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Volume 27 - No. 27 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages
j u ly 7 - 1 3 , 2 0 1 6
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The Pres. Duterte effect: Thousands of drug pushers, users surrender Three of 5 PNP “narco generals” now in Napolcom custody and two retired police generals of contributing to the “deterioration of law and order” by aiding Philippine drug cartels. national Capital region Police office (nCrPo) Chief Joel Pagdilao, Western Visayas regional director Chief supt. Bernardo diaz and Quezon City Police district (QCPd) director Chief supt. edgardo tinio have all been relieved of their posts, according to duterte. the new president also lodged accusations against Vicente Loot, former PnP general and current mayor of daanbantayan, Cebu, and former PnP deputy director, Gen. marcelo Garbo Jr. “imbestigahan ninyo ito at ‘wag SECOND MEETING. President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo chat when the latter paid the Chief Executive a courtesy call ninyo akong bigyan ng zarzuela in Malacañang on Monday, July 4. The two officials met for the first time during the turnover of police command in Camp Crame last week. (investigate this and don’t give Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez me a farce),” duterte said. Loot, diaz, and tinio have pubPNP Chief Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa meets three of the five generals exposed by President PAGE A2 Rodrigo Duterte as coddlers of drug lords. PNP photo surrender to police, and has led to accusations of corruption at the highest levels of law enforcePresident rodrigo duterte’s ment. promise of a bloody war on drugs during a televised speech on convinced thousands of self-con- tuesday, July 5, duterte accused fessed drug pushers and users to three high-ranking police officials by eric
anthony Licas AJPress
DATELINE
USA
from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA
US report: PH ‘fully compliant’ in human trafficking efforts the Philippines is in full compliance with United states standards according to the annual human trafficking report released by the state department. the assessment, which was released on thursday, June 30, has upgraded the Philippines, where human trafficking has historically been a critical issue, from tier 2 - not full compliance making significant efforts to comply with standards - to tier 1, which is full compliance with the minimum standards of the trafficking PAGE A3
Transgender troops now allowed to openly serve in military trAnsGender troops can now enlist and serve openly in the military, the Pentagon recently announced. the announcement came as a surprise after top officials voiced concerns about medical, housing and uniform issues for transgender individuals. the policy change removes one of the last military restrictions based on sex or gender identity. Carter said that the move was a way to be all inclusive of the U.s. population to recruit as many qualified troops for a stronger military. “We don’t want barriers unrelated to a person’s qualifications to serve preventing us from recruiting or retaining the soldier, PAGE A2
Robredo pays courtesy call US lauds PH for on Duterte, assures support luring more FDI by Jose
KatigbaK Philstar.com
WAshinGton—the Philippines is becoming a more attractive destination for foreign direct investment (fdi) and the country’s growing middle class is quickly spending their disposable income in a stable political environment, helping gross domestic product soar to an average growth of 6.2 percent over the last six years, the Us state department said. PAGE A3
by Joseph
aLmer b. pedraJas AJPress
mAniLA—Vice President Leni robredo paid a courtesy visit and had a closed-door meeting with President rodrigo duterte on monday afternoon, July 4, at the malacañan Palace, expressing her full support to the newly elected leader amidst political differences. four days after their inauguration, the two highest-ranking
Philippine leaders had their first private talk. robredo took the opportunity to set up an appointment with the president on friday, July 1, during the change-of-command ceremony of the Armed forces of the Philippines (AfP) in Camp Aguinaldo. “oK naman, very cordial. sinabi ko sa kanya if pwede ako magpa-set ng courtesy visit as soon as possible. sabi naman nya,
anytime (it was okay, very cordial. i asked him if i could schedule a courtesy visit as soon as possible. He said anytime),” robredo said. Although robredo initiated the visit, she bared that duterte also had plans of meeting her. “he was telling me naunahan mo lang ako (he was telling me that i got to it first). i was really planning to invite you over,” added robredo. PAGE A2
Marcos camp confident of winning cybercrime case First bill in Congress seeks reinstatement of death penalty by Jaime
r. piLapiL
and Jomar canLas ManilaTimes.net
the camp of former senator ferdinand “Bongbong” marcos Jr. on monday expressed confidence it would win a cybercrime complaint it brought before the manila Prosecutor’s office against personnel of the Commission on elections (Comelec) and vote-counting machine provider
smartmatic, after the respondents failed to prove that they were not responsible for the “hash code” change at the height of the transmission of votes during the may 9 polls. At the manila Prosecutor’s office, complainant Jonathan de la Cruz, a former representative of Abakada party-list, noted that lawyers of smartmatic and Comelec assailed instead his competence to testify by saying
he had no personal knowledge of the change in script in a computer server that processed election results. “i am a complainant not just because i am an adviser of marcos during the campaign period but also in my by marc Jayson cayabyab capacity as representative of Abakada Inquirer.net party-list,” de la Cruz told reporters deAth penalty was the main push of the first after the hearing. he said the next hearing was set on bill filed in the 17th Congress under the duterte administration. PAGE A2 davao del norte rep. Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez, President rodrigo duterte’s pick to be the next speaker, filed a bill seeking to reinstate death penalty on heinous crimes through lethal injection. in house Bill 1 he authored with Capiz rep. fredenil Castro, Alvarez said there is a need to reimpose death penalty because “the national crime rate has grown to such alarming proportions requiring an allout offensive against all forms of felonious acts.” “Philippine society is left with no option but to deal with certain grievous offenders in a manner commensurate to the gravity, perversity, atrociousness and repugnance of their crimes,” according to the bill. the bill added that “the basic tenets of equity and justice demand that our penal system be one not only of reformation but corresponding retribution.” Lethal injection according to the bill should be adopted as the method to carry out the capital punishment. in the explanatory note, the authors said there is a need to reimpose death penalty because of the prevalence of heinous crimes and illegal drugs. “there is no denying the scourge illicit drugs have
VICTORY IS NEAR. Jonathan de la Cruz (left) signs documents during continuation of preliminary investigation of complaint filed by his group against personnel of the Commission on Elections and Smartmatic. ManilaTimes.net photo by Rene Dilan
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The Pres. Duterte effect: PAGE A1 licly denied the president’s allegations. They say the president is misinformed, and has potentially biased future proceedings by publicly shaming them. “Because of that statement, I will be tried by publicity,â€? Loot told ABS-CBN News. “I hope I will be given a chance to face my accuser... and clear my name.â€? Pagdilao, Diaz, and Tinio met privately with Duterte’s newly appointed Director General of the PNP, Ronald Dela Rosa on Wednesday, July 6 before being turned over to the National Police Commission (Napolcom). He said the accused were given a chance to tell him their side of the story, and have pledged to cooperate with the investigations against them. Dela Rosa described their meeting as “purely intimate and personal.â€? “All other details sa aming usapan, sa’min na lang ‘yun. Basta malungkot sila (All other details that we spoke of are ours only. They are sad [about what is going on]),â€? said Dela Rosa on Wednesday. He added that, “Kung meron man (evidence), they’re all classified [documents] ‌hindi ko puwedeng i-divulge (if there is also evidence, they’re all classified documents. I am not allowed to divulge [that information]). â€? Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno told the Philippines News Agency that the recently sacked PNP officials will receive a fair trial. Napolcom undertook the investigation of all five generals suspected of working for drug dealers, but only has jurisdiction over active police officers. During Tuesday’s speech, Duterte warned officials and citizens to not get involved with the drug trade, or else they face being killed. “I’ve been warning everybody. Do not destroy my country because I will kill you. Do not destroy the youth of my country because I will kill you,â€? he said. Duterte’s vow to end drugs is also slated to reach the classrooms. Education Secretary Leonor Briones revealed on Monday, July 4 that drug education will be strengthened and taught to students, as early as the age of 10. “I think what needs to be added
are [pointers] on how children would know that they are being drawn in, how they should say no, and how and where to report if they are offered illegal drugs,� Briones said, according to Inquirer. The new president — dubbed “The Punisher� — campaigned largely on a promise to eradicate crime in the Philippines within his first six months in office. Since his landslide victory in May, law enforcement agencies throughout the country have ramped up operations, especially against drug-related crimes. Those who don’t surrender risk losing their lives. The president has called upon citizens to shoot suspected drug dealers that resist arrest, and has promised legal protection to police who kill criminals in the line of duty. Duterte has also offered bounties to cops for killing drug lords, while cautioning members of the police force that they are not beyond scrutiny. “Oo, attainable ‘yan; kaya ‘yan. Hindi kaya kung hindi tayo kikilos at ang komunidad hindi tutulong (Yes, it is attainable, we can do it. It is only not attainable if we do not move and if the community will not help),� said Dela Rosa to reporters on Tuesday, May 31. As the former director of the Davao City Police Office, Dela Rosa was credited with reducing the circulation of illegal drugs in the city by 60 percent, according to Philstar. However, human rights groups allege that Dela Rosa has connections to the “death squads� responsible for the vigilante murders of more than 1,400 people since 1998, Reuters reported. “As far as I know, wala akong death squad. During my time, legitimate operations ang ginagawa ko. Napapatay namin ‘yung kalaban through legitimate operations (As far as I know, I do not have a death squad. During my time, legitimate operations were what I did. We only killed our enemies through legitimate operations),� said Dela Rosa in May. One of the strategies Dela Rosa employed in Davao, named Oplan Tukhang (Operation Plan tuktokhangyo), sent officers to each home of a neighborhood to offer
From The FronT Page
potential suspects a chance to turn themselves in. Dela Rosa has exported the tactic throughout the country since becoming the PNP’s Chief. Almost 1,400 alleged criminals surrendered to the authorities in Quezon City, Taguig, Pasay and San Juan, two days after the president officially took office on June 30. In Leyte, Sarangani, Rizal and Pampanga, over 1,100 people turned themselves in to police. Prior to Duterte’s inauguration, more than 200 people from Agusan del Sur and Sarangani had also submitted themselves to police custody in June. “Sumuko kami dahil sa batas ni Duterte. Natakot kami sa kapulisan baka anuhin kami. May pamilya kami kaya natakot kami (We surrendered because of Duterte’s law. We were scared of the police because they might [hurt] us. We have families that is why we were scared),�Allan Looc, a drug user, told GMA News. Drug-related killings have been on the rise since Duterte won the election last May. At least 45 people with suspected links to drug trafficking were killed in different operations in Bulacan. There have also been 63 drug-related deaths recorded in many parts of the country. Meanwhile, in Tondo, Manila, a man was found dead with a note saying “Drug Lord Ako (I am a Drug Lord).� Other bodies displaying similar messages have turned up throughout the country. “It’s going to be a dirty fight. It’s going to be a bloody fight. I am not apologizing for it,� said Duterte during Tuesday’s speech. The uptick in murders committed by police and incidents of apparent vigilantism has drawn the concern of human rights groups and the Catholic Church. In spite of the violence, supporters of the crackdown have told the general public that they have nothing to fear. “I will assure the public that kami ay mga pulis, hindi kami kriminal, susunod kami sa police operational procedure (I will assure the public that we are policemen, not criminals, [and] we will follow police operational procedure),� said Dela Rosa.(With reports from Joseph Almer B. Pedrajas)
First bill in Congress seeks reinstatement... PAGE A1 foisted upon our society, and neither is there denying the audacity with which malefactors, whether under the influence or otherwise, have perpetuated the most perverse and atrocious crimes in the most repugnant of manners,� the authors said. The authors said there is a need to reimpose death penalty as a retribution of justice against heinous criminals. “The imposition of the death penalty for heinous crimes and the mode of its implementation, both subjects of repealed laws, are crucial components of an effective
dispensation of both reformative and retributive justice,� the authors said. “It is thus, imperative, that this Congress, in the exercise of its mandate to take every conceivable step to protect the honor and dignity and the very life of each and every law-abiding Filipino, pass in the most expeditious manner such laws reimposing the penalty of death for the most abhorrent of offenses and provide for its execution,� the authors added. The bill sought to reimpose death penalty on heinous crimes listed under Republic Act 7659, including murder, plunder,
COMING OUT. Police Chief Inspector Merine de Guzman and PO3 James Allen ViĂąa talk to illegal drug users who surrendered in Muntinlupa on Tuesday, July 5 at the Putatan Barangay Hall. A total of 257 drug users and pushers surrendered to the police and barangay officials. ManilaTimes.net photo
Robredo pays courtesy call on Duterte... PAGE A1 Members of the press were not allowed to cover the much-anticipated event, except the Presidential Broadcast Staff – RTVM. On its Facebook page, RTVM posted a two-minute clip showing the president’s assistant, Bong Go, receiving Robredo warmly. Shortly after his proclamation, Duterte once told that he would not appoint Robredo any cabinet position. But the Robredo told in an interview that she just set meeting with the president to show her full support. “I told him that I was just there to personally convey my message of support, that he has my full support,� Robredo told ANC’s “Talk Back� with Tina Monzon-Palma Monday night. It was a closed-door meeting, but Robredo gave a few tidbits, sharing that they were just mostly exchanging notes, talking about children, tackling life in Manila now, security and support. Assuring her support Although she comes from a different political party, Robredo expressed her willingness to help and support Duterte fix the country. “Natutuwa tayo na nagkaroon tayo ng pagkakataong makausap ang ating Pangulo (I am happy that I was given the chance to talk to our president),� she stated.
“Sinabi natin sa Pangulo na buong buo ang suporta natin sa kaniya dahil ang kaniyang tagumpay ay tagumpay ng ating bansa (I told the president that I am wholly supporting him because his success is the success of the whole country).� During Robredo’s speech at the Tapatan sa Aristocrat on Monday, she pledged to rally her support for Duterte’s administration. “As the vice president, I believe that my No. 1 responsibility is to help rally everyone behind the new administration,� Robredo explained. Future meetings will follow The meeting between the Philippines’ two highest leaders will not be the last, as Duterte had told Robredo to regularly meet him to talk about the country. “Sabi niya nga, gawin kong mas regular ‘yung aking pagbisita para alam ko naman ‘yung kung anong nangyayari. Parang sinabi niya yata sa akin na mas mabuti na ‘yung nalalaman niyang information about the country’s situation, alam ko din. Kaya nagpasalamat ako (He said, I should regularly visit him so I can know what is going on. It’s like he’s saying that it is better that I know the information about the country’s situation. That is why I thanked him for that),� the vice president said. Robredo said that she already left her contact number with the
president’s assistant. Leni: Different Duterte Although the meeting last Monday was only the second time they talked after winning the election, Robredo remarked at how well Duterte treated her. “He was very respectful, malumanay magsalita.... Nahihiya pa nga ako kasi mina-’ma’am’ niya ako (He was very respectful, very soft-spoken...I was also a little embarrassed because he kept calling me ‘ma’am),� she explained. “Malayo siya doon sa dati kong nakikita sa TV at sa preconceived idea ko of him. ‘Yung sound and fury, nagmumura, madaling magalit, pinagagalitan kung sinong nakaka-get his ire. Ibang iba (He was a far cry from what I used to see on TV and my the preconceived idea of him. The sound and fury, the swearing, hotheaded, scolding anyone who tests his temper, he was different),� Robredo said in a television interview. After the two finished their meeting, Duterte even walked Robredo to her car. “I was telling him, ‘Mr. President, ‘wag mo na po ako ihatid.’ Sabi niya, ‘That will be very ungentlemanly of me if I don’t bring you down kasi babae ka (Mr. President, you don’t have to take me [to the car]. That will be very ungentlemanly of me if I don’t bring you down because you are a lady),� Robredo recounted.
Marcos camp confident of winning... PAGE A1
Incoming House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez during the Meet the Inquirer Multimedia interview at the Philippine Daily Inquirer office in Makati City. Inquirer.net photo by richard Reyes
rape, kidnapping and serious illegal detention, sale, use and possession of illegal drugs, carnapping with homicide, among others. The bill sought to reenact into the law Republic Act 8177 which designated lethal injection as a method of carrying out capital punishment. According to the bill, all laws that are inconsistent with this measure would be repealed. The bill would then repeal Republic Act 9346, or the law signed by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2006 which abolished death penalty. Alvarez filed the bill to fulfill the mandate of the Duterte administration to bring back death penalty as a deterrent to the rising criminality and use of illicit drugs in the country. Duterte had wanted Congress to bring back death penalty by hanging.
July 15 at 1:30 p.m. “If Smartmatic and Comelec will not submit any rejoinder, the case is deemed submitted for decision,� said Anna Liza Logan, lawyer of the Marcos camp. City Prosecutor Recto Macapagal directed the Smartmatic legal team to submit again the affidavit of one of the respondents, Mauricio Herrera, who had left the country for Panama. The affidavit of Herrera was only sworn to before a lawyer but the fiscal said it must be sworn to before a consul for it to be valid. Other respondents in the cybercrime case, aside from Herrera, are Marlon Garcia, Elie Moreno and Neil Banugued of Smartmatic, and Rouie Penalba, Nelson Herrera and Frances Mae Gonzales of the
Comelec. Manila prosecutors are conducting a preliminary investigation of the cybercrime complaint that is separate from the election protest filed last week by Marcos to contest the proclamation of the Liberal Party’s Maria Leonor “Leni� Robredo as Vice President. If the complaint is found with merit, it will be elevated to the Regional Trial Court and the respondents will be arrested. De la Cruz submitted a consolidated reply-affidavit along with documents and news articles containing reports of how the script of the Comelec transparency server was changed, and statements issued thereafter by individuals like Garcia. He noted that no less than Com-
elec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon had admitted that Smartmatic and Comelec personnel “should have asked permission from the en banc� before changing the script. The seven individuals are accused of cybercrime offenses as provided under Section 4(a), (3) and (4) of Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. De la Cruz informed Macapagal on Monday that two related cases had also been filed before the Comelec and the Supreme Court (SC), sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET). The Marcos camp is urging the Comelec to audit the Automated Elections System to reveal if the servers were used to manipulate the election results in favor of Robredo.
Transgender troops now allowed to openly... PAGE A1 sailor, airman or Marine who can best accomplish the mission,� Defense Secretary Ash Carter said in a press conference on Thursday, June 30. “We have to have access to 100 percent of America’s population for our all-volunteer force to be able to recruit from among
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them the most highly qualified and to retain them.� The move is considered a win for LGBT rights, but the change will not happen overnight. According to Carter, the Pentagon will create a training handbook, establish new medical conduct and provide assistance for changing a troop’s gender in the Defense Eligibility Enrollment System (DEERS) by Oct. 1. By that date, the military will be required to provide “medically necessary� care to transgender service members. According to a RAND Corp study commissioned by the Pentagon, there are between 1,320 and 6,630 transgender troops in the active-duty force, and of those troops, up to 140 would need hormone treatment and up to 130 would seek gender reassignment surgery. RAND Corp. also indicated that the move is estimated to leave a “minimal� impact on the military’s readiness and budget, and the new healthcare accommodations represent “an exceedingly small proportion� of the Department of Defense’s (DOD) overall medical expenses. The projected costs for each troop’s healthcare would be as much as $50,000, according to an
official from the DOD anonymously told USA Today (DOD officials are not authorized to speak publicly). The official also added that altering shower facilities and sleeping quarters may be expected to cost $10 million, but it is difficult to project. The U.S. is the 19th country to allow transgender individuals to openly serve in the military. In February, the Department of Defense removed barriers to allow women who meet physical standards to serve in frontline combat roles. In 2011, the DOD repealed the controversial Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy that required gay and lesbian troops to conceal their sexual orientation to avoid discharge from the military. “This is a historic day and for me satisfied a promise I made to a group of transgender soldiers I met two years ago,� former Pentagon personnel chief Brad Carson told USA Today. Carson played a major role in the construction of the plan, and said that the move was “hardfought and overdue.� “I’m proud to have pushed this reform and I salute the contributions transgender service members have made and will make in the future to our nation. (Klarize Medenilla / AJ Press)
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US lauds PH for luring more... PAGE A1 A report by the State department’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs on Tuesday, July 5 said FDI in the Philippines reached $5.72 billion in 2015 with the majority of investment inflows going to manufacturing, finance and insurance, real estate, wholesale and retail trade, and construction. Thanks in part to a large, educated, English-speaking workforce, the business process outsourcing and tourism industries have experienced tremendous growth in recent years, with no signs of a slowdown, the report said. The Philippines improved its investment climate under the Aquino administration, making strides in good governance, transparency and accountability, the report said.
OPEN DOOR POLICY. Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano leads the opening of the main gate of the Department of Agrarian Reform on the Elliptical Road in Quezon City on Monday, July 4. Mariano announced his open door policy for farmers in the once heavily guarded government agency. Inquirer.net photo by Grig Montegrande
FBI finds Clinton ‘extremely careless’ in use of private server Does not recommend criminal charges by Cybele
Zhang
AJPress
FBI. director, James B. Comey said Tuesday, July 5 that the organization would not recommend criminal charges for Hillary Clinton’s handling of classified emails. In a statement, Comey said presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton was “extremely careless” for using a personal, nongovernment email address, which she routed through a server in her Chappaqua, NY home. According to the New York Times, she sent or received about two dozen emails marked “top-secret,” the highest level of classification, through that address. “There is evidence to support a conclusion [that Clinton] should have know that an unclassified system was no place for that conversation,” Comey said. However to warrant a criminal charge, Comey said there needed to be evidence that Clinton intentionally sent or received classified information, which the FBI did not find.
“Our judgment is that no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case,” Comey said. On Friday, July 1, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said she would accept the FBI’s recommendation, according to various media reports. Lynch has triggered controversy after meeting with former President Bill Clinton at the Phoenix airport. “We are pleased that the career officials handling this case have determined that no further action by the department is appropriate,” Clinton’s spokesman Brian Fallon said in a statement on Tuesday. “As the secretary has long said, it was a mistake to use her personal email, and she would not do it again. We are glad that this matter is now resolved.” Many Republicans viewed Comey’s statement differently. “The system is rigged,” presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump tweeted. “As usual, bad judgment!” In a statement, Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus added, “The [FBI] confirms what we’ve long known:
Hillary Clinton has spent the last 16 months looking into cameras deliberately lying to the American people.” The investigation had lasted for a year, in which the FBI poured over servers, emails and interviewed dozens of people, according to the Times. For the investigation, Clinton’s lawyers turned over 55,000 pages of email to the State Department, but withheld many that she claimed to be personal, regarding matters such as yoga classes and her daughter’s wedding. Three days before Comey made his statement, FBI investigators interviewed Clinton -- a sign that the investigation was winding down. The FBI investigation unearthed additional work-related emails that Clinton failed to turn over, some of which contained classified information. However, there is no evidence those were withheld intentionally. Comey’s statement came just hours before Clinton’s first joint campaign appearance with President Barack Obama in North Carolina.
Major international credit ratings agencies have upgraded the Philippines’ sovereign credit ratings to investment grade, citing robust economic performance, continued fiscal and debt consolidation, and improved governance. Nevertheless improvements are needed, the report said. The Philippines lags behind most ASEAN nations in attracting FDI because of limits on foreign ownership in many sectors of the economy. Poor infrastructure, including high power costs and slow broadband connections, regulatory inconsistency and corruption are major constraints to investment. The Philippines’ complex, slow, and sometimes corrupt judicial system inhibits the timely and fair resolution of commercial
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disputes. In addition, traffic and port congestion are a regular cost of business. Investors report the Philippine bureaucracy can be difficult and opaque, and business registration and procedures are slow and burdensome. Overall, the investment climate of the Philippines has improved in recent years. If the country can maintain its reform momentum, continue to improve its infrastructure and relax foreign ownership limitations, the prospects for investment would continue to brighten, the report said. The report includes investment climate statements covering 170 foreign markets prepared primarily by US embassies and consulates overseas to assist US companies make informed decisions regarding investment in foreign markets.
US report: PH ‘fully compliant’ in human... PAGE A1 Victims Protection Act (TVPA). However, a Tier 1 rating does not mean that trafficking has been eradicated and the country is doing enough to fix the issue. Rather, the rating indicates that the government “has acknowledged the existence of human trafficking” and has made significant moves to to address the problem and meet the standards of compliance per the TVPA. “The Philippines is a source country and, to a lesser extent, a destination and transit country for men, women and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor,” the report said. Government corruption that has allowed traffickers to operate remains a critical problem and a significant drawback to anti-trafficking efforts, but in the last year, the country has made crucial steps. In the last year, the Philippine government collaborated with the State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Bureau to develop initiatives to eliminate human trafficking. Trafficking of migrant workers is one of the most pressing issues, and last year, the Philippine government allocated more funds to the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO). The report detailed some of the commission’s efforts, including
Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr.
producing anti-trafficking prevention campaigns for migrant workers and increasing awareness and prevention training for “government officials, prospective employees and the general public.” Other highlights include the conviction of officials suspected in facilitating trafficking, assisting about 1,500 victims and providing a temporary shelter for male Filipino trafficking victims in Saudi Arabia. The State Department recommended that the Philippines increase the availability of shel-
ters and protection resources and programs to accommodate the needs of victims “with a particular focus on male victims and mental health provisions.” Also, the report stated that the Philippines should increase anti-trafficking training to authorities and provide education and safe migration tactics for migrant workers. The State Department has been releasing the report annually since 2001 after the passing of the TVPA in 2000. The report identifies the minimum standards for combating trafficking, rates each country’s compliance to those standards and offers solutions tailored to each country. Philippine Ambassador to the US, Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. was on the forefront of the Philippines’ anti-trafficking campaign and hailed the State Department’s rating as a win for anti-trafficking advocates. “The Embassy will continue its engagement with the US State Department to ensure that the Philippines’ efforts to combat this scourge are accurately reported and considered by the State Department,” Cuisia said in a statement. “Our country’s goal is to remain in Tier 1 to ensure that the estimated 10 million Filipino workers overseas are protected from unscrupulous practices,” Cuisia added. (Klarize Medenilla/APress)
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Fil-Am nurse reaches settlement after being terminated from hospital by ChRistinA
M. oRiel
AJPress
PASADENA, Calif.—The California Nurses Association (CNA) and Huntington Hospital have reached an agreement in the case of two Asian American nurses who were terminated by the hospital last year for allegedly trying to unionize. Under the settlement agreement announced in early June, the hospital has agreed to rescind the terminations of Allysha Almada Shin and Vicki Lin and pay them full back pay. Almada Shin received $26,701.00 in back pay, while Lin received $28,520.00. Both amounts shown in the agreement are before taxes. At a press conference in front of the hospital’s emergency department on Wednesday, June 29, Rep. Judy Chu, nurses and community leaders applauded the settlement. “It definitely brings justification for what...my co-worker, Vicki, [and I] have been going through for the past nine or more months. It serves as a reminder that our fight is just, our fight is right. It’s a huge victory for all of us,” Almada Shin, a 28-year-old Filipina-American told the Asian
Journal. The two nurses, who worked in the hospital’s intensive care unit, were terminated in August of last year after spearheading a union organizing drive under the California Nurses Association/ National Nurses United (CNA/ NNU). They also publicly spoke about deteriorating conditions, short staffing and inadequate supplies at the hospital. Registered nurses at the hospital began organizing with CNA/ NNU in May 2014, but many voted against representation in April 2015 after they were allegedly intimidated by hospital officials. The union filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) challenging the dismissal of Almada Shin and Lin, which the labor board responded to last January by siding with the nurses. According to a release from the CNA, an administrative law judge for the NLRB was scheduled to review the objections to the 2015 election as well as unfair labor practice charges on June 6, but the settlement was reached just a few days before that. Lin, who was not present at Wednesday’s event, said her termination was “completely wrong,
unjust, and illegal,” according to a statement read aloud by Almada Shin. “What happened to me is the perfect example of why nurses [at Huntington] need to stand together and not allow this hospital’s administration to continue to devalue their nurses,” the statement said. Though she was given her job back, Almada Shin declined to return to Huntington and chose to stay at her current position at Keck Hospital of USC, a CNArepresented facility. “I actually opted to not go back to work at Huntington. The main reason is because they are not organized right now, I don’t feel safe working there,” the FilAm nurse told the Asian Journal. “The anti-union movement within the hospital [and] the anti-union harassment [are] still very strong, so I just don’t want to subject myself and put myself through that.” The hospital has also agreed to hold a new union election for the registered nurses this October and set aside the results of the election last year. Almada Shin said she will continue helping nurses at the hospital unionize. “When you silence the voices
of nurses, patients ultimately suffer,” she said. In a statement emailed to the Asian Journal, Huntington Hospital’s Chief Operating Officer James Noble said the election last year “rejecting union representation was lawful,” but the settlement is in the hospital’s “best interest.” “We have the best nurses in the world and we continue to respect all of their rights, including their right to be represented by a union, should they so choose,” Noble said. Since being terminated, Almada Shin has been vocal about advocating for nurses’ rights. In October, she attended the White House Summit on Worker Voice, where she spoke to President Barack Obama about her situation. She also spoke at a press conference alongside Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and met with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). “I definitely want to encourage all of my Filipino brothers, sisters, aunties and uncles out there that you need to stand up for yourself, have a voice and be strong because this isn’t just about you — it’s about all of us together,” Almada Shin said. “This is about your children being at the hospital, growing up and being nurses themselves and in health care.”
CEREMONIAL TOSS. President Rodrigo Duterte takes center court for the ceremonial toss before the Philippines vs France game in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament held at the MOA Arena on Tuesday, July 5. Duterte, who was in a brown polo and jeans, braved the bad weather and showed his full support to Gilas Pilipinas, arriving at the venue in Pasay City after making a speech at the Philippine Air Force in Clark, Pampanga. Inquirer.net photo by August Dela Cruz
Gilas kisses Olympic hopes goodbye, bows to New Zealand by Denison
Rey A. DAlupAng Philstar.com
NEW Zealand banked on the services of its sibling guards to put an end to Gilas Pilipinas’ Olympic dreams. Tai and Corey Webster led led the assault for the Tall Blacks, combining for 32 markers to eliminate the hosts from the FIBA-OQT contention, 89-80, Wednesday night at the MOA Arena. Andray Blatche tried to keep the game within reach for four periods. Playing on despite sustaining a cut in the arm in the third period, he finished with 16 points. Allysha Alamada Shin (right) is joined by another nurse in celebration of the settlement reached between the CNA and Huntington Hospital. Jayson Castro and June Mar Almada Shin was terminated by the hospital for trying to unionize. AJPress photo by Christina M. Oriel Fajardo added 11 each but it wasn’t enough to salvage the game. Gilas came within two points in early in the fourth period but
Tai Jack Webster of New Zealand, one of the two-pronged tormentors of Gilas Pilipinas Wednesday, July 6. Philstar.com photo by Jonathan Asuncion
Isaac Fotu, along with the Webster The win gives New Zealand a brothers was just too much for the semis berth. nationals.
Kobe Paras withdraws from UCLA by Cybele
ZhAng
AJPress
Promising Filipino basketball player Kobe Paras will not be suiting up in blue and gold this winter. The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) announced on Wednesday, June 29 that the 18-year-old incoming freshman would be withdrawing from the school that he has been committed to since October 2014. In a statement William Middlebrooks, Paras’ coach at both Cathedral High School and Middlebrooks Academy, wrote, “UCLA Admissions Department (which is a separate entity from the Athletic Department) made a corporate decision on June 28, 2016, to deny Kobe Paras admission to UCLA, thus prompting Kobe to leave UCLA’s summer school session immediately.” By law, UCLA does not need to inform Paras why he was not admitted. However, Middlebrooks maintains, “UCLA Athletic Department has communicated to Kobe and
his family that Kobe is indeed a full academic qualifier per NCAA Eligibility Center academic requirements.” Paras, a guard, graduated from Cathedral High School in the spring of 2016, but played his senior season of basketball with Middlebrooks Academy due to a “conflict between the academic calendars of the US and the Philippines,” Rappler said. He is a “consistent honor student,” according to the Los Angeles Times, and has won various academic awards. “They made their decision,” Middlebrooks said of UCLA. “He’ll be wearing another uniform.” However, Paras is still eligible to play for a NCAA Division 1 program and “has not opted to go pro,” according to Middlebrooks. He is actively looking for another college. “This is not a hype issue or a reflection of any on-the-court issue,” Middlebrooks said. “Kobe is very close to many of his now former teammates at UCLA as well as the UCLA coaching staff.”
18-year-old Kobe Paras
Before making his way to the United States, Paras played for La Salle Greenhills in the Philippines. Paras is the son of actor and former basketball player, Benjie Paras. The elder Paras was 1989 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player.
Report: 5,000 water systems violate federal law by KlARiZe
MeDenillA AJPress
MORE than 5,000 water systems in the United States violate federal law, affecting approximately 18 million Americans, according to a new report. In its report released on Tuesday, June 28, the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) found that these systems violated lead and copper laws, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the body that is responsible for regulating the water systems, knew about them but did little to nothing about it. A CNN report indicated that in approximately nine out of 10 cases of contaminated water, the EPA took no enforcement action. NRDC said that the water systems required to complete thorough water testing, regular reporting of contamination and meticulous water treatment, but these water systems have failed to do so; in other words, these systems have committed health, monitoring and reporting violations. “These violations were recorded because the systems were not doing everything that they are
required to do to protect the public from lead issues, which could include failure to treat to reduce lead levels in the water (health violations), failure to monitor the water for lead as required (monitoring violations), or failure to report lead results to the public or government,” the report said. But the 5,000 systems that have committed violations only made up the reported violations and failed to account for unreported instances. Erik Olson, health program director at NRDC, told CNN that some water utility companies manipulate the systems’ machinery and purposefully use imprecise testing methods so that they don’t detect higher levels of lead. In other words, there are water systems who are breaching the law but don’t get reported. The NRDC mapped out leadrelated issues reported throughout the U.S. and found that lead contamination is rampant across the country and the contaminated systems cover an expansive geographic scope. According to NRDC’s findings, there were 13 reported violations in Los Angeles County water
systems that served over 5,000 Angelenos. Kern County’s water systems were especially affected with 74 reported violations that affected 102,691 residents. There are many reasons why a water system can fail, but one of the most common reasons is through repairs gone wrong. Unsafe levels of lead were discovered in Sebring, Ohio earlier this year after workers altered the water’s chemistry to prevent pipe corrosion. It took five months before the city issued a warning of the water’s detrimental effects to children and pregnant women, according to reports from The Columbus Dispatch. In 2001, The Washington Post reported that lead levels in Washington, D.C.’s tap water escalated to 20 times the federallyapproved level, and it took three years before residents found out. Yet the problem may be a product of the country’s infrastructure. Thirty years ago, Congress passed a law that banned lead water pipes, yet between 3.3 million and 10 million of them remain in today’s water systems, allowing lead to infiltrate many of the country’s water systems. n
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Alvarez belies return of ‘pork barrel’ by Delon
Porcalla Philstar.com
Soldiers stand ready to assist Muslim worshipers whose Eid’l Fitr worship rite they hosted, for the first time ever, inside the Army’s Camp Siongco in Maguindanao on Wednesday, July 6. Philstar.com photo by John Unson
Christian soldiers, Muslims together in historic Camp Siongco Eid rites by John
Unson Philstar.com
MAGUINDANAO—Christian soldiers and hundreds of Muslims on Wednesday, July 6 ate together in the Army’s Camp Siongco in an Eid’l Fitr banquet never witnessed since the onset of the Mindanao secessionist conflict in the 1970s. Among those present at the event were representatives of the Malaysian-led International Monitoring Team, which has been helping enforce the interim ceasefire pact between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front since late 2003. Christian officers of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, whose main headquarters is inside the 500hectare well-fortified Camp Siongco, served more than a thousand Muslims food and drinks after an early outdoor congregational Eid worship rite at the parade ground of the sprawling military facility. Camp Siongco, Central Mindanao’s largest military installation, is located southwest of Datu Odin Sinsuat town in the first district of Maguindanao. Sandra Siang, chairperson of the Kutawato Muslim Chamber, Inc., said she was so fascinated with the gesture of the 6th ID that she decided to perform the Eid open-field prayer in Camp Siongco to see how Christian soldiers are to host the event. “I also want to be part of some-
thing so historic, something I haven’t witnessed since I was a child,” said Siang, who operates a hardware store along a major thoroughfare in nearby Cotabato City. Joery Delumpa-Amad, a senior staff member of the regional office of the Department of Health in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said she did not hesitate to join the Eid ritual inside Camp Siongco. “This is my first time to experience an outdoor congregational prayer inside an Army camp,” Amad said. Clerics present at the event took turns thanking the commander of 6th ID, Maj. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, for embarking on the activity. “This event is very important to us Muslims. This strengthened our conviction that we have an Army division in this part of the country that prefers to solve security concerns through diplomatic maneuvers,” said Lt. Col. Farouk Sarip, the Imam of 6th ID. A key 6th ID official, Col. Markton Abo, a Sunni Muslim who is of Maguindanaon descent, said their families would have a good story to tell about the division’s having hosted an Eid outdoor prayer and a banquet for worshipers. “I felt so proud and honored while attending the event,” said Abo, who, as a child, experienced
the hardships caused by the Moro rebellion in the 1970s. Camp Siongco was a tactical springboard for large-scale military offensives against the Moro National Liberation Front in the 1970s until the late 1980s and, subsequently, against the MILF from the early 1980s until 2009. There has not been a single encounter since 2010 between MILF guerillas and soldiers in areas under 6th ID, which covers the adjoining Maguindanao, North Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat provinces and several towns in Lanao del Sur. Pangilinan, who graduated from the Philippine Military Academy in 1983, was the deputy commander for the southern peace process of the Armed Forces’ Western Mindanao Command in Zamboanga City prior to his assumption as commanding officer of 6th ID about two years ago. Security in Camp Siongco and its immediate surroundings have been tight since 1997, when two foreign jihadists with Middle Eastern features attacked the facility with grenades and machine pistols. They managed to kill three soldiers and wound more than a dozen others. The two foreigners were both shot dead by soldiers from nearby offices as they tried to breach the second layer of the camp’s perimeter defenses.
tolerance on corruption will be put to nothing if pork is allowed to MANILA—With Secretary Ben- grease the hands of legislators as jamin Diokno at the helm of a form of patronage,” he added. the Department of Budget and House insiders said neophyte Management (DBM), there is no lawmakers have been told to way the pork barrel or any similar submit to the appropriations comallocation can be allowed in the mittee a list of their projects for a national expenditure program, total of P80 million – P50 million presumptive speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said. He was reacting to a report in The Star that the pork barrel fund for senators and House members is back and initially is being offered to neophyte lawmakers. “It’s hard to argue with Secretary Ben Diokno, he will not allow it,” Alvarez told dzMM radio in Filipino. He added Diokno is “very strict” and branded the report as “very imaginative.” “Nonsense, pure nonsense. How could the pork barrel be revived when it had already been declared illegal by the Supreme Court? Secretary Diokno will not allow it,” the Davao del Norte congressman said in Filipino. He said reviving the discredited pork allocation would surely invite legal challenge, something the administration would never allow. “There will be no more PDAF,” Alvarez said, referring to the then official name of pork barrel – Priority Development Assistance Fund. Bayan Muna congressman Carlos Zarate has cautioned the incoming House leadership against giving lump sums to legislators through the proposed 2017 national budget. “If this budget is the one still prepared by the Abad-DBM that is littered with pork allocations for the members of Congress, then the same should not be allowed at all and should be scrapped at once from the proposed 2017 budget,” he said. “We have yet to see and study the 2017 budget that the new administration will submit.” He said pork barrel funds “are better allocated to the basic needs/social services of our poor people.” Duterte, he said, had made clear his opposition to the pork barrel fund “knowing fully well that it was, is and will still be a source of graft and corruption.” “Duterte’s avowed stand of zero
for hard projects like roads and P30 million for soft projects like scholarships and hospitalization. House members are still entitled to P70 million in PDAF every year, but the funds are directly released to the agencies under their respective constituencies or local PAGE A7
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OpiniOn
Still in danger
Features
“TODAY, we continue the long journey toward an America and a world where liberty and equality are not reserved for some, but extended to all. Across the globe, including right here at home, millions of men, women, and children are victims of human trafficking and modern-day slavery. We remain committed to abolishing slavery in all its forms and draw strength from the courage and resolve generations past.” — Pres. Barack Obama Every year, millions of Filipinos go to great—and in some cases— drastic lengths by working abroad, to pursue better lives for themselves and their families. There are an estimated 15,000,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) across the world. On average, 6,000 Filipinos leave the country each day to work abroad, an increase from only around 2,500 before 2010. At least a quarter of the country’s labor force has gone to work overseas. Many of these OFWs are often compelled to work while succumbing to unfair and harsh working conditions, including long hours, low pay, and human rights abuses. We’ve heard news of Pinoys who faced death row in China and the never-ending and horrific stories of domestic helpers in the Middle East -- all for a chance to seek greener pastures. Despite the billions of pesos they bring home -which continues to prop up the Philippine economy -- the nightmares of being an OFW still linger. These people who resort to severe measures are employed through illegal channels. While many of them would refuse to admit it (for fear of losing their jobs), some of these modern heroes are victims of human trafficking. The Philippines has recently been upgraded as a Tier 1 country by the 2016 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, which rated 190 nations according to their efficiency in addressing human trafficking. This is a welcome development for the Philippines
after lingering in Tier 2 status the past years. The annual TIP report is used as a comprehensive resource by international organizations, foreign governments, and nongovernmental organizations on countries in tiers based on their compliance with the standard of the US’ Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). Freeing victims, preventing trafficking, and bringing traffickers to justice are the ultimate goals of the report and of the US Government’s anti-human trafficking policy. Tier 1 countries met minimum the standards of the American government’s “principal diplomatic tool to engage foreign governments on human trafficking,” which means a government “fully complied” with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. Tier 2 nations do not fully comply but are “making significant efforts” to do so, while Tier 2 Watch List involves other negative indicators. Nations under Tier 3 neither comply nor make significant efforts. However, the TIP report describes the Philippines as “a source country and, to a lesser extent, a destination and transit country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor.” The TIP Report also said that a significant number of Filipino migrant workers are subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor—predominantly via debt bondage—in the fishing, shipping, construction, education, nursing and agricultural in-
Editorial
Philstar.com photo
dustries, as well as in domestic work, janitorial service, and other hospitality jobs, particularly across the Middle East, Asia and North America. Despite continuous worldwide sanctions and efforts to alleviate human trafficking, business continues to thrive for this repressive industry. Stereotypically, human trafficking stories often depict victims as innocent young girls, who are seduced from their homes and forced into the sex industry. But now, cases involve men, women and children of all ages falling prey to traffickers for a
promise of better pecuniary compensation. No matter how strict the laws are implemented or how rigorous campaigns are against human trafficking, the problem will not cease to exist if not dealt with first at home. Filipinos or anyone for that matter, seek jobs abroad due to lack of economic opportunities and the struggle to meet the basic needs. Before apprehending perpetrators, governments should first promote and protect the basic human rights. (AJPress)
Fil-Ams hopeful about Duterte presidency and the plight of overseas Filipinos A RECENT “ B a l i t a n g The Fil-Am America” online viewer poll Perspective revealed that a large majority of Filipinos in America are Gel SantoS-ReloS feeling very hopeful under the Duterte presidency. Eighty-seven percent of kababayans who voted in The Filipino Channel’s daily newscast opinion poll feel the Philippines will be better off with newly sworn-in President Rodrigo Duterte stirring the country toward a new direction.
Many Fil-Am community leaders share the optimism, especially after Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. said topping the “marching orders” he received from Pres. Duterte is to make sure that the needs of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) are “specially and adequately addressed.” “We want to make sure that from the very day, the first day that the recruitment processes start, up to the time that they arrive at their point of destination, we will be ready and available to help them in their needs,” Yasay said in an
ABS-CBN News report. “We know that as they go abroad, they’ll be the subject of a lot of difficulties, uncertainties, and vulnerabilities, and the least that we can do for our overseas workers, who—in a true sense—are our economic heroes, is to make ourselves readily available for their service,” the DFA chief explained. The Migrant Heritage Commission (MHC), a Filipino-American group based in the nation’s capital, offered their support to Duterte’s marching order in this statement: “We support the call of President Duterte to provide assistance in securing and protecting the rights of OFWs
from their country of origin until their final destination . We also call upon the Phil Government to revamp its existing policies on [the] deployment of Filipino workers overseas, which includes [the] elimination of recruitment agencies and for the government to undertake direct supervision and approval of employment contracts with receiving countries.” MHC Executive Directors Atty. Arnedo Valera, Grace Valera and Jesse Gatchalian further stated: “The Government among others must initiate bilateral agreements with countries employing OFWs with involved countries committing to protect and uphold
the human rights and dignity of Filipino workers around the world . We also call on President Duterte to investigate and jail illegal and legal recruiters who have caused the physical,psychological and emotional abuse of Filipino workers!” Do you share this optimism that the concerns of OFWs will finally be addressed under the Duterte-Robredo administration? *** 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
Federalism: A mountain the Philippines doesn’t need to climb (yet) Commentary
Ben D. KRitz FILIPINOS have an infuriating habit of beginning initiatives with great energy and enthusiasm, and then giving up on them quickly when the details begin piling up. So, positive results are achieved only incrementally and with great difficulty. Business people brought up in almost any other cultural setting in the world find it difficult to manage, and most never do quite figure it out. As maddening as it can be it is ironically often a useful defense mechanism for the Filipino people on a broader scale, and prevents them from becoming entangled in circumstances that are really beyond their grasp. The concept of federalism, which has become popular again with the election of a provincial mayor to the highest office in the land, is just one of those circumstances. The source of the aspiration for federalism is easy to understand; the opinion that local governments suffer in direct proportion to their physical and political distance from the center of power is widely shared. There is virtually no disagreement with the assertion that the national system of
administration as it is carried out now is inequitable and unresponsive. The former mayor of Davao City probably understands that as well as anyone, and the fact that he is now in a position to do something about it raises some tantalizing prospects, all of which have been bundled into a package representing a new and better sort of political economy, and peddled to the nation under the not entirely accurate label of “federalism.” As with most large-scale political questions, the objective of this aspiration is actually a fairly basic economic goal—to provide a consistently fair and sustainable opportunity for every Filipino to attain a healthy, productive standard of living. It is a perfectly worthy aspiration; even though it takes the opposite perspective from the prevailing top-down neoliberal economic philosophy that rules the world at present It is also probably a better way to build a strong economy on a macro scale—people with good lives on a household level are able and eager to be good consumers, and it is demand, after all, which drives any economy. According to President Duterte and many advocates who support him, the way to achieve that basic economic goal is through changing the system of government to a federal system, although to be fair to the President, he seems a lot less strident and more openminded about the issue than
most of his backers. To ultimately understand why federalism is probably not the solution the country needs, it is helpful to understand what federalism actually is. Federalism is a system in which the central, national government shares power with semi-autonomous subdivisions of the nation, with the authority and responsibilities of each level—the national, or federal level, and the level of the state or province—clearly defined. At present, there are 25 nations in the world that can be properly described as federal systems, plus two others (Spain and the United Kingdom) that have devolved systems that are for all practical purposes federal, even though they are not defined as such. The formation of federal nations varies, but in most cases, the national government is created by the individual member state-units, and not the other way around. In other words, individual independent states, or individual colonies in a loose collective agree to cooperate to form a national government; this is how 20 of the 25 present-day federal nations were formed, including the United States, which serves as the informal model for the Philippine federalists’ goal. In all other cases, the federal system was formed by subdividing a colony upon independence; examples of this include Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil, and Nigeria, and all of those are
While he may be eyeing radical policy changes, incoming president Rodrigo Duterte is willing to retain members of the Aquino economic team who are performing well. Photo from the Office of Davao City
noted for having comparatively strong central governments. At no time in the world’s political history has an independent unitary nation subdivided itself into a federal system. That alone should give the Filipino people pause, because trying something that has never been done before as an alternative to making a weak effort to carry out existing methods does not, as a rule, lead to good results. Right now in this country, political and economic observers— and more to the point, the local
and foreign investors who look to them for advice—are watching some very encouraging developments in the overall atmosphere created by the Duterte presidency in its early days, a strong drive to improve discipline and basic performance. Against that backdrop, a call for federalizing the Philippines appears to be an unnecessary, heterodox distraction, one that could create as many problems as it solves, and derail the nation and its new government from the right track it seems to be on at the moment.
Indeed, the imbalances created by the present system need to be corrected, but there is at this point absolutely nothing to suggest that what is happening now is clearly moving away from that direction. This country has a history of making up new laws and processes as corrective measures for ones that fail because they simply weren’t followed; perhaps eschewing federalism, at least for the foreseeable future, is the best way to break that particularly self-destructive pattern. (ManilaTimes.net)
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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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 7-13, 2016
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11-M Filipinos unemployed, says SWS
tHE number of unemployed Filipinos swelled to 11 million in the first quarter of the year, two million more than the previous quarter, a social Weather stations (sWs) survey showed. the survey was conducted among 1,500 respondents from March 30 to April 2. the figure is 2.5 points higher than the 21.4 percent or 9.1 mil-
lion unemployed in the last quarter of 2015. the unemployed in the first quarter poll consisted of 5.9 million adults who voluntarily left their jobs, 3.3 million who involuntarily lost their jobs, and 1.8 million who were first-time job seekers. the latest survey also showed that 39 percent of Filipinos foresee
Alvarez belies return of...
HOUSE OF DREAMS. President Rodrigo Duterte plans to move into Bahay Pangarap at the Presidential Security Group complex, across the Pasig River from MalacaĂąang, next week.
Bahay Pangarap Duterte’s official residence by Catherine
Valente ManilaTimes.net
cated at the headquarters of the Presidential security Group Just like his predecessor, Be- (PsG) across the Pasig River from nigno Aquino III, President Rodrigo MalacaĂąang Palace, the office of “Rodyâ€? Duterte chose Bahay Pan- the President. Built in the 1930s, Bahay Pangarap as his official residence. Duterte’s top aide, Christopher garap was designed by architect Go, said Duterte will move in next Juan Arellano. It already underwent a number of renovations, week. the Bahay Pangarap is lo- with the recent one led by archi-
tect Conrad Onglao in 2008. the house was used by former presidents Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to welcome special guests. It has a swimming pool and a garden. Duterte earlier said he will not be living in MalacaĂąang because he believes it is haunted by ghosts.
Pacquiao backs reimposition of death penalty by Paolo romero Philstar.com
MANILA—saying the death penalty has basis in the Bible, sen. Manny Pacquiao expressed support for measures that seek to reimpose capital punishment. Pacquiao told reporters that he prefers the death penalty to be done by hanging, as reportedly also preferred by President Duterte. “Constitutionally, biblically, they’re not against the death penalty. I can explain that properly when we talk about the Bible,� Pacquiao told reporters when asked why he was supporting capital punishment when he is known to be a devout
Christian. Pacquiao is known to be religiously attending Bible studies and is always accompanied by Christian pastors in his fights. He said he does not consider hanging to be barbaric and that execution by lethal injection could pose problems as doctors have vows not to kill. “If you will cover hangings, you’ll pity them but they (death convicts) know that the law is the law. Even us in government service, or even the President, if we do wrong, are punishable under the law,� he said. He noted that the death penalty would only be imposed for heinous crimes like drug trafficking, kidnap-for-ransom, rape and
murder. Pacquiao’s mentor, Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza, said he was disappointed by the stance of his friend, whom he last saw several weeks ago. “I’m definitely saddened by his position, but I’ve yet to hear it straight and personally from him. God has been very generous to him and his stance is inconsistent with his pro-life stance,� Atienza said in a telephone interview. sen. Leila de Lima said she continues to oppose the reimposition of the death penalty and will file a measure that seeks to impose “qualified reclusion perpetua� or life imprisonment for those found guilty of heinous crimes.
Ampatuan conviction over Maguindanao massacre vowed under Duterte term by edu
Punay Philstar.com
MANILA—Justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II vowed to secure the conviction of the principal defendants in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre within the term of President Rodrigo Duterte. Aguirre said the resolution of the multiple murder case against Andal Ampatuan Jr. and brother Zaldy Ampatuan by the Quezon City Regional trial Court Branch 221 could be expected in the next six years. “I believe that the conviction will come in the next few years. the case should be decided well within the six-year administration of President Duterte,� Aguirre said. Aguirre, a known litigation lawyer, said the Department of Justice prosecution team handling the case has a standing order to block dilatory tactic of defense lawyers during the ongoing trial. the previous administration had aimed to convict the Ampatuans who were charged at the Quezon City RtC before President Aquino stepped down from office. Former justice secretary Emmanuel Caparas admitted that this target was really difficult to meet. “the court will really have a hard time resolving that case considering the number of parties involved. Perhaps it would take four to five more years for the verdict from this point when the defense have just started presenting their case,� he explained to the stAR. “there are just too many people involved in this case and there are more possible witnesses – including warlords in Maguindanao – who are afraid to come forward and who have actually moved on already,� Caparas stressed. Caparas believes the case would not end with the possible conviction of any of the accused, citing possible filing of appeals in higher courts, including the Court of Appeals and the supreme Court, that could take even more years to resolve. “An ordinary suit where there is one accused and one victim already takes several years to be resolved with finality. Imagine
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said the resolution of the multiple murder case against Andal Ampatuan Jr. and brother Zaldy Ampatuan by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 could be expected in the next six years. Philstar.com photo by Efigenio Toledo IV
how long this case where you have 59 victims and almost 200 accused,� he pointed out. still, he gave assurance that the DOJ has done its part in ensuring the speedy resolution of the case. He said the prosecutors would always oppose dilatory moves of the defendants. six years into the trial, the RtC has yet to resolve the case, which involves 59 victims, 197 accused with 111 of them arrested and arraigned, 147 prosecution witnesses and 300 defense witnesses. One of the principal accused, former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan sr. died in July last year. two other accused, Hernanie Decipulo and sukarno Badal, had also died while in detention. the Ampatuan clan’s patriarch and several of his sons and relatives were accused of killing 59 people, including 32 from media. Among the dead were the wife and two sisters of Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu who was then the vice mayor of Buluan, Maguindanao, two female lawyers and the media workers who covered the supposed filing of the certificate of candidacy of Mangudadatu, who would run for governor of Maguindanao and challenge a scion of the Ampatuan clan. Mangudadatu won the election. the Mangudadatus have accused the Ampatuans of masterminding the incident, specifically pointing to then mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. of Datu unsay, Maguindanao as one of the leaders of 100 armed men who abducted Mangudadatu’s supporters.
the Ampatuans denied the allegations against them. the supreme Court, for its part, has adopted measures to expedite the resolution of the Maguindanao massacre case, including the designation of RtC Judge Jocelyn solis-Reyes to exclusively hear the multiple murder case. the sC also designated a third assisting judge to handle the conduct of all non-trial incidents in the Maguindanao massacre cases, such as arraignments and pre-trials, as well as to decide incidents and motions not vital to the merits of the cases with dispatch. In 2013, the high court also issued several new guidelines, including the use of judicial affidavits in lieu of the direct testimonies of the witnesses, to speed up the trial proceedings. Records show that the RtC handling the case has resolved all outstanding formal offers of evidence against the bail applications of the accused. It has also resolved all bail applications of the major accused, with only those of Ampatuan Jr. remaining. But the trial court had ordered accused Ampatuan Jr. to close his presentation of evidence. the proceedings have reached the hearing of the evidence-inchief of the main case. the prosecution has filed three batches of formal offers of evidence against 95 accused, thereby resting its case against them. After these formal offers of evidence are resolved, the defense may either present its evidence and then rest or submit a demurrer to evidence.
PAGE A5 government units (LGus), like the satellite offices of the departments of Public Works and Highways, Health, Education and the like. But the lawmaker-source also revealed that as per instructions, the House leadership under Alvarez has made it clear this doesn’t necessarily mean the pork barrel system is back, but that “they are just exercising their power of the purse.� “We were told that the act of submitting the list of projects should not be treated as a return to the pork barrel system because the identification process is being done even before the national budget for next year is approved,� he explained. this means therefore there is “no violation� of the November 2014 ruling by the sC declaring the unconstitutionality of the lump sum funds which previously entitled senators and congressmen to P200 million and P70 million each a year, respectively. the sC verdict specifically prohibited only the post-enactment intervention of members of Congress in the national budget. “What we are doing now is pre-enactment activity that is within the power of lawmakers,� the congressman said, admitting that some neophyte lawmakers submitted a list of projects even before Duterte assumed office last June 30. the lawmaker said the information for the neophyte lawmakers to submit the names of projects through a two-page form was relayed to them during the first batch of the ongoing orientation at the House. Abuse of authority Diokno, meanwhile, said the past two administrations had abused their budget authority, adversely affecting the implementation of projects. In a speech delivered on Monday before budget officials and personnel, Diokno vowed to im-
plement reforms during his second stint as head of the agency. He said he would push for a Budget Reform Act that would address what he called the “abuses� committed by the two previous presidents. “the intervening 15 years – nine for president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and six for president Benigno s. Aquino – were years of abuses of the president’s budget authority,� the DBM chief said. “Having seen how fiscally responsible budget rules were misused by two immediate past presidents, my goal is to have a Budget Reform Act that will curb the abuses of the president in the exercise of his budget preparation and execution responsibilities,� he added. Diokno said Arroyo operated with a reenacted budget in three of her nine years in office, while Aquino would be “long remembered for his unconstitutionally crafted Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).�
more job openings in the next 12 months, while 31 percent said it will stay the same and 15 percent said there will be fewer jobs. the sWs survey used face-toface interviews of 1,500 adults nationwide and has sampling error margins of plus or minus three percentage points for national percentages. (Catherine Valente/ ManilaTimes.net)
the DBM chief previously scored officials who claimed that a reenacted budget would allow the president to declare capital outlays as savings and use them for whatever projects or programs he wants. Diokno noted a reenacted budget would prevent an administration from starting new projects due to lack of spending authority. some acts under DAP, meanwhile, were declared unconstitutional by the supreme Court last July for going against the constitutional doctrine of separation of powers. the high court, in particular, struck down the cross-border transfers of savings of the executive to augment funds of agencies outside the department, as well as the withdrawal of unobligated allotments from implementing agencies and their use as savings before the end of a fiscal year. the allocation of funding items not included in the national budget was also declared unconstitutional.
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Journal A test on AlDub’s magic one year later by Tessa
mauricio-arriola ManilaTimes.net
Has the alDub phenomenon waned dramatically a year since TV cameras caught then newbie Maine “Yaya Dub” Mendoza’s self-conscious reaction the bedimpled smile of alden Richards on “Eat Bulaga’s” “Kalyeserye?” If your answer is yes, film director Mike Tuviera will have to disagree. Tuviera is the man behind the first anniversary project of Richards and Mendoza—the accidental “couple” who shot to phenomenal fame as “alDub” following that live and fateful TV moment on July 16, 2015. He will also be the first person to tell you that the alDub magic is alive and kicking, and as far away in fact as the Italian towns of Como and Venice. It was in these picturesque loca-
tions where the director shot the entirety of Richards and Mendoza’s upcoming rom-com movie, “Imagine You & Me,” which opens on July 13. The screen couple’s security, he had thought, was something he didn’t have to contend with shooting far away from the Philippines, but he was apparently wrong. “sabi nung mga Italian counterparts namin that they had never seen anything like that,” the thirty-something director added, referring to the crowds of overseas Filipinos who relentlessly followed Richards and Mendoza even in the small alleyways of Italia. “sabi pa nila they worked with [the likes of] George Clooney and Brad Pitt for Ocean’s Twelve, and other Hollywood stars like Johnny Depp, but they had never seen yung merong sumusunod na fans
[wherever the actors filmed].” For many showbiz observers, an alDub-starrer on the big screen should have happened much earlier than their first anniversary. Based on figures, the couple had not been able to sustain the sky-high ratings of Eat Bulaga during the height of Kalyeserye in the fourth quarter of 2015, nor the record-breaking Twitter following on social media after the erstwhile “Yaya Dubsmasher” started to talk, met her Prince alden, and together filled up the humongous Philippine arena for the Tamang Panahon concert in October 2015. “To be fair, they still trend on social media from time to time,” said another showbiz observer. “Especially when alden broke his trademark courteous ways and aggressively smacked Maine on the lips on her birthday last
March 3.” But yes, the same critic admitted, a lot of what Richards and Mendoza do nowadays seem anti-climactic. But for Tuviera—who also happens to be the son of “Eat Bulaga’s” big boss Tony Tuviera of Tape, Inc.—”Imagine You & Me” is not out to prove that alDub is still the top love team in the land a year later. He also denied rumors that the trio of producers behind the movie—Tape’s aPT Entertainment, GMa Films, and Vic sotto’s M-Zet, Inc.—are expecting a P1billion return of investment at the box office. “This is beyond disproving everyone and beyond box office returns,” he countered. “This is about giving back to the alDub fans a movie that will do justice to the love team they’ve supported so passionately since July
Alden Richards and Maine ‘Yaya Dub’ Mendoza, better known as the phenomenal ‘Aldub’ love team.
last year. Tuviera concluded, “I am grateful to the producers for allowing this story and its concept to be shot, no matter what the cost, because the fans deserve a movie
that will show alden and Maine at their best—as the talented actors they are beyond the skits of “Kalyeserye”—and as the phenomenal couple they made alDub to be.”
Angel Locsin more mature after Why Kris Aquino can never be a ‘Kapuso’ breakup with Luis Manzano by ronnie
carrasco ManilaTimes.net
by
Joyce Jimenez Philstar.com
anGEl locsin has new discoveries of herself and felt more mature after her breakup with luis Manzano. The reports about the breakup of the two came out February this year. “Iba ang maturity na nabibigay ng single life,” said angel in an interview on Wednesday, July 6, after she was introduced as the newest brand ambassadress for smart Padala. “lahat naman tayo kapag dumadaan sa medyo mahirap na phase ng buhay, iba ‘yong maturity and it makes you stronger,” she added. The Kapamilya actress is also glad to have more time with her family, and finally had time to fix her home. angel is still in the process of healing, after the series of spinal
operations she had gone through the other year. This was due to the disc slip she had, which also made her give up the film “Darna.” However, her fans would like to think that star Cinema is still waiting for her to heal and still reprise the role. “Gusto ko rin naman gawin, but honestly hindi ko pa siya masagot ngayon, e,” she replied, when asked for a reaction to her fans’ assumptions. “nasa process ka ng healing, gusto mo gumaling, nagsalita ka ng anything tapos hindi matuloy baka ma-depress ako ulit, di ba?” “Kung anong ibigay ng Diyos sa akin, naniniwala ako na kung para sa iyo ang proyekto, para sa iyo. Kung hindi man, baka may mas magandang para sa iyo,” she added. although doing a TV series may wait for a while, angel said she’ll
Is KRIs aquino jumping ship after guesting in a GMa morning program recently? Rumors regarding her reportedly shortened contract with aBs-CBn have apparently led to this question. From a Vignettes source, the Kapuso network has bargained for Kris’ to sign a one-year contract which she least expected. so, will there be a warm welcome by GMa in the offing? The same source believes otherwise. “This is a remote possibility. First, let’s remember that behind Kris’ career are Boy abunda and Deo Endrinal, both very much entrenched in aBs-CBn. second, what career awaits her in GMa where it’s now ai ai de las alas’ bailiwick? Have you forgotten that Kris was one of the reasons why ai ai transferred to GMa in 2015?” Our source interprets Kris’ GMa appearance as yet another ploy to a) be in the news again—as Angel Locsin felt more mature and has she always does—upon her return after her discovered more things about herself after three-month hiatus; and b) downplay frenzied her relationship with Luis Manzano. media reports about her former husband James be doing a “Maalaala Mo Kaya” Yap’s becoming a father again this time to Mikaela episode that will start shooting this July. Pnoy may no longer be President, but as this weekend. she’ll also do a film, although she refused to give far as Kris is concerned, her reign should be termless. details for now.
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From small dreams to big success
How a former housekeeper built a multi-million dollar business By Malou liwanag-Bledsoe AJPress
HARD work and dedication definitely pay off—and FilipinoAmerican businesswoman Myla Ramos is living proof of it. From humble beginnings as a housekeeper, Ramos and her company, SearchPros Solutions (with co-founders Heather Kocina and Rayna Pearson), is now one of the most successful and fastest-growing companies in the United States. A national human resource and staffing company, SearchPros in 2010 won a 10-year, $250 million annual contract to provide labor for national technology defense and aerospace giant, Lockheed Martin Corp. In 2011, the company was named Small Business of the Year for California and Small Business Subcontractor of the Year in the district of Sacramento. Fast forward to 2016, Ramos and SearchPros are still flying high. The company was awarded by the US Chamber of Commerce as the 2016 DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year last month and became a finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year. They were also recently featured in Forbes magazine’s Women Business Leaders issue. Working hard toward her dreams Ramos was only seven years when she and her family migrated to the US to follow the American dream. Growing up as an immigrant, she watched her parents struggle to make ends meet. “I remember living in a onebedroom flat with my grand-
At the Entrepreneur of the Year awards in San Jose.
parents, parents and my other siblings,” she shared in a past interview with the Asian Journal. “I thought to myself, I don’t want to live like this all my life. I don’t want to live just to get by. So I began working hard.” “I got tired of being the poor immigrant,” she added. “Being in the US is a blessing. If you work hard, no one will put any labels on you. The only way to succeed is to educate myself and work hard.” From there on, Ramos started worked in a hotel as a housekeeper while attending high school and college at San Francisco State University (SFSU). When she was promoted to Assistant General Manager, she worked 12-hour shifts from 7 am to 7 pm and then would go to her classes after. Her perseverance paid off and
she graduated from SFSU with honors in Industrial Psychology and a minor in Business Administration. Relationships built on success After college, Ramos was hired by one of the top staffing agencies in the world to help open their office in San Mateo, California. Because she loved helping people, she knew it was the perfect job for her. However, the idea of SearchPros came out on Christmas Eve in 2004. Ramos, along with co-founders Heather Kocina and Rayna Pearson were all working at the staffing agency, surrounded by contractors who were waiting to be paid. However, they found out late in the day that the checks were not coming — ruining Christmas for many.
That was when Ramos, Kocina and Pearson created a plan to build a business of their own. “We made a decision that night to follow our big dream — start and run a business of our own, be the role models we never had, provide a better life for our families and contribute to our community,” Ramos said in an interview with the US Chamber of Commerce. Adding that it was never “just a job,” Ramos said that SearchPros is their legacy for their families and the community. “We didn’t get a paycheck for the first couple of years,” she said. “Every dollar we received was reinvested back to SearchPros.” Today, SearchPros has its own corporate-owned headquarters — a far cry from the 120 square feet rental space they had when
Myla Ramos (in front) at seven years old, with her mother Angela Espino Mendoza from Pulilan, Bulacan; father Tito “Boy” Santiago Mendoza from Marilao, Bulacan; and brothers Angelo (baby) and Ireneo Mendoza; getting ready to leave for the US.
Myla Ramos and her family: husband of 20 years, Pernell Ramos with kids Mikayla (12) and Perrin (16).
Ramos and her family, parents, brothers and their families.
Ramos taken last year in the Philippines, where they brought Christmas to a village by giving gifts for all the kids, as well as serving spaghetti and chicken to the people.
the company first started. The Citrus Heights-based business now also has 30 recruiters placing thousands of employees in 28 states and 8 countries. And though SearchPros did not win Entrepreneur of the Year, Ramos still has a lot to be proud of. “The winner was FitBit — and honestly I don’t even know how we got nominated in the same
category since he has a $2 billion company, and this was only regional,” she shared. “We did WIN the National US Chamber of Commerce Company of the Year! That was an amazing honor and [a] prestigious award.” Giving back and holding on to her Filipino heritage As successful as she is now, PAGE B4
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EntErtainmEnt
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Jona recounts recent ‘scary’ experience in Turkey Celebs welcome ‘Angelina King’ with open arms JONA recalled her scary experience in Turkey, together with Amy Perez and husband Carlo Castillo. Their flight from Madrid, spain that was supposed to land at istanbul Airport was diverted due to the bombing that happened there on Tuesday, June 28. she and Amy were there for the “Maalaala Mo Kaya 25 Kakuwentong Kapamilya” event in Madrid, spain, together with ABs-CBN executive Charo santos-Concio. “sobrang naging scary po talaga. sobrang kinabahan po kami,” she said while recalling the experience, Philippine Entertainment Portal reported.
she was thankful that their flight from Madrid was delayed for an hour because if they left on time, they might have been one of the victims of the bombing. “Andun lang po kami sa loob ng eroplano for two hours nang maka-land po kami. Kasi hindi po kami pinapapasok sa loob ng airport for safety,” she recalled, which happened after they have safely landed at izmir Airport where their flight was diverted. “si Kuya Carlo ang maraming contacts sa TV5, ABsCBN, DFA, Philippine Embassy sa Turkey, kaya po naging Jona is thankful that she and her co-passengers Amy okay din naman lahat,” she Perez and Carlo Castillo were safe from the recent concluded. (Philstar.com) bombing in Istanbul airport.
Ai-Ai disrobes for movie on aging prostitutes by lhar
santIago ManilaTimes.net
DEGLAMORizED and unmadeup. That’s the Ai-Ai Delas Alas who faced showbuzz on the set of the movie “Area,” an indie film about aging prostitutes in Angeles City, Pampanga. The movie excites AiAi so much that she didn’t have any qualms about disrobing in some scenes. it goes without saying then that the Comedy Queen is very taken by the project, in which she stars with Allen Dizon and her son sancho. The location of the shoot during our set visit turned out to be the place where the true-to-life story of this indie unfolds. it’s called “Area” by people who knew what goes on over there. Very popular in the 80’s and 90’s as the go-to place for young boys eager to enter their manhood, even Allen, who hails from Pampanga admitted he knew
about Area in his teenage years. he said he and his classmates in high school, and even through college, went there in search of women they could pay for “a short time” experience. According to Ai-Ai, there are so many colorful stories and characters one can find in Area, such as the woman who served as the case study for her role. “Nag-immersion kami dito and i met a lot of people who have spent almost their entire life in Area. i would come here, stay here and mingle with the people here. i wanted to observe how their day to day life is. i wanted to feel the hardships they go through. i wanted to know how they seem to have been so calloused over sleeping with different men—and sometimes Yes, that’s the Comedy Queen Ai-Ai delas even boys—that this had almost Alas, deglamorized for her role as an aging become a way of life for them,” said prostitute in an indie film entitled ‘Area.’ PAGE B4
Jessy Mendiola: Nothing wrong with ‘hanging out’ with Luis Manzano JEssY Mendiola doesn’t see anything wrong with “hanging out” with Luis Manzano. “i don’t see anything wrong with hanging out with Luis,” she said in an interview aired in “Tonight with Boy Abunda” on Thursday, June 30. “We go out from time to time. sometimes we go out as groups and siguro halata naman na hindi kami nagtatago kasi may mga pictures naman to prove na yes we go out.” Jessy has been linked to Luis since last April, when Jessy first posted a photo with Luis for his
birthday. Despite being open in going out with Luis, the Kapamilya actress doesn’t want to label their relationship. “We are friends and we are getting close to each other, but he knows i have to do a lot of things right now and he knows i’m enjoying my life as it is,” she explained. When asked if Luis has a chance to win her heart, Jessy didn’t hesitate to say yes through she didn’t Jessy Mendiola doesn’t see anything wrong mention whether the actor is court- with hanging out with Luis Manzano, who is romantically linked to her. ing her. (Philstar.com)
Ate Glow marries British beau
ATE Glow, a well known impersonator of the former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo just tied the knot with her longtime boyfriend. On Monday, July 4, several photos of the ceremony held in Chelsea Registry Office, London on July 2 circulated online. Photos show Ate Glow, born Rene Boy Facunla, literally glowing of happiness. For the special day, she wore a powder pink dress and a hat that made her look beautiful and fresh. On 2014, “Renee” went through surgery to look more feminine in preparation for the wedding. The two met in 2013 when the comedian was taking a vacation Ate Glow ties the knot with her longtime boyfriend. in London. (Philstar.com)
Baby steps for Baste Duterte’s showbiz foray by tessa
MaurIcIo-arrIola ManilaTimes.net
A DAY after the inauguration of President Rodrigo Duterte, The Manila Times bumped into the lucky lady who snagged the management of the new “crush ng bayan,” the Chief Executive’s youngest son sebastian. Yes, he’s the man who gives the nickname “Baste” a hot and whole new meaning. Reported in June by Manila Times Entertainment, veteran showbiz manager Betchay Vidanez landed the goldmine of plotting the 28-year-old Davaoeno’s pending showbiz career upon the recommendation of action star Robin Padilla. Padilla, a staunch supporter of Mr. Durterte’s candidacy, actively campaigned for the winning bet, spending a lot of time with Baste in out of the country sorties like hong Kong. As showbiz’ Binoe (Padilla’s monicker in the industry) saw how the down-to-earth mestizo (Baste’s mom—zimmerman is of German descent) naturally magnetized the crowd, he convinced Baste to join his own manager’s stable of talents. That the President’s son agreed should come as no surprise. As the nation know by now, Baste is the only Duterte among elder siblings sara and Paolo who shunned running for office, instead choosing to manage his own auto repair shop while surfing and singing as front man in local rock band on the side. Apparently, somewhere along
Sebastian Duterte with girlfriend Kate Necesario
the way of amassing thousands of fans and followers on social media during his father’s campaign, Baste realized he may just be bound for stardom. According to Vidanes, however, the President’s son is heeding the call of showbiz for more “altruistic” reasons. “he’s neither going into acting nor singing,” she told confided to The Manila Times. “Endorsements lang muna kasi gusto niya yung talent fee ilagay sa isang foundation to help the poor.” Adding that Baste is still very shy despite being the obvious public favorite among his siblings, he also outlined the kind of products he will be willing to represent, as well as the concept of the ads he would have to shoot. “Walang liquior or any of those macho products that go well with a surfer/rocker image,” Vidanes
continued. “Ang dami nang offers [from consumer companies] actually, but we’re being very careful [given he is a member of the First Family]. Meron na kami napili but top secret muna!” As to what will be required of him artistically, Vidanes said Baste wishes to be shown in ads— whether photographed or shot for TV—as naturally as possible. “Ayaw niya yung masyadong staged, kung puwede nga daw yung parang sinusundan lang siya ng camera,” Vidanes said. With these baby steps the President’s son is taking as he soon begins his foray into showbiz, what is “natural” is sure to prove exciting nonetheless. For wh else can wear a lip ring ever so naturally, clad in a barong Tagalog in Malacañang Palace no less, but Baste Duterte? Now that’s hot—whether in showbiz or politics.
by Iza IglesIas ManilaTimes.net
This is now the instagram bio of ian King, who introduced himself anew as Angelina “Angie” Mead King. On sunday, July 3, entertainment website Pep.ph broke the story on why the husband of TV host and model Joey Mead King decided not only to come out about his sexuality but change his appearance to become a woman as well. he said, “it’s hard to keep denying.” son of business tycoon Archie King who perished in a helicopter crash in 2015, the proud trans woman manages the family’s Victoria Court hotel chain, and is behind the popular Car Porn Racing company. As King and Mead continued to tell their story on their Facebook accounts over the weekend, social media was bombarded with comments from netizens, including showbiz celebrities and high society alike. Since 2012 From her instagram account @hailtothe_king, King posted a screenshot of the account @ hailtothe_queen_, with photos of “ian” dressed as a woman. it appears that the account has been active since 2012 but was not publicly set. King also posted a photo, saying Mead is her “rock and number one supporter,” where the latter replied, “Love is love.” The next photo from Mead showed a woman in a pool with the caption “Freedom.” it was King wading in the water. Daddy knew Reports said that King’s father had known his son was transitioning before his sudden death in July 2015. King’s younger brother, Atticus, showed support by posting an image in his own instagram account, with the caption, “My former kuya who is now my ate. Meet my ‘new’ sister Angie @ hailtothe_queen_.” Meanwhile, their mother, Marvy Del Rosario schuman also expressed her support for her child in Facebook, saying, “it takes courage to speak your truth… i am thrilled and happy that my child has found bliss! To live an honest life is the only way we should live. i love you, Angie ian!” Showbiz cheers “Words cannot express how inspiring this is,” TV host Bianca
Angelina, formerly Ian King, and wife Joey Mead.
Gonzalez intal said. “Perfect hashtags!” wrote celebrity fashion designer Mark Bumgarner of King’s #loveislove #beproud #betruetobeyou #lovewins #transgender Motoring journalist and TV host James Deakin showed support said, “so one of the car guys i look up to the most, is now a woman. hey, if you ain’t hurting anyone and it makes you happy, it’s all the same to me. Good luck, ian/Angie.” host Marc Nelson said, “Now i have two sisters in the Mead-King household! Love you both and so happy for you.” “You deserve to be happy and free! You’re very lucky to have an amazing woman by your side too! happy for you both!” actress iza Calzado said. “1 life to live, and always too short! Be free always,” shawn Yao commented. TV host iya Villania-Arellano posted “You guys…such a beauty!” Model and host Kelly MisaFernandez wrote: “happy for you! hail to the queen!” “inspiring strength and courage!” wrote magazine editor and former model Myrza sison. “Fabulous. Welcome to the LGBTiA community,” wrote Car-
los Celdran. “We’re here for you, always,” actor and model Troy Montero said. Nadya hutagalung, former host of Asia’s Next Top Model said, “sending so much love and support to @hailtothe_queen_&@ joeymeadking. #middlelove and i just spent last week staying with them and shared all the ups and downs of this stage of their lives together as ian is transitioning to Angie. it was an important lesson for my son to learn and see. Teach your children tolerance from a young age. Love is Love. We are all one humanity” Responding to the overwhelming show of support, the woman of the hour posted a message on instagram on @hailtothe_king saying, “so much love and support i can’t even believe how amazing everyone has been. it’s hard to keep denying yourself your own truth so now this is me. Thank you so much everyone!” Angelina, meanwhile, took to her on Facebook account and said, “What’s a dream, i couldn’t sleep from being so happy! Thank you to everyone for the love and support. You can’t imagine what kind of weight has been lifted off my heart. i am excited to see you all soon.
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B july 7-13, 2016 • lAS VEGAS ASIAN jOuRNAl
Southern California doctor launches Telemed Connect internationally telemedical remote evaluations Providing for a niche market DR. Marcel Filart, a FilipinoAmerican primary care doctor who specializes in Senior Care, introduces a digital stethoscope that can stream live, and record, heart and lung sounds of patients remotely anywhere in the world without being physically present. Dr. Filart says that in this digital age, “convenience and connectivity is vital”. Vital Health Medical Group uses telemedicine as it extends patient care beyond local clinics. Telemedicine allows inaccessible specialists at Vital Care Medical Group to attend to their patients, remotely. Filart says, “telemedicine reduces patients clinic visits as it enables flexible options for physicians.” Sharing vital signs from one site to another via Telemedicine is easy since it only requires electronic communication between devices that medical professionals already use in their daily lives, such as smart phones, by way of video chat, email, and other applications. Vital Health Medical Group is committed to the utmost care; extending care to patients in remote areas. Dr. Filart adds that the use of Telemed Connect is now available for Medicare patients in the Philippines. The ongoing operations of Vital Health Medical Group has spread rapidly. Medicare patients can avail these services under his care and can travel worry free. Group, 1523 E. Amar Rd., West Address: Vital Health Medical Covina, CA 91792
Ai-Ai disrobes for movie on aging prostitutes PAGE B3 the actress. Describing her character in Area as her “dream role,” the Comedy Queen, who is taking a break from the funnies for this indie, explained she had long been wanting to play the role of a prostitute. Naturally, when the offer came from BG Films International for Area, she did not have second thoughts on accepting the project. Said Ai-Ai, she considers this role her most challenging to date. Here, she takes pride in her restrained acting, a far cry for sure from the Ai-Ai movie and television viewers are used to. There are physical struggles in several scenes but it is the inner struggles of the character that Ai-Ai finds more challenging.
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They really call for complete focus, and complete submission to the character. “Wala akong paki-alam dito kung ano itsura ko. I wear no make-up because I want to achieve the look of Hillary, my character here. And this is the only movie where I really took off my clothes a lot of times. Mag-iinarte pa ba ko, eh ang mga kasama ko nga, walang paki-alam kung maghubad. Breast exposure kung breast exposure and there were [members of the cast] who did frontal nudity. So when Direk Louie says, ‘Nakahubad ka rito, hubad agad ako,” she related. Besides challenging her as an actor, Showbuzz asked if there was any other reason she accepted such a serious and risqué project.
Fil-Am WWII veterans: The long wait is over Immigration Corner Atty. MAriA ritA reyes-stuby And bernAdette bretAnA
Tel: (866) U-R-VITAL or (866) 878-4825
Her reply? She wants to be noticed internationally. As early as now, the producers of Area are planning to enter the movie in a number of international film festivals, which makes Ai-Ai all the more excited. There are also talks that BG Films will submit the movie to this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival after the executive committee had announced they will give a lot of weight on an entry’s artistic value. According to Ai-Ai, she has not told her “Hay Bahay” sitcom leading man Vic Sotto about “Area,” but that she plans to invite him to watch the movie. “Sasabihin nu’n, ano na naman ‘yang ginawa mo? I want to see what his reaction will be,” Ai-Ai said excitedly.
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The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced in October 2015 that it is creating the “Filipino WWII Veterans Parole Program” to enable some family members of these veterans to come to the United States and be with their veteranpetitioners even if their visas are not yet available for processing. The program is part of the present administration’s policy to promote family unification (July 2015 White House report, Modernizing and Streamlining Our Legal Immigration System for the 21st century). Parole simply means allowing entry into the US-based on humanitarian reasons or public benefit. It is not a new concept [Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)] nor does it give permission for parole grantees to permanently remain in the US. When a parole expires, grantees can re-apply or process an immigrant visa for permanent residence while in the US (adjust status), if a visa is already available. Very recently (05/09/2016) DHS unveiled the good news. It will start implementation of the “Filipino WWII Veterans Parole Program”. Officially, on 06/08/2016, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has started accepting applications to allow certain qualified beneficiaries of Fil-Am
WWII veterans to come to the US on a temporary status, i.e., by being “paroled”, even though their immigrant visas are not yet available for processing. Each parole application will be evaluated on a case-to-case basis. The program will be open within the next five (5) years from 06/08/2016. It sounds too good to be true; but it is what it is. It is projected that there would be around 6,000 applications to be processed under this program, given that there are about 2,000 – 6,000 Fil-Am WWII veterans still living in the US. Applications will be filed by the US veterans (whether citizens or lawful permanent residents) or their spouses on behalf of their beneficiaries. For applicants whose petitions have been reinstated for humanitarian reasons despite the death of their petitioners, they can apply for parole themselves. Applications need not be filed for beneficiaries who are immediate relatives” (like spouses and minor children) because their visas are always immediately available. Parole covers only those whose visas are subject to numeric limitations such as: (a) unmarried but over 21 years old children, (b) married children, and (c) siblings of these US veterans. The wait for their visa availability can be more than 20 years. Their accompanying spouses and minor children can also avail of the parole program as derivatives. The veterans or their spouses have to be present in the US or for self-applicants whose visas have been reinstated, the petitioner must have resided in the US at the time of death. Perhaps the most important document that should be collected for submission
is proof of the petitioner’s (US veteran) US military service as acknowledged by the Department of Defense. Once the parole application has been approved, the visa to come to the US can be processed at the consular level or at the US embassy where the beneficiary resides. The grant for parole has an expiration date. Upon expiration, the parolee can still do the following: (a) re-apply; (b) adjust status or process the visa at the consular level, if the visa is already available; or (c) depart from the US, if one desires. Options (a) and (b) are logical choices. History takes us back to the time when US citizenship was granted to these veterans (19911995). For their married children and siblings, the time is almost ripe for their visas to be available, almost 22-25 years has passed. The US government figured that these beneficiaries can wait for their visas in the US while on parole status, at the same time caring for and being with their elderly parent-veterans, in keeping with the spirit of promoting family unity. There is nothing more noble and humane as this gesture of appreciation by the US government acknowledging, once again, the courage and loyalty of Filipinos who fearlessly fought side by side with their American comrades during World War II. *** Maria Rita Reyes-Stuby is a licensed attorney in Michigan. She is a graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Law. She is also a licensed attorney in the Philippines. She specializes in immigration practice. Please call 702403-4704 or email stubylaw@aol.com for any questions on this article.
From small dreams to big... PAGE B2 Ramos clings to her Filipino heritage and believes in the importance of giving back to the community. Today, SearchPros supports the PCDH19 Alliance to help families affected by epilepsy, sponsored the 2015 St. Johns Program that offers shelter and self-sustainability readiness for women and children, provided resume workshops for job seekers through the Sacramento Area Human Resources Association, “adopted” a village to support typhoon relief to the Philippines, and raised money for the Women’s Empowerment
Shelter. “I am a first generation Filipina-American from Abangan Sur, Marilao, Bulacan; led by my devout Catholic grandparents in a traditional Filipino household,” she shared. “My family has always been the center the center of the universe with my extended Titas, Lolos and Lolas always in the peripheral. “Like many immigrants, we started with humble beginnings, living with relatives and taking whatever menial jobs were available to survive. Always an outcast as a product of two worlds I struggled to find the balance of
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the competitive, extroverted and aggressive US tendencies and the religious, respectful, introverted Filipina way,” she said. Realizing that these two worlds were complementary in the business world, Ramos used that to her advantage and is harvesting the fruits of her labor. “I attribute a lot of our success because I have been able to incorporate the positive American values and the rich Filipino heritage,” she shared and then added, “I find that timing, family support, perseverance, ten years of trying and little prayer will help anyone succeed.”
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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 7-13, 2016
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Mathis v. United States: Supreme Court decision places Beat the HEAT with Harvest Festival treats! limits on the consequences of a state criminal conviction It’s cool, stay cool and be cool at Harvest Festival - Original Your Immigration Solution atty. EriC WElSh & NaNCy MillEr Crimes have consequences, and for non-citizens, those consequences can sometimes be much more severe than a sentence and probation. immigrants with criminal convictions can face deportation from the Us, or substantial obstacles to entering the Us or applying for benefits like a green card or citizenship. Nonetheless, not every crime triggers an immigration consequence. The Us immigration laws are federal laws, and most of the crime-related grounds of deportation or inadmissibility are defined in relation to federal crimes. When a person is convicted of violating a state law and convicted in a state court, that conviction will only result in an immigration consequence if the offense committed falls within a federal definition. When the state law defines a crime more broadly than the federal law, there is a mismatch, and possibly a way to avoid the immigration consequence. For example, a person who is convicted in California of “burglary” has not necessarily committed the federal (“generic”) offense of “burglary” because the California statute penalizes any “entry” into a location with intent to commit a crime, while the generic federal definition requires “unlawful” entry. The issue, then, is whether an immigration fact-finder can look beyond the definition of the state crime to determine whether the defendant actually committed the generic offense (i.e., whether the California defendant’s entry was, in fact, “unlawful”). in a series of recent decisions, the Us supreme Court has provided useful guidance to determine when a convic-
Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS ACid reducers and their sideeffects Preliminary studies suspect Proton Pump inhibitor (PPi) and H2 Blockers, which reduce the secretion of stomach acid used by millions to treat gastroesophageal reflux “heartburns,” may also have adverse effects on the kidneys when used regularly. Presently known side-effects of PPi and the H2 Blocker drugs, popular before the PPi came to the market, include: C. difficile Gi infection; PPi-associated pneumonia, especially in the elderly; vitamin B-12 deficiency and poor calcium absorption leading to fractures. Consult a physician before taking any medications, even over-the-counter, non-prescription drugs. Shaving calories A good strategy is reducing calories is by substitution or swapping: drinking an 8-oz bottle of water instead of a can or bottle of regular soft drinks saves you at least 100 calories; a chicken sandwich instead of hamburger, 290 calories; one teaspoon mustard instead of mayo, 100 calories; apples slices instead of French fries, 270 calories; swap chocolate ice cream with strawberry slices, 115 calories; mixed salad with low-fat dressing instead of pizza saves you 2 slices about 300 calories; and one bagel replaced by a slice of light whole grain bread, 269 calories; high fiber cereal instead of granola, 110 calories. Brown rice is certainly healthier than white rice and cutting the amount of rice (and other carbs and sweets especially) by at least half will reduce not only weight but the risk for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Flu and humidity While flu vaccines and the healthy habit of frequent hand washing significantly reduces the risk of catching influenza, humidity also plays a very important role in warding off this virus infection during the flu season. studies have shown that in dry environment 80 percent of the flu virus survived, while only 10 percent did in a well-humidified environment. A home or room humidifier when the atmosphere is dry will certainly help in preventing the spread of flu and making us breathe more comfortably. Electromagnetic risks At what dose of repeated radiation exposure can cause various forms of illnesses, including
tion will trigger an immigration consequence. most recently, in mathis v. United states, the supreme Court reaffirmed the principle that, except in rare instances, a state conviction for an offense that is defined more broadly in state law than the “generic” federal definition cannot be the basis for an adverse federal consequence. in mathis, the supreme Court analyzed the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA), which imposes a mandatory sentence enhancement on a defendant who has three prior convictions “for a violent felony,” including “burglary, arson, or extortion.” The defendant, richard mathis, had five prior convictions for burglary in iowa. The iowa burglary statute is broader than the federal definition, penalizing unlawful entry into “any building, structure, [or] land, water, or air vehicle,” while the generic federal definition is limited to unlawful entry into a “building or other structure.” The criminal court found that because mr. mathis had, in fact, burglarized buildings, it did not matter that the iowa state statute was overly broad, and applied the mandatory sentence enhancement to mr. mathis’s conviction. The supreme Court dis agreed and reversed, finding that the sentence enhancement did not apply. The Court held that because the elements of the iowa crime of “burglary” are broader than the elements of the generic offense, the convictions for iowa burglary could not predicate a sentence enhancement, regardless of whether the defendant had, in fact, committed acts that would satisfy the generic definition. The Court explained that where a state statute provides different, alternative means of fulfilling one or more of a crime’s elements, the judge tasked with the duty of deciding whether a sentence enhancement applies must not engage in exploring alternative factual scenarios. Because the “elements” of a crime must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt in order to
sustain a conviction, it would be fundamentally unfair to impose a consequence on a defendant based on “facts” that did not need to be proven in order to obtain the conviction in the first place. This ruling has significant importance in the immigration context. many criminal grounds of inadmissibility or deportability require an immigration agency to prove that an immigrant committed a generic, federal offense. When an immigrant is actually convicted of a state crime that is similar to but actually broader than a generic, federal offense, the adjudicator may be tempted to look beyond the words in the statute and try to determine what the immigrant actually did. in mathis, the supreme Court cautions that this kind of inquiry is not appropriate. This would require additional fact-finding that was not necessary to convict the person in state court, and may be extremely unreliable. immigration consequences of criminal convictions can be severe, and because of that severity, the supreme Court provides guidance to strictly limit those consequences, especially in the context of grounds of deportation to remove a person from the United states. All persons in the United states have rights and protections under the constitution and the laws, regardless of immigration status. immigrants with any criminal history should consult with an experienced immigration attorney to ensure that those rights are exercised. *** 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)
Electromagnetic risks cancer, is still controversial. radiation exposure can come from medical imaging diagnostic devices, natural or artificial sunbathing, microwave oven, cell phone signals, radiofrequency (radio-TV) signals and extremely low-frequency power lines (which is said to be associated with childhood leukemia). But we cannot simply ignore the warnings. in this current situation, the wise and prudent strategy is to minimize exposure to any of these electromagnetic forces as much as we can as we take advantage of the benefits provided by these advances in science and technology. Let’s just be more conscious and careful. Cellphone warnings electrical Hypersensitivity syndrome is truly a medical condition, characterized by fatigue, dizziness, tinnitus, facial rash, digestive symptoms, following “exposure to visual display units, mobile phones, Wi-Fi equipment, and commonplace appliances, affecting about 3 percent of all people and about 33 percent of us to a lesser extent.” Cordless phones and mobile phones emit the same amount of radiation…landline phones don’t. Use of speaker phone for cordless and mobile phones, or a hollow (preferred) wired (hands-free) earpiece is safer. Never use Bluetooth wireless headset, which is a worse emitter. Texting is safer than calling with the handset against your ear. if possible the cellphone should not be carried close to the body; if not, then the battery should be facing away from the body since this acts as the antenna, the dial pad facing the body. if not using a handsfree device, switching from one ear to the other every 15 seconds or so is a good practice. As much as possible do not use cellphone in elevators or close spaces, since the weak signal will make the phone maximize its signal strength (and radiation!). Children should NOT use cellphones except for emergencies, since they are more vulnerable to the effects of radiation. Exercise wonders The amazing wonders of physical exercise are scientifically proven to keep the body and mind healthy, strengthen the immune system, improve cardiovascular fitness and reduces heart attacks by 33 percent, lessen the risk of the development of type 2 diabetes by 91 percent, prevent, if not minimize high blood pressure by more than a third and reduces the risk for cancer --- all these for doing 30 minutes of exercise at least
5 days a week. Tai Chi, Tai Bo, dancing at any speed, walking (moderate to brisk), swimming, bicycling, or any aerobic exercise. There is no age limit to doing exercises. my mother, who is 97, did daily 2-mile exercise (at a moderated pace) following the Leslie sansone’s dVd aerobic exercise program until she was 93. And she feels great for her age. Besides a proper diet, abstinence from smoking and moderation in alcohol intake (red wine preferred), exercise is a major key to health and longevity. A dozen reasons to have sex The infidelities of several popular public personalities in the past “have given sex a bad rap,” says a psychologist and sex therapist. The following have been cited as the health benefits of sex: (1) it relieves stress, (2) sex improves the skin complexion, (3) sex burns calories, (4) it heightens immunity, (5), it boosts self-esteem, (6) it maximizes cardiovascular health, (7) it improves intimacy and love, (8) sex is an analgesic that reduces aches and pains, (9) sex reduces the risk of prostate cancer and gynecologic cancers among women, (10) sex improves sleep and provides good rest, and (11) sex strengthens the pelvic floor muscles, and (12) sex adds “fire, fuel, and mileage” to a marriage. Pistachio lowers cholesterol studies at the Pennsylvania state University shows that pistachio nuts with its monounsaturated fatty acids and high antioxidant content have beneficial effects on cholesterol, body mass index (for weight reduction) and for hypertension control. With as little as 1.5 ounces of pistachios, a day for one month reduced the cholesterol by 8.4 percent and the low density (bad) lipoprotein by 11.6 percent. monounsaturated fats, as in pistachio nuts and green leafy vegetables, are cardioprotective and lessen the risk of cardiovascular diseases like heart attack and stroke. *** 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
Art & Craft Show, September 9-11 at Cashman Center!
HArVesT Festival - Original Art & Craft show is the coolest way to stay in the Art and Craft scene! With sensational hot one-stop shopping in the convenience of air conditioned indoors and easy parking and shuttles. cool down while enjoying the scents and tastes of so many delectable specialty foods, plus the added element of great family entertainment! Super cool shopping relax and experience a wonderful one-stop shopping experience as attendees will see over 24,000 perfect gift items to choose from at Las Vegas’ largest and most prestigious gift purchasing event! every year Harvest Festival® artisans pride themselves by featuring not only their traditional items, but also new items at this first art and craft show of the season. relax with Country Craftin luxurious bath and body products see the eZ Flip very cool new handcrafted BBQ Tools. stay hydrated in style with an artistic Water Gallery reusable glass water bottle. Play in the shade with an Agape Ceramics handcrafted chess set and much much more! Chill out with your friends and family as you escape into a world of costumed crafters selling their one-of-a-kind American handmade wares. You can meet and buy direct from America’s top artisans featuring highest quality hand-made arts and crafts while also enjoying soothing entertainment and satisfying your taste buds with delicious cuisines and sampling of decadent foods for your soul. The show is a celebration of creativity and fun, as well many artists demonstrate the making of their crafts. experts in their crafts will offer traditional and contemporary items for sale, including such items as woodcarvings, jewelry, ceramics and pottery, hand-painted clothing, leather wear, fiber art, hand blown glassware, wooden toys, original oil and watercolor paintings; metal stone and wood sculpture; lithographs, seasonal wreaths, hand-turned furniture and candles; and much much more!. The artisans are chosen through a strict process based on the quality and uniqueness of their work. see fabulous “demonstration Artists” who will show you how they create their handiwork right
in their exhibit Booth! Cool scents, tastes and aroma’s As you stroll the gift filled isles of Harvest Festival® you’re senses will be filled by the tastes and aroma’s of sumptuous gourmet food and drink! sample and buy delectable food gifts such as homemade fudge, chocolate sauces, garlic and chili spices, dips, pumpkin rolls, salsa’s, jams, jellies, and many more sumptuous delights to tempt your pallet! relax, and experience the aromatic and soothing scents of specialty bath salts and soaps, fragrances, and more, all American hand made and crafted….. For a splash of your favorite aroma’s don’t miss a local favorite, “Nevada smells”, always the best potpourri with an array of all scents, especially for the Holidays! stay cool as cucumbers as you explore these cool new food booth don’t miss solis Brand sunflower dips (way better than hummus!) extreme Popcorn by dezzy offers up popcorn with no hull or kernels and comes in 30 delicious flavors! Green Tomato Foods will have award winning salsa’s that will tickle your tatste buds and make you want to dance! And there are so many more! The coolest entertainment Fun for the whole family with special kids activities too! sit down and relax in a stress free environment while enjoying fabulous stage entertainment at the “Food Court stage”! enjoy John Park “The Funny Waiter”, and Captain Jack spareribs! As you shop and explore all the things to see at Harvest Festival® you’ll also be entertained and amused by the “strolling entertainment” of “Big mama sue and Fast eddie”, Captain Jack spareribs, and WC Willy stilt Cowboy! A cool time at a hot price Harvest Festival Original Art & Craft show also offers $ 2.00 OFF General Admission for those attendees who bring a can of food, baby food, or formula, or paper products. All donations go directly to “safe Nest”, a non-profit agency that provides temporary assistance for family members enduring a domestic crisis. safe Nest will also be offering a very convenient PArCeL CHeCK to
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assist everyone with easy shopping and selling Harvest Festival bags to make your experience at the show more convenient all the while contributing to a new “Play Ground” for safe Nest at-risk families. And just for the children; there are a lot of special things to do in the Kids Zone including the “make it and Take it Area”, where macaroni Kid and Operation Christmas Child, and Children’s discovery museum will be featuring handson activities and crafts. Come play with us! Harvest Festival at Cashman Center september 9 - 11, 2016; is still the largest and most unique art and craft show in Las Vegas! Friday hours are 10Am – 6Pm; saturday from 10Am to 6Pm; and sunday from 10Am – 5Pm. General Admission is $ 9.00, $ 7.00 for seniors (62 and older), Youths 13-17 are $4.00, and children under 12 are Free. New military discount for all Active military, retired military, and Veterans arriving in uniform or have military id. Ticket Price is $ 7.00, and they can use a $ 2.00 OFF coupon as well. remember, you can pay one price for the eNTire weekend! GrOUP TiCKeTs: $ 5.00 each for groups of 10 or more, if purchased in advance! Check us out - Harvest Festival® is on FACeBOOK! Check it out by going to www. facebook.com/harvestfestivals Grand prize drawing: WiN a COsTCO Gift Card worth $ 1,000.00 (!!) by entering at the raffle Booth in the lobby. This Grand Prize drawing will be held on sunday, dec. 4. must be at least 18 years old to win. Grab bag drawings: 2 attendees will win $ 50 in Harvey Bucks to spend at the show! www.harvestfestival.com to download your entry form (deposit your entry form in the drawing bin near the stage, the two winners must be present to win and at least 18 years of age.) drawing will be held daily promptly at 2:30 Pm at the stage. GreAT sHOPPiNG – GreAT eNTerTAiNmeNT – GreAT Time !Bring a friend, bring the whole family, but don’t miss a GeNUiNe TrAdiTiON – For more information on the show, please visit www.harvestfestival.com or, call meehan and Associates at (702) 451-0344.
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FEU Sword Fraternity Alumni International Assn. also known as SANDUGO with a Facebook page of “feusfi (Abroad) is holding their 30th Anniversary of its founding. Its members are graduates of the FEU ROTC/WATC Advance course in Manila. Phil. . This group is based in Los Angeles, CA. The celebration/Reunion will be attended by other Frat Members from the Philippines, other States of the US, Canada, Australia and Tokyo. It will be held in the residence of one of the Founders at 1341 Montezuma Way, West Covina, CA, 91791 on July 9, 2016 starting at 1600H. After the 9th, Tour of Los Angeles, trip to San Diego and Las Vegas are being arranged. We are enjoining Frat members who are “Abroad” that we have no (or have changed) contact info to please get in touch to “reconnect”, or at least let us know you are still OK and/or update your data. Contact person and for more information - Frat Cmdr Romy Calderon 626 826 2745, e-mail “feusfi@gmail.com” and Brod Ted Bautista, Tel no.626 392 5024, e-mail -”samba1341@gmail.com”
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Magsingal Organization of America Annual Camping Members and town mates of the Magsingal Organization of America (MOA) are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting/Picnic & Camping on July 15-17, 2016 at the Brannan Island State Recreational Park in Rio Vista, CA. Group campsite costs are shouldered by MOA and so does for supplies, water and basic foods. For further inquiries and details, visit the Facebook page or call the following: Tereso (209) 603-8440, Lanie (209) 814-8004 or Grace (209) 817-5674.
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UBSCI to celebrate 28th Anniversary The United Batanguenos of Southern California Inc. (UBSCI) will celebrate their 28th Anniversary & Coronation Night on July 16, 2016 at The Odyssey Restaurant - 15600 Odyssey Dr., Granada Hills. Music will be provided by Willie Manacsa & The Midnight Motion Band. For other related questions, please call Romy Elepano, Governor ( 323) 498-9333; Carmel Gonzales, Vice-Gov. (818) 785-2078 or Tony Lina, Vice-Gov. (323) 474-5877.
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42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of Peñafrancia United Bicolandia Los Angeles (UBLA) invites everyone, Bicolanos, devotees and friends to come and celebrate the 42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, Patroness of the Bicol Region. The festivities will start on Sept. 9, with the translacion at 5pm at the Immaculate of Mary Church (4954 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90029. A nightly novena Mass follows from Sept. 9 to Sept. 16 at 6 PM except on Saturday, Sept. 10, at 3:30 PM and Sunday, Sept. 11, at 2;30 PM and culminates on Saturday, Sept. 17, with the ninth day novena at 8am, foot & fluvial procession at 9 AM, and a Concelebrated Mass at 10 am at Lincoln Park, 3501 Valley Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90031. Main celebrant will be HE Most Rev Arturo Bastes, Bishop of Sorsogon. For details, please call Lanie Berrei (818) 281-3169 or Gene Leano (818) 439-6896.
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Staying centered in a world gone mad
Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA ONE of my favorite writers is Saint Paul, aka Saul of Tarsus, who lived about two thousand years ago. He had something to say about what does matter in life and about a special kind of love that in Greek is called Agape (ahgah-pay). Agape is unconditional love, a kind of love that has no agenda or motivations, a kind of love that is exemplified in God sending His only Son, a kind of love that if emulated by humans, sets us apart from all of God’s creatures, makes us a little closer to the angels and truly created in God’s own image and likeness. But Paul didn’t start out as a defender of the Christian faith. He was, in fact, an avid persecutor feared by early Christians. He had a unique status. As a Jew and a Pharisee who was also a Roman citizen, he used everything in his power and position to quash the growth of the church persecuting the members of the then budding Christian church. Paul stood by tacitly approving the stoning of St. Stephen, the first martyr. Paul was a young, rising brilliant star of his time eager to make his mark in the Judaic tradition and he was hot and bothered by the intensity of the love and fervency of the Apostles and early believers. This startup movement was a threat to his career track and his Judaic core belief system. He was going to make it his life’s work to eliminate Christ’s early followers and eradicate what Christ himself has started. If murder and mayhem were the tools to get it done, he was going to use them. But God had other plans for Paul. On his way to Damascus on a mission to arrest and persecute Christians, a blinding light struck him. He fell off his horse while Jesus’ voice is heard asking him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” This dramatic, miraculous conversion when he temporarily became blind was a critical juncture for the Christian church. Inspired by the Holy Spirit who suffused his entire being when the scales of his blindness fell off his eyes, Paul’s teachings and writings have an eternal shelf life - true today, as it was then, and
“In a swirling world full of illusions and artifice that only tend to distort and act as centrifugal forces pushing God away as the center of our lives, Paul’s directives make absolute sense.” will be for much of human history. In the quiet of your soul, read the gospels, discover the exquisite beauty, range and depth of human emotions made known to God, contained in the Psalms, all 150 of them, and then read Paul. You’ll be surprised at the clarity and current relevance of many of his writings. He has a wealth of wisdom to share with anyone seeking meaning in a confusing world seemingly bent on self-immolation. In a swirling world full of illusions and artifice that only tend to distort and act as centrifugal forces pushing God away as the center of our lives, Paul’s directives make absolute sense. His words have the power to keep you centered, as they were intended to be, not on yourself, but on God. Ironically, it’s like being in the eye of the storm where there is peace while swirling forces rage about in the periphery. This one below, if etched in many hearts and minds and lived out in our daily rounds through thoughts and more specifically in even the tiniest of actions, particularly in couples, already married or planning marriage in the foreseeable future, could remarkably bring down the alarming rate of break-ups and a whole universe of heartaches among couples and perhaps, preserve families. These days, the very structure and integrity of the family unit are heavily assaulted from many fronts with media and the internet leading the charge at a time when the church is weakened by internal abuses and scandals. As history will bear and as written in the song, “Canticle of the Turning,” which is based on the Blessed Mother Mary’s “Magnificat,” it is when the church is at its most vulnerable when the forces of heaven align to defend it and go on the offensive. Marriage as a bedrock institution between man and a woman is in serious danger, as man-
made laws masquerading as civil liberties, are enacted to challenge it, all in the name of political correctness. Strong family units built on love are so essential in creating strong societies from the ground up. Each generation builds upon and learns from the ones that came before it. The passage below is a favorite among couples and wedding planners and for good reason. These words are more than the pretty, superficial veneer of rituals in weddings. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians 13, are words to live by telling us what really matters as he did then to members of the early church who were probably just as lost, confused and disconcerted as most of us probably are. Set your hearts on the greater gifts. I will show you the way which surpasses all the others. If I speak with human tongues and angelic as well, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong, a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and, with full knowledge, comprehend all mysteries, if I have faith great enough to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give everything I have to feed the poor and hand over my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient; love is kind. Love is not jealous, it does not put on airs, it is not snobbish. Love is never rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not prone to anger; neither does it brood over injuries. Love does not rejoice in what is wrong but rejoices with the truth. There is no limit to love’s forbearance, to its trust, its hope, its power to endure. Love never fails. … And now faith, hope and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com
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Amazing Southern California road trip destinations to try this summer By Monet
Lu
I wAS writing this piece when I heard that it was officially the summer season. And boy, that couldn’t have been any more precise these past couple of days (hello, 109 degrees!). Speaking of summer, I am pretty sure everybody’s got their summer trips planned -- some even saved up through the whole year for an awesome vacation. Some prefer to hit the road in the summertime to enjoy the view along the way. To welcome the summer season, I rounded up a few road trip destinations you should definitely check out. Orange County Known for its well-heeled residents and high prices, it is a favorite summer spot for couples. If you want to take a break from the busy Santa Monica pier, stroll down the string of uncrowded beaches in Orange County and get some serious R&R. The beaches (and the waves) are definitely the main draws. The Pelican Hill is a great place if you are planning a family trip but if you are thinking more of a romantic sunset by the beach between you and your love, the Montage Laguna Beach is a great choice. It offers an excellent spa, impeccable grounds, and beautiful rooms with breathtaking views. Just a quick tip: if you take the Santa Ana Freeway you would likely get there faster but if you’ve got some time to spare, Cabrillo Highway is the most scenic.
Along the way you’ll see gorgeous beaches and rolling hills. Encinitas Summer is here, and the waves are calling! Voted as the no. 3 surf spot town in the US by Surfer Magazine, Encinitas is looking so darn good this time of the year. There’s a good spot to drop your surfers’ board called, Cardiff Reef. But it’s not all water sports. Bikers can cycle through the Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation while golfers can hit Encinitas Ranch, and gamblers (or horse-lovers) can spend the day at Del Mar racetrack -- a short 10-minute drive away. Santa Barbara want to escape the fast life but don’t want to fly? Drive about two hours from LA and be transported to “Mediterranean- esque” town with Mission-style buildings, pretty storefronts, art galleries, and quaint restaurants along the tree-lined streets. One of the most popular activities is shopping along State Street and at Paseo Nuevo, which boast some of the best stores in the region. San Diego Balboa Park, Salk Institute, the old footbridges – these are just a few of the spots you can check out when you drive to San Diego this summer. I love that San Diego is not that far from LA and also not as different (in a good way). It’s like a more conservative version of Los Angeles. There’s a wide range of things to do and places to go; from beaches to restaurants and bars, San Diego has all of them. You can watch the hang gliders over the La Jolla cliffs, check out
some old ships, or eat Mexican food. You can also visit one of America’s most haunted houses. Big Bear when it’s 100 degrees in LA, head out – rather, drive – two hours out of LA and find yourself cooling down at Big Bear. It’s known for snow. But in the summer, outdoor activities, such as hiking, fishing, or hanging out under a pine tree with a picnic basket will make your trip up worthwhile. They say the food’s good too. Try their chicken pot pie and brown sugar glazed bacon, and wash it down at Nottingham’s Tavern afterwards. This is Life! while LA has so much to offer when it comes to top-notch restaurants, museums, wonderful beaches and a lively nightlife scene, it’s nice to pack your bags and try a drive-to-town adventure sometimes. So for those who are in town visiting or just want to get away from the business – that is LA – try these amazing road trip destinations that are just a short drive away. *** 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
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Magician Criss Angel Rolls Out the Black Carpet. Superstar magician Criss Angel celebrated the highly anticipated world premiere of his all-new genre-smashing magic spectacular, “MINDFREAK LIVE!,” ln Thursday, June 30 at the Luxor Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Acclaimed singer Tony Orlando, magician Lance Burton with ventriloquist Terry Fator, Criss Angel along with pretty Constance Perry, the Wish Kid of Make-A-Wish Foundation, actor Gary Oldman and comedian Andrew Dice Clay with his wife Valerie crowded the black carpet. Photos by Raoul Gatchalian
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