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Volume 27 - No. 33 • 2 sections – 16 Pages

august 18-24, 2016

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Clinton, Trump campaigns court AAPI voters by Christina

M. Oriel

AJPress

LAs VeGAs — the hillary Clinton and Donald trump campaigns were in this city last week in an effort to make pitches to Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), a crucial electorate that has the potential to be the swing vote this November. Co-hosted by APIAVote and the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA), the 3 1/2-hour presidential forum held at Caesars Palace on friday, August 12 drew an estimated crowd of 3,000. Watch parties were also organized in 20 states. In addition to the campaigns of the Democratic and republican presidential nominees— represented by former President Bill Clinton and Utah Attorney General sean reyes, respectively—Libertar-

ian candidate Gary Johnson and Green Party candidate Dr. Jill stein appeared at the beginning of the program in a Q&A format hosted by msNBC’s richard Lui. It marked the first time presidential nominees from four political parties were represented and addressed the AAPI community at one event. though Johnson and stein have not received as much coverage, they presented themselves as alternatives to both hillary Clinton and Donald trump. If either Clinton or trump is elected, Johnson said the country “will be more polarizing than ever.” “A wasted vote is voting for someone you don’t believe in,” the former New mexico governor said. meanwhile, stein said she’s the PAGE A2

Former President Bill Clinton stumps for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Friday, August 12 at the Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Clinton was one of the speakers during the historic presidential forum -- featuring representatives from four presidential campaigns -- organized by APIAVote and the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA). AJPress photo by Robert Macabagdal

Duterte slams UN for ‘stupid proposition’ against drug war

USA

DATELINE The complexity of the Asian American electorate from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

AsIAN Americans are the fastest-growing demographic in the United states. In the last five years, the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community increased by 19 percent, according to the United states Census Bureau. And it’s not stopping there. A recent UCLA study reported that by 2040, the AAPI voter population in the U.s. is projected to double with an expected population of 12.2 million. Current naturalization trends can explain this phenomenon as hordes of Asian immigrants are making their way to the U.s. since 2012, approximately 60 percent of newly eligible AAPI individuals have gained the right to vote, meaning that the 2016 election will have the most diverse electorate by far, according to a 2016 report from Pew research Center. With the AAPI community growing exPAGE A2

Judge approves sale of abandoned ship in Georgia Stranded Filipino sailors may be home soon fILIPINo sailors abandoned on a cargo ship off the coast of Georgia since April may be heading home soon thanks to a federal Court Decision delivered on monday, August 15 permitting the vessel’s sale. A legal dispute between creditors and the owners of the Newlead Castellano kept 15 crewmembers from returning to their home countries, according to the Associated Press. the boat was seized by federal marshals after unloading 20,000 tons of sugar in savanna and was eventually put up for auction when its owners defaulted on their debt. Visa restrictions prevent the 13 filipino sailors, one Greek engineer and one romanian electrician — who stayed behind to man the shipping vessel — from stepping foot on U.s. soil. they had been forced to say onboard the ship, currently docked about 20 miles from Georgia off of tybee PAGE A4

by Dana

M. siOsOn

AJPress

Pres. Rodrigo Duterte

Inquirer.net photo

PresIDeNt rodrigo Duterte slammed the United Nations (UN) for backing a “stupid proposition” in criticizing the administration’s campaign against illegal drugs, on monday, August 17. “here comes the UN, easily swayed and coming on a very stupid proposition,” Duterte said in his speech at the Philippines’ police headquarters, Camp Crame. In a statement on Wednesday,

August 3, UN office on Drugs and Crime (UNoDC) executive Director Yury fedotov joined UN secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in “condemning the apparent endorsement of extrajudicial killings” in the Philippines. UNoDC then made a proposition “to bring drug traffickers to justice with the appropriate legal safeguards in line with international standards and norms and promote prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and reintegration approaches based in evidence, science, public health and hu-

man rights.” ‘’Why would the United Nations be so easy to be swayed into interfering in the affairs of this republic?” Duterte said. As the one who ordered the campaign against drugs, the president said he claims “full and sole responsibility” on the recent deaths of suspected criminals but expressed that his government cannot be investigated for genocide over the killings. ‘’UN, you can only investigate [for] genocide when you kill withPAGE A2

Malacañang: Marcos burial will Trump: ‘Extreme vetting’ push through unless SC issues TRO needed for immigrants to US by Dana

M. siOsOn

AJPress

mALACAñANG on Wednesday, August 17, said late and former President ferdinand marcos’ burial at heroes’ Cemetery will push through unless the supreme Court (sC) will issue a temporary restraining order (tro). “It seems that everything is starting to move according to arrangements, so unless there is a tro (temporary restraining order) or anything like that, it will proceed as planned,” presidential spokesman ernesto Abella said in a news

conference. “If there are any motions and any cases filed, let it proceed and then president will respond as he sees fit. the president will abide by the rulings.” Although september 18 is the date eyed for marcos’ burial, Abella however, clarified that no official burial date has been set yet. “the process is ongoing, nobody’s rushing anything,” he said. sC to conduct oral argument on Wednesday, August 17, Philippine suPAGE A2

by Christina

M. Oriel

AJPress

rePUBLICAN presidential nominee Donald trump on monday, August 15 proposed a “new screening test” for immigrants seeking to enter the United states. Delivering a foreign policy address in Youngstown, ohio, trump echoed the call for stricter immigration — a cornerstone of his campaign

— and reiterated his belief that “radical Islamic terrorism” is the biggest threat the world faces today. he went on to cite examples of terrorist attacks on U.s. soil — including the Boston marathon bombings and the san Bernardino and orlando mass shootings — and abroad. to defeat IsIs, trump proposed a “new immigration PAGE A3

Robredo seeks dismissal of Marcos election protest by Dana

siOsOn AJPress

COURT ACTION. Martial law victims led by Rep. Neri Colmenares turn to the Supreme Court on Monday, Aug. 15, in their bid to scuttle a Duterte administration plan to bury the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at Libingan ng mga Bayani. Inquirer.net photo by Marianne Bermudez

VICe President Leni robredo on monday, August 15, asked the supreme Court (sC) to dismiss the electoral protest filed against her by the defeated former senator ferdinand “Bongbong” marcos Jr. In her 536-page answer, robredo, through her lawyers romulo macalintal and ma. Bernadette sardillo, asked the sC — which also serves as the Presidential electoral tribunal (Pet) — to dismiss the protest PAGE A3 Vice President Leni Robredo

Inquirer.net photo

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Duterte slams UN for ‘stupid...

Clinton, Trump campaigns... PAGE A1 “only candidate who doesn’t take money from corporations, lobbyists and super PACs� and has welcomed dissatisfied voters who supported Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. In May, nonpartisan groups APIAVote, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC and AAPI Data released “Inclusion, Not Exclusion,� a voter survey examining the trends within the Asian American community. According to the findings, 31 percent of Filipinos reported a favorable view of the Republican Party, compared to 64 percent of Filipinos for the Democratic Party. Thirty-six percent of Filipinos responded that they are planning to vote for Clinton, while 11 percent for Trump. Clinton’s AAPI record Filipino-American civil leader Gloria Caoile, who was appointed by former President Clinton to the White House Advisory Commission on AAPIs in 2000, had the honor of introducing him on Friday. “When President Clinton took office, he made good on his promise of making his administration look like America,� she said, adding that “Secretary Clinton has spent her life fighting for us.� In his speech, President Clinton covered a whole host of issues from student debt to equal pay. He even gave a shout out to Connie Mariano, a Filipina who was the White House physician during his administration. “I will soon be known by every school child in the country as Hillary Clinton’s husband,� he said. On immigration, he said Hillary Clinton would push for comprehensive immigration reform within the first 100 days of her presidency. “If you wasted the money to round up and deport every undocumented person in this country, you’d disrupt millions of families and, along with the heartbreak, it would drive this country into a recession,� he said, acknowledging that 40 percent of API immigrants make up the visa backlog. Those from the Philippines are waiting more than 20 years. Answering a question regarding Clinton’s email server controversy, the former president brushed it off as the “biggest load of bull I’ve ever heard.� He added that it is “not a cause for distrust� because prominent national security experts, including Republicans, have endorsed her. Rep. Judy Chu of California said “it was a sign of respect� that the Clinton campaign sent its highestranking surrogate. “What was so interesting was how much he wanted to engage with the audience,� Chu told the Asian Journal, while phone banking for Clinton in this city on Saturday, August 13. Fil-Am Jason Tengco, AAPI outreach director for Clinton’s campaign, told the Asian Journal that it was a natural decision to have the former president speak because of his “career-long record of defending the AAPI community’s

Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson

Green Party candidate Dr. Jill Stein

Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes AJPress photos by Robert Macabagdal

best interests.� “President Clinton will continue to play a key role in highlighting Hillary’s plans to break down barriers and improve the lives of AAPIs, and understands that as president, Hillary will focus on the issues that are important to the AAPI community — like helping working families, supporting small business, raising the minimum wage, and investing in technology and innovation,� he said. Earlier this year, Hillary Clinton visited San Gabriel, California to launch AAPIs for Hillary, making her the only presidential candidate to hold an event specifically for the community. The campaign also released a fact sheet detailing her vision for a “thriving AAPI community,� focusing on what she would do on a host of issues, such as immigration reform, college affordability and health care. Clinton’s running mate, Virgina Sen. Tim Kaine, has also reportedly been helping woo AAPI voters. As the Asian Journal previously reported, Kaine has a visible track record pushing issues relevant to the Fil-Am community, namely the Congressional Gold Medal for Filipino World War II veterans and the Filipino WWII Veterans Parole program that allows family members of veterans to come to the U.S. through immigration parole. Trump’s PH comments clarified Reyes—a Trump surrogate who is of Spanish, Filipino, Japanese and Native Hawaiian descent—shared his backstory, while sprinkling in points of how the Republican presidential nominee would benefit the AAPI community. The attorney general, who was named a ‘rising star’ of the GOP last year, is the highest-ranking Fil-Am law enforcement public official in the country and the first ethnic minority to hold statewide

office in Utah. “I realize that I’m not a headliner like others who have preceded me on the stage, but I think my being here says something important about Donald Trump and Governor Mike Pence,� he said. “That is that fact that they would allow an average person like me to be able to speak to a group as important as you.� After starting off his speech in a lighthearted manner, with the caveat to not “stereotype� the community, Reyes said the “sacrifices and efforts [of the AAPI community] have not gone unnoticed by Donald Trump or the Republican Party.� “You are such a critical strength to our nation,� he added, before touching upon issues such as health care, small business and affirmative action. Most recently, Trump angered many Filipinos and Filipino Americans for his remarks during a Portland, Maine rally that implied that the Philippines is a terrorist nation. Reyes came to Trump’s defense, saying “being Filipino, those issues are near and dear to my heart.� “What Mr. Trump was trying to communicate—and I have full authority to make this clarification—is that he welcomes law-abiding Filipinos who want to come and have a better life and better opportunities, whether they want to live here or go back to the Philippines. Send money back to their families there. He welcomes them,� he said. He went on to clarify that terrorists “do exist in the Philippines, and there’s no one here from the Philippines who can dispute that. They know that that exists.� Though Reyes admitted that he does not agree entirely with Trump, he believes the Republican nominee represents a “new future, not the status quo.� “Mr. Trump believes in America first — no exceptions,� he said. For Ninio Fetalvo, Asian Pacific American press secretary and spokesman for the Republican National Committee (RNC), Reyes was a fitting surrogate because he “is the embodiment of the American Dream and represents the diversity of our Party and our country.� “AG Reyes highlighted both his personal story of why his heritage has an impact on why he champions Republican values, and Mr. Trump’s plans to grow the economy and keep our nation safe, two issues of major importance to the AAPI community. Mr. Trump offers the best platform for AAPIs to achieve the American Dream,� Fetalvo told the Asian Journal. However, some Fil-Ams present on Friday were not persuaded by Reyes’s speech. “I think the Filipinos for Trump need to get educated. I guess I don’t understand why they would agree with someone who is not about working families, is trying to PAGE A4

PAGE A1 out giving a hoot, if you are killing children, whole community. But when you kill criminals who fight with you, and criminals who fight amongst themselves, that is [our] duty,’’ he said. ‘’But we will answer, for every incident that involves killing of human being, whether connected with police duty or not, have it investigated‌that way, we can be transparent.â€? Duterte also advised policemen to ignore the statements from the UN and other critics. As of Monday, August 15, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said 612 drug suspects have been killed in police operations. On the other hand, the Philippine Daily Inquirer has recorded 646 from June 30 to August 15 in their “kill list.â€? New ‘narcolist’ According to Senators Richard Gordon and JV Ejercito, the president has a new list of politicians suspected to be involved in the illegal drug trades and is likely to reveal the names soon. “There are many names. There are more this time,â€? Inquirer quoted Gordon. Ejercito said that the names in the list “give protectionâ€? to drug traders. He added that most of them were past and present officials, including members of the House of Representatives, mayors and councilors. Last week Duterte named the 159 “narco officialsâ€? which includes incumbent and former local executives and lawmakers, judges, and police officers, while in July, Duterte named five “narco generalsâ€? as part of his campaign against illegal drugs.

Duterte’s ‘war against drugs’ lowers PH crime rate by Joseph

Almer B. pedrAJAs AJPress

DESPITE criticism for allegedly dishonoring human rights, the “war against drugsâ€? has lowered the country’s crime index in the first month since President Rodrigo Duterte took office. On Sunday, August 14, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar told radio station dzRB that the crime volume went down to 50,817 from 56,339 (9.8 percent) in the same period last year, according to a report by the Philippine National Police (PNP). Andanar added that the police also recorded 11,800 incidents of index crimes in July 2016, or a 31 percent decrease from 17,105 in July of last year. “Patuloy na umaani ng positibong result ang kampanya kontra droga at krimen ng kasalukuyang administration isang buwan matapos umupo sa MalacaĂąang si Presidente Rodrigo Roa Duterte (The government’s campaign against drugs and crime is receiving positive results just a month after President Rodrigo Roa Duterte assumed office in MalacaĂąang),â€? Andanar pronounced. In secluded areas where drugs and criminality dominate, the secretary bragged that the “changeâ€? has come and is being felt. As of August 12, the police has already recorded 601 drug-related deaths since June 30. The record includes alleged narcopeople who were killed by police in operations, vigilantes and other

unnamed killers. With regard to the rise in the number of deaths, the Commission on Human Rights and other pro-life activists held protests to fight for the proper enactment of human rights and due process. The PNP crime record of July last year was 11,106 – 40.3 percent higher than last month’s 4,476. On the other hand, Andanar reiterated the president’s promise to eradicate illegal drugs and criminality within three to six months. “Ang pangako ng ating Pangulo ay within three to six months malaking bawas po kundi masawata na po itong ilegal droga sa ating mga lansangan at maibabalik na ang lansangan natin sa kabataan di tulad ng nakaraang mga taon na napakadelikado po ang ating mga lansangan upang sila ay maglaro. (The president’s promise is to eradicate illegal drugs within three to six months and to bring back the safety of the children while playing in the streets),� Andanar said. Last week, the United States expressed concern over “reports regarding extrajudicial killings of individuals suspected to have been involved in drug activity in the Philippines,� according to a release by the country’s embassy in Manila. “The United States strongly believes in the rule of law, due process, and respect for universal human rights, and that these principles promote long-term security,� it added.

MalacaĂąang: Marcos burial will push... PAGE A1

preme Court (SC) Public Information Office (PIO) chief Atty. Theodore Te announced that an oral argument on the petition against Marcos’ burial will be conducted on Wednesday, August 24. The 30-page petition — led by former Bayan Muna party list Rep. Satur Ocampo and Neri Colmenares — urged the court to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the implementation Memorandum dated Aug. 7, 2016, issued by Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana. The Memorandum states President Rodrigo Duterte’s order for

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Ricardo R. Visaya to start the preparations for the interment and the transfer of Marcos’ remains to Libingan ng mga Bayani. “For how can such honesty and integrity be promoted and defended when a dishonest and disgraced public official, such as Ferdinand E. Marcos, after his removal from power, can snatch respect and thereby re-write not only history but his culpability via the back door of declaring and celebrating him a hero?� the petition read. The SC also asked the respon-

dents to comment regarding the plea within five days or until 10 a.m. on Monday, August 22. Respondents of the petition were former First Lady Imelda Marcos, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Rear Admiral Ernesto Enriquez, and AFP chief of staff General Ricardo Visaya. Other petitioners include Trinidad Repuno, Bienvenido Lumbera, Bonifacio Ilagan, Maria Carolina Araulo, Samahan ng Ex-Detainees laban sa Detensyon at Aresto represented by Dionito Cabillas, Carmencita Florentino, Rodolfo Del Rosario, Felix Dalisay and Danilo Dela Fuente.

The complexity of the Asian American.. PAGE A1 ponentially, there’s no doubt that their presence at the polls later this year will be crucial. Both the Democratic and Republican parties have announced efforts to further engage with the AAPI community, but their needs are still not adequately addressed. The multicultural pool of the AAPI community is a major drawback. The Asian community is comprised of hundreds of cultures, ethnicities, nationalities and identities — it would be laborious to canvass to each individual group. Moreover, the linguistic diversity of Asians is a significant limitation when navigating voting processes. Another issue is the minimal studies on AAPI voters. The scarcity of these findings was described by George Gao, digital producer at Pew, who said that most studies on ethnic subgroups don’t yield significant AAPI data because the participant pool is usually too small. In short, to simply tackle the “Asian American� vote is far too broad and replaces individual engagement with generalization, according to Gao. “Not only do they speak dozens of different languages they also hail from many different cultural and ethnic backgrounds and

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are only bound together because they claim racial/ethnic roots from the vast continent of Asia,� Gao said in the report. Not enough resources are allocated to accommodating the vast diversity within the Asian American label and researching the unique characteristics and needs of each community. But Cal State LA’s Pat Brown Institute of Public Affairs (PBI) released a comprehensive study that looked into the voting behaviors and attitudes among four Asian American groups: Chinese, Japanese, Filipino and Korean. The study comprised of a multidisciplinary study that gathered information from over 1,600 participants in the Los Angeles area and measured Asian American voter behaviors and attitudes. The study found that Asian Americans are rather complex in their voter behavior, and it proved that tackling the Asian American vote as a singular entity is misguided. The study not only compared attitudes and behaviors among the four ethnic groups, but also yielded comparative results between young and old, foreign born and American born, native English speakers and foreign language speakers among other brackets. Socially liberal It’s no surprise the PBI study found that younger Asian Americans tend to be more socially liberal than older generations, but numerous surveys from Pew, Gallup, the Washington Post and other pollsters have concluded that AAPIs as a whole are more liberal. Asian Americans tend to lean politically left because of the policies introduced and supported by Democratic leaders that address community concerns and noted a “strong contrast� between Democratic and Republican policies, said Shu-Yen Wei, northeast regional press secretary for the Democratic National Committee (DNC). The 2000 presidential election marked the first time a majority of Asian Americans voted Democrat, and that trend continued in 2004 when 56 percent of Asian Americans voted for thenDemocratic nominee John Kerry. President Barack Obama’s 2008

election win and 2012 re-election garnered 62 percent and 68 percent of the AAPI vote, respectively, according to exit polls from National Election Pool. “President Obama has made it a priority to get input from the community and push legislation [that addresses AAPI] concerns,� Wei told the Asian Journal. “The White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI) was established by Obama to establish further engagement with the community, and [they’ve used] these interactions to draft policies that address AAPI concerns.� The PBI study indicated that religiosity and economic change like minimum wage are important to Asian American voters. Moreover, health care, immigration, commerce and education are issues of high salience to the AAPI community, and the Democratic Party’s positions on these issues tend to coincide with those of the typical Asian American voter, said Wei, who said that Democrats are more likely to enact laws that address AAPI concerns. Immigration, in particular, is a keystone for AAPI voters, who are either immigrants or descendants of immigrants. Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA), which allows parents of American-born children to apply for naturalization, was authorized by Obama in 2014 and has been received positively among the AAPI community. The U.S. Supreme Court could not come up with a consensus on Obama’s Executive Order to suspend mass deportations, grant undocumented immigrants with work permits and implement DAPA and expand Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) on Thursday, June 23. Nonetheless, undocumented AAPIs have received these two proposals as a step forward, said Wei. “AAPI voters understand that Democrats support the path to citizenship and more comprehensive immigration reform,� said Wei, who noted the contrasting immigration stances between the two parties. Wei added that the “strong PAGE A4

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Robredo seeks dismissal of Marcos... PAGE A1 for the “utter lack of merit” and the “lack of jurisdiction of the PET.” Marcos’s election protest against Robredo, filed last June 29, pointed out that there should be an investigation regarding the accuracy of the election results and the reported irregularities to unveil the fraud that involved the Liberal Party, Smartmatic Corporation and the Commission on Elections (Comelec). Macalintal and Sardillo, however, said that it is just practically a complaint by Marcos against the Comelec in the lease of the Vote Counting Machines (VCMs) from Smartmatic. Allegedly, the machines have no record of prior use in other elections in other countries.

“Since there were no records as to how ‘successful’ the VCMs worked in the past, the procurement of the same was highly suspicious,” the petition read. Robredo’s camp also argued that the ‘second part’ of the Marcos petition is “a mere series of wild accusations, guesses, and surmises which renders it miserably wanting in sufficiency both in form and substance.” “In other words, the allegations of election fraud and irregularities are without specification and substantiation, of where and how these occurrences took place,” Robredo said, as quoted by Inquirer. “The Supreme Court held in that ruling that it cannot allow an election protest based on such flimsy averments to

prosper, otherwise, the whole election process will deteriorate into an endless stream of crabs pulling at each other, racing to disembark from the water.” Robredo’s camp also argued that an election protest is a contest between two candidates and not between the Comelec and Smartmatic, stating that the tribunal “has no jurisdiction to rule on his first cause of action.” During the May 9 elections, it was a tight race between Marcos and Robredo for the vice presidential position, with the latter winning by just 263,473 votes, according to the final official tally of the National Board of Canvassers. Robredo won with 14,418,817 votes while Marcos placed second with 14,155,344 votes.

Trump: ‘Extreme vetting’ needed for... PAGE A1 policy” with “new screening procedures,” similar to the ideological screening test used during the Cold War era. “A Trump Administration will establish a clear principle that will govern all decisions pertaining to immigration: we should only admit into this country those who share our values and respect our people,” he described. The screening test would question how potential immigrants align with American values. It is intended to weed “all members or sympathizers of terrorist groups” as well as those who have “hostile attitudes towards our country or its principles.” “I call it extreme, extreme vetting. Our country has enough problems. We don’t need more. And these are problems like we’ve never seen before,” he said. According to Trump, immigrants who embrace American values and are expected to thrive in the country would be issued visas. However, those who “do not believe in our Constitution, or who support bigotry and hatred” would be deported or denied from entering the country. “Assimilation is not an act of hostility, but an expression of compassion. Our system of government, and our American culture, is the best in the world

and will produce the best outcomes for all who adopt it,” he said. Yet again, he advocated for the temporary suspension of immigrants from “some of the most dangerous and volatile regions of the world that have a history of exporting terrorism,” without naming those areas specifically. Under his administration, he said he would keep Guantanamo Bay open, continue drone strikes and pursue criminal charges against accused terrorists. In a statement, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s senior policy advisor Jake Sullivan said Trump’s proposed policy “cannot be taken seriously.” “How can Trump put this forward with a straight face when he opposes marriage equality and selected as his running mate the man who signed an anti-LGBT law in Indiana? It’s a cynical ploy to escape scrutiny of his outrageous proposal to ban an entire religion from our country, and no one should fall for it,” he said. The controversial immigration remarks are not new to Trump’s campaign. Following the San Bernardino attack last December, he suggested that Muslims be prohibited from entering the country. He has also called for a wall to be built between the U.S. and Mexico

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REGISTER AND VOTE. The Asian Pacific American Labor Association (APALA) hosted a community reception at Bally’s Las Vegas on Thursday, August 12, focusing on “For Nevada’s Future: Every Vote Counts!” APALA is the first and only national organization of AAPI union members and allies to advance worker, immigrant and civil rights. Speakers included AAPI community civic leader Gloria Caoile, SEIU Executive Vice President Luisa Blue, and Democratic Senate candidate Catherine Cortez Masto, Rep. Dina Titus of Nevada’s 1st congressional district, Artie Blanco (state director of Nevada, For Our Future), Geoconda Arguello-Kline of the Culinary Workers Union, Local 226, APALA Executive Assistant Kenneth Gonzales and APALA Executive Director Gregory Cendana. Performances included a Polynesian dance by Artistic Sourcing and the tinikling by the Filipinana Dance Company of Las Vegas. AJPress photos by Robert Macabagdal

border. Earlier this month, Trump was criticized by various Filipino and Filipino-American elected officials and community leaders for his comments that seemed to suggest a ban on immigration from “terrorist nations,” including the Philippines. Other countries he had mentioned were Morocco, Uzbekistan, Syria, Somalia, Iraq, Pakistan and Yemen. The presidential hopeful listed instances wherein le- Cortez Masto with the Filipinana Dance Company of Las Vegas gal immigrants committed or were plotting acts of terrorism, including the case of Filipino citizen Ralph Deleon who was sentenced to 25 years in prison for a 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 a rally in Portland, Maine on August 4. Following those remarks, Philippine congressman Joey Salceda introduced a bill proposing to ban the real estate mogul from the Philippines, while Fil-Am California Assemblymember Rob Bonta said Trump is “unfit to serve as president.”

Catherine Cortez Masto, former Attorney General of Nevada, delivered the keynote speech. Masto is running for the senate seat in Nevada that will be vacated by Sen. Harry Reid. Gloria Caoile emcee’d the reception’s program.

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AUGUST 18-24, 2016 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

Dateline USa

The complexity of the Asian American.. PAGE A1 anti-immigrant strain� from Republicans, particularly with Trump’s campaign, whose proposals — including his proposal to “end birthright citizenship� — leads to “an overwhelming rejection� of the Republican presidential nominee among the AAPI community. “[Asian Americans] have grown up with the ‘perpetual foreigner stereotype’ and I think that kind of language is something that really resonates with the Asian American community,� said Wei. A massive, collective study from APIAVote, Asians American Advancing Justice (AAJC) and AAPI Data reports that only 19 percent of Asian Americans hold a positive view of Trump, whose rating pales in comparison to Clinton who touts 62 percent favorability among Asian American voters.  Filipinos: part of the rule or the exception? In terms of policy, the opinions expressed by Filipino-American voters tended to coincide with the rest of the AAPI electorate, who hold significant importance to policy related to education, immigration, social security and health care. The “Inclusion, Not Exclusion� study reported that 54 percent of Filipinos are registered Democrat, 16 percent are Republicans and 27 percent did not identify. Moreover, 60 percent of FilipinoAmerican voters chose Obama. The study reported that Fil-Am voters hold a 59 percent approval rating of Clinton, beating Trump who only received a 23 percent favorability among Filipinos. But although these studies provide a sound projection on how Filipinos will vote, there’s still widespread voter apathy among older Filipinos. Arianna dela Rosa told her parents to vote for Sen. Bernie Sanders during the California primary, and without knowing anything about the Democratic presidential hopeful, they said, “Okay.� And they did, according to dela Rosa, who was disappointed in her parents’ quickness to make such an uninformed decision. “Even though it was nice that they were able to vote for who I wanted, I really wanted them to understand the importance of the issues and the importance of why we should vote,� dela Rosa told the Asian Journal. This raises a common phenomenon among older Filipino

voters, especially those who are low-information voters and rely on information from the younger generation, as indicated by dela Rosa, a fourth-year business and economics student at UC Davis. Dela Rosa also expressed the importance of educating Filipinos on the American political system to generate more engagement among all Filipino Americans. Filipinos comprise the second largest Asian American demographic behind the Chinese community in LA with more than 300,000 Filipinos living in LA County, and dela Rosa said that Filipino engagement is essential to empowering the community. “We have a lack of representation in a lot of different things whether it’s in politics or higher education, and those things really intertwine with each other,� said dela Rosa. The PBI study concluded that older generations tend to lean more conservatively on social issues and younger Filipino Americans tend to be liberal-leaning. Moreover, Filipino Americans born in the U.S. are more likely to participate in politics more than foreign-born Filipinos, who are more unfamiliar with the voting process. But perhaps history is important to consider when understanding Filipino American voter attitudes. The Marcos era, for example, left many Filipinos “unwilling and unwanting� to engage in the government because many felt they didn’t have a voice in Philippine democracy, remarked Stephanie Uy, field representative of California Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez. “A lot of apathy comes from internalized colonization because our country has been suppressed by so many governments and different authorities, so there was never a strong want to be involved,� Uy told the Asian Journal. Moreover, Filipinos who immigrated after the Marcos era came to an unfamiliar country where the voting process was foreign to them. These two factors wouldn’t “leave for much desire for participation,� said Uy. But the younger, more politically-involved generation of Filipino Americans promise a more informed and engaged electorate, said Uy. Can the GOP compete? Despite the reported Republican Party’s lackluster approval with the AAPI community, the

Republican National Committee (RNC) remains active in AAPI engagement and support. A main vehicle for this is recruiting AAPI leaders through the Republican Leadership Initiative, according to Ninio Fetalvo, APA press secretary for the RNC. The RNC designed the initiative to generate engagement among AAPI Republicans and encourage them to be leaders within the party. “Whether it is attending a local community event during AAPI Heritage Month, naturalization ceremonies, meeting with local AAPI community and civic engagement organizations, or meetings with AAPI faith leaders, the RNC continues having a strong presence and building meaningful relationships to ensure no voter is forgotten,� said Fetalvo. Because of the studies and trends that show Asian Americans leaning left for the upcoming election in November, it’s projected that Clinton will be the choice for the Asian American electorate. However, there’s one crucial element that can reverse that: voter turnout. During the 2014 midterm elections, which produced the lowest voter turnout since World War II, NEP exit polls showed that the Asian American vote was evenly split between Democrats and Republicans. According to a Washington Post report, the AAPI Republican vote in 2014 was twice the amount that supported Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney in 2012, according to NEP exit polls. This prompted celebration among the Republican Party. “This was a rejection of the failed Democrat policies of the Obama administration and the previously Democrat-controlled Senate,� said Fetalvo. “Our continued engagement efforts resonated with all communities and proved effective at the ballot box in 2014.� Representation matters The PBI study indicated that Asian Americans tend to mismatch politically across age groups, place of birth, levels of religiosity, and the needs of the population are complex and varied. However, among all four surveyed groups, Asian American representation in the elected positions was a universal concern as more Asian American elected

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Clinton, Trump campaigns... PAGE A2

build walls and deny immigrants their rights here. I just don’t get it. We’re a country of immigrants and they need to remember that,� SEIU Executive Vice President Luisa Blue told the Asian Journal. Gregory Cendana, executive director of Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), tweeted, “And let me be CLEAR. @seanreyesag does not speak for me or many in the Filipino American community I know.� At an AAPI forum on the sidelines of the Republican National Committee in July, the Trump campaign announced that it would launch an Asian American advisory committee, the Asian Journal previously reported. Details of the committee are yet to be disclosed. A vote not to take for granted Leading up to November, the Democratic and Republican parties, as well as community leaders, know there is still more that needs to be done to convince AAPIs and capture their votes. AAPIs “have come from marginalized to the margin of victory,� Chu

reiterated at the forum on Friday. “The political rhetoric has become so toxic this cycle that we in the AAPI community cannot afford to sit on the sidelines.� The survey by the three nonpartisan groups also found that 62 percent of respondents reported no outreach from the Democratic Party. On the Republican side, 72 percent said they were not contacted by the party. Another study by UCLA found that Asian American voters are expected to double and rise to 12.2 million by 2040 and “be the margin of victory in critical swing votes during the next six presidential election cycles.� “Now it is up to each of the candidates, as well as their campaigns, to reach out to AAPIs,� Chu told the Asian Journal. The RNC has revamped its AAPI outreach strategy in the last three years; most notably with the launch of the Republican Leadership Initiative (RLI) in 2015 to train AAPI millennials to engage their communities on a grassroots level.

“Republicans across the country are building relationships with AAPI voters,� Fetalvo said. “We’re going to continue to grow the bench of AAPIs in politics, and as more and more Asian Americans hear the Republican Party’s message of growth and opportunity for all, more will continue to get involved in our Party and come out and support our candidates.� Meanwhile, Tengco said the Clinton campaign will continue to engage AAPI voters in key states like Nevada, Virginia and Pennsylvania. “We will continue to conduct outreach in Asian languages, deploy a robust network of AAPI surrogates, and engage our vast ‘AAPI for Hillary’ volunteer groups,� he shared with the Asian Journal. “Many AAPI voters recognize how Donald Trump’s hateful rhetoric and bigoted policy proposals are dividing our nation, and are reminded each day that they simply cannot afford to stay at home and wake up to President-elect Trump on November 9.�

Judge approves sale of abandoned ship... PAGE A1

Island, while the US District Court in Southern Georgia deliberated the case. “We are fortunate that this happened here in the U.S.,� the cargo vessel’s First Officer, Cicilio Calo Yting told the AP earlier this month. He said the crew had not been paid by the ship’s owners, Greek firm Newlead Holdings, for over two months prior to the ship’s arrival in America. The Daily Caller reports that, since then, the creditors who requested the ship’s seizure have footed the bill for the crew’s wages, supplies and weeks of back pay supplied by a court appointed custodian

for the crew, National Maritime Services (NMS). In addition, a local Catholic priest has been visiting the Newlead Castellano to administer Holy Mass and confessions. “We need to give them that hope that this is going to pass,� Fr. Brett Brannen of Blessed Sacrament Parish told local CBS television station WBTV. “It’s going to be a difficult experience for them, but it will be a great learning experience for them as well.� On Monday, August 8, the Newlead Castellano was sold to Strategic Shipping Inc. for $7.4 million, according to the AP. A judge in the U.S. District Court for the District

of Southern Georgia approved the sale the following Monday, August 15. If all goes according to plan, the stranded sailors might be escorted into the U.S. and then fly home from Atlanta as soon as Friday, August 19. It is not uncommon for heavily indebted companies to abandon ships they cannot afford and their crews in foreign waters, according to NMS President Alan Swimmer. He said his company handles roughly 35 cases a year and is currently looking after two vessels under similar circumstances. “This happens,� Swimmer told the AP. “It’s not a rare occurence.� (Eric Anthony Licas/AJPress)

officials are more likely to bring the community’s concerns to the table. Janelle Wong, political scientist from the University of Maryland, told Voice of America that it’s important “just having faces that reflect the Asian-American population.� “I think the more important aspect of political incorporation is having meaningful influence over public policy,� she added. Across all federal, state and local government positions, Asian

Americans account for 0.008 percent, according to data from UCLA and the U.S. Census Bureau. However, quantity-wise, the number of Asian Americans in public office has increased from 100 in 1976 to 4,000 in 2014, according to a 2014 report from UCLA. With the exponentially growing population of AAPIs in the US, that number is soon to increase. Rep. Judy Chu (D-California) became the first Chinese-American woman elected to Congress

in 2009. She said in an interview with NPR that as America becomes more ethnically diversified, Congress needs to accurately represent and accommodate the changing demographics. “Asian Americans are finally seeing that it can be done,� she said. “We are finally bearing fruit,� “It is so important to have people at the seat of the table where the decisions are being made that look like America.� (Klarize Medenilla / AJ Press)

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority 340 North 11th Street, Las Vegas, Nevada 89101 Phone (702) 922-6060

Position Title:

Announcement No.: 16-022eXT

Maintenance Mechanic All Candidates DePArTMeNT: Public Housing

OPeNiNG DATe: Monday, August 15, 2016

SALArY rANGe: $43,322 - $69,257 per annum

CLOSiNG DATe: Monday, August 22, 2016

Overview: Under the supervision of the Maintenance Supervisor, this position performs a variety of semi-skilled and skilled work in the maintenance and care of buildings, multifamily, commercial and single family housing units, community facilities, and property interconnected to housing portfolio. The duties listed below illustrate the various types of work performed. All work performed is measurable by HUD’s, Public Housing Assessment scoring system (PHA). HOw TO APPLY: The Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority invites applicants for the Maintenance Mechanic. For position description and application details visit www.snvrha.org, or by calling 702-922-1636.EE/AA Disability Employer Section 3 HUD Employer.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority 340 North 11th Street, Las Vegas, Nevada 89101 Phone (702) 922-6060

Position Title: Housing Chouce voucher Supervisor All Candidates

Announcement No.: 16-023eXT

DePArTMeNT: Housing Programs

OPeNiNG DATe: Friday, August 12, 2016

SALArY rANGe: $51,577– $82,454 per annum

CLOSiNG DATe: Friday, September 9, 2016

Overview: Under the general direction of the Housing Programs Director the incumbent will supervise, assign, review and monitor work of staff responsible for providing Section 8 programs to participants and ensure compliance with all related Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations and agency policies. The duties listed below illustrate the various types of work performed. The omission of VSHFLĂ€F VWDWHPHQWV UHJDUGLQJ GXWLHV GRHV QRW H[FOXGH WKHP IRUP WKH SRVLWLRQ LI WKH ZRUN LV VLPLODU related or a logical assignment in association with this position. SUPerviSiON eXerCiSeD ([HUFLVHV VXSHUYLVLRQ RI WKH WHFKQLFDO SURIHVVLRQDO DQG FOHULFDO VWDII HOw TO APPLY: The Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority invites applicants for the HCV Supervisor. For position description and application details, visit www.snvrha.org, or by calling 702-922-1636 EEO/ AA Disability Employer /Section 3 HUD Employer.

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUSt 18-24, 2016

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A

Dateline PAnti-LGBT hiliPPines discrimination bill pushed anew in PH Congress by JoSeph

BUDGET FOR REAL CHANGE. Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno hands over a copy of the proposed 2017 General Appropriations Act to Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and other lawmakers. The “Budget for Real Change” allocates resources to programs and projects on the Duterte administration’s 10- point socioeconomic development agenda. Inquirer.net contributed photo

Solution to Metro Manila traffic? Duterte to pursue subway projects by Dana

M. SioSon

AJPress

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will pursue subway projects as part of the plan to ease Metro Manila traffic congestion, Transportation Undersecretary for Rails and Toll Roads Noel Kintanar said on Tuesday, August 16. “If we plan this well, the commuter will be given choice, and by that, we can distribute congestion rather than concentrate it on one or two lines,” Kintanar told “Gridlock: An ANC Forum on the Transportation Crisis.”

According to Kintanar, the subway will be connected to Metro Manila’s other transportation systems, including Metro Rail Transit Line 3 on EDSA, and Line 1 and 2 of the Light Rail Transit Line. He added that the government is considering to build it under a public-private partnership. Earlier on July, Kintanar submitted a plan to Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, suggesting to have rail transport as as the alternative to cars. The plan includes building subterranean railways. He said that the construction

of elevated railways on-ground would bring the city to a stop, so they plan to use tunnel-boring machines so that “life goes on in the surface.” In Kintanar’s proposal, Line 4 that will run through the eastern side of Metro Manila while Line 5 subway will run through, Pasay, Makati, and Taguig. Line 6, on the other hand, will run up to Dasmariñas, Cavite. Line 7, which is now under construction, will run from Commonwealth in Quezon City to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.

Pacquiao slams corruption, politicking in sports agencies by paolo

roMero Philstar.com

MANILA – Politicking and corruption in the country’s sports agencies hinder the Philippines from producing champion athletes, according to world boxing icon Manny Pacquiao. Now a senator who chairs the Senate committee on sports, Pacquiao called for an end to the corruption and politicking as he presided over the first public hearing of his panel attended by officials of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and

other sports governing bodies as well as those from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor). During the hearing, Pacquiao asked PSC chief William Ramirez whether he was aware of the rampant corruption in his agency. “There’s no perfect agency,” Ramirez responded. Pacquiao warned the sports officials that the Duterte administration is serious in its anti-corruption campaign and “there must be change” in the way they run their agencies. “They must fix whatever needs

to be fixed, stop whatever wrong that’s happening,” Pacquiao told reporters after suspending the hearing. Pacquiao said he has been hearing stories of corruption in the sports bodies and he wants to unearth the truth about this in future hearings “because this is one of the hindrances to our programs that should produce great athletes.” He also intends to get an accounting of the funds that Pagcor remits to the PSC, which amount to five percent of the state gaming PAGE A7

alMer B. peDraJaS AJPress

MANILA – Dinagat Islands Representative Kaka J. Bag-ao has pushed anew his House bill seeking to impose anti-discrimination against members of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community. In Bag-ao’s House Bill 51 or Anti-Discrimination Act, the bill defines and penalizes practices that unjustly discriminate LGBT in the criteria for hiring, promotion, transfer, designation, work assignment, re-assignment, dismissal of workers and other human resource movement and action. Bag-ao firstly filed House Bill 110 during his term as representative of the Akbayan party list. He updated the said bill in 2015 when he already assumed office as the representative of the Dinagat Islands. In a statement, the representative explained that “our lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBTs) continue to be oppressed by the iniquitous treatment of society at large, primarily because of misconceptions and ignorance.” “Sadly for our democracy, LGBTs are still considered second class citizens when they try to exercise the rights to which they are rightfully entitled.” Though the LGBT community has been widely embraced, there are still prejudices that exist in schools, institutions, and workplaces, based on one’s sexual orientation and gender identity. “Prejudicial beliefs and policies based on sexual orientation and gender identity in schools, workplaces, commercial establishments and public service limit the exercise and enjoyment of basic human rights and fundamental freedoms,” Bag-ao added. Dinagat Island Rep. filed his second bill in the 16th Congress. HB 51 is specified in penalizing school institutions that expel or shall refuse students on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity (SOGI), as well as other offices that shall deny access to such people in public, or even private, necessities such as hospitals and medical care. According to the proposed act, violators shall fine a penalty of P100,000 but not more than P500,000 or be penalized an imprisonment of not less than one

year but not more than six years. Meanwhile, Ifugao Representative Teodoro Baguilat Jr. is also in favor of passing the anti-discrimination bill. Last year, Baguilat said, “I am one of the principal authors of this bill that seeks to protect not just LGBTs but also indigenous people, persons with disabilities,

seniors and other disadvantaged sectors from discrimination in the workplace, school, media, government transactions and services among others.” Baguilat believes that violations against LGBT happen because some want to “punish” them for their gender identity or sexual orientation.

A

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August 18-24, 2016 • LAs VEgAs AsIAN JOuRNAL

OpiniOn

Features

Right-sizing

HE calls it “right-sizing” rather than downsizing, and it must push through. President Duterte reportedly wants to trim the fat from the bloated bureaucracy. He must not hesitate in going ahead with his plan. Previous presidents had also wanted to trim the bureaucratic fat. But only an immensely popular president can implement this without worrying about its impact on his political fortunes. As indicated in recent surveys, President Duterte enjoys this level of popular support. It will also help that he seems to be genuinely unconcerned even about losing his post as a consequence of his controversial programs. According to reports, the President wants to abolish redundant or overlapping functions, and to have more one-stop shops set up especially for frontline government services. One such facility was launched the other day by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, catering to Filipinos seeking to work abroad. Such one-stop services are much appreciated by the public. Speedy processing of transactions with the government means cutting red tape and

opportunities for collecting grease money. Similar express services must be developed in agencies notorious for red tape such as the Land Transportation Office and the Bureau of Customs. The President can encourage local government units to take the cue and set up similar systems for various types of services, particularly the processing of business documents. While local executives, being elected officials, enjoy a degree of independence from the national government, Malacañang has supervision over LGUs through the Department of the Interior and Local Government. Many LGUs are bloated with bureaucratic fat, mostly political appointees of the elected officials. Malacañang is reportedly preparing a bill for submission to Congress, streamlining the government to create a lean and efficient bureaucracy. Lawmakers must give the proposed bureaucratic right-sizing their full support. (Philstar.com)

Guest Editorial

Philstar.com photo

A majority of Filipinos in America agree with Marcos’s burial in the Libingan ng mga Bayani MUST a Filipino be buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani just because he was a president and/ or a soldier? Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte believes so, contending that this is what the law of the land says and that he, as the president, is duty bound to execute what the law mandates. This is the rationale behind his decision to allow the burial of deposed President Ferdinand E. Marcos in the Libingan ng mga Bayani, something the Marcos family has been advocating for years. After 27 years, the remains of Marcos — unburied and displayed in a glass coffin in a refrigerated crypt in his hometown of Batac, Ilocos Norte — will be buried on September 18. Marcos’ widow Imelda Romualdez Marcos, children Imee, Bongbong and Irene, have all vowed to keep him there until the government gives in to their demands for a burial in the National Heroes’ Cemetery with full military honors. After the tenure of Cory Aquino, Fidel Ramos, Joseph Estrada, Gloria Arroyo, and Noynoy Aquino, they found an ally in Rodrigo Duterte. The National Heroes’ Cemetery (Libingan ng mga Bayani) was created by virtue of Republic Act 289, also known as “An Act Providing for the Construction of a National Pantheon for Presidents of the Philippines, National Heroes and Patriots of the Country.” But Filipinos who lived through the Marcos administration — especially those who were victims of martial law or those who had been widowed, orphaned or lost all they worked so hard for because of the abuses and human rights violations — have intensified their protest against Duterte’s

decision. As ABS-CBN News reported, The Fil-Am human rights victims during martial law and people’s orga- Perspective nizations filed a petition with the high court on Monday, August 15, urging Malacañang’s order for Marcos’s burial to be set aside. Instead, the cemetery Gel SantoS-ReloS should continue to be dedicated for war heroes, soldiers, former presidents of the Philippines, and national artists. Most of these petitioners are plaintiffs in a class suit filed in the 1990s in a Hawaii Court against Marcos’ estate seeking to recover compensation for the “human rights violations perpetrated during the Marcos dictatorship.” According to the petitioners, Duterte’s order was “void” for being “patently illegal and was made with grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction,” and that allowing Marcos’s burial in Libingan ng mga Bayani would be a mockery of Philippine democracy. The petition further stated the following, as reported by ABS-CBN News: “Apart from the human rights violations during the Marcos dictatorship, the fact remains undisputed that Marcos and his family, during his term, acquired billions worth of ill-gotten wealth, some of which are still subjects of pending litigations while much remain hidden.” The petition further stated, ”Moreover, the foreign debt his administration incurred ballooned and actually rendered future generations of Filipinos, even those still unborn, heavily indebted

by the millions.” Petitioners also raised the issue on a study conducted by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) which states that Marcos’ claims of being a bemedalled World War II hero “failed to pass the test of historical verification.” Petitioners also pointed out that an agreement between the Philippine government and the Marcos family in 1993 provided the following conditions for the return of Marcos’ remains to the Philippines: a) That the body of Pres. Marcos will be immediately transported to Ilocos Norte upon arrival without fanfare; b) That the body of Pres. Marcos be buried in Ilocos Norte; and c) The ceremony for the burial was to be for military honors for the rank of major. Duterte refused to join in the debate of whether Marcos was a hero or not. He said in a press conference, “Ang Pilipinas… is you need only to be a president and a solider. Nobody is debating about heroes here. Assuming it to be true na wala siyang medalya or not validated by an American record does not mean that he is not qualified to be buried there. So what’s the objection?” Duterte further contended: “I would like to say forget about the medals. Just focus on whether he is a Filipino. He fought for his country, and he’s once upon a time a president. That’s the law! We cannot go out of the law….Nobody is

questioning about he’s a hero. I am not dwelling on his exploits.” “Alam mo kasi, kung ginusto nila – and they were already in power at the time, itong mga yellow – dapat nagpasa sila ng batas na hindi puwedeng ilibing si Marcos when the guy was already in Guam in exile. They should have passed a law prohibiting Marcos if ever he comes home dead to be buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani. But nothing has been done. Bakit kinalimutan ang elementary procedure na ‘yan?” argued Duterte. But it seems 30 years after Marcos has been overthrown by the Peoples’ Power Revolution in 1986, public opinion is now favorable to the Marcoses’ demand and Duterte’s decision — if the opinions of a majority of Filipinos in America are concerned. In an online viewers’ poll of The Filipino Channel’s daily newscast “Balitang America, 55 percent of those who voted said Marcos should be buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani because he was a president and a soldier. These Marcos supporters, and even those who were not really big fans of Marcos, argue that it is time for the nation to “move on,” and that Duterte’s move will help unify the country that has been divided especially after the 1986 People Power. Do you agree? *** 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

Why the South China Sea could be the key to winning in swing states by Andrew LAm NewAmericaMedia

QUICK, what do Vietnamese and Filipino Americans have in common? If you said that both communities hail from Southeast Asia, you’d be right. But the commonalities don’t stop there. Both communities also have sizable numbers of naturalized citizens, many of who are casting wary eyes on China’s ongoing aggression in the South China Sea. For Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton, whose record on security in the region is well documented, that could prove decisive come November. “The future of politics will be decided in Asia, not Afghanistan or Iraq,” wrote then Secretary of State Clinton in 2011, in a much-touted essay for Foreign Policy magazine supporting President Obama’s strategic “pivot to Asia.” While turmoil in the Middle East ultimately derailed Obama’s Asia pivot, analysts believe that as president, Clinton would again seek to reinvigorate the policy to secure U.S. primacy in the region and to ensure the United States remains “at the center of the action.” And there is plenty of “action.” In the years since Clinton’s essay appeared, China has continued to build up its presence in open waters around the South China Sea, posing a direct challenge to the territorial sovereignty of several Southeast Asian nations, including Vietnam and the Philippines. Beijing continues to construct military bases –including a 3000-meter runway, two helipads and a radar tower – on artificial islands that lie in open waters. A

report out this week, meanwhile, notes China began flying “aerial combat patrols” over these same waters despite a ruling by a United Nations tribunal invalidating Beijing’s claims to territory in the region. While China rejected the ruling, Filipinos and Vietnamese – including those in the United States – turned out in droves to celebrate. Indeed, if there is a core issue linking Vietnamese and Filipino American voters, it is Chinese aggression and the threat it poses to the territorial integrity of their homelands. It’s an issue that could drive enough of them to vote in states where their numbers are growing and where recent electoral victories have come at the slimmest of margins. Take Florida for example. The state played a pivotal – if not controversial – role in ushering in the Bush presidency in 2000 with a slim margin of just 536 votes. Today, the combined Vietnamese and Filipino population there hovers around 200,000. In Nevada, another swing state, Filipinos number around 120,000. And in Georgia, the two groups combined make up around 80,000. (There is, incidentally, also a significant Korean presence in Georgia of around 100,000.) As Florida showed, a few hundred votes in either direction can alter the trajectory of the nation and the world. Given all this, one would assume Democrats and Republicans would be lining up to court Filipino and Vietnamese voters. But according to a survey put out last May by the non-partisan group APIA Vote, “Asian Americans were less likely than other racial groups

to be contacted.” Indeed, GOP nominee Donald Trump this week went so far as to indict the Philippines, saying the country was part of a “Trojan horse” of “terrorist nations” threatening the United States. His comments have already touched off a fire storm both here and in the Philippines, where lawmakers have proposed banning Trump from visiting. But even among Democratic strategists, who have long focused on winning over the Latino and black vote, Asian Americans are often a second thought at best, the assumption being most are solidly blue. Which is true, to a point. According to the APIA Vote survey, Clinton’s favorability ratings among

Asian American voters came in at 62 percent, compared to 61 percent unfavorable for Trump. But the survey also found 23 percent of Filipinos and 22 percent of Vietnamese found Trump favorable. Vietnamese, in particular, have a long record of supporting Republicans going back to the days of Reagan and the fight against Communism. Many Vietnamese still regard the GOP as being stronger on national security. And this is where Clinton’s stance on the South China Seas comes in handy. Clinton needs to remind Vietnamese and Filipino Americans of her record in Asia, of how she helped bring about democratic elections in Burma

and shifted that country’s alliance from China toward the United States. She needs to convince them that if Trump wins he will be an unsure and inept hand at America’s helm. This will surely steer America and its allies toward disunity, and therefore open opportunities for expansionistic neighbors China and Russia. All politics is local. But given shifting demographics, local also means the assurance of strong foreign policy experience. For Clinton, guaranteeing the security of the South China Sea may very well be the key to driving Filipino and Vietnamese American voters to the booths and opening the door to the White House in November. n

The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.

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Senate to probe Chinese excavations in Zambales PH soil used for South China Sea reclamation?

MANILA - The Senate blue ribbon committee will conduct an inquiry into Chinese mining operations and illegal excavations in Zambales. Sen. Panfilo Lacson sought the inquiry through Senate Resolution 92 to determine the extent of the excavations and identify the individuals who must be held accountable. “There is a need to account for personalities behind this highly anomalous, illegal and treacherous acts that tend not only to destroy our environment, but also make a mockery of our laws to the

prejudice of the Filipino people and constitute a possible breach of our national security,� Lacson said. He said allegations that quarrying and smuggling in Zambales are part of China’s reclamation activities in the South China Sea should be investigated. He said an assessment of the areas affected by the mining firms’ “wanton act of destruction� should be undertaken. Meanwhile, an environmental advocacy group and a private think tank have expressed support for the declaration of the Spratlys

as a marine protected area. “There must be a conscious effort to protect the remaining coral reefs and preserve marine resources,� Ysan Castillo, secretary general of the Philippine Business Environmental Stewardship, said during a recent forum. Dindo Manhit, Stratbase ADR Institute president, said a declaration by concerned countries to preserve marine resources and ban destructive fishing in disputed waters is a positive move for food security and peace in the region. (Paolo Romero, Pia LeeBrago/Philstar.com)

Govt-MILF peace talks end on positive note by Benjie

Vergara Manilatimes.net

Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, have returned to Manila, hopeful that a peace agreement between them will soon be im-

plemented. Presidential Adviser on the MEMBERS of the governPeace Process Jesus Dureza on ment peace panel who met with Tuesday, Aug. 16 said the initial their counterparts from the meeting of the two peace panels ended on a positive note. Both parties, Dureza added, vowed to cooperate in ensuring efficient enforcement of the agreement. Among those who arrived with him aboard a Malaysia Airlines flight at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport was Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar. A joint statement signed by panel chief Irene Santiago of the government and Mohagher Iqbal of the MILF showed the two parties agreeing on subGovernment troops scout the jungles of Basilan over the weekend. The troops captured a stantive aspects of a peace and stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf in Barangay Silangkum, Tipo-Tipo on Tuesday, Aug. 16. development roadmap.

TORNADO IN MANILA. A RARE tornado hit Manila and nearby areas on Sunday, which, according to a report by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, originated from land. The tornado was first spotted in the Port Area at around 4:30pm and was seen traveling toward Intramuros and Balic-Balic districts in Manila, and then to Galas and New Manila in Quezon City. It toppled trees, electrical posts and destroyed property along its way. Twitter photo by Karen Madrigal

Court allows Arroyo to travel abroad by Dana

SioSon AJPress

Hong Kong charges against her and to clear According to the Veterans’ Me- her name.� IN a morial Medical Center (VMMC), Last July, the Supreme Court resolution she is suffering from cervical has acquitted Arroyo with her signed on spondylosis, a degenerative dis- 366-million plunder case in conTuesday, ease of the bones and cartilage nection with the disbursement August 16, of the neck. of confidential funds from the the SandiIn her motion, Arroyo stated Philippine Charity Sweepstakes ganbayan that she “is willing and ready to Office (PCSO). g r a n t e d comply with such conditions as However, she is still currently f o r m e r the Honorable Court may deem facing two graft cases in connecPresident necessary to impose on her travel tion with the $329-million NBNand now abroad in order to guarantee her ZTE national broadband deal. Pampan- return to the Philippines� and Her husband is also charged Former President Gloria g a R e p . had every reason to return to the with one graft case as co-accused Macapagal-Arroyo G l o r i a country “to face the remaining before the court. Macapagal-Arroyo’s request to travel to Germany, France and Hong Kong. “Acting on accused Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s motion to travel abroad, and after considering the prosecution’s comment opposition thereto, the Court resolves to grant said accused permission to travel abroad to Munich, Germany; Paris, France; and Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China,� the court said. The Fourth Division of the Sandiganbayan ordered Arroyo to pay a travel bond of P300,000 and her husband, Jose Miguel Arroyo to pay P90,000. The former President is set to leave the country not earlier than September 19 and must return not later than October 3. She will travel to Germany on September 20 to 29 to consult with medical experts regard/FFICE % 2USSELL 2D 3UITE ,AS 6EGAS .6 ing her neck problems. Arroyo 0HONE %MAIL \ *KANG MSN COM Senator Manny Pacquiao warned the sports officials that the Duterte administration is serious in will next fly to Paris for a family its anti-corruption campaign and “there must be change� in the way they run their agencies. vacation until October 3, and to

Pacquiao slams corruption, politicking in... PAGE A5 agency’s revenues. The PSC has been claiming that Pagcor was not remitting the funds in full as mandated by law. “We want transparency in government,� Pacquiao said, even as he urged the POC, PSC and other sports bodies to coordinate and not engage in politicking. He disclosed that he was a victim of politics when he was applying as a member of the Philippine boxing team. He did not elaborate. He said his main priority as chair of the committee is the crafting of a long-term and sustainable sports development program. Pacquiao said he is going to file a bill to that end but will gather inputs from stakeholders.

Philstar.com photo by Wendell Rupert Alinea

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Karla Garcia: First Filipina cast member of Broadway’s ‘Hamilton’ By momAr

G. VisAyA

AJPress

HARd work, a lot of it, perseverance and determination are some of the ingredients in Broadway performer Karla Puno Garcia’s journey to stardom. She shared this with young Filipino-Americans in northeast USA who graduated this year and joined the Philippine Consulate General’s P Grad or Philippine Graduation program at the Kalayaan Hall. Garcia, together with Michael Vea, founder of KIPP and teach for Philippines, were the evening’s keynote speakers. “To be able to inspire younger Filipinos, that is very important to me,” Karla told the Asian Journal. “I took a day off today and I asked my management for permission to do this.” Garcia recalled her own story and the challenges she had to go through as she chased her dream – to become a star onstage. An older cousin Lamae Caparas competed in dance competitions, and Karla thought, “That seems fun.” She tried it out herself and she fell in love with dance. A few years later, Karla watched her cousin on the Broadway show “The Lion King.”

“I was so inspired seeing her on that stage … seeing a fellow Filipina family member from my hometown perform for thousands of people on a Broadway stage. I wanted to be up there too. I knew I had found my true calling,” she shared. Karla is now the first Filipina cast member of the highly successful and Tony award-winning Broadway musical, “Hamilton.” Lin-Manuel Miranda, the musical’s creator, lyricist and star, and the rest of the cast welcomed her with open arms last February. They even had a special ‘Ham4Ham’ video that eventually went viral. Miranda, introducing the video said, “Hello, hello! Kumusta, kaibigan. Welcome to the Taglish edition of the digital Ham4Ham show.” He then thanked an exgirlfriend for his conversational Taglish and rattled the phrases he knows like “Mahal kita, minamahal kita”, “Kaibigan lang”, “Wanna bet, kiss my puwet” and the cuss words he learned. Ham4Ham is the digital lottery for tickets to “Hamilton,” where winners can pay ten dollars – a Hamilton – to watch the show. Karla said she is having the

Photos courtesy of Karla Garcia

time of her life as part of Broadway’s biggest musical in years. She shared that just like other actors before her, she worked hard and took odd jobs in order to make ends meet. “I did retail at Express. I passed out flyers in Times Square (similar to the girls dressed head to toe in red tights and Bowler hats, passing out ads to go see Chicago). I didn’t wear a costume, but it was still very humbling. I also hostessed at a Mexican restaurant,” PAGE B2

Karla has performed in various productions such as Wicked (on tour) and Gigi and West Side Story on Broadway, prior to landing her job at Hamilton.

Karylle lands role in upcoming Singapore TV series

Karylle is taking her career to new heights as she takes on a daring role as a pole dancer in Singapore TV Series “Private Investigator.” Karylle’s manager Arnold Vegafria posted some photos on Instagram to give Karylle’s fans a sneak peek of her part in the crime thriller series. Early this August, Karylle formally left the show “It’s Showtime,” which she co-hosted alongside Vice Ganda and Anne Curtis. “Mami-miss ko ang ‘It’s Show-

time’ family kasi dito ako natuto to dream big. Tulad nga nung sabi nila, dito talaga ako nagumpisa mangarap para sa sarili ko. Ang Filipino, world-class athletes, world-class talents, so kailangan natin i-develop iyan,” she said as she bade goodbye to her fans. This was not the first time Karylle worked on a project outside the Philippines. In 2011, Karylle starred in “The Kitchen Musical,” an international musical TV series drama aired in over 12 countries in Asia. (Alixandra Caole Vila/Phil- Karylle all dolled up for her “pole dance” role in the upcoming Singapore TV series. star.com)

Auntie Yolly: The Filipina nanny who helped raise Singapore’s Olympic gold medalist By Joseph

Almer B. pedrAJAs AJPress

THE world watched in awe as Joseph Schooling of Singapore defeated American swimmer Michael Phelps and won the first gold medal for his country during the 2016 Rio Olympics. As the first Singaporean man to participate in an Olympic swimming final, Schooling triumphed against seven other swimmers and ranked 1st in the men’s 100m butterfly division of swimming on Friday, August 12. Meanwhile, behind Schooling’s victory and abrupt prominence are his coaches, teammates, family, and of course, his Filipina nanny. In a phone interview with the Sunday Times, Yolanda Pascual—or “Auntie Yolly” as she’s referred to—shared that aside from being Schooling’s nanny, she has also been his “waterboy” every time the swimmer dipped in the pool. “I’ve always believed in him. I was watching and shouting for him. I cannot express how happy I am…I was jumping and crying after he won,” Pascual said in the interview. In a YouTube video made by

SECOND MOM. Singapore’s Olympic gold medalist, swimmer Joseph Schooling, shows his appreciation for the support of Filipino Yolanda Pascual, his family’s domestic helper for 19 years. SINGTEL Youtube videograb

Singtel in 2015, the 21-year-old Schooling showed appreciation for his nanny’s support and called her a “second mum.” The 56-year-old nanny recognized the esteem and also commented that Schooling is like her “own son.” She even recounted that, “when I miss him, I read our messages.” Pascual also narrated that since 1997, she has been employed by the Schooling family. She boasted that the gold medalist “[has] been loving and caring and a very good boy. He never shouts at me or anybody.”

Nostalgic, the nanny recounted that Schooling “will always say ‘I want to be No. 1. I remember once we were watching (Michael) Phelps on TV, he told me he wanted to be there and be like him, and I knew he could do it. He has a very strong will; if he wants something, he’ll get it.” “When friends asked [Schooling] to go out, he usually couldn’t because he had practice early the next day,” she added. Schooling had met Phelps— now the most decorated Olympian of all time—in 2008 before the Beijing Olympics.

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Aga Muhlach returns to ABS-CBN Gabby Concepcion’s daughter to compete as judge in new reality show for Miss Universe Sweden 2016 crown by Eric John

Salut ManilaTimes.net

Now ready for his much awaited return to the Kapamilya network, Aga Muhlach is finally back in ABS-CBN after a three-year stint in another network. Aga was last seen in the sitcom “That’s My Doc” before moving to TV5. The multi-awarded actor admitted he was looking forward to getting back to doing more quality projects with his return to his original home network. Aga will be one of the judges along with Vice Ganda, Yeng Constantino and Sandara Park in the new ABS-CBN reality show, “Pinoy Boyband Superstar.” Aga recently had a meeting with the people behind the upcoming new talent show and was accompanied by his manager Ethel Ramos. He was quick to accept the offer to be part of the show although there were apprehensions because of his weight gain. So his only request was that he be given enough time to lose weight.

By JoSEph

And guess what? “The Voice Kids” mentor Lea Salonga was instrumental in convincing Aga to take on the job. “Lea called Aga and convinced him to accept the offer,” says our source. Aga and Lea have been friends for more than two decades now. Being one of the ultimate matinee idols during the ’80s, Aga has continually proven to be a consistent box-office actor and his career has spanned more than three decades in showbiz already. with more than 60 movies under his belt, we can certainly expect Aga to focus on working hard on his road to a leaner physique. Lately, the talented actor has been sharing photos of him and wife Charlene jogging together and working out hard. If plans push through, the 46year-old actor’s contract signing which marks his return to ABSCBN will happen this week.

Aga Muhlach

BUY 1 dinner plate and get the 2nd plate of equal value for 1/2 price from 3 to 10 pm

almEr B. pEdraJaS AJPress

FILIPINo actor Gabby Concepcion is not just the father of actress and United Nations goodwill ambassador KC Concepcion. He also has another beautiful and talented daughter, Cloie Skarne, one of the aspirants at the Miss Universe Sweden 2016. on July 8, 2016, Cloie Syquiao Skarne joined a Stockholm pageant where she succeeded to win a slot to compete in the upcoming Miss Universe Sweden. In an interview with the Asian Journal, Skarne said that the pageant will be held on August 28 at Café opera in Stockholm. Skarne is 22-year-old daughter of Gabby Concepcion with his exwife Jenny Syquia. Born in 1994, the 5’7” candidate changed her surname from Concepcion to Skarne when her Filipina-American mother married Swedish Filip Skarne in 1997. Due to the jurisdiction after the marriage of her parents, Cloie Skarne has become a FilipinoAmerican-Swedish. Having three obtained citizenships, Skarne stressed that she recognizes herself being not just one but “all” of the three – Filipino, American, and Swedish. “I am all of the above and I love each country. The Philippines, America, and Sweden, all have a special place in my heart. I was born in the Philippines, I have

an American mother and lived in the U.S. for a few years, and I grew up, went to school and have spent most of my life in Sweden,” added Skarne. when asked which country is her most favorite, the aspirant reiterated that she loves “each country equally.” “I love the beautiful beaches and reefs of the Philippines and the endless kindness of it’s people, the big cities, food and friendliness of the Americans, and the calm, quiet peacefulness in Sweden. But most importantly for me, it’s the people in a place that makes it beautiful, and I have loved ones in all 3 countries, that’s also a big reason to why I love all 3,” Skarne expounded. Aside from being a Miss Universe hopeful, Skarne is also studying Global Management and Chinese at Stockholm University. She is also hoping “to become a businesswoman running” her “own companies” in the future. “My dream is to work with Asia, Europe and the U.S., and to hopefully get to travel with my job,” she added. Skarne even expressed excitement for the upcoming prestigious pageant. “In preparation I will be training with expert coaches of Aces & Queens in Manila. They are exceptional at what they do and I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn from the best in the busi-

Cloie Syquiao Skarne

ness. Among other things I will prepare for bikini, gown, posing, poise and Q&A. I’m excited!” If Skarne wins Miss Universe Sweden, she will be competing with other international candidates at the Miss Universe 2016 pageant, including Miss Universe Philippines Maria Mika Maxine Medina, on January 30, 2017 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Karla Garcia: Reaping the rewards of... PAGE B1

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Karla enumerated. She found hostessing easy. “You just smile and lead people to a table. I was doing so well, that my restaurant manager decided to promote me to calling in delivery orders to the kitchen. well, I lasted one night. I sent multiple wrong orders to the kitchen, so the chefs were hustling, making all kinds of food that wasn’t being ordered,” Karla shared. The kitchen staff had to throw some of the food away and Karla apologized to the manager and asked for her hostessing job back. The road to Hamilton Raised in oxon Hill, Maryland, a navy suburb of washington DC, Karla was surrounded by Filipino culture nonstop. Her elementary school, parish, and even her dance studio were 90% Filipino. on Sundays, her entire family would go to Mass, then come home and eat either adobo or kare kare and rice. She would then go to her dance studio and rehearse for hours then come home and start her homework at about 11:00 pm. “Mom and dad always said, ‘No grades no dance.’ I had to dance, so I stayed up sometimes till 3:00 am finishing school projects or studying for exams,” she shared. The routine of [wake up, school, dance, family meal, homework, sleep and repeat] became quite normal for her. She appreciates that she was brought up to understand the value of hard work, discipline, and building the path to your chosen destination. “Most of our parents immigrated here to ensure that we had all the opportunities available to us to take on whatever life we envisioned. we could become a doctor, a teacher, a musician, a playwright … and even a secretary,” she said, a dream she once entertained. “There are no limits. we are our own architects and because of our culture and upbringing, we have all the tools necessary to realize our dreams.” After high school, Karla knew she needed structure in her transition to become a professional dancer. She knew she needed time to discover herself so she gave herself time to grow and mature. Her grandfather in the Philippines found out that she wanted to be a dancer and he was almost

incredulous. “He couldn’t believe that one of his grandchildren wasn’t going to practice law or medicine, or be an engineer. I told him it was what I loved. He could tell I was serious about it, but he said ‘Just make sure you have a backup plan’,” she shared. Karla heeded this advice. Along with her Dance BFA at New York University, she also minored in journalism. when she was a junior, she auditioned for a new Broadway show called “Hot Feet” and was immediately cast. “At 20 years old, I was the youngest dancer to be cast in the show. At this point, I think my Lolo was starting to understand my dream a bit more,” she said, adding that she took a few months off from school to do the show, and after a brief summer run, the show closed and she went back to NYU to complete her degree. “I’m so glad that I had those years to improve upon myself both as an artist and an adult.” After her Broadway debut, and armed with an NYU degree under her belt, Karla thought to herself, “oh, this is a piece of cake! I’ll book another Broadway show … easy! No problem!” She couldn’t be more wrong. Karla faced months and months of rejection. Nothing was happening and she got close to booking gigs only to get passed over for someone else. She was on survival mode and this was when she showed resilience as she took on the various jobs she had to do, gaining further appreciation for every form of hard work. “All jobs, all parts are important and necessary. The boss, for instance, cannot perform their duties without their secretary. In a musical, the lead actors need their ensemble members to support the energy in a scene, or elevate a moment with choreography,” Karla explained. Tides turned and Karla began to book more consistent work in the industry, from national tours to TV gigs, and a stint on the Fox reality show “So You Think You Can Dance”. Then, came “Hamilton.” As a swing in the musical, Karla is not onstage every night, but she has to know five different roles, and be ready to go on at the drop of a dime in case someone calls out. “Before our Tony performance last June, our director Tommy Kail gave the cast a little pep talk. He reminded us how vital each and every person in our company is to the life of the show,” she said, remembering her unforgettable and life-changing Tony Awards experience. “From the understudies, to the swings, to the wardrobe department … the show would not go on without every single one of

these components. Be proud of your task, your part in the machine … take ownership of your piece in the puzzle.” Throughout her training as a kid, Karla knew her family always had her back and with their encouragement, she ran full force towards her dream. “I saw older girls from my dance studio graduate and go on to perform on Broadway, in award shows and on television. I thought ‘That could be me!’ I never saw a Broadway show and thought I couldn’t be in it because of any reason, especially my ethnicity,” she shared. “I watched dancers like Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, or Savion Glover and I wanted to dance like them. I wanted to be them, and it didn’t matter that we didn’t look the same.” She credits her parents for this positive outlook since she was brought up in a household that encouraged excellence no matter what they looked like. And this pretty much sums her inclusion in Hamilton. “I am blessed to be a part of a production that sees absolutely no color, and at the same time celebrates the diversity that we, as Filipinos, add so richly to this country,” she said. “Landing a spot in this production where the colorblind casting is intentional, I feel so fortunate to be living in this time.” Karla is the first Filipino cast member in the show, but in the orchestra, there is Robin Macatangay, a brilliant guitarist. “Meeting him on my first day made me even prouder to be a Filipina in this industry. It reminded me that we are really one of the most talented, hardworking ethnic groups in the world,” Karla added. “Even our writer and creator Lin Manuel Miranda recognizes the beauty of our culture and our language.” which brings us back to that Taglish Ham4Ham viral video. Lin-Manuel was so welcoming that when Karla joined the cast, he did a special Ham4Ham with her and now Tony Award winner Leslie odom, Jr., who plays the role of Vice President Aaron Burr. “He was like ‘we should definitely speak Taglish!’ It was his idea! I said, ‘well … I know my numbers really well! we could do ‘Ten Duel Commandments’ but in Tagalog and English!,” Karla shared, reminiscing that moment. Lin-Manuel loved the idea and he named their bit “The Taglish Commandments!” “Lin likes to do a prayer circle with the cast every night before the show. The night of my Hamilton debut, he gave gratitude to my mom and dad, who helped get me to that very moment. He ended the prayer with, ‘Mahal kita!’,” she added.

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Aiko Melendez is happily in love by Boy

ABundA Philstar.com

AWED is the best way to describe how Aiko Melendez feels, now that people have stopped calling her “cabinet.” she can’t believe they’ve replaced the harsh description with the phrase “One Hot Mama” instead. While her new look flatters her, Aiko admits it also burdens her. “Yes, it pressures me to keep looking better,” she states. “Before, my only goal was to lose weight. But now, i keep wanting to have abs.” Gone are the days when Aiko would check out plus size clothes and worry about the way a gown or a casual dress would fit her. Even the kind of roles she plays has grown. “i have more work now. For a time, i wouldn’t pass for a teen star’s mom. i couldn’t even play the aunt, because i looked older. Now, i even got a role to play a sister!” she has revamped her wardrobe to accommodate size six and

Aiko Melendez is happy with Persian boyfriend, businessman Shahin Alimirzapour.

size four clothes, and aims to fit into a size two, at least. One look at his mom’s 28-inch waistline, and Andre would exclaim, “ Naks, sexy Mama!” “But he would take it back after,” Aiko laughs. the award-winning actress

lost 50 pounds and asked Dr. Claudine roura for a 4D laser lipo, not because of her Persian boyfriend, businessman shahin Alimirzapour. she did it for herself. “it’s more of how i see myself that matters. After all, we only have one body so we must love it the best way we can.” this is only the start of Aiko’s fitness journey. it’s exciting to watch out for her all-new look, which she promises to show to us next month. Aiko says the soon-to-be-released pictorial will “show off those little cuts.” “the secret is never to stop. treat every day as if it’s your first. Always have a goal and be determined to get that goal,” she advises women who want to lose as much weight as she did. the challenge, she adds, is to avoid short cuts. Work hard for a fit body by exercising and changing your lifestyle. “if i did it, others can do it, too!” Aiko smiles.

Charlie Puth admits he is attracted to Liza Soberano LizA soberano was not able to attend Charlie Puth’s concert, but for some reason the Grammynominated singer could not shake the “Dolce Amore” star out of his mind. Charlie visited Philippines for the second time on sunday, Aug. 14, to promote his latest album, “Nine track Mind.” During his concert, Charlie admitted that Liza caught his attention after he saw the Kapamilya actress on television. He also shared the story on how he tried to invite her to watch his concert. “Apparently, i am attracted to this young actress (Liza)... sent her an invite, i’m just saying i sent her an invite but she’s busy,” Charlie said as the crowd screamed in cheers and excitement. Ahead of his performance on

Grammy-nominated Charlie, known for his hits such as “See you Again,” “One Call Away,” “Marvin Gaye,” and “We Don’t Talk Anymore,” on Sunday admitted he is attracted to Liza Soberano.

sunday, Puth dubbed a scene on snapchat from Liza soberano’s movie, “Everyday i Love You.” the video was reposted by a fan and was retweeted by Liza.

the two exchanged messages on twitter early sunday fueling a “LiLie” / “Charza” fandom on social media. (Alixandra Caole Vila/Philstar.com)

Let the Sunshine in by Ricky Lo Philstar.com

it’s presumed that the whole world knows where, when, why and how the marriage of sunshine Dizon failed. the details were all over the social media where sunshine, feeling alone and helpless (until her mom, one-time movie producer Dorothy Laforteza, rushed to her side from iloilo), sought solace. As they say, letting your emotional baggage off your chest is tantamount to having your problem 50 percent solved. And because a case is pending in court, filed by sunshine against her husband and his reported girlfriend, the following Conversation will refrain from touching the legalities. instead, it focuses on how sunshine is moving on...beautifully! “Now i believe that looking good is the best revenge,” said sunshine. Without going into specifics, what are the lessons that you learned from the experience? “i think the greatest lesson that i learned was to be independent. All my life i was dependent on my mom and when i got married, my world revolved around my husband to a point that when this thing happened there were a couple of months when i really did not know what to do. that’s when i realized that wala na, ako na lang talaga ito. so i started to pick up the pieces and decided i will not rely on anybody but myself. “Another thing is to be strong mentally, emotionally and spiritually. i realized that in order for me to protect my family and ensure my kids’ welfare i have to endure this and persevere. i believe i became more open and closer to my children. in return, i received more of their love which really did strengthen me. i always believe that this will pass. And this is all part of a greater plan that God has set for me and my family.” Do you have any regrets about getting married? “i have no regrets; i got married at 27. All the pain and sacrifices are worth it, especially having my two beautiful babies.” Is it true that your mom (Dorothy Laforteza, one-time movie producer) tried to stop you from getting married at that time? Have you realized now that she must be right for feeling that way (you know, mother knows best)? “Actually, i had my mom’s blessing when i got married. Even when this thing happened, my mom was still hoping that we could still fix it.” Doesn’t home feel like “an empty nest” after what happened? “Not really. Maybe i have gotten used to him not being around all the time. We may have parted ways but as long as my kids are with me and our home is still filled with their laughter and antics, it will never feel

empty. they are my greatest joy and inspiration.” How much did social media help in lightening your emotional load? Couldn’t you have just kept everything a private matter? “sorry, i can’t answer this as i have an ongoing case with regards to social media.” How do you explain to your children about what happened? “i told them that daddy made a mistake and that he has to face the consequences of his actions.” You must be thankful that GMA has given you another chance at your career. Is work really an effective therapy? “i am very thankful to GMA. Work has been my salvation; it keeps my mind occupied and focused.” You grew up under the showbiz klieg lights. Didn’t you feel that you missed part of your childhood? How was it affected the way you look at life? “Not really. i was not as busy as the other kids at that time. i still had time for school and friends. Working at a young age taught me discipline and perseverance. You also get life lessons along the way from people you work with and i can say that it helped me be who i am today.” How do you think you can avoid committing the same mistake (if you consider it “a mistake”)? “Hindi naman ako ang nagkamali, nagmahal ako ng totoo at tapat. sa ngayon, ang mas pinagtutuunan ko ng pansin ay ibuhos ang pagmamahal ko sa aking pamilya at sarili.” They say that looking good is the best vengeance. Agree or disagree? “it’s not necessarily vengeance but more of a gift to you after all the pain….” Oh, I mean revenge, not vengeance. “Looking good, looking your best leads to self-esteem, self worth and self love. When you are beautiful and start loving yourself, you see beautiful things around you, the abundant blessings. imagine if you have problem then you don’t look good pa, that is too much to handle.” You look good, congratulations! “i admit that i got a lot bigger. i was 160 lbs. at my heaviest. Now, i am only 130 lbs. My waist line used to be 37 inches and now it’s 27 inches.” How did you do it? “i consulted with Dr. Belo for the best options. And if you are really big, you can’t rely on just non-surgical slimming treatments, pang-maintain na lang yon. Laser Liposuction by Belo is the only way to get back the curves you lost; it’s the only slimming procedure that sculpts the body. And since this is a surgical procedure, i can only entrust my body to Belo. At

Sunshine Dizon: What helped me move on was undergoing all kinds of treatments under The Belo Medical Group. Now, I feel more beautiful and happier, so parang I am able to get even na rin, di ba? Yes, looking good is the best revenge.

least sure ako na di ako mapagpapraktisan.” Any other part of your body that needed to be corrected? “i also had breast reduction and bustlift. it was so hard for me to look slim on tV because i was top heavy. Also, my posture got so bad already kasi parati akong nakakuba para di mapansin kasi nainsecure ako na parang yun ang focal point ng mga tao. i also recently developed a cervical degenerative disc disease so to ease the weight from my neck i went for it na. My posture is getting better and i don’t feel the tension on my neck as much as before.” Anything else? “For my face naman, i wanted it slimmer and V-shaped so i decided to undergo thermilift by Belo to remove excess fat and lifting the skin as well. i also had Botox Masseter treatment, V-contour and Embedded threads, which gave immediate contouring effects. Amazing results, grabe!” So the results are positive. “But other than the physical results, what really is amazing is how it positively transforms how i feel. in spite of what had happened, i can confidently face everyone and i am just ready to move on and accomplish bigger things, especially for my kids. so being beautiful is the best if not one of the best gifts you can give yourself because it will help you become confident and happy again. And when those who offended you see you are moving on, you become more beautiful and you are happy, parang you get even na rin, di ba?” Do you believe in second chances? Haven’t you developed a phobia maybe not for getting married again but for getting into a serious relationship? “i’m still young and i’m not closing my doors. But for now, i just want to love myself more and concentrate on my children.”

Alden Richards inside out by Ricky Lo Philstar.com

First things first: the “10 things You May Not Know” about Pambansang Bae Alden richards: 1. i know i said i’m terrified of whales, but i’ve never actually seen one in real life — only on tV! 2. i’m very matipid. i keep track of every peso i spend, especially when i travel. 3. My mom was the first person who ever called me tisoy. My childhood friends also call me that because my skin is very fair and my eyes are big. 4. iron Man is my favorite superhero of all time. i like the fact that he’s human, and, of course, he’s played by robert Downey Jr. He also has the coolest weapons! 5. i don’t remember who first called me “Pambansang Bae,” but it was Allan K who first called me “Pambansang Dimples.” 6. i think it would be really cool to be an FBi agent. spy movies are the best! My favorites: the Man From U.N.C.L.E. and Kingsmen: the secret service. 7. My Hollywood crush is Eva Green. i love her on the tV show Penny Dreadful. Her eyes are so beautiful. 8. My favorite NBA team is the Golden state Warriors. 9. i’m a neat freak. sometimes, i even sleep on the floor when i have an early flight the next day so my bed would be perfect before i leave. 10. the weirdest encounter i had with a fan was when i got slapped because she couldn’t believe it was really me. this is a chapter from the

Alden Richards with Maine Mendoza

book “Alden richards: in My Own Words”, which was sold out soon after it hit the bookstores and is now on its second printing. in this book, you will get to know Alden inside out from the time he was born up to the time the book was published. Before the well-attended launch last sunday, Aug. 14, at the robinsons Galleria Activity Center, Funfaredid a “quickie” interview with Alden. Excerpts: How come Maine Mendoza is not in the book (except for a few pictures with you)? “Kasi summit made the offer early last year before AlDub was born.” Is it really a tell-all book? “Yes, i told everything straight from the heart. Nothing is left out; no editing at all. Everything is 100 percent the truth.” What’s your true status with Maine? “As i’ve been saying, walang label. All i can say is that we are open to and with each other. We

are just enjoying every moment we are together, especially at work.” You kissed (lips to lips!!!) at the end of your movie “Imagine You & Me.” How did it feel? (B lushe s) “Fe e l na fe e l. Mixed-mixed na ang feeling. it was the first time i kissed her on camera.” What about off camera? “Wala pa! Hahahaha!!!” Anong lasa ng lips ni Maine? “Lasang cherry, hahahaha!!!” And yours? “Ask Maine, hahahahaha!!!” Is it true na naka-seven takes kayo for that kissing scene? “Yes, kasi it was shot from different angles.” If you kissed her in real life, how long would it take? “Depends on the moment, hahahaha!!!” How is your soap with Maine? “No decision yet. Everything is in the planning stage pa.”

B august 18-24, 2016 • Las VEgas asIaN JOuRNaL

Features

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Arci Muñoz into the relationship with non-showbiz boyfriend for the long haul by Boy

ABundA Philstar.com

she’s into the relationship for the long haul. “i won’t get into a relationship AnoTHer actress with a rosy love life is Arci Muñoz. The star of if i don’t see the guy in my future,” the upcoming film “Camp sawi” Arci says. “But both of us are still has a supportive non-showbiz young.” Arci has many reasons to make boyfriend who knows career is her love take a back seat to her career. top priority for now. And yet the actress admits she waited 11 years to get the

Arci Muñoz admits she’s into the relationship for the long haul

breaks she’s now getting. After playing opposite Gerald Anderson in “Always Be My Maybe,” Arci now takes on the role of one of “Camp sawi’s” lead stars. Up next for her is the series “never say Goodbye,” remake of Mario o’Hara’s ‘80s film Kastilyong Buhangin.” Arci will play nora Aunor’s character no less. she’ll have not one, but two leading men: Jericho rosales and John estrada. if Arci shows so much fire on screen these days, that’s because her experience with heartache has sharpened her sensitivity. Four years ago, Arci’s world crashed when she and her first boyfriend, a band member, broke up. “i actually courted him for a long time,” she recalls. Arci wasn’t in showbiz then. she slowly moved on by telling herself the guy is not the only fish in the sea. Arci reminded herself that she deserves someone better. And of course, she does. The best part is, Arci and her ex are happily leading separate lives. They have no regrets. “At least, i’ve learned from it, and i’ve moved on,” Arci says.

Christian Bautista focuses on acting by

nAthAlie tomAdA Philstar.com

THere’s a wealth of vocal talent in the country, but not a few have observed that there’s a dearth of TV programs to showcase singers these days. For Christian Bautista, who recently renewed a two-year contract with GMA 7 amidst some of the network’s singers transferring to the competition, told The Star, “i guess it’s seasonal; every channel has its (own) plan. As a singer, i miss singing of course, but i’m in a good position because i’m the only one left sa GMA na male (singer). so, eventually, when the next show comes, i have more spots (laughs).” He added, “That’s also my plan — (it’s) what they call the Blue ocean strategy,” referring to the business term where organizations look for ways to work in an environment free of competitors, “if most of the singers move to ABs-CBn already then i will stay. so, i get to sing and do more proj-

EMPLOYMENT

ects at GMA. And they’ve been giving me a lot. one of my reasons really when i moved to GMA (in 2013) was to act and i’ve had a lot of acting and hosting projects.” Christian is currently part of the reboot of “encantadia” as Apitong (a character originally played by John regala). He is also set to do a talent show on the Kapuso station. nevertheless, Christian believes that the lack of avenues for singers is just a phase. “i’m looking at it this way: now, GMA is more on comedy, so (if you notice) even the soaps are light because of the audience — there are stages as to what they want. Like in music, sometimes people like acoustic, sometimes rock, then ballads, then they go back to acoustic, then covers… Hinahanap din ng channel kung ano ang gusto ng viewers, and now it’s comedy. it’s a great time for comedy and all these comedians, who have been waiting for so long. i remember when i was in high school, it was

Christian Bautista: One of my reasons really when I moved to GMA (in 2013) was to act and I’ve had a lot of acting and hosting projects.

all comedy—“Palibhasa Lalake,” “ober da Bakod”—but singing will never, never go away. i will be singing theme songs, in GMA regional and international tours. The TV landscape may be changing right now but music will never go away.”

EMPLOYMENT

Chickpeas: A Las Vegas cafe to satisfy your Mediterranean fix Considered one of the most important and influential cooking styles in the world, many dishes across the globe can trace their roots to Persian cuisine, also known as the “original mother cuisine.” With its rarified cooking that has more than two and a half thousand undying years of saffron and rosewater-scented dishes, its unique flavor has reached even the farthest corners of the globe. in case you’re craving or curious to taste Persia’s rarified cooking, consider it a problem solved. Chickpeas Mediterranean Cafe will bring you the rich and unique flavors of Mediterranean cuisines from the realm of the Middle east to a cozy dining table here in Las Vegas. Chickpeas Las Vegas is a Persian/Mediterranean Cafe located on the northwest Corner of West Flamingo road and south Jones Boulevard at 6110 W. Flamingo road, three miles from the Las Vegas strip. The restaurant prides itself in bringing its treasured customers the unique flavors of Mediterranean and Middle eastern cuisines, using unique equipment such as a 6-foot Woodstone Hearth pizza oven, an indian Tandoori clay oven or Char-Broil ovens to achieve rich and full flavors. The menu Chickpeas offers a wide variety of Persian and Mediterranean foods, from its famous kabobs to Persian stews, to well-seasoned

shawarmas and Mediterranean salads. starring the menu, shawarmas are made with the top quality, well-marinated meats, and prepared to perfection. As you order, the staff slices the meat off the spit and adds it to pita sandwiches, rice bowls or even pizzas. one plate features rice and a salad alongside the slow-roasted meat. A chicken shwarma plate portion at Chickpeas is big enough to for two, if not, three people. At Chickpeas, all the kabob plates come with Basmati rice and salad. They also bake fresh Artisan pizzas in the kitchen. Persian stews are also available on the menu like Ghaimeh Bademjan, a Persian stew made from grilled eggplants, tomatoes, yellow split peas, onion and chunks of beef, and Khoreshteh

FOR RENT

SERVICES

dessenjoon, a tangy Persian stew made with pomegranate molasses, ground walnuts and chicken breast served with rice. There’s also Ghormeh sabzi, a tangy, tart stew with herbs, dried Persian lime and chunks of beef. Kukus, sandwiches, and Falafels are also served. For dessert, Chickpeas features dishes such as baklava, Persian roll up cake, Persian saffron rice pudding, and fresh Persian ice cream flavored with saffron and rosewater. Their desserts smell like perfume but taste sweet. The cafe is open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. all days of the week. Visit and have a unique Mediterranean experience at Chickpeas. You can also check the menu at chickpeaslv.com or call 702-405-6067. (Advertising Supplemen)t

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Your Immigration Solution atty. GreGory J. Boult & NaNCy Miller

Features

AM I ELIGIBLE TO NATURALIZE?

Avoiding the pitfalls to becoming a US citizen

twenty-six before they are eligible to apply for naturalization. Others may face the daunting, although not impossible, task of legally justifying their failure to register. While certain acts may automatically disqualify an individual from eligibility for naturalization, the government’s very broad discretion spans many acts which most applicants never realize could negatively affect their applications. in order to insure that no unnecessary delays, or a denial, are encountered, each prospective applicant should obtain a clear and thorough understanding of not only the process of applying for naturalization, but also the potential pitfalls and traps which must be avoided to insure the timely success of their application. An experienced and knowledgeable immigration attorney will advise an individual of his or her eligibility for naturalization, identify the prospective pitfalls and traps in the applicant’s case, and determine how to effectively overcome these negative aspects of the case. Of course, the experienced attorney also represents the applicant through all stages of the naturalization process to ensure that his or her legal rights are protected and preserved. While the general requirements to establish eligibility for naturalization may appear straight-forward, prospective applicants must be aware that ‘the devil is in the detail.’ ***

Applying for naturalization (citizenship) is the final step in the immigration process for many immigrants. While the general requirements to establish eligibility for naturalization appear straight-forward, they often are not. Many naturalization applicants are surprised when their applications are denied. The immigration laws and regulations which control eligibility for naturalization are littered with traps and pitfalls which the unsuspecting applicant may not recognize until it is too late. All applicants for naturalization must establish that they are persons of good moral character during a prescribed period of time prior to submitting their applications (one, three or five years, depending on what grounds one is applying under). While the immigration laws itemize specific acts which preclude an applicant from establishing good moral character, this list is not exclusive – there are many other acts which may hinder or prevent a good moral character finding. in addition, while good moral character must be established for a prescribed period of time prior to submitting an application, acts outside of the prescribed period can be considered in determining an applicant’s good moral character. Many acts that one might not think of as evidencing bad moral character may nevertheless be considered in making a good moral character determination. One such act is the willful failure to pay support for dependents. For instance, it is extremely difficult to establish good moral character when one is not complying with a child support order. Even the failure to support a dependent without an underlying court order can prove problematic. Another act, which is often a surprise to many applicants, is engaging in an extramarital affair which tended to destroy an existing

marriage. This issue often arises when an applicant had a child outside of a prior marriage. Other acts which may result in the delay or the denial of an application for naturalization include the submission of fraudulent or improperly prepared income tax returns. Tax returns often come under scrutiny because individuals file under the incorrect category, claim ineligible dependents, or fail to report all of their earnings. in some instances, even the receipt of public assistance can cause the delay or denial of an application for naturalization. Criminal convictions are often an issue in establishing an applicant’s good moral character. While a disqualifying criminal conviction in the prescribed period of good moral character will automatically render an individual ineligible for naturalization, a disqualifying criminal offense outside of the prescribed period can cause an application for naturalization to be denied. The government is afforded broad discretion to examine otherwise non-disqualifying criminal convictions outside the prescribed period to determine if the underlying facts warrant a favorable finding of good moral character. Therefore, as a result, an analysis of good moral character extends far beyond the prescribed period. These issues may not result in an automatic denial but they must be adequately explained. Other pitfalls and traps also lurk for the unsuspecting applicant. One common example is the Selective Service requirement which directs all male citizens and lawful permanent residents of the United States who are between the ages of eighteen and twenty-six to register with the government. Unfortunately, many lawful permanent residents fail to register. As a result, many of these individuals are compelled to wait until five years after they turn

Health@Heart

Metabolic syndrome

PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS THE epidemic of childhood obesity, which obviously parallels the incidence among adults, have contributed to the explosion of metabolic syndrome, the most common cause of major illnesses our society faces today. The word “metabolic” refers to the biochemical processes and physiology governing the body’s normal functions to achieve homeostasis (balanced, healthy state). What is metabolic syn drome? Metabolic syndrome is also called insulin resistance syndrome or Syndrome X. This is a cluster of medical risk factors— high blood pressure, high fasting blood sugar and cholesterol/ triglyceride levels, and excess body fat around the waist—that increase the likelihood of heart attacks, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. This syndrome, which is usually without symptoms, except for an expanding waistline, might someday overtake smoking as a leading cause of cardiovascular diseases and deaths. How common is metabolic syndrome? Metabolic syndrome is very common in the United States. About 35 percent of all adults and 50 percent of those aged 60 and over have this syndrome. The “seeds” for this condition are planted while the fetus is in the womb and continue during childhood, where the children’s DnA are gradually damaged by unhealthy diet, habits, and behavior of the mother and the children themselves, starting from the crib. Children drinking soft drinks—diet or regular—are 40 percent more prone to develop metabolic syndrome, starting with weight gain and then childhood obesity, later, hypertension (high blood pressure), arthritis, heart attack, stroke, Alzheimer’s, and even cancer. Soft drinks are also toxic to adults as well, with 40 percent risk also, according to the US national institute of Health. What are the metabolic risk factors? Excess body weight, obesity, lack of exercise, smoking, alcohol excess are all risk factors for developing metabolic syndrome, besides damages in the genes. With metabolic syndrome, there is also increased insulin resistance, where the hormone called insulin produced by our pancreas is having difficulty getting into the cells to perform its normal job in sugar metabolism. As a result, the blood glucose (sugar) is not metabolized and absorbed by the

cells properly (to provide us energy) and its level goes up (high blood sugar and A1C levels), resulting in type 2 diabetes. Excessive caloric intake (overeating, especially rice and other non-vegetable carbohydrates) and lack or absence of exercise, leading to overweight condition or obesity, are the main factors that contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome. While heredity is a factor, it is outweighed by lifestyle, behavior and habits. Filipinos have 11.3 percent incidence of diabetes compared to Chinese, 4.4 percent, because of rice consumption and other carbohydrates (including bread, ice cream, sweets, etc). Chinese eat a smaller amount of rice and they also eat a lot of vegetables, tofu, and nuts daily. Many of them are vegetarians. low carbs are healthier. What mechanism is in play here? For each individual, there is a normal homeostatic morphology and physiology. Our genes determined our general and specific makeup. We have normal ranges in our system’s blood chemistries and bodily needs that keep us healthy and fit. When we fall short or exceed our individual normal requirements (calories, physical exercise, rest, etc.), or consume toxic food, drinks, drugs, or expose ourselves to harmful chemicals or radiation, our health suffers, and we develop illnesses. After birth, it is our lifestyle (from the womb, the crib, and into adulthood) that determines our health and longevity, more significantly than our genes in most cases. Are chubby kids healthy? Absolutely nOT! While growing up, i remember society’s concept that a chubby child is a healthy child. Medically, it could not be farther from the scientific truth. Even today, television shows feature chubby kids as actors, which sends a bad signal to the viewers. Children who are overweight, who are not guided and disciplined to portion their caloric intake, especially from rice, and other carbohydrates (bread, sweets), will become obese adults and face all the disease consequences of obesity, including cancer. Obesity is a significant risk factor in the development of cancer. The earlier the appropriate dieting starts, the better for the child’s health and longevity as an adult. Are snorers prone to this syndrome? Those who snore and do not get a restful sleep should undergo a Sleep Study. if the test shows they have Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), which could sometimes cause prolonged

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)

breath-holding and cardiac arrest, they could benefit from the use of a CpAp (Continuous positive Airway pressure) machine every time they go to sleep. OSA increases the risk for metabolic syndrome and the cluster of disease listed above, including cancer. How do we prevent metabolic syndrome? As with any illnesses, prevention is the key. in my book, “let’s Stop ‘Killing’ Our Children” (www.philipSchua.com), i have highlighted the fundamental principle that disease prevention must be a proactive and pre-emptive strategy starting from the cellular level (in the womb and in the crib) to protect the child’s DnA from any damages that will lead to diseases. Maternal lifestyle, habits, and health during pregnancy are essential in shielding the DnA of the fetus from toxic substances in its time in the womb and in the crib after delivery. The protection includes dieting for the baby staring from the crib and onward to teen-years and adulthood. By protecting the DnA, these children (future adults) will not have to be saddled with the illnesses most of us have today, heredity considered, as i have alluded to earlier. What is the treatment? greater awareness of the metabolic syndrome and its health consequences is the key and a major part of the management of this serious condition. Since this is a cluster of diseases, the treatment is tailored to the individual’s presenting illness(es), like high blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid problem, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s, etc. The single most essential one is lifestyle changes to a healthier one: proper weight maintenance by caloric control (especially rice, bread, and other carbohydrates restriction), daily physical exercise, abstinence from tobacco, minimal alcohol use, if any, stress management by having adequate restful sleep, relaxation, regular vacation, and regular medical-dental checkup. While this will be a life-long endeavor, the reward is great and worth all the effort—much fewer illnesses, better health, and longevity.. *** 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

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUSt 18-24, 2016

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APPA-PEACE bestow awards THE Association of philippine physicians in America (AppA) during its annual convention and the philippine Economic and Cultural Endowment (pEACE) at its pearl Jubilee 2016 last week recognized distinguished Filipino-American physicians in the United States at their combined event at the HiltonFrontenac in St. louis, Missouri. Those honored by pEACE included Daniel Fabito, MD, FACS, FpCS, Humanitarian Award; Helen

Dichoso, Rn, Enterpreneur Award; and Rolando Sineneng, MD, lifetime Achievement Award. The AppA awardees were: philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FpCS, Apolinario Mabini Award; and Clarita de leon, physician of the year Award. During this pEACE pearl Jubilee 2016, medallions were presented to its past presidents: Augustus Soriano, 2013-15, Virgilio R. pilapil, 2012-13, Daniel Santos, 2008-10,

Calendar of Events across

Frank Rabadam, 2006-08, Rolando Sineneng, 2002-04, Carmelo C. Dichoso, 2000-02, lestrino C. Baquiran, 1998-2000 and Cosme R. Cagas,1986-90. The president of the AppA during this convention was Dr. Augustus Soriano and the president of pEACE was Dr. Urbano A. Dauz. Both pEACE and AppA have regular charitable programs to benefit the marginalized people in the philippines.

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ANCOP Walk New Jersey The ANCOP Walk brings together hundreds of participants across the U.S. and North America, walking together to help the poor in the Philippines and third world countries. ANCOP Foundation USA is a Christian based organization founded by the Couples for Christ which helps the very poor in the Philippines and other countries by providing support to select organizations that work for the poor. Current projects focus on child education sponsorship programs and values formation. Walkers’ participation and generosity in the ANCOP Walk will help provide quality education to children in poor communities. The organization serves the poor from all walks of life regardless of faith and denomination. The walk will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20 at Liberty State Park in Jersey City. To register, please visit www.ancopusawalk.org; the registration fee is $15. For more information, please contact Jon Teves at jteves92@yahoo.com or Fernando Silva at frsilva99@gmail.com.

AU G U St 27

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.

SEPtEMBER 1

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.

SEPtEMBER 3

Filipino Association of Leisure World Annual “Luau” The Filipino Association of Leisure World will hold its Annual Hawaiian Luau at the LW Hall (1232 Golden Rain Rd. Seal Beach, California) on Saturday, Sept. 3. Music will be provided by Willie Manacsa & The Midnight Motion Band. Please call the president of the association, Ren Villanueva at (323) 854-6209 for other related questions.

S E P t E M B E R 9 -1 7

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.

SEPtEMBER 10

17th annual Asian Small Business Expo The Asian Small Business Expo is the only business-to-business expo that engages the Asian business community and brings this growing economic force into the mainstream to connect and utilize your company and its services. Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with small businesses, market your organization and tap into a network of entrepreneurs, service providers, financial organizations, franchises and governmental and legislative representatives. Admission to the expo is FREE! It will be held on Saturday, Sept. 10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Almansor Court Banquet & Conference Center, 700 S. Almansor St., Alhambra, CA 91801. To register, please visit: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/annual-asian-small-businessexpo-tickets-23824155691. Walk-ins are also welcome on the day of the expo. For more information, please visit www.apisbp.org.

S E P t E M B E R 23

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.

S E P t E M B E R 25

FAPCCA Media Awards

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

S E P t E M B E R 29

Bataan Legacy Historical Society multimedia presentation Bataan Legacy Historical Society, a non-profit educational 501(c)(3) organization, will hold a multimedia presentation at the San Francisco Asian Art Museum from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, please visit www.bataanlegacy.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

Features

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Rewriting your own story Hair and beauty solutions for all occasions

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond

“A useless life is an early death.”

—Goethe

Monette AdevA MAglAyA MOST memorable life stories that stand out and become etched in the human collective consciousness are products of oft-repeated re-writes and skilled editing. If you’ve been given the chance to restart a new life after you’ve gone through some lifechanging, miraculous experience, such as surviving a horrific accident when everyone else perished, or finding yourself inexplicably healed from a deadly disease, then you’ll know what it feels to be given a reprieve, a fresh slate, a clean paper. This is what the Greeks call a tabula rasa, on which you can begin writing your new story. Or if you use a computer, click on a new blank document and chase the cursor as memories of things past come alive like a stream of gushing consciousness and take shape through the written word. How does one use this new lease on life? Most people lucky enough to be given a second chance, will quickly realize that this new lease can just be an extra few months or years, and in the most blessed scenarios, a decade or two. Each day beyond that critical turning point is a bonus, every single moment, a gift. Sometimes, God mercifully knocks some sense into us through drastic means by throwing us a curve ball to bring us down on our knees so that we have no choice but to look above and beyond our own petty, selfish concerns and total self-involvement in order to grasp the concept of our own mortality and to know that we are here for just a little while for a purpose. Human beings were not created to merely consume resources or take up space. Consider the fearsome dinosaurs. Grazing the earth for millions of years, that is essentially what they did — consumed resources and took up space. Not by intelligence but by sheer size and numbers, they had dominion over all other species for millions of years, until one day, as scientists try to explain

their extinction, a rogue asteroid about 7 miles long, possibly got unhinged off its orbit in the asteroid belt, hit the earth with such impact, setting off a series of volcanic eruptions that covered the atmosphere with ash far above the stratosphere, so that sunlight could not penetrate through the haze for years, killing off the plant life, upsetting and destroying the food chain balance and effectively starving and wiping the dinosaurs off the face of the earth 65 million years ago. Here is earth’s tabula rasa story — starting on a clean slate, a new lease on life. When the reptiles died, mammals, of which we are classified under, began their ascent. Human beings with purpose came to be. Yet each man’s purpose is nebulous and not always obvious. Purpose does not come as clear as the light of day. We have to seek it out. Either by choice or circumstance, some exceptional ones find their purpose early enough and proceed to fulfill it. But the great majority of people on the bell curve don’t have the nose to sense their true north. Most of us of the garden variety meander about our lives trying different things until we finally stumble upon it by trial and error. The annals of history are rife with such stories. St. Paul, almost single handedly nourished the beginnings of the early Christian church through his numerous travels. But he didn’t start out that way. He was just as passionate about persecuting Christians before he was tapped from above to do a complete conversion. Edwin Hubble, the great astronomer who lived in the nineteen twenties and for whom the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is named for his outstanding achievements in expanding our view of the universe, tried different things before finding out what he was meant to do. In college, Hubble played championship basketball and even tried boxing. After fighting in World War I, he studied law, tried lawyering for a

year and obviously didn’t like it. Something must have happened because he went back to college to study astronomy and finally found his footing and his purpose in life. That’s what most of us do. We try different lives, put on different hats, multitask like crazy, until one day, by God’s grace, we find the one true thing that matches heaven’s purpose. Here’s one caveat though: just don’t run out of time. No one wants to leave with unfinished business. If our stations in life allow us the luxury of choice, then more than likely, we will be meandering too and trying different things before coming on board to the ship that will likely bring us to the port of our purpose. We don’t really have to wait for something dramatic, traumatic or tragic to happen to get us on track to finding that purpose. But do go to the right source. Nix the harebrained ideas coming from most of the media about what that purpose might be. When it comes to things that matter, most of the mainstream media has proven itself to be unworthy of trust. They lie like hell’s minions. Media is no longer just for profit. These days, media has morphed into a diabolical tool to push an agenda of evil intent particularly among the young, the naïve and the foolish. Tune out of the external world and go deep within. If you pray hard enough and long enough and live in the silence for a little while, chances are, you’ll find it, whatever IT may be. You can then begin rewriting your own story on a new document page. AND if the stars are in alignment when you were born, perhaps, conclude the last chapter of your life story with that much sought-after ending that says, “ AND (supply your name here) lived happily ever after……” ***

By Monet

Lu

MY beauty-related articles are among the most popular ones, based on the reactions I have received from my readers. I try to pick up the most common questions to help more people having the same concerns and challenges. In this current economy, I understand that a lot of us have given up on some things we were used to when financial times were better. Despite the challenges, I hope that we do not neglect to take care of ourselves. We have to encourage feeling good in the inside, as well as looking good on the outside. Let’s proceed to our hair/ beauty discussions: Lorraine from New Jersey: Monet, I really have a long hair that falls down all the way to my derriere area. I want to cut it for practical reasons, but my boyfriend does not approve my request. He really likes my long hair. Although I want to please him, I’m concerned that I’m not able to keep my hair healthy this way. I’m already seeing lots of split ends. I used to enjoy having long hair but now it’s not that fun anymore. Monet: I know you feel torn between pleasing your man and the inconvenience of maintaining lengthy hair. You have to strike a balance between what will make him happy and not putting the burden on you. It is your hair after all. There’s a midway point to address this. Why don’t you try layers? You can preserve a lengthy portion while taking out the damaged area. One thing for sure is that you need to remove the split ends. I have to assume that your hair is also a bit dry now. You need some deep conditioning treatment. My salon is offering some good deals on moisture enrichment that may benefit you. Good luck! Ami from San Jose, CaliforNota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is nia: Dear Monet, because of SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To the bad economy and partly send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ because of my adventurous asianjournalinc.com spirit, I’ve experimented coloring my own hair at home. I have natural black hair but I’ve been seeing grays here and there. So I decided to change my entire hair color to light brown hoping that this will also remove the grays. The result is not what I expected. My hair color looks gold in the root area but other parts are black. I don’t know what to do. Any advice? Monet: You are not the first

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person to come up to me on this problem. It appears that there’s a color conflict going on there. One thing that I know, having not seen your situation first hand, is that we need to strip the light brown color you applied on yourself. The process is a bit technical to explain here. In this issue, you need to come and see us at the salon because I feel like you should be handled by a professional colorist! Ashley from Los Angeles: My wedding is coming up on December. I’ve had many trials for hair and make-up but I have not been happy with any of the hair styles so far. My mother has been the one recommending the hair and make-up artists but our styles just don’t match. None of them could provide the make-up foundation that I need because of blemishes and acne marks that I wish to hide. I’m very stressed because I feel like my mother wants to plan everything but I’m the bride. Shouldn’t I be the one to decide? Monet: Ashley, we need to focus on the important issues at hand, which is your quest for the right stylist who can deliver the look you want. I’m a hair doctor and it’s inappropriate for me to comment about the internal issues between you and your mother. But if you were serious about finding the best stylist, you have to push forward with that. If you were my bride, I would recommend that we meet for a personal, one-on-one consultation. I would advice you to cut up the pictures of make-up and hairstyles from bridal magazines or from the Internet so that I can be on the same page with you. Once you have shared your vision with me, then it would be my turn to offer my professional opinion about what would be the best fit for your wedding makeover. After all, I have been doing this and has worked very

well for me over the years. This collaboration will avoid mistakes and stress on the wedding day. As for your specific question about make-up foundation that will give you more coverage, I just happen to have the solution for you. It’s called the Monet Salon Velvet Finish Make-up. Evelyn from Alhambra: My hair is frizzy and dry from bleaching and coloring, and also, has a natural wave which makes it look damaged and unmanageable. I don’t have time to blow and dry my hair and don’t like straight hair, but I’m very fine with thin hair. What would you recommend? Should I have hot oil treatment or rebonding? I have tried almost all the treatment and product, but I don’t think it works. Help! Monet: Don’t worry, Evelyn! We have the latest answer for your problem and that is our signature Brazilian Blow Me Away Keratin treatment of the Hair Spa Magic. Your hair is the best candidate for this kind of treatment. I will guarantee that your hair will be shiny, manageable and healthier. I hope I was able to help you on your beautyrelated issue. For more information on our services, please email me at monetsalon@aol.com or go to our website at www.monetsalon. com. *** Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, awardwinning celebrity beauty stylist with his own chain of Monet Salon salons across Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Ultimately, Monet is known as an all-around artiste who produces sold-out fashion and awards shows as well as unforgettable marketing campaigns. Monet is also the founder of the revolutionary all-natural beauty products such as Enlighten, your solution to discoloration. To contact Monet, please visit www.monetsalon. com or email him at monetsalon@ aol.com

Charina Vergara recognized globally as a Filipina of distinction Filipina Leadership Global Summit and Gala Awards Ceremony August 21-24 in Cebu, Philippines at Shangri-La Mactan Resort CHARINA VERGARA, Marketing Manager of Island Pacific Supermarket selected Most Influential Filipina Woman in the World (Global FWN100) by the Filipina Women’s Network. The Global FWN100 Awardrecognizes 100 women of Philippine ancestry who are changing the face of leadership in the global workplace, having reached status for outstanding work in their respective fields and are recognized for their achievement and contributions to society, femtorship and legacy. Charina was selected from an outstanding field of nominees from around the world. Charina is being honored with the Builder Award Category. Bulders have demonstrated exceptional business impact at a large workplace environment; displaying deep passion for a cause through collaborative initiatives or alliances with other corporations and non profit organizations on behalf of her own organization; demonstrates high potential and skill with measurable results at a government agency, or organization in the public and private sectors. “Buildership” is about building better organizations, leading broken organizations to adjust , repair, and re-align. “The Global FWN100 women are dynamic entrepreneurs, practitioners, behind-the-scene leaders, community, government and corporate managers and executives who have moved through the ranks in large organizations, nonprofits, and government agencies. They are inspiring examples of women doing extraordinary work who will motivate our youth and future leaders,” said Josephine Romero, Chair of the Global FWN100Worldwide Search and

Charine Vergara

Selection Committee. “They were selected based on the size and scope of their positions, influence in their industries and their communities, board affiliations and other leadership roles.” The Global FWN100 Award is a working recognition award with a meaningful purpose and FWN’s 2020 Vision: a Filipina woman leader in every sector of the global economy by 2020. The awardees are asked to re-invent themselves by paying forward, femtoring a young Filipina woman and bring her to the Filipina Leadership Global Summit on August 21-24, 2016 in Cebu, Philippines at the ShangriLa Mactan. Charina Vergara is now a partner in helping FWN develop the Filipina community’s pipeline of qualified leaders to increase the odds that some will rise to the “president” position in all

sectors of the global economy, “ added Marily Mondejar, FWN’s Founder & CEO. “We gather all these amazing women at the Filipina Summit to inspire each other and create synergy. We interview each awardee so that their collective stories of how they disrupted their professional and personal lives will be part the largest recorded diaspora in modern times.” “The summit’s theme this year is Influence. Accelerate. Action. Seeing all the Awardees on stage during the gala awards ceremony assures me that the future of our young Pinay sisters is solid,” said Susie Quesada, President of Ramar Foods and FWN President. “Awardees often share this inspiring evening with their mothers, grandmothers, daughters, sons, spouses, partners, young women and men, mentors and bosses from their organizations.” The Filipina Summit’s aspirational sessions include “Smart. Young. Unintimidated.Next Generation Leaders.Yes.We.Are., Make Me A Filipina Millionaire, Make Me A Filipina CEO. The popular ‘Pinay Speed Femtoring’ with selected 100 young Filipina professionals who will meet and learn from the Global FWN100™ awardees is much awaited. Topic sessions include: STEM, Economic Empowerment, Health and Well Being, Violence Against Women, Entrepreneurship Breakthroughs. Sponsors who have partnered to-date with FWN are Wells Fargo, AT&T, Seven Seven Corporate Group, Ramar Foods International, and 5M. To sponsor the Filipina Leadership Summit or attend the gala awards ceremony, go to http://www.filipinasummit. org/register

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