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Volume 27 - no. 24 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages
june 16-22, 2016
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PH condemns execution of Canadian hostage Abu Sayyaf says killing was for Duterte by Christina
M. Oriel
AJPress
A still image captured from video footage of the kidnappers and their victims is shown in this SITE Intelligence Group video made available to Reuters. On Monday, June 13, intelligence reports said the Abu Sayyaf has beheaded Canadian Robert Hall (second from left).
DATELINE
USA
from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA
49 dead in Orlando shooting Suspect had no direct ties to terror groups the person accused of murdering 49 people and injuring 53 others at an orlando gay nightclub on sunday, June 12, may have been inspired by extremist propaganda, but was not associated with a larger terrorist plot, according to sources. No evidence suggests that the alleged gunman, omar mateen of fort Pierce, florida, had been directed by either a foreign or domestically based terror organization, according to sources for NBC News. he had, however, been interviewed twice by the federal Bureau of Investigation (fBI) in reference to comments he made to co-workers about radical Islamic propaganda in 2013, and again in 2014 regarding possible ties to an American PAGE A2
Filipino bakery workers win $15.2-M case against employers, awarded T visas fILIPINo workers, who prevailed in a yearlong legal battle against the owners of a french bakery in southern California, now have temporary authorization to live and work in the Us. After winning a $15.2 million case against the owners of the now shuttered L’Amande Bakery (which had locations in torrance and Beverly hills), the 11 plaintiffs have been awarded t visas, which allow victims of human trafficking to temporarily live and work in the United states. the arrangement was made possible through the collaboration between the advocacy group Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles and the office of house rep. ted Lieu, who represents California’s 33rd congressional district. PAGE A2
IsLAmIst militant group Abu sayyaf beheaded a Canadian national after the ransom payment deadline passed, the Philippine government said on tuesday, June 14. A man’s severed head was found in a plastic bag near a Catholic cathedral in the southern island of Jolo on monday night, June 13. the Philippine military’s Western mindanao Command confirmed that it belonged to robert hall, a 50-year-old Canadian who had been under the PAGE A2
UN rights chief warns Duterte vs encouraging violence, bounty offers m A N I LA — I n c i t e m e n t to violence and offer of bounties for the killing of suspected criminals are outdated steps and are prohibited under conventions the Philippines has signed, the United Nations’ human rights body reminded incoming President rodrigo Duterte. high Commissioner for human rights Zeid ra’ad Al hussein said in a global update released tuesday, June 14 that Duterte can reconsider initiatives that tend to violence and violate international law. “I remind the incoming President of the Philippines that international law, which is binding on his administration, requires him to protect the rights of all his people, including journalists, civil society activists and human rights defenders who expose
SOVEREIGNTY. The Kalayaan Atin Ito (Freedom This is Ours) group sailed to the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal in the disputed Spratly Islands on Sunday, June 12, as the Philippines celebrates its 118th Independence Day. The group sailed to Panatag to plant a Philippine flag, but Chinese ships intercepted their boat, ordering them to turn back while claiming the shoal was owned by China. Photos courtesy of Kalayaan Atin Ito (Freedom This is Ours)
US eyewitness says Scarborough Shoal flag planting a ‘success’ by
PatriCia lOurdes Viray Philstar.com
“I remind the incoming President of the Philippines that international law, which is binding on his administration, requires him to protect the rights of all his people, including journalists, civil society activists and human rights defenders who expose malfeasance,” said High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein.
malfeasance,” Zeid said. Duterte’s camp last week, responding to a statement PAGE A4
ChINese Coast Guard vessels blocked a group of filipino youth from planting the Philippine and United Nations (UN) flag at the Panatag or scarborough shoal last sunday but the expedition was a “success,” according to an eyewitness. In a podcast posted by the Diplomat, American political analyst Anders Corr recounted the events over the weekend as he accompanied Kalayaan Atin Ito (KAI) activists to the disputed shoal. the filipino youth group sought to plant a Philippine flag on Panatag shoal in commemoration of the country’s 118th Independence Day. “there were some pretty big ships with wide guns on them and there was a medium large boat, a Chinese Coast Guard boat, plus
Chinese Coast Guard speedboats blocked Filipinos who attempted to plant the flags of the Philippines and United Nations on the disputed Scarborough Shoal.
two speed boats and they blocked speed and then veering off at the our path to scarborough shoal. last minute,” Corr said. they looked like they were going Corr said that filipino volunto ram us by coming straight at teers and activists immediately us at a fairly decent amount of PAGE A2
Duterte, advisors, communist ‘Marcos will not accept Cabinet post’ groups initiate peace talks by JeffersOn
antiPOrda and JaiMe r. PilaPil ManilaTimes.net
by eriC liCas AJPress
PresIDeNt-eLeCt rodrigo Duterte and rebel communist leaders will reinitiate formal peace talks in July in hopes of ending a decades long insurgency, according to a joint statement signed in oslo, Norway on Wednesday, June 15. the development is the result of informal talks between Duterte and his advisors, and officials from the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the National Democratic front of the Philippines (NDfP). Duterte will not take office until June 30th, so the recently concluded meetings in oslo cannot yield binding commitments from the Philippine government. Participants of the planned nego- President-elect Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte’s chosen peace panel on Tuesday, June 14, began its PAGE A2
seNAtor ferdinand “Bongbong” marcos Jr. will not take on any government job because he is keen on pushing through with his electoral protest to prove his claim that he was cheated in the may 9 polls, his camp said on monday, June 13. Abakada rep. Jonathan dela Cruz, marcos’ adviser, said the Ilocano senator offered to assist President-elect rodrigo Duterte “in any way but not through any government position.” Dela Cruz issued the clarification after romulo macalintal, lawyer of Vice President-elect Leni robredo, said marcos’ acceptance of any position is “political suicide” and surrender of his electoral protest. “such statement smacks of desperation coming on the heels of the Liberal Party’s non-filing of soCe [statement of Campaign expenditures]. first, such statement is speculative as no offer informal meeting with Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic was made to senator marcos because both he Front headed by Jose Ma. Sison in Oslo, Norway. PAGE A3
A
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June 16-22, 2016 • LAS VeGAS ASIAn JOuRnAL
From The FronT Page
PH condemns execution of...
PAGE A1 captivity of the Abu Sayyaf since last September. The beheading was reportedly captured in a one-minute, 35-second video, the New York Times said. The militant group demanded a P600 million payment by the 3 p.m. deadline on Monday, which both the Philippine and Canadian governments refused to meet. In a statement, Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said the Philippine government condemned “the brutal and senseless murder� of Hall. “We truly regret that our people’s cherished tradition of extending gracious hospitality toward foreign nationals has been marred by a small band of criminals,� Coloma added. Hall was abducted by the militant group from a resort in Samal Island last year along with three other individuals, John Ridsdel, a Canadian former mining executive, Norwegian national Kjartan Sekkingstad and a Filipina named Marites Flor. Ridsdel was executed last April 25, five hours after the deadline for to pay the P300 million ransom passed. Two unidentified men riding a motorcycle dropped
his severed head in the streets of Barangay Walled City, Jolo, according to reports. The Abu Sayyaf said that the group beheaded Hall to prove a point to incoming President Rodrigo Duterte, who has vowed to curb militant activity in the Philippines. “Para kay Duterte, ang bagong presidente, ito ay alamin mo kung ano gagawin namin sa Canadian (This is for Duterte, the new president. This is for you to know what we will do to the Canadian),� Abu Raami, a spokesperson for the group told Inquirer on Monday. Last month, SITE Intelligence, a jihadist monitoring group, reported that Hall, Sekkingstad and Flor appeared in a video addressed to Duterte. The incoming president previously told Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that he would curb militant activity in the Philippines. “You can rest assured that when the time comes, we will be able to apprehend the criminals and exact justice,� Duterte told Trudeau, according to CNN. As of press time, Duterte has not released a formal statement in response to the execution. Incoming presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the
49 dead in Orlando...
beheading was to “taunt to the present administration.� “If they do that during the administration of Duterte, then that could be a challenge to him [Duterte], but not now,� he said, adding that the new president “will not tolerate or condone the illegality in this country.� Calling it “another difficult day for Canada,� Trudeau said the country is committed to working with the Philippines to make sure these “heinous acts� are stopped and that those responsible are brought to justice. The prime minister added that Canada will continue its policy to not pay ransom for hostages because doing so “would endanger the lives of more Canadians.� “Canada will not give into their fear mongering tactics and despicable attitude toward the suffering of others,� he said. The Abu Sayyaf — which has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) — reportedly still has seven hostages, including Sekkingstad and Flor. Flor’s family is hopeful that Duterte can help save her life. “There is still hope for my daughter and the other victims. I am pleading Duterte to please do everything to save them,� Flor’s mother, Flordelisa, told Inquirer.
US eyewitness says Scarborough Shoal... PAGE A1 put on their life vests when the Chinese ships got too close to them. The Chinese yelled at the Filipinos and waved their hands, telling them to leave. The group of Filipinos, however, refused to leave the shoal in the disputed South China Sea or West Philippine Sea. “It’s within Philippines 200-mile EEZ or exclusive economic zone so we have a right to explore there,� the eyewitness said. The group then decided to swim to the shoal to plant the flags of the Philippines and the UN to highlight the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. KAI leader Joy Ban-Eg was the first one who jumped out of
the boat. “What ended up happening was the first woman to go in who leaves the group got jumped on by both speed boats that really dangerously close to her... the propellers were within three feet in front of her she had grabbed on the boat, sometimes pushed the boat away from her as the rear of the boat was swung around by the Chinese Coast Guard in a very threatening way,� Corr said. According to Corr, the Chinese attempted to seize the bag containing the flags from Ban-Eg. As a result, the flags were punctured. While the Chinese were occupied on blocking Ban-Eg from getting to the shoal, the other Filipinos also jumped to the sea and
found a different route to plant the Philippine flag on the shoal. “Swimmers raised a small Philippine flag and waved it around to show that they still have sovereignty over there,� Corr said. The group then proceeded to move its fishing boat to get Baneg out of the water. Corr said the encounter between the KAI leader and the Chinese lasted for almost an hour. “It was a success because we did get the flag on to the shoal with three swimmers made it on to the shoal,� the eyewitness said. The group then sang the Philippine National Anthem as they claimed victory in planting the Philippine flag on the disputed shoal.
Duterte, advisors, communist...
PAGE A1 tiations intend to broker amnesty and a ceasefire in a decades long insurgency that has claimed 40,000 lives to date, according to sources for Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal. A delegation of Filipino leftists, including CPP founder Jose Maria Sison, and a chief negotiator for the NDFP, Luis Jalandoni, will meet with Duterte and his advisors in the third week of July, according to ABS-CBN news. Both sides had extended gestures of goodwill ahead informal exploratory negotiations in June. Shortly after winning the presidency, Duterte announced that Sison, who was one of the Presi-
dent-elect’s professors at Manilla University before living in exile in the Netherlands, would be welcome to return to the Philippines, according to the Inquirer. Rebel groups have released several policemen from their custody, and Duterte said he would include leftist (though not necessarily CPP or NDFP members) in his administration’s cabinet, according to the WSJ. Appointments would be in the departments of Labor, Environment, Agrarian Reform, and Social Welfare, according to Bloomberg. In May, the incoming president had promised to free communist political prisoners if CPP and NDFP representatives agreed to
convene for peace talks. Prior negotiations between rebels and the Filipino government ended when the administration of outgoing president Benigno Aquino III refused to meet demands for the unconditional release of communists, according to the Philippine Star. The NDFP had claimed that rebels charged with criminal offenses were acting as peace consultants, and therefore immune to prosecution. However government officials from the prior administration said it would be impossible to verify the identity of communists and isolate them from non-political prisoners. There were about 3,200 soldiers in the armed body of the CPP, the New People’s Army (NPA), according to the Philippine Star. In February, clashes between rebels and the Filipino military left three dead and seven injured.
PAGE A1
suicide bomber for the Al Nusra front in Syria. Police told the Associated Press that Mateen fired at a uniformed officer working security detail outside Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, before entering the crowded gay bar at about 2 a.m. on Sunday, June 12. Sources say he shot indiscriminately into the crowd with an AR-15 style assault rifle before police arrived on the scene. A gunfight with police ensued, and the suspect was forced to retreat and bunker down with hostages in one of the club’s bathrooms, prompting a threehour standoff. Attempts to yield a peaceful resolution stalled until 5 a.m., according to the Wall Street Journal. Police suspected that another round of murders was imminent. Officers used an explosive and an armored vehicle to punch a hole in the bathroom’s back wall. Mateen appeared in the newly created passage armed with at least two firearms. A second gun battle occurred which resulted in the suspect’s death. Mateen had called 911 dispatchers and declared allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) amidst the carnage that unfolded on Sunday morning, the Wall Street Journal reported. Islamic state representatives called him “brother,� and “one of the soldiers of the Caliphate in America,� on the extremist group’s official radio station, Al-Bayan. However, FBI Director James Comey said Mateen had claimed he was a member of Hezbollah and that he had familial ties to Al Qaeda while working as a courthouse guard in 2013, according to the Los Angeles Times. The following year, the FBI investigated Mateen a second time for allegedly watching Al Qaeda propaganda videos and attending the same mosque of a man who became a suicide bomber for the Al Nusra Front. Al Qaeda, Hezbollah, and the Al Nusra Front all oppose IS. “What he did was completely an act of terrorism,� said Mateen’s father, Seddique, in statements released on social media. The elder Mateen added, “I didn’t see any unhealthy behavior on his part,� and said he was shocked by his son’s actions. However, the suspected shooter’s current wife, Noor Mateen, told the FBI that she had driven her husband to Pulse before, and had tried to talk her husband out of the shooting spree, sources told NBC news. The alleged gunman also made visits to Walt Disney World earlier this month while the park was celebrating Gay Days 2016, according to CNN. Investigators believe Mateen was conducting reconnaissance for a potential attack during those visits. Members of Mateen’s family have said they believe his actions were motivated by hatred towards the LGBT community. Sources told AP, however, that Mateen used gay dating apps and had been a regular at Pulse. “Sometimes he would go over in the corner and sit and drink
Philippine catholic bishops encourage support of LGBT community by Klarize
Medenilla AJPress
THE Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) have has called for Filipinos around the world to stand in solidarity with the LGBT community in the aftermath of the June 12 shooting in Orlando, Florida. The shooting had occurred in prominent gay club Pulse, and the perpetrator had expressed antigay sentiments before the attack, according to media reports. In response to the attack, the CBCP released a statement on Wednesday, June 15 in which it labeled the attack as a “hate crime� against the LGBT community. “Bearing in the depth of his or her soul the image of the Creator, no human person should ever be the object of disgust,� the bishops said in the statement, which was penned by Socrates B. Villegas, archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan and president of the CBCP. Because many Filipinos adhere to strict Christian beliefs – which include the condemnation of the gay community – the bishops note that despite the disapproval of an individual’s lifestyle and/or identity, cruelty and exclusion are unjustified. “This is a project on which we, in the Philippines, must seriously embark for many are still forced to the peripheries because the norms of ‘decent society’ forbid association with them,� the statement added, noting Pope Francis’ warnings that this behavior does not represent core Christian values. Since the shooting occurred during the Roman Catholic Church’s observance of the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, the bishops emphasized the world’s need
Omar Mateen
by himself, and other times he would get so drunk, he was loud and belligerent,� Pulse patron Ty Smith told The Orlando Sentinel. The suspect’s ex-wife, Sitora Yusufiy, told members of the press that Mateen used to beat
Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop and CBCP president Socrates Villegas
for mercy after claiming “many� young people’s lives, adding that “it is far more important to be merciful� than to be “right.� Moreover, the bishops emphasized tolerance toward people with differing lifestyles and encourage a “dialogue� rather than acting in violence, which should never be a course of action. The bishops also encourage schools, youth leaders and government officials to encourage people, particularly youths, to take a stand against bullying and harassment and not “outcast� LGBT individuals. “We call on all Christians to show the world that our fidelity to Christ and our citizenship to his kingdom are of far more importance than whatever else may keep us in disagreement,� the bishops said. The Vatican released a statement on June 13 that said that the pontiff reacted in “horror� upon learning about the Orlando shooting and offered prayer to the victims and their families. The statement also described the attack as a part of a “new manifestation of homicidal folly and senseless hatred.� her and attempted to isolate her from her family. “When he got in his tempers he would express hate towards everything,� Yusufiy told reporters in Colorado. One of Mateen’s co-workers at G4S secure solutions, Daniel Gilroy, described the security guard as a “conscientious� employee, but “very excitable� and racist, according to NBC news. “[Mateen] always referred to every other race, religion, gender in a derogatory way,� said Gilroy. “It was all the time.� Hours after Sunday night’s massacre, police in Santa Monica, California arrested a man who was on his way to the gay pride parade armed with a cache of weapons as well as chemicals that could potentially be used to make a bomb. Law enforcement officials told AP that James Howell of Jeffersonville, Indiana, was found in possession of several firearms including high-powered rifles, as well as extended capacity magazines and other suspicious materials. In a statement, relatives of PAGE A4
Filipino bakery workers win $15.2-M case against... PAGE A1 “They used to call us trafficked workers, but now you can also call us survivors,� said Romar Cunanan, a former employee of L’Amande, at a press event hosted by Advancing Justice - Los Angeles on Thursday, June 9. The victims said they were lured to work in the US by Analiza Moitinho de Almeida, who had owned the L’Amande bakeries along with her husband, Goncalo. The Filipino nationals entered the US legally with E-2 guest worker visas, then were subjected to harsh conditions shortly after they arrived. According to court documents,
the bakery employees were paid as little as $3 per hour, endured 12-hour or more workdays for extended periods without days off, were made to sleep on floors, and were regularly demeaned and intimidated by the Almeidas. “I once asked Ana, ‘Ma’am, could you please treat us like human beings?,’� said former L’Amande employee, Gina Pablo. “She said ‘who are you to say that? You are just a maid.’� Workers who wanted to stop working for the Almeidas were told they would be deported and would each have to pay back $1,000 in immigration fees. None of the guest workers ac-
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knowledge ever making that kind of agreement. Cunanan said that he had been in the US for seven months before ever hearing of his supposed debts. The workers also alleged that the Almeidas also threatened to use their political connections in the Philippines to harm the former L’Amande workers’ families living there. “I’m still afraid for my other daughter [still in the Philippines],� former L’Amande employee Ermita Alabado told the Asian Journal. “It’s safer here. In the Philippines, P20,000 [approximately. $434] would be enough to send someone out to hurt her.� The Almeidas declined to comment on the default judgment when the Asian Journal reached out. “The default judgment is a miscarriage of justice, brought about by the abuse of both the justice and immigration systems by the plaintiffs and their lawyers,� Analiza Almeida had told NBC News in an e-mail back in May. In addition to providing work authorization and a pathway to citizenship, T visas allow recipients to petition their spouses as well as their unmarried children under the age of 21 for entry into the United States. John Trang, the lead attorney in the L’Amande employees’ immigration proceedings, called the T visa program an important “incentive to testify,� in cases of migrant and guest worker abuse. Rather than succumb to blackmail and despair, the employees sought help. They got in touch
with Advancing Justice - Los Angeles, who enlisted the aid of Latham and Watkins for filing complaints against the Almeidas. A Filipino American who works for Rep. Lieu shared the workers’ stories with the congressman, who then met face-to-face with the former bakery employees. Lieu helped advance the workers’ immigration proceedings so they could finally reunite with their families and earn decent wages. “I haven’t seen my son since 2013,� said former L’Amande employee, Armelinda dela Cerna. “Now I am planning to have him come here.� Dela Cerna says she has known Ana Almeida for 13 years. She was told she would serve as purchasing manager for their bakeries, but instead found herself performing a variety of menial tasks in addition to her duties as a manager. Now she works as a food and beverage manager in the hospitality industry. She, as well as many of the other Filipino workers, have found jobs in their respective fields since leaving the employment of the Almeidas. Most of them live in the vicinity of Lomita, California, and still keep in touch with one another, according to former L’Amande employee, Recky Puzon. Some are entertaining the possibility of becoming naturalized citizens. “The Filipino workers’ story ultimately ends with a victory in justice’s name,� said Rep. Lieu in a statement announcing Thursday’s press event. “Sadly, their story is just one of many.� (Eric Anthony Licas/AJPress)
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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • JUNE 16-22, 2016
A
Panel urges victims to report scams and frauds to authorities Most common scams targeting immigrant communities bared by MoMar
G. Visaya
AJPress
COURTESY CALL. President-elect Rodrigo Duterte on Monday met with Ambassadors Philip Goldberg of the United States, Asif Ahmad of the United Kingdom, and Thomas Ossowski of Germany at the so-called Malacañang of the south. Goldberg, Ahmad, and Ossowski paid their courtesy calls on Duterte separately at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) compound in Davao City. The details of the closed-door talks have yet to be disclosed.
‘Marcos will not accept Cabinet...
PAGE A1
and President Rodrigo Duterte are aware of the one-year ban,” dela Cruz said. “Second, Senator Marcos offered to assist [the Duterte] administration in any way but not through any government position and third and most important, the deluge of evidence and witnesses in favor of Senator Marcos will ensure that he will assume the vice presidential seat being warmed for him sooner than Macalintal can even speculate,” he added. George Garcia, Marcos’ legal counsel, also on Monday said the senator’s camp is not backing out and will surely file an electoral protest. Garcia described Macalintal’s statement as “presumptuous,” noting that the senator’s openness to a Cabinet post will have no effect on their legal move. “Whatever will be the final decision of [Marcos], it will always be to the benefit of the country and the people,” he said. A political analyst agreed with Garcia. Prof. Ramon Casiple, Execu-
tive Director of the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform, said there is no relationship between the electoral protest and the possible inclusion of Marcos in Duterte’s Cabinet. Casiple noted that the only time Marcos’ protest will be affected is when he decides to seek another elective post. “His [case] weakens if he will run again for any elective post,” he explained. Marcos earlier said his electoral protest is not only to prove that he won, but also to expose the fraud committed by the Liberal Party and other victims of the poll cheating in last month’s elections. The Marcos camp is expected to file its complaint before the Presidential Electoral Tribunal on or before June 28, two days before the deadline. Macalintal said in a statement that Marcos’ interest in a Cabinet post means that the senator has admitted defeat. “The discussion with President-elect Rodrigo Duterte of a possible Cabinet post after the expiration of the one-year ban
SCAMMERS defraud members of the ethnic communities across the United States every day by selling worthless products and fake services for everything from immigration, housing and health, debt collection, jobs and education. During the recent tax season, scams involving impostor IRS and US Department of Treasury officials experienced a spike. Consumers and potential victims are told that they owe back taxes, and are then threatened with the prospect of being arrested or being charged with a felony unless they pay-up immediately. A lot of these scams now happen online and through mobile phones via calls from weird and unknown area codes to unsolicited text messages. From a legitimate looking but fake email from your primary bank asking you to change your password to yet another email sent by the company you use to send money to relatives back in the Philippines. A quick and cursory click later and you have given these con artists your bank account number and passwords. New America Media (NAM) and The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) arranged a briefing with members of the community media and invited law enforcement officials, community advocates and consumers to discuss the types of fraud that are on the rise, what people can do to protect themselves and the importance of reporting these scams to the authorities.
“It is an epidemic and the perpetrators are targeting the most vulnerable in our communities,” said NAM executive director Sandy Close. “Information is the best defense for people not to be victimized. We’re all vulnerable to being scammed.” Terrell McSweeny, FTC commissioner, said that a lot of scams and fraudulent activities are underreported, sometimes undetected. These scams range from impostor scams, debt collection, debt relief, mortgage modifications and student loans. Due to a variety of reasons – ranging from fear or shame, or even their immigration status, people are reluctant to report these scams when they get victimized. McSweeny encourages people who have been victimized by scammers to come out. “You should tell your story, come out and report it. It is very challenging and very hard to talk about being defrauded but your story might help other people to avoid being defrauded and victimized as well,” she said. Jane Azia, chief of the Bureau of Consumer Fraud and Protection under the New York Attorney General’s office, echoed this sentiment. “People should not be embarrassed about being victimized as we’re all vulnerable. File a complaint if you believe you have been victimized,” she said. She also warned people to be wary and always be on the lookout. “Do not trust someone just because they are part of your
community or they speak the same language,” Azia said. “Do not blindly trust, learn how to say no and don’t sign any contract easily.” And for people who owe the Internal Revenue Service? “If you owe the government money, they will send you a letter but they will not call you or threaten you with deportation,” she said. The US Department of Treasury and IRS have posted warnings on their websites about phone sams by operators using their agencies’ names. Neither of them will contact consumers by phone to demand money or threaten legal action. Next time you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from one of these agencies, demanding money or threatening legal action, do not engage in a conversation with the caller and hang up the phone. Top scams According to the FTC, 10.8% of US adults are victimized by scams. William Efron, FTC’s director for its Northeast Regional office, explained that FTC maintains a national database which includes all these fraud complaints. In 2015, FTC received 1.2 million complaints about fraud and where victims lost an estimated $765 million. For scams in New York region, top on the list is debt collection, with more than 25,000 New Yorkers filing complaints, which has led to the cracking down on these unlawful debt collectors PAGE A4
on appointments of defeated candidates is an admission that he lost the election for Vice President and the weakness of any election protest he would file against Vice President-elect Robredo. The one-year ban applies only to election losers,” he added. “For Marcos to wait for it [Cabinet post] is an acknowledgment of having lost in the 2016 elections for Vice President. If Marcos believes he has strong evidence to prove that he was ‘cheated’ in the said elections, then he should just concentrate on his election protest and should never seek a position lower than the vice presidency,” Macalintal said. “To accept a Cabinet position while his election protest is pending will mean political suicide for Marcos. He would spend close to P100 million for his protest, which will eventually be dismissed since the consequence of accepting said Cabinet post is abandonment and withdrawal of his election protest for the VP post,” he added. Sandy Close (right), New America Media executive director, welcomes the panelists and guests who attended an ethnic media briefing on (With Llanesca T. Panti) spotting and avoiding scams in our communities.
AJPress Photo by Momar G. Visaya
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June 16-22, 2016 • LAS VeGAS ASIAn JOuRnAL
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ASEAN, China hold emergency meeting by Michael Joe
T. delizo
ManilaTimes.net
FOREIGN ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China on Monday started holding a two-day “emergency meeting” in China’s Kunming province to intensify high-level dialogues on the tensions in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). In a press briefing, DFA Assistant Secretary Charles Jose said Aseanmembers initiated the assembly to address pressing challenges related to the situation on the ground. Foreign Affairs Secretary Jose Rene Almendras flew to Kunming early Monday, June 13 for the meeting. “ASEAN members are really concerned with the developments [in the West Philippine Sea],” Jose said. “There is an erosion in the trust and confidence so we need to
work to address this issue.” Youth members of Kalayaan Atin Ito movement who went to Panatag or Scarborough Shoal to plant a Philippine flag during Independence Day on Sunday, June 12 were allegedly harassed by Chinese navy men. Jose said he has yet to receive details about the incident, but admitted that he did not object to the group’s trip to the disputed shoal. “We have the sovereign rights and jurisdictions over those features. But our concern is their safety. They don’t have to necessary risk their lives,” he said. In a separate statement, the DFA reiterated the government’s commitment to work within the Asean-China process to pursue the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and the early conclusion of the Code of Conduct.
“Within this framework, the Philippines continues to advocate for the exercise of self-restraint necessary to reduce the level of tensions and calls on parties to take actions which enhance peace and stability,” the department said. It stressed that the Philippines “upholds Asean centrality on regional issues” but its track of filing an arbitration case is consistent with the Declaration of Code (DOC) signed by Asean and China. “[The] Philippine foreign policy on the South China Sea is guided by its commitment to a principled foreign policy and on its firm belief in the rule of law,” it said. The DFA said arbitration is among the legal and diplomatic processes promoting the rule of law in the region, and is fully consistent with the DOC and the region’s efforts to peacefully manage and resolve the disputes.
UN rights chief warns Duterte vs...
PAGE A1 of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon against the presidentelect’s apparent endorsement of extrajudicial killings, insisted that the leader was misunderstood. Duterte’s spokesperson, Salvador Panelo, said Ban’s statement was based on misleading reports. Still, Zeid echoed Ban’s stance and defended the journalism profession, noting which crimes are defined under international convention. “Criticism of people in power is
not a crime. However, incitement to violence, and extrajudicial assassination, are crimes and are prohibited under multiple conventions to which the Philippines has acceeded,” he said. Zeid also took a shot at Duterte’s proposal to offer bounties for vigilantes to murder suspected crooks and Duterte’s “encouragement of extrajudicial killings by security forces.” “[These are] massive and damaging steps backwards which could lead to widespread vio-
lence and chaos,” Zeid said. The human rights official, who was appointed president of the UN Security Council in 2014, also expressed disapproval of plans to reinstate capital punishment in the Philippines. “I urge the Government to reconsider such initiatives, and to refrain from its plans to reintroduce the death penalty, in a country which has been a leading force in the campaign to end the practise,” Zeid said. (Camille Diola/Philstar.com)
VISITING THE PAST. President Benigno Aquino III visits the room where his father, Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., was detained in Fort Bonifacio. The President recalled his family’s happy and sad moments when they visited his father in this four-by-five meter room. Malacañang photo
Global remittances to exceed $25 billion by Klarize
Medenilla AJPress
INTERNATIONAL money transfers, including those conducted through mobile devices, are slated to exceed $25 billion by 2018, according to a new study. Juniper Research, UK-based digital commerce analyst group, forecasted that remittances all over the world will increase 67 percent from the estimated $15 million of 2015. The study noted that the increase of cross-border mobile remittance services, like WorldRemit and Paypal’s newly launched Xoom. Additionally, there has been an increase of more incase to the FTC. formal, “pure play” remittance Claire Rosenzweig, President resources whose services are and CEO, Better Business Bu- lower in cost in comparison to reau Serving Metropolitan New traditional remittance services York, issued a warning to job- like Western Union and Moneyseekers to be wary of employ- Gram. ment scams, where scam artist Handling of financial services attempts to convince the victim by way of new age digital serthat he must pay money as a re- vices is growing popular among quirement of employment. Filipinos all over the world. “So far in 2016, nearly 10 per- Popular digital payment network cent of submissions to BBB’s Bitcoin has been launching startonline Scam Tracker tool filed by metro New Yorkers, claim t have been targeted by fake offers of employment,” said Rosenzweig. “Never pay money to an “employer” to get a job. Legitimate offers of employment do not require that you pay money for by Klarize Medenilla training classes, or anything AJPress else.” IN the wake of the shooting at an Orlando gay nightclub on Sunday, June 12 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump promised to thwart terrorism on U.S. soil by doubling down on immigration reform. Trump commented on the Orlando shooting, which claimed 50 lives, in a national securityfocused speech at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire on Monday, June 13. Referencing the suspect’s Afghan roots, Trump criticized the screening process for immigrants, noting that its imprecision allowed for the suspect’s family to enter the country. He also once again proposed banning immigrants from “areas of the world where there is a proven history of terrorism against the United States, Europe or our allies.” In December, he made a similar suggestion when he proposed a temporary ban on Muslims following the San Bernardino attack on Dec. 2, 2015. In a statement on his website, Trump stated that “migrants and their children have been implicated in terrorism in the United States” since the September 11 attacks. According to media reports, the suspect had connections to jihadist groups and pledged allegiance to the Islamic State before going forth with the shooting. “Tens of thousands of people are pouring into our country and many of them are no different” from the suspect of the Orlando attack, Trump said on Fox News before the Saint Anselm College speech. His opponent and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton criticized Trump’s statements on Monday morning during an interview on CNN in which she lambasted Trump’s rhetoric and his proposed ban on Muslims. “What I won’t do, because I think it is dangerous for our efforts to defeat this threat, is to demonize and demagogue and declare war on an entire religion,”
Panel urges victims to report...
PAGE A3 who use abusive tactics. Among the other scams New Yorkers reported are impostor scams, telephone and mobile services, banks and lenders, shop-at-home and catalog sales. Camille Mackler, director of legal initiatives at New York Immigration Coalition, cited numerous reasons why members of the immigrant communities do not report their cases. “For some, there is shame and fear in coming forward and for others, even if they want to, they don’t know where to go and they don’t see a benefit in reporting,” Mackler said. “One’s immigration status is not relevant in these cases, we just want to catch the perpetrators.”
For those who are harassed by debt collection agencies, Nancy Schindler, associate commissioner of Legal and Regulatory Compliance Division at the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, offers the following tip. “Check (through DCA) if they are licensed. Debt collection agencies should be licensed by the DCA, along with secondhand auto dealers, employment agencies, immigration service providers, tax preparers,” Schindler said. If they are not listed as licensed, you can report it directly to the DCA. And even if they are listed and you feel that they have gone out of bounds in harassing you, then report the
up remittance services in parts of Asia, like Rebit and coins.ph, which convert currencies into Bitcoin. As Filipinos become more Internet-savvy, digital commerce is no longer going to be the trend, but the standard, according to GSM Association, an organization that serves the interest of the mobile industry. The organization penned a case study that highlighted the country’s role in helping facilitate the digital commerce phenomenon. “[The Philippines] is the texting capital of the world and Filipino mobile users are highly SMS literate, which made the proposition of conducting financial transactions on a handset somewhat more intuitive,” the case study said. Remittances are a crucial asset to sustaining the Philippines’ gross domestic product (GDP); as of 2015, personal money transfers account for about onetenth of the country’s GDP, according to the World Bank. The estimated 10 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are also an important adjunct to the rev-
enue gathered from international money transfers. Money transfers in the Philippines have fluctuated in 2016, but the country is currently experiencing an increase. From Jan. to March 2016, money transfers in Asia have increased 20 percent in comparison to Jan. to March 2015, according to a recent survey from Bangko Sentral Ng Pilipinas. Globally, Filipinos’ overseas remittances are slated to experience a growth rate of 4.4 percent by the end of this year if the current trends persist, according to the survey. Likewise, the Philippines was the third largest remittance-receiving country at $30 billion in 2015 behind China ($64 billion) and India ($72 billion), according to the World Bank. The BSP survey also noted that remittances from the United States have slowed down, which could be explained by the upsurge of OFWs in the Middle East and Asia. Since the country’s GDP is so dependent on remittances, a depreciation in money transfers would affect the market significantly.
Trump renews call for Muslim ban after Orlando attack
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump
she said. “That plays right into ISIS’ hands.” Terrorism and immigration have been the key talking points behind Trump and Clinton’s mudslinging in the media during this election cycle. Before Trump’s speech, Clinton delivered a speech that presented her own plans to combat terrorism that starkly contrasted Trump’s immigration-heavy plans. She proposed strengthening U.S. law enforcement and intelligence, implementing stricter gun laws and maintaining foreign relations as the keys to combating terrorism. She added that the time following the Orlando attack is a “time for statesmanship, not partisanship.” President Barack Obama indirectly retorted Donald Trump’s criticisms in a speech delivered after a meeting with the National Security Council on Tuesday, June 14. Obama expressed the urgency to enact stricter gun laws on assault weapons and criticized anti-Islamic rhetoric, describing the counterterrorism strategies of “the presumptive Republican nominee” as “dangerous.” “Enough talking about being tough on terrorism, actually be tough on terrorism,” Obama said. “Stop making it as easy as possible to buy assault weapons.” Obama emphasized the importance of reinstating the assault weapons ban to dampen terror-
ists’ access to them, adding that otherwise “these events are going to keep on happening, and the weapons are only going to get more powerful.” In response to Trump’s comments about the phrase “radical Islam”, Obama described the debate about using the phrase as a “political distraction” stemmed from “partisan rhetoric” rather than a strategy to combat terrorism and protect national security. “There has not been a moment in my 7.5 years as president where we have not [been] able to pursue a strategy because we didn’t use the label ‘radical Islam,’” Obama said. “Not once has an adviser of mine said, ‘Man, if we use that phrase, we are going to turn this whole thing around.’ Not once.” Without mentioning his name, Obama criticized Trump’s proposed banned Muslim immigration, denouncing anti-Islamic and xenophobic attitudes that pervade the country in the aftermaths of attacks committed by Muslim perpetrators. “We heard these suggests during the course of this campaign. Do Republican officials actually agree with this? Because that’s not the America we want. It does not reflect our Democratic ideals,” Obama said. Obama is scheduled to visit Orlando on Thursday, June 16 to meet with the victims’ families.
49 dead in Orlando...
PAGE A1 Howell, who is bisexual, told National Public Radio that he bore “no ill will to the LGBT community.” Howell was placed on parole last year in Clark County, Indiana for allegedly threatening his ex-boyfriend and his neighbor with a gun on two separate occasions. He was not permitted to leave Indiana or possess a fire-
arm at the time of his arrest. The annual LA Pride event in West Hollywood, which drew hundreds of thousands of people, went on as scheduled. Despite prior suspicions from the FBI, the suspect in the Orlando shooting was licensed to own a firearm and all of his weapons were purchased legally. In a statement released Sunday, President Obama criticized
“how easy it is for someone to get their hands on a weapon that lets them shoot people in a school, or in a house of worship, or a movie theater, or in a nightclub.” As of press time, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said there were no reports of Filipinos affected by the shooting. (Eric Anthony Licas / AJPress)
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D ateline PhiliPPines Aquino visits Sulu amid Abu Sayyaf threat
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SC affirms Napoles, Reyes indictment in ‘pork’ scam
by Roel
Punay Philstar.com
Philstar.com
ZAMBOANGA CITY—President Benigno Aquino III flew straight from Manila to Sulu on Wednesday, June 15 to assess military operations, two days after the radical Abu Sayyaf group beheaded its last Canadian captive against the militant group, security officials confirmed. The president arrived about 10:50am and proceeded to Camp Teodulfo Bautista in Barangay Busbus, Jolo to meet with the military ground commanders. The unscheduled visit was not announced to the media here and in Jolo for security reasons. Aquino’s visit came amid outrage over the beheading of Robert Hall, whose decapitated head was found in front of Mt. Carmel Cathedral in downtown of Jolo earlier this week. Maj. Filemon Tan Jr., spokesman of Western Mindanao Command, confirmed the visit but provided no details. Col. Franco Alano, spokesman of the Joint Task Force Sulu, similarly confirmed the presence of the president and prepared to brief him on the security efforts against the Abu Sayyaf. Alano, however, said no further details can be disclosed on the
of PDAF scam whistleblower Benhur Luy. Reyes, on the other hand, is MANILA—The Supreme Court detained at Camp Bagong Diwa (SC) has dismissed with finality in Taguig City. the bids of alleged pork barrel Meanwhile, former Customs scam mastermind Janet Lim-Na- commissioner Rozzano Rufino poles and lawyer Jessica Lucila Biazon, who won a congres“Gigi” Reyes to stop the trial of sional seat to again represent plunder charges filed against Muntinlupa in last month’s them before the Sandiganbayan. In session on Tuesday, June 14, the justices of the high court decided to deny the motions for reconsideration filed by Napoles and Reyes, former chief-of-staff of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile who is also facing plunder trial in the anti-graft court. Both Napoles and Reyes had asked the SC in their separate petitions in 2014 to nullify the resolutions of the Sandiganbayan and the Office of the Ombudsman approving their indictment for plunder over the alleged misuse of the multibillion-peso pork barrel or Priority Development Assistance Fund of lawmakers. The court also junked the appeals of Napoles’ children Jo Christine and James Christopher on the issuance of arrest warrant against them by the Sandiganbayan over graft cases related to the PDAF scam. The SC instead affirmed its decisions last March dismissing their separate petitions for lack of merit. “The Court denied with finality the various motions for reconsideration filed by counsels for petitioners from its March 15, 2016 decisions which dismissed the petitions challenging the finding of probable cause for lack of merit,” read the dispositive portion of the ruling read by SC spokesman Theodore Te in a press conference. The ruling means the trial of four petitioners in the anti-graft court should proceed. Petitioners all claimed violation of their right to due process in assailing their indictment over the PDAF scam. Napoles is currently serving jail term at the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City after a Makati City regional trial court convicted her for the serious illegal detention by edu
PaReño
Outgoing President Benigno Aquino III reacts to a speech at an event by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority on Tuesday, June 14. He is seated next to Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz and TESDA Secretary Joel Villanueva, who is now senator-elect.
emergency visit of the outgoing president. Aquino, who will be stepping down from presidency 15 days from now, had given earlier standing order for the military forces in Sulu to run after the Abu Sayyaf group and safely recover all the hostages. At least seven remaining hostages are still held captive by the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu following beheading of Hall on Monday. The captives have been identified as Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad and Hall’s Filipina girlfriend Marites Flor, Dutch Ewold Horn,
and locals Joshua Bani, Araji Maani, Antonio Tan and Ronnie Bangcale. Hall’s fellow Canadian, John Ridsdel, was beheaded on April 25 after his family and the Canadian government refused to settle P300 million ransom. Hall, Ridsdel, Sekkingstad and Flor were taken from Samal Island resort off Davao del Norte on Sept. 21, 2015 and brought to Sulu. Horn was abducted on Feb. 1, 2012 in Tawi-Tawi. The other local captives were separately abducted in Zamboanga peninsula.
SCHOOL OPENING. Education Secretary Armin Luistro and incoming Education Secretary Leonor Briones visit Commonwealth High School, Quezon City on Monday, June 13, during the opening of classes. Inquirer.net photo by Nino Jesus Orbeta
elections, posted a P90,000 bail before the Sandiganbayan. Facing graft, malversation of public funds, and direct bribery charges for alleged involvement in the pork barrel scam, he personally appeared before the anti-graft court’s Seventh Division to undergo processing.
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OpiniOn
Terror attack
Features
GRIM news of insurgency and terror attacks are thrust onto international headlines every day. Although modernization demolishes geographical barriers and moves the world toward an amalgamated economy, clashes among cultures continue to have a damaging impact on world peace and security. Because of cross-cultural ignorance, the essence of civilization is compromised. In one senseless act of violence, 49 people were shot to death and 53 more were injured after a gunman went on a shooting rampage inside a popular gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida last Sunday, June 12. Details about the worst mass shooting in American history revealed that the gunman, 29-year-old Omar Marteen, had claimed allegiance to the Islamic State and that the bloodbath was fueled by his hatred of gays. The Associated Press reported that the gunman was wielding an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle and a handgun as he opened fire at the club in a three-hour shooting rampage and hostage siege that ended with a SWAT team killing him. Pres. Barack Obama has condemned the apparent terror attack and vowed to counter extremist ideology. “Our hearts go out to the families of those who have been killed. Our prayers go to those who have been wounded. This is a devastating attack on all Americans. It is one that is particularly painful for the people of Orlando, but I think we all recognize that this could have happened anywhere in this country,” Obama said. “And we feel enormous solidarity and grief on behalf of the families that have been affected.” “It’s a reminder that regardless of race, religion, faith or sexual orientation, we’re all Americans, and
we need to be looking after each other and protecting each other at all times in the face of this kind of terrible act.” While the suspect has no direct link to the Islamic State, Obama pointed out “ this kind of propaganda and perversions of Islam that you see generated on the Internet, and the capacity for that to seep into the minds of troubled individuals or weak individuals, and seeing them motivated then to take actions against people here in the United States and elsewhere in the world that are tragic.” To counter terrorism, he vowed to after known terrorist organizations and “hit them hard.” The Philippines is no stranger to this kind of conflict. Since the 1960s, armed conflicts have persisted in the Mindanao. Major fronts such as the New Peoples Army (NPA), the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and Abu Sayyaf have long fought for communist insurgency in the region, leaving national reconciliation as still an ultimate goal for its government. The prevailing discord in Mindanao stems from what Moros believe as historical and continuing injustice committed against them, resulting in a majority-minority relationship that manifests itself in underdevelopment and dispossession in Muslim areas. Just recently, the Abu Sayyaf has been involved in an alarming atrocity after it was confirmed that it has beheaded a Canadian hostage after a ransom
Editorial
Street Talk
JESS Matubis, who has worked under more Philippine presiGreG B. MacaBenta dents at close quarters than most broadcast journalists, recently posted the following blog by president-elect Duterte’s Agriculture Secretary- designate, Manny Piñol: “NO MORE JUNKETS, NO MORE FIRST CLASS TICKETS, NO MORE EXPENSIVE SUVS, NO MORE EXPENSIVE LUNCHES FOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN THE DUTERTE ADMINISTRATION “1. All officials taking air planes must fly economy. 2. Cabinet secretaries are discouraged from using the No. 6 car plate which is designated for cabinet officials. 3. Except for the Justice Secretary who faces imminent danger from drug lords, other cabinet secretaries will have to use non-luxury vehicles like a pick up. 4. There will be no more junkets and ‘Lakbay Aral’ for government officials and employees. “For the Department of Agriculture (as announced by incoming DA Secretary Manny Pinol): 1.There should be no lavish preparations when the secretary visits the regional offices or local government units. 2. There should be no garlands or formal speaking engagements for the Secretary, only working meetings. 3. There should be no expensive activities during the celebrations during the anniversary celebrations
ManilaTimes.net photo
was not met. The Philippines and Canada have condemned the killing of Canadian Robert Hall, whose head was recovered in front of the Jolo Cathedral in Sulu on Monday, June 13. Hall is among four people who were abducted at a resort on Samal island late last year. Hall was the second victim beheaded by the bandits. Canadian John Ridsdel was killed in April after a P300-million ransom was not met. “The vicious and brutal actions of the hostage-takers have led to a needless death. Canada holds the terrorist group who took him hostage fully responsible for this cold-blooded and senseless murder,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said as he
The sizzle’s nice, now let’s taste the steak
of the department. 4. There will be no unnecessary trainings and seminars. “This is how the Duterte Presidency will run the country for the next six years. It is a simple governance style but it will effectively address the core issues concerning the ordinary Filipino. Change is coming.” This is certainly an impressive set of principles or policies and must resonate very positively with the 16 million who voted for Duterte – in fact, even with those who voted for the other presidential candidates. But my relatives in San Miguel, Leyte, a farming community about 40-plus kilometers from Tacloban City, are asking a more substantive question: How do all of these help poor farmers like them improve their miserable lives? Many of them have never flown in an airplane and can’t tell the difference between business class and economy. And they must think that an SUV is a breed of carabao, which is the official transportation in the farms. As a lifelong advertising man, I’m keenly aware of the importance of symbolisms, expressed in the saying, “Sell the sizzle, not just the steak.” But when all is said and done, what counts most is the steak. The sizzle is just for first impressions. Piñol’s declaration that Duterte’s administration will be frugal and no-frills is impressive, but we would have wanted the incoming Secretary of Agriculture to write a blog about how he plans to resuscitate our barely surviving agricultural economy, a sector on which over half of the population depends for their livelihood and on which the rest of the country depends for food. The current buzz in Manila media is Duterte’s al-
legation that most Philippine journalists are corrupt and deserve to be killed. This statement – or rant – was typical of Duterte’s imprecise verbiage, subject to many misinterpretations. By casting such a wide net in his characterization of journalists, he dishonored those who lost their lives while simply trying to do their job. I was immediately reminded of my friend, Ermin Garcia, Jr., publisher and editor of The Sunday Punch, the hard-hitting community paper in Dagupan. His father, Ermin, Sr., founder and original editor of the paper, was killed by political assassins for exposing anomalies in the local government. Ermin, Jr. was an ardent supporter of Duterte during the presidential campaign (and may have been part of the communications group – I’m just guessing). Surely, Duterte owes Ermin Jr. an apology. But that’s not this president-elect’s style. His style is brash, bombastic and unapologetic. That’s all part of the sizzle. But where’s the steak? Wouldn’t it be nice if, amidst the furor over the hurt feelings of Philippine media, Duterte were to tell us what he proposes to do about the slaughter of 34 media persons in that infamous Maguindanao massacre attributed to the Ampatuans? The Ampatuans happen to be legal clients of Duterte’s official spokesman, lawyer Salvador Panelo. Sadly, Manila media have been so taken by the Duterte sizzle that they may be overlooking the substantive issues that need to be confronted by the incoming administration. Severe unemployment and underemployment (the latter requiring more than the sizzle of a vow to ban contractualization – okay so that’s banned, then what?). Over one quarter of the population “officially” living below the poverty threshold (the “unoffi-
Advancing the cause of education Prof. eMeritus Dr. Leonor MaGtoLis-Briones (Publisher/Editor’s/OpEd Editor’s note: The following is part of the statement released by the author about her acceptance of the offer from President-elect Rody Duterte to make her Secretary of Education. She is the lead convenor of Social Watch Philippines.)
1. All my life I have been exposed to the challenges of education in the Philippines. I come from a family of teachers. My parents, aunts and uncles, brother and sisters, nephews, nieces and even grandchildren are teachers. During the war years my mother taught me how to write, using banana leaves as paper and sharpened bamboo sticks as pencils. I have lived through the travails of teachers—low pay, long hours, huge debts and physical difficulties. As an elementary school pupil, I have experienced walking long distances to and from school, sat in stifling,
expressed outrage over the incident. People behind such terror attacks must be reminded that it took millions of lives, thousands of years and hundreds of wars to achieve some sense of international order. While there is a lack of a comprehensive data on the total number of people affected and resources lost or destroyed as a result of these conflicts, reported estimates have been disturbing. In this turbulent times, It is easy to aggregate power and instigate war. To foster peace and security remains the world’s formidable challenge and greatest hope for its citizens. This goal must be initiated through mutual respect and humanitarian resolve. (AJPress)
overcrowded classrooms, and endured hunger and thirst even as I struggled to learn. 2. I have been involved in decades-long campaigns to advance the cause of education. As president of Freedom from Debt Coalition, I led in the campaign to reduce the crushing debt burden of the country to free more resources for education and social development. Since its creation in 2006, the Alternative Budget Initiative led by Social Watch Philippines has always advocated for higher budget allocations for education. Every year, SWP has successfully convinced the legislature to increase budget allocations for education. “Education For All” is a major Millennium Development Goal. It is an equally urgent goal among our 17 Social Development Goals, of which our government is one of the signatories. SWP has always insisted that education is severely underfunded even as it has the largest budget allocation. In-
ternational standards require at least 6 percent of GDP to be allocated for education. Present calculations are at 3 percent. I, therefore, accepted the nomination not for my own sake, because I don’t need another Cabinet position, but because it is an opportunity and a tremendous challenge for all who believe in education to contribute to reforms and put into practice our lifetime advocacies. Concerns about K-to-12 The position of SWP on education, specifically on K-to-12, are all a matter of record. There are two major concerns: the desperate need for more funding for Senior High School and the displacement of students from poor families and remote rural areas. In addition, teachers of First Year and Second Year in universities will be displaced because there will be no college students for the next two years. Many schools have been preparing for these challenges for four years.
We are aware that contingency measures are being adopted by both the CHED and DepEd. These have to be closely monitored to ensure that identified challenges are met. K-to-12 and the incoming administration It must be emphasized that implementation of the laws on K-to-12 started four years ago. The curriculum contents of Grades 1-5 and 7-10 are already changed. The opening of the current school year on June 13 was under the aegis of the present Secretary of Education. The new curriculum for Grade 5 will be implemented and Grade 11 will be launched. Institutional and curricular changes are already being implemented in response to the requirements of the two laws mandating K-to-12. The new administration will come in on July 1; by then, Grade 11 of K-to-12 will be in place. What has been done by the PAGE A7
cial” figure is much higher because many of those defined as “non-poor” are just managing to survive). A growing economy that has made more billionaires out of Philippine businessmen but has hardly benefited the masses in the six years of the outgoing Aquino administration. Crumbling and inadequate infrastructure that routinely robs Metro Manilans of valuable man-hours due to severe traffic, limits tourism development and discourages foreign direct investments. An uncertain foreign policy that teeters between cheerfully accepting the military mantle of the United States or meekly accepting Chinese hegemony, between making friends with Western allies and the United Nations or choosing to be a virtual persona non grata, and between amending the Constitution to allow more foreign participation in the Philippine economy or toeing the line of the National Democratic Front and the CPP-NPA that foreign economic imperialism, represented by the US, must be banished from our shores. The focus on corruption and criminality is great. This is where Piñol’s litany of frugality and simplicity in governance focuses on the steak. The lure of an opulent lifestyle, exacerbated by the short-term window of opportunity to make big bucks (just six years) is irresistible for the average public official. But in combating crime, imposing a curfew on young people and banning the sale of alcoholic beverages after midnight is just the sizzle. So is the plan to reintroduce the death penalty. The threatened massive campaign against drug lords and pushers is also great. But even that is mostly sizzle. The substantive question is, how can Filipinos be motivated PAGE A7
An eminent choice for DepEd Secretary PRESIDENT-elect Rody Duterte made a perfect decision in choosing to appoint Professor Emeritus Leonor Magtolis-Briones Secretary of Education once he becomes our President. That important day, which will mark the beginning of an administration that, we pray, will succeed in fulfilling its promise to make government more efficient, effective, honest and responsive to the urgent and true needs of our people than what we have now, is only 14 days away. Dr. Magtolis-Briones is professor emeritus at the University of the Philippines’ National College of Public Administration and Governance, Lead Convenor of Social Watch Philippines (the most incisive observer of public governance in our country which, often under her byline, publishes its findings). She has been a columnist of The Manila Times. She is also the chair of the Board of Trustees of Silliman University and the chairman designate of the Board of Regents of the Universidad de Manila. She is a person who takes her belief in God seriously, a rare trait
among government officials. She has held important national government positions. She has been secretary to the Commission on Audit, vice president for Finance and Administration at the University of the Philippines, treasurer of the Republic of the Philippines and concurrently presidential adviser on social development. She never applied for these positions. She was invited on the basis of her track record and her sterling reputation. Even in becoming president of the Freedom from Debt Coalition (which includes some of the most patriotic Filipinos who know indepth the financial condition of our country and of the government) and lead convenor of Social Watch Philippines, she was invited by the founders and movers of these authoritative and vigilant civil society organizations. The same is true of her forthcoming appointment as Secretary of Education. Though a native Bisayan speaker like Presidentelect Duterte, Dr. Leonor MagtolisBriones and Mayor Duterte had not PAGE A7
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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A
2 PH universities among top 100 in Asia Facebook apologizes for flag gaffe MANILA—The University of the Philippines (UP) and Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) were named among the 100 top universities in Asia in an annual list by Quacquarelli Symonds. The QS University Rankings: Asia released Tuesday, June 14 ranked UP 70th in Asia with an overall score of 58.40, retaining its 2015 ranking. AdMu, meanwhile, scored 47.80 to land at 99th place, leaping from 114th last year. The regional rankings, stemming from the original world list, are based on consultation with regional experts and stakeholders. QS said in its methodology that the set of criteria is “designed to reflect key priorities for universities in Asia, drawing on as much available data as possible.� Key indicators for the study are academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-student ratio, citations per paper and papers per faculty, staff with doctorate degrees, proportion of international faculty and students, and proportion of exchange students. UP, whose flagship campus is in Diliman, Quezon City, earned a score of 74.8 in terms of academic reputation, 87.9 in employer reputation and 69.2 in faculty-student ratio. It has a student population of 53,160. Ateneo’s Manila campus, on the other hand, scored 59.1 in academic reputation, 59.1 in employer reputation and 55.4 in faculty-student ratio. It has a student body of 12,172. Beyond the top 100, six other Philippines-based university figure in the chart, with the De La Salle University making a major jump from 181st place last year to 143rd this year. The University of Santo Tomas ranked 143rd last year was this year surpassed by De La Salle,
by Janvic
mateo Philstar.com
MANILA—Social media site Facebook committed a blunder on Sunday, June 12 when it welcomed Filipino netizens with an Independence Day greeting accompanied by an inverted Philippine flag. “Happy Independence Day! Here’s to all of the Philippines’ health, happiness and prosperity,� read the greeting that appeared on Facebook users’ timeline. The inverted flag, with the red rather than blue side on top, means that the country is officially at war. The button, which allows users to share their Independence Day greetings to their contacts, carried an inverted Philippine flag, which immediately got the attention of Filipino netizens. While Facebook appeared to have taken down the original Independence Day button, screenshots of the gaffe have been posted on different social networking sites. Some users pointed out the mistake, others mused on what they said was “subtle recognition� that the country is currently at war, either in reference to the territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea
Infographics by Philstar.com
dropping to 157th place. Ranking among the top 300 universities in Asia, meanwhile, are Ateneo de Davao University, Silliman University, Xavier University and the University of San Carlos. In Asia, the National University of Singapore was hailed as the
are undergoing an Executive Coaching Program conducted by MANILA—World boxing cham- the Development Academy of the pion and senator-elect Manny Philippines (DAP) with the Ateneo Pacquiao is undergoing a program School of Government, Asian Instion governance in preparation for tute of Management and Philiphis new political career in the pine Public Safety College. “The nine-day course program Senate. According to a statement from aims to brief the neophyte senahis office, Pacquiao and his staff tor and his team with an overview by Paolo RomeRo Philstar.com
Philstar.com photo
The sizzle’s nice, now let’s...
growing kids in a neighborhood in ParaĂąaque where pushers had begun to proliferate. I realized that lecturing the children on the horrors of drug use and threatening the neighborhood pushers (some of them lived in the squatters’ area across the creek from our house) was not enough. Our three boys and one girl had to be provided with a positive alternative. I had written a pro bono public service ad campaign for a group called, Parents’ Organization of the Philippines, and had come up with two headlines that hit the parents in the gut: “Is a pusher paying more attention to your child than you are?â€? and “One dope deserves another. If you want your kid to stop doing his thing, you can begin by stopping yours.â€? Those headlines hit me in the gut, too. I resolved to take full responsibility for my children,
Advancing the cause... PAGE A6 incoming administration at this time is to monitor closely the implementation of Grade 11 starting June 13. We have been receiving feedback on K-to-12, which we will pass on to the present leadership of the Department of Education. In the meantime, a transition team is being organized to ensure orderly and seamless transfer of duties. The DepEd, under the leadership of Sec. Armin Luistro, is giving full cooperation and support to the incoming team. Special interests of the incoming Secretary The SWP has always maintained that the funding allocation for Alternative Learning Systems is inadequate. Without doubt, not all pupils will be absorbed into the K-to-12 program. Provision has to be made for alternative learning systems, which will ensure that “no one will be left behind.� As incoming Secretary, I have a special interest in Philippine culture and the arts. These
or the incoming Duterte administration’s war against crime. The Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines specifically prescribes that the Philippine flag shall be flown with the blue field on top in time of peace. “The flag, if flown from a flagpole, shall have its blue field on top in time of peace and the red field on top in time of war; if in a hanging position, the blue field shall be to the right (left of the observer) in time of peace, and the red field to the right (left of the observer) in time of war,� read the law. Facebook apologized over the inverted Philippine flag in its Independence Day message. “This was unintentional, and
we’re sorry,� Facebook said in a statement sent to The STAR. “We care about the community in the Philippines and, in an attempt to connect people on Independence Day, we made a mistake.� The company has removed the greeting. Google joins celebration Technology company Google also joined the Independence Day celebration with a Philippine-inspired doodle on its home page on Sunday. A jeepney with a flag-themed design dominated the home page of Google. Clicking on the image would direct users to search results for “Philippine Independence Day.�
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY SOUTHERN NEVADA REGIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY
best institution of higher learning by the QS ranking, with an overall score of 100. It was followed by the University of Hong Kong and the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore at ranks second and third, respectively. (Camille Diola/ Philstar.com)
Team Pacman trains for Senate
PAGE A6 away from a life of crime and towards productive citizenship? The answer is jobs. In the US ghettoes, the same question has been asked and the same answer given. The lure of the drug lords is irresistible to young men who have lost hope of landing a job. And speaking of the drug problem, Duterte should learn a lesson from several presidents of the United States, from Richard Nixon to Obama. They still haven’t figured out how to arrest the flow of drugs into the country. It’s the law of supply and demand, something that the late President Ramon Magsaysay reportedly wanted to repeal but was told he could not. It will take more than killing droves of drug lords, pushers and users to address the drug problem. It’s more basic. It starts at home. My wife and I had four
Facebook used an inverted flag in an Independence Day message it shared to Filipinos on Sunday, June 12.
should spring from our historical experiences as a people. The media and reforms in DepEd There is heightened expectation for change, not only in education but in all aspects of our national life. To achieve these changes, particularly in DepEd, the support of media is crucial and indispensable. In all my years as a social activist, media has supported our campaigns. With its help and consistent coverage, the problem of our foreign debt became a national issue. The campaigns of SWP on the national budget, the economy, lump sums, pork barrel and the infamous development acceleration program would not have caught the attention of the public without massive media coverage. I look forward to working once more with media on basic education reforms. No person can achieve these difficult goals without everyone’s support, particularly media. Education is not only for educators; it is for all. (ManilaTimes.net)
of key issues in governance and nation building,� the statement said. It said experts in the fields of education, labor, health, economy, social service and foreign relations would provide the team with facts and information from national to local level that may be vital in advancing Pacquiao’s legislative agenda. It was not clear where the course is being held but the DAP is located in Tagaytay City in Cavite. During his stint as Sarangani representative, the 37-year-old Pacquiao had been known for his absenteeism owing to his numerous boxing commitments abroad. Pacquiao has declined to participate in the 2016 Rio Olympics to focus on his duties in the Senate. He earlier announced his retirement from boxing after winning over Timothy Bradley Jr. last April. set up a gym in the garage, took up physical fitness and began a thrice-a-week jogging regimen in the hope that the kids would follow suit. They did. And so did their friends. Soon, the house became the unofficial sports center of the neighborhood. And the young people established their own rules. No cigarettes and, very definitely, no drugs. One interesting side story is the fact that I was a three-packa-day smoker at the time. My eldest child, Ringo, made a telling remark: “Papa, it doesn’t make sense. You are exercising and yet you are smoking. Do you know that it’s bad for you?� I quit smoking the very next day and haven’t picked up a stick ever since. At any rate – back to Duterte and the media. It’s okay to write about the sizzle, but shouldn’t we pay more attention to the steak? (gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)
An eminent choice...
PAGE A6 even met each other when the offer was made. Some critics of Sec. Armin Luistro, and the government’s resolve to continue the implementation of the K-to-12 system of basic education, have objected to the appointment of Professor Emeritus Briones. They do so because she does not share their position against K-to-12. In fact, she has repeatedly suggested that Bro. Armin Luistro should be retained by the Duterte government as Secretary of Education, “so he can shepherd the ongoing implementation of K-to-12 to its successful conclusion.� Indeed, that “process has been going on for the past four years.� This fact—that K-to-12 has been in place for four years—those opposed to K-to-12 seem not to know, or purposely ignore, when they speak and write against “the introduction� of K-to-12 because it lays more burdens on poor parents. In another part of today’s OpEd Section, we publish part of Prof. Magtolis-Briones’ statement about her incoming appointment to DepEd. That essay also offers an illumination on the whole matter of K-to-12. (ManilaTImes.net)
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Clint Ramos wins Tony Award for Costume Design By MoMar
G. Visaya
AJPress
NEW YORK—Clint Ramos made history on Sunday, June 12 when he won the Tony Award for Best Costume Design in a Play, becoming the fourth Filipino to win the coveted award and the first person of color to win in his category. This year marks a milestone, the 70th year of the Antoinette Perry Awards, more famously known as Tony Awards. Ramos won for his work in “Eclipsed,” penned by The Walking Dead’s Danai Gurira and starring Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o. He was nominated along with Jane Greenwood (“Long Day’s Journey Into Night”), Michael Krass (“Noises Off”) and Tom Scutt (“King Charles III”). “From one to Pia Wurtzbach, I would say I was a six,” a playful Ramos told the Asian Journal when asked about his confidence level on Sunday evening. “I did not expect to win. I thought the British guy was going to win. My mother mentioned a survey that I was the one favored to win but I didn’t want to pay attention. Nakaka-nerbiyos na eh (It’s nerveracking).” That feeling of uncertainty made the victory sweeter for Clint, who wished he was more prepared when he went onstage to receive his award. His category was among the first awards to be given last Sunday and he was chatting with David Zinn who won the Tony for Best Set Design for a Play (“The Humans”) when his name was called. “It caught me by surprise. I got up there, managed to say a couple of thank yous and as I looked at the crowd, I saw Oprah who was smiling and I went blank,” Ramos said. “I was really overwhelmed. I don’t think I ever considered in my own reality that I’d see myself up on that stage receiving a Tony Award.” Only three Filipinos have won the Tony: Lea Salonga for her “Miss Saigon” performance in 2001, Robert Lopez for “Avenue Q “in 2004 and “Book of Mormon” in 2011 and Jhett Tolentino
(with his partner Joann Raffe) in 2014 for being co-producers of “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” (Best Musical), “A Raisin in the Sun” (Best Revival of a Play, which starred Denzel Washington) and in 2013, “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” (Best Play). The Tony statuette will stay in his apartment for now, he said, on the top shelf along with the other awards that he has amassed through the years. “I love, adore and respect you! So excited for this win for you!! You are a consummate artist to me,” Eclipsed creator Gurira tweeted when Clint’s name was announced as the winner. Team Ramos At the Tony Gala held at The Plaza Hotel, a few hours after the awards telecast, Ramos said he was still floating from the euphoria of the win. At that point, he was just letting it sink in. “It’s unbelievable that it happened,” he said, in between bites of sliders. A few moments later, we passed through where his team was camped out. Team Ramos had his mom, Atty. Linda Boiser-Ramos, his sister Regina, his husband Jason and his husband’s parents, David and Bunny Moff. A practicing lawyer in Cebu, Atty. Ramos is ecstatic about this incredible and historic win. “Masayang masaya ako tonight. Bihirang mangyari ito sa atin,” Ramos’s mom Linda told the Asian Journal. The Tony winner, whose full name is Clint Edward, was named after his father Eduardo. He is the eldest among the Ramos children. “I have two lawyers, and accountant, and now a Tony Award winner, how’s that?” she said proudly. As for the history of Clint, his mom quipped before breaking into a hearty laugh, “Gusto ko si Clint Eastwood nung araw eh.” “I’m just so glad that my mom came. My dad passed away three years ago and he would have been really, really happy to have seen this. When I decided to pursue a life in theater, my mom and dad
Clint Ramos with his Tony Award AJPress photo by Momar G. Visaya
expressed their concern for me because I was choosing a life of uncertainty, but they still gave their blessings,” Clint shared. “It’s slowly starting to sink in,” Clint told the Asian Journal on Tuesday morning, June 14, a full day after the awards show. “I’m diving into other work now, and trying to meditate on what it all means.” He went to work on Monday and spent time giving a few interviews. He then started working on his next projects, responded to emails and congratulatory messages posted on his various social media accounts. Historic Tony night Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton” was the evening’s biggest winner, bagging 11 out of the record 16 nominations spread across 13 categories. It was one win shy of tying the record 12 wins achieved by “The Producers” in 2001. Hamilton lost in two categories – scenic design and lead actress in a musical, and three other acting nominations, for Jonathan Groff, Christopher Jackson and Miranda himself. Miranda won for Best Score and delivered an emotional sonnet that reflected the evening’s restrained sentiments about the PAGE B6
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Celebrating Father’s Day: History and facts about fatherhood The idea to create a day for children to honor their fathers has a very interesting history embedded in it. A holiday to celebrate fathers and fatherhood in general -- including father figures such as guardians and grandfathers -came to the mind of Sonora Smart Dodd while listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909 in Spokane, Washington. After the death of her mother, Sonora and her sibling were raised by her father, William Jackson Smart. Though her father fought in the Civil War, Jackson was still able to raise Sonora and her six siblings. She wanted to tell her father how special he was and what role he played in her life and wanted to honor her father’s parental sacrifices he made them. Lastly, she wanted him to know what a courageous, selfless and loving man he was. Since Sonora’s father was born in June, she chose to hold the first Father’s Day celebration at the yMCA Center in Spokane, Washington on the June 19, 1910. The tradition stopped when Dodd left for school in Chicago, although several celebrations were held to honor fathers. When she returned, she took up holiday promotion, but this time nationally. her strategic efforts included working with business groups that would profit from such a holiday, such as men’s clothing companies and tobacco companies. Unfortunately, Dodd’s efforts only made the day “too commercialized” that many saw as too shallow and unimportant. Though President Woodrow Wilson wanted to make the holiday official in 1916, its commercial nature stopped Congress from passing the bill. It wasn’t until
These Filipino celebrity dads make fatherhood so adorable By Monet
Lu
They say, “Anyone can be a father but it takes a real man to be a dad.” As Father’s Day approaches, I would like to pay tribute to all the amazing fathers of the world. And what better way to do that but to talk about how great fathers are in spite of all the challenges that come along. And where else is a more challenging place to be a father but in show business, right? These Filipino celebrity dads are so adorable; they could be your hashtag #fatherhoodgoals. Richard Gomez Sonora Smart Dodd started the tradition of President Richard Nixon established a In an article Richard Gomez celebrating Father’s Day to honor her own permanent national observance of Father’s Day in 1972. told his daughter, “Don’t have father, William Jackson Smart. a boyfriend like Dad. But if you Margaret Chase Smith, a senator March 19. In Australia, it’s the first have to marry, marry someone from Maine, stated that it was Sunday of September. like Dad.” • Sons and daughters send 50 unfair to honor mothers and not Gomez admitted to being a percent of the Father’s Day card fathers in 1957. hands-on dad to Juliana. And I In 1966, President Johnson is- to their dads. Nearly 20 percent of don’t blame him one bit. Reason sued a proclamation. Then finally Father’s Day cards are purchased being is first, he knows exactly in 1972, President Richard Nixon by wives for their husbands. That how “players” think (considering established a permanent national leaves 30 percent of the cards that he was one during his younger observance of Father’s Day to be go to grandfathers, sons, brothers, years), secondly; his daughter is held on the third Sunday of June. uncles and “someone special.” growing up to be a beautiful and • It was estimated that there Thus, Father’s Day was born in memory and appreciation by a were about 199,000 stay-at-home daughter who believed that her dads in 2015. These married fafather and all other fathers should thers with children younger than be honored with a special day 15 have remained out of the labor by Dolly Anne CArvAjAl just like mothers are honored on force for at least one year so they Inquirer.net can care for the family while their Mother’s Day. Facts about Father’s Day you wives work outside the home. FATheR’S Day this year is • The number of single fathers should know more significant because after we • Roses are the official flower last year was 1.9 million. About 45 celebrate it with our own fathers for Father’s Day. A red rose is worn percent were divorced, 33 percent on June 19, we will welcome the in the lapel if your father is alive, were never married, 17 percent new “paternal figure” of our nawhile a white rose represents a were separated, and 6 percent tion, President-elect Duterte on were widowed. father who is deceased. June 30. • 70.1 million: estimated num• Most places celebrate FaOf all the roles that celebrities ther’s Day on the third Sunday of ber of fathers in the US in 2008 play, being a dad is what they June, but not everywhere. Spain (The most recent year for which relish the most. I cornered some and Portugal for instance, honor data is available). (AJPress) stars and asked them about their Source: www.census.gov their fathers on St. Joseph’s Day, favorite fatherhood moment. The “Papalicious Papas” of show biz come and go, but dads remain: Ryan Cayabyab: Seeing my son Toma smile happily during his first airplane ride was a relief. It was quite a struggle to convince him to ride a plane at 4 years old. he had this notion that we might fall off from the plane when we were airborne. I hid newspaper and magazine photos of airplane crashes. This was one of those father moments—to convince a son that everything will be alright. Sons and daughters send 50 percent of the So, finally, on a flight to Cebu, Father’s Day cards to their dads. In 2015, it was estimated that there were 199,000 stay-at-home dads.
fine young lady – I am sure a lot of guys are trying to get her attention. While Gomez admits that he is worried about boys taking an interest in his daughter, he also
says that he trusts her. he and his wife, TV host/Congresswoman Lucy Marie Torres-Gomez, say that they support whatever dreams PAGE B6
Celebrity dads share their fave fatherhood moments when I tucked him in his seat and put his seatbelt on, he declared: “It’s just [like] riding a bus, after all.” My daughter Krina came home one day from school crying. At 6 years old, she joined a singing contest and lost. For one so young, Krina had perfect pitch, but she had such a faint voice. [My wife] emmy and I had to comfort her and tell her that her voice wasn’t good for singing contests. Bo Cerrudo: On a stormy day in August 2003 in Boracay, I went Ryan Cayabyab swimming despite the big waves that almost drowned me. Before I knew it, I was struggling helplessly and was being swept further out into the sea. I heard my then 3-year-old son Diego crying and screaming at the top of his lungs for me to come back to shore. As I managed to get my head above water, I faintly saw that he was all alone by the shore, all wet and crying, fearing for my life. At that moment, tired and all, I swam safely back to shore for alPAGE B5 Bo Cerrudo
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Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra to stage a one-night only concert at Carnegie Hall The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, the leading professional orchestra in the Philippines, will make history on June 18 when they perform at the worldrenowned Carnegie hall in New York City. Presented by the Cultural Center of the Philippines, this is the first time a Filipino orchestra will perform in the United States. The project is spearheaded by Music Director/Principal Conductor Olivier Ochanine, who laid the groundwork for bringing the orchestra to Carnegie hall more than three years ago. “This is the culmination of a long period of work and we’re thrilled that we’re in the last few days into the performance,” Ochanine told us earlier this week via a Skype interview. “It means a lot for us to bridge people together through our music.” Community and business leader Loida Nicolas Lewis, renowned pianist Cecile Licad and Butch Meily (via Skype from Manila) also joined the briefing and they encouraged Filipinos in the tristate to come out and support the PPO on June 18. “Consider it as your Father’s Day gifts. Bring your dads, grandfathers, husbands to see this once
in a lifetime show,” Lewis said. “Filipinos can expect to listen to and watch the best of the best. This is a once in a lifetime chance for everyone,” Ochanine said. “This is also our chance to expose Filipino talent to the world. I promise you will be leaving after the concert feeling special!” Licad and violinist Diomedes Saraza, both first class Filipino musicians, are the featured soloists. Cecile Licad has performed with the world’s best orchestras, including the Chicago Symphony, Boston Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, and London Symphony, among many others. Diomedes Saraza recently graduated from the prestigious Juilliard School in New York, and is currently pursuing further studies at Yale University in Cambridge. Licad said she started performing with the PPO when she was an 11-year-old prodigy in the Philippines. She added that she will be performing a favorite, Rachmaninoff #2. “The piece reminds me of the struggles, it’s like a roller coaster of emotions. I also associate it with typhoons, and call it a typhoon material,” Licad said. “It’s about what people go through in a typhoon, and then the rainbow
A COMPLeTe account of the origin and background history of the graduation gown would fill a book. But to make a very long story short, the early academic dress in colleges and universities came from Medieval europe.
Sometimes also known as academical dress, academic regalia, and graduation cap and gown, it has its origins in the everyday dress of the medieval clergy. The dress which secular clergy wore was no different from that
comes out, there’s victory and joy in the end. It’s a happy ending piece.” Previous international performances by the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra have been in Tokyo (2002), Bangkok (2004), Shanghai (2010), Beijing (2011) as well as various european cities (2001). The Carnegie hall concert aims to celebrate the Filipino spirit through music and bring pride to the multitudes of Filipinos living in both coasts of the country. The concert will also be a fundraiser for victims of typhoon haiyan. Philippine Disaster Relief Corporation (PDRC) plans to distribute butterfly homes in Leyte to about 240 to 300 families displaced by the typhoon and who are still living in bunkhouses to this day, according to Meily. “Let us all enjoy the Philharmonic and Cecile for this worldclass event. It’s not often that we have Cecile here in New York so I am calling on everyone, let us experience her magic,” Lewis added. Ochanine said it took a few years for this dream project to happen because it is tough to bring a total of 90 people and all their musical instruments from
Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra
Manila to New York. They had a hard time gathering enough sponsors to shoulder the required expenses. he also lamented the fact that a lot of people still consider classical music as elitist. “People are so quick to spend money on pop music nowadays, which is fine. They think that classical music is elitist, but what they don’t often understand is that classical music is for everybody and ticket prices are among the cheapest,” Ochanine said. “Today, people are so caught up in the five-minute pace society where people can’t focus on a 30-minute symphony or a Rachmaninoff
Photo by Farlet Vale
concerto.” The Carnegie hall concert is made possible in cooperation with Philippine Airlines (the official carrier of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra), Smart Infinity, Rustan Commercial Corporation, One Meralco Foundation, with the support of PLDT Smart Foundation, Federal Land, Inc., Metrobank Card Corporation, Ayala Corporation and Ayala Land, Inc. Coordinated by event4Good and with the help of non-profit and local organizations namely Filipino American human Services Inc., JCI Philippine-New York, Foundation for Filipino Artists Inc., Freedom Ladder, encore
Community Services, San Lorenzo Chapel, Parktivity, UN Philippine Cultural Society, Ateneo Alumni Northeast Inc., Siliman University Alumni Association New York–New Jersey, Philippine American Chamber of Commerce New York, Alpha Phi Omega, Children’s Orchestra Society and US-Philippines Society, proceeds from the concert will go to the housing project of the PDRC. Tickets to the Carnegie hall concert are available through www.carnegiehall.org, CarnegieCharge 212-2477800 and Box Office at 57th and Seventh. Ticket prices are from $22.50 to $130.00
Academic regalia: Origin of the graduation gown Top of their class: Pinoy celebrities
who graduated with honors
worn by all classes of the community. everyone from highest to lowest wore, as did the clergy, a hood to protect the head in bad weather. The distinction between dress and various academic levels was seen to have originated in the 13th century. Prior to that, no academical dress was accorded to the undergraduate level, as it was originally a distinction accorded only to masters, unless the PAGE B4
Infographic by AJPress. Sources: Pew Research Center, Economic Policy Institute, Mic.com, National Association of Colleges and Employers and “U.S. Job Growth Expected to Hold
Steady in the New Year, CareerBuilder’s Annual Job Forecast Finds.”
CeLeBRITIeS have a busy life — shooting schedules, appearances, concerts, red carpet premieres — that people assume they have no time to go to a regular school. But there are some who managed to continue their education and even finish with honors. here are some artists who shuffled their time between work and school and managed to Benjamin Alves Agot Isidro come out on top: 1. Carla Abellana, Cum Laude, of the Mexican telenovela, “RoBachelor of Arts in Psychology, salinda.” De La Salle University, Manila 2. Benjamin Alves, Summa As the daughter of 80s mati- Cum Laude, Bachelor of Arts in nee idol Rey “PJ” Abellana, it English Literature, University was expected that Carla was to of Guam follow suit. however, she made 3. Agot Isidro - Magna Cum sure that she finished school first, Laude, Fashion Buying and then entered show business right Merchandising, New York Fashafter she graduated. She was ion Institute of Technology given a major project right away 4. Giselle Sanchez, Magna by GMA Network, portraying the Cum Laude, Broadcast Comlead role in the Filipino remake munication, University of the
Christine Bersola-Babao
Philippines even with her mindless and sometimes very foolish stand up acts, comedienne and actress Giselle is nevertheless a very smart lady. 5. Cristine Bersola-Babao - Cum Laude, Mass Communication, University of the Philippines 6. Paula Peralejo - Magna Cum Laude, Bachelor of Arts PAGE B4
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the entire building. Visitors can also request to have a guard walk them in and out of the building free of charge. Sackmary and his wife have been in the business of buying jewelry and other metals for many years and have been online selling costume jewelry for about 15 years. they are also present every day the shop is open, which is located on the corner of Jones Boulevard and Flamingo Road. in addition to putting their customers’ interests first, the Sackmarys are active community members who have participated in charity event Operation FirehEAt and are founding sponsors for the Anthem Women’s Club. Nevada Coin Mart was established in 1971 and is licensed by Clark County to legally purchase jewelry from the general public. Nevada Coin Mart 4065 S Jones Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89103 Phone: (702) 776-7061 hours: Monday through Sunday, 9am to 5 pm Advertising Supplement
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PAGE B3 founder of a college prescribed a special livery for members. By 1500 the academical dress became more simple and comfortable, with the result that the heavy outer, closed dress being left off, the sleeved or sleeveless tabard, or some form of sleeved tunica, or other such dress, now the outer garment, assumed a new significance. throughout the years, lay fashion was changing rapidly and the academical dress was later on influenced by the three forms of association that grew up in universities. the first of these was the Faculty, less strong in the English universities than elsewhere, the second the College, strong at first at all universities, but later only really so in France, England, Spain, and the Austrian Netherlands, and the third the Nation, strong at first in France and italy, and in due course in Germany. this association was a result of the gathering together of those who taught the same subject and who found that only by a united effort could their common aims be made known to their university at large. it also to secure them against the unqualified, who might try to set up for themselves at the university. the second was a corporate body, which enjoyed the benefits of an endowment; and the third was an association based on nationality to defend the rights of an alien in foreign land. Some examples of faculty colors will show that no exact code of colors, but there were certain tendencies. thus black at Paris, Oxford, and Cambridge, and white at Salamanca, Coimbra, and Perpignan were the colors of the Faculty of theology. Green, yellow, or sanguine were at various universities the colors of the Faculty of Medicine, while blue
of various shades very often denoted the Faculty of Philosophy. the most constant was scarlet for Canon Law, but even this by no means always held good. in some countries, in England and Spain especially, founders of colleges ordered certain kinds of dress to be worn by members of their foundations. today, it’s useful to know where we are now with graduation robes. the modern graduation gown employs a different robe, gown, hood, tam, mortarboard, cap, and cowl for different individuals and groups within the school or religious institution. Robe or gown the three types of degrees each have a different style gown. Bachelor’s gowns have pointed sleeves, and are worn closed. Master’s gowns have oblong sleeve, open at the wrist, with the base hanging down, and rear part of the oblong cut square while the front arc cuts away. these robes have fasteners so they can be worn open or closed. Doctoral gowns have bell-shaped sleeves, also designed with fasteners so it is worn closed or opened. For the doctor’s robes also have trimmings including velvet panels down the front and three bars of velvet on the sleeves. All three gowns are usually black, though some colleges and universities use the color of the school. Hood Academic hoods are black, made from the same fabric as the gown. they vary in length depending on the degree from three feet to four feet, and the doctoral hood is wider. Lined with college or university colors, they typically have one field color and one chevron color, though sometimes there are school specific variations. the edge of hoods is velvet in the color of the degree subject.
Cowl Cowls are typically made from velveteen rather than velvet, and are used for Associate Degrees. they do not display a degree or discipline color, just the institutional colors on the lining. the outside is generally black. Tam tams are typically used for Doctoral degrees, though some Master’s programs do use them. tams are made from velvet, and usually have a ribbon over the fabric, and in black. Color variations do occur with some colleges. the number of sides vary, and can be four, six, or eight-sided, eight, six, or four sides. Four-sided is usually only used for Master’s degrees, while six and eight sided are used for Doctor’s degrees depending on which the University prefers. tams are “poofed” at the top instead of flat, and come with a tassel usually in gold, with one or two buttons and sometimes in a gold bullion color. Mortarboard or cap Mortarboards are flat rather than “poufy” at the top, are not made from velvet, and are also usually black but come in a variety of colors and variations are more frequent than with tams. Mortarboards have only four sides, and typically have a tassel with a single button at the top, usually in the color of the degree-granting institution. tassel is worn on left after graduation (on right before the big moment). Usually black for undergraduates, but Masters have the option of wearing discipline color while Doctors usually wear gold. (AJPress) Source: “The History of Academical Dress in Europe Until the End of the Eighteenth Century,” by Hargreaves-Mawdsley, WN, Oxford University Press 1963
Top of their class: Pinoy celebrities...
Lea Salonga
PAGE B3 in Philosophy with a minor in Tourism, University of the Philippines (2008) Maria Elena Paula Peralejo in real life and the sister of Rica Peralejo was a famous teen star during the late 90’s and early 2000’s. She quit showbiz right after the final episode of “tabingilog”, the popular youth-oriented show during the early 2000’s. the show ran for 3 years, and one of the top-rated shows during those times. She left show business for
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her to focus on her studies. 7. Lea Salonga - Valedictorian, Elementary and High School, OB Montessori Even at a very young age Lea was already performing on the theater stage, tV and film. She also started her recording career and was a teen star via “that’s Entertainment.” however, in spite of her busy schedule, the international Broadway star and tony awardee still managed to finish grade school and high school with high honors.
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Your Immigration Solution
Filipino WWII vets’ family members may be able to come to US now
Filipino veterans” who fought for our country during World War II and to enable these veterans A NEW policy issued by US to reunite with their family in Citizenship and Immigration their old age.This policy would Services (USCIS) will allow fam- be an invaluable benefit for ily-members of Filipino WWII eligible individuals, as it allowsVeterans to come to the US now family members tobypass the and remain here while they wait extremely long wait time that for their family-based petitions to typically accompanies many fambecome current. Starting June 8, ily-sponsored petitions. Some 2016, eligible individuals under family members, for example, this policy are able to request have been waiting for over two parole into the United States on decades for a visa to become a case-by-case basis to join their available. This policy would profamilies here. The Filipino World vide, at the very least, the ability War II Veterans Parole (FWVP) for veterans and their faraway policy allows certain beneficia- family members to be together ries of WWII veterans’ family- in the US sooner. based immigrant visa petitions to Of the 260,000 Filipino enbe “paroled” into the US before a listed soldiers, an estimated visa is available in their category 26,000 became US citizens. In to wait out their time with their turn, these veterans petitioned veteran family memberhere in- their family members to immistead of outside the US. grate over to the US Currently, This policy is intended to between 2,000 to 6,000 Filirecognize the “extraordinary pino-American veterans remain contribution and sacrifices of living today in the United States,
AngelA K. Ho & nAncy Miller
Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette ADevA MAglAyA IT’S been said time and again that if you want anything done, give it to a busy person. That may very well be true, but only up to a point. One’s carrying capacity can be maxed out. The truth is that anyone who is both efficient and effective has mastered many times by trial and error over some length of time that fine blend of mixing the art and science of planning his work and working his plan. How? by thinking things through, prioritizing, sequencing and when necessary, improvising to stay within timetables and resources and keeping a laser-like focus on the goal, anyone can get things done. Nowhere is this life skill more put to the test than here in America where a person’s worth, whether you like it or not, is measured by his productivity, his creativity, and his results. It is a skill needed to navigate a person’s day-to-day life. The major strides in technology have enhanced man’s capability to multi-task. Picture the modern version of Everyman running on a treadmill fulfilling multiple roles. No matter how much you want to buck the system, there is no way you can get around the fact that in order to thrive, let alone survive at this time and in this place, the life skills one needs to acquire and develop some level of competence in, are in the areas of planning and working the plan. You know what a delight it is to work on a project that has been well conceived and well planned. And when a plan comes together in seamless fashion, everything
Health@Heart PHiliP S. cHuA, MD, FAcS, FPcS AbOUT 50 billion plastic water bottles are consumed around the world each year. This does not include the billions of other plastic materials littering the globe, chocking our environment in more ways than one. In the United States alone, which is less than 5 percent of the over 7.4 billion population, about 30 billion bottles are used annually, followed by Mexico, brazil, and China, with its population of 1.37 billion. Unfortunately, the recycling rate in the United States is only 23 percent, obviously because 77 percent of the people don’t care and irresponsibly choose to be non-compliant, wasting 38 billion water plastic bottles (worth $1 billion of plastic) each year. In Europe, it was estimated that around 60 million plastic bottles were recycled last year, at about a 50 percent recycling rate. It takes more than 17 barrels of oil a year to meet America’s need for bottled water, “enough to fuel 1.3 million cars for a year.” In the United States alone, the energy wasted using bottled water would be “enough to power 190,000 homes. Worldwide, the estimate is 50 million barrels of oil a year. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic, which is produced from crude oil, is what most plastic bottles are made from. In the process of oil extraction, greenhouse gasses are released, which harm the environment, and production of plastic spews toxins into our environment. The initial step is the creation of plastic pellets from distilled oil, which are then melted down by the bottle producers into pre-formed plastic
LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • JUNE 16-22, 2016
many with family members still outside the US waiting for a visa to become available for them. The new FWVP policy aims to remedy this wait period and assist beneficiaries in reuniting with their families. USCIS will have discretion to approve parole requests for such relatives so that they may wait in the US until they are able to move forward with their permanent resident applications. The benefit, in the government’s eyes, is twofold. In addition to honoring the sacrifice of Filipino WWII veterans by providing a faster means to family reunification in the US, this policy will also provide a significant public benefit in the form of substantive familial relief. Paroled family members will be able to provide their aging veterans and their spouses with much-needed substantive support—physical, financial, emotional—intheir twilight years.
The secret of getting things done “O Lord, Thou givest us everything, At the price of an effort.”
— Leonardo da Vinci
is as smooth as silk. On the flip side of the coin, you know how aggravating it is to be involved in one that is a mess from the beginning conceived by one who seems to be running around like a headless chicken. History bears out that most of the great leaders of all time, whether in politics, in industry and in business are supreme planners. And contrary to common belief, these planners see the big picture but do not feel that it is beneath them to roll up their sleeves and work on the nitty-gritty themselves. Planning helps you to see the goal very clearly. Planning makes it possible to signal your intentions to others so adjustments can be made in the early stages of the project. In freeway driving, it is not only courteous to signal your intention when changing lanes to let other drivers either speed up or slow down to make room for your move, it is the safe and prudent thing to do. Planning, like your left and right turn signals on your car, is a communication tool that gets feedback from within the team. Henry Ford once said, “Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.” As you flesh out the details of a project, the number of sub-tasks and the sequence with which these smaller tasks need to be done becomes clearer. Assigning who does what further breaks down the job to smaller and manageable bite sizes.
Of course as the overseer, your task is to monitor progress of each component of the project and see that each one contributes to the overall goal. Ultimately, the value of planning brings you full circle as it helps you stay focused on the goal and get the job done on time and within budget. Here’s a caveat. Lest we think that planning is foolproof, remember that “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” Even with all the seemingly perfect planning that scientists at NASA do and even with the use of cutting edge technology, the agency still experiences monumental failures - sometimes. Things may not work out as planned. There are absolutely no guarantees that something will work out because of a great plan. When things don’t work out as planned, accept it. Perhaps, there is a much better plan. However, it has been proven that unless mighty cosmic forces are conspiring against something from happening, chances are stacked heavily towards transforming an idea to reality because of the simple act of planning and tenaciously working the plan. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com
Plastic water bottles test tubes. The bottling firms then heat and expand these tubes to the shape and size they need. The water bottling plant then sterilizes and fills the plastic bottles with filtered water. Then they are capped, labeled and packed into cases for shipment. The oil-free option in manufacturing water bottles is the use of bioplastic, a material made from plant materials (corn or sugarcane) instead of petroleum. bioplastics are biodegradable but are still not totally eco-friendly. Its production requires huge amounts of water, which farmers could use, especially in regions of the world where water is scarce. Producing one bottle of filtered water uses three times the same amount of water, according to the Pacific Institute. That concentrated water extraction in areas where bottling plants are ”can lead to drops in the water table, making local communities suffer from water shortages.” The transport of bottled water from the plant to the stores and consumers are climate and fuel-intensive. It has been estimated that in some cases a liter of gasoline is needed to transport a bottle of water. The Earth Policy Institute reports that “about one in four bottles of water crosses at least one international border by boat, train or truck before being consumed.” And all these modes emits carbon dioxide, aggravating climate change. Today, most plastic bottles end up as litter and dumped in landfills and waterways, where they take hundreds of years to decompose. On the other hand, recycled plastic bottles are shredded and melted back into pellets and sold to plants that manufacture recycled plastic products, including fleece used in blankets and clothing, among others. Plastic garbage in oceans “is a major ecology problem, pol-
luting the water and threatening sea creatures and birds.” According to Ocean Conservatory, there are over 46,000 pieces of floating plastic in every square mile of ocean. Marine life, birds, and other animals eat them and die. Man’s cruelty to Mother Earth besides not caring enough to recycle plastic bottles, man’s cruelty to Mother Earth includes his actions that sabotage our ecosystem. It does not take an Einstein to understand that clean air, pure water and an uncontaminated environment are conducive to health and longevity. In certain parts of the world, like in the serene Okinawa to the verdant valleys of Ecuador to the unspoiled hills of the Himalayas, a significant number of people normally live to 100 years old. A common denominator among these centenarians is an environment that is nature’s best, untainted by the toxic byproducts of the advances in technology in this modern world of ours. Today, in most parts of the earth, especially in well-developed cities, human beings are no longer living in harmony with nature. They have become hostile to the environment, gradually killing it with the emission of poisonous gases and deadly chemicals from factories. Toxic smokes from vehicles pollute the air and deplete the ozone layer, which protects us from excessive solar radiation. Noxious substances we use at home for cleaning eventually end up in rivers and oceans, destroy bodies of water and their inhabitants, contaminate our drinking water, and destroy our forests. Other human activities negatively alter the “homeostasis” in our world and the equilibrium in our environment. These and other unwise human behaviors, mostly self-inflicted, and his cruelty to Mother Nature
So, who is eligible under the Filipino WWII Veteran Parole Policy? In order to qualify for FWVP parole, individuals must first be beneficiaries of an approved family-based immigrant visa petition whose qualifying relationship existed on or before May 9, 2016. Second, the petitioning relative must be residing in the US If the petitioner is deceased, then they must have been residing in the United States at the time of death. Third, the petitioning relative must be either a Filipino WWII veteran or the surviving spouse of the veteran, with the Department of Defense recognizing the veteran’s military service. USCIS can verify this information with government records, but in cases where this information is not available, beneficiaries will have the burden of proving eligibility. If the family member has inadmissibility issues, such as criminal history, misrepre-
sentations or prior deportation orders, it may be more difficult to obtain parole. If the Filipino veteran is still living, the individuals eligible for parole consideration include all family-sponsored preferences, including brothers and sisters. If the Filipino veteran is deceased and the surviving spouse is the petitioner, parole consideration can only be given to the biological children of the surviving spouse and the Filipino veteran. If the petitioning relative is deceased, eligible individuals can also attempt to seek parole on their own behalf by seeking reinstatement of the family petition for humanitarian reasons. These would include qualifying children and brothers and sisters of the deceased Filipino WWII veteran. This FWVP policy has been implemented by USCIS for the public benefit of Filipino WWII veterans. However, this policy is not a permanent benefit; it is set to expire five (5) years after June 8, 2016. Therefore, time is of the essence. Applications should be submitted as soon as possible. Once parole is granted, indi-
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viduals can apply for entry at the port of entry (including airports and land borders) to the United States. Department of State consular officers will interview all applicants to determine whether a favorable grant of discretion is appropriate.Individuals must continue to seek re-parole upon parole expiration. Anyone whose Filipino WWII veteran family member filed a petition for them before May 9, 2016 should consult an experienced and knowledgeable immigration attorney to see if they or their family member qualifies under this very exciting new and temporary policy. *** Reeves, Miller, Zhang & Diza Law Corporation’s offices are located in Pasadena, Irvine, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Makati City. Telephone: (800) 795-8009 E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com Website: www.rreeves.com. *** The analysis and suggestions offered in this column do not create a lawyer-client relationship and are not a substitute for the personalized representation that is essential to every case. (Advertising Supplement)
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Know Your Rights A working entitled “Know Your Rights” will be held on Thursday, June 16, 2016 from 6 to 8pm at the Union City Kids Zone (former Barnard White Campus) at 725 Whipple Road in Union City sponsored by the Filipino Advocates for Justice, Our Lady of the Rosary, Union City Kids Zone and Congregations Organizing for Renewal. The overall goal of the Know Your Rights Workshop is to provide the community with the knowledge and tools they need to exercise their rights during Immigration Customs and Enforcements (ICE) raids. The workshop includes information on what to do when ICE and law enforcement knocks on your door, stops you on the street, searches you on the street, approaches you at school or arrests you. There will also be a presentation by the National Lawyers Guild. Spanish and Tagalog translation is available, and there will be light food provided to attendees. For questions and inquiries, contact Abigail Andrade at (510) 476-2770. (Resources will be provided but we will not be able to assist individual cases during the workshop.)
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Cabiao USA annual picnic Join Cabiao USA for its annual picnic on Sunday, June 26 at Wilderness Park in Downey, California from 11 am to 5 pm. There will be food, games, prizes and karoke! Meet kababayans, relatives and new friends and help plan for our 25th anniversary next year. For more information, call Allan Ocampo (323) 684-1820, Irma Ocampo Alcaraz (323) 861-6101, Gardy Parungao (562) 754-7511 or Andy Tecson (323) 467-5096.
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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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Celebrity dads share their fave... PAGE B3 most 40 minutes. He didn’t leave my side till the next day. Ogie Alcasid: I always love the Father’s Day cards that my girls give me every year. I actually have two Father’s Days, because Australia celebrates it on another date. Nate is planning a Father’s Day surprise for me this year. Noel Cabangon: One of the more unforgettable bonding moments I had with my son was watching a concert of John Mayer at SM Mall of Asia. We were drenched, and while alternately sharing one umbrella, we sang along to Mayer’s songs. Jose Mari Chan: I own a complete collection of Classics Illustrated comics (circa 1950s). When my kids were growing up, I would read to them the
different classic stories in these comic books. And as we went through the pages of the comics, I would alter my voice according to the characters depicted in the stories, which helped bring the characters come to life. I also made up enchanting bedtime stories to expose them to the songs of my generation. Kim Atienza: When I got sick and had GbS (Group b strep, a type of bacteria) in 2013, [my kids] volunteered to take turns watching over me in 12-hour shifts at the Intensive Care Unit. I had so much quality time with each of them telling jokes, stories, taking pics and just enjoying every minute. It was then that I realized how much my kids loved me.
have boomeranged. Our immune system as a species, for one thing, has been adversely affected. Various diseases -- including cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure -- have increased, especially in the last century or so. Our misadventures are now haunting us, our children, and the future generations. The major concerns Water in a plastic bottle that contains bisphenol A (bPA) could be toxic to the body, especially when exposed to heat (microwave or the sun). There are greater fears, which are becoming more evident and valid: the deadly impact of plastic on all life forms; the adverse effects of carbon footprints during trans-
port; plastic garbage pollution; and choking and killing life forms. Its non-biodegradable nature leads to tons and mountains of plastic trash that litter the earth, occupying our valuable space, to linger for centuries, and with no end in sight. Our individual responsibility Since this dilemma directly impacts our individual life, it is our collective responsibility as a global community to be proactive and pre-emptive in protecting our environment, Mother Earth -- the only inhabitable and hospitable home we have -- from any and all abuses against our eco-system. While the governments around the world are trying (unfortunately at a snail’s pace) to remedy this dire global situation, it behooves
Ogie Alcasid
Kim Atienza
us, earthlings, to be proactive and pre-emptive and do our daily share in showing more respect and love for our environment. After all, this is the only home we’ve got today. And destroying it is like exploding a bomb on board a plane we are in. *** 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
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WGU Nevada launches bachelor’s degree Pinoy animation, docus win US awards program in Data Management/Data Analytics New competency-based program focuses on data management and analytics
LAS VEGAS—State-endorsed, nonprofit online university WGU Nevada is now accepting applications for a new online bachelor’s degree program aimed at preparing IT professionals for roles in the growing field of data management and analytics. The Bachelor of Science in Data Management/Data Analytics is designed for experienced IT professionals seeking a bachelor’s degree and industry certifications to advance their careers. Developed in collaboration with industry and academic experts, the B.S. in Data Management/Data Analytics program is online and competency-based, which allows students to study and learn at their own pace, completing courses as soon as they demonstrate mastery of the subject matter through tests, papers, simulations, and projects. This new program prepares students to set up, secure, and maintain the environment where data will be hosted and the skills needed to analyze the data to identify patterns, explain phenomena, and predict trends to support decisions. Coursework in WGU Nevada’s B.S. in Data Management/Data Analytics includes general education as well as information technology topics, such as IT fundamentals, web development, network and security, scripting and programming, data management, spreadsheets, business of
IT, data science, data analytics, data wrangling, strategy, and technical writing. “Data scientists who can manage the flow of data and translate that information to make meaningful business decisions are in high demand, and this new degree program equips students with best practices to succeed in the industry,” said Dr. Myles Vogel, National Director of WGU’s College of IT. Like all WGU Nevada’s degree programs, the B.S in Data Management/Data Analytics is online and competency-based. Competency-based education is a good fit for working professionals because it allows them to study and learn at their own pace and advance as soon as they have mastered course materials. Students have 24/7 access to their course materials, and faculty members provide one-onone support. Terms are six months long, and students pay a flat rate of $2,890 per term for most programs, regardless of the number of courses completed. Because WGU Nevada programs are selfpaced, many students are able to accelerate their studies, finishing their degree sooner, which saves them both time and money. As a result, the average time to complete a bachelor’s degree at WGU is less than three years. For more information about this new degree program, go to nevada.wgu.edu/data.
WGU Nevada WGU Nevada is an online, nonprofit, competency-based university established to expand Nevadans’ access to higher education throughout the state. Formed through a partnership between the state of Nevada and nationally recognized Western Governors University, WGU Nevada is open to all qualified Nevada residents. The university offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the high-demand career fields of business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Teachers College programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)*. For more information, visit the WGU Nevada website, nevada. wgu.edu, or call 877-214-7005. *Western Governors University offers nursing programs that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 5380, Washington, DC 20036, 202-877-6791).
Enrique Gil, Liza Soberano post ‘forever’ photo ENrIqUE Gil and Liza Soberano seem to have found “forever.” On Tuesday, June 14, the rumored couple each posted a sweet photo of them with captions pertaining to “forever” while roaming around in the United Kingdom. Liza posted a photo showing her with Enrique smiling at each other with a cryptic caption “Forever? Forever.” In Enrique’s photo post, the two are seen holding hands. “road to forever,” its caption reads. The Kapamilya actor has always been vocal about his feelings for Liza, and even promised to wait for her to turn 18 years old before officially courting and asking Enrique Gil and Liza Soberano fans went giddy over “forever” posts by the rumored her to be his girlfriend. (Joyce Jimenez/ Philstar.com) couple.
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THE first-ever Filipino animated anthology series Alamat, and a number of GMA Network documentaries are the winners of four medals and seven certificates from the 2016 US International Film & Video Festival. The announcement was made from the award giving body’s offices in redondo, Calfornia this past week. The Filipino animation earned the Gold Camera Award in the Entertainment: Children Category for its “Alamat ng Bayabas (The Legend of the Guava)” episode. The series, which began airing over GMA in 2015 features Philippine myths and legends with each episode voiced by various network personalities. It is currently on its second season. Documentary program reel Time, meanwhile, received the Gold Camera Award for its episode “Isang Paa sa Hukay (The Price of Gold)” in the Public Affairs Programs category. It documented small-scale mining in Camarines Norte, where children dive into narrow shafts using air compressor to support their breathing, just to mine very little pieces of gold. Incidentally, the award serves as the third international citation for “Isang Paa sa Hukay” documentary this year. It was named as Best Program on “Promoting Children’s rights” under the Humanity category at the AsiaPacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD)’s World Television Awards. It also took home the bronze award in the
A screengrab of ‘Alamat ng Bayabas’
Human Concerns category at the recent New York Festivals. Another documentary, I-Witness, was conferred the Silver Screen Award for its “Kawayang Pangarap (Bamboo Dreams)” episode in the Documentary Programs: Biography category. Host Kara David followed an Aeta family’s everyday toil of hauling bamboos just to have all children finish their education. Investigative public affairs program reporter’s Notebook also won a Silver Screen Award in the Public Affairs category for its “Hikbi sa Ibayong Dagat (Far From Home)” episode. Maki Pulido and Jiggy Manicad took a closer look at the ironic stories of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Hong Kong who continue to work despite having serious illnesses because going home means losing their jobs and facing the expensive cost of medical treatment in the Philippines.
Finally, the seven certificates the network received were for: Brigada (“Para sa Pangarap”), Front row (“Maestra Salbabida”), and Investigative Documentaries (“Gutom”), each earning a Certificate for Creative Excellence in the Social Issues category’; and Karelasyon’s “Tres rosas” and Wagas’ “Gabriela and Diego Silang Love Story,” each given Certificates for Creative Excellence in the Docudrama category; and entertainment programs Pepito Manaloto and Idol sa Kusina, each earning Certificates for Creative Excellence in the Cooking and Comedy categories, respectively. Since 1967, the US International Film & Video Festivals has recognized outstanding corporate, education, entertainment, documentary, and student productions. GMA Network was the only Philippine entity to win in this year’s awards. (ManilaTimes.net)
Elmo & Janella: A love team is born by BiBsy
M. CarBallo Philstar.com
WE first saw Janella Salvador in “Be Careful With My Heart” playing Nikki Lim. It was followed by her first main lead role in the daytime teleserye “Oh My G!” as Sophie Cepeda. Both were produced by ABS-CBN. Janella proved her skills in acting, winning her first acting award in the 27th PMPC Star Awards for Television. We will be seeing her again with Elmo Magalona in the new series Born For You, which is directed by Dan Villegas and Onat Diaz. It is slated to premiere this month under Dreamscape Productions, the same unit behind the shows
The story revolves around two teenagers, whose red strings are connected to one another, binding them together. Supporting cast members include Vina Morales, Ariel rivera, Gina Pareño, Freddie Webb, Joshua Garcia, Katya Santos, Smokey Manaloto, Ogie Diaz, Neil Coleta, Young JV and Joj Martin. It is obvious that the big-budgeted “Born For You” is the first team-up of Elmo and Janella. And the first teleserye of Elmo since he Janella Salvador and Elmo Magalona will lead transferred to ABS-CBN. the cast of “Born For You.” Elmo and Janella were together FPJ’s “Ang Probinsyano,” “On the in Japan where many scenes were Wings of Love,” “Doble Kara,” shot. David Pomeranz was the “Wansapanatym,” “Love You So” original singer of “Born For You,” and “Written in our Stars.” used as the theme song.
Clint Ramos wins Tony Award for Costume... PAGE B1 mass shooting in Orlando. He ended it with a powerful message that resonated to the viewers and the social media, “And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love cannot be killed or swept aside. Fill the world with music, love and pride.” Tony host James Corden set the tone of the evening and talked about the industry’s message to the Orlando victims. “Your tragedy is our tragedy. Theater is a place where every race, creed, sexuality and gender is equal, embraced, and loved. Hate will never win,” he said. “There was no way that the theater community could ignore what happened in Orlando. That particular part of the community that was affected is almost an extended part of the theater world. I think it was appropriate as it was a little somber,” Clint added. “The theater has always been
about inclusion, acceptance and tolerance.” Actors of color also made Tony Awards history by winning all four musical acting categories. Three cast members from “Hamilton” – Leslie Odom, Jr., renee Elise Goldsberry and Daveed Diggs won as lead actor, featured actress and featured actor, respectively. Cynthia Erivo won lead actress for “The Color Purple.” The talk on diversity on and off stage is something that ramos is passionate about. In the Asian Journal’s first interview with him a month ago, he lamented the fact that what happens backstage does not fully reflect what’s happening onstage. And this is why he is happy that this year’s batch of Tony Award nominees – and eventual winners – is diverse. “The diversity means a lot. This means that even children or young artists of color who are
considering a career in theater can see themselves up there. It’s pretty major and I wish there were more people of color in the design categories as well,” ramos said. “I was just told that I am the first person of color to win in my category, it is important that people see that. When I was growing up, I couldn’t see myself up there, I had to seek examples out like Eduardo Sicangco and Loy Arcenas.” The newly-minted Tony Award winner also expressed his profound thanks to his supporters and everyone in the diaspora who prayed for him. “I would like to thank all my family and friends and kababayans in the Philippines and here in the U.S. who have extended their prayers and support. I feel the love and I just want to say that I am not taking that for granted,” ramos said. “I know what responsibilities this kind of recognition comes with.”
These Filipino celebrity dads make...
PAGE B2 and aspirations Juliana has for her future. A man known to have very active lifestyle; aside from acting, he is an athlete, a model, a director, and is now the mayor of Ormoc city. Gomez plays a lot of different roles outside the home but to his precious daughter, Juliana, he will always be her dad – a great one at that. Albert Martinez Being a dad to three gorgeous children is tough. But being a dad – and a mom – to them is even tougher. After his wife, actress Liezl Martinez lost her battle to cancer last year, he has been adjusting to doing everything by himself. He says he misses his late wife so much but has to stay strong for Alfonso, Alissa, and Alyanna, who are all adults now. To help him ease his longing for Liezl, Martinez said he enjoys spending time with his children. He and Liezl seem to have raised their children well. It shows on how the three carry themselves and how they try to maintain a peaceful and private life. Martinez said in an interview, “Gusto ko lang to take [care] of them, make sure na makapag-asawa sila nang maayos at mabigyan sana ako ng apo soon, kung sino man sa kanila.” Zoren Legaspi Who can forget the fairytale proposal–turned–wedding that he made to his longtime partner, actress Carmina Villaroel in 2012? It made women wish they one day
find someone like Zoren Legaspi. It was a perfect plan, not only because of how romantic it came out, but because of how their children were part of it all. Lately, the twins are more visible on TV. With parents who are both in showbiz, they have big shoes to fill. But their dad had never put that kind of pressure on them. In fact, Legaspi makes it a point to spend time with them doing normal activities instead of shaping them to act as “celebrity kids” Legaspi and Mavy are very much alike. In an article written about Legaspi and his son Mavi, it reads: “They run together, pull pranks against each other, play basketball and tennis together, and even to this day, also sleep together. He is also always on top of things when it comes to his studies.” Yet despite his closeness to his children, Legaspi makes sure their children know their place and respect him, saying that “he is a father first and a friend second.” Martin Nievera He has always been very open about how his experiences as a father. Despite his annulment with estranged wife Pops Fernandez, he never stopped being a great dad to their children and a friend to their mom. His two sons, ram and robin, always loved this about their mom and dad. Nievera is also glad to have his son Santino (his child with Katrina Ojeda) meet robin and ram and Pops Fernandez. “It’s a happy moment,” he said, describing the
meeting of Pops, Santino and their two kids robin and ram. “I don’t know how everyone will accept it, what matters is my kids were together, which is what I want for Christmas and I got my wish.” Aga Muhlach “When I look at the kids, I can’t wait for the day when Andres asks me for a car, or when Atasha shares her heartaches. Sure, it’s going to be hard, but it’s something to look forward to because you know they’re growing up and they’re growing up with me. It’s such a wonderful thing to be a father.” This is what Aga Muhlach said when asked about being a father. Aga Muhlach is a doting father to twins Atasha and Andres, who are perfect replicas of their parents. When Muhlach married beauty queen Charlene Gonzales, he vowed to always be present in the lives of their children and to put his family above all. I must say, he made the right decision. *** 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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How Willie Revillame keeps on winning Jaclyn Jose,‘Ma’Rosa’ team applauded at French film festival gala night by
Angel JAvier Cruz Philstar.com
“WoWoWin” host Willie Revillame reflects on his journey to success and says that he would not want to have reached it any other way. What his followers should learn from the popular host is to “never forget the people who helped you through your journey and to keep giving back to those who supported you.” Years and years in show business taught him to become resilient despite the controversies and the storms he had to face that almost cost him his career. Being able to rise above these trials gave him the favor of the people. He recovers well after each setback — stronger, wiser, with his head held high — and remains true to what he believes in. “i don’t mind the detractors. What i tell myself is, these people will like me once they see the real me. Basta ako, gusto ko lang na maayos, may sistema,” the Kapuso host reveals. But who is Willie Revillame? Starting his career as a drummer, Willie recalls how he used to be a nonchalant ladies’ man who only cared about his music and the money he earned. He shares, “i never had any dream but to become a drummer or to work abroad. My dream was really to become Michael Jackson’s drummer. i wanted to audition before him. i would find time to practice. Pero isipin mo kung naging drummer ako ni Michael Jackson, eh patay na siya ngayon, kanino na ’ko tutugtog?” His jolly personality goes well with how he wants to be seen by the people who look up to him. He is very approachable and warm. His generosity towards his staff makes them feel more like family than co-workers. This is proven true as his co-hosts and production team show their unending support to him. They are willing to go the extra mile just to bring out the best in their program. Yvette Corral, one of Willie’s most loyal staff, started as a dancer for his show when she was 16. She used to borrow money from him just so she could juggle studying and working. Willie saw her potential and appreciated her hard work. now, she is one of his co-hosts. “i’ve learned so much from Kuya Wil. i’m happy that i became part of the show. Kasi nag-pepay off yung mgapinaghihirapan namin sa rehearsals. Lalo na po
by
JoyCe Jimenez Philstar.com
Host Willie Revillame is approachable and warm on- and off-cam
kapag nakikita naming yung mga tinuturo po sa’min ni kuya ay nagagawa namin ng maayos. We do our best since it is our way of thanking him and returning all the goods things he has done for us,” says Yvette. Meanwhile, for beautyqueen-turned host Ariella Arida, the newest addition to the “Wowowin” family, all the fun and entertainment that their program provides are a reflection of how they are off-cam. “Perhaps, people see that the show has a heart — and it is not pretentious, what you see on-cam is the same thing you see off-cam. So yung bonding, kung paano kami makisalamuha sa isa’t isa at sa mga tao, it’s all natural and organic. That’s the reason why people love the show.” “Wowowin” has been running for a year now on GMA 7, and the secret to its success is the team behind it. Willie takes pride in his well-disciplined staff that he personally trains by example. Being the perfectionist that he is, Willie shares, “From the start of the day nandito na ‘ko. i supervise them and then, i study everything. i watch different game shows — Japanese, Chinese, etc. — because i have to research. i check out the stage (design), the lighting, the games and even the music.” His equally passionate team has imbibed Willie’s dedication. Even if he calls them up at 2 a.m., they will pick up the phone and attend to the impending concern without any questions. He admits that he tends to be too hands-on, but shouldn’t one be anything less in order to give his audience
a well-crafted entertainment program? Knowing what he does and who he is doing it for are the roots of his achievements. Willie believes that in the entertainment industry, it is important that the people behind a show are happy with what they are doing and he doesn’t end there. His show is not only for the people, but it’s also about the people. “You give importance to those who are neglected or disadvantaged. i think that speaks of success. Yung mga taong di nabibigyan ng chance sa buhay, bibigyan natin. And it’s not a competition, it’s more of a performance,” he says. Willie loves hearing other people’s stories. Giving them an opportunity to achieve their dreams is reason enough for him to keep going. Asked about the goals he still wants to reach, he maintains that he is already settled. if there is one thing he wants to do, it is to support the people in his team and to maximize their potential. “oK na ko eh. Ang ‘di ko na lang nararating ay yung Mars at saka Moon,” he jokes. “Honestly, i want all of them (my staff) to have a good life. Someday, i want to see them having fulfilled their dreams.” one thing he wants to remind people is to keep learning: “Develop your talent. Kahit anong mangyari, ‘di pwedeng mabait ka lang. Kahit mabait ka o mayabang ka, at the end of the day, what matters is you’ve proven something.” Words of wisdom from a man who has gone through hell and back and yes, he still stands proud on the stage of success.
Film Festival. “Mas maganda at mas exciting kasi manapoondd nila ang pelikula while it’s hot,” she said. She also hopes that the public will embrace the film the same way it was welcomed in the film festival in France. “nagbibigay lang kami ng
isang kuwento at sana magustuhan nila. Ang intensyon lang naman ay magbigay ng kuwento ng totoong buhay,” she said. After her success, Jaclyn will do another independent film and will continue with her sexy-comedy series “A1 Ko Sa’yo,” airing on GMA.
THE celebration of victory continous for Jaclyn Jose as she and the other cast of “Ma’Rosa” graced the gala night of the 21st French Film Festival. Jaclyn bagged the best actress award at the recent Cannes Film Festival in France. “Siyempre overwhelming, lalo na the ambassador is acknowledging us,” she said in an interview with the press on the red carpet of French Film Festival on Wednesday, June 8. She also invited everyone to support the week-long run of the French Film Festival. “French film has a very great impact in our filmmaking. i can say na pang-world class ang ginagawa namin because of the influence ng mga French film—’yan ay personal kong opinyon.” Meanwhile, Jaclyn is happy that their film “Ma’Rosa” will finally hit the cinemas on July 16. The date is earlier from the initial plan of director Brillante Mendoza to submit the film as Jaclyn Jose is grateful that she and the whole team of “Ma’Rosa” were recognized by the entry in this year’s Metro Manila French Embassy to the Philippines.
Benjamin’s Guam homecoming STRiKinG work-life balance, Benjamin Alves took a well-deserved vacation in Guam to spend quality time with his family before working on his latest project with his home network GMA. Benjamin spent most of his growing-up years in Guam, where his family is based.
Benjamin Alves
His excitement to be home was evident on his instagram account as he shared photos and videos of him and his relatives. in one particular video, the Kapuso star can be seen playing basketball in an arcade with his nephew, noah. “Hoopin with noah. Couldn’t help but join in,” he happily shared. D u r i n g h i s m o s t re c e n t visit, Benjamin also had the opportunity to visit some of the local radio stations and press offices through GMA Pinoy TV, GMA’s flagship international channel. His media tour included an interview with Pacific Daily news, as well as guestings in Cruising with KUAM, Kumusta Kabayan and KTKB Megamixx 101.9 FM Guam, where he was interviewed by his brother DJ Arnold Sapida. Benjamin also paid a courtesy call on Consul General Marciano De Borja at the Philippine Consulate in Tamuning. He also visited the headquarters of GTA Teleguam, one of GMA’s carriers in the territory.
“it’s so nice to see our #TeamAbroad here in Guam grow since introducing GMA Pinoy TV here. it feels like so much of me being a Kapuso has come from me being raised in Guam,” he revealed. According to him, knowing that his “fellow islanders” enjoy Kapuso programs, especially those he was part of is a validation that GMA Pinoy TV continues to reach more and more Filipinos in Guam. Starting this month, Filipinos in Guam and other parts of the world will see more of him on GMA’s newest weekly sexy comedy program A1 Ko Sa ’Yo, which also stars Jaclyn Jose, Gardo Versoza and Solenn Heussaff. Benjamin, who graduated summa cum laude from the University of Guam with a degree in English Literature, is also the lead advocate of the GMA network Excellence Award, the Kapuso network’s CSR program that recognizes outstanding graduating students of Mass Communication or Electronic Communications Engineering. (Philstar.com)
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