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Volume 9 – Issue 50 • 16 Pages
S E P T E MBE R 9 - 1 5 , 2 0 1 6 Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
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USA
DATELINE Fil-Am fugitive wanted for Tucson murder hiding in PH from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA
A fILIPINo-AmerICAN accused of fatally shooting a man during a house party in tucson, Arizona, 16 years ago remains at large after fleeing to the Philippines. Police hope the public might have information leading to the capture of Anthony Burroughs, who was last seen at a strip club in metro manila, according to sources for CNN’s “the hunt with John Walsh.” the 5’7”, 200 lb 37-year-old, who has his last name tattooed on his back, fled the U.s. after allegedly killing ruben rodriguez on April 29, 2000. “I was told it was over a girl,” rodriguez’s ex-girlfriend, melinda ochoa told CNN. Witnesses say the two men met for the first time that night and wound up trading blows. After the fistfight, rodriguez had
Duterte and Obama briefly meet at ASEAN summit
the two leaders spoke in the holding room at the National Convention Center in Vientiane, Laos, Philippine After agreeing to postpone their foreign secretary Perfecto Yasay, Jr. much-anticipated bilateral meeting, confirmed. Philippine President rodrigo Duterte “I’m very happy that it happened. It and U.s. President Barack obama met all springs from the fact that the relabriefly and “shook hands” before the tionship between the Philippines and gala dinner at the Association of south- the United states is firm, very strong,” east Asian Nations (AseAN) summit on Yasay told the media. Wednesday, september 7. Philippine foreign Affairs spokesby Klarize
Medenilla AJPress
person Charles Jose also confirmed the meeting, saying, “I think they were able to iron out the issue.” Although Duterte said he would be seated next to his American counterpart, the two did not sit next to each other at the dinner. Additionally, he did not sit next to Ban Ki-moon, secretary-general of the United Nations, as promised. earlier this week, Duterte made
by edu
Punay Philstar.com
DHS considers ending use of private prisons to house detained immigrants
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No September burial at Libingan for Marcos – SC
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A DePArtmeNt of homeland security (Dhs) advisory council has until November 30 to decide whether the federal government will continue holding detained immigrants in for-profit prisons, or end its use of private detention centers. homeland security secretary Jeh Johnson commissioned the Dhs review on friday, August 26, then publicized it at a press event the following monday, according to Politico. the investigation comes amidst mounting scrutiny from humanitarian groups, and just over a week after officials at the Department of Justice (DoJ) announced they would not renew contracts with private prison operators. Johnson said the council had been tasked “to review our current policy and practices
international headlines when it was reported that he had called his American counterpart a “son of a b****” during a press conference. Although the obscenities were directed to a reporter and not obama, the comments prompted the White house to cancel their scheduled meeting. ASEAN summit wraps up At the three-day summit among the
Community leaders led by Loida Nicolas Lewis staged a protest in front of the Philippine Consulate General in New York on Wednesday, Sept. 7 against the plan of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to bury Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Mrs. Lewis read an open letter to the president, which the protestors later submitted to the consulate for transmittal to the Philippines. AJPress Photo by Momar G. Visaya
Northeast US Fil-Am community protests Marcos burial at Libingan ng mga Bayani by MOMar
g. Visaya
AJPress
NeW YorK – A coalition of filipino-American community groups and organizations gathered in front of the Philippine Consulate General in New York
to protest plans of Philippine President rodrigo Duterte to bury former president ferdinand marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Community leaders, survivors of martial Law atrocities and human rights advocates
spoke out to denounce the president’s plan and asked him to reconsider and listen to the voice of the people. Baltazar Pinguel, who came all the way Philadelphia, assailed the government’s plan
mANILA, Philippines — the supreme Court on Wednesday, sept 7, extended until oct. 18 its order temporarily stopping the burial of the late strongman ferdinand marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in taguig City that was supposedly set on Ferdinand Marcos sept. 18. sC spokesman theodore te announced at the conclusion of the two-session oral arguments on petitions against the marcos burial by martial law victims that the status quo ante order, which was supposed to expire on monday, sept 5, was extended to allow the justices to resolve the case on merits. the high tribunal initially issued the order last Aug. 23, effective for 20 days, to Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Armed forces chief of staff Gen. ricardo Visaya as the military had started preparations for the burial. In oral arguments on Wednesday, solicitor General Jose Calida defended before the high court President Duterte’s decision to allow marcos’ burial at the heroes’ cemetery, saying the interment would not necessarily rewrite the nation’s history and make marcos a hero. Calida asked the sC to dismiss the petitions, arguing that marcos, being a former president and duly recognized soldier and war veteran, should be entitled to interment at the heroes’ cemetery. he said the Libingan was not exclusive for heroes as the name suggested because the national pantheon for presidents, national heroes and patriots under republic Act 289 or the law providing for its construction did not
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Obama reaffirms US commitment to Asia by Christina
M. Oriel
AJPress
DUrING his 11th and final trip to Asia, President Barack obama pledged that the United states has continued strong commitment to the region — one that would last even beyond his presidency. “the United states is more deeply engaged across the AsiaPacific region than we have been in decades,” he said at the Association of southeast Asian Nations (AseAN) summit on tuesday, sept. 6 in Vientiane, Laos. “We’ve
sent a message that we’re here to stay.” he added that the country’s presence in the region, as evidenced by his administration’s “pivot to Asia” — is not “a passing fad,” as it reflects “fundamental national interests.” the president laid out the “principles for peace and progress” in the region, including “sovereignty and territorial integrity” of each nation and upholding human rights. though not directly naming China, he said that “bigger nations
should not dictate to smaller nations, and that all nations should play by the same rules.” “And across the region, including in the east and south China seas, the United states will continue to fly and sail and operate wherever international law allows, and support the right of all countries to do the same,” he said, referring to the territorial disputes many AseAN countries have with China over the waters. he also touched upon the controversial trans-Pacific Partner-
President Rodrigo Duterte visited the survivors of the Davao City blast on Saturday, Sept. 3. Among the survivors are Sheena Tagadaya (shown in photo with her mother Melinda) and her brother Steven, who were 20 feet away from the explosion at the night market in the city. Contributed photo
NY-based nurse asks PH gov’t to Fil-Am news anchor to moderate VP debate AFP: No abuses step up in protecting its citizens Nephew, niece among Davao blast survivors during ‘state of emergency’
President Barack Obama
by Christina
M. Oriel
AJPress
eLAINe Quijano, anchor of CBs’ digital network CBsN, is making history as the first Asian American and first digital network anchor to moderate a national debate during the general election campaign. the 42-year-old filipinoAmerican anchor is also one of the youngest debate mod-
erators. the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) announced last week that Quijano will moderate the only debate between vice presidential nominees senator tim Kaine (DVa.) and Governor mike Pence (r-Ind.) on tuesday, oct. 4 at Longwood University in farmville, Virginia. According to the CPD, the 90-minute debate will be bro-
ken up into nine segments of 10 minutes each and will be broadcast without commercial interruption on the CBs television Network and CBsN at 9 p.m. et. “It’s an honor to be chosen to help bring the issues of this critical election to the public,” Quijano said, as reported by CBs News. the filipino-American is a
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badly hit by the bombing that happened on the evening of sept. 3 near the city’s night NeW YorK – michael taga- market. daya, a New York-based nurse steven raeyan and Princess first heard of the news about sheena tagadaya, both Ateneo the Davao City bombing on his de Davao students, were 20 social media feed. It wasn’t un- feet away from the explosion. til he received a call from his they just got out of school younger brother that a nephew and since sheena has not been and a niece were among those u PAGE A2 by MOMar
g. Visaya
AJPress
by Fernan
Marasigan ManilaTimes.net
the military on Wednesday, sept. 7, allayed fears of abuses during implementation of the “state of National emergency on Account of Lawless Violence” even as sol-
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A SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2016 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426
From the Front Page
Northeast US Fil-Am community…
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FOUR HOURS BEFORE FLIGHT. The Bureau of Immigration (BI) issued a reminder that passengers flying out of the country must be at airports four hours early as part of expected beefed-up security measures, including stricter immigration protocols, following President Duterte’s declaration of a state of emergency after the bomb attack in Davao City on Friday, Sept. 2. Inquirer photo by Richard A. Reyes
No September burial at Libingan… PAGE A1 t
so state. Calida explained the decision of Duterte was not meant to pay tribute to Marcos as a hero but rather “accord him simple mortuary rites befitting a former president, commander-in-chief and soldier” through the military instead of state honors. He stressed it was a campaign promise of the President, who won in the elections with over 16 million votes. Calida also invoked the President’s authority under the Constitution and Revised Administrative Code to decide on political questions that would not involve any justiciable issue for the high court to resolve. He said the controversy was “beyond ambit of judicial review” and warned that granting the petitions would be tantamount to an “intrusion upon executive power.” “President Duterte decides to begin the long overdue healing of our nation and to exorcise the ghosts of enmity and bitterness that prevent us from moving forward. Unfortunately, the wisdom and propriety of President Duterte’s well-meaning desire to put a closure in this divisive issue has pinched the nerves of some who cannot forget their travails during the martial law era,” he lamented. Calida pointed out that the late president Corazon Aquino and
her successor Fidel Ramos used such residual power on this controversy during their respective terms. He said Ramos overturned the decision of Aquino and allowed Marcos’ remains to return to the country from Hawaii where he died in 1989. The Solicitor General also rebutted the point made by Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio in the first session of oral arguments last week that Marcos lost his privilege to be buried at the Libingan when he was “dishonorably discharged” and ousted by the historic EDSA people power revolution in 1986. “Marcos was never dishonorably discharged from military service nor convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude. Dishonorable discharge (of a military officer) can only happen through court-martial,” Calida stressed. Calida likewise told the SC that the government recognized Marcos both as a soldier and a war veteran, citing the benefits accorded to his widow. He revealed that former first lady Imelda Marcos had been receiving P5,000 in monthly pension from the Philippine Veteran’s Office since April 1994 for being a surviving wife of a war veteran. She is also receiving P20,000 pension from the Armed Forces as widow of a Medal of Valor awardee. But National Historical Com-
mission head Serena Diokno also informed the court that the government has received a letter from the United States showing that Marcos did not receive such award. In the same session, Commission on Human Rights chairman Chito Gascon argued that the decision to bury Marcos at the heroes’ cemetery reopened wounds from the martial law era and “retraumatized” victims of human rights violations during the dictator’s rule. Gascon argued that reparations of martial law victims should not only involve monetary compensation but also “symbolic” ones, which should include a policy banning a hero’s burial for Marcos. But Calida argued that the millions of votes garnered by Marcos’ son and former senator Ferdinand Jr. in the vice presidential polls last May could prove that there was no more trauma among the Filipino people from the martial law abuses. Calida said what was traumatizing was when petitioners recounted their ordeals during the martial law era via individual testimonials during the oral arguments last week, which he said were not relevant to the legal issues at hand. “I was surprised that during the last hearing, the victims were made to recall the horrors they
to bury Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Bal was imprisoned for five years and heavily tortured during the martial law years. “The People Power revolution was a total rejection of Marcos. There should not be reason whatsoever to rethink about his burial,” Pinguel said. “He can be buried anywhere but not at the Libingan ng mga Bayani!” The former dictator’s remains is in his family’s mausoleum in his hometown of Batac, Ilocos Norte. Duterte has said that burying the former president at the LNMB is the right thing to do because he was the country’s president and a bemedalled soldier. The group chanted ‘Marcos is no hero, he killed Filipinos’ and carried placards that read ‘Marcos, Not a Hero,’ ‘Justice for the Martial Law Victims,’ ‘No to Marcos Burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani’. “Mr. Marcos does not deserve a hero’s burial because he is not a hero. Is taking 10 billion dollars as ill-gotten wealth, is that heroic? Is the common disregard for international human rights and due process leading to countless extra-judicial kill-
ings, is that heroic? I stand in solidarity for those who are expressing our discontent to President Duterte,” community organizer Steve Raga said. “The sins of the Marcos family are not only sins of the past. We are suffering today, even unborn Filipinos already has a debt to pay because of the debt accumulated under the Marcos dictatorship,” said Berna Ellorin of Bayan USA. “We owe it to the youth to tell them our history. We cannot deny what happened in the past. The Marcos family is on a vicious campaign to rewrite history.” Loida Lewis, representing US Pinoys for Good Governance read an open letter to President Duterte requesting him to reconsider his decision. “To bury former president Ferdinand E. Marcos together with the nation’s heroes is an insult, an affront to the thousands of lives tortured and murdered during Marcos’ reign,” the petition letter said. “You said it will do away with division. To bury him there will create more division because that is an injustice to the victims of martial law.” Lewis added that under Martial Law from 1972 to 1981, about 3,000 Filipinos were
killed; 34,000 were tortured and 70,000 people were imprisoned. After the program ended, Loida Lewis, along with author Ninotchka Rosca and Kinding Sindaw’s Potri Ranka Manis, presented the open letter to the Philippine government representative at the Philippine Center, Consul Arman Talbo. The Kontra Libing Coalition is composed of several groups with branches all over the world which also staged similar protest rallies in front of their respective consulates and embassies. The Kontra Libing Coalition issued a statement against the order of President Rodrigo Duterte for a hero’s burial for Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani “not because we harp on the past, but because we care about our country’s future.” President Marcos is not a hero but a criminal, thus not deserving of a place in the Libingan ng mga Bayani and that a hero’s burial glosses over the crimes he committed against the Filipino people during the fourteen years he usurped power, the coalition statement further said. “When a people power uprising finally booted him out of the
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NY-based nurse asks PH gov’t to step up…
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felling too well, they told their parents that she was getting a reflexology massage before they went home. Sheena was on the massage table while Steven was standing next to her when the blast happened. They are among the more than 60 people injured by the blast that claimed the lives of 14 people. The blast caused severe traumatic injury to the 19-year-old Steven’s left leg and multiple shrapnel pieces punctured his liver. In addition to an emergency reconstruction of his leg, he also had exploratory laparotomy to repair his liver. He lost a lot of blood and had to receive blood transfusion. His 17-year-old sister Sheena sustained multiple injuries when shrapnel hit the T5 level of her spinal cord. Both were rushed to the Operating Room at Southu PAGE A4 ern Philippines Medical Center
Vice President Leni Robredo greets Jay Tagadaya, whose niece and nephew are among the survivors of the Davao bombing. Contributed photo
where doctors spent hours upon hours to perform life-saving surgical procedures to prolong their lives. Steven will require debride-
ment and sloughing (skin grafting) for his left lower leg, while Sheena will require a much needed spine surgery in the next
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From the Front Page
(212) 655-5426 • http://www.asianjournal.com
NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2016
A
Duterte and Obama briefly meet at…
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10 leaders of the ASEAN, Duterte delivered an impassioned speech about human rights. According to attendees, Duterte went off-script and launched a tirade against the “atrocities” by the U.S. military against the indigenous groups in Mindanao and the conflict that has plagued that region of the Philippines. Delegates were “quiet and shocked” while a diplomat called the fiery speech “normal Duterte,” according to GMA News. “Even as we continue to comply with our constitutional requirements in the observance of due process and respect for human rights, he is committed to combating the spread of illegal drugs to ensure the security and well-being of the next generation,” the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said. Amid the controversy surWRITTEN IN STONE. Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa poses with a marker for the launch of the rounding Duterte’s obscene repolice quick response hotline called ‘Itaga Mo sa Bato’ at Camp Crame last Monday, Sept. 5. The new text hotline allow Filipinos to report marks, Duterte was received well a crime or ask for help. Philstar.com photo by Michael Varcas among the leaders upon landing in Laos. “President Duterte is a rockstar, not only in our country, but also in other countries like Laos PAGE A1 t He went on to say that the ever visit by a sitting American and Japan,” Presidential Comship, a trade agreement that U.S. has been working to “rebal- president to Laos. munications Secretary Martin the U.S. has with 12 countries, ance our foreign policy” in the The U.S. president was slated Andanar said on Wednesday. including Singapore, Japan and region by creating military alli- to have a bilateral conversation Ernesto Abella, presidential Malaysia. The Philippines did not ances with countries like Japan with President Rodrigo Duterte spokesperson, said that the pressign onto the TPP, though the and Korea. on Tuesday, but canceled follow- ident was received with “empacountry has expressed interest in “And with our new access ing controversial comments from thy,” adding that Duterte’s hanjoining in the future. agreement with the Philippines, the Philippine leader. The two dling of the meeting during the “TPP is a core pillar of Ameri- our militaries are closer than were supposed to discuss issues ASEAN-China summit was “adca’s rebalance to the Asia Pacific. they’ve been in decades,” Obama such as the Philippines’ war on mirable.” And the trade and the growth it noted in his speech. drugs and the South China Sea “He has the capacity for statessupports will reinforce America’s manship that is usually missed Earlier in July, the U.S. pledged territorial disputes. n security alliances and regional to give the Philippines $32 milpartnerships,” he argued, add- lion in aid for military training ing that it would have “economic and services, including upholdconsequences” and “would call ing the Enhanced Defense Cointo question America’s leader- operation Agreement (EDCA) ship in this vital region” if it does between the two countries. not move ahead. Obama’s trip marks the first-
Obama reaffirms U.S. commitment to…
Fil-Am news anchor to…
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weekday anchor for CBSN, CBS News’ 24-hour digital streaming network, and spearheads its political reporting. She is also an anchor of the Sunday edition of CBS “Weekend News” and contributes to “Evening News with Scott Pelley” and “CBS This Morning.” Quijano, who is currently based out of New York, has been with CBS since 2010, with coverage including the Boston Marathon bombings, Superstorm Sandy and the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. According to a release by the news organization, she was part of the team that won an Alfred I. duPont Award for coverage of the 2012 Newtown elementary
school massacre. She was previously a Washington, D.C. correspondent for CNN, covering the White House, the Pentagon and the Supreme Court. Some of her work included the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and major highlights of President George W. Bush’s term, such as his inauguration and the War on Terror. Quijano grew up in the Chicago suburbs of Morton Grove and Skokie and earned her journalism degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She started her career at WCIA-TV in Champaign, Illinois and then as a general assignment reporter for WFTS-TV in
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Police and health officials on the scene at the bombing in Davao City.
Contributed photo
NY-based nurse asks PH…
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few days to remove two metal shrapnel that are embedded in her spinal cord. Both will require extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation to promote healing and wellness. They were kept on intensive care unit at SPMC where they are currently recovering in the post-op surgical units and are being continuously monitored. Now, Tagadaya is hoping that justice be served. “The government and the police should pursue the perpetrators. Justice should be rendered kasi how can you feel safe if you just allow these things to happen,” Tagadaya told the Asian Journal. “They will never be the same, the way we knew them but we will make sure that … sabi nila time heals all wounds but I think our love and support for them will heal all these wounds,” he said. “Sheena and Steven, are not only resilient and survivors, they are young warriors who have big dreams to help their family and change the world. They are kind, gentle, respectful, God fearing, obedient, loyal, loving and caring.” Both President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo have visited the Tagadaya siblings and other blast victims. The president reportedly told them that the bomb was not meant for them, but for him. “Sabi niya ‘This was not meant for you and the children and everybody, this was meant for me.’ I was touched by the statement but I think the government
should do a better job in protecting people by stepping it up,” Tagadaya said. President Duterte declared a “state of lawless violence” in the Philippines hours after Friday night’s deadly blast. Steven is supposed to graduate with an Accounting degree next March and pursue his dream to become a Certified Public Accountant. He is Tagadaya’s fourth full scholar in their family. Sheena is a sophomore who dreams to become a flight attendant and travel the world. “Wala pa kaming accountant and he is going to be the first one in our family,” Tagadaya said, adding that he is hopeful that both Steven and Sheena are able to fully recover from this tragedy. The Tagadayas are from Cotabato City, a four-hour drive from Davao City. “I was video chatting with them yesterday and I was told both still have nightmares from the trauma brought about by the blast,” Tagadaya shared. “The good news is nakakausap na sila and they are able to talk now. It’s going to be a long healing and rehab process for them.” The family is grateful for the outpouring of support and words of encouragement from relatives and friends, especially on social media. In order to help his brother Roy and his wife Melinda defray the cost of the medical procedures, Michael has established a GoFundMe fundraiser for his niece and nephew. Visit https:// www.gofundme.com/2nw683hk for details. n
President Rodrigo Duterte
because of the noise regarding some of his statements,” Abella told reporters. At the summit, the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) dispute was a key topic of discussion. Hours before the leaders met, the Philippines revealed photos that allegedly show Chinese ships near the disputed waters. “We have reason to believe that their presence is a precursor to building activities on the shoal. We are continuing our surveillance and monitoring of their presence and activities,” Arsenio Andolong, spokesperson for the Philippine Defense Department, told Agence France-Presse. U.S./PH dispute over drug killings At the now-cancelled bilateral meeting, Obama was likely to bring up the drug-related killings in the Philippines that have es-
calated since Duterte’s entrance into office. The Philippine National Police (PNP) said that more than 2,000 have been killed. The U.S. has been critical of these killings and expressed its commitment to resolving the issue with Philippine leaders. “President Duterte may disagree with us strongly on that, and that’s part of the conversation of — between allies and partners that take place on — with a number of countries around the world,” Mark Toner, deputy spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, said in a press briefing on Tuesday, Sept. 6. However, Duterte expressed (in the speech in which he hurled obscenities to a reporter) that he will defend his policies and the killings and will not “bow down” to the U.S. n
A SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2016 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL
Fil-Am lawmaker urges criminal justice reform in CA by Klarize
Medenilla AJPress
ONE of the issues most important to Assemblymember Rob Bonta is reforming California’s criminal justice system. In July, Bonta — the first Filipino-American in the state’s Legislature — took action. As chair of the Select Committee on Boys and Men of Color, he gathered lawmakers, academics, community leaders and ex-convicts to discuss the shortcomings of the state’s criminal justi ce, paying particular attention to the state’s bail system. “In my view, it’s not a question of if the system needs to be reformed, it’s a question of how,” Bonta said in a hearing on July 6. When an individual is ar-
rested, they may be required to pay the court a certain amount of money — called bail — in exchange for release. This relies on the grounds that the individual shows up to court for a trial. The bail system was established to reduce court absences, but critics, including Bonta, say that bail puts a premium on poor people who can’t afford bail. “If you are poor and can’t pay bail, you will sit in jail even if your violation is something as minor as a traffic ticket and you’re not a risk to public safety or a flight risk,” Bonta said in a statement. “If you have the money to pay your cash bail, you can get out, no matter how likely you are to flee or reoffend.” Bonta refers to the system as
Dateline USa
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“an issue of racial, social and economic injustice” that disproportionately singles out not only the poor, but also people of color. More than 60 percent of those incarcerated in California are sitting in jail merely because they were not able to afford bail. In other words, more than 46,000 people that are locked up have not been convicted of a crime and are legally innocent. On average, it costs taxpayers each more than $100 a day to keep one person in jail, which translates to a statewide cost of $4.5 million. Last year, a group of lawyers in San Francisco filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of two former inmates that accused the state’s
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DHS considers ending use of private prisons…
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concerning the use of private immigration detention and evaluate whether this practice should be eliminated.” For-profit facilities have faced criticism from civil rights watchdogs and immigration advocates who decry reports of abuse and substandard housing conditions, as well as the expansion of the private prison industry. A July report from Human Rights Watch (HRW) attributed seven out of the 18 deaths that occurred at immigration detention centers to inadequate medical care. “We certainly see a lot of these problems magnified when a company is seeking to extract as much profit as it can out of a detention center,” the executive director of Grassroots Leadership, Bob Libal, told the Los Angeles Times. However, sources from Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) told the LA Times that moving thousands of incarcerated
immigrants out of private facilities could take over a decade and cost taxpayers billions. Private contractors are currently responsible for housing two-thirds of the approximately 31,000 people held in DHS custody on a day to day basis. ICE does not maintain its own detention centers. Some officials warn that if private detention centers close, asylum seekers, undocumented immigrants, and green card-holding residents awaiting immigration hearings could be sent to state and local jails where they would face even worse conditions. “Before this ever happens, the facilities we currently use have to be replaced — that’s basically the only way, or it will shut us down,” said Chris Crane, president of the National Immigration and Customs Enforcement Council, which represents federal deportation officers. Even if the federal government cuts all ties with private prison operators, the industry would
continue to survive because state and local clients make up the overwhelming majority of its clientele, according to various sources. However, recent moves by the DHS and DOJ bring attention to growing concerns about the management of America’s inmate population. A DOJ report released in August noted higher rates of assaults on both prisoners and prison employees at for-profit institutions versus federally-run detention centers. “The fact of the matter is that private prisons don’t compare favorably to Bureau of Prisons facilities in terms of safety or security or services,” said Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates in an August memo instructing DOJ officials to allow private prison contracts to lapse. “Now with the decline in the federal prison population, we have both the opportunity and the responsibility to do something about that.” (Eric Anthony Licas / AJ Press)
FILIPINO LANTERN IN SINGAPORE. Joining the celebration of Christianity in Asia, Filipinos in Singapore lit this 14-foot Christmas lantern at the Asian Civilization Museum (ACM) last Saturday, Sept. 3. Made of fiberglass and rigged with 1,200 light bulbs, the lantern was commissioned from Pampanga. It is on exhibit until Sept. 12 and will be reinstalled at ACM in October in time for Christmas. Inquirer photo
Fil-Am fugitive wanted for Tucson murder… PAGE A1 t
reportedly helped Burroughs get up from the ground and was then shot in the shoulder as he walked away from the suspect, according to Ochoa. The wound destroyed the victim’s carotid artery, according to Tucson Police Detective, Tom Stewart. Burroughs had also shot himself in the foot during the incident. With the help of his girlfriend and another accomplice, he sought medical attention in Mexico, supposedly to avoid alerting law enforcement of his whereabouts. American Customs in 2008. Louis presided by Martha Rad- officials stopped the fugitive’s There will be three debates datz of ABC News and CNN’s car as he reentered the country, for presidential nominees Hillary Anderson Cooper and on Oct. 19 but eventually released him. He Clinton and Donald Trump, with at the University of Nevada-Las was then able to board a plane in the first one scheduled for Sept. Vegas anchored by Chris Wal- Phoenix, Arizona and escape to 26 at Hofstra University in Hemp- lace of Fox News. the Philippines. stead, New York to be moderated The lineup of debate moderaPolice continued to work on by NBC News’ Lester Holt. The tors comes after the CPD was the case, but Burroughs’s trail subsequent ones will be on Oct. urged to select more diverse grew cold over the years. 9 at Washington University in St. journalists. n “There were a lot of people giving misinformation,” Stewart
Fil-Am news anchor to moderate VP…
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Tampa, Florida. “I’ll keep doing broadcast journalism until I don’t find it fun or interesting anymore. You have to have an intense passion for this. The day that it stops being fun and interesting, I’ll know it’s time to go,” Quijano told the Asian Journal’s MDWK Magazine
told CNN. “At a certain point, over the years, you run out of people to talk to.” Then, well over a decade after Rodriguez’s death, a confidential source in the Philippines gave investigators a critical lead. In 2014, police learned that Burroughs’s mother -- who is originally from Iloilo, Philippines -- had been sending money to her son overseas, and were able to obtain a warrant to search her home. Officers spent 14 hours looking for clues before finding a collection of letters sent by Burroughs from the Philippines. “We very much believe that Anthony’s mother has tipped him off and drove him back underground,” Deputy U.S. Marshall Jen Rippey told CNN. “We also believe she is still financing him in some way, shape or form.” She described the suspect as a “wannabe” who glamorized the gangster lifestyle. He had a criminal record for theft and as-
saulting his girlfriend, and was known to usually have a gun on his person. Tattoos decorate ¾ of both of his arms, in addition to his upper back and chest. Rodriguez was 19 and had just landed a sales job in a jewelry store at the time of his death, according to his mother, Sandra Medina. He joined a gang during high school, and wound up in juvenile detention after being caught with a small amount of drugs, according to CNN. He was released after turning 18. “That’s when he started changing,” Medina told CNN. “Ruben didn’t want to be involved with these people anymore.” Since discovering Burroughs’s letters to his mother, deputy U.S. Marshals have been dispatched to the Philippines. They are working with local authorities to track the suspect, who was last seen in May of 2014. (By Eric Anthony Licas/AJPress)
AFP: No abuses during ‘state of…
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diers were instructed to undergo Troops Information and Education (TIE) to ensure citizen’s entitlements under the Bill of Rights of the Constitution. “We would like to ensure that as we respond to the [Commander-in-Chief’s] call for the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] to help suppress lawless violence in Mindanao and prevent its spread to other areas of the country, the execution of our tasks will always be proper and with due regard to every citizen’s entitlements under the Bill of Rights,” said the AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Ricardo Visaya. He issued the statement after he directed the conduct of the TIE among soldiers and commanders in the field particularly those assigned to the Western Mindanao Command, Eastern Mindanao Command and the Joint Task Force National Capital Region “through the most expedient means.” Lectures under the Troops Information and Education, according to Visaya, will cover what the proclamation of the state of national emergency entails and how this translates to the AFP. He said the lectures will also lay down guidelines on how to perform specific tasks related to the proclamation. These tasks include, but are
not limited to, conduct of checkpoints, foot or mobile patrols and enforcement of curfews whenever and wherever necessary in tandem with the Philippine National Police (PNP). “By this conduct of the TIE, we would like to ensure proper information and knowledge management among our officers and men on the ground,” Visaya pointed out. At the same time, the AFP chief asked for the public’s cooperation in the government’s effort to suppress lawless violence and prevent the spread of similar violent incidents to other parts of the country.
Before leaving for Laos for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Proclamation 55 declaring a “State of National Emergency on Account of Lawless Violence in Mindanao.” The proclamation noted that “in recent months, there has been a spate of violent and lawless acts across many parts of Mindanao, including abductions, hostage-takings and murders of innocent civilians, bombings of power transmission facilities, robberies and extortions, attacks on military outposts, assassinations of media people and mass jailbreaks.” n
No September burial at Libingan… PAGE A2 t
experienced… There is a place for that but not here in the Supreme Court… I am human your honor, I can feel their pain. But making them recount their horrible experiences is a form of retraumatizing them,” he added. Calida further said that the interment would have no effect on claims of human rights victims during martial law as well as pending cases against the Marcoses before the Sandiganbayan as confirmed in previous session by the Human Rights Victims’ Claims Board and Office of the Ombudsman. The SC concluded the oral arguments at 5 p.m. and ordered parties to file their respective memorandum in 20 days before resolving the case. The petitioners said allowing the burial of Marcos at the heroes’ cemetery would violate RA 289 because he was no hero and
RA 10368 or the Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act. Earlier, parties opposing and favoring the burial of Marcos at the heroes’ cemetery expressed hopes the SC would decide on the petitions before the planned interment on Sept. 18. Renato Reyes Jr., secretary general of leftist group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), reiterated they would like the
SC to favor the petitions against Marcos’ burial at the heroes’ cemetery because “not a single cent from government funds should be spent for” someone “proven to have stolen from the funds for the people.” Meanwhile, the Movement for Filipino Ideology insisted that Marcos deserved to be buried at the Libingan as the Filipino people favored it, as seen in their vote for Duterte. (With Ghio Ong)
Northeast US Fil-Am…
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country in 1986, he fled with an estimated $10 billion worth of plundered loot hidden worldwide. He left the economy in shambles, with $28 billion of external debt, an inflation rate of over 50percent, a 58.9 percent incidence of poverty, and a negative economic growth
rate,” detailed the coalition statement. “Marcos also dealt brutally with those who opposed his one-man rule. Amnesty International estimates the number of opponents killed by the Marcos dictatorship at 3,240, raped and tortured at 34,000, and number imprisoned at 70,000.” n
Dateline USa
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US has admitted 10,000 Syrian refugees so far in 2016 by KlaRize
medenilla AJPress
OUTSTANDING COPS. Senator Cynthia A. Villar poses with the 2016 awardees to the Search for Country’s Outstanding Police Officers in Service (COPS) launched by the Metrobank foundation, Inc. (MBFI), together with the Rotary Club of New Manila East and the Philippine Savings Bank. For this year, four police commissioned officers and six non-commissioned officers joined the rank of 128 Outstanding Police Officers who have been honored by the foundation since 2002. Also in the photo with the senator, chair of the Final Board of Judges, are (L-R), Aniceto M. Sobrepeña, Pres. Metrobank Foundation, Inc., Vicente R. Cuna Jr., Pres. Philippine Savings Bank; Engr. Manuel Gorospe, Pres. Rotary Club on New Manila East; Arthur V. Ty , Chairman (Metrobank) & Vice Chairman (Metrobank Foundation), Vice President Maria Leonor G. Robredo (Guest of Honor); Interior and Local Government Sec. Ismael Sueno and Fabian Dee, President, Metrobank and Trustee, Metrobank Foundation. Senate photo
Lead suspect charged with murder in connection to missing Fil-Am woman by eRic
anthony licas AJPress
ONE of the people arrested in July for kidnapping a Filipino-American woman in California – whose whereabouts remain unknown – could be eligible for execution after prosecutors added murder to the list of charges against him on Friday, September 2. Prosecutors in Northern California accuse Emanuel D. Espinoza, 26, of causing the death of Fil-Am mother Elvira Babb. She has been missing since June 29, and was last seen by a coworker who dropped her off outside the Vallejo branch of Seafood City. The missing woman’s neigh-
bor, Richard Fairchild, told NBC that Babb’s dog Rocky barked wildly the night she disappeared. The next day, the victim’s son, John Babb, 36, received a text message from people threatening to harm his mother unless a $60,000 ransom was paid. “I pray every day that I’ll see my mom again,” said John Babb during a press conference on Tuesday, July 12. “It Just doesn’t make any sense.” He told reporters his mother had lived in poverty in the Philippines and continued to struggle financially in America, according to the Daily Republic. He said she had declared bankruptcy and could barely afford to pay her rent.
Police say Espinoza was “well acquainted” with the victim. He and three others were arrested in connection to Elvira Babb’s disappearance on Sunday, July 10. Prosecutors dropped kidnapping charges against Jalon Brown, 32, and Larry Young, 23, but the two are still accused of acting as accessories to a felony. The fourth suspect, Lovely M. Ruazol, 27, has been cleared of all charges. Investigators say they are still working to find Babb. Anyone who might have information leading to her discovery should contact Detective Terry Poyser of the Vallejo Police Department at 707-648-4080. n
A
AFTER President Barack Obama announced his resettlement program last fall, the United States has so far admitted 10,000 Syrian refugees in 2016 as of Monday, August 29, a month ahead of schedule. This marks the largest influx of Syrian refugees in a single year since the civil war in Syria began five years ago. “This achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of employees across the federal government,” National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice said in a statement released on Monday, August 29. “Their commitment to meeting the President’s expectation that we both increase our refugee admissions and strengthen the integrity of the refugee program, including its stringent security screening protocols, has been essential to this effort.” The program — called the U.S. Resettlement Program (USRP) — seeks to “uphold America’s humanitarian response to refugees” through three phases: security, placement and transition,
according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). After refugees are screened through a lengthy security process that includes comprehensive background checks, they are placed in particular areas of the countries within 30 to 90 days. Once they’re settled, the government provides assistance to help them adjust to life in the U.S. by way of financial and medical aid, employment assistance and a variety of specialized programs. “Today, they are refugees. Tomorrow, they can be students and professors, scientists and researchers, workers and caregivers,” United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in April. In general, refugees are usually placed in cities in which they have family and/or friends, David Murphy, executive director for the International Rescue Committee in San Diego, told ABC News. If that’s not the case, they’re placed in areas with high concentrations of people of the same culture and/or ethnicity. Data from the Census Bureau states that there are more than 150,000 Syrians living in the U.S.
Most Syrians have been sent to medium-sized cities with affordable housing situations and ample job opportunities, but some of the major cities — like Los Angeles, New York City, Houston, Chicago and Boston — have accepted a considerable amount of refugees. California and Michigan have received the most Syrian refugees, according to an ABC News report. In addition to LA, cities in California that have accepted a large number of Syrian refugees include San Diego, Santa Ana, Sacramento, Oakland and cities all across the Southland, according to the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The U.S. is no stranger to welcoming refugees fleeing political turmoil. In 1979, the country welcomed 111,000 Vietnamese refugees and 207,000 more in 1980. More than 120,000 Cuban refugees were also welcomed during the Mariel boatlift in 1980. Rice said that the U.S. is looking to welcome at least 85,000 refugees this year, including those from Burma, the Democratic Republic of Congo, El Salvador, Iraq, Somalia, Ukraine and other countries. n
Fil-Am lawmaker urges criminal…
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bail system services wealthy suspects while disfavoring poor suspects. As reported by the Los Angeles Times, the lawsuit sought to eliminate the cash bail system in San Francisco and possibly California and the country. However, those who oppose abolishing the system say that bail actually holds suspects ac-
countable. Maggie Kreins, president of California’s Bail Agents Association, told KQED News that the damages from individuals skipping court are far more detrimental and more expensive. “When these individuals don’t go to court, who’s going to look for them?” said Kreins, who also heads her own bail bond compa-
ny Maggie’s Bail Bonds in Long Beach. “The taxpayers are going to have to pay two or three times to arrest the same person.” “We’ve already seen in California [that] the crime rates have gone up. It’s getting scary out there, and they’re making it so nobody’s going to be held accountable for anything anymore.” n
Dateline PhiliPPines
Traffic projects under emergency powers to cost P1.15 trillion wish list “be clustered under one item in the 2017 national budget so that the budget cover needed to implement these will have the okay of Congress.” “We should remember that the emergency powers being sought to address the transportation crisis can never include the power to appropriate funds,” he said.
by Paolo
RomeRo Philstar.com
MANILA — The government will spend a minimum of P1.15 trillion in infrastructure and other projects to be fast-tracked if Congress grants President Duterte emergency powers to deal with the transportation and traffic crises. Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto said his calculation was based on the submission of the Department of Transportation (DOT) to the Senate committee on public services, which is hearing proposals to grant emergency powers to Duterte. Sen. Grace Poe chairs the committee, which received the proposal from Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade last Friday, Sept. 2, including a draft emergency powers legislation. The proposed emergency powers would be in effect for three years, providing legal short-cuts for the procurement and bidding
processes and the creation of a single traffic authority. The DOT’s list is clustered into four sectors: road, maritime, aviation and rail. The rail sector has a proposed budget of P1.07 trillion or 93 percent of DOT’s P1.15-trillion wish list. Recto urged the DOT to segregate the projects into levels of
t. Panti
ManilaTimes.net
THE surrender of 700,000 drug users and peddlers to authorities is not an accomplishment for the anti-drug war, Vice President Ma. Leonor Robredo said on Tuesday. Robredo made the observation after a briefing of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Social Welfare and Development and other partner agencies on the status of the drug rehabilitation centers and initiatives in the country. The briefing had been requested by Robredo. “Yes, we have 700,000 surrenderers but that should not be treated as an accomplishment. It is just a means to reach a target, that is to pull them out of addiction. Surrendering will not solve it. It’s just step one,” the Vice President said. Robredo cited the case of a 22-year-old drug user Jeffrey Guarin, who confessed to killing nurse September Ann Paz and later turning himself in to authorities. “Where are these 700,000 surrenderers? I’ve been going around, seen them surrender before mayors, but the mayors are saying they don’t know what to do with them,” she said. Robredo then shared that in a recent meeting with the Department of Health, she learned that only 70,000 of the 700,000 surrenderers need confinement in rehabilitation centers and a smaller number should be sent to mental institutions. The Interior department has identified four classifications of drug users: experimenter, occasional user, drug dependent and heavy compulsive or those who
Vice President Ma. Leonor Robredo
should be brought to mental hospitals. “We have to make it a point that drug rehabilitation is the way to go. Our office can be of help. You can tell us five locations where the surrenderers are so we can start working. Just tell us where the surrenderers are, and our office will sponsor pilot areas for drug rehabilitation. We should pool our resources and do something now,” Robredo said. “There is a lot of work to be done, and we are looking for ways where our office can plug the holes. We can’t go back to scratch because it is not as if we only had drug rehabilitation programs after these 700,000 emerged. There are existing mechanisms. We don’t have luxury of time,” she noted. Robredo, a former Camarines Sur representative, was referring to the Naga City Anti-Drug Abuse Council, as well as the Ugnayan ng Barangay at Simbahan (UBAS) and the Barangay Anti Drug Abuse Council (Badac), which implements drug rehabilitation programs for drug dependents, an initiative that also involves families of drug users. The Vice President said existing initiatives should be improved because a number of these drug rehabilitation programs have been inactive. “There are 26,000 barangay
and contingent liabilities for transparency’s sake, Recto said. The road sector projects cost P58.6 billion, a huge chunk of which is for the P39.4-billion Metro Manila Bus Rapid Transit Line 2, a 48.6-kilometer loop around EDSA, Ayala Avenue, NAIA and the Ortigas and Bonifacio Global City business districts. n
priority, “from the super urgent to the slightly urgent.” The list includes projects that can be put on the back burner, like the construction of a training room in one DOT-supervised office and the purchase of non-essential computers, he added. Recto proposed that the DOT
Robredo belittles Duterte drug war by llanesca
“What it only allows is the fast procurement of projects for which funds have been appropriated.” Not all projects will be wholly government-funded as many will be built under the public-private partnership program. However, the DOT must indicate government counterpart
(villages) under UBAS, but there are those who are only organized on paper. A lot of barangay required Badac, but not all barangay have Badac. Others who have Badac, on the other hand, are not active. Rehabilitation is not that easy. It should be a community affair, and we have to organize the families of the drug dependents,” Robredo added. The Vice President pushed for inclusion of those who are in prison under the drug rehabilitation program, considering that not all of those convicted of drug-related crimes will stay in jail forever. She cited that in the Women’s Correctional in Quezon City alone, at least 70 percent of the inmates are imprisoned because of drug-related crimes. “We should also include the inmates because what will happen to them if they already served their sentence? If there is no intervention, then they will be in the same situation,” Robredo said. “We have to make it a point that rehabilitation is the way to go. Whatever lens we would want to use, I would say we are all in agreement that treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration is the way to go. So everyone who could be of help should do something now,” she added. Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno and Cabinet Secretary Jun Evasco assured the Vice President that drug rehabilitation will be an integral part of the Duterte administration’s intensified war against illegal drugs. “The Vice President’s challenge will make us work harder,” Sueno said. “We have to take care of these people [700,000 drug surrenderers], turn them into productive people,” Evasco said. n
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A SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2016 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL
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Features
Sharp-tongued
U.S. President Barack Obama has described the Philippines as America’s oldest ally in Asia, a relationship bound by friendship and mutual respect. This may not hold true for his Philippine counterpart because even before leaving for his first official foreign travel, President Rodrigo Duterte has managed to cause an international stir with a “son of a b*itch” comment that many media said was direct toward Obama. Duterte warned the American president not to question his ways over extrajudicial killings and human rights violations in the Philippines, which have been gaining scrutiny over the past months. “I do not respond to anybody but to the people of the Republic of the Philippines,” the Philippine president said. The two presidents were set to have a rendezvous at the sidelines of the ongoing Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Laos. However, the bilateral meeting was called off by the U.S., saying that this may not be the right time for the leaders to have a dialogue. “Clearly, he’s a colorful guy,” Obama said. “What I’ve instructed my team to do is talk to their Philippine counterparts to find out is this in fact a time where we can have some constructive, productive conversations.” The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) instantly went to damage control. It said that Duterte “continues to value the Philippines’ ties with the United States despite his profanitylaced remarks against” the U.S. president. In a statement, the DFA said the Philippines and the U.S. “share common goals in their pursuit of the war against drugs, terrorists, crime and poverty. President Duterte explained that the press reports that President Obama would ‘lecture’ him on extrajudicial killings led to his strong
comments, which in turn elicited concern. He regrets that his remarks to the press have caused much controversy.” It added that “while asserting the intent to chart an independent foreign policy and promote closer ties with all nations, he expressed his deep regard and affinity for President Obama and for the enduring partnership between our nations.” Before deciding to throw expletives to Obama, perhaps Duterte needs constant reminders that being the President means embarking on business meetings with other foreign leaders to address global challenges and ensure stability for their people. He may also need to be reminded that for decades, the United States has maintained strong bilateral relations with the Philippines, based on a number of factors including robust domestic support for international security, joint strategic goals in the Asia Pacific, a mutual commitment to democratic values, and historical ties. There are currently 300,000 American citizens living in the Philippines and millions of Filipinos in the U.S. This is one of the most enduring aspects of the US-PH partnership, the binding and personal ties between people. These bring political, economic, and strategic benefits to both Filipinos and Americans. This relationship is bound by democratic values and moral responsibility to ensure peace and security not just for their own people, but for every citizen of the world. This bond will only further flourish if both countries continue to commit on the same goals. (AJPress)
Editorial
ManilaTimes.net photo
Do you agree with Pres. Obama’s decision to cancel the bilateral meeting after Duterte’s insults and profanity? “PUTANG ina mumurahin kita diyan sa forum na iyan…(Son of a whore, I’ll curse you at that forum).” These are just some of the toxic words spewed by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte as a warning to U.S. President Barack Obama, when asked in a press meeting what he would do if Obama questions him about the extrajudicial killings and human rights violations in his war against drugs. His own words on the eve of his flight to Laos for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit include: “Who does he think he is? I am no American puppet. I am the president of a sovereign country and I am not answerable to anyone except the Filipino people” Duterte’s statements have been the subject of news headlines and commentaries all over the world. The recent comments add to the profanities he unleashed against Pope Francis and
the U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines The Fil-Am and his statement that the mayor (Duterte) Perspective should have been the first to rape this beautiful Australian missionary who was abducted, Gel SantoS-ReloS raped and killed in his territory. “I have seen some of those colorful statements in the past, so clearly he is a colorful guy, ” President Obama said in a news conference on Monday. He asked his team to evaluate if pushing through with the bilateral meeting with Duterte would be productive and constructive, considering the statements Duterte just made against him. “Fighting narco-trafficking is tough, but we will always assert the need to have due process,” the U.S. president added. Obama eventually canceled the meet-
ing Monday afternoon and decided to meet with the president of South Korea instead. As a result, Philippine stocks stumbled, with international investors expressing concern about putting their money in Philippine
market. Duterte issued a response to the media through his surrogates, which stated: “While the immediate cause was my strong comments to certain press questions that elicited concern and distress, we also regret it came across as a personal attack on the U.S. President. Our primary intention is to chart an independent foreign policy while promoting closer ties with all nations, especially the U.S. with which we have had a long-standing partnership.”
We look forward to ironing out differences arising out of national priorities and perceptions, and working in mutually responsible ways for both countries.” Duterte’s statement also said the meeting between the United States and the Philippines has been mutually agreed upon to be moved to a later date. CNN reported that in his speech last Monday, Duterte blamed the United States for causing the unrest on the southern Philippines island of Mindanao. “As a matter of fact, we inherited this problem from the United States,” Duterte said. “Why? Because they invaded this country and made us their subjugated people. Everybody has a terrible record of extrajudicial killing. Why make an issue about fighting crime?” CNN further discussed that Duterte was referring to the U.S.’ history as a
colonial power in the Philippines, and specifically to one infamous massacre in the southern Philippines -- the 1906 Battle of Bud Dajo -- in which hundreds of Filipinos, including women and children, were killed. “How many died? Six hundred,” Duterte said Monday. “If (Obama) can answer that question and give the apology, I will answer him.” President Obama has maintained, “I always want to make sure if I’m having a meeting that it’s productive and we’re getting something done.” The cancellation of the scheduled meeting just indicates that he deemed Duterte would not be able to make that happen. *** 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
Duterte and Trump: A comparison
Introspective
tony KatiGbaK THE US elections are drawing near and the fervor is reaching a fever pitch similar to the one the Philippines experienced earlier this year. As the election draws near I can’t help but look at the current president of the Philippines and compare him to the would-be president of one of the most powerful countries in the world. This isn’t the first time similarities have been made. After all, both leaders have very colorful personalities and tend to say whatever’s on their mind without actually thinking first. On the outside though they are nothing alike. Donald Trump is a businessman who has been on the hot seat as of late because of his never-ending attack on minorities while showing very little knowledge or appreciation of the complexities of politics. He has no experience in the political arena
and, instead, plans to leverage his knowledge of business to turn America “great again.” He constantly contradicts himself and has been known to say so many questionable things that TV networks have begun to “fact-check” his speeches in real time just to be able to discern what is real from what is fiction. President Duterte, on the other hand, is a political savvy lawyer. As the mayor of Davao for decades and a trained man of the law, Duterte is hardly the political outsider his image makes him out to be. People discussed him as the politician who was not embroiled in the usual corruption that mars Philippine politics, but the fact remains that he has been in the arena for years and knows how to navigate it. I’ve said that I think he is quite a brilliant tactician and how he ran his campaign and got elected by the widest majority of Filipino voters in history goes to show that President Duterte knows how to play the game, as it were. If politics were like
“Game of Thrones,” President Duterte knew just what to do to emerge victorious. Not that I think he is disingenuous, in fact, quite the opposite. He is as real as they get. However, he did see a landscape that practically assured him victory and he went for it. Filipinos have been ripe for change for a while now and many of them saw the president as their way of achieving that change they so longed for. That is why he is so popular and why his fan base is so rabid. It is made up of hardworking Filipinos who are frustrated at not seeing any changes or improvements in their daily lives. It’s no secret that frustration breeds contempt and after years and years of the same type of leaders and the same type of politics, Filipinos have had enough. And they feel that the President understands them and sympathizes with them. I believe he does too. He has always made it clear that his goal is to help those most in need. In a way, a lot of similar feel-
ings are happening in America right now as well. That is perhaps why a candidate as glaringly unqualified in politics as Trump has somehow made it as far as he has. The reason his message of “Make America Great Again” is so strong in certain places in the United States is that so many Americans are not happy with the way America is now. The same type of divisiveness is happening there as it did here and who knows what type of result that will bring come Election Day. Personally, I do feel that Duterte and Trump are very different people. However there are similarities as well that we can’t deny. Both of these well-known figures wield a large amount of power and influence and both of them have been known to shoot from the hip and say things they may not have really meant. They are easily taken out of context and they are cannon fodder for the media because every time one story dies down these men are right there ready to provide an-
other. Not to mention, both of them lack a sense of diplomacy. That comes with the territory of unbridled machismo and strength I would suppose but it simply does not belong in the political arena. After all, politics, by the very definition of the principle is being able to work with others towards a better future. As we’ve all said many times, we don’t live isolated from the rest of the world anymore and international relations is very important in the way we live our lives. This is true for every country. Unless we want to be like North Korea where no one is allowed to know what is happening. Who wants to live like that? It’s terrifying because someone is always on the brink of pushing a button and starting a war. And a country like North Korea, with nuclear capabilities and a very temperamental dictator, is always poised to begin that type of war that no one can win. We can only hope and pray that that does not happen. So again, no one country
should be isolated from the rest of the world. After all, what happens around the world affects us all now and we’re all in this together. While I admire President Duterte’s passion for improving the lives of all Filipinos, I truly hope he will be more careful about what he says and how he treats the international community. We all need to work together to achieve success. Hopefully, President Obama cancelling his planned meeting with President Duterte is not going to be something that becomes common when it comes to foreign dignitaries. I believe that at his core, President Duterte is not like Donald Trump. But he has to understand when to pull back and when to be careful when it comes to voicing his opinion. No one is telling him to back down and cower in fear, but just to be respectful of his peers in the political arena. Only then can he become a true international statesman. I believe it’s possible, and I hope it happens sooner rather than later. (Philstar.com)
The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.
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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2016
UN, foreign governments condemn Davao bombing
“The UN statement reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of FOLLOWING the deadly mar- the most serious threats to interket bombing in Davao City last national peace and security and Friday, Sept. 2, the United Na- underlined the need to bring pertions and governments around petrators, organizers, financiers the world have spoken out in and sponsors of terrorism to jussupport of the Philippines. tice,” Philippine Foreign Affairs As a result of the attack, 14 in- Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. said dividuals have died, while over in a statement. 60 were injured. The United States also offered In a statement released on to aid in the investigation of the Monday, Sept. 6, UN Secretary terror attack. General Ban Ki-moon extend“We understand that local aued his deepest condolences to thorities continue to investigate the families of the victims and the cause of the explosion in the wished speedy recoveries to night market, and the United those injured. States stands ready to provide “The Secretary-General stress- assistance to the investigation,” es the need to ensure account- Ned Price, a spokesman for the ability and to bring to justice the National Security Council, said in perpetrators of these terrorist a statement. attacks,” adding that “he stands Meanwhile, the Spanish govwith the government and people ernment on Monday, Sept. 5, of the Philippines,” the secre- also expressed its “deepest contary-general’s spokesman said in dolences to the families and relaa statement. tives of the victims.” The UN Security Council, Spain added it hoped the “cowwhich is comprised of 15 na- ard perpetrators of this crime tions, also “condemned in the be brought to justice as soon as strongest terms the heinous and possible and be held responsible cowardly terrorist attack.” for their actions,” reiterating its by dana
SioSon AJPress
FIRST CONFIRMED ZIKA CASE IN PH. Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Paulyn Jean B. Rossell Ubial announced through spokesperson Dr. Eric Tayag that a 45-year-old female, married, non pregnant from Iloilo City was the first confirmed case of Zika in 2016. This case was most likely due to local transmission since there was no history of travel to any affected country in the past two weeks. The DOH has coordinated with local officials to intensify mosquito control efforts including targeted fogging. Photo from DOH.gov
DOH confirms 6th Zika case in Philippines by Sheila
CriSoStomo Philstar.com
MANILA, Philippines -— A married woman from Iloilo was documented over the weekend with Zika virus, becoming the sixth case in the Philippines. Speaking to reporters, Department of Health (DOH) spokesman Eric Tayag yesterday said a team had been dispatched to Iloilo to check if other Zika cases exist. “If there are local transmissions, we should expect additional cases. We make sure we do not miss any case,” he said. “The only way they can spread it to others is through sexual transmission.” Health Undersecretary Gerardo Bayugo said the patient had no history of travel abroad and she could have been infected locally. “There is still no local transmission of cases in the country,” he said. “We cannot yet say for sure how she got infected but it is possible that this is sporadic and no other people will be infected.” Bayugo said a locally infected mosquito could have bitten the patient, but the infection will not be transmitted to others, just like what happened to the 15-year-old boy from Cebu who was the country’s first Zika case in 2012. “We are hopeful that no other people will be infected,” he said. “I think the patient is an outpatient, but she is being monitored by health personnel.” In her mid-40s and married, the patient had sought treatment in a health facility in Western Visayas after she developed rashes last month. When her urine was examined, it tested positive for Zika virus. Bayugo said the sample collected from the patient was re-tested here and abroad and she was confirmed to have Zika virus. Her husband could have also been tested by now, he added. The Philippines had recorded its first Zika case in 2012, a 15-year-old boy from Cebu City who got the virus locally. Four other cases have been documented sepa-
“complete solidarity with the Philippines in its effort to combat terrorism and guarantee security throughout its national territory.” China also conveyed its firm opposition “to terrorism in all forms, and strongly condemns the violent terrorist acts targeting innocent civilians.” “Shocked to learn of the terrorist explosion incident in Davao City of the Philippines, I am writing to Your Excellency, on behalf of the Chinese Government and the Chinese people, and in my own name, to express my deep condolences to the deceased civilians and my heartfelt sympathy to the injured and the families of the victims,” Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his letter to President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday, Sept. 4. He assured that China stands ready to work with the international community to combat terrorism and maintain peace and stability. Earlier, the European Union, Japan, and France also expressed condolences to the victims of the bombing. n
Historic farmworker overtime bill awaits Governor Brown’s nod Zika virus
rately since, including an American, two South Koreans and the companion of one of the South Koreans. Bayugo had reiterated the call for the public to eliminate all possible breeding sites of mosquitoes. Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial earlier said no locally transmitted Zika case has been reported. The public has no cause for alarm despite reported cases in Singapore and Malaysia of locally transmitted Zika virus, she added. Ubial reported yesterday the DOH had been conducting tests on 126 symptomatic patients since January. “Actually, we’ve been testing people and there are no positive (cases) so far,” she said. All 86 suspected cases last Friday tested negative for the Zika virus, she added. Ubial said five cases – four foreigners and a Filipino – have tested positive since 2012, but that the cases “were imported.” “We test all the people who are symptomatic that are coming into the country,” she said. “They came from endemic countries.” Last week, Ubial said the Zika infection is mostly “self-limiting, mild and not fatal” but that it is being linked to birth defects like microcephaly, a condition characterized by small heads. (With Christina Mendez)
by Viji
Sundaram NewAmericaMedia
AFTER decades of pushing for fair pay, California farmworkers will finally be paid overtime when they work more than eight hours a day -- if Gov. Jerry Brown signs a bill that is now on his desk. AB 1066, authored by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzales, D-San Diego, will give fair pay to the state’s estimated 825,000 farm laborers who “ensure that we have fruit, vegetables and wine on our tables,” said Arturo Rodriguez, president of the United Farm Workers of America, which sponsored the measure. The law will be phased-in over four years, starting in 2019. “Today, every single worker who touches our food – from the driver, to the cook to the waiter – gets overtime after eight hours, everyone, that is, except for the farmworker who picked the food,” said the bill’s co-author Assemblymember Rob Bonta, DOakland, in a press release. “Under current law, we are sending a
message to our farmworkers that they are different (from) other workers, that their work is less valuable than other workers.” The California Assembly passed the bill 44-32 on Monday after a lively debate. More than 100 farmworkers cheered as they watched the debate on a livestream feed outside the Assembly room. Opponents of the bill, many from agricultural regions of the state, said it would increase costs for farmers and could lead to unfair hiring practices. Supporters, meanwhile, characterized it as a human rights issue. Assemblymember Tony Thurmond, DRichmond, said it was about giving farmworkers “a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.” A 2010 effort to give farmworkers a fair shake in overtime wages was vetoed by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Existing law sets wage, hour, meal break requirements and other working conditions for employees. It also requires an employer to pay overtime wages as specified to an employee who
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works in excess of a workday or workweek, and imposes criminal penalties for the violation of these requirements. Agricultural employees are exempt from these requirements. They currently receive overtime pay after 10 hours and don’t have a 40-hour workweek. Beginning January 1, 2022, the bill would require any work performed by a person in an agricultural occupation, to be paid double their regular rate if they were over 12 hours in one day. Last week, Bonta and two members of his staff observed a 24-hour fast to support the bill. The bill is particularly important to Bonta, who was raised in La Paz, Calif., the headquarters of the United Farm Workers (UFW), where his parents organized Filipino American and Mexican American farmworkers. Bonta is the godson of José Gomez, who was the executive assistant to Cesar Chavez. A spokesperson at Bonta’s office said the bill would cost the state about $300,000 to $500,000 a year in administrative costs. n
A SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2016 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL
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people events arts culture entertainment
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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 9, 20 1 6
Enjoying EvErything that thE US opEn haS to offEr by MoMar
G. Visaya/AJPress
The US Open offers a variety of dining options, from ceviche to tuna tartare to lobster rolls and different kinds of sandwiches
FOR two weeks between August and September, New York City becomes the center of the tennis world as the last Grand Slam event of the season unfolds at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens. Welcome to the US Open, the highest-attended annual sporting event in the world, with more than 700,000 fans in attendance each year. And for those who haven’t been here for a while, you’d be surprised at the physical changes that have been implemented to enhance the fans’ Open experience. There’s a spanking new Grandstand court with a seating capacity of 8,125, complete with a mini-food village and tons of dining spaces; new field courts with expanded seating, wider walkways designed to make getting around the grounds easier and the piece de resistance, the new fully functional retractable roof of the Arthur Ashe Stadium. Even before the opening ceremonies, a host of events are already happening city-wide to welcome the brightest stars of tennis and their fans to the Big Apple. Former champions such as Rafael Nadal attended events such as the Taste of Tennis fundraiser, another cooking event sponsored by an olive oil company from Spain and a meet and greet with fans at the Nike flagship store. Novak Djokovic made the rounds as well, attending parties and events sponsored by the products he endorses. At the tennis center in the meantime, courts are filled with fans watching free qualifying matches for those who are unseeded. Every year, a limited number of qualifiers are accepted into the main draw. And on the Saturday before Monday’s opening, families get together to celebrate Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day with tons of events including a program inside Ashe where rising and famous performers come out to jam with their young fans. The world’s largest single-day grassroots tennis and entertainment programming kick off the US Open. This year marks the first time that the Arthur Ashe stadium will be using its newly-installed retractable roof, constructed at a cost of $150 million and is the largest retractable roof for a tennis stadium in the world. It was a project that took a couple of years to happen.
Leo Antonio AJPress photo by Momar G. Visaya
Leo Antonio with Jack Sock and actor Ansel Elgort
Alberto Lim, Jr.
Alberto Lim, Jr. poses for a photo after his first round match against a German opponent AJPress photos by Momar G. Visaya
#TeamPH at the US Open Filipino-American Treat Huey, a doubles specialist, returned to his sixth US Open this year. He is now partnered with veteran Max Mirnyi of Belarus for Men’s Doubles and Andreja Klepac of Slovenia for Mixed Doubles. Unfortunately, Huey lost both his first round matches. This year, Huey reached the quarter finals of the Australian Open, the 3rd round of the French Open and the semi finals of Wimbledon. Last year, Huey participated in the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) as coach and player with the Philippine Mavericks as his team. Among the Philippine Mavericks members are Serena Williams, James Blake, Richard Gasquet, Milos Raonic, Somdev Devvarman, Mark Philippousis and Ivo Karlovic. At the Juniors Boys side, Alberto Lim, Jr. made his US Open debut on Sunday, Sept. 4 with first round match against Louis Wessels of Germany. He lost the hardfought match – 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 after feeling pain near his groin area. Lim partnered with Estonia’s Mattias Siimar. They lost on Tuesday, Sept. 6 against their
American opponents Oliver Crawford and Patrick Kypson, 7-6, 7-6. And during the 21st annual Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day, a FilipinoAmerican boy from Texas fulfilled his dream to play tennis on Ashe Stadium. Along with a colleague from the National Junior Tennis and Learning, they played with American tennis player Jack Sock and Hollywood actor Ansel Elgort. NTJL provides low-cost to free tennis and education programming to more than 225,000 underserved youth. Supported by the USTA Tennis Foundation, NJTL brought in six kids from all over the United States to New York to witness the US Open.
Among the celebrity chefs participating in this year’s US Open are David Chang of Momofuku, David Burke, Tony Mantuano, Masaharu Morimoto and Ken Oringer of Toro.
Treat Huey giving a fan a high five
Photo by Troi Santos
Huey with his men’s doubles partner Max Mirnyi
“I’m just so excited to be here. It’s been an amazing experience so far,” Leo Alejandro Antonio said. The 11-year-old said he started playing when he was only five, and he thanks his parents Rolly and Florence Antonio for enrolling him in tennis lessons early on. An older sister played first and Leo said he got interested with the sport as well. “I’m hoping to see Nadal,” Leo quipped when I asked what else he wanted to see while he was at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center. Wining and Dining Of course, there’s more than just tennis at the US Open, especially when it comes to food. This year, world-renowned chefs David Chang (of Momofuku fame) and Ken Oringer (Toro) are joining US Open veteran culinary masters Masaharu Morimoto, David Burke, Tony Mantuano and Ed Brown as they bring their specialties to the hungry tenniswatching fanatics. The Food Village has
expanded and made its way to the new grandstand stadium which will offer a wide variety of diverse flavors and dining experiences. From Fuku’s fried chicken sandwiches to Korean BBQ purveyor Korilla (made famous by the Food Network’s The Great Food Truck race) to the all-vegan and vegetarian Soom Soom, fans have a wider array of dining options to choose from. Of course, the classics are still there – lobster rolls, Mediterranean fare, pizza and hotdogs. James Beard Award-winning chefs Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette brought in the Spanish tapas while US Open veteran David Burke returns with his renowned steak and seafood at BLT Prime by David Burke. Local star restaurateur Ed Brown and Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto head up the US Open’s fresh seafood stop at Aces while his fellow James beard awardwinner Tony mantuano offers up rustic Italian at Wine Bar Food. Explore a selection of new
At the Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day: Steve Johnson, Olympic Gold Medalist Monica Puig, Juan Manuel del Potro and Venus Williams joined in the festivities.
Huey with his mixed doubles partner Andreja Klepac
dishes – some are exclusive to the US Open – like Fuku’s spicy fried chicken bacon ranch sandwich (imagine a habanero-brined, spicy fried chicken thigh on a potato roll, topped with applewood-smoked bacon, Fuku ranch and pickles) and Soom Sandwich (mesclun greens topped with a refreshing mix of diced cucumbers and tomatoes, red and white cabbage salads and four fresh falafel balls served with a side of creamy tahini). This is the first time that the US Open is offering a wholly vegetarian and vegan fare via Soom Soom’s Mediterranean menu, which promotes health conscious dishes fresh from the farm. For the Asian rice bowl fanatics, Korilla is offering their purple rice bowls called K-Bop, which includes caramelized kimchi, bean sprouts, fire-roasted corn, garlic spinach and choice of bulgogi (marinated ribeye), braised ginger sesame chicken, slow roasted pork shoulder in gochugaru (Koran red pepper flakes) and organic tofu, with choice of Korilla’s signature sauce. The US Open concludes this weekend and will crown its new champions. Will Serena Williams win her 23rd Grand Slam? Will Djokovic continue his dominance in the sport and win his third US Open trophy? For now, fans will have to wait for another year for their serving of thrilling five-setters, night matches that extend way past midnight, shocking upsets and dramatic, breakthrough performances that make up these two terrific weeks of tennis.
Fil-Am doubles specialist Treat Huey signing autographs after his match.
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 S E p T E m b E R 9, 20 1 6
Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ Hillary Clinton and the Democrats push for comprehensive immigration reform, including a pathway to legalization for the approximate 11 million undocumented immigrants in the US. Of course, i’m fully in favor of comprehensive immigration reform. But as a starting point, could Hillary at least eliminate some of the harshest immigration laws ever enacted, which were signed into law by her husband, Bill? Some of Pres. Obama’s recent executive actions were brought about (or designed) to neutralize (or get around) some of the laws signed by Bill Clinton. in 1996, Bill signed into law the illegal immigration reform and immigrant responsibility act of 1996 (iiraira). That law brought about some of the harshest
Will Hillary Eliminate the harsh immigration laws signed by Bill?
and most severe changes to immigration law, the effects of which are still felt today-- after 20 years. as a refresher course, or to enlighten people, here are some of the changes brought about by iiraira: • Eliminating children as a basis for a person being granted a fraud waiver. Before iiraira, if a person had a US citizen or lPr child, they were automatically granted a fraud waiver. Now, it does not matter how much pain and suffering a child has. Hardship on a child is not a factor and does not matter in connection with a waiver. • adding “extreme hardship” as a requirement for a fraud waiver. Before iiraira, there was no requirement of demonstrating extreme hardship on certain qualifying relatives. if a person had
a parent, spouse, or child who was a citizen or green card holder, or if the fraud occurred more than 10 years ago, the fraud waiver was automatically approved. No showing of extreme hardship was required. Now, people must demonstrate extreme hardship on a parent or spouse who is a citizen or immigrant, and fraud stays on your record for life. • Hardship on the alien does not matter. Before iiraira, hardship on the alien himself (or his children) could be considered. after Bill signed iiraira, hardship on the alien is no longer considered. • Creation of the 3/10 year bar! Before iiraira, there was no 3/10 year bar. if a person was not eligible to adjust status in the US, the person simply departed Continued on Page 5
PROVISIONAL WAIVER FOR CREWMEN DISPELS THE FEAR IN GOING BACK TO MANILA FOR VISA PROCESSING — ON AN ENCORE EPISODE OF “CITIZEN PINOY!” Cindy was a crewman who jumped ship and had been a TNT for more than 10 years. After seeing a CITIZEN PINOY episode about another crewman who also jumped ship, Cindy and US citizen husband, Tom decided to consult with leading US immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel about her chances of legalizing. Through Atty. Gurfinkel’s help, Cindy’s Provisional Waiver was approved. She went back to the Philippines, was processed for her immigrant visa at the US Embassy in Manila, and returned to the US less than a month later as a legal permanent resident. Watch an encore episode on Provisional Waivers, which could benefit: (a) crewmen without 245(i): (b) those who entered the US without inspection(EWI) without 245(i); or (c) K-1 fiancees who did not marry their US petitioner, on “Citizen Pinoy” – this Sunday, Sept. 11 at 6:15 pm (PST) on TFC.
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 S E p T E m b E R 9, 20 1 6
On the PEP Front
People, Events, Places
The Band of Brothers in search of its clear-cut stature in the music arena
BoBBy T. yalong If the Philippines has been globally known for exporting Manila hemp after the war followed by the world’s sweetest mangoes from Guimaras Island, and locally assembled by-products like semiconductor devices, garments, copper, petroleum, and various quality hand-woven fabrics, just during the early 70s, supplying professionals worldwide became the chief source of income among filipinos. The emergent aspiration for universal recognition of local beauties, models, performers, and recently, boy bands, has given the filipinos remarkable opportunities to prove their innate competitiveness and world-class capacity at par with the best in the world.
TBOB drummer Neil Valero Manapat
Pepe Lozano, TBOB Lead guitarist and vocals
EMPLOYMENT
The Band Of Brothers when they performed at a PACCAL event
Neil, Jayjay, Pepe, & Yuan...collectively, The Band of Brothers
TBOB takes a breather in a cozy nook prior a performance.
groups chose to take self-imposed hiatus while others have left the scene only to come back with a vengeance. But most often than not, majority had faded to oblivion due to old age, varied personal preferences, untimely demise or simply just couldn’t cope up with the current music trends. The Philippines, after capturing international stage via the vocal prowess of consummate talents like Lea Salonga, has another quality export in the making in the persons of Jose “Pepe” Lozano II, Gregorio Lozano, Jr., Juan Carlos Lozano, and Nielson Valero Manapat, (a friend but more than just a brother)… collectively, the fame-bound quartet of The Band of Brothers. Despite their diverse individual personality traits and predilections, not to mention their own personal status, the four members of The Band of Brothers are bonded Jay Jay Lozano, TBOB vocalist, guitarist, together by their common songwriter, composer, and pianist interest in music and solidified by their well-driven desire to perform and entertain. Like a well-harmonized piece, the boys consistently create an atmosphere conducive for a more progressive set-up and a professional affiliation that strongly builds lasting comradeship. After having deep-rooted their musical mark in the Philippines, The Band of Brothers invaded the neighboring countries via their 2007 Starcruise Asian Tour followed by a Hawaiian stint and successful performances in Kuwait Juan Carlos (Yuan) Lozano, TBOB vocalist & in 2008. On December 0f 2010, they hied off to Hong-Kong and Keyboardist
And speaking of boy bands, every so often after their birth, impacting popularity, disheartening disbandment, schmaltzy reunion, and multiple attempts to resurrect and climb back to fame, some popular
EMPLOYMENT
sailed to nearby Macao, Phuket, Thailand and Brunei. Their instinctively exceptional vocal blending and harmonizing was finally experienced by their filipino-American followers last year when the group visited the east coast and performed at the 3rd fAfI (filipino-American festival, Inc.) affair and later, appeared in a number of filipinoAmerican community fundraising events. The Band of Brothers flew back in last June to perform at PIDCI’s 116th Philippine Independence Day celebration in New York City. There never was a single week for the fast-rising boyband to take a breather. Their calendar of activities was as loaded as their repertoire since their second arrival: June 14, they were at PDOC in Passaic, New Jersey; June 26 at the 26th PAfCOM (Philippine American friendship Committee) cultural show at Lincoln Park in West Side Avenue in Jersey City; August 13 and 14 they graced the two-day indoor weekend summer celebration of the 18th fiesta in America in the Meadowlands Convention Center; August 21 the boys performed at the Metropolitan Room in New York City and the following day, August 22, they appeared in Balitang America being interviewed by TfC’s Don Tagala. There seems no stopping The Band of Brothers from what they do best--- singing and entertaining. In between location shows, the indefatigable quartette still found time to squeeze into
The Band of Brothers in one of their Manila gigs
their already crowded calendar insistent clamors and demands from various watering holes and eateries in the Queens area: Payag Kitchen & Bar, Perlas Restaurant and D’Haven Restaurant and Dancing Pavillion. As if the almost inexhaustible performances and social appearances weren’t sufficient to keep them nailed to their heels and toes, the unstoppable band is slated to perform on the following dates: September 24 at D’Haven, October 1 at Virginia Beach, October 8 at Carnegie Hall on the occasion of TOfA-NY (The Outstanding filipino-Americans in New York), October 9 at Town Hall in Times Square, NYC, October 15 at the 24th Anniversary of PACCAL at the Ramada Plaza Hotel, and on October 16 at Bergen County, New Jersey. But wait, there’s more! On November, they are Los Angeles, California bound while negotiations are undergoing for their first ever winter European tour. “Actually, we’re just grabbing every possible opportunity where we could perform and share the pleasure of our music,” Pepe, the group’s lead guitarist, said. “It’s all about the most exposures that we could get. If we could be of help in any way we can to generate funding and aid in an organization’s fundraising campaign, my band is always at their beck and call.” “It’s all for the love of music…
SERVICES
talent fee or honorarium comes only secondary,” remarked Greg Lozano, father of the boys and the band’s manager and booking agent. “The boys are merely driven by their unparalleled passion to sing, perform, and entertain…. and all they wanted is to get bigger and capture the world audience that they may be able to further bridge across their advocacy!” And if there’s but one maxim the group literally and figuratively embraces and upholds that would be: “A wanton note alone won’t create a tune…it would indubitably take more (notes) to compose a song.” Yes, the group has an unwritten and silent agreement to stay solid and united under one rock-solid vow: “To be bonded by their music and remain brothers beyond the band.” for a much closer overview of each member, read on the factsand-files of The Band of Brothers. Jose M. Lozano II Birthday – June 13 (Gemini) Rank among siblings – eldest Schools – La Salle Greenhills, La Salle Taft, & University of Sto. Tomas Course – Business Management (La Salle) & fine Arts / Advertising (UST) Position in the band --- Lead guitarist, vocalist Personal favorites – scent: Giorgio Armani, Music: 60s 80s 90s Continued on Page 6
Janine Tugonon continues to make a name for herself by AlixAndrA
CAole Philstar.com
JC Santos stars in a different kind of love triangle by riCky
CAlderon ManilaTimes.net
Janine Tugonon (second from left) is the first Filipino to be featured in a Victoria’s Secret ad.
featured on Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam. She has also previously walked on the runways of Los angeles and new York Fashion Week.
Janine represented the Philippines in the Miss Universe pageant in 2012, but she fell short of winning the title, placing first runner-up.
Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla:
Teen King and Queen no more MAuriCioA-ArriolA
ManilaTimes.net
aFTeR establishing themselves as Philippine showbiz’ Teen King and Queen with hit teleseryes (“Got To Believe”, “Pangako Sa iyo”) and two blockbuster movies (“She’s Dating The Gangster,”“Crazy Beautiful You”) over the last five years, Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla’s much anticipated return to the big screen aims to show their audience a pair of actors who have matured both in their craft and source of emotions. They credit their personal challenges and revered film director Olivia Lamasan (“Madrasta,”“in My Life,”“The Mistress”) for pulling them out of their highly successful teen star molds and take on Star Cinema’s latest drama “Barcelona: a Love Untold,” which opens in theaters nationwide on September 14. “We were all out in our acting for this movie,” declared Bernardo. “We don’t know how she does it— how she gets the kind of emotion she wants from us be it in a simple or heavy scene. That’s why i really feel she really is inang [her actor’s term of endearment for Lamasan, which means mother], because the kind of guidance she gave us in this film is incomparable. From how we deliver our lines, how to cry in a particular scene, to how we have to look in the movie,” added the actress who had to dye and curl her hair in
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VilA
Janine Tugonon pushed her career far enough to be noticed by one of the most famous lingerie brands in the world, Victoria’s Secret. Last week, Victoria’s Secret Pink lingerie line released a new ad which included the former beauty queen playing the role of a college student. Janine, who is now based in the US and is working under MSa Models, shared the video on her social media page. Last year, Janine was
by TessA
An Asian Journal Magazine
JC Santos is backed with impressive credentials as he plays third wheel to the day’s most popular love team in James Reid and nadine Lustre, best known by their moniker JaDine. JC plays ali, iris’ (Lustre) best friend, who as the first week of the highly anticipated aBS-CBn teleserye “Till i Met You” will figure in a different kind of love triangle with the popular pair. JC started his career as a theater actor in UP Diliman where he studied Theater arts. He then worked as a singer-dancer in Hong Kong Disneyland, after which he joined the talents of Universal Studios Singapore. according to JC, he returned to the Philippines because he wants to carve a career both as TV and mainstream movie actor. One distinct role he has since played which remains in our mind was as cadet commander in
aureous Solito’s “esprit de Corps,” an entry in the Cinema One Originals Festival in 2014. For his work in that film, JC earned an Urian Best actor nomination. He was also cast in the Cinemalaya finalist, The Janitor; and the Cine Filipino entry “Sakaling Hindi Makarating.” For TV, he was part of the online series “Forever Sucks” starring Jasmine Curtis-Smith, and likewise appeared in the TV series “Flordeliza” and “Tubig at Langis.” JC said he usually gets the role of antagonist and is not a newbie to auditions, whether in movies or TV. He auditioned for the part of ali in “Till i Met You,” and when asked to return for the second day of auditions was ready to play the role of James’s adversary. But to his surprise, he realized he was reading to play one of the leads of the show in the antonette Jadaone series. admitting he cannot be happier over this biggest break in his career, JC is looking forward to more challenges in portraying ali.
Based on the first week and trailers of the show, there are hints that JC’s character is gay and in love with James’ Basti rather than nadie’s ali. JC told ManilaTimes.et that he doesn’t mind portraying a gay character being typecast as such. He’s fine with it as long as the role is a good one.
Will Hillary Eliminate the harsh... From Page 3
Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla are all grown up.
the fashion of Barcelonans for the film. “Pigang-piga kami dito ni (she really squeezed us dry) inang,” Padilla jested. Barcelona follows the story of ely (Padilla)—a young man unable to get over a past love—and Mia (Bernardo), a young woman who moved to Spain to rebuild her life and escape a painful past in the Philippines. Their lives collide in the Catalonian city of Barcelona where they fall in love, while secrets of their past resurface, putting their relationship to the test. “DJ [Padilla’s nickname] and i sort of had to start over for Barcelona. it was as if nothing we learned [in acting]before was enough for what we had to do in this movie. We had to take a crash course to fit into inang’s
expectations from her actors, and the experience both humbled us and hopefully made us better when you see the film.” another source of Kathniel’s “levelled up” acting as their generation of millennials say today is their relationship as a real life couple. Finally admitting they are exclusive, Padilla, 21 and Bernardo, 20, were happy to share with their fans the news they had long been waiting for during promotions for Barcelona. “You can say this is our gift to them,” said Padilla, whose hand protectively covered Bernardo’s throughout the interview. “Let’s put it this way—what they will see on screen, how we look at each other in the scenes, it’s all part of what we are today.”
the US and was processed for his immigrant visa in his home country, and then returned to the U.S. without any issues. With Bill’s 3/10 year bar, those same people were suddenly “trapped” in the US. They could not get a green card in the US, and if they departed the US, they could not return for 3 or 10 years, unless granted a waiver from abroad. Just recently, Pres. Obama’s executive actions for provisional waiver and expanded provisional waiver were an attempt to get around Bill’s 3/10 year bar. • Creating a lifetime ban if a person claims to be a citizen to their employer. Before Bill’s iiRaiRa, false claims to US citizenship was nOT a lifetime ban. it was regular fraud, with a fraud waiver available. Moreover, “false claim to citizenship” applied only if the person claimed to be a citizen to a GOVeRnMenT OFFiCiaL. iiRaiRa made it a permanent/lifetime ban if a person claimed to be a citizen even to his
employer. no waiver is available. • no judicial review of USCiS “discretionary” decisions. if USCiS denies a person’s petition, application, or waiver, “as a matter of discretion”, the person cannot seek court review of that discretionary decision/denial. Before iiRaiRa, it was possible to have court oversight and review of USCiS discretionary denials. Some discretionary decisions\denials include whether a person has demonstrated “extreme hardship” in connection with fraud waivers, or other forms of relief that required USCiS discretion. Many people who were turned down by USCiS and sought court assistance, find their cases are dismissed for “lack of jurisdiction”, as the denial involved a case of USCiS exercising “discretion”. as stated above, i am in favor of comprehensive immigration reform. i am also glad Hillary and the Democrats are “proimmigrants”. i also understand
that comprehensive immigration reform may be a long and arduous process. So, could Hillary at least attempt to neutralize some of the laws signed by Bill? *** 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)
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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.
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
Church of St. Pius X Hosts The Philippine Madrigal Singers SCARSDALE, NY -- The Philippine Madrigal Singers, an internationally acclaimed choir from the University of the Philippines, will appear in concert at the Church of St. Pius X on Sunday, October 30, from 5 pm to 7:00 pm. The Philippine Madrigal Singers or the “Madz” is an internationally acclaimed and award-winning group that has won 1st place in many international choral competitions, including in Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain and France. They are the first choir in the world to win the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing twice and have qualified for the European Grand Prix in Tolosa in 2017. If they are successful in Tolosa, they will be the only choir in the
world to win the Grand Prix three times! The Madz has performed in many prestigious venues, including the United Nations and Lincoln Center. They have been recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (“UNESCO”) as Artists for Peace because of their efforts to promote cultural diversity, intercultural dialog and a culture of peace. As inspiration for their unique singing, the Philippine Madrigals use the “madrigal” – a polyphonic style from the Renaissance where singers and guests would gather around a table during a banquet to sing. As they sit in a semi-circle, the choir observes the conductor, who uses subtle facial expressions to conduct. The Philippine Madrigal Singers US Concert will
have an entourage of 22 singers under the direction of Mark Anthony Carpio, as choirmaster, and will include: 5 sopranos; 4 altos; 5 tenors; and 5 basses. The Madz brings a wide repertoire of various styles and forms including renaissance and classical music, international folksongs, as well as contemporary and popular music. They have a diverse repertoire – something for everyone to enjoy. The concert will benefit the Music Ministry Programs at the Church of St. Pius X including its Concerts@SPX series that plans two concerts annually. General admission is $35. For other ticket options, please go toConcerstatSPX. brownpapertickets.com or call 914-725-2755.
The Band of Brothers in search...
From Page 4 Food: Crispy Pata Color: Bluegreen Actors: Brad Pitt, Gael Garcia Bernal Drinks: Tequila, mango shake Past time: listening to music Watering hole: clubs and bars Reading matter: Yes! Movies: Goonies, Neverending Story, Fight Club Gregorio Lozano, Jr. Birthday – February 12 (Aquarius) Rank among siblings – second Schools – La Salle Greenhills, De La Salle University Taft Course – Industrial Engineering Position in the band --Composer, arranger, bass guitarist, vocalist, pianist Personal favorites – Scent: CK One Music: Classical, Jazz, Pop Food: Thai, Korean, Filipino Color: white, blue-green Actors: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, George Clooney Drinks: Orange juice, red wine Past time: writing, walking, swimming Hangouts: Central Park, bar Reading matter: Philosophy, Science, & Math books Movies: Star Trek, Atlas Shrugged Song: “Does Your Mother Know”
Juan Carlos M. Lozano Birthday – August 29 (Virgo) Rank among siblings – 3rd (youngest) Schools – La Salle Greenhills, Center for Asian Culinary Studies, Course – Culinary Arts Position in the band --Keyboardist Personal favorites – Scent: D&G Light Blue Music: Boyz II Men, 90s Food: Crispy Pata, Steak Color: Blue Drinks: Long Island (concoction) Past time: Drinking, socializing Hangouts: Any cozy place Reading matter: Magazines Movies: Dekada 70 Song: 4 Seasons of Loneliness Nielson Valero Manapat Birthday – August 4 (Leo) Rank among siblings – Eldest Schools – Aquinas School, Philippine Rehabilitation Institute Course – BS Physical Therapy Crash Course: Drums / Percussions (University of the Philippines, Diliman) Position in the band --Drummer Modeling /Print Ad Experiences: California Trends (Endorser), Kraft Eden Cheese (TVC) Quick Chow Pancit Canton (TVC) Apolaki Percussion
Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach
ASAP hosts Piolo Pascual, Martin Nievera, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Gary Valenciano and Luis Manzano welcome the thousands of fans who trooped to Barclays Center in Brooklyn last Saturday
Philippines (Drum endorser) Personal favorites – Scent: Acqua Di Gio Music: Jazz, Latin, Ballroom Food: Native, anything but amargoso Color: Green Singer/Performer: Steve Gadd, Buddy Rich Past time: Billiards, Open musicians jam night Casual wear: Jeans, plain shirts, boots The Band of Brothers, the pop group composed of four trouble-free, straightforward, undemanding, unpretentious, and down-to-earth musicians, is definitely on its way to the top and all geared up to carry out a more complicated but gratifying undertaking. They may be far from the images of demigodlooking idols that shrieking fans drool about but the incomparable vastness of their music genre has grandiosely made up for what they may be short of. Another pride of the Philippines is definitely on the rise in due time and before we know it The Band of Brothers is already cutting their first ever recording label for international release… just wait and see! For comments and suggestions, please email to: gemini0646@yahoo.com
ASAP Rocks New York by MoMar
G. Visaya/AJPress
IN the end, the stars of ASAP delivered what they promised, a special and amazing show specially for the fans. At the press conference a few days before the show, TFC officials led by Olivia de Jesus and Ricky Resureccion said that after they staged ASAP in London last year, New York became their next logical target. The production team began preparing at once and for the past six to eight months, they have been working tirelessly to come up with a solid show. “New York is a tough nut to crack,” Resureccion remarked. “But we came prepared.” De Jesus agreed, “The New York community has been primed to appreciate Filipino talent.” And on Saturday, more than 8,000 Filipinos and FilipinoAmericans from across the northeast USA packed the Barclays Center in Brooklyn to the rafters. Diehard fans were outside the arena lining up as early as noon, despite announcements that the gates will be opened to fans at 3:00 pm and the program proper to start at 5:00 pm. Dozens of sponsors dotted the corridors of Barclays with their booths offering products and services to the crowd. As soon as the lights dimmed, screams from the fans reverberated inside the arena. One by one, the stars of the Philippines’ longest-running musical variety show came out and performed before the crowd. Each time, the audience would lovingly applaud and scream their hearts out. The loudest of screams were reserved for Coco Martin and the child star Onyok, stars of the top-rating show FPJ’s Ang Probinsiyano. Onyok sang the viral Tatlong Bibe song while Martin gyrated to the tune of Vhong Navarro’s song Totoy Bibo. Also eliciting eardrumsplitting screams were the love
teams of Kathniel aka Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla (who promoted their upcoming flick Barcelona); LizQuen aka Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil (who just wrapped up their teleserye Dolce Amore) and the upcoming Elnella aka Elmo Magalona and Janella Salvador (stars of the ongoing show Born For You). Fans of 90s musical icons Francis Magalona and Juan Miguel Salvador would feel old when they realize that the last pairing are son and daughter, respectively of Francis and Juan Miguel. Piolo Pascual, Gary Valenciano, Martin Nievera and Zsa Zsa Padilla are the more senior members of the cast who have been with the show for at least ten years. Martin, the most senior of them all, has been with the show since its first episode. He was one of the four main hosts, along with Pops Fernandez, Dayanara Torres and Ariel Rivera when the show was launched back in February 5, 1995. Fans were also thrilled to watch Kim Chiu, Gerald Anderson and Maja Salvador perform in a production number live, especially since their followers know and followed the trio’s colorful history. Of course, the New York audience is biased. One of the most well-applauded numbers was the musical production number that featured Broadway Barkada with Ali Ewoldt (Phantom of the Opera), Karla Garcia (Hamilton), Jon Viktor Corpuz (The King and I) and Jaygee Macapugay (School of Rock). Their medley of Broadway hits culminated with the powerful “One Day More” from Les Miserables and the performers were awarded with loud screams and applause with many leaping off their seats to give a standing ovation. A pleasant surprise for someone who hasn’t watched
Coco Martin and Onyok of Ang Probinsyano elicited the loudest cheer from the audience
Enrique Gil and Liza Soberano
ASAP for more than a year now is the inclusion of a couple of segments: Birit Queens, Soul Sessions and LSS with Jolina Magdangal. Birit Queens is comprised of Angeline Quinto, Morisette Amon, Jona and Klarisse de Guzman, all products of talent competitions back home. The good thing about this segment is the blending that the four divas do as they close the segment, something that is like a balm to soothe one’s weary ears after their vocal calisthenics. It’s also good that each one shares a few lines of her songs with another one and it is obvious that each one is secure with her talent and no one resorts to one-upmanship. In short, there’s no sapawan. Then there’s the soul group composed of Jay R, Kyla, Jason Dy, KZ Tandingan and Daryl Ong. Except for Jay R and Kyla (who are both recent transferees from rival network GMA), the three – Jason, KZ and Daryl are homegrown products of ABS-CBN talent shows Pilipinas Got Talent and The Voice. Their production numbers are smooth as silk, effortless and very relaxing. It’s like jamming with friends while singing and in between, drinking beer and swapping stories. For ASAP, LSS means Love Songs and Stories, not last song syndrome. This is where the production looks for three people
The loveteams of LizQuen, KathNiel and ElNella delivered the kilig factor to the fans
Broadway Barkada and the Fil-Am actors on Broadway Ali Ewoldt, Jon Viktor Corpuz, Jaygee Macapugay and Karla Garcia brought the house down with their Broadway hits medley
to highlight in every episode. For one of the episodes shot at Barclays, ASAP honored three young Fil-Am movers: restaurateur Nicole Ponseca of Jeepney and Maharlika, hair artist Mark Bustos who gives haircuts to the homeless and Tony Award winner Jhett Tolentino. ABS-CBN executives led by Gabby Lopez, Charo Santos, current president Carlo Katigbak, Raffy Lopez also came in full force to show their support to momentous and historic event. The hosts also welcomed Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach as a guest of the show, along with Vice Ganda, who also brought the house down with his performance of his greatest moves and dance hits. If you haven’t heard of Boom Panes or Pak Ganern or Whoops Kiri Whoops, then it may be time for you to brush up on your Filipino pop culture by subscribing to TFC. The thousands inside the
arena screamed and danced and moved along with Vice Ganda and his back up performers. Consul General Mario L. de Leon, Jr., on behalf of the Filipinos who came in droves to watch the show, thanked ABS-CBN for finally bringing the show to New York. “It’s always a pleasure to be a partner with ABS-CBN with their various projects here in the northeast. We are delighted to see our favorite stars live and to lighten the homesickness of many of our kababayans,” ConGen de Leon said. This show was co-presented
Kim Chiu, Gerald Anderson and Maja Salvador in one production number
by Law Offices of Atty Michael J. Gurfinkel, Philippine Airlines, Cream Silk, Rexona, Energen, Pond’s, Money Gram, Nescafe, Remitly.com, Pic Poc, Financial Rescue LLC, XOOM, Western Union; Brought to you by: sponsors: Champion, Jollibbee, TANG, Law Offices of John C. Ye, Ramar Foods, LBC, Seafood City, With Special participation of sponsors: Pizza Hut, World Remit, Direct TV, LANDCO, SMDC, Ayala Land, Globe Duo USA, Avida, AARP, Generika Drugstore, South West Sun Solar, Cherry’s Salon & Cosmetics, FilAm Star, INQUIRER.net and Asian Journal.
ASAP hosts Luis Manzano and Piolo Pascual with Miss Universe Pia AJPress photos by Momar G. Visaya Wurtzbach
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 9, 2016
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 9, 2016