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Volume 9 – Issue 49 • 20 Pages
S E P T E MBE R 2 - 8 , 2 0 1 6 Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
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Obama expected to raise concerns over Duterte’s remarks at ASEAN meet by Patricia Lourdes Philstar.com
President Barack Obama puts his arm on Vice President Joe Biden’s shoulder during a meeting with senior advisors in the Chief of Staff’s West Wing Office of the White House on Monday, Aug. 29. White House photo by Pete Souza
Viray
UNIteD states President Barack obama is expected to raise concerns about some of the recent statements of President rodrigo Duterte in their upcoming meeting in Laos. the two leaders are set to hold bilateral talks on the sidelines of the Association of southeast Asian Nations (AseAN) leaders’ summit at Vientiane, Laos on sept. 6. “We regularly meet with the leaders of our treaty allies where we have differences whether it relates to human rights practices or derogatory comments.
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Cardinal Tagle asks DATELINE USA Filipinos to condemn Paynor named PH all forms of murder from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA
ambassador to US
PresIDeNt rodrigo Duterte announced on monday, August 29, that he has appointed malacañang Palace chief protocol officer marciano Paynor as the Philippines’ new ambassador to the United states. Duterte said Paynor has already accepted the position. “he is a seasoned foreign career envoy,” the president said of Paynor. Paynor previously served as protocol chief to former presidents fidel ramos and Gloria macapagal-Arroyo and Benigno s. Aquino, III. he also served as Arroyo’s presidential assistant for state and foreign visits. Born and raised in Baguio, Paynor was the director general of the Asia-Pacific economic Cooperation (APeC) 2015 National organizing Council and has served Philippine diplomatic posts in countries, including Israel and Cyprus.
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Report highlights economic challenges facing AAPI seniors WAshINGtoN, D.C. — the Asian American federation, with primary funding support from AArP, released a new report, Asian American seniors in New York City: An Updated snapshot, highlighting the demographic changes and economic challenges facing New York City’s fastest-growing senior population. Asian Americans represent 16% of all seniors ages 50 years and older, yet programs and resources available to Asian seniors have failed to keep pace with this growth. When it comes to New York City’s social service funding, for example, only 2.7% went to senior programs focused on Asian seniors. Jo-Ann Yoo, executive director of the federation, said, “since our 2003 report on Asian elders, the size and composition
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by JosePh
aLmer B. PedraJas AJPress
mANILA Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal tagle has finally broken his silence on the recent spate of killings in the Philippines as he asked filipinos to condemn all forms of murder happening in the country. In an interview on sunday, August 28, by Church-run radio Veritas, tagle called for his countrymen to denounce not just the issue of extrajudicial Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle. killings, but also other kinds of killings including abortion, unfair labor practices and wasting food. “As long as one is alive, whoever he or she is, that life is sacred. I know that the spate of killings is becoming a big issue nowadays — they say, it affects even those who are not guilty, those who are innocent — but whether be a person guilty or not, we should give importance to life.
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DUTERTE VISITS FALLEN SOLDIERS. President Rodrigo Duterte kisses the photo of fallen soldier Corporal Ronald Galoniga during a visit at the AFP Western Mindanao Command in Zamboanga City on Wednesday, August 31. Fifteen army soldiers were killed by Abu Sayyaf Inquirer.net photo by Julie Alipala bandits in an ambush in Patikul, Sulu last Monday, Aug. 29.
Fil-Ams sound off on Trump’s long-awaited immigration speech by christina
m. orieL
AJPress
BUILD a wall. Curb undocumented immigration. end sanctuary cities. Implement an extreme vetting process. In his anticipated immigration speech in Phoenix, Arizona on Wednesday night, August 31, these were some of the policies republican presidential nominee Donald trump said would help “take our country back.”
“When politicians talk about immigration reform, they usually mean the following: amnesty, open borders, and lower wages,” trump said. “Immigration reform should mean something else entirely: it should mean improvements to our laws and policies to make life better for American citizens.” the issue of immigration — particularly undocumented immigration, which trump said is
“one of the greatest challenges” the country faces — has been a bedrock of the real estate billionaire’s campaign. In announcing his candidacy last year, he mentioned that mexican immigrants were “rapists” and “bringing drugs” into the United states. following the attack in san Bernardino, California in December, trump proposed banning muslims from entering the coun-
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Donaire to fight on Pacquiao-Vargas card by dana
sioson AJPress
reclaiming his WBo super bantamweight title last December, following a unanimous verdict tWo internationally-re- over Cesar Juarez. nowned filipino boxing chamearlier this April, he defended pions will be fighting at the his belt after coming off a tKo same event on November 5 in win hungarian olympian Zsolt Las Vegas. Bedak in the third round. In an ABs-CBN report, boxing on the other hand, magdapromoter Bob Arum announced leno has a 23-0 professional rethat Nonito “the filipino flash” cord with 17 of his wins coming Donaire Jr. will fight against by way of knockout. his fight Jessie magdaleno at the co- with Donaire will be his first main event of manny “Pacman” shot at a world title. Pacquiao’s comeback fight. In his latest match, magdale“We are looking to do some- no knocked out Pinoy boxer rey thing really spectacular for all Perez in the seventh round. filipino people,” Arum said. “When we made the fight, Donaire will defend the one of the reasons why we are crown against magdaleno after u PAGE A2 Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire Jr.
AMERICA’S PUBLIC LANDS: HOW DIVERSE, HOW INCLUSIVE?
National survey of voters of color reveals deep support for and interest in America’s national parks and other public lands by momar
G. Visaya
AJPress
NeW YorK – Nine out of ten voters of color believe it is important for the next president of the United states to continue improving access to America’s national parks and other public lands, according to a new nationwide poll of African American, Latino and Asian Pacific American voters. the poll, which was done to coincide with the 100th anniversary of National Park service, also approve of President Barack obama’s commitment to protecting nation-
al public lands. the National Park service oversees places like the statue of Liberty, stonewall National monument, ellis Island National monument and Acadia National Park, Golden Gate National recreation Area, the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone, among others. the results of the poll were released in New York through an ethnic media and stakeholder briefing at the Neighborhood Preservation Center in the east Village. New America media, led by its executive director sandy Close, commissioned the poll and
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New America Media executive director Sandy Close (right) welcoming the ethnic media to the briefing on the national survey of people of color on public lands. Among the panelists were (from left) Don Cravins, Jr., senior VP for policy of the National Urban League and Anthony Williams, special project director of Bendixen & Amandi International. AJPress photo by Momar G. Visaya
A SEPTEMBER 2-8, 2016 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426
From the Front Page
Obama expected to raise concerns… PAGE A1 t
We take the opportunity of those meetings to raise those issues directly,” White House Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said in a media briefing on Monday. Rhodes made the statement after he was asked if the “inflammatory remarks” of Duterte about women, journalists and other issues would be discussed. The White House official add-
ed that the recent ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the South China Sea would also be one of the topics of the bilateral talks. “I think the discussion will encompass both concerns about statements that have been made by the President of the Philippines and our commitment to supporting human rights and all efforts that are undertaken bilaterally and also, again, discussing
the regional picture particularly focus on the maritime issues,” Rhodes said. Duterte is expected to meet with other heads of state on the sidelines of the ASEAN leaders’ summit. The president will first visit Brunei Darussalam on Sept. 4 before proceeding to attend the ASEAN summit from Sept. 5 to 7. He will then proceed to Indonesia for a two-day working visit. n
Cardinal Tagle asks Filipinos to condemn…
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And if a person is already proven guilty, give another chance to live — give chance to rise from old life,” Tagle stressed in Filipino. The Manila archbishop released his statement against the issue after the deaths of more than 1,800 illegal drug-related people have been recorded since the end of June. Tagle believes that there are also other forms of killings that the people need to condemn. “I hope that we’re also worried about abortion. Why are only a few people speaking against abortion? It’s also a form of murder.” he said. “Let’s guard against abortion. Those who are not yet born can’t do anything.” The cardinal also emphasized that “unfair labor practices” also “kill the reputation of the workers.”
He went on to add that wasting food and pushing children to go into vices are also forms of killing. “Whenever we waste food, why does it have to be put in the garbage first before someone would pick it up and eat, it is also a kind of murder, it kills children who have nothing to eat,” he explained. “Selling illegal drugs, pushing the youth to go into vices — that’s also a form of murder against their dreams, their minds, their good relationships with their families.” The archbishop ended his plea as he said that everyone should “be consistent to promote whole or integral life” and “not be selective.” Tagle has now joined other religious groups and pro-life individuals who have criticized the recent killings in the country.
Earlier in August, Archbishop Socrates Villegas, head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), issued a statement expressing that he is in “utter disbelief.” “If drugs indeed kill, will killing the suspects remove the menace? Are we providing our children a safe haven, by teaching them by our tolerance of murders, that killing suspected criminals without fair hearing is a morally acceptable way to eradicate crime? From a generation of drug addicts shall we become a generation of street murderers? Will the do-it-yourself justice system assure us of a safer and better future?” Villegas said. Meanwhile, Fr. Amado Picardal, head of the CBCP’s Commission for Basic Ecclesial Communities, said that “the Church is powerless to stop the killings.” n
INSTANT BRIDGE. Pedestrians use a plank of wood to cross a flooded portion of Quirino Ave. in Manila. The southwest monsoon spawned heavy rains that drenched Metro Manila and other areas in Luzon on Friday and Saturday. ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma
National survey of voters of color reveals…
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was released in partnership with the Next 100 Coalition, a group advocating for greater diversity and inclusion in national public lands. “We found interest in the outdoors to be strong among voters of color, with 70 percent participating in outdoor activities commonly offered on public lands,” shared Anthony Williams, special projects director, Bendixen & Amandi International, which conducted the poll. “It is impor-
tant that there should be more culturally-sensitive outreach to these communities.” Don Cravins, Jr., senior vice president for policy and executive director of the Washington bureau of the National Urban League, agreed with the poll’s findings and the suggestion of Williams to assist and educate communities of color about the types of national lands that exist in their own neighborhoods. “We need to right the wrong and create a new paradigm in telling the stories of the people of color in this country. More work needs to be done in order to have more ethnic empowerment,” Cravins said. In order to do that, he suggested three key items that need to be focused on: employment within the national parks and public lands, attendance to the national lands that exist in their neighborhoods and the need for more public lands dedicated to people of color. “Out of the 480 public lands we have, only 19 are dedicated to Latinos, 28 African Americans, nine dedicated to women and two dedicated to Asian Americans,” he emphasized. The poll’s findings challenge a perception that communities of color are not interested in national public lands, a misconception rooted in studies reporting lower rates of engagement in outdoor activities than that of Caucasian Americans. “There is a need for the national parks for a targeted out-
reach, they need to connect to our communities,” said Pamela Rivera, partnership and constituency advocate of Voces, echoing Mr. Cravins’ call to assist and educate communities of color about the national lands in their own neighborhoods. Rivera added that in New York City alone, there are 23 national parks. Asked why more people of color don’t frequent public lands, respondents to the poll said that the biggest barrier is the lack of knowledge – people don’t know where the lands are, how to access them or how much visiting will cost. Poll respondents affirm that engagement among communities of color would grow dramatically with more targeted outreach and education efforts to underrepresented groups, underscoring the importance of diverse and collective stewardship for the country’s national public lands. These findings are particularly significant given the changing demographics in the United States. The Census Bureau predicts that by 2043, a majority of residents will be people of color. By 2020, half of youth in America will be of color. “We found that people of color support by large majorities more urban parks, more historical and cultural programming, enhanced recruitment and hiring diversity, and increased focus on the contributions of communities of color in the sites protected by the U.S. Congress and the President,” added Close. n
Paynor named PH ambassador…
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Although it is the president who appoints ambassadors, Duterte said Paynor’s new post still needs to be approved by the congressional Commission on Appointments. Paynor, whose previous appointments included Consul General in Los Angeles (2002-2006) and San Francisco (2007-2014), will replace former ambassador to the US Jose Cuisia, Jr. Before his foreign service career, Paynor was a military officer. He graduated from the Philippine Military Academy in 1971 and retired in 1983 with the rank of lieutenant colonel. According to a news report from Inquirer, Duterte earlier offered the position to current Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. However, Lorenzana declined,
asking the president to reconsider his age. The president also offered the same post to former Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro who turned down the offer as well. Meanwhile, the president said he is eyeing Robert Borje to take over Paynor’s post as the new protocol officer. Borje was previously the second secretary at the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the United Nations (UN). “I have one nominee, I don’t know if he’s qualified, Borje,” Duterte said, as reported by Rappler. Borje, a former newscaster in Davao, is the son of retired Commodore Adolf Borje of the Philippine Navy. (Dana SIoson/AJPress)
Report highlights economic… PAGE A1 t
of our senior population have changed dramatically. Our updated report underscores the reality that the current capacity of social services is not nearly enough to meet the needs of this population. What we hope this report offers is some concrete ways in which our city and state leaders can begin to build real infrastructure to serve our seniors.” “AARP proudly supports the Federation’s report revealing insights into the rapidly-growing community of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders age 50plus. We hope this report will continue to debunk the model minority myth and be used by individuals, community-based organizations, nonprofit groups, media, funders, and policymakers to build the case for funding, policies, legislation, and advocacy to improve their lives,” stated Daphne Kwok, AARP’s Vice President of Multicultural Leadership, Asian American & Pacific Islander Audience Strategy. Key findings of this report include: Growth in the Asian senior population in New York City is driven by Asian seniors immigrating late in life and by Asian immigrants aging into senior status. Major shifts in demographics are changing the ethnic mix of
the Asian senior population in New York City. South Asian and “Other” Asian groups have senior populations that have more than tripled in size from 2000 to 2014. The high rates of limited English proficiency among Asian seniors contribute to increased social isolation. The diversity of languages spoken in the Asian community makes outreach and provision of services a great challenge. Asian seniors in New York City are less well-educated than Asian seniors nationally and other seniors in New York City. As a consequence, Asian seniors are more likely to be poor and low-income than Asian seniors nationally and other seniors in New York City.
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Donaire to…
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in Thomas and Mack, it sets up so that we can have more than 6000 seats that we are charging 50 dollars from, so that the Filipinos who come here who usually watch it on closed circuit can watch it for as low as 50 dollars,” Arum said. “It’s gonna be packed with Filipino fans,” he added. The Pacquiao-Vargas fight will take place at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. n
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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 2-8, 2016
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‘Kwentong Pambata’ highlights Buwan ng Wika celebration in NYC MORE than 20 children ages 3 to 8 years old gathered at the Philippine Center’s Kalayaan Hall in the morning of Saturday, August 27, for a story-telling session to celebrate Buwan ng Wika. Dubbed “Kwentong Pambata”, the event centered on the reading of the story entitled “HaluHalo Espesyal” by Yvette Ferreol in English and Filipino by New Jersey-based Fil-Am teachers Ms. Venessa Manzano and Ms. Argelyn Tecson. Venessa Manzano is the owner of The Filipino School of New York and New Jersey while Argelyn Tecson owns the Playscape Early Learning Academy in Jersey City. “Halu-Halo Espesyal”, a picture book published by Adarna House, Inc. containing text both in Filipino and English, is about Filipino family values as manifested through the famous halohalo. Ms. Manzano and Ms. Tecson read from the book, while photos of the book’s pages were projected onto the big screen. The morning was a fun and learning day for kids as well as the parents through the storytelling, songs, games, crafts and a delectable snack of Filipino goodies. Kalayaan Hall was spe-
“Kwentong Pambata” was a fun and learning day for kids as well as the parents through the story-telling, songs, games, crafts and a delectable snack of Filipino goodies – indeed a memorable way to celebrate Buwan ng Wika.
cially decorated for the occasion with colorful balloons and oversize cut-out letters representing the Filipino alphabet. After story time was song and games time, where the kids learned simple Tagalog words such as those describing body parts. Craft time followed, where the kids made a virtual halo-halo using paper and craft materials such as cotton, colored sponges and plastic gems to represent the halo-halo ingredients. They also colored some art work lifted from the book. At the end of the program, the kids received their Certificates of Participation, together with loot bags containing more arts crafts
Fil-Ams sound off on Trump’s...
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try until lawmakers “can figure out what is going on.” Last month, he even received backlash from many FilipinoAmericans when he suggested curbing immigration from “terrorist nations,” including the Philippines. He cited the case of a Philippine citizen living in California who was convicted of plotting to join Al Qaeda. Prior to his speech,Trump went to Mexico earlier that day to meet with President Enrique Peña Nieto, a conversation he said was “thoughtful and substantive.” The Republican candidate said he and the Mexican president did not discuss the latter’s government footing the bill for the border separating the U.S. and Mexico. However, during his remarks, Trump suggested otherwise. “We will build a great wall along the southern border. And Mexico will pay for the wall. One hundred percent,” he said. “They don’t know it yet, but they’re going to pay for it.” Among other policies he proposed in his hour-long remarks included: end catch-and-release; “zero tolerance for criminal aliens”; “cancel unconstitutional executive orders and enforce all immigration laws”; suspend issuance of visas without proper screening; and making sure countries take back deported individuals. Though reports leading up to the long-awaited speech speculated that he would backtrack from his hard-line immigration stance in an attempt to garner broader appeal, he reiterated that those without papers would be deported. “Anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation. That is what it means to have laws and to have a country,” he said. He went on to add that under his administration, a pathway to legal status would be impossible for undocumented immigrants because “those days are over.” The only solution, he said, would be for them to return to their home countries. “For those here illegally today, who are seeking legal status, they will have one route and one route only. To return home and apply for re-entry like everybody else, under the rules of the new legal immigration system that I have outlined above,” he said. For some Fil-Am Republicans, Trump’s speech supported their beliefs that potential immigrants should wait in line to enter the U.S. Consuelo Almonte, founder and president of the Philippine Community Center Services for Aging in New York, applauded Trump’s speech and said he “expresses the failures of this administration.” “I am with Trump for zero tolerance for illegal aliens that [are] flooding our schools, our hospitals [and] social welfare. It is a burden for the citizens and taxpayers,” she said. “Furthermore, there should be extreme vetting for those who want to stay here. Those who desire to stay here should assimilate and respect our laws and accept our norm of life. Otherwise, why would anyone wants to live in a place where they despise the way of life? Simple as that.” Emmanuel Tipon, an 83-yearold immigration lawyer from Hawaii, said the core of the immigration debate is the “well-being of the American people.” “Filipinos waiting for visa availability should be taken care of first before letting others in. Immigration policy should be
based on national interest [and] what is good for America,” Tipon said on Thursday, Sept. 1. Lisa Noeth, a Fil-Am small business owner and grassroots Republican Party volunteer in Las Vegas, told the Asian Journal that “there is a misconception about Mr. Trump’s tough stance on immigration.” “Illegal immigration in the United States should not be taken lightly, because if you are entering the United States illegally, it is a criminal act. Here is an example of why illegal immigration must be halted under Mr. Trump’s administration,” she said. “I’ve heard stories countless Filipinos, who’ve applied for their visas to come to the United States. Unfortunately, the immigration process takes them 10-15 years to have their visas approved to legally [come to] the United States.” Shirlene Ostrov — a Fil-Am retired Air Force colonel who is running under the Republican ticket in the race for Hawaii’s 1st congressional district — said Trump’s policies show “his concern for safety” and are “good attempts to restore law and order” in the country. “As the daughter of immigrants, I do believe in a vibrant immigration system that is enforced properly and takes into account the safety and security of American citizens,” Ostrov told the Asian Journal. However, she noted that she disagrees with “the notion of ideological certifications,” a screening test that Trump said would ensure the U.S. was bringing in people who “share our values and love our people.” Earlier in August, the Republican nominee proposed the vetting system, alleging that the U.S. government does not know exactly who is coming in. On the other hand, the campaign for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said it was Trump’s “darkest speech yet.” “Donald Trump once again showed us that he will continue his decades-long record of divisiveness and campaign of hate by pledging to forcibly remove every single undocumented immigrant from our country,” the campaign said. Similarly, Clinton supporters echoed the campaign’s reactions. “As the first Filipino American in the California Legislature and the son of an immigrant, I am disgusted by how casually Trump speaks about deporting millions of people, including Filipinos. He has demonstrated a willful ignorance about America’s history and our values, and is simply unfit to serve as president of our United States of America,” Assemblymember Rob Bonta told the Asian Journal in a statement. “The only candidate with the vision to lead and a plan for comprehensive immigration reform is Secretary Clinton.” Aries Dela Cruz, president of the Filipino American Democratic Club of New York, said listening to the speech “seemed like a nightmare.” “In that America, Filipino immigrants like me and my family are not welcome. The Filipino community will not be fooled by Trump’s hostility against our families and his desire to round us up. It’s clear now that he is not the leader of a party or a campaign, but a hate movement. That’s why we will be out in full force in November to vote for Hillary, and why we are working every day to make sure our community’s vote and voice will be a decisive one,” he told the Asian Journal in an email. n
and goodies. Capping the fun-filled morning was snack time where the children enjoyed some real halohalo, along with other Filipino food like kamote (sweet potato) fries, empanada, pan de sal filled with keso (cheese) and adobo. In his remarks, Consul General Mario L. de Leon explained to the children the significance of the celebration of Buwan ng Wika during the month of August and how it is being widely celebrated across the Philippines. This year’s Buwan ng Wika theme is “Filipino: Wika ng Pambansang Kaunlaran” or Filipino: Language of National Progress. The annual celebration is pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 1041 signed on February 15, 1997. Buwan ng Wika also pays tribute to former President Manual L. Quezon who was considered the Father of the National Language and whose birth month was August. n
HUMAN RIGHTS MATRIX. Senator Leila De Lima shows the human rights matrix presented to her by concerned Filipino women during a show of support to the senator at the Senate on Thursday, September 1. Inquirer.net photo by Grig Montegrande
Clinton bolsters Asian American support in three states
states, Asian Americans have the potential to swing voters to Clinton. According to Jason Tengco, MANY polls show that Asian Americans prefer Hillary Clinton Asian American and Pacific Isover Donald Trump in this elec- lander (AAPI) outreach director, tion cycle. However, the Clin- the Clinton campaign will deliver ton campaign is still extending content in a plethora of Asian its reach to the Asian American languages — including Tagalog community, specifically in three —and mobilize the help of voluncritical states: Nevada, Penn- teers representing a wide range sylvania and Virginia, the state of AAPI ethnicities and cultures. Nevada, in particular, has a which running mate Tim Kaine crucial Asian American electorrepresents in the Senate. Due to the tight races in these ate that can tip the scale, and by Klarize
Medenilla AJPress
they’ve proven it in the past. In 2010, early polls predicted long-time Senator Harry Reid losing the Senate seat. With additional efforts to appeal to Asian Americans — including securing an endorsement from Manny Pacquiao — Reid ended up securing the Senate seat with the help of 79 percent of the Asian American electorate. “The fact that [Asian Americans] tend to be organized and well-informed, I think, puts them
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A SEPTEMBER 2-8, 2016 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL
Dateline USa
http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426
NaFFAA mourns the loss of former National Chairman Ed Navarra WASHINGTON, D.C. — Eduardo Navarra, who served as NaFFAA National Chairman from 2010-2014, died August 26 of intracranial hemorrhage. He was surrounded by his family, who kept vigil for days until he passed away at the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital of Oakland in Pontiac, Michigan. He was 72. “We lost a pillar of the community,” said NaFFAA National Chairman Brendan Flores. “Tito Ed was always extremely dedicated and we all looked up to him with great admiration and respect. He was the epitome of servant leadership. His legacy will live on.” A charter member of NaFFAA, Navarra was among the nearly 2,000 Filipino-American community leaders who converged in Washington, D.C. in August 1997 to organize the first National Empowerment Conference (NEC). Michigan sent one of the largest delegations to the historic event, due in no small measure to Navarra’s influence. He has consistently attended all 12 national gatherings in the last 19 years. “Ed Navarra was completely dedicated to NaFFAA and its empowerment goals,” said Loida Nicolas Lewis, National Chair Emeritus and one of the founders of the organization. “He shepherded NaFFAA when it needed tender loving care, infusing it with his passion for advocacy, especially on issues that matter to Filipinos in the United States. We are all enriched by his leadership.” Greg Macabenta, whom Navarra succeeded as National Chair, called Navarra’s passing “a great loss to NaFFAA and to the entire Filipino-American community. He was dedicated to the cause of unity and empowerment and he worked hard at it - but he went about it in his own charming way, always good-natured and always with that mischievous quip in the course of a heated discussion. Ed was also a very sweet and thoughtful person. On at least two occasions after a NaFFAA conference, he handed me a box of chocolates to bring home to my wife.” Boardnember Rozita Lee also shared that Navarra was a delightful person with a wry sense of humor, which has endeared him to many friends and colleagues. “He kept us laughing all the time, providing comic relief especially after a tense discussion,” she said. Gloria T. Caoile, National Vice
varra always set high standards Michigan. Navarra was one of the In 1967, he immigrated to the for officers and members of the founding members of the Coun- United States and completed his region to strive for and maintain. cil of Asian Pacific Americans Master’s in Computer & Electron“As a leader, he recognized the (CAPA), which is a consortium of ics Systems Engineering from the talent within the region and men- Asian Pacific organizations and University of Michigan and Wayne tored the individuals who would leaders composed of Chinese, State University. He worked at replace him,” Sayson says. “I Japanese, Koreans, Asian-Indian, Burroughs Company, then transam grateful that Ed encouraged Filipino and other Asian Pacific ferred to Ford Motor Company me to take on a leadership role groups in Metro Detroit. in 1973, where he worked for 30 In 2003, Navarra became NaF- years as Systems Engineer until within the region. He always told me, ‘Panahon mo na, Armin!’ Un- FAA Region 3 Chair, occupying his retirement in 2003. til the day he died, Ed continued the same position four times. DurThe youngest of three chilto provide advice, guidance, and ing his term, he organized highly dren, Eduardo Navarra was born successful regional conferences on Oct. 27, 1944 and grew up in friendship.” and the hosting of the 6th national Sigma Capiz, Philippines. He is Community Service Navarra’s long track record of conference in Chicago in 2004. survived by his wife Dr. Victoria In 2006, he received the pres- Gallardo Navarra; their children outstanding community service started from the community where tigious Presidential “Banaag John, Laura and Nicole; daughterNaFFAA National Chairman Ed Navarra welcomes delegates and guests to the 11th National he and his family had resided for Award” for Community Service in-law Rachel; sons-in-law Jeffrey Empowerment Conference held August 2014 in San Diego, Calif. many years – Bloomfield Hills, by then Philippine President Glo- Haxer and Kyle Winkelman; and Photo by NaFFAA Communications Michigan. He became an editor of ria Macapagal Arroyo. grandchildren Tristan, Lucas, EvA dedicated Republican Party elyn, Eleanor and Zoe Victoria. Chair Emeritus and a NaFFAA gan State University. Inspired by a Filipino American newspaper, A wake is scheduled on Friday, founder added, “We love the way Navarra, she attended the NEC and an agent in promoting Phil- member, Navarra was appointed he loved life, his devotion to his in Philadelphia for the first time. ippine-based performers to raise by the Republican National Com- September 2, at the A.J. Desmon wife Vicky and his children and “Tito Ed was a father figure who funds for local organizations in mittee in 2013, one of four Filipi- & Sons Funeral Directors, 2600 grandchildren, and the way he believed in me,” she said. “He Michigan. His leadership at the no American leaders to sit in the Crooks Rd.,Troy, Michigan. Visilaughed about the absurd things encouraged my generation to be Filipino American Community Asian Pacific American Advisory tation is from 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm EDT. The memorial mass is that came his way.” Caoile notes engaged in our country’s political Council (FILAMCCO) brought rel- Council. Systems Engineer slated for Saturday, September 3, that on his Facebook page, Na- process. Everyone claims to want evant fund raising initiatives that After completing his Bachelor’s at their parish, St. Hugo’s of The varra posted as his personal mot- the youth to be involved in com- fueled the organization’s projects to this tongue-in-cheek quote: munity organizations, but he al- for the Filipino American com- degree in Mechanical Engineer- Hills, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303. munity. FILAMCCO is the um- ing in FEATI University in the (Ryan Tejero and Emraida Kiram ‘To reach for the sublime and the ways acted on it.” Rebuilding NaFFAA’s infra- brella organization of over 52 Fili- Philippines in 1965, he worked contributed to this press stateridiculous!!!’” pino-American organizations in for Northern Motors Company. ment.) structure Youth mentor and champion In his acceptance speech afNavarra attended his last National Empowerment Conference ter being sworn in as National held four weeks ago in Philadel- Chair in 2010, Navarra vowed to phia, as a member of NaFFAA re-establish NaFFAA’s political Region 3 East. “Although he presence in the nation’s capital looked frail and weak, he told me through active advocacy, voter he came because he wanted to education, corporate partnerships be there to celebrate a millennial and coalition building. “While we will continue to be moment, when youth leadership at the national level becomes a concerned about events in the reality,” recalled Rita Gerona Ad- Philippines, our collective enerkins, a Washington, D.C.-based gies will be directed towards isjournalist and colleague. “I could sues that affect our community tell from his broad smile after the here in the U.S.,” he declared. conference that he felt something “We will undertake these initiatruly significant happened, that tives not as an umbrella organizahe was thinking, happily, for the tion but as an equal partner with young leaders who are now tak- other national formations and ing leadership roles and, hopeful- local groups that have a stake in ly, bring NaFFAA to even greater protecting and promoting the interests of Filipinos and Filipinosuccess.” Region 10 Chair Myrna Farinas Americans in this country.” During his four-year term, (Upper Left) – Consul General Mario de Leon, Jr. welcoming the complainants and explaining the actions taken by Post on their complaints. Reyes recalls how Navarra called her a number of times during the NaFFAA started rebuilding its On his side is Consul Felipe Cariño who moderated the town hall meeting. (-Upper Right) Council Member (Bergenfield, New Jersey) Atty. planning of the 2014 NEC in San infrastructure to strengthen the Arvin Amatorio, an active member of Post Warden System, providing possible courses of action by the complainants (Lower left) – Ms. Joei Calub, spokeswoman of the complainants, providing details of their complaints (Lower right) The 35 complainants. Photos by: Wendell Gaa Diego, Calif. “He wanted to make FilAmVote program, a key vehicle sure we gave the younger genera- for political empowerment in this tion the lead in chairing the plan- country. Internally, he paved the ning committee,” she says. “We way for a revision of NaFFAA’s listened to his advice. As a result, By-Laws, the creation of the we had a very successful confer- Board of Governors, and publicaence headed by our youth lead- tion of a monthly newsletter. He ers, working hand in hand with also expanded regional memberTHE Philippine Consulate General hosted a town efforts to recover their Balikbayan Boxes and to ships by partitioning Region 3 their elders.” Among the young people Na- into East and West, due to rapid hall meeting last Aug. 18 at the Kalayaan Annex, achieve justice. Philippine Center, to tackle the alleged undelivered Also invited during the meeting were Council varra mentored is Kelly Ilagan, growth among Midwest states. Armin Sayson, Region 3East Balikbayan Boxes by RDR Cargo & Logistics, a Member Arvin Amatorio of Bergenfield, New Jerwho studied International Studies and Political Science at Michi- Chairman, remembered how Na- New York-based cargo. The town hall meeting was sey, as a resource person and representing memattended by 35 complainants, including members bers of his constituents who are also alleged victims of the Fil-Am media in New York and TFC. of RDR Cargo; and LBC New York representative, Consul General Mario de Leon, Jr, in his opening Mr. Manny Pilapil, who briefed the complainants on remarks, expressed his assurance to all the victims the procedure in sending Balikbayan boxes by movand their family members of his support to their ers from the point of origin to the consignee. n
Town Hall meeting on undelivered balikbayan boxes
Clinton bolsters Asian American…
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ahead of the curve,” Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nevada) told Politico. Catherine Cortez Masto, Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate, rallied for Asian Americans to vote Democrat in the upcoming elections, citing Trump’s disparaging remarks on Philippine immigration. “Under a Trump presidency, no immigrants from the Philippines would be able to come to the United States,” Cortez Masto said during an Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) reception in Las Vegas. “With Donald Trump in power and Congressman Heck enabling him and supporting him, the [AAPI] community here in Las Vegas and across the country would suffer.” Nevada boasts an abundant Filipino community, with a vast majority living in the Las Vegas area. According to the 2010 census report, Filipinos comprise more than half of the Asian American population, with an estimated total of 100,000 Filipinos. Clinton’s opponent, however,
discredited her extended efforts to reach out to minority groups as pandering. “Hillary Clinton is a bigot who sees people of color only as votes, not as human beings worthy of a better future,” Trump said in a speech on Wednesday, August 24. But with Asian Americans’ overwhelming distaste for Trump’s rhetoric regarding immigration and Muslims, it’s clear that Clinton has a far better chance at taking the Asian American vote. A recent survey from APIAVote concluded that threefifths of the Asian American electorate harbor negative views of Trump and only one-fifth hold a positive impression. And Filipinos’ views mirror the larger population. As the Asian Journal previously reported, Filipinos generally prefer Clinton over Trump, according to a study from APIAVote, Asian Americans Advancing Justice and AAPI Data. The study found that 59 percent of Filipinos approve of Clinton while Trump pales in comparison at 23 per-
cent. “Not surprisingly, what we saw in the primaries, and what we continue to see as we’re organizing in the general is that the AAPI community is standing with Hillary Clinton. That’s because our community knows that Hillary has a record of defending our best interests,” Tengco told the Asian Journal in June. “While Donald Trump continues to espouse hateful rhetoric and policy proposals that will damage our economy, Hillary is doing everything she can to ensure our community continues to thrive. The choice couldn’t be clearer in this election.” With the growing Asian American population in the United States, the AAPI electorate is poised to be one of the most influential in this election cycle. But a major drawback is voter registration. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau showed that in 2012, Asian voter registration was at a mere 56 percent compared to black voters’ 73 percent and white voters’ 72 percent white voters. n
Report highlights economic challenges facing…
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Because some Asian seniors immigrated later in life, they are less likely to have health insurance coverage and to receive Social Security benefits than other seniors. In order to address the increasing needs among Asian seniors, the Federation makes the following recommendations to the City: Increase the resources available for programs serving Asian seniors. Build capacity within Asianled senior programs, which are more likely to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services for Asians seniors. Ensure that outreach to Asian seniors is conducted inlanguage and through trusted information sources for each community, including ethnic media and community-based social service organizations. Alleviate poverty by increasing access to social safety nets for more recent arrivals. Increase access to adult literacy and job skills programs for
low-income Asian seniors who are still active in the labor force. Offer employment and volunteer opportunities for Asian seniors in order to increase their income and decrease their social isolation. Create affordable senior housing, including culturally-appropriate assisted living facilities. “We have seen the Asian senior population double since 2000,” said Howard Shih, research and policy director of the Federation. “With Asian seniors now comprising 16% of New York City’s senior population, we can no longer ignore their needs. We must address their language, health, and housing needs – among all the others – if we hope to support their longevity.” Beth Finkel, AARP New York State Director, added, “Like the Federation, AARP is fighting to increase funding for transportation services and improve job opportunities and affordable housing for older city residents while combatting social isolation and elder abuse. We need our lead-
ers to acknowledge changing demographics and implement policies that make New York a better place to live, work, play, and age. The City would be wise to heed the recommendations of the Federation’s report.” Read Asian American Seniors in New York City: An Updated Snapshot at aafederation.org. About Asian American Federation Established in 1989, the Asian American Federation works to raise the influence and well-being of the panAsian American community through research, policy advocacy, public awareness, and organizational development. As a nonprofit leadership organization, the Federation strengthens the capacity of community-based social services by supporting nearly 60 Asian-serving and Asian-focused member agencies and other grassroots organizations in the fields of health & human services, education, economic development, civic participation, and social justice. n
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Dateline PhiliPPines
A
Palace dares int’l media to come to PH
by Joseph
SUPPORT FOR TALKS. Advocates hold a rally at the Peace Bell of the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City on Sunday, Aug. 28 to support peace negotiations between the government and communist rebels. Both sides agreed to an indefinite ceasefire last Friday, August 26. ManilaTimes.net photo by Ruy Martinez
DOJ to revisit pork barrel probe, says Aquino admin suppressed evidence by dAnA
sioson
AJPress
FOLLOWING President Rodrigo Duterte’s previous order, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is set to review cases related to the misuse of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), also referred to as the pork barrel scam. The re-opening of the probe is part of the president’s platform to rid the government of corruption and to address the previous administration’s alleged selective justice, according to Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II. Aguirre told reporters on Monday, August 29, that there was something “fishy” about the way DOJ, under his predecessor senator Leila De Lima, handled the case. “What I know is that the DOJ then suppressed evidence against other politicians,” he told reporters. He, however, refused to name the politicians. The justice secretary also said he will talk to Janet Napoles, the businesswoman alleged to be the brains behind the multi-billion peso fund scam. “When Napoles first surfaced, she was brought to Malacañang
and Mar (Roxas) accompanied her in Camp Crame. The question is why? They were obviously hiding something,” he pointed out. In 2014, Napoles identified senators and congressmen who allegedly benefitted in the pork scam. Among the officials Napoles tagged were Ramon Revilla Jr., Jinggoy Estrada, Juan Ponce Enrile, Vicente Sotto III, Loren Legarda, Aquilino Pimentel III, Alan Peter Cayetano, Gringo Honasan, Manny Villar, Florencio Abad, Joel Villanueva and Francis Escudero. However, only Revilla, Estrada, and Enrile have been charged with plunder. Aguirre said he also believes Napoles was fooled by the previous administration into cooperating, adding she could stand as a witness. “Why did she cover up for others when she knew they were all guilty? She won’t be able to get away with it anyway, unless the president grants her pardon,” he said. “She could be a witness again, even not necessarily a state witness. Anyway, she will be in jail due to her conviction in another serious illegal detention case.
Almer B. pedrAJAs AJPress
MANILA — As the Philippines’ war on drugs continuously draws criticisms and earns attention from the international media, Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar has dared foreign journalists to “come to the Philippines” and experience firsthand the threat of drugs in the country. In an interview during the Japan-ASEAN Media Forum on Monday, August 29, Andanar stressed that the members of the international press should personally witness the lives of “those who are affected by [illegal] drugs” because it is a real “responsible journalism.” The communications secretary said that the journalists must write stories not just about extrajudicial killings, but also about the human rights violations com-
mitted by illegal drug suspects. “It’s not fair for just anybody to conclude about extrajudicial killings, that there’s so much dead without even qualifying which one is dead because of authorized police operation, which ones were killed because of a gang war or regular murders,” he said. Within two months of President Rodrigo Duterte’s war against drugs, international media organizations, such as the New York Times, Washington Post, TIME Magazine, and BBC, have continually reported on the loss of lives in this anti-drug campaign. Thai journalist Nopporn Wong-Anan compared Duterte’s anti-drug campaign to Thailand’s former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s leadership. Shinawatra’s governance recorded 2,8000 extrajudicial killings in just three months. But the investigation showed that more
than half of the recorded victims had no connection with illegal drugs. “It’s like, the only place for drug dealers was hell. They did not deserve to live on Earth,” Wong-Anan said. “It was a license to kill to a police soldier,” he added. Japanese journalist Naoji Shibata also advised that Duterte’s government should issue a clearer statement because “the rest of the world does not know him.” Andanar went on to say that he can’t change Duterte’s style because the president is committed to eradicating the illegal drug problem in the country. Despite all the negative coverage in the press, the president said he is not bothered. “They said I am the most unpopular among the international press. I don’t care,” Duterte told reporters in Catbalogan, Samar on Monday. n
De Lima files last-minute petition opposing Marcos burial by dAnA
sioson AJPress
SENATOR Leila De Lima filed a 38-page petition on Tuesday, August 30, against the burial of late and former president Ferdinand Marcos at Heroes’ Cemetery, a day before the Supreme Court’s (SC) set date for the oral argument regarding the issue. De Lima, a staunch critic of President Rodrigo Duterte, argued that “no President has the power to rewrite history.” “The Honorable Court must not allow the judgment of history and of the Filipino people to be frustrated and thwarted by letting Marcos be honored in a state funeral and burial among heroes,” the petition read. “Otherwise, the spectacle we Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II will witness is not only the state The only benefit she could get is funeral of the dictator and tyrant Marcos, but the burial of our own to just tell the truth.” Aguirre also assured that whis- history as a nation, together with tleblower Benhur Luy and other the memory of the real heroes witnesses would remain under who truly shed their blood for the the witness protection program freedom and liberty of the Filipino people.” of DOJ. The senator also argued that Earlier in a news conference on Sunday, August 21, Duterte said Marcos’ interment at heroes’ revisiting the pork barrel scam cemetery “would go against the probe would prove De Lima’s al- very spirit of the 1987 Constituleged involvement in crime and corruption. “The Napoles case should deserve a second look,” Duterte said. “It involves corruption and De Lima.” n
Senator Leila De Lima
tion and the will of the Filipino people that ratified it.” De Lima insisted that the burial is actually poison to the country’s “history and humanity,” rebuffing the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG)’s earlier statement that said, it “shall promote national healing and forgiveness.” “This supposedly benign and even beneficent act of so-called ‘reconciliation,’ no matter how those who support it may attempt to paint it as such, is as close to being wholesome and salubrious as sugarcoated arsenic to our hard-earned history, humanity, our democratic way of life and future,” she argued. The SC earlier issued a status
quo order, effective from August 23 to September 11, that halts Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana’s memorandum. The memorandum, dated August 7, informed Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Ricardo Visaya of Duterte’s verbal order on July 11 to prepare for Marcos’ hero’s burial. “As a former soldier and former president of the Philippines, I see nothing wrong in having Marcos buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani,” the president said on August 7. Since Duterte’s announcement, petitions opposing Marcos interment were filed by critics before the court. The first petition filed was led former congressman and martial law-era political detainee Satur C. Ocampo; the second by former congressman Edcel C. Lagman; the third by former Commission on Human Rights chairperson Loretta Ann P. Rosales; the fourth by former senator Heherson T. Alvarez; and the fifth by University of the Philippines student Jesus N. Falcis III. The oral argument was scheduled to take place on Wednesday, August 31. n
Robredo supports Comelec’s bid to dispose poll materials by dAnA
sioson AJPress
PHILIPPINE Vice President Leni Robredo on Wednesday, August 31, expressed her support for the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) bid to dispose election materials used in the general polls last May 2016 election amid the pending electoral protest filed by former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. before the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET). In a letter submitted to PET last month, the Comelec said stripping of vote counting machines (VCMs) and consolidation and canvass system (CCS) were necessary to return the leased machines to Smartmatic. Robredo, the respondent of Marcos’ poll protest, pointed out that conducting stripping activities for all the VCS and CCS, including the disposal of the VCM external batteries, would have no impact on the preliminary precaution order (PPO). Earlier, PET issued a (PPO) covering all the ballot boxes and their contents. Included were the ballots, voters’ receipts and election returns, the lists of voters and voters reg-
istration records (VRRs), log files, and all other documents or paraphernalia used in the elections. “The Comelec has given lawyers and poll watchers of each political party ample notice before closure and stripping of the machines where they would also be allowed to send representatives to observe,” Robredo said, according to reports from Manila Bulletin. Her comment was submitted through Atty. Romulo Macalintal to the Supreme Court written entirely in Filipino in observance of the Buwan ng Wika.
“I don’t see any anomaly with the closure or stripping of some VCMs, which the Comelec already started before it received the PPO from the PET,” the vice president continued. She argued that in case of any anomaly in the ballots, including alteration of contents, the secure digital cards may be reprinted anytime for verification of the truthful contents of a ballot. Pointing out that Marcos “was the one who initiated the poll protest,” Robredo said he should shoulder the costs for additional expenses that the poll body could incur if the VCM would still be in Comelec’s possession by December 1. “After December 1 and the machines are not returned, they are considered sold as revealed by the Comelec,” Robredo said. Last June 29, Marcos filed an election protest against Robredo. He pointed out that there should be an investigation regarding the accuracy of the election results and the reported irregularities to unveil the fraud that involved the Liberal Party, Smartmatic Corporation and the Comelec. n
“Aside from administrative sanctions, we will strip them of control over the local police. We will also suspend the issued firearm licenses to them,” Castriciones said of the local chief executives whom he did not identify. President Rodrigo Duterte announced, without naming names, earlier said that 23 executives of local government units, including mayors and governors and congressmen, are actively involved in the illegal drug trade either as protector or drug dealers. He claimed some of them work in tandem with drug lords serving sentence at the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) in Muntinlupa City. Just recently, Duterte showed a drug matrix that showed Sen. Leila de Lima, former Pangasinan governor and now Fifth District Rep. Amado Espino Jr., his pro-
vincial administrator Raffy Baraan, former Justice undersecretary Francisco Baraan, former Bureau of Corrections director Franklin Bucayu and Ronnie Dayan, the alleged lover of the senator. The National Bureau of Investigation is also investigating the alleged involvement of mayors, governors, and congressmen in illegal drugs. Castriciones said the DILG faces a huge challenge in its bid to stop the distribution of illegal drugs. Castriciones heads Task Force Agila, which is composed of officials of the DILG, National Police Commission and the Philippine National Police. The task force has been directed to go after narco-politicians, particularly at the local government level. n
Vice President Leni Robredo
10 ‘narco-mayors’ face raps
by JAime
r. pilApil ManilaTiames.net
CHARGES are being readied against 10 mayors suspected to be involved in the illegal drug trade, according to an official of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). “We are now readying orders to strip them of police powers as soon as the pieces of evidence are put together. Case build-ups are ongoing. The moment we are ready, then we will go to the judge to get search warrants,” DILG Undersecretary for Operations John Castriciones told The Manila Times. To date, three mayors have been stripped of police control — Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City, Daanbantayan (Cebu) Mayor Vicente Loot and Reynaldo Porojinog of Ozamis City.
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Features
Edified
ARTICLE III Section 4 of the Philippine Constitution states that: “No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.” This is recognized to give people a conducive environment for participation and to allow them to contribute to development, democracy and dialogue. On July 25, President Rodrigo Duterte signed the executive order on the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill before he delivered his first State of the Nation Address (SONA). The measure aims to promote transparency in the government and let people have access to information regarding the government’s transactions and processes by making federal documents more available to the public. If enacted, the FOI bill would grant Filipino citizens the access to any information held by a government agency on matters of public concern, such as documents on government expenditures and the bidding of government projects. However, this progressive measure has its limits. Based on the recommendation of the Dept. of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of the Solicitor General, Malacañang’s draft of the Freedom of Information (FOI) act manual lists 166 exceptions, including those involving national security, executive privilege and invasion of personal privacy. Gone are the days of secrecy and authoritarianism. Filipinos deserve the truth, and they now have the power to sway the future of this country to the right direction—through a transparent and accountable government leadership. What’s left is
a law to protect it. According to Inquirer, the list of exceptions include “matters that may put at risk national security and the state’s external and internal defense, as well as information on foreign affairs which may jeopardize diplomatic relations or weaken the government’s position in ongoing negotiations. “Also on the list is executive privilege involving information on the President’s appointing, pardoning and diplomatic powers. Minutes of decisionmaking and policy formulation meetings, which the President considers privileged, are also included. Data that may compromise military or police operations and immigration controls and border security, or put witnesses in danger, are also excepted.” As contentious as it is, the passage of the FOI bill is covered with greater enthusiasm, both from its representatives in the government and Filipino citizens. It will be subjected to healthy (if not heated) debate for sure. But if the Philippines is to continue its positive streak on good governance, this is a welcome development in fostering public awareness and participation in nation building. Filipinos people are not denied the chance to witness the progression or regression of what the current administration. Thanks to this measure, civic about its policies and its implementations to be acparticipation is encouraged now more than ever. cessible to the public. In turn, an informed public A transparent government allows information allows for a more dynamic participation in policy
Editorial
ManilaTimes.net photo
discussions and elections. More than that, it allows people to keep the government in check. (AJPress)
Kababayans comment on Duterte’s controversial and bloody war on drugs EVEN U.S. President Barack Obama has raised concern about the recent statements of Philippine Pres. Rodrigo Duterte and his war on drugs, which has already claimed the lives of more than 1,800 people since Duterte took office. Obama is set to meet with Duterte in Laos next week to talk about the alleged issue of human rights violations with the Philippine president who has blatantly said “No one can stop me!”, when confronted with criticisms and questions on his controversial fight against the drug menace in the Philippines. Many kababayans in the Philippines — who are opposed to Duterte’s means to achieve his end of eradicating drugs and criminality in the country — have been criticizing Filipinos in America who support Duterte’s policy and action. Duterte won by a big margin in North America in the May 2016 Presidential Elections. In a recent viewer poll of The Filipino Channel’s daily newscast “Balitang America,” a big majority (75 percent) of those who voted agree with Duterte’s “shoot-to-kill order,” which grants the right for police officers to kill drug dealers, pushers and traders who resist arrest and fight back violently. Here are some of the comments of
kababayans shared about this contentious The Fil-Am issue, which have been presented and Perspective edited for clarity: “It’s a question of tipping point of the Filipinos before they Gel SantoS-ReloS resist the killings. Maybe the 1,900 is still too small. And maybe the respondents are too far [from] or are not connected [to] the people living in the slums who got hit by vigilantes and police.” — Ago Pedalizo “Well what did you expect? Of course, there will be casualties on both sides. It’s war. on drugs. casualties of war. for the greater good.” — JP Pat “The problem is not that good cops kill the drug users or drug dealers, but the corrupt cops that need to silence their distributors, their users, the pushers they protected or else they will be reported on. Also, the problem with the law is when there are corrupt lawyers and judges in the system that dismiss the criminals cases. Where were the human rights advocates when there were innocent people getting robbed or killed by users or dealers...if the dealers or users were innocent, they would not put up a fight let alone start shooting at cops, but comply like those
that volunteered to surrender. By fighting with cops, it shows an admission of guilt and places good cops lives in danger. What about the human rights of the good cops or good politicians that have been killed by the bad people.You must realize there are people that don’t want to make the Philippines a better country. Look at Japan, Korea, and some other countries that are now thriving. Wouldn’t you want to be proud [of the] Philippines to get out of third world country status? And as Duterte said why doesn’t Human rights talk about the war in Syria or Iraq or even the innocent African Americans that are shot and are already having hands up or have done nothing wrong and get killed for no reason? Double standards?” — Gerald Cabildo “Everyone wants drug pushers and other criminals off the street. But, we are a society of laws. I believe due process should be observed. However, if the suspects resist arrest and fight back that could endanger the lives, not only of the police officers, but the innocent bystanders, then yes, I agree with it. Sadly, that is not what I see happening right now. Suspects are killed even
when they are not fighting. Most of the extra-judicial killings recently were done execution style. Extra-judicial killings create opportunities for corruption, abuse of power, and brutality because cover ups happen, no clear evidence is presented, and there simply is no check and balance.” — Roselle Alejandro Enriquez “Yung mga nahuhuling Chinese at mga ibang mayayaman na drug lords buhay pa...pero yung mga mahihirap at tunay na mga biktima ng droga yun ang mga shoot to kill...bulok na sistema!” — Renz Epilef “How do you know kung nanlaban ang mga tao’ng pinatay? Bitayin ang ang lahat na drug lords at mga kriminal, wala akong paki doon. Pero bakit si Peter Lim buhay na buhay pa? Selective due process ba? Wow! Point ko lang...Addiction is an illness na dapat gamutin, to make it fair and square. Dapat isali na rin d’yan ang mga adik sa sugal, adik sa alcohol, adik sa pain medication, at adik sa sex (mga tao’ng mahilig manghalik,mambabae at maraming kalaguyo)...kung sa palagay ninyong makatwiran ang nangyayari ngayon. At isa pa...ang rapist,nakadrugs man o hindi...kung may pagkakataon,mangre-rape pa rin!” — Lawrence Enriquez “Economic consequence [of
Duterte’s war on drugs]? Peace and order if achieved will invite more investors, incite OFWs to go home. More new hires for BPO industry... as Filipinos now can trust the police and feel safer than ever.” — Percy Flores “My thought is that: none of us have the right to even comment as we all see what is going on as by standers... not unless of course, if we put ourselves into the shoes of parents and families that have been victims for over 3 decades at least in living and accepting graft, corruption, drugs, mass killings by private armies, etc. Sad to say, since most of us Filipinos grew up with this hopeless society, it is now embedded in our mind and heart -- accepting that it is now a culture of the Filipinos living this way. Either another big cathostrophic [event] happens or this BIG change is now happening for a BIG change. There is something deeper going on is this plan for change in our beloved country, the Philippines.” — Erich Joseph Alcedo *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www. facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
PH, China, US: A ménage à trois
Postcript
Federico d. Pascual Jr. WE TRUST that President Rodrigo Duterte, the consummate lover, will know how to play this geopoliticalménage à trois among China, the United States and the Philippines. With the fair Philippines as the object of the escalating rivalry between China (a neighbor since the earth came to be) and the US (a latter-day colonizer that came into the neighborhood only at the turn of the Century), watch Mr. Duterte perform another balancing act. At the moment, this miron sees President Duterte as being more open to China. Its Ambassador Zhao Jinhua has been reaping points, because of his patience and persistence born out of his keen understanding of Asian, particularly Filipino, psychology. In the case of the US, not only does the American suitor comes
projecting like a used-car salesman despite a coterie of expensive PR advisers helping out – while the envoy from Beijing, in a manner of speaking, simply comes bearing hopia wrapped in wax paper and delivered with a smile. The US embassy in Manila is handicapped by Ambassador Philip S. Goldberg’s having given a bad impression on President Duterte. To complicate matters, the psychology of the brand-new Philippine president does not fit the stereotype US tuta (lapdog). While Beijing is busy courting the new President, the White House and the State department distracted by the election campaign are not giving Manila the attention it deserves as a key card that could be played against China as the US pivots to the Asia-Pacific theater. A few days after repeating his undiplomatic remark that Goldberg is gay, Mr. Duterte made it known that in his dealings with China on territorial issues, he would not start by playing his
best card, which is the July 12 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. The award (ruling) upheld most of the 15 submissions of the Philippines based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It also assailed as without legal basis China’s ninedash line theory for claiming as its own the choice areas of the South China Sea. The ruling that the US had helped win for Manila and for which it had gathered supportive reactions from its allies is now to be put aside momentarily by the Philippines in its neighborly conversations with China? The decision of President Duterte to discuss directly all territorial issues with China is another departure from the White House suggestion to Malacañang (that the Aquino administration had adopted) to present such issues using a multilateral front. Along that US advice, Manila has tried, but failed, to gain a consensus in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations – where
the Philippines is a member together with nine others – to include in the final communique of its foreign ministers’ meeting a paragraph mentioning the territorial tiff with a neighbor throwing its weight around. With the Philippines upcoming as the next ASEAN host and chairman, and with President Duterte’s influencing the conference, the Philippines may yet get that portion included next time. Washington could not have been surprised by the frame of mind of the new Philippine president about pursuing bilateral talks with China, but it appears that Mr. Duterte has mounted the stage without having been given a Made in the US script. It seems the runners of the US embassy in government, business and media were caught dozing in thepansitan, the Chinese noodle house. • Duterte willing not to invoke ruling AS REPORTED by PhilStar. com’s Patricia Lourdes Viray, President Duterte expressed
willingness to not invoke the UNCLOS decision averse to China when substantial talks between the two neighbors open on territorial issues. His explanation was clear enough: The Philippines is not yet ready to go to war to back up its territorial claims versus China. So it will not flaunt the favorable UNCLOS award and risk scuttling the dialogue or pushing the two countries to an armed confrontation. Again employing his now-famous joking manner of driving home a point, the Commanderin-Chief said being more forceful may become an option when the country is able to develop adequate military muscles. His remarks were made in a National Heroes Day program at the Libingan ng mga Bayani which Ambassador Zhao attended. The President told the ambassador who was seated with the audience: “I will not use the judgment (of the arbitral tribunal) now, but I would one day sit in front of your representa-
tive or you and then I will lay bare my position and I would say that this paper, I cannot get out of the four corners of this law and that is the arbitral judgment.” He appealed to China to allow Filipinos to also fish in the Panatag (Scarborough) shoal off Zambales. After President Aquino withdrew in 2012 Philippine vessels keeping watch there, the Chinese took over and banned Filipinos who have been traditionally fishing in the area. Sovereignty over Panatag was not among the submissions of the Philippines. The tribunal did not rule as to which country should legally possess it, although it is just 120 nautical miles from Zambales and within the 200-nm Exclusive Economic Zone of the Philippines. But since China is in physical control of Panatag, it could dictate who should fish there despite the ruling of the tribunal that the shoal be opened to all fishermen of whatever nationality who have been traditionally fishing there. (ManilaTimes.net)
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Dateline PhiliPPines
NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 2-8, 2016
A
Lacson blocks P80-M project proposals of lawmakers
“What I’m saying is a congressman, if he is really hard working, can approach a secretary and SENATOR Panfilo Lacson on the secretary will really listen to Tuesday, Aug. 30 said he will them,” he said. work for the removal of the P80 Among the priority programs million budgets of different govof the Duterte Administration, ernment agencies inserted by presented during the DBCC some congressmen in their probriefing, are putting an end to inposals. surgencies and organized crime, Lacson said he was able to obcutting poverty rate through intain a copy of the pro-forma list of vestments that create quality projects, programs and activities jobs and disperse wealth. submitted by some congressmen Finance Secretary Carlos to the Department of Budget and Dominguez 3rd said the “Budget Management (DBM) for Real Change” that MalacaThe senator said DBM Secñang submitted for congressioretary Benjamin Diokno admit- Senator Panfilo Lacson nal approval will flesh out the vited some projects requested by ment Budget Coordination Com- sion of President Duterte. some lawmakers were embed- mittee (DBCC) on the proposed “The people elected President NOT A HERO. Militant groups gather at the Bonifacio Shrine in Manila on National Heroes Day to protest the planned burial of late dictator ded in the proposed budgets of 2017 budget. Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Inquirer.net photo by Marianne Bermudez Duterte because they want real different agencies. Diokno said legislators are not change and a break from the staLacson said such “interven- prohibited from proposing to the tus quo. To achieve President tion” should not be allowed. head of the agencies programs, Duterte’s promise to the people to “That (intervention) is a long- activities, projects which his or deliver real change that the people THE Philippine economy is in additional education expenses sidered a critical period of care time practice that is not necessar- her constituents brought to their can feel, we need to enact big reily legal,” he said in an interview attention to be financed by na- forms that can steer the country losing at least P328 billion yearly covering grade repetitions linked to avert impediment. Impeding is the most prevalent after the briefing of the Develop- tional government. toward a better future,” he said. n because of the impact of stunted to lack of nutrition. “This study proves that under- form of lack of nutrition, and is child growth on workforce productivity and education, accord- nutrition has a cost to all of us. proven to have permanent effects ing to a report from Save the In just a year, the Philippines has on a child’s growth and developChildren Philippines, a nongov- lost almost 3 percent of its GDP ment, the report said. in terms of education and pro“Nutrition is the cornerstone ernment organization (NGO). by Pia Lee-Brago Philstar.com The report, titled “Cost of Hun- ductivity loss due to stunting. If of all development efforts. This ger: Philippines” said that since we add health costs, the likely new report tells us that for every MANILA – The Philippines is no longer con2013, child stunting has cost the impact would be an additional one US dollar spent on programs cerned about getting the Association of Southeast Philippines 3 percent of its gross 0.05 percent to 1.6 percent,” said to avert stunting in children beAsian Nations (ASEAN) to issue a unified stateNed Olney, country director of low 2 years old, the Philippines domestic product (GDP). ment on the South China Sea as the July 12 ruling could save over 100 US dollars The overall economic loss of Save the Children Philippines. of an international court invalidating China’s masThe report found that the Phil- in health, education and lost proP328 billion was broken down sive maritime claim is enough “legal foundation” into P166.5 billion in lost income ippines’ investment in nutrition ductivity costs,” Olney said. to support Manila’s position, Foreign Affairs Sec“It should outrage us that 95 because of lower level of edu- programs was drastically low, retary Perfecto Yasay Jr. said. cation achieved by the working with numbers estimated at 0.52 children will die everyday because He said convincing fellow ASEAN member-states population who suffered from percent of general government of malnutrition,” he added. to take a common stand against China’s aggressive Save the Children called on the childhood impediment; P160 bil- expenditures compared with the staking of its claim in disputed waters now appears lion in lost productivity because global average allocation of 2.1 national and local governments, Participants in the 2nd Japan-Asean Media Forum in Manila tour the of premature deaths among percent. to be a “hopeless” task. the private sector and donors to “If you ask the Philippines, we already have Malacañang museum yesterday. The balcony is where Ferdinand and children, who would have been The NGO said the need to in- help stop rising malnutrition in the arbitral ruling. We have legal foundation. The Imelda Marcos and their children waved goodbye to the nation for members of the current working- vest in nutrition programs during the Philippines. (Jed Villarama/ the last time before they were flown into exile in the 1986 people Philippines is not concerned with a united ASEAN power revolt. age population; and P1.23 billion a child’s first 1,000 days is con- ManilaTimes.net) Philstar.com photo Krizjohn Rosales statement but you have to live up to the foundments about the territorial row with China, saying Yasay said China succeeded in blocking the re- countries as well as those of their allies. ing principles of ASEAN,” Yasay told journalists He said President Duterte is “happy” with the they would just follow the lead of Ramos to avoid attending the Japan-ASEAN Media Forum at the lease of a joint ASEAN statement on the maritime way former president Fidel Ramos is conducting confusion. dispute with the help of Cambodia and Laos. Shangri-La EDSA Hotel in Mandaluyong City. “The President reiterated that we will respect “If there is only one who will object, then no informal talks with the Chinese. The Philippines is urging China to respect the “The former president is negotiating from a our past contracts, agreement and relationships… July 12 ruling since the Asian power is a signatory statement can be made,” he said. Asked what made him say that China was using strong position which means PCA and we have our We will not go astray from those multilateral agreeto the United Nations Convention on the Law of the its ASEAN allies to downplay the Philippines’ legal allies with us,” Andanar told participants of the Ja- ments. It’s the job now of former president Ramos Sea (UNCLOS). “As the Constitution dictates, we will seek out victory and block the issuance of a unified state- pan-ASEAN Media Forum yesterday. PCA stands to make things smoother between China and the bilateral solution. We say this in context of the ar- ment, Yasay said, “Of course it’s discussed in the for Permanent Court of Arbitration, the UN-backed Philippines,” he said. “We are still in the initial international tribunal which invalidated China’s stage.” ASEAN meetings.” bitral ruling,” he added. In 2013, the administration of Benigno Aquino “Even China says that. That’s also international nine-dash line claim in the West Philippine Sea and The DFA chief emphasized the Philippines reIII filed a case before an arbitral court based in knowledge. They know that China was really cam- South China Sea. mains committed to engaging with friends. “It’s not going to be a smooth sail. We have the The Hague to seek a reaffirmation of the country’s “Even if we move relations with China, it shall paigning for ASEAN not to get that unified stateinterests of our allies to protect as well. We have maritime entitlements as well as contest Beijing’s not diminish our relations with Japan and the US,” ment,” he stressed. the PCA position. We have to remember that dur- excessive territorial claim. Position of strength Yasay said. Duterte has expressed readiness to hold bilateral Meanwhile, presidential communications sec- ing those times, the allies are behind the PhilipEarly this month, Yasay accused China of using its allies Cambodia and Laos in downplaying retary Martin Andanar said the Philippines is talk- pines. You cannot just abandon multilateral coop- talks with China but stressed the arbitral court’s ruling would serve as basis for formal talks, posManila’s victory in the arbitral tribunal during the ing to China from a position of strength while tak- eration,” he added. Andanar, however, was careful in issuing state- sibly within the year. n ing into account the common interests of the two recent ASEAN meeting in Vientiane, Laos. by Jeffeson
antiPorda ManilaTiames.net
Malnutrition costs PH economy P328-B a year
‘PH no longer needs ASEAN unified statement’
A SEPTEMBER 2-8, 2016 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL
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Consul General Mario l. De leon, Jr. presentinG to the faMily the resolution froM the City of new york DeClarinG auGust 21, 2016 as Manuel roDriGuez, sr. Day. aJpress photo by MoMar G. Visaya
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An Asian Journal Magazine
The Asian Journal N E W YO R K / N E W J E R S EY S E p T E m b E R 2 , 20 1 6
Printmaker manuel ‘mang maning’ rodriguez, Sr.
lives beyond his ingenuity and craftiness by
After thorough studies on the creative skills of aging artists, psychiatrists have brought to conclusion that aging creative individuals are more assertive and independent… frequently resisting authority and arrogantly possessing great ego strength. through the years their spirits remain significantly strong and driven but sadly their mortal bodies fall short of comprehension and the ingenious proficiencies that once predominantly enslaved their mental and physical faculties are now gradually vanishing… akin to the sunset of their lives. In a recent tribute hosted by the Philippine Consulate General and the Philippine Center Management Board for Manuel “Mang Maning” rodriguez, Sr., one of the most decorated and revered filipino artists and considered the father of Philippine Contemporary Printmaking, his outstanding body of work was exhibited at the Philippine Center Gallery which formally opened with a ribboncutting ceremony. It was followed by a formal dinner reception at the Kalayaan Hall where guests were treated to a hearty dinner of fresh lumpia, rib-eye salpicao, grilled salmon fillet with avocado-tomato salsa, baby carrots and green beans, roasted baby potatoes, leche flan with berries and coffee or tea. through the initiative of famed artist Manuel D. Baldemor, Philippine Center events Officer Victor Cruz and Assistant Manager rey Cardenas, who flew to florida for a one-on-one interview with Mang Maning for ‘Gabi ng Parangal’, the sentimental event aptly dubbed “Mugna,” (a Cebuano word that means to create, devise, or fabricate), was celebrated among Mang Maning’s family, friends, and colleagues, where only the best of the rodriguez legacy was the main attraction. the main honoree’s absence wasn’t at all felt due to the profuse outpouring of respect, high esteemed acclamations, unparalleled commendations, and exuberant commemoration of his multihued life as an artist, father, and friend. the consequential program ably emceed by Kira D. Azucena, Manager of the Philippine Center, and an affectionate Opening remarks by the Honorable Consul General Mario L. De Leon, Jr., effectually painted a more vivid picture of the life of the treasured
bobby T. yalong / AJPress
Over 60 family members, friends, fellow artists, admirers and art enthusiasts in New York gathered at the Philippine Center for a Gabi ng Parangal on August 17 to pay tribute to Manuel “Mang Maning” Rodriguez Sr., touted as the Father of Contemporary Philippine Printmaking and one of the country’s living national treasures.
Erlinda Gorospe, eldest daughter of Mang Maning, thanking everyone for attending the Gabi Ng Parangal. AJPress photo by Momar G. Visaya
filipino artist that was made even more stunning by the testimonials of fellow artists Angelito David and Ms. Lenore Lim, Society of Philippine American Artists founder and president Ms. Aida Bartolome, and an extensive narration by Ms. eva florentino, author of ‘His Life & Art: Manuel rodriguez, Sr.” the evening’s celebration was capped by a momentous recognition of Mang Maning’s consummate achievements: a Proclamation signed by the Mayor of the City of New York declaring August 21, 2016 as Mang Maning’s Day (courtesy of Miss Aida Bartolome)…and a Plaque of recognition from the Philippine Center. Mang Maning’s daughter, erlinda r. Gorospe after receiving the commemorative inscriptions,
Traveller, 12 X 19, Black and White etching on paper
Center of the Arts, 40 X 30, Acrylic on canvas (1994)
delivered a heartwarming response on behalf of her father and family. Incidentally, whilst the ceremony was at its climax I suddenly recalled having had interviewed the prolific artist in 2008 in his upstate Spring Valley, New York residence… that prompted me to seek out for my eight-year-old manuscript and share with you the Master’s journey in a more vivid manner. Here are noteworthy excerpts from its original publication suitably titled: “the father of Philippine Printmaking ‘Sires’ Another Genre.” read on: Manuel Antonio rodriguez, Sr., more popularly identified as Mang Maning, literally lived a colorful life, even more colorful than the multihued dried paint left abandoned on his palette… and even made more kaleidoscopic by the muted reinventions he makes every passing day. Confined in the comforts of his solitary one bedroom apartment (doing what he does best---painting) Mang Maning has hoarded an amazing volume of potential art pieces he gradually accumulated during his every-not-so-often roaming around the area when he takes a breather or merely to while away the time. “Junk art” he would justifiably call them but dazzling masterpieces emerge when the crafts were done…proving that the ninety-six year-old artist hasn’t lost his peculiar sense of craftiness and keen eyes for anything worth creating. Boredom is totally unknown to the nonagenarian painter for he considers his brushes and easel his true and reliable companions… whereby gaining consolation from their mutual partnership. the youthful and profitable years have diminishingly vanished and as the present slowly inches its way to seemingly numbered days, Mang Maning is quite aware that he’s running out of time and afraid he might not be able to interpret into canvas the various poignant ideas still left crowding his inexhaustible mind. “I paint from memory and intuition,” he said wittingly in
a leveled but louder tone for emphasis. “All events that were part of my past are vividly ‘sketched’ on my mind and always ready to be applied when I paint. I only deal on subjects about reality for art is a language of truth…of the spirit. It is a silent language which purpose is healing. Isn’t it when you see something beautiful and pleasing to the sight, you feel good? When you heal, you speak the truth.” As to whether those words were of aphorism or of epigone, the respectable art master verbosely uttered them with firmness and conviction…leaving this writer in unfathomably intellectual comprehension as our conversation progressed. the artist in Mang Maning’s heart is very eminent in the way he speaks about it. “Art is a universal language of consciousness… and of our soul,” he continues. “It is the language of truth…and it doesn’t lie.” Amazingly enough for somebody who has reached the pinnacle of artistry and fully attained everything that he envisioned, the Master’s teachings are somewhat more on the scholarly level than the usual painting color-technique-style topics for discussion that artists of his league normally implicate. His main subjects for conversation tend to focus towards mental dynamics and philosophical analysis. Mang Maning’s state of mind is as sharp as his vision with sanity perspicaciously intact that neither lapse nor fail. In some instance, Mang Maning would repeatedly relate his struggling past as if chanting. His every statement was noticeably punctuated with some sort of religious tones…preachy but not imposing..., intellectual but comprehensible…, figurative at times but with literal justification. there were always intoning artistry in his delivery and visual impact in the manner he described things accompanied by manual gestures. His eyes would glisten when the topic touched about his early childhood when he would factually bring to bed what his heart dictated and his soul professed --- that of being an artist.
Ice Cream Vendor, 24 X 19, colored etching on paper
Mr. Tommy Lin (R) of the Office of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio hands to Consul General de Leon, assisted by Philippine Center Manager Kira Danganan Azucena, a Proclamation declaring August 17 as “Manuel ‘Mang Maning’ Rodriguez Sr. Day.” The proclamation was handed over to Mang Maning’s family later that evening during the Gabi ng Parangal event.
His early vision If the vision of innocence is to be believed then Mang Maning’s early childhood ‘spiritual persuasion’ had a bearing on his future. When he was three, his mother, Antonia timario, died and during her wake he was made to sleep in his aunt’s place nearby. that midnight a black shadow of dancing figures flashed from an open window that directly projected on the bedroom wall. the figures moved across the light in graceful motion, went up the ladder and vanished amidst the dark while night birds swiftly flew where the shadows were lost. Unmoved he remained staring into nothingness and waited for the next event to unfold. that visual phenomenon stuck clearly on his mind until such time when he was old enough to realize its actual interpretation. “I believe that there is spirit and God’s existence. the emptiness of this room listens to everything we say. It hears and observes…for the true language of art, as I always say, is silence! My childhood aspirations were closely guided by the spirit I believed in. Until this day, I am not without an infinite spirit around me,” he said. Since then his destiny was ruled by the strong magnetic call of artistry. At five, he would tirelessly sketch human figures and familiar
objects on walls and pavements with wood charcoal and in his third grade, he was highly commended by his geography teacher for drawing the map of Cebu. to support himself in high school he did janitorial jobs, worked as an Assistant Librarian and as a lumber clerk before he finally graduated in 1935. His father and sister’s indifference with his artistic ambition fell on deaf ears. Maning took the eight-kilometer walk from Dapitan to the University of the Philippines with such agility where exhaustion was replenished with the ecstatic pleasure from his art classes. During the first semester of his last year in fine Arts he was hired by the Philippine Army to design the illustrations of the rOtC Manual that paved way to his becoming a draftsman in the Office of the Military Intelligence and became an emissary with a monthly wage of forty pesos. that opportunity brought him face to face with the then Philippine Military Adviser Douglas McArthur and his aide Dwight eisenhower. The rebellious instinct in Mang Maning Having had the University of the Philippines for his artistic cradle and no less than the great fernando Amorsolo as his mentor, it’s indisputable that the Continued on Page 4
Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ A CORNERSTONE of Donald Trump’s “solution” to our immigration issues is to deport the approximate 11 million undocumented immigrants, “and let the good come back in.” I’m not quite sure if he’s talking about some form of “provisional waiver,” which is currently in effect, where certain people have to leave the US and apply for their immigrant visas abroad. They first apply for a waiver of the 3\10 year bar, and if granted, leave the US, and then return (come back) after obtaining their immigrant visa. But putting aside exactly how Trump plans to identify, gather up, and deport 11 million people, there are also the LEGAL aspects on deporting/removing people: • The government cannot simply knock on a person’s door or come to their place of work, grab and handcuff them, and take them to the nearest train station or airport and send them out. • Instead, each person is entitled to his or her “day in court.” They must be served with a Notice to Appear (NTA), which sets forth the charges or reasons they are deportable. • The person then has the right to appear in court, and apply for
The ‘logistics’ of deporting 11 million people various forms of relief, if eligible, which must be heard and ruled on by the immigration judge in a trial-like setting. • Some forms of relief, which exist under current laws, could include cancellation of removal, adjustment of status if they were petitioned by a relative and their priority date is current, waivers- if they are in removal/deportation because of some previous immigration violation such as fraud or crimes, to name a few. • Court proceedings could involve several appearances. If their case is denied by the immigration judge, they can appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), which could take several more years. • Where is Mr. Trump going to find enough courtrooms and judges to handle the approximate 11 million new removal proceedings? It will cost billions of dollars to build new courtrooms and hire and pay new judges (and their staff) to handle all of these removal proceedings and appeals. • Last year, approximately 60,000 children from Central America came across our southern border, and were put in removal proceedings at the front of the line. Existing cases that already had hearing dates, were pushed back, some as far back as
Santiago ManilaTimes.net
“LET’S not talk about him,” Jennylyn Mercado told me when Showbuzz asked her anew about her rumored romance with Dennis Trillo. “Whatever is between us, just leave it to us. I want to keep my love life private as much as I can help it. It’s hard when you are so open about that area in your life—people tend to say a lot. It’s like they want to make decisions for you. Whatever you see in social media, those are the only things we can share with everyone.” In their respective social media accounts Jen and Dennis have posts
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The Asian Journal N E W YO R K / N E W J E R S EY S E p T E m b E R 2 , 20 1 6
November 2019. How long will the backlog be if we now add 11 million new removal cases? A person might get a hearing date sometime in 3016, or thousand years from now. Moreover, there are already at least 500,000 existing cases in backlogs in our immigration courts. The bottom line is it is just not feasible to gather up and deport/remove 11 million people, especially with 11 million removal proceedings. Instead, the answer is comprehensive immigration reform. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel is licensed, and an active member of the State Bar of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different. The information contained herein including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and reenactments) is of a general nature, and is not intended to apply to any particular case, and does not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorneyclient relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: (866)—GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)
Jennylyn Mercado wants love life private By Lhar
An Asian Journal Magazine
THREE PETITIONS BY TWO MOTHERS AND A “SISTER/MOTHER” CREATE VISA CONFUSION — ON A SPECIAL ENCORE EPISODE OF “CITIZEN PINOY.” A teenage pregnancy forced Armi (middle) to keep the birth of her son, Kevin (right), a secret. Kevin’s birth certificate listed his grandmother (Armi’s mother) as his mother. Years later, Armi became a US citizen. She petitioned her mother immediately. When Armi’s mother arrived in the US as an immigrant, she petitioned all of Armi’s brothers, including Kevin, who is actually her grandchild (Armi’s son). Armi also filed a sibling petition for Kevin. After much guilt and reflection, Armi decided to come out with the truth to set things straight and admitted to Kevin that she is his biological mother. After that major revelation, Armi filed a petition for Kevin (now as parentchild petition). This resulted in three distinctive petitions filed for Kevin (as a grandchild, Armi’s brother, and son) which caused a major confusion for the National Visa Center. Watch this inspiring story and find out how Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel helped Armi and Kevin on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” — on Sunday, September 4 at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC.
Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA
(Part 2 of 2) WHILE we may think we can that show the real score between choose to play God and decimate them. In one of her latest uploads, our own humanity in the name Jen wrote she’s missing “papaw,” of a woman’s right to choose or her term of endearment for Dennis. in the name of scientific research, Dennis, on the other hand, has been God alone gives the gift of life and promoting Jen’s new album much He chooses when and how to take as he can on his personal sites, it away. That must have been the which is for release this week. deal from the beginning of time. One thing she made sure to How special is man in the say about Dennis however is that scheme of creation? Consider the she is definitely not pregnant with big picture. Some wise person his child as the rumor mill has been once said that if the beginning of churning. time till now can be thought of Meanwhile, besides saying as a 24 -hour day, the spark of life very little about relationship with that is human life today only came her on and off again boyfriend in to be in the last 2 seconds before interviews, Jen also avoids topic the stroke of midnight. concerning his son Jazz by Patrick As best as our most brilliant Garcia. “Just like any other mom, scientific minds through the Continued on Page 4 centuries can figure out, the
Take a stand, you all! Fight for dear life “… We seem to take it for granted that it took a really long time, before man, in his present form, became the crowning glory of creation in this neck of the woods of the physical universe.” universe is about 15 billion years old and our sun which was born in the last 4.5 billion years with yet another 5 billion years or so left before it dies, is a common yellow star that makes it possible for man, the highest form of life as we know it, in the solar system, to live on planet earth. We seem to take it for granted that it took a really long time, before man, in his present form, became the crowning glory of creation in this neck of the woods of the physical universe. Although this can sometimes be debatable
when we come to realize our individual and collective stupidities throughout history. Man is a thinking, feeling, spiritual being in physical form, capable of so much good or of so much evil. In between these two extremes are the obscure multitudes, who in their lifetimes, come to learn, appreciate, enjoy and fight for that gift of life to continue for generations yet to come. Of course, along with that gift of life comes the gift of free will and therefore, the opposite Continued on Page 6
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An Asian Journal Magazine
Printmaker Manuel ‘Mang Maning...
Th e A s i an J o u rn al N E W YO R K / N E W J E R S EY SEpTEmbER 2, 2016
Dreams do come true for ‘Voice Kids’ champ By Kane
errol Choa Philstar.com
Joshua oliveros, the 11-yearold “hopeful son ng antique,” was declared the grand champion of “The Voice Kids Philippines” season 3 after garnering 38.07 percent of the total votes. “Masaya po ako dahil ako po ang nakatanggap ng bahay at pera at trophy po. Malaking tulong po ito sa amin para matulungan ko po ang pamilya ko. Sobrang tuwa po kaya po napaluhod ako,” said Joshua after the final showdown held at Resorts World Manila. Joshua, who was coached by Lea salonga, sang salamat in the power ballad round on sunday, aug. 28. he performed “Nais Ko” with Lea and “Mangarap Ka” on the first night of the two-part grand finale. It also marked the first win of coach Lea in the reality-talent singing competition’s third season for kids. Lea said she chose “Mangarap Ka” because of Joshua’s simple dreams. “I want this kid’s dreams to come true. For him, it’s not about a physical house, it’s about a home. It’s about being in one home with his entire family. For the last year he’s been here, it’s been a very difficult time for him. he only had his father, his everfaithful father. I was like, what you guys are going through, it’s amazing that you are so strong. I am just super happy for this kid,” she said. as this season’s grand champion, Joshua won P1M cash, fashion package and P1M trust fund from h&M, a two-year recording contract from MCa Music, Inc., a house and lot
Lea Salonga is proud of her talent Joshua who bagged the trophy in “The Voice Kids” Season 3.
from Camella homes and a business package from siomai house. antonetthe Tismo, dubbed as “Madiskarteng Dreamer of Parañaque” and coached by sharon Cuneta, placed second with 36.69 percent of the total votes, while the “Comeback Kid of Lucena” Justin alva of coach Bamboo followed with 25.24 percent. according to Lea, a lot of people do not see how much work goes into the show, describing the coaching sessions as serious. “The filming they show on TV is only a small fraction of what actually happens in the room. It’s hours, it’s enduring, pinpointing where the mistakes are, where you can improve and the constant reminding. It’s a lot, but it’s a fulfilling work to do,” she said. how would she describe Joshua during the entire journey? “You don’t have to worry about this boy because he listens, he delivers and he is wonderful. he digests the music before it comes out of his mouth. Talagang nakikinig sa rehearsals. Very focused,” she said. aside from the performances of the Final 3 and their coaches, viewers were also treated with a
Jennylyn Mercado wants... From Page 3 I’m protective of my son. Jazz goes to school already and I want him to have a normal life like ordinary kids. I want to shield him from intrigues or issues that might arise because of his being so exposed to the public. I really want him to have the privacy he deserves.” Clearly, when it comes looking after her family and the people she loves, Jen is all out. she
EMPLOYMENT
will always go an extra mile just to make them happy. “as we talk right now, my mom is having a grand time in Bangkok. That’s my birthday gift to her. Mama is already 74, and at her age she should just be enjoying life. That’s why when she said she wanted to go to Thailand for her birthday, I booked her trip immediately.” GMa Network’s “ultimate star” is working as hard as ever these days.
number from Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla, who sang “Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love for You.” The Twitter-trending Philippine adaptation of the popular international TV franchise was the most watched program last weekend. It obtained a 39 percent and a 43.3 percent TV ratings covering nationwide urban and rural homes last saturday and sunday, respectively. The unique format of the show, which is hosted by Luis Manzano, Kim Chiu and Robi Domingo, appeals to Filipino viewers, especially its “blind auditions” where hopefuls audition by singing on stage with the coaches facing against them. The program not only features the artists competing, but also the coaches battling each other in picking artists, and when their respective teams deliver the best performances during the live shows leading to finale. It engages audiences onair, online and on mobile as it constantly enjoys high national TV ratings, dominates social media and rally viewers to vote for their bets week after week. she definitely believes in the saying strike while the iron is hot. “I can’t stop working because I’m the breadwinner in the family. But don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. In fact, I can say that I’m happily working. I am so thankful to GMa they never get tired of taking care of me. They always give me good projects,” Jen enthused. Currently, Jen is excited about hosting the network’s newest celebrity talent search “superstar Duets.”
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From Page 2 idealistic Maning would ‘inherit’ the exemplary artistic ability of the National artist. under the tutelage of such art luminaries like Toribio herrera, Fabian Dela Rosa, ambrocio Morales, and Teodoro Buenaventura, young Maning gained adequate painting techniques while he was influenced to a great extent by three other popular artists: Irineo Miranda, Ramon Peralta, and Guillermo Tolentino in watercolor, mural painting, and modeling, respectively in that order. With realism as his basic training, the adventurous Maning reached to a point where he felt unchallenged and earnestly craved for a more out-of-the-normal-trend technique. his creativity measured up until he gradually favored a more lenient style that later showed his inclination towards abstract style which, at that time, little had been known about the 19th century French painter Georges seurat’s pointillism technique which was also known as optical mixing. The rebel artist zealously enjoyed working on his newfound concept that shocked many of his contemporaries. “Modernism is not a joke…,” he alleged. “It requires forethought… it demands sincerity and focus.” he started to justify his side. “There had been a lot of artists in the realism field. What I wanted was to give myself some free way to express what I really had in mind and create a new dimension with my art.” Mang Maning’s ‘rebel ways’ didn’t end from there…it was just the beginning. If some abstract artists intentionally deviated from having a concrete object or scenery as subject, Mang Maning once again broke away from such practice. he made his subject appear obscurely realistic and not totally embedded or eaten away by rich interplay of colors. he allows his art to be appreciated with full concentration on the way he mixes his colors, plays with shapes and patterns, and applies a carefully constructed optical illusion. Before he graduated from uP’s College of Fine arts, a German professor visited the campus and offered print screen classes. The curiosity in Mang Maning went into an abysmal depth that he found himself religiously attending every German’s lecture until such time when he finally learned the technique by heart and ultimately stood as one of its active
Dr. Eva Florentino, author of the book “His Life & Art: Manuel Antonio Rodriguez Sr., Father of Philippine Contemporary Printmaking”, gives an overview of Mang Maning’s life, starting from his humble beginnings in Cebu to becoming a pillar and icon in Philippine art history.
propagators. Bright ideas started to form and application became somewhat an art in still perfecting excellence. It was artsy but not done in a skanky way. Mang Maning finally found a certain level of self-fulfillment in every piece he stamped his name on… thereby feeling great about his serious involvement with the new technique that creatively enhanced his spontaneity to perfect visual effectiveness. although his new-fangled artwork was a total deviation from the norm it was easily accepted by critics and earned for himself as “the first modernist in the Philippine art scene” for he was unchallenged and alone in that arena. His lovelife In 1941, Mang Maning became romantically involved with a Bicolana named Natividad Panis who bore him his first son. To keep his family safe from the outbreak of war he brought them to Cebu via Pasacao, Camarines sur (his wife’s hometown) but sadly, war broke out while they were halfway. The tension built high when he was captured and mistaken for a guerilla. his artistry saved him in time when he made a sketch of the Japanese official that eventually vindicated his innocence. after the war, life had been good to the growing family while his name became fully established as an accomplished artist until tragedy struck when his wife untimely died in 1992 at the age of
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72 and left behind eight children: Manuel, Jr., Erlinda, Marcelino, Noli, Rey, Marietta, Gigi, and Via. Awards and recognitions awards and recognitions duly followed after his every successful endeavor such as: honorary Professor, La academia Florentina delle arti del Desino (Florence, 1963); Republic Cultural award (June 9, 1967); Lingkod-Bayan award (1975); Distinguished Professor award from the uP alumni association in New York (october 8, 1987); Bruna seril advancement of Philippine Culture award (February 12, 1988); CCP Visual arts award (1998); Pampanguluhang Medalya ng Merito (1998); Patnubay Ng Kalinagan award (December 19, 2000); and order of Rajah humabon award (2006), a distinction with only two recipients, former President Fidel V. Ramos, being the other one. Mang Maning’s many artworks were stashed away in many galleries but only one thing is certain though: that art connoisseurs and avid collectors who owned any of Mang Maning’s work have, undoubtedly, a piece of the national treasure and a good fortune in their hands. For comments and suggestions, please email to: gemini0646@yahoo.com. special acknowledgement goes to Mel C. Capinpin of the Philippine Center Management Board for the invitation to Mugna, The Rodriguez Legacy.
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Baron Geisler yields negative results 2016 Great Filipino Composers in self-administered drug test
Baron Geisler conducted a drug test on his own to prove everyone that he is not a drug user. on Thursday, Sept. 1, the 34-year-old actor proudly posted a photo of the test results on his Facebook page. His post claims that he used a drug test kit delivered by a certain friend. “I know everyone is wondering about me. I’m fine and good. I think this is a great idea for everyone to have, just in case anyone is accused online or by the police,” the caption read. one of the photos features a paper showing he is negative for both methamphetamine (shabu) and THC (marijuana). Baron, who is notorious for his bad drinking habits and bar fights, made him one of the most controversial actors in recent years. Before subjecting himself to the drug test, a video of him, daring the son of President rodrigo Duterte to get tested went viral online.
Series Concert on Sept. 17
Photo shows baron Geiler hosling proof that he does not use illegal drugs.
“Your sons, sabay kami. ngayon o bukas, magpadrug-test. Gawin natin. What will you do kapag ‘yun ang nangyare. Kapag nag-positive siya, what will you do?” Baron said on the footage. Baron is known for opposing the Duterte administration.
Calendar of Events across
In the wake of the current administration’s fight against illegal drugs, more celebrities are getting themselves tested for drug usage. Celebrities who also tested negative include Jake Cuenca, Luis Manzano and Diego Loyzaga. (Philstar.com)
America
THe San Lorenzo ruiz Choir of new York, in partnership with Mr. Jose ramos and Mr. rogelio B. Peñaverde Jr., presents the 2016 Great Filipino Composers Series Concert on Saturday, September 17, at the Loreto Theater of the Sheen Center in new York City. The second show of this annual undertaking will pay tribute to the life and works of Maestro ernani Cuenco. arguably the most important composer during the second golden age of Philippine cinema, he was honored posthumously as the Philippine national artist for Music in 1999. His works have garnered him multiple awards, among others, from the Filipino academy of Movie arts and Sciences, Gawad Urian, and the Metro Manila Film Festival. a graduate of the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music, he was recognized as the
university’s most outstanding alumnus in 1977. His most notable works include Kahit na Magtiis, nahan, Sa Bawat Sandali, Bato Sa Buhangin, and Gaano Ko Ikaw Kamahal. The Great Filipino Composers Series was conceptualized by its artistic Director, rogelio B. Penaverde Jr., to enhance the meaningful advocacy of Philippine culture and values in neculture and values in new York City. By showcasing the country’s rich heritage in the field of music, it aims to provide a tangible testimony to the ingenuity of the Filipino people. This year’s show will be under the music direction of enrico Lagasca and the stage direction of J. William Herbert Sigmund Go. The performing ensemble consists of Donna Danielson, antoni Mendezona, Katrina Saporsantos, Joy Tamayo, Marvin
Gayatgay, Leo Leal, Joseph Legaspi, rogelio B. Peñaverde Jr., resty Yongco, Dennis Bernardo, and the San Lorenzo ruiz Choir of new York. new musical arrangements of the maestro’s works for voice and chamber ensemble will be written by Paulo K. Tirol. The 2016 Great Filipino Composers Series is brought to you in part by the JCI Philippinenew York Chapter, Bakas Pilipinas, and the Philippine Community Center Services for aging. It is a production of Ilustrado, LLC. Tickets are sold at $100, $45, and $35. You may purchase them at the Sheen Center Box office by calling (212) 925-2812 or by visiting the Sheen Center Website. For more information, please visit the Great Filipino Composers Series Facebook event page or call (917) 708-0221.
ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS SEPTEMBER 3
Filipino Association of Leisure World Annual “Luau” The Filipino Association of Leisure World will hold its Annual Hawaiian Luau at the LW Hall (1232 Golden Rain Rd. Seal Beach, California) on Saturday, Sept. 3. Music will be provided by Willie Manacsa & The Midnight Motion Band. Please call the president of the association, Ren Villanueva at (323) 854-6209 for other related questions.
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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.
SEPTEMBER 10
17th annual Asian Small Business Expo The Asian Small Business Expo is the only business-to-business expo that engages the Asian business community and brings this growing economic force into the mainstream to connect and utilize your company and its services. Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with small businesses, market your organization and tap into a network of entrepreneurs, service providers, financial organizations, franchises and governmental and legislative representatives. Admission to the expo is FREE! It will be held on Saturday, Sept. 10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Almansor Court Banquet & Conference Center, 700 S. Almansor St., Alhambra, CA 91801. To register, please visit: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/annual-asiansmall-business-expo-tickets-23824155691. Walk-ins are also welcome on the day of the expo. For more information, please visit www.apisbp.org.
SEPTEMBER 16
CAC to celebrate Town Fiesta The Cabatuan Association of California will celebrate their Annual Town Fiesta in honor of their Patron Saint, San Nicolas de Tolentino on September 10, 2016 with a mass at 11:00 am at Nati Matitu-Mercado’s residence - 15255 Knapp St. North Hills, CA, 91343. Please invite four friends and relatives. Music will be provided by Willie Manacsa. For other inquiries, please call Esoy Tavarro, president, (714) 797-0073; Sally Bilbao, adviser (951) 8785589; Boboy Mosqueda, adviser (714) 519-8973; or Nati Matitu-Mercado, adviser at (818) 894-5142.
SEPTEMBER 17
Lorenzo Ruiz: A musical play On Saturday, September 17, the St. Lorenzo Ruiz Catholic Parish Community will present a musical play entitled Lorenzo Ruiz: the First Filipino Saint. This play will star Mat Ranillo III, a Filipino TV, film and stage actor. Purchase your tickets today, for a donation of $20 for one event or $25 for both events. Seats are limited so get your tickets early. For ticket sales, please contact St. Lorenzo Ruiz Parish office at (909) 595-9545. St. Lorenzo Ruiz Catholic Parish Community is located at 747 Meadowpass Rd., Walnut, California 91789.
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AAPA’s leadership symposium Join the Asian American Professional Association (AAPA) for an all-day event from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. with exceptional and diverse keynote speakers and panelists, as well as multiple workshops on diversity and leadership topics. The symposium is open to everyone, and will be held at the Pacific Palms Hotel, 1 Industry Hills Parkway, City of Industry, CA 91744. For more information, please visit http://aapamentoring.com/.
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8th Regional Celebration of the Feast of San Lorenzo Ruiz The Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the San Fernando Region invites everyone to the 8th Regional Celebration of the feast of San Lorenzo Ruiz, the First Filipino Saint. Festivities will be on Saturday, September 24, 2016, at this year’s host parish, Holy Family Church - Glendale (209 East Lomita Avenue, Glendale CA 91205). Procession starts at 4:30 PM , then Mass at 5:30 PM with Most Reverend Oscar A. Solis DD, Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles, as Principal Celebrant. Reception , fellowship and program will immediately follow at the Holy Family Grade School Auditorium across the church. For more information, please contact Ping Bayani at(913) 558-4332 or bayani0950@yahoo.com.
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FAPCCA Media Awards The Filipino American Press Club of California invites you to The First FAPCCA Media Awards Gala Night 2016 at Glendale Hilton Hotel, 100 W. Glenoaks Blvd, Glendale CA 91202, Sept. 25, 2016 Sunday 5pm (www.facebook.com/fapccamediaawards/) Tickets: $65/person includes dinner and entertainment. Call: 626.475.3052; 310.600.9913; 818.357.4566 or pay by Paypal at www.paypal.me/fapcca (please indicate the amount, number of tickets, name, mailing address and cell number on the Special Instruction field). FAPCCA Contact Persons: Chairperson Thelma Calabio - 301.600.9913; President Andy Z. Edralin - 626-475-3052; VP Isidric Panganiban - 818.357.4566; Treasurer Christie Rosacia -818.451.6606; Auditor Sonia Bermejo - 818.653.3177; Joe Cobilla - PRO - 323.804.9959; Director Rose Sarreal 213.321.1119
If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, please email us the details at info@asianjournalinc.com or calendar@asianjournalinc.com
Officers and staff of the Philippine Consulate General New York and the Filipino-American Association of Pittsburgh are all smiles after providing services to almost 100 applicants at the Consular Outreach in West Mifflin, PA last August 20.
NYPCG outreach to Pittsburgh delivers consular services to kababayans To serve Filipinos in the westernmost region of its 10-state jurisdiction, the Philippine Consulate General new York returned to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania last 20 august as part of the Consular outreach to the community. about 100 applicants availed of passport, retention/
reacquisition of citizenship, civil registry, legal and notarization services at the Homeville Christian Church in West Mifflin organized in partnership with the Filipino-american association of Pittsburgh. The Consular team was comprised of Vice Consul Khrys Corpuz, Beverly Pelossis, Mabel Castanarez, rissa
ressureccion, Mae ermita, Tito ringor, Jake Tolentino and Caloy Cruz. The whole schedule of Consular outreach 2016 for the US northeast, including forms and pre-appointment instructions may be found at http://newyorkpcg. org/the-consulate/ our-services/ consular-outreach.
TFC executive team pays courtesy call on the PH Consul General in New York
THe aBS-CBn International Team paid a courtesy call on Consul General Mario L. de Leon, Jr. at the Philippine Consulate General new York on 30 august 2016. The team led by olivia Finina G. de Jesus, north america Managing Director (3rd from r) invited the Consul General and his officers and staff to join them in celebrating aSaP in new York. 30 artists will compose the aSaP Concert per Ms. De Jesus. The team also expressed their interests on the future projects of the Consulate particularly those aimed at reaching out to the the millennials in new York and the US northeast.
Ms. De Jesus was with her executive team Ms. Nerissa M. Fernandez, Global Corporate Affairs and Public Relations (2nd from R); Mr. Ray Olano, Head of Sales and Distribution (1st from R) and Ms. Malou Garcia (2nd from L). Consul General de Leon was joined by his Public Diplomacy Officer, Vice Consul Khrys Corpuz Popov (3rd from R) and Cultural Officer Olive Osias-Magpile (1st from R).
Take a stand, you all!... From Page 3 can also be true. We can choose to do nothing and allow the terrifying prospect of abortion, death and decay to overcome and overwhelm us. Sometimes, we feel that by ourselves alone, we are powerless to stop this horror from being indelibly imprinted into the fabric of our lives. But together as one voice, countless silent prayers by steadfast, faithful prayer warriors are sent heavenward by millions, maybe even billions, among us who believe in the power of prayer. our prayers are heard and miracles rain down upon us in our time of need. When we assault heaven with our prayer arrows, the Spirit comes and moves the chosen ones to action, those special human beings, a bit larger than life, who can lead and make the world turn on its axis for humanity to do God’s will. In 2008, new York’s Cardinal
egan wrote, “…We are rightly worried about a country that is so casual about the destruction of innocent human life and indifferent about the attacks on the institution of marriage. The time has come for americans to get on their knees and beg our Father for mercy for our nation.” The cardinal released a photo of a 20-week old unborn child together with his letter. He then asked all to look at the photograph and ask themselves if there is any doubt that the picture is a human being. He closed his letter with these powerful words asking: “Do me a favor. Look at the photograph again. Look and decide with honesty and decency what the Lord expects of you and me as the horror of “legalized” abortion continues to erode the honor of our nation. Look, and do not absolve yourself if you refuse to act.”
The Lord told us in 2nd Chronicles: “If my people, upon whom my name has been pronounced, humble themselves and pray, and seek my presence and turn from their evil ways, I will hear them from heaven and pardon their sins and revive their land.” The consequences of doing nothing and allowing the horrible evil of abortion to continue unchallenged, are dire. CHooSe LIFe. along with free will, nothing in our physical world can be greater. If God himself in His infinite love, so valued human life that he sent His only Son in human form, for the ultimate sacrifice to save man for eternal life, where do we get the gall and the temerity to think any less of it? Who do we think we are to even think that we can choose to take it? *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com
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The Asian Journal N E W YO R K / N E W J E R S EY S E p T E m b E R 2 , 20 1 6
of Chair of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (now UN Women); the first Filipina and first woman member of the international Association of Universities; and the first Filipina to be conferred the Presidential Award of the order of Sikatuna, with the rank of Datu, bestowed by then President Fidel V. ramos in 1998. “Dr. Helena Z Benitez’ legacy is felt in many fields: from the academe, to the legislature, to the General Assembly Hall of the United Nations and to the community through arts and (Left Photo) Consul General Mario L. de Leon, Jr. and Mrs. Leila Benitez-McCollum (left photo) and members of the Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company led by Ms. Inda Gage culture. Her work transcends (right photo, 2nd from L) led the Filipino-American community in New York at a memorial mass offered for the 40th day of the passing of Dr. Helena Z Benitez on 24 August at St. Malachy many spheres of influence, yet Church. has been a testament to a notable dedication to excellence and service,” the Consul General said. “Serving under seven Philippine Presidents, from performers, artists, and cultural Filipino Apostolate Award in was attended by members of A memoriAl mass and manuel l. Quezon to Ferdinand groups, as well as for extending 2003 and shared the vision the Benitez family led by the tribute for Senator Helena Z assistance to Filipino nationals in marcos, she has remained true to of many Filipinos in New York Senator’s niece, leila BenitezBenitez was organized by the distress. Both were advocacies of the ideals that were close to her to have a Catholic Center for macCollum, friends of the Philippine Consulate General heart until the day of her passing,” Dr. Benitez. Filipinos in the United States. Benitez family, members of the in coordination with Fr. erno he added. in his opening remarks after She was also instrumental in the PWU Alumni Association, and Diaz on 24 August 2016 in in remembering Dr. Benitez, the mass, Consul General mario establishment of a Philippine New York-based alumni of the commemoration of the 40th day representatives from Filipino l. de leon Jr. cited the many Pastoral Center, that opened in Bayanihan Philippine National of her passing. community cited her numerous “firsts” in Dr. Benitez records: she east 62nd Street in 1998 and was Folk Dance Company. Senator The mass, concelebrated by accomplishments in women became the first Filipina and a former convent of nuns offered Benitez founded the Bayanihan Fr. Diaz, former chaplain of the empowerment, arts and culture the first woman President of the by the late Cardinal o’Connor. Dance Company. . Philippine Women’s University and the academe. Governing Council of the UN For seven years, the Center Senator Benitez was close (PWU) and director of the ms. Cecile Quirino, who environment Programme; the became a hub in the promotion to many Filipinos in New York. Philippine apostolate in New works at UN Women, related first Filipina to hold the position of Philippine culture by hosting She was the recipient of the York, and msgr. oscar Aquino,
Senator Helena Z. Benitez honored in New York
Georgina Wilson confirms pregnancy THe cat is now out of the bag! A photo confirming that Georgina Wilson is indeed pregnant has surfaced online. Aside from the photo, the lifestyle portal has also shared a video of Georgina admitting the pregnancy in an exclusive interview with raymond Gutierrez for her new reality show on e! Philippines, “it Girls.” “it’s funny because you think you you can plan life but life just has a mind of its own...and it’s just so exciting,” quips the model. A few months ago, many have suspected that the it Girl, who recently married British businessman Arthur Burnand, is pregnant with their first child. The rumors came after a Snapchat clip from isabelle Daza’s account showed Georgina sporting what seemed to be a baby bump. (Philstar.com) Georgina Wilson
Dr. Benitez’ efforts and strong lobbying at the UN to advance women’s rights and development. ms. inda Gage, an alumna of Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company, paid tribute to Dr. Benitez’ love and passion for Philippine art and culture which she propagated through Philippine folk dance in different parts of the world. “Tita Helen, as she was fondly called by many, had taken care of Bayanihan dancers like her own family,’ ma Gage recalled. mr. Alex esteban, President of the Philippine Women’s Alumni Association in New York, expressed his appreciation for her unconditional love to the University and its people. A “Putungan” Dance performed by the Bayanihan members preceded the tribute. ms. leila Benitez-macCollum responded on behalf of the Benitez family and thanked the community for their thoughts and prayers for her aunt. A simple salu-salo ended the evening, where a short video of Dr. Benitez was shown thanking the Filipino community during a Gala organized by the Filipino Apostolate in New York more than a decade ago.
Liza Soberano says she doesn’t see herself as the ‘most beautiful’ WiTH her angelic face and million-dollar smile, liza Soberano is indeed hard to ignore. even foreign artists such as Charlie Puth and The Chainsmokers can attest to that. Just recently, liza was hailed as “one of Philippine television’s most beautiful faces today” by a lifestyle magazine. on top of that, she landed sixth in TC Candler’s “Top 100 most Beautiful Faces,” beating the ranks of emilia Clarke and Chloe moretz. However, despite getting all the praises from the fans and admirers, liza doesn’t think of herself as the most beautiful. “it’s overwhelming thank you, but i don’t really see myself
as the most beautiful,” quips the 18-year-old Kapamilya star in an interview during her launch as the newest face of maybelline New York. According to the young actress, to be beautiful does not just mean having a flawless skin and perfect features. For her, beauty is a word that deserves so much more than to be used in describing one’s physical appearance only. “it’s overwhelming thank you, but i don’t really see myself as the most beautiful,” quips the 18-year-old Kapamilya star in an interview during her launch as the newest face of maybelline New York.
Liza Soberano
According to the young actress, to be beautiful does not just mean having a flawless skin and perfect features. For her, beauty is a word that deserves so much more than to be used in describing one’s physical appearance only. (Philstar.com)
An Asian Journal Magazine
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The Asian Journal N E W YO R K / N E W J E R S EY SEpTEmbER 2, 2016