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Volume 10 – Issue 37 • 16 Pages
june 23-29, 2017
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PRES. DUTERTE:
‘Nationwide martial law not yet needed’ by Dana
SioSon AJPress
ImPosIng military rule nationwide is presently unnecessary, Philippine President rodrigo Duterte said on tuesday, June 20. Duterte made the remark days after he warned that, if he declares martial law again, it would be a “copycat” of late President ferdinand marcos’ in the 1970s. “Ang martial law ngayon nandito na (Martial law is already here). Whether or not I expand it to cover the entire the Philippines is something else. And at this time, it is not called for,” Duterte said in a press conference in Cagayan de oro City. Under Proclamation no. 216, Duterte imposed martial law and suspended the privi-
lege of the writ of habeas corpus in the entire mindanao on may 23. the declaration came following the attack of Islamic state (Is)-linked terrorists in marawi City, Lanao del sur. “the mechanism of the habeas corpus is to prevent the terrorists to gain a foothold in the Visayas. Kasi mas doble na ang sakit (Because the impact could be worse),” the President said. he further explained, “If some of the terrorists are there, I need to pick them up immediately and then find out if they are really a threat. If not, then we will release them immediately. But if they are confirmed terrorists, I do not have the time to apply for a judicial warrant or a warrant of arrest, just because we
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MORALE BOOSTER. President Rodrigo Duterte checks the condition of the wounded soldiers confined at Camp Edilberto Evangelista Station Hospital in Cagayan de Oro City on Tuesday, June 20. Malacañang photo by Richard Madelo
Duterte ready to order ‘carpet bombing’ of Marawi if needed city, now in its fifth week. speaking to the reporters in Cagayan de oro City, mr. PresIDent rodrigo Duterte Duterte said the terrorists were said on tuesday, June 20 that apparently prepared for battle he would order the “carpet in the city, stockpiling guns and bombing” of marawi to put an munitions in buildings as early end to the fighting between as three years ago. “As early as last year, it was government forces and Islamic state-inspired terrorists in the already difficult to enter marawi by PhiliP
C. Tubeza Inquirer.net
USA
DATELINE New Jersey Filipino sentenced to 5 years for running $9M cybercrime ring
… You don’t invade it with men. You really crush it with bombs,” mr. Duterte said. “I will not put the soldiers at high risk. If I have to bomb the … if I have to flatten the place, I will do it. And I will take full responsibility for it,” he added. ‘I will destroy everything’ “I will order the bombing …
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Fil-Am among 7 sailor killed in US destroyer, merchant ship collision A fILIPIno American was one of the seven sailors killed in a collision between a United states navy destroyer and a Philippine-flagged container ship last week. the fil-Am was identified as 23-year-old Carlos Victor ganzon sibayan from Chula Vista, California. sibayan, whose father retired after 21 years in the navy, was remembered by friends and family as a leader and “sweet.” “he (sibayan) was the father figure of our family
from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA
A fILIPIno national was sentenced in new Jersey federal court to over five years in prison after pleading guilty to a count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud for running a $9 million international cybercrime operation that monetized stolen credit and debit card information. Angelo Virtucio, 31, of Quezon City, Phil-
carpet already, carpet ah … I will really destroy everything,” he said. “And I will really do that because I have a bigger responsibility and that is to the republic of the Philippines,” he added. the crisis began on may 23 when gunmen from the maute
Fil-Am Carlos Victor Ganzon Sibayan
as our father was deployed for 21 years straight. And I just want people to know how amazing he was,” sibayan’s brother, Vince, told AnC. other victims were identified as Dakota Kyle rigsby, 19, from Palmyra, Virginia; shingo Alexander Douglass, 25, from san Diego, California; ngoc t truong huynh, 25, from oakville, Connecticut; noe hernandez, 26, from Weslaco, texas; Xavier Alec martin, 24, from halethorpe, maryland; and
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TOURISM CONFERENCE. UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai (4th from left); Philippine Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo (5th from left); and Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III pose with other officials from other countries during the opening ceremony of the 6th UNWTO International Conference on Tourism Statistics at the Resorts World Manila on Wednesday, June 21. More than 200 delegates from across the globe are tackling policy initiatives on developing measurement and benchmarks for sustainable tourism from June 21-24. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan
Tourist arrivals increasing amid Marawi City crisis UNWTO head tells the world: ‘Experience PH’ by Dana
SioSon AJPress
the number of tourists visiting the Philippines continues to rise despite the ongoing crisis in marawi City, according to the country’s Department of tourism (Dot). the Dot reported that a
monthly average of 600,000 tourists— mostly Koreans, Americans and Chinese — continue to visit major tourist destinations in the Philippines, particularly in Visayas, Palawan and the Ilocos region. the Dot is also expecting an increase of seven million tour-
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Overseas remittances not Engineering grad with 1.058 grade Homeland Security covered by PH tax reform leads UPD’s best and brightest rescinds Obama-era protection for immigrant parents u PAGE A3
by Jennifer
Soriano
A totAL of 36 students grad- lead over 3,000 graduates of the uating summa cum laude will University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, during its remIttAnCes sent by filipinos abroad to their fam106th general Commencement ilies in the Philippines will not be taxed under the tax exercises on sunday. reform package being pushed by the government, the Leading the honor students is Department of finance (Dof) clarified on Wednesday, Williard Joshua Jose of the College June 21 during the senate panel hearing on the Comof engineering with a weighted prehensive tax reform Program (CtrP). average grade of 1.058. he will Dof Undersecretary Karl Kendrick Chua said that the obtain his bachelor’s degree in Philippines does not have the right to impose tax money electronics and communications sent by filipinos from other countries since the governengineering. ment has no legal jurisdiction over these remittances. following Jose is another the undersecretary said he made this clarification since graduate with the same degree, there were erroneous reports claiming overseas remitrangel Daroya, with an average tances would be taxed under the first package of the grade of 1.074. government’s tax reform program contained in house summa cum laude, a Latin Bill 5636. phrase which means “with the “We have to distinguish between the foreign and the greatest honors,” is the state domestic remittances. those coming from abroad are university’s highest academic not within our tax regime, so that is not [covered],” Chua Sunflowers provide a welcome sight on University Avenue in UP Diliman, Quezon City, where distinction. graduates must earn told the senate panel. by JheSSeT
AJPress
o. enano
Inquirer.net
Citizenship prospects of undocumented parents threatened the United states Department of homeland security (Dhs) secretary John f. Kelly signed a memorandum on thursday, June 15, revoking a program that would have offered a pathway to citizenship for immigrant parents of U.s. legal permanent residents or citizens. the program — called the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent residents (DAPA) — was in-
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over 3,000 graduates will finally receive their diplomas this Sunday, June 25.
Inquirer.net photo by Niño Jesus Orbeta
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From the Front Page
‘Nationwide martial law...
PAGE A1 t cannot agree with each other.” Based on the Philippine Constitution, Duterte’s proclamation is valid for 60 days, unless extended by the Congress. The proclamation can also be invalidated if the Supreme Court (SC) rules in favor of pending petitions against it. Earlier on Saturday, June 17, Duterte said he’ll respect the high court’s decision if it ruled against martial law in Mindanao. The President, however, warned that if he needed to impose military rule again, he would no longer consult anybody. “If anything goes wrong, magdeclare ako ng martial law ulit (I will declare martial law again),
the second time around, if the people suffer, bombings ganon (for example), ‘di na ko makikinig maski kanino (I will not listen to anyone),” Duterte said. He went on to say, “If that rebellion burns Mindanao and other parts of the Philippines, and I’ll be forced to declare martial law again, this time I will do it on my own to preserve my nation. I will not consult anybody and there’s no telling when will it end. It could be a copycat of Marcos.” Marcos, the 10th president of the Philippines, placed the entire country under martial law from 1972 to 1981. The late strongman’s nine-year military rule has been considered by vic-
tims of abuses and their families as among the darkest chapters of Philippine history. But on Monday, June 20, Malacañang said Duterte is “not referring to abuses” when he said his next martial law would be a “copycat of Marcos.” “Well, definitely the President will not be referring to abuses. He may refer to the breadth and the depth of how to impose it but I guess it’s not because of the abuses,” Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla Jr. said. He also recalled that Duterte instructed the military to “ensure [that they] are able to protect and
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Fil-Am among 7 sailor killed... President Rodrigo Duterte poses with injured soldiers who were flown to Manila using the presidential plane on Tuesday, June 20. Malacañang photo
Duterte ready to order ‘carpet bombing’... PAGE A1 t terrorist group and their allies from the Abu Sayyaf bandit group rampaged through Marawi. The fighting erupted after a failed military attempt to capture Isnilon Hapilon, an Abu Sayyaf leader who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group in Iraq and Syria. As of Tuesday, the government said, 360 people have died in the fighting—268 terrorists, 66 soldiers and policemen, and 26 civilians. The fighting has left most of the lakeside city in ruins and forced most of its 200,000 residents to flee to Iligan City and other surrounding areas. Visiting the evacuees in Iligan on Tuesday, Mr. Duterte apologized to them for the devastation of their city. “I have apologized to the Maranaos, for those who died unnecessarily, and for the loss of properties and those who said that they are … [I] ask your pardon,” he said. Communal war Mr. Duterte also warned that if the violence in Marawi spilled over to other parts of Mindanao, Christians would arm them-
selves and a civil or communal war could ensue between Christians and Muslims. “If there’s civil war, there would be killings. Here in Mindanao, there are more Christians and they have better guns. They are buying. The rich ones, they’re stockpiling guns,” he said. “That’s what’s dangerous. To prevent a communal war, we really need to stop this … I did not expect [the number] of our casualties to be this high,” Mr. Duterte said, referring to the government losses in Marawi. In a communal war, he said, the military would have to deal with not just the Maute terrorists but also with armed Christians. The President said the country’s hope in ending the violence in Mindanao lay in expediting the peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). Once the peace process proceeds, he will tell the MILF to deal with the Maute rebels and their Abu Sayyaf allies, he said. “That is why [we] hope there is fast-tracking [of] the peace process. I will tell (MILF chair) Murad (Ebrahim) and the MI(LF), ‘You take care of that since that is the area you want—central
Mindanao, Lanao, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat,” Mr. Duterte said. Cornered The military said on Wednesday that troops had cornered the terrorists in Marawi. “They’re running out of place to run,” said Brig. Gen. Ramiro Manuel Rey, the commander of the military’s Task Force Ranao. Rey said the terrorists’ resistance continued to weaken, although they could still engage government troops in occasionally heavy fighting. Lt. Col. Jo-Ar Herrera, spokesperson for the Army’s 1st Infantry Division, also said the terrorists’ resistance was “waning.” “We continue to recover and control strategic areas in the cleared area and the enemy resistance is waning, their controlled area diminishing,” he said. Herrera said, however, that none of the leaders of the Maute terror group—brothers Omarkhayam and Abdullah Maute—and of the Abu Sayyaf had been confirmed killed in the fighting. “They are still in the area, based on our monitoring and reports we get,” he said. (With reports from Allan Nawal and Richel Umel) n
PAGE A1 t Gary Leo Rehm Jr., 37, from Elyria, Ohio. Early on Saturday, June 17, the 505-foot-long guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald collided with the 732-foot ACX Crystal off the Izu peninsula located southwest of Tokyo, Japan. ACX Crystal is a Philippineregistered container ship but is chartered by Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK). According to NYK, it is owned by Dainichi-Invest Corporation. Data from Marine Traffic website suggests that the ACX Crystal made a 180-degree turn close to 1:30 am. The reason for the immediate turn, however, is still under investigation. Initially, the Japanese Coast Guard said the collision occurred at 2:20 a.m but later revised it to 1:30 a.m. The U.S. 7th Fleet, on the other hand, maintained that the incident occurred at 2:20 a.m. The U.S. Navy said the seven victims were found dead in flooded berthing compartments of the USS Fitzgerald. “The collision affected Fitzgerald’s forward starboard side above and below the water line, causing significant damage and associated flooding to two berthing spaces, a machinery space, and the radio room,” U.S. 7th Fleet said in a statement.
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) returns to Fleet Activities (FLEACT) Yokosuka following a collision with a merchant vessel while operating southwest of Yokosuka, Japan. U.S. Navy photo by Peter Burghart
Acting Secretary of the U.S. Navy Sean Stackley lamented the loss of lives in the wake of the tragedy. He also vowed a “full” investigation into the matter. “We are all deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our fellow shipmates as a result of Friday’s collision between USS Fitzgerald and a commercial container ship, and our thoughts and prayers are with their families,” Stackley said. He added that the Navy will “fully investigate the cause of the tragedy.” On the other hand, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed that all the 20 Filipino crew of the ACX Crystal were safe and unharmed
by the mishap. “The ACX Crystal, a Philippine-flagged vessel, was being manned by 20 Filipino crew including the captain. They are safe. The ship itself was slightly damaged from the incident,” the DFA said. The Philippine government also promised to provide assistance to the Filipino seamen affected by the incident. On Tuesday, June 20, the seven victims’ bodies were flown back to the U.S. “Fitzgerald 7 are headed home; just left Japan…#FITZ crew, family on hand to say goodbye,” Commander US Naval Forces Japan said on Twitter. (Dana Sioson/AJPress)
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New Jersey Filipino sentenced to 5 years... PAGE A1 t ippines, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to 63 months in prison and two years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty last year before Judge Wigenton in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Virtucio was arrested in the Southern District of Florida on Jan. 29, 2015 and was extradited to the District of New Jersey on Feb. 11, 2015. Virtucio, who also goes by the aliases “ZaiR,” “ZaiRe,” “Omega,” and “Omega10,” admitted running an international cashing operation that stolen credit and
debit card information obtained through computer hacking and ATM skimming operations. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Virtucio monetized millions from stolen credit and debit card data using a global network of “cashers” that he employed to enter into unauthorized financial transactions using the accounts related to the stolen information. The stolen credit card data was primarily obtained through computer hacking while the stolen debit card data was mostly obtained through ATM skimming operations. After purchasing the stolen data from
other cybercriminals, Virtucio and his conspirators encoded it onto counterfeit credit and debit cards. The cashers then used the counterfeit cards to make unauthorized ATM withdrawals and purchases at physical retail locations. “Mr. Virtucio takes full responsibility for his involvement in the offense and apologizes to all the victims,” Kathleen M. Theurer, who represents Virtucio, told Law360 on Thursday. “We respect the sentence imposed by the court.” Counsel for Virtucio had sought a sentence for time served, which would have been 28 months. (Momar G. Visaya with reports from Inquirer.net)
Homeland Security rescinds Obama-era... PAGE A1 t troduced by former President Barack Obama in 2014 after the success of his landmark Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which provided benefits for undocumented youth. In 2015, a federal court blocked DAPA and since then, it has never been formally executed. According to a press release from the DHS, Kelly consulted with Attorney General Jeff Sessions in rescinding Obama’s memorandum that created DAPA “because there is no credible path forward to litigate the currently enjoined policy.” Previously, 26 states — all of which have Republican governors — sued the Obama administration for the DAPA memo, arguing that the president does not have the authority to implement “amnesty” of that grandeur. If it were implemented, DAPA could have protected 3.7 million people from deportation, the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) estimated. According to University of Southern California (USC)’s Center for Immigrant Integration, 340,000 people in Los An-
geles County would have been eligible for DAPA. In order to have been eligible for the program, undocumented immigrants must have been parents to U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents as of November 20, 2014. The parents must have also been residents in the U.S. before January 1, 2010, and have no criminal records. When announced, Obama’s intention with DAPA was to protect around 4 million parents from being separated from their families while also helping them secure legal work in the U.S. The press release indicated that the DACA program will still remain in effect, aligning with President Donald Trump’s promise to “take care of” them. Thursday’s revocation of the DAPA memo aligns with the administration’s stringent immigration policy. According to legal and civil rights organization Asian Americans Advancing Justice, the decision “does not come as a surprise.” Since his inauguration, President Donald Trump has made vastly unpopular decisions when it comes to reforming the U.S. immigration system from
Tourist arrivals increasing... PAGE A1 t ist arrivals this year compared to the 5.5 million tourists last year. Speaking at the 6th United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) International Conference on Tourism Statistics on Wednesday, June 21, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel II said he Philippines is experiencing a what he called “tourism renaissance.” “The Philippines is experiencing a renaissance of sorts in our tourism industry,” Pimentel remarked. “Notwithstanding the negative news of late about our country, more and more tourists are coming to experience for themselves our country’s beauty and culture,” he added. At the same time, the senator expressed confidence that more tourists will start visiting Mindanao once the crisis in the area has been fully addressed. “I am confident that once this crisis is over, we will have peace and security in the region that will result with more tourists visiting Southern Philippines,” he further said. Meanwhile, UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai encouraged individuals across the globe to visit the Philippines. “You haven’t lived if you have not experienced the Philippines,” Rifai expressed. He went on to say, “We are here to tell the world to come to the Philippines and make no mistake about it. Anybody who tries to present any other version of the story should come and see with your own eyes. All of the countries of the world that have experienced difficulties have come back and have shown their best and their beauty comes out.” The opening ceremony, which was held at the Newport Performing Arts Theatre of Resorts World Manila, was also attended by DOT Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo, Tourism Ministers from Thailand, Cameroon, Costa Rica, Fiji, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Seychelles,
and 721 international and local delegates. Rifai described this year’s gathering as a “homecoming” and a milestone. The Philippines last hosted the UNWTO conference in 1980. “The world is lucky to have the Philippines. Culture, nature, upbeat people give the country so much life. The Philippines is a country to travel and respect, and its greatest gift is its people,” Rifai added. In a statement, President Rodrigo Duterte also thanked the UNWTO for choosing the Philippines as the venue for the conference. “More than just a proof that the Philippines remains a safe destination for meetings, conferences, and other tourism activities, it also affirms the Philippines’ effort to promote tourism as a vehicle for a nation’s sustainable and inclusive progress,” he said in a statement read by Teo. During the three-day conference, tourism ministers will develop a statistical framework to integrate sustainable tourism on a global level. Sustainable tourism Continuing to promote sustainable tourism on a global level, Teo urged leaders to support tourism-related policy making. “We hope that the Manila Call for Action will be adopted at this forum to demonstrate our common resolve to create a better world for our children and future generations,” she said. Pimentel also showed his support for Teo’s call but maintained that such developments must not be “at the expense of a polluted environment, denuded forests, or displaced indigenous groups.” “Tourism is a priority development area that deserves greater attention. Focus now should not be on how much money it can contribute to government coffers but rather on how it can improve the overall well-being of people,” the senator said.
Overseas remittances not...
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The DOF undersecretary added that the CTRP would only have jurisdiction over local remittances. However, Chua said that the tax on money sent by Filipinos abroad would depend on the existing local laws of the country of origin. In February this year, a proposal to increase the value-added tax (VAT) on the service fee of money remittance centers was strongly opposed by overseas Filipinos workers (OFWs) and some partylist lawmakers. In a statement, DOF spokesper-
son Asec. Paola Alvarez clarified the service of remittance centers will only be taxed and not the actual amount remitted by the sender. “The VAT is on service, not the remittance amount. For instance, if sending 4,000 pesos, the money transfer center charges 100 pesos, and the VAT is 12 pesos, or only 0.3% of the remittance amount,” Alvarez explained. The current administration is pushing for a reform of the country’s tax system to finance the series of infrastructure projects planned in the next few years. n
implementing a travel ban from six Muslim-majority nations to proposing to build a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico. “The administration’s efforts to target and vilify immigrants in myriad ways, from mass deportations to the Muslim ban and the VOICE office, will not be ignored just because it is currently maintaining DACA,” Advancing Justice wrote in a press release. “We will continue to resist these policies and stand up for justice and the dignity and humanity of all people.” DACA recipients and those eligible for DACA are encouraged to know their rights and seek legal counsel when applying or renewing their DACA applications. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)
RIZAL DAY. Members of the Rizalista movement pay tribute to Jose Rizal at his monument in Jose Rizal park to mark the national hero’s 156th birth anniversary on Monday, June 19. ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma
‘Nationwide martial law... PAGE A2 t save lives.” “You can see how the military is implementing martial law now, its complete regard for human rights and IHL [International humanitarian law] and the other protocols that have been established. So if there are any complaints, we are open to receiving those complaints and acting on it immediately,” Padilla further noted. Filling up the current situation in Marawi on Wednesday, June 21, Padilla said that the city’s status “continues to improve.” “There are areas that we have
not covered before that we have already overcome at this moment and the process of clearing is what we are concentrating on in the succeeding days,” he added. ‘Not failure of intelligence’ Last week, Duterte said the Marawi crisis cannot be blamed on the government’s failed intelligence. He insisted that the government is aware that militants are stockpiling firearms and ammunition in Mindanao but did not intervene due to peace negotiations. Duterte further noted that the pro-Islamic State (IS) terrorists who attacked the city may have
acquired their supply of weapons from other rebel groups, citing the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). “It was not a question of failure on the part of government. It was not a failure of intelligence. It is because we have adopted a very soft policy toward the rebels. These rebels carry firearms,” the president remarked in a speech. Duterte then blamed the government’s “very soft policy” towards rebel groups which later posed greater problems, such as the current case of the war-torn city of Marawi. The government “took [the arms deal] for granted,” he said, in hopes of getting successful peace deals with the rebel groups. n
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Trumpcare bill could slash nearly 1M jobs New report released amid overwhelming disapproval of AHCA
Consul General Ma. Theresa B. Dizon-de Vega (8th from the right) with the officers of FALA-NY, resource speakers, and some of the participants of the forum on the US Government system held in New York on 9 June 2017. To her left is Atty. Concepcion A. Montoya, current President of FALA-NY. To her right are Atty. Andrew Villacastin and Professor Rose Cuison Villazor, resource persons. Photo by NYPCG
Forum on the US government system for Fil-Am community held in New York NeW YORk – The Filipino American Lawyers Association of New York (FALA-NY), with the support of the Philippine Consulate General, held an informative forum on the US Government system at the kalayaan hall of the Philippine Center last June 9. Law Professor Rose Cuison Villazor of the University of California and Atty. Andrew Villacastin of the firm Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, the resource speakers of the event, discussed the basic structure and functions
of the US government including the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, and the interaction between the federal government and the state and local government units. The forum provided the members of the Filipino-American Community with a working overview of the US government system which is useful in understanding and navigating the different government offices in the community they live and work in. Filipino-Americans who have successfully entered the US po-
litical and governance arena were likewise discussed as models for greater engagement of the Filipino- American Community. The forum is the first of a series of events organized by FALA-NY which are focused on providing information and assistance to the Fil-Am community in New York. The group will hold a know Your Rights forum on 16 June 2017 at the St. Francis of Assisi Church in New York in partnership with the Migrant Center of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi. n
Washington alarmed over IS threats, wants ‘bigger role’ in Marawi operations Washington alarmed over IS threats, wants ‘bigger role’ in Marawi operations
The government of the United States expressed alarm over the growing presence of jihadis in Southeast Asia amid the ongoing battle between the Philippine troopers and Islamic State (IS)-inspired rebels in Marawi City, Mindanao. The U.S. government has been providing support to the Philippine troopers in Marawi but Malacañang said it was only limited to “technical assistance” and “does not involve any boots on the ground.” Duterte’s spokesperson, ernesto Abella, explained in an earlier statement that the Philippine Constitution prohibits foreign troops from directly participating in combat operations. But according to a report by The Associated Press, U.S. lawmakers are pushing Washington to have a “bigger role” in helping the Philippines contain extremists, citing
fears that Marawi City could become a new hub for Islamist fighters in the region. “I don’t know that ISIS are directing operations there but they are certainly trying to get fighters into that region,” U.S. Senator Joni ernst (R-Iowa) was quoted saying in an AP report. ISIS refers to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. “We need to address the situation. It should not get out of control,” ernst added. In a press briefing on Tuesday, June 20, Abella was asked if Malacañang is open to the idea of U.S. troopers joining the actual combat operations in Marawi. Responding to the question, Abella pointed out that the Philippine military “has already preempted the Maute group from establishing a wilayat or [IS] province” in Mindanao. “Well, at this stage, I suppose
we’ll have to take the position that it’s unlikely for Marawi to become a new hub for IS fighters, ” Abella said. Last year, Duterte said he intends the Philippines to be “free from foreign troops.” Abella, however, took note that Duterte has already “accepted the situation” wherein the Philippine government needs the assistance of the United States, its decadeslong ally, in squashing terror threats in the country. On May 23, IS-linked Maute terrorists attacked Marawi City, Lanao del Sur, prompting the Philippine president to impose military rule through the Mindanao region. As the confrontation enters its fifth week, authorities recorded deaths of about 26 civilians and 65 government forces, while an unknown number remains trapped in the area. (Dana Sioson / AJPress)
The American health Care Act (AhCA) isn’t doing so hot with Americans. Since its introduction in May— two months after the first draft of the AhCA famously failed to pass—Americans of all political leanings have panned the GOP’s answer to former President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. The greatest change that the AhCA brings is a whopping $1.1 trillion reduction in federal funding for public health care — a change that puts many working class families at a disadvantage. A new report released on Wednesday, June 14 by The Commonwealth Fund found that while the AhCA (nicknamed Trumpcare) would bolster the economy and boost employment at first, it wouldn’t last in the long run. The GOP’s core selling point of the AhCA involves the repealing of several taxes imposed by Obamacare. This reduction in taxes would temporarily raise the federal deficit and create up to 864,000 more jobs in 2018. however, researchers predict that by 2026, about 924,000 people would lose their jobs, with about 725,000 of those jobs belonging to the health care sector. health care jobs are essential in economic maintenance in the U.S., with hospitals and clinics providing a major portion of jobs. health care makes up about 18 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP), and a major cut to federal funding to health care could be fiscally detrimental, according to the report. “health funds directly pay hospitals, doctors’ offices, and other providers; this is the direct effect of federal funding,” the report read. “These facilities use revenue to pay their employees and buy goods and services, such as
rent or equipment; this is the indirect effect of the initial spending.” The study also found economic disadvantages attached to the GOP health care bill: gross state products (the total value of a state’s exports) would reduce to $93 billion and business output would decrease by $148 billion. One of the biggest casualties would be the income-based program Medicaid, which 70 million Americans rely on for their health care. Because of the major cuts to the public health care sector, Medicaid would be forced to seize expansions of the program. “The AhCA significantly reduces federal funding for Medicaid. It lowers federal match funding for the 31 states and District of Columbia that expanded Medicaid, encouraging them to discontinue their expansions,” Wednesday’s report read. earlier this month, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that the AhCA would drastically increase the number of uninsured Americans under the age of 65 by 14 million in 2018. By 2023, that number would reach 23 million. “Over time, it would become more difficult for less healthy people (including people with preexisting medical conditions) in those states to purchase insurance because their premiums would continue to increase rapidly,” the CBO wrote in their findings. Because of all these swift changes to the American health care system, the AhCA has garnered an overwhelmingly unpopular reputation, according to various polls. Just after the AhCA passed the house on May 11, a POLITICO/ Morning Consultant poll that surveyed nearly 2,000 registered voters found that 38 percent of Americans approve of the AhCA,
an approval rating that dropped four points from the week before. That same day, Quinnapiac University released a poll that found that only 21 percent of Americans approve of the GOP health care bill. That poll — which surveyed 1,000 registered voters — found that disapproval was consistent across all demographic groups: race, gender, age, political party and education level. According to a YouGov poll that surveyed 1,000 Republicans, Democrats and Independents in May, only about 31 percent of Americans favor the AhCA; in comparison, 45 percent favored the ACA. Senate to decide AHCA’s fate The Republican-majority house of Representatives passed the AhCA on May 24 in a narrow 217-213 vote, giving the Senate a green light to vote on it. The AhCA barely made it past the Republican-majority house, but members of the Senate have expressed assertions that it will not pass in their chamber of Congress. Should all Democrats in the Senate vote against the AhCA, the GOP could only afford to lose two Republican votes. But Republicans senators who are against the AhCA have expressed that they would rather negotiate with pro-AhCA congressmen by drafting their own health care bill. “The safest thing to say is there will be a Senate bill, but it will look at what the house has done and see how much of that we can incorporate in a product that works for us in reconciliation,” Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Missouri) said as quoted by the Washington examiner. There is no set date scheduled for the Senate to vote on the current incarnation of the AhCA, as of press time. (Klarize Medenilla/ AJ Press)
Engineering grad with 1.058 grade leads... PAGE A1 t a weighted average grade of 1.20 or better. The 36 honorees came from 10 academic units of UP’s four clusters, namely arts and letters, science and technology, social science and law, and management and economics. The science and technology cluster accounted for the high-
est number of summa cum laude graduates with a total of 17 recipients from the College of engineering, College of Science and School of Statistics. On the other hand, the Asian Institute of Tourism and College of human kinetics will have their first summa cum laude graduates: Jennifer Rucio and katherine Adrielle Bersola, respectively.
A well-known volleybelle, Bersola was the middle blocker of the UP Lady Maroons volleyball team where she also served as team captain. A total of 2,968 students will receive their undergraduate degrees on Sunday while 588 others will get their graduate degrees. Of the figure, 1,231 will graduate with honors. n
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Philippines: LGBT students face bullying, abuse
Discrimination and lack of support undermine right to education Manila – Students across the Philippines experience bullying and discrimination in school because of their sexual orientation and gender identity, Human Rights Watch said in a report. While Philippine law provides protections against discrimination and exclusion in schools, lawmakers and school administrators need to take steps to ensure they are fully implemented. The 68-page report, “‘Just let Us Be’: Discrimination against lGBT Students in the Philippines,” documents the range of abuses against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (lGBT) students in secondary school. it details widespread bullying and harassment, discriminatory policies and practices, and an absence of supportive resources that undermine the right to education under international law and put lGBT youth at risk. “lGBT students in the Philippines are often the targets of ridicule and even violence,” said Ryan Thoreson, a fellow in the lGBT rights program at Human Rights Watch. “and in many instances, teachers and administrators are participating in this mistreatment instead of speaking out against discrimination and creating classrooms where everybody can learn.” Human Rights Watch conducted in-depth interviews and discussions with 98 students and 46 parents, teachers, counselors, administrators, service providers, and experts on education in 10 cities in luzon and the Visayas. lGBT students said that existing protections are irregularly or incompletely implemented, and that secondary school policies and practices often facilitate discrimination and fail to provide lGBT students with information and support. lawmakers in the Philippines have recognized that bullying in secondary schools is a problem and have taken important steps to address it, Human Rights Watch said. in 2013, the Philippine Congress passed an anti-bullying law and theDepartment of Education issued regulations prohibiting bully-
ing on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. During the 2016 presidential campaign, too, Rodrigo Duterte vocally condemned bullying and discrimination against lGBT people. “President Duterte has spoken out against bullying and discrimination against lGBT people in the past, and he should do so now,” Thoreson said. Yet Human Rights Watch’s research shows that lGBT students still encounter physical bullying, verbal harassment, sexual assault, and cyberbullying in schools. Many students were not aware of anti-bullying policies or did not know where to seek help if they were persistently bullied. “When i was in high school, they’d push me, punch me,” said Carlos M., a 19-year-old gay student from Olongapo City. “When i’d get out of school, they’d follow me [and] push me, call me ‘gay,’ ‘faggot,’ things like that.” (names of students quoted in the report were changed for their protection.) The hostility students face in school is often exacerbated by discriminatory policies and practices, Human Rights Watch said. Schools in the Philippines impose gendered uniform and hair-length requirements without exceptions for students who do not identify as their sex assigned at birth. These inflexible requirements cause many lGBT students to feel uncomfortable or unwelcome at school, be turned away by school guards, or skip class or drop out. “The failure to pass an antidiscrimination bill puts lGBT kids at risk of discrimination and violence,” said Meggan Evangelista of laGaBlaB network. “if lawmakers are serious about making schools safe for all students, they should stop delaying and pass anti-discrimination protections as soon as possible.” Harassed students seeking help are hindered by the lack of information and resources pertaining to lGBT youth at the secondary school level. lGBT
issues are rarely discussed in school curricula – and when they do arise, teachers often make negative or dismissive comments about lGBT students, including instructing their students that being lGBT is sinful or unnatural. “They say that gays are the main focus of HiV,” said Jonas E., a 17-year-old gay boy in high school in Mandaue City. “i’m a bit ashamed of that, because i was once in section where i’m the only gay, and they kept pointing at me.” Virtually none of the students interviewed had received lGBT-inclusive sexuality education, leaving them ill-equipped to navigate relationships and keep themselves safe. Very few students have access to teachers or counselors who are trained to provide support for lGBT students as they grow and develop. While lGBT student groups have been highly successful at providing peer education and support at the university level, few exist in secondary schools. authorities at every level of government should take steps to promote student safety, equality, and access to education in schools, Human Rights Watch said. Congress should pass anti-discrimination legislation that protects lGBT students in schools. The Department of Education should survey schools to ensure antibullying protections are being fully implemented, train teachers to be responsive to the needs of lGBT students, incorporate lGBT issues into curricular modules, and promulgate model policies prohibiting discrimination in schools. at the school level, administrators should strengthen anti-bullying and anti-discrimination policies to ensure lGBT youth are safe and respected. “Prohibiting bullying against lGBT youth was an important first step,” Thoreson said. “now lawmakers and school administrators should take concrete steps to make those protections meaningful and promote respect for lGBT youth throughout the Philippines’ school system.” n
EAT YOUR HEART OUT. Participants arrange their giant wooden spoons and forks during the inter-town Giant Spoon and Fork Hand Painting Competition in Taytay, Rizal province, on Sunday, June 18. ManilaTimes.net photo by Bob Dungo Jr.
Pagcor to restore Resorts World gaming license by Jess
Diaz Philstar.com
Manila - State regulator Philippine Gaming and amusement Corp. (Pagcor) has indicated that it intends to lift the suspension of Resorts World’s casino gaming license soon. Pagcor chair andrea Domingo told lawmakers on Wednesday, June 21 that Resorts World president Kingson Sian has verbally conveyed to her the integrated resort’s desire to have its casino license back so it could start gaming operations. “We told them to formalize their request and we will issue a checklist of all the requirement for a secure and safe environment, which they will have to comply with first,” Domingo said. She said after Resorts World’s compliance, the Pagcor board would discuss the lifting of the suspension of its casino license. The integrated resort has already resumed its hotel and mall operations. Domingo said despite what happened at the hotel-casinomall complex on June 2, Pagcor would have to consider allowing it to reopen. She said they would have to consider the welfare of Resorts World’s 6,000 employees, the investments the company has made and the revenues the government
Pagcor chair Andrea Domingo told lawmakers on Wednesday, June 21 that Resorts World president Kingson Sian has verbally conveyed to her the integrated resort’s desire to have its casino license back so it could start gaming operations. Philstar.com photo by Geremy Pintolo
is earning. “They have over 6,000 people. They’re paying their salaries now, but the company cannot sustain that indefinitely. These employees may lose their jobs,” she said. “Plus the fact that we may not be able to meet our commitment to the Governance Commission for Government-owned and controlled corporations of P57 billion in earnings this year, because Resorts World Manila contributes about P4 billion a year,” she added. Domingo said Sian informed her that Resorts World would no longer use the second floor for its casino operations. lone gunman Jessie Carlos torched gaming tables and slot
machines on that floor during the attack. Thirty-seven hotel guests and employees died due to suffocation. Carlos committed suicide. Resorts World voluntarily suspended its gaming operations. Pagcor later formally issued a cease-and-desist order. according to Resorts World officers, they have invested $1.3 billion for the hotel-casino-mall complex that is located across Terminal 3 of the ninoy aquino international airport. They said the company is investing an additional $1.3 billion for another integrated resort at Pagcor’s Entertainment City in Parañaque, where three hotel-casinos are now operating. n
A june 23-29, 2017 • neW YORK AnD neW jeRSeY ASIAn jOuRnAL
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OpiniOn
Features
One for Marawi
MILITARY operations against the Maute terror group in Marawi City continue to rage on. After four weeks of clashes, the conflict has claimed the lives of 59 soldiers, three policemen, 26 civilians, 257 Islamic State (IS)-linked gunmen. More than 300,000 have fled the city while 200 were left behind, either trapped or captured as hostages in the battle zone. The damage wrought by the siege to properties and infrastructures has already reached more than P300 million. Marawi City Mayor Majul U. Gandamra also cited the adverse effects of the crisis to its residents such as displacement, loss of livelihood and educational opportunities, damage to properties, health and environmental hazards, trauma, divide and renewal of mistrust. The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has reported that 69,296 families or 338,536 persons have been displaced by the armed conflict. Given the extent of the damages and the number of people affected, the national government must now focus on rehabilitation and peace-building efforts. NDRRMC executive director Ricardo Jalad vowed that rehabilitation will begin as soon as terrorists are flushed out form the city. Jalad added that it would be faster compared to the recovery efforts after super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) devastated the Visayas in 2013. “Right now, we are still focusing on the response. We will do that as soon as Marawi is cleared. We will deploy rapid damage and needs assessment teams,” Jalad said.
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said the national government allocated P10 billion for the rehabilitation of Marawi under the “Bangon Marawi” program. Under the program, affected persons could avail emergency shelter assistance for the repair of the homes and cash-for-work and livelihood assistance. While it is readying government efforts, Malacañang called on Filipinos to unite as a nation amid the ongoing hostilities in Marawi led by the Maute group, which have left scores dead, including government troops and innocent civilians. “Our sovereignty is being confronted and I believe it’s time to set aside petty politics and the things that separate us. It’s really high time and I believe it’s a call to the Filipino nation to be able to stand together as one,” Abella said. Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Spokesperson Brigadier General Restituto Padilla Jr. described the conflict in Marawi City as a “fight between good and evil.” “We must all work together, issue out a united and collective public condemnation of all these things that are happening in Marawi now and join hands together in resisting the entry of this evil force because this is no longer a simple matter. It’s already a fight between good and evil and you
Editorial
ManilaTimes.net photo
must all realize that by now,” he said. The late Sir Winston Churchill once said that “if the human race wishes to have a prolonged and indefinite period of material prosperity, they have only got to behave in a peaceful and helpful way toward one another.”
Misconstruction and cross-cultural ignorance are among the main causes of war. While modernization demolishes geographical barriers and moves the world toward amalgamated economy, clashes among cultures can have a damaging impact on world peace. (AJPress)
A big majority of Americans disapprove of Trump’s response to the Russia investigation IF PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP The Fil-Am truly wants to win Perspective the trust and support of most Americans, and not just his most loyal fan base, then he should listen Gel SantoS-ReloS to the voice of most Americans who do not approve of the way he has been responding to the probe that investigates the alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. According to the latest poll by CBS News, 63 percent of Americans disapprove of Trump’s response to the Russia investigation, with a third of Americans expressing that his handling of the Russia probe has worsened their opinion of him. This could even factor in a dip of Trump’s job approval rating. The president now has only 36 percent
approval rating, compared to the late April polling of CBS News when he had a 41 percent approval rating among Americans. The CBS News poll further reveals that most people in both parties — 56 percent — have expressed confidence in Special Counsel Robert Mueller as the head of the independent team investigating the Trump-Russia connection. They believe the investigation will be impartial and that Trump should not attempt to stop it. This study should be an eye-opener for the president that what he has been doing is self-destructive. If he has nothing to hide, then he should let Mueller and the U.S. intelligence community do their job in getting to the bottom of this, instead of denigrating and undermining the inves-
tigation, the investigators, the U.S. intelligence agencies who are doing their job for the safety and security of the country. What is also hard to fathom is why President Trump, who claims to take seriously his obligation to protect the United States of America, appears to be more concerned about his own image and interests than Russia’s attack against the democracy of the United States. During Press Secretary Sean Spicer’s press briefing on Tuesday, June 20, he could not categorically answer the question as to whether Trump agrees Russia has interfered in the 2016 presidential election. It is a fact supported by the findings of the U.S. Intelligence community and by both sides of the political aisle in the U.S. House and Senate Intelligence Committees. Spicer said he and the president have not talked about this issue yet. Seriously?
This corroborates the statement of Trump’s own Attorney General Jeff Sessions who, in his testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee, said under oath that he “did not recall” any meeting whereby the president expressed concern or even curiosity about Russia’s meddling the election last year. Really? To top off Trump’s lack of interest in Russia’s assault on our democratic institutions: he fired FBI Chief James Comey, who then delivered a testimony under oath before the Senate Intelligence Committee. Among other revealing testimonies, Comey said Trump never once asked him about Russia’s meddling in the U.S. election in the context of national security up until he fired Comey in early May. President Donald Trump should not just listen to those who approve of him and think the Russia investigation is not serious.
He should not just listen to those who believe in him blindly when he plays the victim role, tweeting that this is “the single greatest WITCH HUNT in American political history.” He should not just listen to his Cabinet members who praise, glorify and give him the highest honors during meetings in front of television cameras. These members should have the testicular fortitude to speak the truth to him and advise him of which actions are not helping his cause. The American people deserve, expect, and demand transparency and accountability from public officials, especially from the President of the United States. *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column 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
Win-win decision on martial law
With Due Respect aRtemio V. PanGaniban ON June 13, 14 and 15, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on three consolidated petitions challenging the validity of Proclamation No. 216 “DECLARING A STATE OF MARTIAL LAW AND SUSPENDING THE PRIVILEGE OF THE WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS IN THE WHOLE OF MINDANAO” (all caps in original). Protecting the nation. Constitutionally understood and implemented, martial law (ML) and the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus (suspension) need not be feared. Verily, they are designed as temporary measures to assist the President in protecting the nation from devastation or dismemberment. Unfortunately, President Ferdinand Marcos misused ML and the suspension to perpetuate himself in power, to loot the treasury, and to deprive our people of their basic rights to life, liberty and property without due process of law. To prevent a repetition of these excesses, the 1987 Constitution limited the grounds to only two: “invasion or rebellion, when the public safety requires it,” and obligated both
the Congress and the Supreme Court to check, and if needed, to nullify the proclamation/suspension. Specifically, it mandated the Court to “review, in an appropriate proceeding filed by any citizen, the sufficiency of the factual basis of the proclamation of martial law or the suspension of the privilege of the writ or the extension thereof and must promulgate its decision thereon within thirty days from its filing.” Main issue. In an advisory to the parties dated June 12, 2017, the Court listed 10 issues. But the key issue, I think, is whether there is “factual basis” to show “actual,” not just threatened or anticipated or imagined, rebellion; and if so, whether the rebellion is of such magnitude as to justify covering “the whole of Mindanao.” Citing Art. 134 of the Revised Penal Code, Proclamation 216 itself provides the answer: The “Maute terrorist group” has actually taken up arms against the government, “burned down certain government and private facilities and inflicted casualties…, and started flying the flag of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in several areas, thereby openly attempting to remove from the allegiance to the Philippine Government this part of Mindanao and deprive the Chief Executive of his powers and prerogatives to enforce the laws of
the land and to maintain public order and safety in Mindanao, constituting the crime of rebellion.” Separately, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Gen. Eduardo Año briefed the justices with confidential information on the uprising during an executive session. Decision for future. During the orals, the petitioners were hard put to deny the existence of actual rebellion, at the very least in Marawi City. The extensive daily media coverage of the prolonged fighting depicts the determined attempt of the “terrorist groups” to take over a portion of Philippine territory and to deprive the President of his powers to enforce our laws there. Moreover, there is a legal presumption that the official duty of the President has been regularly performed. On the petitioners lay the burden of proof to show the opposite, i.e., that he gravely abused his discretion in making his factual finding. That the acts complained of amount to “terrorism” is of no moment, provided they also constitute, as Solicitor General Jose C. Calida argued they do, the elements of the crime of rebellion as defined by the Revised Penal Code. At bottom, I believe that even if the petitioners—led by Rep. Edcel C. Lagman—fail in their bid to nullify Proclamation 216,
Pres. Rodrigo Duterte signing Proclamation No. 216 “Declaring a State of Martial Law and Suspending The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus in the Whole of Mindanao.” Malacañang photo
they would still have served the public interest for affording the Court the precious opportunity to define the parameters of ML under the 1987 Constitution. Indeed, a comprehensive and clear decision will guide our of-
ficials on the constitutional way to impose and implement ML (whether in Marawi only, or in the “whole of Mindanao,” the Visayas, Luzon, or in the entire country), to safeguard our people’s rights when the privilege
of the writ of habeas corpus is suspended, and to exorcise the feared abuses and excesses. Crafted with this valuable teaching, the decision would be a landmark win-win for all. (Inquirer.net)
The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.
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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JUNE 23-29, 2017
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Ex-PCGG chief gets 20 years for graft by ElizabEth
MarcElo Philstar.com
MANILA - Former Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) chairman Camilo Sabio was sentenced to up to 20 years’ imprisonment as the Sandiganbayan found him guilty of two counts of graft over alleged anomalous car lease deals entered into with the United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) in 2007 and 2009. In its 20-page decision, the anti-graft court’s First Division said the Office of the Ombudsman was able to prove “beyond reasonable doubt” that Sabio, as then PCGG chairman, authorized two car lease contracts “without the necessary procedures of public bidding” required under Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act. The court pointed out that while some government procurement may be exempted from public bidding, Sabio failed to present any proof that the lease agreements fall within the legal exemptions. “These point to the fact that there is bad faith on the part of Sabio in authoring these contracts as well as entering into these transactions. Indeed, there is nothing clearer than this – the patent and flagrant disregard of the law,” said the ruling penned
Former Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) chairman Camilo Sabio was sentenced to up to 20 years’ imprisonment as the Sandiganbayan found him guilty of two counts of graft over alleged anomalous car lease deals entered into with the United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) in 2007 and 2009. Philstar.com photo by Efigenio Toledo IV
by Associate Justice Geraldine Faith econg. Associate Justices efren de la Cruz and Bernelito Fernandez concurred with the ruling. His wife Marlene accompanied Sabio when the clerk of court read the decision before him. The graft cases stemmed from the two contracts totaling P12.127 million that the PCGG entered
into with its sequestered company UCPB Leasing and Finance Corp. (ULFC). The contracts were for ULFC’s lease of its 11 service vehicles to UCPB. The ombudsman said in 2012 that both contracts were executed through negotiated procurement. The anti-graft court said that aside from violating the government procurement rules, Sabio also caused undue injury to the government since the lease was “unnecessary” since the PCGG had enough units of usable service vehicles at that time. The court further noted the leasing of the ULFC vehicles was not included in the PCGG’s approved budget for those years. Sabio was sentenced to a minimum of 12 years to a maximum of 20 years of imprisonment for both cases. The court also ordered his perpetual disqualification from holding public office. The court, however, clarified that should Sabio decide to file a motion for reconsideration, he should pay P120,000 cash bond in exchange for his provisional liberty pending the court’s resolution of his appeal. Sabio appeared downhearted following the decision’s promulgation, but his wife said their camp would definitely file an appeal insisting his innocence. n
Napoles wants ‘Napolist’ excluded from plunder trial by AJPress BUSINeSSWOMAN Janet Lim Napoles does not want her 2014 affidavits to be used as evidence against her in the multi-million pork barrel scam case. On Tuesday, June 20, Napoles filed a motion asking the Sandiganbayan First Division to exclude her affidavits, dated May 12, 2014 and May 26, 2014, from the trial of detained senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. Revilla is facing plunder and graft charges over the alleged misuse of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), more known as pork barrel. The first day of Revilla’s trial was scheduled on Thursday, June 22, with Napoles as his co-defendant. In the said affidavits, Napoles, who is also the alleged mastermind of the scam, tagged more than 100 lawmakers she made transactions with in connection with the scam. Citing her right against self-incrimination, Napoles requested
the anti-graft court to remove the so-called “Napolist” from the prosecution’s evidence. Likewise, she maintained that the prosecution must not present a witness to testify to the authenticity of her list. “The presentation of the alleged affidavit dated 12 May 2014 and Sworn Statement dated 26 May 2014 would definitely violate accused’s right against self-incrimination as the affidavits contain statements and narration of facts that will incriminate the herein accused in the present case,” Napoles said. In her motion, Napoles pointed out that she only made the affidavits to support her application as a state witness in the case. Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, however, rejected the application, pointing out that Napoles, as the alleged brain of the scam, seemed to be the most guilty in the case. Citing Republic Act No. 6981, Napoles took note that “if a person who applied in the Witness Pro-
tection Program (WPP) was later on denied of his application in the program, any sworn statement or other testimony he executed in such application shall not be admissible.” “The Office of the Ombudsman and DOJ (Department of Justice) denied the application of the Accused to be a state witness. Such being the case, any sworn statement or other testimony executed by the Accused in view of such application shall not be admitted in any proceeding,” she stressed. Napoles further noted that her affidavit was only given to thenJustice Secretary Leila de Lima. “Having said that, the authenticity of any copies of sworn statements executed by the herein accused produced by any other agency aside from the Department of Justice (DOJ) is doubtful,” she added. Apart from Revilla and Napoles, Jinggoy estrada and Juan Ponce enrile are also charged with plunder and graft raps in connection with the anomaly. n
HIGH ALERT. Quezon City policemen are keeping a tight watch on Muslim communities in the city to prevent security problems that may be caused by members of terrorist groups. The city is the most populated in Metro Manila. It hosts two Islamic communities – one in Culiat and another in Novaliches. Mayor Herbert Bautista has ordered Quezon City Police District Director Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar to ensure that these communities are guarded to prevent the entry of Maute Group members. ManilaTimes.net photo by Roger Rañada
Binay reconciles with former Makati vice mayor Mercado by AJPress AFTeR years of a strained relationship, former Vice President Jejomar Binay has reconciled with former Makati City Vice-Mayor ernesto Mercado. In the wake of finding a new “guide,” Binay said he was able to mend his torn relationship with Mercado. The two used to be political allies but their relationship allegedly started to turn sour during the 2010 elections when Binay did not endorse Mercado as their party’s Makati mayoral candidate. Instead of Mercado, Binay pushed for his son, Junjun, to run for the city’s top post. The younger Binay won the polls and took over. The rift between Binay and Mercado, however, didn’t get any better in the following years. Binay filed a damage suit against Mercado and several others in 2015 for conspiring to malign his reputation. Mercado, meanwhile, has testified in several corruption hearings against Binay and his family. In a television interview, Binay narrated how he spent
Former Vice Pres. Jejomar Binay and former Makati City Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado
more time reading the Bible after losing in the 2016 presidential elections. Binay said he always encountered the word “forgiveness,” prompting him to fix his relationship with Mercado. “I’m closer to God because I’m beginning to know more about Him,” Binay told ABSCBN. In its report dated Monday, June 19, ABS-CBN said Binay and Mercado recently met at a certain restaurant in Makati and reconciled. “Sa tingin ko parehas kami masaya na finally nakabalik kami sa dati naming masarap na samahan. Kaya sabi naman namin basta tayong dalawang
nagkapatawaran na. (I think we were both happy that our good relationship is finally back. We can both say that we already forgave each other),” Mercado remarked. Mercado also vowed that he would not run for political office anymore. Binay, on the other hand, said he would concentrate in reading the Holy Scripture. “Magcoconcentrate na lang muna ako sa bible. Tuwangtuwa nga yung mga kakilala ko na hindi na ako war-freak, wala na (For now, I will concentrate in the Bible. Actually, people who know me are fascinated that I’m no longer a war freak),” Binay said. n
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MoMA PRESENTS A NEW GOLDEN AGE: CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE CINEMA
Celebrating Filipino Films at the New York Museum of Modern Art by MoMar
FILM lovers, Filipino film lovers to be very specific, had a great time in New York as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) unveiled A New Golden Age: Contemporary Philippine Cinema, which aims to celebrate the diverse and styles of what is now considered as the third golden age of Philippine Cinema. Characterized by a prolific and dizzying array of genres and styles, the ongoing Third Golden Age of Philippine cinema is celebrated in MoMA’s extensive, unprecedented survey, A New Golden Age, on view from June 1 through 25 in the Roy and Niuta Titus Theaters. A total of 18 films
by 13 directors were screened. The aforementioned Third Golden Age of Philippine cinema spans from around 2000 to the present, following the first golden age, in the 1950s, and the second, from the 1970s to the early 1980s. The Philippines’ current wave of sustained creativity is unusual in its diversity of style, audacious formal experimentation, and vibrant spirit of adventure. Defying simple description, this variety of distinct cinematic statements makes it an exceptionally unique and largely unrecognized movement. “This is just a small sampling
‘Independencia’
‘Aparisyon (Apparition)’
Motherland attracted a full house audience on the opening of “A New Golden Age: Contemporary Philippine Cinema” at the MoMA on June 1. Photos courtesy of Motherland
G. Visaya/AJPress
‘Balikbayan’
of recent Filipino films. We have a lot more but we had to choose and that was the hard part,” shared film writer Gil Quito, who co-wrote the Nora Aunor film ‘Merika. Quito joined curator La Frances Hui, associate curator of MoMA’s Department of Film in coming up with this list of films. “Unlike many film movements, his new wave is very hard to describe or define. It is a highly individualistic movement with a few common traits to bring the films together,” Hui said, as she introduced the opening film. “This is why contemporary Philippine cinema is unusually unique and exciting and also the reason why it is not as widely acknowledged and studied, as it should be. We hope that this series will change that.” MoMA highlights the stylistic mélange of the Third Golden Age with a wide-ranging selection of films—from the 2017 Sundance Special Jury Award–winner Motherland (2017), which intimately explores the Manila-based busiest maternity hospital in the world, to the works of acclaimed champion of slow cinema Lav Diaz and gripping thrillers by prolific newcomer Ato Bautista. Baby Factory The festival-like celebration
opened with the sold out screening of Motherland, a documentary by Ramona Diaz, the woman behind Imelda, Don’t Stop Believing: Everyman’s Journey and The Learning. The film, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this January, provides an inside view of Fabella Hospital, the busiest maternity hospital in the Philippines. “It is such an honor to be opening the series and to be in the company of these other directors Brillante Mendoza, Lav Diaz, Raya Martin, Ditsi Carolino, among others. Thank you for raising the profile of Philippine cinema,” Diaz said. Her film tackled the friendships and relationships that formed among the new mothers in the busy hospital and shows how both the hospital employees and the patients cope with the challenges by coming up with creative ideas to meet their needs. This cinematic wave is also typified by its raw reflection of the current political situation in the Philippines—with MoMA’s selection including Brillante Ma’ Rosa (2016), which tracks the fate of petty drug dealers at the hands of a corrupt law enforcement system, and Clash (2009), whose plotline of a “strongman” city mayor who implements crime-fighting death squads mirrors headlinegrabbing stories coming out of the Philippines today. Finally, the New York audience was given a chance to watch Jaclyn Jose’s intense performance in Ma’Rosa, which gave her a Best Actress award at last year’s Cannes Film Festival. Five of the filmmakers Ramona Diaz, Ato Bautista, Lav Diaz, Raya Martin, and Isabel Sandoval were present for postscreening discussions of their work. At the Q-and-A with Ramona Diaz, she revealed that
During the talkback, Nadia Hallgren (left) describes their one-month experience in the maternity ward of Fabella. Ms Diaz (middle) shares her insights on the Philippine health system, and La Frances Hui (right) gives her thoughts on the film selection for the series.
‘Gemini’
‘Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank’ (The Woman in the Septic Tank)’
Motherland was born when she was in Manila researching for another film that had something to do with reproductive rights. “Someone told me to visit what was called the baby factory in Manila (Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital) because they said it is a must-see place if I was working on reproductive health. When I visited the place, I was just overwhelmed, I was taken by the place,” Diaz shared. “I knew my
‘From What Is Before’
‘Clash’
‘Bunso’
‘Serbis’
Director, producer, writer, co-editor Ramona Diaz introduces her film.
story was there, I had found my film and it was very clear to me.” Fabella Hospital, the busiest maternity ward on the planet averages 60 births a day—and at its peak, as many as 100 babies within a 24-hour period. “Fabella is the final safety net for very poor pregnant women, most of whom cannot afford either contraception or the $60 delivery fee. The images I saw at the hospital - the nurses who did their best to tame the noisy chaos of Emergency Room arrivals, the crowded corridors, the premature births and cramped recovery rooms with double occupancy of single beds – gripped me and wouldn’t let go,” Diaz added. The MoMA series opening night was attended by representatives of the Philippine Consulate General, film enthusiasts from the community, academics, filmmakers and members of the local Fil-Am community.
‘How To Disappear Completely’
‘Motherland’
Still photos from the films courtesy of MoMA
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Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ RECENTLY, a person came to my office for consultation after her adjustment of status application (based on marriage to a U.S. citizen) was denied due to fraud. She had entered the U.S. on a transit visa (C-1), but was not a crewman. Therefore, she was otherwise eligible to adjust status. The problem is she went to a consultant for legal assistance in filling out her paperwork. The consultant filled out her forms, stating she had entered the U.S. as a “visitor” on a B-2 visa, rather than as a transit. He included a doctored\altered I-94 (arrival/departure record), also indicating she entered the US as a visitor. The consultant probably did this because ordinarily, crewman on C-1 visas cannot adjust status in the U.S. unless they have the benefit of Section 245(i). So, the consultant sought to cover-up, or alter her manner of entry. But the “lie” was unnecessary, and caused unnecessary problems. At her adjustment interview, the immigration officer already had records of her having entered the U.S. on a C-1 visa, not as a B-2 visitor. When the officer saw that her forms and
Consultant’s unnecessary lies result in UNNECESSARY denial and fraud waiver paperwork indicated she entered as a visitor, he considered this to be fraud, making her ineligible to adjust status. However, she was completely unaware that the consultant had filled out the paperwork this way, and was unaware that the consultant had put down incorrect information on her forms. But still, she was held responsible for the consultant’s misrepresentations. (The law states a person is responsible for the misrepresentations of his or her “agent”). My point is some people will go to consultants for assistance (because they believe the consultant is “cheaper,” or the person feels more comfortable with a consultant rather than an attorney). But the person is completely unaware of what the consultant is doing, the information and documents the consultant is submitting, and the like. They trust the consultant, and sign the papers without reading or understanding them. In this woman’s case, there was no reason to put down incorrect information. But because the consultant did not know the law, he thought it would “help” her case by lying. The consultant probably was completely
unaware that the immigration officers have access to a vast amount of information about people, including how and when they entered the U.S., any previous immigration filings, denials, removal proceedings, crimes, and the like. There are questions on the forms requiring a “yes” or “no” answer about various subjects, and just because a person checks the “no” box, does not mean that the USCIS will believe them, and move on. The USCIS will investigate, check their database, and will discover the truth, and your lies. What makes matters worse is this person paid the consultant just about the same amount she would have paid an attorney. But now, she will have the extra expense of having to hire an attorney to undo the damage caused by the consultant. That is why it is important that if you have any immigration problem, go to an attorney, rather than a consultant. An attorney is licensed to practice law, can offer legal advice, and appear with you at your interview or hearing, to deal with any issues that may arise. A consultant cannot practice law, give legal advice, or represent you at interviews or
CREWMAN WENT HOME TO MANILA ON PROVISIONAL WAVER AND CAME BACK TO THE U.S. WITH A GREEN CARD — A SPECIAL EPISODE OF “CITIZEN PINOY!” Leading U.S. immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel obtained a Provisional Waiver for Jerome, a crewman who jumped ship. Jerome had filed for Adjustment of Status on his own, but it was denied, because he was not eligible. Gurfinkel got an approved Provisional Waiver of the 3\10 year bar, and Jerome returned to the Philippines for visa processing at the U.S. Embassy in Manila. His wife and children wondered and prayed if Jerome could make it back to the US. Every crewman and their US spouse should watch the outcome of this Provisional Waiver case on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday, June 25 at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising supplement)
hearings. *** 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 re-enactments) 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 attorney-client 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)
Judy Ann Santos more excited to be with Ate Vi than Papa P “Gusto ko talaga!” superstar Judy Ann Santos exclaimed when asked by media recently if she wants to make a movie with “Star for All Seasons” Vilma Santos and with perennial heartthrob Piolo Pascual. But if Judy Ann would have her way, “Mas gusto ko munang mauna ‘yung kay Ate Vi kaysa kay Piolo,” she said. According to her, it is because she has made movies with Piolo already and she has not yet done anything with Vilma. Thus, the actress has been really praying that the rumors of her making a movie with Ate Vi would become a reality. As for Piolo, she admitted that there is
Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo, Vilma Santos-Recto and Piolo Pascual
a “gusot” or a misunderstanding between them that they should solve first. She did not elaborate what this “gusot” is, but she affirmed that Piolo and her are in good terms. “siguro nga ang daming nag-eexpect ng comeback but we’ve always been friends,” she reassured. Her role in Piolo’s life has been “a shoulder to cry on.” “Our relationship ni Piolo as co-actors is deep enough para plantsahin ang mga gusot,” she attested. She is aware that her and Piolo’s fellow Sun Life endorser, Charo Santos-Concio, has been giggling in anticipating for a reunion movie or
The Drifters Live!
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drama series starring Piolo and Juday. “si Ma’am Charo talaga, she’s our biggest supporter since ‘Esperanza’ days, back when we’re not even a love team yet,” Juday said. If the reunion does push through, she said “it should be something worth waiting for.” “’Di ako masyado excited kasi ‘di ko sure kung matutuloy. Baka ma-frustrate lang ako. I live by the day,” she noted. “Masyado kasing maraming nakakakilala sa’min. Alam nilang ‘di kami tatanggap ng ‘di maayos (na project).” The actress, however, gave clues on when the reunion project would come: “Kasi ‘di ko pa nahahabol ‘yung waistline ni Piolo. ‘Pag nahabol ko na ‘yung figure niya!”
Starts at 10am with Mass and colorful Santacruzan Parade
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VST & Company Save the Date! People’s Ball
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On the PEP Front
People, Events, Places
The opportune nascence of The Dark Necessities
Zakk Dubois, The Dark Necessities drummer
The Dark Necessities up close and personal Ryan J. Clark – Vocalist (Anthony Kiedis counterpart) This Arian (born April 5) from Freehold, New Jersey possesses a perfect interracial fusion of Irish, Italian, and German bloods with long brown thick curls that easily compliment his hazel eyes on a well-chiseled face. Muscular yet lean, Ryan’s 170-pound weight is proportionally distributed in his 5’10 frame. Ryan enrolled at Rutgers University New Brunswick following his graduation from Toms River High School South and currently employed as a bartender at Bahama Breeze and Grille without abandoning his zealous passion for music. His sensitive nature, coupled with his propensity to writing poetry, unmistakably creates an edge-point to being a good band vocalist. His burgeoning music career slowly showed signs of prominence after performing in hometown cafés and bars until the opportunities to play at the Jersey Shore Music Fest, Elephants for Autism Music Fest, and Angie’s Ball more than offered him the indefinable self-confidence to take immense leaps and explore greater heights to achieve what he truly aspires for. “I want to improve my proficiency in guitar and the drums but with concrete concentration on my vocals to be at least at par with Anthony Kiedis. I believe so much in the potential of this group, The Dark Necessities. Hopefully, we make it soon!” Sandy A. Buenconsejo – Lead Guitarist (TDN’s answer to RHCP’s Josh Klinghoffer) The 2nd child among 4 siblings and a typical Scorpion (born November 9), Sandy has a Political Science degree from Colegio de San Juan de Letran neatly tucked under his sleeves with a strong obsession to music and performing. Back in the Philippines, Sandy was already adept with band performances having joined and collaborated with a number of Manila-based vocal groups and booked at the city’s well-attended concert venues like Arts Venue, Kampo, Tabu Bar, Sounds Stage, among others.
EMPLOYMENT
PSYCHIC
BoBBy T. yalong THE boy bands’ cultural origins was believed to have emerged back in the late 19th century with its earliest forerunner as merely an a-cappella barbershop quartet and their act evolved into a more harmonized vocalization with musical instruments aptly accompanied with doo-wop music. The phenomenal rise of Jackson 5, The Platters, Dave Clark 5, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and many musically inclined group of teeners easily made the 60s era the melting decade of group singers with the preeminence of The Monkees who were considered the pioneers since they typified the quintessential exponent of a manufactured boy band. The 70s and the 80s saw the exceptional surfacing of Puerto Rican boys, Menudo, the New Edition, New Kids on the Block, and numerous mushrooming groups while the 90s ushered in Boyz II Men, BackStreet Boys, NSYNC, 98 Degrees, Westlife, Michael Learns to Rock, and a roster of promising hopefuls that instantaneously faded to oblivion as instantly as they first hogged the spotlights. The millennium empowered the resurgence of even more boy bands, this time much more versed with the public’s musical demands while copiously outfitted with the latest technological gears and dynamism like One Direction, The Jonas Brothers, and a lot more. While the global music industry incessantly provides more attention-grabbing talents, music enthusiasts relentlessly thirst for fresh faces with stimulating sounds and unsullied acts.
Incidentally, the inevitable rendezvous of four east coastbased music geniuses seemed to be the most-awaited answer to the said quest that could herald the dawning of a new group. All four guys had been either former component of other rock bands or still currently affiliated with other groups but in search of wide-ranging opportunities that will explore their dexterity and proficiency to the hilt. It was uncomplicated and easy for Zakk Dubois, Sandy Buenconsejo, Ryan Clark, and Mark Doria to unanimously single out ‘The Dark Necessities” (TDN) as their band’s label since they have a common denominator: every one is a rocker and avid follower of the 1983incepted American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers or simply RHCP. Dark Necessities, incidentally, was the first single from their 11th album, The Getaway, which occupied the top slot on the Alternative Songs Chart. It will be recalled that RHCP catapulted to stardom via their top billboard chart hits “Under The Bridge” (1991) became one of the defining alternative rock songs of the 1990s, “Californication” (1999), “Can’t Stop” (2002), and “Otherside” (1999), just to name a few. Just like the song’s meaning, Zakk, Sandy, Ryan, and Mark has had each own private quandary that hurled them into the dark but their incessant instinctive creativeness enabled them to see beauty in such burden-laden state. Inspiration profusely gushed during that trying situation and resulted to a valuable conclusion. RHCP’s Dark Necessities is indeed a fitting brand name for this group of hard-driven musicians.
SERVICES
TDN’s after rehearsal pose...(L-R) Sandy, Zakk, Mark, and Ryan
One of the pioneering organizers of The Dark Necessities, Sandy’s talent isn’t just confined to playing lead guitar since he’s an all-around band player. He could do bass guitar, piano, keyboards, alto saxophone, and even the ulelele. In his capacity as the group leader, he can’t afford to lose a gig just because a member isn’t available… he could easily fit in if such mishap happens. “I have so much belief in this group…a hundred percent! After having experienced playing with different bands in the Philippines and here in the US, the euphoria I feel for our new group is something different. Give us a little more time and we’ll prove our worth,” he shared. Zakk A. Dubois – Drummer (the Chad Smith of TDN) Another multiracial TDN member is Zakk who has French, Irish, Lebanese, Hungarian, and Polish blood running in his veins that indubitably molded him into one multi-faceted musician. An Aquarian, (born February 6) Freehold, NJ-born but Nashville, Tennessee-raised, Zakk’s diverse musical knowlegeability and wide range performing experiences more than made up for what he might be short of. He started toying the drums and guitar strings at the tender age of 12 and owned his first set at 15. His musician father greatly influenced the soon-to-rise musician with motivational persuasion courtesy of his namesake Zakk Wilde, Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist. As if his musical adrenalin wasn’t enough to keep him full of zip, Zakk is also into soccer, hockey, baseball, and other related sports while simultaneously performing with his first band, The Edge of Beyond. Zakk is inherently loquacious and profound and could assiduously converse for hours… with sense! Aside from “steering the moment”
Ryan Clark, TDN’s lead vocalist
with his perfected skills on drums, Zakk can also be relegated to play bass guitar, key boards, and do vocals. His unparalleled passion for his music is exceptional. “It’s tough to be a musician… it’s personal and emotional. I pour out my heart and soul in my every performance. I cannot just fake what I do…it’s got to be with passion…giving all of me…!I live by the day…and leave everything to my God for He knows what’s best for me!” Mark G. Doria – Bass Guitarist (TDN’s dead-ringer to RHCP’s Flea) Mark’s persona is unmistakably hip and stylish while his flexible deportment easily gave away his natural flair for band music. A veteran of more than 20 bands, Mark’s introduction to the world of music was through his father, a Metallica die-hard fan, who used to occasionally play guitarist to Freddie Aguilar. At age 10, young Mark was already familiar with the infectious Metallica sound that ignited his curiosity and developed his passion for guitars. Initially it was just plain guitar ingenuity sans focus on specific type and category not until he became interested in doing bass. Just like RHCP’s original bass player, Flea, Mark’s self-taught style sounds totally unique after long
SERVICES
Mark Doria, TDN’s bassist
Sandy Buenconsejo, TDN’s lead guitarist
months of unwearyingly perfecting his craft under extreme pressure and unwavering fortitude that resulted to a skillful finger-picking, flawlessly smooth slapping, and effortless groovy techniques that he applies during gigs. The low-key, self-taught TDN bass guitarist currently works as a supervisor cook at Gateway Cake Center in Elktown, New Jersey while occupied with prospective bookings and conceptualizing better marketing options for the group. “I have nothing on my mind but only for the success of our band. Actually, my target is for our group to have at least a regular gig or two every month and side bookings on weekends. Not because I’m a part of them but modesty aside, this is the best assemblage of multi- talented band members…what we need is only one big break and we’re made,” he said. Catch The Dark Necessities during their live performance at D’ Haven on Friday, June 23 at 8:00 PM when they justly prove credence as Red Hot Chili Peppers’ local counterpart. For comments and suggestions, please email to: gemini0646@ yahoo.com Special thanks to Mr. Herbert Y. Magtoto for scheduling this interview.
Say goodbye to Charice and hello to Jake Zyrus INtERNAtIONAL singing sensation Charice Pempengco has changed his name to Jake Zyrus in all of his social media accounts. Following his break-up with longtime girlfriend Alyssa Quijano, Jake’s new identity was born last thursday, June 15.
Jake deleted all of his previous posts and sent his first tweet under his new name to 927,000 followers via twitter on tuesday, June 20. “My first tweet as Jake. Overwhelmed. saw all your love comments and I’m so happy. Finally. I love you, everyone and see you soon,” he tweeted. the 25-year-old singer embraced his new identity and tweeted “I won’t let anyone ruin this moment. I won’t let anyone ruin my happiness. thank you to all the beautiful write ups about me.” Also deleting all of his previous post as Charice on Instagram, Jake posted last sunday, June 18 a blue photo background with the words “thank You” on it to his 132,000 followers. He captioned the photo “From the bottom of my heart, thank you for the love and respect. I love you back and I’m sending peace to everyone.” Jake’s latest revelation coincides with Lesbian, Gay, Charice Pempengco now turned into Bisexual and transgender (LGBt) Jake Zyrus, the moniker he now uses on Pride Month, which is celebrated social media. in most parts of the world each
year during the month of June to honor the Gay Liberation Movement in Manhattan in 1969. Jake, who gained his popularity as Charice in 2005, embraced his true sexuality and courageously admitted that he is a lesbian to talk show host Boy Abunda at the segment of “the Buzz” in 2013. since then, he started to label himself as a man and even settled for a slick clean cut look. In 2016, Mega Man’s magazine took a big leap toward gender equality and put Jake on the cover of the magazine issue for Pride Month. “By most accounts, this has never been done before and whatever way the pendulum will swing, this was a move worth taking,” Mega Man’s article read. Jake’s big leap gives rise to an artist who is now more confident and at peace with his inner insecurities. Even though his screen name has changed, he is still the talented singer who impressed Oprah Winfrey and record producer David Foster. (Larizza de Vera/AJPress, with reports from CNN Philippines)
Glaiza de Castro’s elusive ‘Mr. Right’
by LhAR sAntiAgo ManilaTimes.net
tHE moment her taping for “Encantadia” was done, Glaiza de Castro packed her bags and flew to south Korea for much needed rest. she had planned this trip a month before taping for the hit GMA telefantasya was finished. the holiday was but a short break for Glaiza who buckled down to work as soon as she got back home. she is now busy promoting her new album under Polyeast Records where she shows more of her versatility as a singer. the new album is a far cry from her first where she displayed her talent as a pop-rock artist. In this outing, Glaiza does her own version of classic OPM songs like “Bato sa Buhangin” and “Itanong Mo sa Mga Bata.” Polyeast has happily announced that the album took the No. 1 spot in sales two days after its release. Meanwhile, fans won’t have to miss Glaiza on tV for very long as she is now preparing to start a new show—the format of which is something new for the Kapuso artist. For the first time, she will be
doing a travel show, which is very much up her alley. Glaiza, of course, couldn’t be happier, what with the opportunity to do a lot of traveling. the travel show is considered by Glaiza as a good way to rest for the meantime from doing a drama show. Encantadia was a long series and Glaiza’s role as Pirena was very demanding emotionally and physically. she is the type of actress who takes her role to heart, that is why there were moments when she would really be affected emotionally by the heavy scenes she was doing. Physically, she had been hurt a couple of times in her fight scenes. the last one required four stitches on her brow after she was accidentally hit with the tip of a sword. “Of course, those were accidents and they really happen on the set. Walang dapat sisihin,” she averred. Is it all work and travel for Glaiza? What about her personal happiness? Her love life? until now, Glaiza has not found her elusive Mr. Right. there were guys who’ve been linked to her in the past–one of them was even so open about his admiration for Glaiza–but that was all. No further
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The Asian Journal N E W YO R K / N E W J E R S EY J U N E 23, 20 1 7
Richard Yap: Don’t count him out yet by Ricky Lo Philstar.com
Just because his hit tV starrer Be Careful With My Heart with Jodi sta. Maria has ended (after several extensions) doesn’t mean that Richard “ser Chief” Yap has prematurely rested on his laurels and given up his title as, with due respect to current “title-holder” Ian Veneracion (A Love to Last), Kilabot ng Mga Matrona. Never mind if they know that Richard is happily married (to former flight stewardess Melody, with whom he has two children), the women haven’t gotten over their fascination with; they continue to swoon. the good news is that, after renewing his contract with the Kapamilya Network last February, Richard will topbill a tV series but he’s not yet at liberty to discuss the details, leaving fans hopeful that it will reunite him with Jodi. Well, Richard and Jodi did reunite last week but only for the blessing of Cole & Ash International systems Corporation, a trading company which he put up with partners, dealing in the distribution, supply and installation of office systems, flooring, storage and other services. Jodi was among the star guests at the blessing of his new
Madrinan, Quezon City; the other Wangfu nearby also along Morato has folded up), Richard took up Culinary Arts. same with Cole & Ash. “I learned about the business from working at a friend’s furniture business for more than 20 years,” revealed Richard. “Our family is in interior design business and I’m using what I learned from it in Cole & Ash. We are guided by what we call the H.I.G.H.E.R. (Honesty, Integrity, Good Heart, Expertise and Reliability).” Which is presumably Richard’s guiding principle in his career Richard Yap which is “business as usual.” business located in BGC (Bonifacio undaunted by his abortive tV Global City), named for his series with Judy Ann santos (now children Dylan Cole and Ashley hosting the Kapamilya show Bet sandrine. Other guests included On Your Baby), Richard is happily sM’s Hans sy, Richard Poon and going with the flow. He has been wife Maricar Reyes, and Nikki busy with guestings (Kapamilya Valdez and boyfriend Luis Garcia. shows like FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano, “I don’t go into a business etc.) and doing movies including that I don’t know anything about,” special appearance in a Vice said Richard, 50, who is business- Ganda starrer and an impressive minded like most Chinese (he turn as the estranged father of was educated at a Chinese school John Lloyd Cruz in Just the 3 of in his native Cebu). “I make sure us, an award-worthy performance that I know the ins and outs and that cemented his status as a the ABCs of any business that I serious drama actor (aside from venture into.” being a romantic idol). Before he and his friends put “I’m thankful that my up Luna J and Wangfu restaurants supporters are there for me,” said (both at Il terrazo, corner tomas Richard. “they are the ones who Morato Avenue and scout keep me going.”
Filipina ‘Asia’s Next Top Model’ finalist honored by Deni
Rose M. AfiniDAD-BeRnARDo Philstar.com
Glaiza de Castro
development. As of now, Glaiza is certified single but she is not worried. “I’m happy with my life right now. I am so focused on my career. When it comes to love life, I leave it all up to the Lord. I am waiting for his timing because His timing is always perfect. I’ll let Him choose the guy for me because He gives only the best,” she ended.
Maureen Wroblewitz
At 18 years old and at five feet and six inches tall, Maureen Wroblewitz might be among the youngest and the shortest among the top four finalists of “Asia’s Next top Model” (AsNtM) Cycle 5. But, by winning best photo of the week on episode 11, the Filipina-German Maureen has a strong chance of winning the competition at episode 12, especially with Miss universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach there by her side as special guest. Whether or not Maureen makes it as the first Filipina to win AsNtM, she has already been
declared a “winner” in her field as she has been recently chosen as one of 10 young Filipina “Makers” by international cosmetics label Maybelline New York. the company, said Maybelline Philippines Marketing Director Cary Co, tapped 10 successful young Filipinas from different fields to create vlogs (video blogs) that aim to inspire other women to make their own success stories happen. she clarified that these girls are not all bloggers or social media stars. Besides Maureen, they include: Continued on Page 6
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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 J u N E 23, 20 1 7
The latest makeup trend for your summer look By Monet
Lu
Don’t you just love it when summer is approaching? I love how the sun sets so late and how it makes you feel like you have more daytime hours. not to mention, plenty of things you can still do ‘til the sun goes down at about 7 or 8 p.m. And since you have so much “solar-powered” energy, you seem to be active and glowing throughout the day. Speaking of glowing, there’s a new makeup trend that has been strutting its way to the limelight. this new trend gives your bronzer and contour kit their much-needed downtime because it gives way to dewy and glowy skin. Step aside contour, and give me some StRoBE! Strobing, as makeup experts call it, is the latest makeup trend we’ve seen on runway models, vloggers and well, everyone. And just like I mentioned earlier, it practically skips the chiseled features of a full contour in favor of dewy skin that glimmers in all the right places. to make a clearer contrast, let’s talk about contouring and how it’s different from strobing. Contour was popularized by Kim Kardashian and it’s one of the best beauty tricks that was introduced to us. Blending your makeup to achieve those killer cheekbones, a “painted” nose job, and a thinner face gives you unbelievable results. But as the summer heat rises, the feeling of foundations and powder (or cream) layered on your face becomes too heavy for a typical summer day. Enter: strobing – in all its glorious highlights. As opposed to contouring, strobing does the complete opposite of using a thick blend of darker and lighter shades to chisel your facial features, such as the cheeks, nose and chin. the only product you’ll need for strobing is an illuminating highlighter —and lots of it. Forget the chiseled look that you get from painting your face with graphic lines of bronzer and
blush because this “anti-contour” look is life-changing. Aside from it being “melt-proof,” the luminous look is just pretty – plus, wearing it is much more appropriate – and do-able before you do your summer activities (i.e. beach, hiking, etc.) Teach me how to strobe Strobe—even the word makes you want to dance—or maybe, it’s just me. Strobing relies solely on highlighters and natural light to define your face to radiate a youthful look. While contouring requires the use of multiple products, strobing is a lot simpler and involves finding where the natural light hits, like the cheekbones, brows, nose and chin, and using the highlighter to define that area. Unlike contouring which often leaves a matte finish, strobing delivers a shimmery effect. You can achieve this look by getting a glowy base for your makeup and apply a generous amount to your cheekbones, the bridge of your nose, below your brow bone, and at the corners of your eye, then blending in with your fingers or a sponge. It’s the perfect lightweight, radiant look. Some may ask if it’s applicable to all skin tones – and my answer is, yes. If you are a fair to medium tone, you may use shades leaning on the champagne-y shade. If you are tanned to dark, you would want to use golds and deeper bronzed shades. For the fairer skin tones, you don’t want to use anything that’s too deep. Mastering the look is not that hard. You start with a clear,
smooth complexion. then apply a lightweight, iridescent-tinted moisturizer to the face and neck, blending well. there are so many strobe-oriented products out there. they come in liquid, cream and powder form. Choose what suits your skin best. next, you’ll want to apply a highlighter to the most prominent areas of your face, including the top of your cheekbones, the bridge of your nose and the upper-middle forehead. A helpful trick would be to picture where the sunlight hits most directly and apply there. For a final touch, apply a light, slightlyshimmery translucent powder to set the look. Achieve a full summer strobe-y look by letting your radiant skin be the star. Keep the rest of your look simple. Strong eyebrows and a little mascara are all you need. this makeup trend is so right up my alley. I love a fresh and natural look. Even my clients can attest to that. What better way to enjoy a summer glow but to don a fresh, youthful — but still welldefined — complexion, sans the traditional contouring. Whoever thought of strobing is a genius, I am definitely a fan! *** Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, award-winning celebrity beauty stylist with his own chain of Monet Salon salons across Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Ultimately, Monet is known as an all-around artiste who produces sold-out fashion and awards shows as well as unforgettable marketing campaigns. Monet is also the founder of the revolutionary allnatural beauty products such as Enlighten, your solution to discoloration . To contact Monet, please visit www.monetsalon.com or email him at monetsalon@aol.com
ğ įōíľ ÀðıÃæµįPçį ʼn æIJįıÀ ØÃĉÃæîÂ ß ğÃqPç qíß߼æÃıŎįĤÀíĽØ ÕæíŊįPdíĽIJĕ If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, email us the details (title, description, time & date, location, etc.) at info@asianjournalinc.com. And for consideration in our print calendar, please send submissions at least three weeks before the date of the event. To be included in our online calendar/ e-newsletter, please allow at least two to three weeks' notice. The Asian Journal would be delighted to list your event in our Calendar of Events.
Historical Researcher Marie Vallejo (1st row, 4th from right) is the featured speaker at the Talakayan sa Pasuguan entitled “Preserving World War II Records of the Philippines: Digitization of the Philippine Collection” held at the Philippine Embassy on 20 June 2017. Also shown in the photo are Philippine Embassy Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Minister Patrick A. Chuasoto (2nd row, center), Embassy Public Diplomacy Officer Darell Artates (1st row, 2nd from right), Veterans Service Officer Fred Cabalsi (1st row, 2nd from left), Filipino World War II Veteran Ray Cabacar (1st row, center), renowned community leader Jon Melegrito (1st row, 3rd from right), and other guests from the Filipino community of Metro DC.
Ms. Marie Vallejo, historical researcher, is the featured speaker at the Talakayan sa Pasuguan entitled “Preserving World War II Records of the Philippines: Digitization of the Philippine Collection” held at the Philippine Embassy on 20 June 2017.
or the “guerilla recognition files”, of the US national Archives beginning in 2015. More than 1,600 boxes of records of World War II history that contain information about the individuals who fought, military operations, guerilla warfare and guerilla activities, personal histories and diaries, medical and death reports, among others, are in the Philippine Archives Collection of the US national Archives. the digitization project aims to preserve these Philippine World War II records, disseminate them for research purposes and as teaching materials, and instill a sense of nationalism through the stories of the Filipino resistance. “Funding for the project was found to bring back scanned copies and share them with the world. that would bring out the deeds of those who resisted, fought and lived during those dark times and that the Filipino soldier played a valuable role in the retaking of their homeland,” Ms. Vallejo emphasized in her presentation. “this would instill national pride especially when what happened to
fathers and grandfathers are found during those sad but courageous years. And significantly, these records may affect what we now know of our World War II history,” she further added. A brief discussion followed Ms. Vallejo’s presentation. Ms. Vallejo fielded questions from the audience on how Philippine schools are receiving the project and how to access the records database. Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetRep) Chairman, Maj. Gen. Antonio taguba (Ret), also provided a brief update on the minting of the Congressional Gold Medal for the Filipino World War II veterans. Mr. Jon Melegrito of FilVetRep moderated the discussion. the first phase of the digitization project was successfully finished and launched in 2016, while a second team is working on scanning the rest of over 1,000 boxes for its second phase, to be incorporated and made available by early next year. the scanned records may be accessed through PVAo’s website at http://collections.pvao.mil.ph/.
Embassy ‘talakayan’ focuses on preserving PH World War II records WASHInGton, D.C. — “More than seventy (70) years since World War II ended, there remains a big knowledge gap in accounting for the role of Filipinos in the Pacific theater of the war. Generations of Filipino students have gone through their history lessons without being enlightened about the true extent of the heroism of Filipino World War II veterans,” said Minister Patrick A. Chuasoto, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the Philippine Embassy as he opened the talakayan sa Pasuguan entitled “Preserving World War II Records of the Philippines: Digitization of the Philippine Collection” held at the Philippine Embassy on 20 June 2017. Ms. Marie Vallejo, a historical researcher, author and daughter of a Filipino WWII veteran was the featured speaker at the event. Ms. Vallejo, in partnership with the Philippine Veterans Affairs office (PVAo) under the Philippine Department of national Defense, and the Filipino Veterans Foundation, Incorporated, spearheaded the project of digitizing the Philippine Collection,
Filipina ‘Asia’s Next Top Model’... From Page 5
tee
• Photographer Sara Black • Celebrity stylist Kimi Yap • Fashion designer Rosenthal
• Calligrapher Alexis Ventura • Athlete Denisse Lazaro • Education advocate Arizza nocum
• Blogger Lissa Kahayon • Fitness guru Ida Paras • Filmmaker Janina Manipol In today’s social media-driven society, success, according to Co, is no longer measured by titles, social status, or how many assets or how much money you have in the bank, but by how much
influence you have to people around you. that, she said, has been among the traits they looked for in coming up with a list of 10 Filipina Makers. “their (the Makers’) main role is to show everyone that everyone can make it happen. You don’t have to be a celebrity to be able to make it happen. In our own way we can make it,” Co opined.
PH Consulate holds discussion forum with DSWD Undersecretary NEW YOrk – The Philippine Consulate General in New York, hosted a discussion forum with Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Undersecretary Maria Lourdes Turalde-Jarabe at the Philippine Center on June 14. Usec. Turalde-Jarabe delivered a presentation on the thrusts and programs of the DSWD in the Philippines under the overarching theme of “DSWD May Malasakit” (DSWD Cares). She highlighted DSWD’s various programs, namely: the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program popularly known as the 4Ps, kALAHI-CIDSS, Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), tulong-pampaaral (education assistance), tulong-medikal (medical assistance), tulong pamasahe (transportation assistance), tulong-pampalibing (funeral assistance), pagbibigay ng tulong para sa mga nangangailangan indibidwal o pamilya o mga komunidad na naapektuhan ng kalamidad (assistance for individuals, families and communities affected by calamities), tulong sa mga solo-parents (assistance for solo parents), tulong sa mga PWDs (assistance for persons with disabilities) as well as other programs. The presentation included DSWD’s conduct of humanitarian and relief efforts in the Philippines as well as a discussion on the government efforts in managing the humanitarian needs in Marawi City. For her part, Consul General Ma. Theresa Dizon-de Vega explained the role of the Department of Foreign Affairs
Health@Heart
The Asian Journal N E W YO R K / N E W J E R S EY J u N E 23, 20 1 7
Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette aDeva Maglaya
Consul General Theresa Dizon-De Vega welcomes Usec. Turalde Jarabe and participants to the Forum.
Forum participants listen to the presentation by Usec. Turalde-Jarabe
in general, and the Philippine Consulate General in New York, in particular, vis-à-vis the DSWD’s thrust in providing development and welfare assistance to overseas Filipinos and their families in the Philippines. The Consul General expressed the government’s readiness in extending appropriate assistance to distressed Filipinos, specifically those in the US Northeast. During the open forum, a discussion arose on the ongoing situation in Marawi City, with participants expressing concern over the loss of lives and destruction of properties in the conflict area. Ms. Potri ranka
Photos by NYPCG
Manis, a Filipino Community leader who herself is from Marawi City, appealed for greater understanding and awareness of the conditions in Marawi . The participants, mostly from various advocacy and progressive groups such as MIGrANTE-NY, ANAkBAYANNY, Pag-Asa SFI, NAFCON, I Am Pinoy, Proud Ako, and media practitioners likewise conveyed their expression of support for the confirmation and initiatives of DSWD Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo. END For more information, visit www.newyorkpcg.org and www. facebook.com/PHConsulateNY.
Metformin: The truth
sugar level among diabetics. In spite of this limitation and lack of efficacy, ampalaya preparations PhiliP S. Chua, (pills, potions, lotions, teas) are on MD, FaCS, FPCS the shelves of many stores, claiming to lower blood sugar level, aimed at ONE of the most popular scamming the ignorant and gullible and very useful medications public. This is fraudulent because today worldwide is Metformin there have been reports of diabetics (Glucophage). This drug, whose who stopped their prescribed molecular formula, C4H11N5, medications and took these was first synthesized in 1929 and clinically introduced in the late 1950s ampalaya preparations instead and have gone into diabetic comma. by Jean Sterne, a French physician, who named it Glucophage, meaning While eating ampalaya, a succulent dish, is a good idea for everyone, glucose eater. In the United States, especially for diabetics, the use of this drug was approved for type 2 diabetes by the FDA in 1994 and was the ampalaya preparations on the market as a substitute for (instead marketed as Glucophage on March of) the prescription medication 3, 1995. Evidence based clinical practice for diabetes is very dangerous and of today uses Metformin as the first- could be fatal. What are the other uses of line oral drug for the treatment of Metformin? type 2 diabetes mellitus, especially An amazing versatile drug, those who are overweight, according to the American Diabetes Metformin is also used for the treatment of polycystic ovary Association and the American syndrome, and there are some College of Physicians. limited suggestions that it may In spite of its widespread prevent cardiovascular disease and global use and hundreds of cancer complications of diabetes. millions benefiting from it, there More clinical studies are needed are misleading and egregious to confirm these. Its use is not assertions by some manufacturers linked to weight gain and higher of alternative herbal preparations risk of low blood sugar in contrast for diabetes that Metformin is to the use of sulfonylureas for useless and dangerous. These are diabetes. Metformin also modestly irresponsible claims in order for reduces LDL (bad cholesterol) the uninformed and the gullible and triglycerides. Among obese individuals to buy and use their non-diabetics, Metformin has products instead. These products, been observed to be induce some which have not been studied by the food and drug administration of weight loss. There is also a study that suggests Metformin be used the United States, the Philippines, as a second-line drug if clomifene or other countries, could be treatment fails in the management untested, unrefined, adulterated, of infertility among women. contaminated, and are unsafe and Can Metformin prevent possibly toxic in the long run. diabetes? How does Metformin work? Among those with preContrary to some diabetes, who are at risk of understanding, Metformin does developing full-blown type not directly lower blood sugar 2 diabetes, treatment with like insulin does. Metformin acts Metformin has been found to to reduce the insulin resistance of reduce the chances of developing the body cells to allow our own this metabolic disease. The same natural insulin to enter the cells to may be achieved with intensive enable normal sugar metabolism. regimented physical exercise done A significant number of type religiously, at least 20 minutes 5 2 diabetes suffer from insulin days a week, as shown by the US resistance that prevents insulin Diabetes Prevention Program of from entering the cells and doing lifestyle modification. This nonits normal job, so the blood sugar medication, exercise strategy, could goes up. Metformin reduces lower the incidence of diabetes by the resistance and improves the 58 percent. Medical research on this sensitivity of our body tissues in continues to confirm these findings. order for insulin to work more Does Metformin improve effectively. It also lowers the longevity? production of blood sugar in the This wonderful drug appears to liver. Again, on its own, Metformin increase longevity, at least in mice does not cause hypoglycemia (low in the experimental laboratory, by blood sugar). Are ampalaya preparations as a mean life span of 37.8 percent. Findings like this are extrapolated effective? to be applicable among humans. No. Ampalaya (bitter melon), There is scientific evidence that a vegetable-fruit dish commonly hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) prepared in Asian countries, has and hyperinsulinemia (high insulin been found to lower blood sugar level a little, not significantly enough levels) are significant factors both in aging and development of to be effective in controlling blood
cancer. The life prolonging effects of dieting (caloric restriction) has been attributed to decreasing IGF-1 (insulin growth factor-1), so eating less than maximal will reduce the need for the body to secrete more insulin and its level would go down, including body weight, and eventually in the long run slowing down aging and cancer risk. As my late teacher, Dr. Fe del Mundo, an internationally renowned pediatrician-scientist who lived to almost 100, still treating patients at age 94, stated, her secret to longevity was to push herself “away from the dining table less than full.” What are the side effects of Metformin? Metformin is well tolerated by most. Mild diarrhea is the usual initial side effect that is transient, which stops after a day or so. Nausea, abdominal pains, flatulence have been reported but they are mild and temporary. If taken in overly large doses, it causes high blood lactic acid level. This drug is contraindicated among those with kidney or liver disease. Long term use of Metformin leads to vitamin B-12 deficiency, and increase in the homocysteine level, which increases the risk for hardening of the arteries. Vitamin B-6, B-12, and Folic Acid might be considered by the attending physician for these. Among pregnant women with gestational diabetes, insulin is the preferred treatment, although there is no clear evidence that Metformin causes harm among these patients. If the side effects continue for days, which is not common, medical consultation is advised. Is it safe to self-medicate with Metformin? As a rule, it is never safe to self-medicate or share medications with anyone, even with over-thecounter drug, unless prescribed by a physician. Allergy and unexpected untoward reactions, side effects, and unforeseen complication, sometimes fatal, can occur in some individuals. Metformin and all other medications must be taken under the guidance of a physician, who knows your personal circumstances and health. Visit philipSchua.com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. For more data, visit philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com
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An Asian Journal Magazine
THErE’S a common thread in murder suicides— one man driven by rage, jealousy, paranoia, desperation, depression over economic pressures, family problems or just plain deranged, decided he can’t take it anymore and instead of committing suicide, decide to inflict murder and mayhem killing several others, either his own family members or total strangers. With each horrific case, the public seems to become more inured and desensitized to violence and death, becoming more accepting of all these, as a normal feature of modern life. Ever since the Columbine mass murder perpetrated by 2 young misguided misfits garbed in black trench coats years ago, things haven’t been the same. There were copycats exhibiting lemming-like behavior since then. Evil glamorized by repetition and attention-getting drama seems to have morphed into many other incidents in North America and elsewhere, resulting in incalculable, untold pain and suffering among families of the victims. We remember with great pain the Virginia Tech mass murder which snuffed out the lives of 32, including Cho, the killer, who was a quiet, deranged malcontent who never quite fit in. In the blogosphere chatter, many noted that perpetrators of this troubling trend were often the quiet ones. Word is out on the street to watch out for the quiet “pressure cooker” types, those who never cause a ripple and yet, has a fondness for weapons, but who can implode and explode with volcanic intensity and wipe out those around them. A Vietnamese immigrant, Jiverly Wong, aka Vuong, a quiet, social misfit and also a gun enthusiast, driven by severe paranoia and frustrated over his “poor life” and poor English skills, gunned down 12 others in an immigrant center, 10 of whom came from 8 countries and who were students just trying to learn English as a second language. One was a Filipina, Dolores Yigal, a recent immigrant who was studying so she could find a job. One was a long time substitute teacher named roberta king. One was an Iraqi woman who survived 3 car bombs in her native Iraq and left behind a devastated family, a daughter at the Sorbonne in Paris and another daughter, a Fulbright scholar. All these lives were cut off by one sorry excuse for a human being in one fell swoop. Among ordinary families from all strata and from nearly every ethnic group, there has also been a rash of killings among fathers who have decided to kill themselves because of their failures and are taking their whole family with them. On rare occasions, it is a mother who does it. Sometimes, the sick and the elderly decide to take matters into their own hands and end it all. The murder suicide rate among families is on the rise, thankfully not in epidemic proportions just yet as to cause panic. After all the news vans are gone from the crime scene, after the vacuous words of any sitting president have been said, after all
Kindness as the antidote for the darkness in the human heart “Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.”
- Albert Schweitzer
references to the story are buried in the inside pages and eventually ground to a halt on the internet, and when the grieving families have no more tears to shed, many questions as to why such things happen with alarming frequency remain unanswered. There seems to be a moral turpitude that ails a society when some of its members regard murder suicide as an option. This much is certain — when extreme hubris rules the heart and mind, there will always be a lack of personal responsibility and accountability when something goes wrong. It would always be because of someone else’s fault or because of a set of circumstances. We tend to blame everything else but ourselves. The tendency to shirk responsibility is probably wired into our DNA right at the Garden of Eden with Eve playing the blame game early on. The devil made me do it. So did Adam. The woman gave me the apple. It is our inability, due to pride, the deadliest of all human failings, to own up to sin. And so it was with the fallen angels. There’s only one antidote to pride for us mere mortals and that is to cultivate daily a grateful, humble heart that thanks God for every moment of life on earth. Our Blessed Mother exemplifies the kind of heart that bears all. That is why she is worthy of emulation. “Thou shalt not kill” is a commandment that holds in good times and in bad. There’s no moral relativism on this. Each is precious to God or He wouldn’t have sacrificed His own Son if He didn’t think we were worth the time and trouble. Each murder is a grievous sin against the Holy Spirit from whom all life comes. It is us who has discounted our own worth. Part of the reason we have discounted the value of human life is that modern society has become so desensitized to violence and death via the content in films, games and media that pass for entertainment these days, that we take life for granted as though it means nothing. Does hell exist? How is punishment meted out in the afterlife? In the physical universe, scientists claim that there are black holes in the known universe that can’t be seen by human eyes but with gravitation so strong that it suctions, as in a whirling cosmic cauldron stirred by mighty forces, all the stars and planetary systems that come within its orbit, so strong that not even light can escape. Need a visual image for hell aside from Dante’s Inferno? Black holes could fit the bill as a repository for lost souls, a cold, dark, fetid, state of gnawing pain and bitter regret, filled with the piercing screams of the damned, without the presence of God for all eternity, and forever
Calendar of Events across
blotted out from all memory except their own. Is it possible that the morally bankrupt and depraved, regard the taking of a life as an option when things do not go their way or when the course of their lives hit a snag and overweening pride tells them to end it all, instead of getting down on their knees to pray to the God of their beings for the humility, the courage and the strength to endure? Gone is the fear of God, much less the love of God. As we steer farther and farther away from God and place something else in the center of our lives, scenarios of helplessness and despair such as what we are witnessing more frequently these days may be expected to unfold with eerie regularity. Many of us have become egocentric, overly individualistic, self-absorbed individuals. Perhaps during this period of testing, we would be a lot happier, healthier and less prone to veer towards lives of quiet desperation if we focused less and less on ourselves and more on the welfare of the other person and commit spontaneous, frequent acts of kindness and generosity to family members, total strangers and even those we struggle to love. It would be a tough slog but doable. ACTS OF kINDNESS, countless and given without expectations of return are the ANTIDOTE to the darkness of depression and thoughts of murder-suicide. These are like shafts of bright light that warm the human heart. There was one telling incident I never quite forgot. Long ago, I was running breathlessly huffing and puffing in my stilettos to drop some coins on a parking meter on Wilshire Boulevard I knew had expired because of a long, drawn-out presentation I was making on the upper floor of a nearby high rise. Fortunately, I narrowly missed getting a thirty-some dollar fine from the parking enforcer because a panhandler had dropped some coins for my car’s meter, from his can of coins. It stunned me to see him feeding all the meters that were expiring on that block. Of course, he may have been merely trying to annoy the heck out of the parking enforcer. Who knows? I only saw the kindness in the act. That stayed with me. From then on, I would remember and always be inspired by the completely anonymous gesture of that person who had practically nothing but still gave of the little he had. That’s when I knew kindness is contagious like the flu. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com
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Fiesta ng Calamba in Carson, CA The Calamba Association of Southern California invites everyone to the Fiesta ng Calamba (St. John the Baptist Feast Day) on Sunday, June 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will be held at the Veterans Sports Complex at 22400 Moneta Ave., Carson, CA 90745. For more information, please contact Teresita Pinuela Hermosura at (626) 335-1008.
119th Philippine Independence Day Parade and Celebration in Boston, MA The Philippine Independence Day celebration in Boston will kick off with a parade including the Binibining Pilipinas Malayan 2017 winner and runner up, followed by a cultural show and concert. There will also be a wonderful assortment of vendors. Venue will be at the Boston City Hall and event will start at 9:30 a.m. Are you interested in performing or becoming a vendor at the event? Please contact PAMANA directly at: http://www.pamanainc. org/contact.
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
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 JuNE 23, 2017