGPLAnT • Pre-heat stove top grill to PAGE B2

Features

B august 11-17, 2016 • Las VEgas asIaN JOuRNaL

A beginner’s guide to working out GettinG started on a workout routine may seem intimidating to beginners, but it’s certainly attainable. Longtime personal trainer and proud Fil-Am Joshua Hayes lends his tips to kick starting a fun, effective workout regime. Workout tips • Be sure to warm-up and cool down before and after each exercise. • Warming up before a workout is beneficial to your workout because it improves blood flow and increases muscle elasticity. Cooling down after a workout helps your body return to its original state in a safe manner that will prevent light headedness or dizziness. • Get adequate rest between

Side BendS

Bodyweight SquatS

The culture of health in Filipinos

PAGE B1 American groups. the third major cause of death Warm Up: in Filipinos is stroke and is assotoe touches ciated with same factors of obeDynamic Quad Stretch sity, smoking and hypertension. Hamstring Sweeps Prevention and lifestyle Arm Circles change torso twists Regardless of which genSide Bends eration they belong, all Fil-Ams Workout — whether acculturated or not (3 sets of 10-15 reps): — struggle with the health probChest press lems mentioned above. With the Standing Rows advances in medicine and techDumbbell Frontal Raise nology, better access to health eZ Bar Bicep Curl care and information; these istricep pushdowns sues can be avoided and improve Bodyweight Squats Filipinos’ health condition. Lunges today, Filipino chefs and foodStanding Calf Raises ies have continued to develop Crunches healthier versions of traditional Leg Lifts dishes to give them alternative planks food choices. Adapting to these Cool Down: dishes include less salt and fatty Quad Stretches ingredients. Dietary monitoring Hamstring Stretches and portion intake are also imCalf Stretches portant factors to consider. Lateral Stretches A change in lifestyle is also tricep Stretches essential aside from dietary factors. Staying active and having a and timely. “Losing weight in 6 regular exercise routine/program months” is not a good example of is highly recommended. taking S.M.A.R.t. goals! “Losing 15 lbs. a 30-minute to an hour brisk walk tricep StretcheS PAGE B3 at least 3-4 times a week not only builds stamina, but also helps better one’s circulation. Lastly, it is important know the dangers of smoking and know that it will beneficial if one quits the 2nd plate of equal value the habit.

workouts. • Rest allows your body to recover from the grind and tear your muscles endure during a workout. this will allow you to approach your next workout more effectively and efficiently! • Always exercise with proper form and excellent posture. • Do not underestimate the importance of proper stance with good spinal alignment as poor posture can result in injuries and limitations in the long run. • Set S.M.A.R.t. Goals. • “those who fail to plan, plan to fail!” and this rings true for your workout goals as well. Make sure that your goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic,

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14% 51%

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Infographics by American Heart Association and American Stroke Association

On living well: Fit Chef for Life Katrina...

PAGE B1

Delivery • Take out

Filipino American Demographics

by eliminating refined carbs or sugar, it’s important not too shock the body too quickly or else it will seem too difficult to keep up with this new routine. She added that a simple swap for Filipinos especially would be to opt for brown rice instead of white. “Little changes have added up and slowly, but surely, became my lifestyle. it took a while because from eating whatever you want to suddenly changing it step-bystep…is the way to go. When people usually try to be healthy it’s abrupt, so they give up easily because their bodies get shocked and their routines are messed up,” she said. Set goals Whether it’s to build muscle or run a 5k, trina says it’s important to set your intentions and goals. “i try everything in a matter of six months to a year and i try to figure out if that works with my lifestyle

and how my body responds to it. i tweak it according to my needs.” Stay hydrated though there are different opinions on what one’s daily water intake should be, the common notion is at least eight 8-ounce glasses a day. it’s important to drink water throughout the day to avoid getting dehydrated. one indicator is the color of your urine — the more yellow it is, it’s a telltale sign that you should be drinking more water. For those who think water is too boring, palanaSoledad recommends adding lemon, mint or berries. Keep moving even if you don’t want to join a gym or think you don’t have time to do a workout, palanaSoledad says to start by walking during breaks or after work. if you want to kick it up a notch, she recommends using free resources like workout tutorials on Youtube.

GrOund turKey with pOtatO-beLL pepper OmeLette tOpped with GriLLed OrGaniC eGGpLant PAGE B1 medium-high heat. Spray canola spray on the grill. • Lay eggplant on the grill and cook each side for 3-5 minutes until you see the grill marks. Set aside. oMeLette • Heat a non-stick pan to medium. • Add canola spray when pan is hot. Add 1 cup of the ground turkey base, sauteé a bit then add beaten eggs. Cook each side for 3-5 minutes. • Remove from pan and top with grilled eggplant. PAGE B3

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Healthy alternatives to your favorite Filipino dishes by Christina

M. Oriel

AjPress

Meet Michelle Ibarrientos, a Fil-Am based in Southern California, who whips up healthy versions inspired by Filipino favorites. Before she was a self-proclaimed “health enthusiast,” Ibarrientos would feel bloated and get sick often — that’s when she knew it was time for a change. When starting a health journey, she said it’s important to identify your “why.” “It’s all about prevention now. My kids are growing fast and I want to be there for them,” she said, noting how conditions like diabetes and hypertension run in her family, similar to many Filipino families. Making minor adjustments, such as lessening the intake of white rice and noodles gradually

goes a long way too. But that doesn’t mean cutting them out altogether; if you are used to having a cup of rice a day, you can cut it down to a quarter a day. “Life is short but I don’t want it shorter,” she said, adding that it’s okay to have small indulgences every so often, but to keep in mind your goals and to not quit if you have one meal that strays away. Ibarrientos also shares her Filipino recipes on Community Cooking, a cooking show aired on CitiCable 3 in torrance. “I try to give people a sense that if they’re afraid of trying Filipino food because of certain restrictions, here are some alternatives. they are recipes my mom has made but with certain twists and changes,” she said. “It inspires people to eat healthier, but nothing drastic. trying to make a difference means a lot.”

Michelle Ibarrientos

For more recipes or to get in contact with Michelle, please visit her Instagram page @goleanandgreen.

Pancit ZiHon Ingredients • 4 zucchinis, spiraled or sliced into thin, long strips • 1 carrot, spiraled or thin, long strips • 1/2 medium onion, julienned (thin) • 1/2 red bell pepper, julienned (thin) • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil • 3 cloves of garlic, minced • 1/4 tsp annatto seed powder • ¾ tsp fish sauce • 2 tsp coconut aminos • Freshly ground black pepper to taste • 2 sprigs of green onion, chopped (optional topping) • 2 boiled eggs (optional topping) • 1 lemon, cut into wedges (optional topping) Directions 1. Preheat the pan to medium low. 2. Add the oil, annatto seed powder, garlic, and onions. When the garlic and onions have softened, add the carrots and sauté until slightly tender. 3. Add the bell pepper and zucchini and mix it around. 4. Add the fish sauce and coco-

Photo courtesy of Michelle Ibarrientos / @goleanandgreen

nut aminos (to create a steam and help cook the vegetables faster). NOte: to make it low-sodium, start by using ¼ tsp of fish sauce, and adjust if necessary. 5. Once the zucchini has broken down and softened to your liking, add freshly ground black pepper all around. Optional: Garnish with green onion, eggs, and lemon wedges. Health tip #1: Zucchini noodles

(aka “zoodles”) is a great, low carb option instead of using rice/starch noodles. Health tip #2: For those wanting a low sodium, soy-free option, use coconut aminos instead. It’s a healthier option with flavor that is light and slightly sweet. It is made from the coconut sap and an abundant source of 17 amino acids, minerals, and other nutrients.

Halo-Halo cHia Pudding Base: • 3t chia seeds, organic (trader Joe’s) • 1 can organic light coconut milk (Whole Foods) • 4 packets of Stevia in the Raw* Added: Half of a cooked organic purple sweet potato, cut into small cubes (could be subbed with cooked ube, sweet potato, or taro) 1/4 cup cooked organic sweet corn kernels, non-gmo (Whole Foods) Feel free to add other toppings, such as jackfruit, banana, and/or small red beans.

*or use any sweetener of your choice but adjust the amount based on how sweet you want it to be Mix the base ingredients very thoroughly with a whisk, making sure that the seeds won’t clump together. Soak for at least 2hrs or overnight in the fridge (which is what I usually do). Mix in the sweet potato and corn. to make it purplish, let the sweet potato sit in the base for a few minutes and then stir. enjoy! Health tip: Instead of using glutinous rice balls and tapioca balls, opt for chia seeds. these tiny seeds are packed with omega-3

Photo courtesy of Michelle Ibarrientos / @goleanandgreen

fatty acids, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and has numerous health benefits. When soaked in liquid, the outer layer of the seeds start to soften and become gelatinous.

on living well: Fit chef for life katrina... PAGE B2

For more recipes and ideas, please visit her website: http://www.fitchefforlife.com.

craZy For coconut Protein Pancakes (Bibingka inspired)

Minutes to Prepare: 10 Minutes to Cook: 5 Number of Servings: 4 Ingredients *Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour, .5 cup *Organic Brown egg, 1 Large *Baking Powder – Aluminum Free, 1 tsp *Light Coconut Milk (canned) .75 cup or Light Coconut Milk Unsweetened (carton) *Coconut Palm Sugar, Sweet tree, 3 tsp *No Salt Sodium-Free Salt Alternative, 0.25 tsp *whey-soy-vegan protein pow-

der (unflavored or vanilla), 1 scoop (30g) *trader Joe’s Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, 1 tbsp *Canola Cooking Spray for pan grease {Optional: Organic Shredded Coconut, Reduced-Fat for topping} Directions 1. Heat a non-stick pan to medium-low. 2. In a mixing bowl, beat egg well. 3. Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. 4. Batter will be a bit thick

Recipe and photo courtesy of Katrina PalanaSoledad / Fit Chef for Life

but soft. 5. Add a little coconut oil and canola spray on the pan, then add 1/3 of the batter and spread well using a silicone spatula. 6. Cook 2-3 minutes for each side.{Optional: Add Organic Shredded Coconut, Reduced-Fat for topping}

gluten-Free cHocolate Protein Porridge (Champurrado inspired)

For more health recipes and ideas, please visit www.fitchefforlife.com, on Facebook at Fit Chef for Life or Instagram @ glamfitcheftrina. Recipe and photo courtesy of Katrina Palana-Soledad / Fit Chef for Life

Ingredients 1 cup boiling water 1/3 cup steel cut oats*complex carbs 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tsp coconut sugar*low glycemic 1/2 scoop vanilla/chocolate whey-soy-vegan protein (15g protein)*lean protein source 1 tsp evaporated milk*Pinoy style or unsweetened vanilla al-

mond milk for topping Directions 1. Boil water. 2. then add oats. Wait til cooked. 3. turn off heat and transfer to a bowl. 4. Add the rest of the ingredients except milk/almond milk. Mix well then top with milk. 5. eNJOY while hot or refrigerate then eat when cold

A beginner’s guide to working out PAGE B2 in 6 months by working out 3-5 days a week doing weight training and cardio.” is a great example of S.M.A.R.t. goals! • Have fun! • It may seem miniscule, however this one is perhaps most important! If you are not having

fun or enjoying your workout, you are less likely to continue to adhere to your program. A good workout program should be fun, do-able, and yet challenging. When you have fun with your workout, you are more likely to stick to the program and not skip any days. ***

Joshua Hayes is a Certified Personal Trainer under the National Academy of Sport Medicine (NASM) residing in Southern California with 8 years of personal training experience, specializing in one-on-one training, group training, as well as Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) training. He is currently a Lead Trainer at The Camp Transformation Center in El Monte, California where he helps clients achieve their weight loss goals.

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUSt 11-17, 2016

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B august 11-17, 2016 • Las VEgas asIaN JOuRNaL

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2017 Miss Universe pageant to bring wonders to Philippine tourism The recent announcement by the Department of Tourism that the Philippines will host the next Miss Universe pageant in January 2017 is another bright news in what many in the tourism sector thinks would be another great year for the industry. As a major international event, it is definitely a big boost to country’s already booming tourism industry. The prestigious pageant will be held on January 30, 2017 at the Mall of Asia Arena. With this move, Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo Teo has shown that under her leadership the department is ready to take on the challenges of continuing the progress made by the industry in the past several years. The secretary, whose experience in the tourism industry is first hand being a highly successful tour operator in Davao City, said she would continue her predecessor Secretary Ramon Jimenez’s program and slogan “It’s More Fun in the Philippines.” While Secretary Teo acknowledged the success of the “More Fun” brand in increasing awareness of the Philippines as a tourist destination, she said

Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo

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she’d look for a better campaign strategy to push the brand. “We will stick with ‘It’s More Fun in the Philippines’ slogan but we will come up with a better campaign strategy in the near future,” she said. She said she would meet with different travel and tour organizations, associations, local government units, accommodation and transport sectors to ensure close collaboration between the public and private sectors. Secretary Teo is also planning to meet with former tourism secretaries to get inputs on successful tourism programs. This bodes well for the industry as the secretary is seeking the counsel of those who have “been there, done that.” early in her term as tourism chief executive, Secretary Teo’s deserves commendation for her efforts in having the Philippines host the prestigious and widely watched Miss Universe beauty pageant. The highly popular and prestigious pageant is watched all over the world by millions of viewers, who are all potential tourists to the Philippines. In addition, pre-event exposure for the Philippines is expected in the

qualifying local pageants held in more than a hundred countries that send representatives to the beauty contest. During the pageant show itself, six Philippine destinations are assured of getting worldwide exposure -- Davao City, hometown of President Rodrigo Duterte; Cagayan de Oro, hometown of Miss Universe 2016 Pia Wurtzbach; Boracay and Cebu, which are in the Visayas; and Vigan and Palawan, which are in Luzon. however, the finale will definitely be held in the country’s capital city, Manila. Can you imagine the exposure that these prime Philippine destinations would get during the airing of the Miss Universe pageant? These places alone will show the world how beautiful the country is and that truly, “It’s More Fun in the Philippines.” The tourism department should be grateful that the new administration decided to host the Miss Universe pageant because it will save the country millions of dollars that would otherwise be spent for advertising and promotions using various media platforms, such print, broadcast, television, and billboards in major cities across the world to further strengthen the “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” campaign, in addition to the various roadshow presentations that DOT offices overseas regularly conduct in partnership with leading wholesalers of airline tickets, travel agencies and tour organizers to launch promotional and marketing projects This is the third time that the country is hosting the Miss Universe pageant. The Philippines hosted the pageant in 1974 for first time. It was also the first time the pageant was held in Asia. The event, held on July 21, 1974 at the Folk Arts Theater in Manila, had the reigning 1973 Miss Universe, Margie Moran of the Philippines turned over the crown to her successor, Amparo Munoz of Spain. In January, reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach will turn over her crown to the winner. The last time the Philippines hosted the pageant was in 1994,

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File photo of reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach during a parade in Makati’s financial district shortly after winning the Miss Universe title in 2015.

when India’s Sushmita Sen was crowned Miss Universe. Both events, held 20 years apart, tremendously boosted tourist arrivals to the country and created awareness of the Philippines vast tourism potentials. Tourism industry players are excited over the opportunities that the Miss Universe pageant will open to them. The exposure that the Philippines will get in just one event could very well equal or even exceed the results brought by the marketing campaign for four years under the “It’s More Fun in the Philippines.” According to a Philippine Star news report published on July 29, Secretary Teo “gave assurance that the private sector has volunteered to cover the $11million funding needed to host the event.” “The government is not going to spend a single centavo on it, it will be the private sector that will shoulder the expenses,” the report quoted her as saying. In addition, while the “It’s More Fun in the Philippines”

promotional campaign reached limited markets in europe, North America and Asia, the Miss Universe pageant is expected to create awareness about the Philippines worldwide as millions are expected to watch the pageant itself and millions more reading about the Philippines in pre-event publicity. With the worldwide buzz that is associated with the holding of the Miss Universe beauty pageant in the Philippines, various DOT offices overseas will have an unprecedented boost to their efforts in promoting Philippine tourist destinations to their respective jurisdictions. Right now the full attention of the key players in the travel and tour industry are focused on the Department of Tourism, and are optimistic that Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo will succeed in taking the Philippine tourism industry to new heights. In the meantime, tourism stakeholders should take advantage of the media mileage that the Miss Universe pageant will generate to aggressively promote the Philippines as an

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exciting tourist destination. This is the kind of partnership between the government and the private sector that the tourism secretary is hoping to forge to promote Philippine tourism. *** Manny V. Ilagan is a Tourism Specialist with over 23 years professional experience in the overseas tourism and travel industry. He is currently the Director for Business Development and Marketing of GTT International/ Majestic Vacations, one of the biggest airlines consolidators in the United States, and wholesaler of package tours worldwide. He also provides travel consultancy services to some of the biggest wholesalers and tour operators in the country as well as to some airline companies. He is the former Tourism Director-OIC of the Philippine Department of Tourism-Los Angeles, where he worked for over two decades. As a writer, he has written numerous articles about travel and tourism, which have been published in various FilipinoAmerican newspapers in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Las Vegas and New York, and other Manila-based newspapers as well. For comments or questions, you may reach him at manilagan@gmail.com.

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Your Immigration Solution atty. Devin Connolly & nanCy Miller Countless people would choose to live in the united states instead of any other country in the world. It is, therefore, not surprising that people sometimes misrepresent facts in order to accomplish that goal. these lies are told for an obvious reason – the person telling the lie would not be granted an immigration benefit if they told the truth. However, an immigration benefit obtained through a lie renders the alien removable. If (or when) the Department of Homeland security discovers the truth, they will take steps to deport the immigrant to their native country. An immigrant in this situation may be eligible to apply for a waiver of their prior misrepre-

Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS “Most American adults sleep poorly,” according to a study by the national sleep Foundation. the findings from 1,506 adults are obviously applicable to most of us in general. the lack of sleep translates to lesser mental acuity and concentration, poorer health, greater driving hazards, reduced productivity, and a diminished sex drive. sleep experts recommend a minimum of seven (7) to nine (9) hours of sleep in 24 hours. the survey showed that adults sleep an average of 6.9 hours a night. sleep deprivation -- from a few minutes to three hours -- is enough to cause problems. seventy-five percent of adults reported they frequently have difficulty with sleeping, like problem in initiating sleep, waking up often during the night, and/or snoring, waking up too early, and feeling unrefreshed and tired. Many also stated that they ignored the problem, and some do not even think they actually have any sleep deficit. only about 50% of those surveyed stated they were able to sleep well most of the time. twenty five percent thought their sleep problem had adverse effects on their daily routines. Richard Gelula of the sleep Foundation said there’s a link between sleep and quality of life. “People who sleep well, in general, are happier and healthier,” said Gelula. “But when sleep is poor or inadequate, people feel tired or fatigued, their social and intimate relationship suffer, work productivity is negatively affected, and they make our roads more dangerous by driving while sleepy and less alert.” obviously, the quality of sleep, besides the number of hours, is very important. Chris Drake, senior scientist at the Henry Ford sleep Center in Detroit and cochair of the 2005 poll task force, stated that some of the nation’s sleep habits can be attributed to an “always-on-the-go society.” the commercial world of today stretches business to 24 hours a day, with 24-hour pharmacies, restaurants, casinos and supermarkets, so people tend to stay up late, watch late-night shows on television and surf the internet. All these reduce people’s time to sleep. And some people even need more than nine hours of sleep to

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From fraudulent entry to waiver to citizenship in 3 not-so-easy steps! sentation pursuant to section 237(a)(1)(H) of the Immigration and nationality Act (“InA”). And if the waiver is granted, and they are otherwise eligible, they will be able to apply for u.s. citizenship. the Board of Immigration Appeals (“BIA”) has stated that a person may be eligible for the waiver whether they obtained their green card through an interview at a u.s. Consulate or through adjustment of status interviews at CIs and even if the lie was based on a sham marriage. A “sham marriage” is a marriage entered into solely for the purpose of obtaining a green card. Regardless of when and where the misrepresentation is made, there are still several requirements that must be met to be granted the waiver. A waiver under InA 237(a)(1)(H) “forgives” the fraud and allows the alien to keep their green card if they are the spouse,

parent, or son or daughter of a u.s. citizen or lawful permanent resident (lPR) and can meet the requirement of showing that the equities in their case outweigh the liabilities. the fraud or misrepresentation must be of a material fact that was made in connection with the attempt to obtain a visa or green card. the applicant must be “otherwise-admissible” to the u.s., but-for the material misrepresentation. this means that the immigrant will not be eligible for the waiver if they are inadmissible for reasons in addition to the fraud, such as criminal convictions. As discussed above, the waiver may be granted to an immigrant whose fraud involved a sham marriage. However, there are also many other circumstances in which the waiver may be granted. A common scenario involves a prospective immigrant who has been petitioned by their lPR parents to come to the u.s.,

Sleep deprivation and power naps feel refreshed and rested. this study also showed (1) 60 percent of adult stated they have driven a vehicle while drowsy from lack of sleep the past year; and 4 in 10 reported they have had an accident or near accident because of tiredness or falling asleep at the wheel. (2) 75 percent claims their partner has a sleep problem, snoring as the most common complaint. (3) 4 out of 10 of those surveyed reported lack of sleep adversely affected their sexual relationship, having lost interest in sex, having poorer performance or having sex less often. (4) 70 percent claimed that their physician never asked them about their sleep. the recommendations of the national sleep Foundation and experts in the field are abstinence from any stimulant, coffee and alcohol before bedtime, and to seek medical help if they think they are having sleep problems and/or snoring, or are not getting enough rest at night. lack of sleep reduces the normal “recharging time of our body battery, our energy source” causing a chain of reactions in our physiology and body chemistry. this “lo-bat” condition leads to physical and mental stresses to our system. All these alter the normal homeostasis (internal balance) within us, weakening our immune system, and increasing our risk of developing metabolic diseases, hypertension (high blood pressure), stroke and heart attack, among others, or aggravating existing illnesses. Here is where power naps come in, if you have the luxury and opportunity to enjoy one every day. Power napping is like “tricklecharging our battery.” A power nap is usually taken between 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, the primetime, lasting between 10 minutes and 30 minutes. Many countries of the world close up shops in the afternoon and reopen after 4:00 pm to enjoy that tradition and practice of having a power nap. However, a power nap longer than half an hour increases the risk of “sleep inertia,” which gives one the uncomfortable groggy sensation which lingers. A power naps provides a healthy opportunity to reset the system and get a “power surge” and burst of alertness and physical strength, an amazing energy and memory boost, which even helps in decision-making and problem-solving. naps reduce

crankiness, increases cognitive skills, performance, and creativity, and leads to a more pleasant outlook for the remainder of the day. It also reduces accidents and mistakes, and lowers stress and even lowers the risk for cardiovascular diseases. I personally believe in the magic of power naps. A nAsA study among military pilots and astronauts revealed “that a 40-minute nap improved performance by 34 percent and alertness 100 percent.” A nap is superior to coffee or any “energy drink”, because caffeine decreases memory performance, contrary to what people think. one must be consistent with their power nap routine, keeping a regular schedule and not napping for more than 30 minutes. It is best in a dark room and comfortable environment. naps are most especially good and beneficial for young children and, actually, for all of us. the popular historical figures who were nappers” include, among others, leonardo DaVinci, napoleon Bonaparte, thomas edison, Albert einstein, John F. Kennedy, Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, salvador Dali, Margaret thatcher, John D. Rockefeller, and Yogi Berra. Prevent a “lo-bat.” tricklecharge your system daily. take a power nap if you can. It does wonders! the main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people live a healthier lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities, and achieve a happier and more productive life. Any diagnosis, recommendation or treatment in our article are general medical information and not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. this column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com

but before immigrating, the person gets married. that petition is denied or revoked as a matter of law immediately upon the marriage. even if the parent is a usC, many years can be added to the wait-time. the prospective immigrant wants their spouse and their green card so they lie at the time of the interview and say they are single. Clearly, the green card was obtained through fraud. A 237(a)(1)(H) waiver can cure the original fraud and allow the person to keep their green card – which upon receipt of the waiver will be valid back from the date it was issued. When applying for the waiver, an immigrant must demonstrate that they deserve a favorable exercise of discretion. the factors that an Immigration Judge may consider when making their decision include the immigrant’s family ties within the united states, the length of their residence in this country,

whether the immigrant or any family members would suffer hardship if the immigrant was forced to return to his or her native country, the immigrant’s employment history, the existence of any property or business ties, evidence of value or service to the community, as well other evidence of the immigrant’s good moral character. the Immigration Judge will balance these positive factors against any negative factors in an immigrant’s case. these negative factors may include the original fraud or misrepresentation, any criminal activity, or any other evidence of the immigrant’s lack of good moral character. In the end, the immigrant must demonstrate that the positive factors in their case outweigh the negative ones. A well-documented waiver application and persuasive testimony at the court hearing are essential to a successful outcome. And, yes, I did just say court. A

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waiver under InA § 237(a)(1)(H) may only be applied for in Immigration Court. With so much riding on the end result, it is important to retain a knowledgeable immigration attorney who is experienced in these types of waivers. And what is the end result? After being granted the waiver, the immigrant can go on to successfully apply for u.s. citizenship. that is a successful outcome. *** Reeves, Miller, Zhang & Diza Law Corporation’s 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)

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Disco Manila at LA’s Grand Performances Put on your boogie shoes and embrace the resurgence of disco from the Manila Sound era, the next wave of global groove music. Manila Sound was a catch all moniker during the ‘70s describing Philippine popular music that embraced its American soul/folk/pop/jazz influences, combined it with Filipino modern aesthetics and polished it off with the musical proficiency of the vibrant Manila scene that somehow flourished during the Marcos-era Martial Law. Live Performances of classic Disco dance floor fillers by the original purveyors of the sound and those who lived it. The event will begin at 8 p.m. at Grand Performances, located at 350 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90071. For more information, please visit http://grandperformances.org/disco-manila.

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St. Margaret Mary Parish Luau The St. Margaret Mary Parish will celebrate their Annual Luau on August 27 at the SMM Parish Hall on 12686 Central Ave., Chino, California. Music will be provided by The Midnight Motion Duo. For more information, please call SMM Filipino Ministry President - (909) 315-9812, Adel Rellora.

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Startup Business Expo Tour (with Tagalog translation) Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Office in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration invites you to the 2016 Startup Business Expo Tour. The series of events is intended to help startups, small businesses, entertainment and production companies, food services, event planners, home-based businesses, entrepreneurs, fashion & beauty businesses, e-commerce, accounting services, cleaning services, consultants, childcare and more! Topics include: starting a business in LA, predicting your financial future, choosing a legal entity & access to capital. This event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 6313 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Ste. 2140, Woodland Hills, CA 91367. The event is FREE & open to the public. There will also be free food & refreshments for participants. To RSVP, please visit www.startuptourla.com.

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42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of Peñafrancia United Bicolandia Los Angeles (UBLA) invites everyone, Bicolanos, devotees and friends to come and celebrate the 42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, Patroness of the Bicol Region. The festivities will start on Sept. 9, with the translacion at 5pm at the Immaculate of Mary Church (4954 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90029. A nightly novena Mass follows from Sept. 9 to Sept. 16 at 6 PM except on Saturday, Sept. 10, at 3:30 PM and Sunday, Sept. 11, at 2;30 PM and culminates on Saturday, Sept. 17, with the ninth day novena at 8am, foot & fluvial procession at 9 AM, and a Concelebrated Mass at 10 am at Lincoln Park, 3501 Valley Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90031. Main celebrant will be HE Most Rev Arturo Bastes, Bishop of Sorsogon. For details, please call Lanie Berrei (818) 281-3169 or Gene Leano (818) 439-6896.

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AAPA’s leadership symposium Join the Asian American Professional Association (AAPA) for an all-day event from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. with exceptional and diverse keynote speakers and panelists, as well as multiple workshops on diversity and leadership topics. The symposium is open to everyone, and will be held at the Pacific Palms Hotel, 1 Industry Hills Parkway, City of Industry, CA 91744. For more information, please visit http://aapamentoring.com/.

S E P t E M B E R 24

8th Regional Celebration of the Feast of San Lorenzo Ruiz The Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the San Fernando Region invites everyone to the 8th Regional Celebration of the feast of San Lorenzo Ruiz, the First Filipino Saint. Festivities will be on Saturday, September 24, 2016, at this year’s host parish, Holy Family Church - Glendale (209 East Lomita Avenue, Glendale CA 91205). Procession starts at 4:30 PM , then Mass at 5:30 PM with Most Reverend Oscar A. Solis DD, Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles, as Principal Celebrant. Reception , fellowship and program will immediately follow at the Holy Family Grade School Auditorium across the church. For more information, please contact Ping Bayani at(913) 558-4332 or bayani0950@yahoo.com.

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FAPCCA Media Awards

MEDICAL CONFERENCE. Congresswoman Titus helped welcome PAMET-USA to Las Vegas on Thursday, Aug. 4 at the Palace Station. The four day conference was held by the Philippine Association of Medical Technologists and members from more than 20 states attended. PAMET-USA is a national organization with the noble goal of unifying all Filipino Medical Technologists in the United States and the desire to serve the growing needs of our profession. It was born on September 1988 in Chicago, Illinois when three independent PAMET organizations (New York, New Jersey and Chicago) decided to merge into one. Since then more chapters have been formed.

The Filipino American Press Club of California invites you to The First FAPCCA Media Awards Gala Night 2016 at Glendale Hilton Hotel, 100 W. Glenoaks Blvd, Glendale CA 91202, Sept. 25, 2016 Sunday 5pm (www.facebook.com/fapccamediaawards/) Tickets: $65/person includes dinner and entertainment. Call: ‪626.475.3052‪; ‪310.600.9913‪;‪8 18.357.4566‪ or pay by Paypal at www.paypal.me/fapcca (please indicate the amount, number of tickets, name, mailing address and cell number on the Special Instruction field). FAPCCA Contact Persons: Chairperson Thelma Calabio - ‪301.600.9913‪; President Andy Z. Edralin - ‪626-475-3052‪; VP Isidric Panganiban - ‪818.357.4566‪; Treasurer Christie Rosacia -‪818.451.6606‪; Auditor Sonia Bermejo - ‪818.653.3177‪; Joe Cobilla - PRO ‪323.804.9959‪; Director Rose Sarreal ‪213.321.1119‪

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25th annual Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture (FPAC) The Association for the Advancement of Filipino American Arts and Culture (FilAm ARTS) is proud to announce the date & venue for the anticipated Silver Anniversary edition of its annual Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture. FPAC 25, the 25th Annual Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture (FPAC), will take place Saturday, October 8 at the beautiful Echo Park Lake. Admission is FREE. The popular festival, the City of Los Angeles’ Filipino American Event, is the longest-running Filipino cultural celebration in Southern California. Audiences can expect to enjoy traditional and contemporary Filipino food, music, dance, crafts and culture. This year’s theme, “Samu’t Sari: Showcasing the Diverse Creative Tapestry of the FilAm Community,” lends its meaning to the Tagalog phrase which loosely translates to “diversity.” While certainly a hot topic in today’s society, FilAm Arts focuses on the vast contributions of Filipino American artists to the creative tapestry of the City. For more information, please visit www.filamarts.org or call 2133803722. For sponsorship and vendor opportunities, please email info@filamarts.org.

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, please email us the details at info@asianjournalinc.com or calendar@asianjournalinc.com

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With tons of places to choose from to bring your old jewelry, there’s only one place in Las Vegas that will pay the best amount for these valuables. At Nevada Coin Mart, customers can rest assured that they will be properly compensated for the precious stones and metals they bring in. Neil Sackmary, the owner of the store, is a graduate gemologist from the Gemological institute of America (GiA) with more than 20 years of experience in buying these items. “When it comes to myself, this is my passion. this is what i went to school for,” Sackmary said. GiA is the world’s foremost authority on diamonds, colored stones and pearls. it was established in 1931 and strives to protect the jewelry and gem buying public by setting quality standards worldwide. As a certified GiA specialist, Sackmary points out that simply because a business that purchases these stones has been around for decades, that does not make it an expert source. this is a particularly important fact for members of the Asian American community to note. “in the Asian community, people don’t buy cheap stones. they always spend really good money and when they do, they want to sell them for good money and they want someone who’s an expert. You don’t want to take it to someone who says they’re in the business for 35 years. that does not make them an expert,” Sackmary said. Nevada Coin Mart purchases

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ficers and 47 cameras to monitor the entire building. Visitors can also request to have a guard walk them in and out of the building free of charge. Sackmary and his wife have been in the business of buying jewelry and other metals for many years and have been online selling costume jewelry for about 15 years. they are also present every day the shop is open, which is located on the corner of Jones Boulevard and Flamingo Road. in addition to putting their customers’ interests first, the Sackmarys are active community members who have participated in charity event Operation FirehEAt and are founding sponsors for the Anthem Women’s Club. Nevada Coin Mart was established in 1971 and is licensed by Clark County to legally purchase jewelry from the general public. Nevada Coin Mart 4065 S Jones Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89103 Phone: (702) 776-7061 hours: Monday through Sunday, 9am to 5 pm Advertising Supplement

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Monette AdevA MAglAyA (JULiAN Assange is at it again. the latest Wikileaks hack on the DNC shows that there are forces at play that can influence how things work out on a national and international scale. Over 5 years ago, i wrote this article below and it bears reprinting. Julian Assange is still holed up in the Ecuadorian Embassy in Knightsbridge in London, where he sought asylum in 2012 over a charge of rape in Sweden. though a virtual captive of his own choice, he still has massive influence on reshaping the affairs of men. in current events, Assange has warned that there is still a massive cache of emails about one of the presidential nominees. the emails will be released in stages within the next few months leading to the national elections on November 08. BUCKLE UP. this is going to be one historical rough ride.) in the fall season of 2010, the international community suffered “a great disturbance in the force” caused by the publication of a massive cache of hijacked classified information on the internet from Wikileaks. Wikileaks is considered as a rogue, loose group of cyber commandos worldwide founded by Australian Julian Assange and began operation in 2006. Over the years, Assange has cemented his reputation as WhiStLEBLOWER EXtRAORDiNAiRE. the massive leaks have unhinged the precarious peace of the world order at the time. the damage to international diplomatic relations between nations was assessed and there were serious efforts at damage control. there were tomato red faces in the American diplomatic community embarrassed by disclosures of the stark difference between what are carefully crafted public pronouncements and posturings and what is the truth of the matter. Frankly, it matters little to the average Joe what is going on in that sphere as long as the world remains a relatively safe place for most of its 6 billion inhabitants. i really don’t care for too much information that has little to do with the small orbit i move around in. While the leaks pose a disaster of hurricane proportions in international diplomacy, it is tough to see how it profoundly affects the ordinary mortal whose daily rounds include work and the home and the occasional run to the grocery. there is an itch that needs to be scratched based on a natural curiosity among ordinary people of how international relations work. the leaks simply unmask and show how governments work on the gut level, with few of the screens, filters and curtains that make diplomacy and its protocols seem like rocket science. Because it does not affect me and billions of others directly, it may seem petty, even ludicrous to me, to read how one diplomat really assesses a head of state or how Prince Andrew of England is rude, or how Saudi Arabia regards iran. On the one hand, unredacted documents with names and faces in covert operations made public can also put the lives of people in real danger. these leaks have the potential to alter the course of human lives, the course of international relations and ultimately the course and fabric of modern history. then it becomes a very big deal when such information compromises real lives and the precious gains made in the interest of peace. Wikileaks is essentially a plumb-

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Of weak links and Wikileaks “…For truth to prevail, Political — Mam correctness must die.” ing problem. there are leaks because there are weak links in the chain of information. if the sources dried up, then Wikileaks is out of business. Since it cannot function properly without a server or the pipes that carry its content, then it can be deprived of its existence by refusing service to it. it can be shut down, but only temporarily. it can find other servers but a website under attack and constantly on the run is not as effective in getting a massive audience on which it thrives. however, it can still exist as a guerilla website even if servers refuse service buckling under pressure from governments or corporations. By cutting off the money flow of donations that fund its operations, the whistleblowing website is virtually doomed. Paypal, owned by Ebay has cut off its relationship to it. And a Swiss bank account set up to accept donations has closed its account on charges Assange lied on his application regarding his residency. it has no other option but to operate as a guerilla front for now until it reinvents itself. the way international diplomacy is being conducted will be rewritten and security will be enforced from the ground up, including vetting the people even on the lowest rungs of the totem pole, using more filters and screens and imposing frequent movements and rotations. Countries and corporations are on notice that nothing digital can be held in secret for long. the international community is still trying to configure a way to communicate its missives, for now bypassing or limiting internet use, which as they have found to their utter dismay, is actually a double-edged sword that have cut them at the knees. Unless some genius can invent a dedicated, virtually impenetrable tunnel going under or over the information superhighway as currently structured, brilliant people like Assange, driven by some kind of Messianic Complex, and perhaps, a monstrous ego to boot, gifted with a more than average intelligence for math and physics and a keen understanding of how the cyber world works, Wikileaks and other clone organizations which will ride on the wave of its success as commercial, for-profit ventures trading in sensitive information, much like blackmail, will continue to exist. in a perverse way, it might be a good thing if people in power knew that they can be taken to task by a band of cyber bandits. Where was Assange when he could have blown the whistle on Big Bad Bernie Madoff who scammed thousands of people for decades in a Ponzi scheme in the billions of dollars? Old technologies like good old paper and pen, might be tweaked and reissued in the aftermath of wikileaks. it is interesting to note that in the movie, “independence Day,” as the aliens who were conquering earth were found to be using earth’s own satellites against humans, the various military forces of the world reverted back to the use of the old Morse Code to launch a coordinated massive offensive against the invaders. While those who look at Assange regard him as some kind of modern day hero wielding sensitive information that he and his group can access and distribute with impunity over the internet purportedly with only the interest of the public and transparency as his avowed mission, Assange is still just plain human. i see a

bloated ego. he could be playing into his own growing ego fed by his success at embarrassing a superpower, and having the temerity to demand hillary Clinton to step down as US Secretary of State at the time. that kind of power is intoxicating and corrodes the soul. Originally intended to be faceless, he has decided to put his face on Wikileaks so that no one else can claim credit or discredit. Acting no different from a glory hound, he wants recognition for his work. What he has done is to stir a massive hornet’s nest creating enemies whose collective fury his nimble mind, deft fingers and fleet-footed movements may be unable to stave off. the Wikileaks website was rendered temporarily unavailable for a few hours but is currently back online with a sympathetic Swiss host. Amazon online kicked it off its servers and there are pressures worldwide to disable its website, which has been attacked by massive amounts of data from unknown sources that tend to overwhelm and render it useless. But as in anything viral on the internet, it is only a matter of time before it can morph into another website. We live in uncharted territory. there is no primer on how to deal with this. Assange and his band of cyber brothers claim they have over 300,000 support members from around the world and that if anything should happen to him and his colleagues, his fight to disclose information in the interest of investigative journalism, transparency and purportedly to keep the world on the straight and narrow will continue. On the one hand, with American media so totally lacking in credibility and basic integrity, Wikileaks may yet prove to be a saving grace. Our story is till being written. Julian Assange claims that his treasure trove of information is encrypted and will be released by his followers if something should happen to him and his immediate cohorts. his story bears watching if only to see where this brand of activism in the information war tilts the balance of power, how the international diplomatic community regains its poise and equilibrium after such sticky disclosures and essentially how this unusual story of our time plays out in the end. the lesson for ordinary cyber denizens: Nothing in the digital world is safe from scrutiny. So BEhAVE. MiND YOUR MANNERS. PLAY NiCE. BUt this does NOt mean you have to be politically correct or be intimidated by the poisoned slings and arrows of political correctness. For tRUth tO PREVAiL, POLitiCAL CORRECtNESS MUSt DiE. iF, as a tRUth WARRiOR, you feel you have to tAKE A StAND ON thiNGS thAt MAttER DURiNG thESE SURREAL, tWiStED tiMES WE LiVE iN AND WiLL hAVE tO OFFEND thE PC POLiCE, BY ALL MEANS, DO SO! BUt be sure you can back it up with tRUth, WELL-DOCUMENtED FACtS AND OVERWhELMiNG EViDENtiARY PROOF when you do engage an enemy in the digital world. (Pardon the all caps “shouting.” Sometimes, you just gotta.) Or better yet: LOG OFF OR OPt OUt. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com

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