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Volume 23 - No. 15 • 2 Sections - 16 Pages
aPril 8-14, 2016 Also published in LOS ANGELES, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, NEw YORk/NEw JERSEY
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Doubts hover over Poe despite SC final word by Lawrence
agcaoiLi Philstar.com
Sen. Grace Poe
DATELINE
Inquirer.net photo
USA
from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA
New campaign encourages Asian American immigrants to apply for citizenship NoN-ProfIt organization Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles, in partnership with community-based organizations and local government, on wednesday, April 6, announced new campaign to encourage and boost the number of Asian American immigrants applying for Us citizenship. the campaign, “endless possibilities. Citizenship Now!” is a coordinated effort of more than 10 organizations, government agencies, and offices of elected officials. “the United states was founded by immigrants and continues to thrive because of the contributions of immigrants,” stewart Kwoh, president and executive director of Advancing Justice – LA, said in a statement. “for many Asian Americans, the risk of leaving their native countries in pursuit of better opportunities outweighed all their fears of the unknown.” through the campaign, those seeking citizenship assistance or legal services are encouraged to call the Advancing Justice PAGE A2
DNC CEO emphasizes importance of AAPI vote Confident Democrat will win presidency A weeK after Democratic presidential candidates hillary Clinton and Bernie sanders made campaign stops in Los Angeles, Democratic National Committee (DNC) Ceo Amy Dacey visited the city to lay the groundwork to expand the party’s base and meet with Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) voters, who comprise a crucial electorate in coming elections. At a roundtable discussion with reporters on tuesday, march 29, Dacey remarked that she is confident that a Democrat will win the presidency this November. “[Donald trump] isn’t just talking over the republican Party — he is the republican Party. that just shows to us how much we have at stake,” Dacey said. “I think the choice before us is clearer than ever. we, throughout this campaign, have had both our candidates, Bernie sanders and hillary Clinton, who have shown that they have the right priorities. whether you’ve seen them at debates or out on the trail, the discourse between them, with the voters they’ve reached out to, has been incredible.” PAGE A3
the supreme Court may have handed down its final word on the issue, but it does not erase doubts about the qualifications of presidential candidate Grace Poe. the petitioners and others who lost their bid to disqualify Poe, the front-runner in the presidential race, said further legal action may still be initiated against Poe before the elections and after, if she should win. the high court on tuesday, April 5, threw out three motions for reconsideration against its
march 8 ruling that upheld Poe’s qualification to seek the presidency. the ruling voided with finality the Commission on elections resolutions canceling Poe’s certificate of candidacy for President on the ground that she had falsely declared that she was a natural-born citizen and has resided in the country for 10 years before the may elections. the court has not made a formal announcement of the decision as the full ruling and separate opinions by the magistrates are expected to be released on saturday. manuelito Luna, the counsel for petitioner Kit
tatad, said the court’s decision was contrary to the rule of law. “If the report is true that some members of the high court voted to affirm their earlier questionable ruling in the Poe cases, then we can kiss the rule of law goodbye and brace ourselves for the worst,” said Luna. he said a second motion for reconsideration could still be filed to fight the high court ruling, based on the exceptions under the Internal rules of the supreme Court. “Insofar as respondent tatad and I are conPAGE A2
New York, California minimum wage set to increase to $15 per hour by MoMar and
g. Visaya agnes constante AJPress
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and California Governor Jerry Brown both signed a law monday, April 4, which will gradually increase the minimum wage in both states from the current rate of $9 in New York to $15 by the end of 2018 for many businesses in New York City. Brown and Cuomo made history when they signed their respective states’ legislation making California and New York the only two states in the nation to set its minimum wage to $15 per hour. “this is about economic justice,” Brown said prior to signing the bill at the ronald reagan state Building in Downtown Los Angeles, according to the Associated Press. “It’s about people. It’s about creating a little, tiny, amount of balance in a system that every day becomes more unbalanced.” Under the plan, California’s hourly minimum is scheduled to rise from the current $10 to $10.50 on Jan. 1, 2017 for businesses with more than 25 employees, $11 in 2018, and an additional $1 per year after until 2022. Governor Jerry Brown gives remarks following the signing of the landmark legislation that raises the minimum wage to $15 per hour statewide on Monday, Businesses with 25 or fewer employees have April 4. The legislation increases the minimum wage over time, consistent with economic expansion, while providing safety valves - known as “off-ramps” Photo courtesy of California State Assembly Democratic Caucus PAGE A3 - to pause wage hikes if negative economic or budgetary conditions emerge.
Sy-Coson, Gokongwei-Pe among Asia’s powerful biz women - Forbes PH launches by doris
duMLao-abadiLLa Inquirer.net
the sm Group’s teresita sy-Coson and robinsons retail holdings Inc. chief robina Gokongwei-Pe landed on forbes magazine’s 2016 list of 50 most powerful businesswomen in Asia. In a press statement on thursday, April 7, forbes magazine said SM Group’s Teresita Sy-Coson and Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. chief it recognized powerful businesswomen in Asia who were “shakRobina Gokongwei-Pe
ing things up across diverse industries” in its 5th annual “Asia’s Power Businesswomen” list. the list, which is available on www.forbes.com/asia-women as well as in the latest issue of forbes Asia, acknowledges the inroads women are making in the business world, the magazine said. women from 14 countries were represented in this latest list. PAGE A2
Apl.de.ap honored for work combating blindness in Filipino babies by christina
M. orieL
AJPress
AsIDe from his musical accomplishments with Grammy award-winning group the Black eyed Peas, Apl.de.ap is making his mark in the world by preventing premature filipino babies from going blind. through the Apl.de.ap foundation International’s Campaign for filipino Children, the Black eyed Peas member has partnered with the Vision Center at Children’s hospital Los Angeles (ChLA) to help treat and diagnose premature filipino babies who develop retinopathy of prematurity (roP). roP is a rare eye condition that causes abnormal blood vessel growth in the retina from excessive oxygenation. If not tended to within PAGE A2
(from L-R): Robbie Fabian; Mel Avanzado, Esq.; Fritz Friedman; Ted Benito; Apl.de.ap; Audie Vergara; Dr. Thomas Lee, CHLA; Michael Sampiano, CHLA; Sonia Delen. Photos courtesy of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Dr. Thomas Lee of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Apl.de.ap with his spot on the hospital’s celebrity charity wall (CHLA) with Apl.de.ap
world’s first mass dengue vaccination by ian JaMotiLLo AJPress
the Philippines began rolling out the world’s first mass dengue vaccine named “Dengvaxia” last monday, April 4. About seven hundred children, ages 9-10 at a public school in marikina were the first to receive the dengue vaccine. Dengue or Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne tropical disease transmitted by certain species of mosquito of the Aedes type, most prominently Aedes Aegypti. symptoms usually begin three days after the infection and include high fever, vomiting, skin rash, and muscle or joint pain. the Philippines is one of the countries with the highest cases of dengue fever with 200,000 last year resulting to 600 deaths. About 20,000 cases had been reported this year until february 20. “we are the first country to introduce, adopt and implement the first-ever dengue vaccine through the public health system and under public school settings,” said Philippine health secretary Janette Garin. Developed by the french pharPAGE A2
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APRIL 8-14, 2016 • OC/IE ASIAN JOURNAL
From the Front Page
New campaign encourages Asian American... PAGE A1 – LA hotline, which is staffed by members of the Asian Language Legal Intake Project (ALLIP). The project offers assistance in seven languages: English, Tagalog, Mandarin/Cantonese, Khmer, Korean, Thai and Vietnamese. Calls are then triaged to community-based partners who will then provide individu-
als with direct legal assistance. Nasim Khansari, citizenship project director at Advancing Justice – LA, said the campaign also provides English language classes for individuals who may require this type of assistance, as well as a fee waiver, which 65 percent of the organization’s clients receive. At the announcement of the
campaign, Rep. Judy Chu (DMonterey Park) cited that among benefits of becoming citizens include that many educational scholarships are available only to citizens, and that permanent residents only receive half of the social security benefits received by citizens. “There is nothing to lose and everything to gain by becoming a US citizen. You can protect yourself, protect your family, have a better life, and you can vote. What better thing can there be?” Chu said. In Los Angeles County, among the more than 300,000 Asian American and Pacific Islander immigrant LPRs, nationals from the Philippines were the largest ethnic group between 2000 to 2010. Among clients Advancing Justice – LA has helped and continues to assist is Rebeck Sadangsal, a Filipino-American lawful permanent resident (LPR) currently applying for naturalization. Sadangsal told media that one factor motivating him to apply for citizenship is so he can vote. He arrived in the United States in 1992, became an LPR in 2007 and came to Advancing Justice – LA in May 2014 for assistance in the naturalization process. At the time, Sadangsal and his wife were undergoing financial difficulties, but their application for a fee waiver was rejected multiple times, as their income was slightly above the federal poverty level. “We had no choice but to delay filing our applications because the cost of two applications was $1,360. It was a big burden on our family and children. Luckily, Advancing Justice did not give up on us,” he said. Sadangsal said he and his wife eventually received waivers with the help of Advancing Justice – LA, and shared that they underwent biometrics last week. The campaign’s first partnership event is a free citizenship workshop that takes place Sunday, April 10, at the Long Beach Convention Center. Filipinos interested in receiving citizenship assistance or legal services are encouraged to call the Tagalog hotline at (855) 300-2552. (Agnes Constante/AJPress)
BEAT THE HEAT. Filipino children use an inflatable pool to cool off from the summer heat. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned on Thursday that 2016 could be one of the country’s warmest years — with daily maximum temperature of 40 degrees Celsius in Tuguegarao or Cagayan area. Inquirer.net photo
Doubts hover over Poe... PAGE A1 cerned, the quest for justice does not end here. In fact, it [has] just begun. As soon as we receive the resolution of the court, we will decide whether to seek a second reconsideration based on the internal rules of the SC and in the higher interest of justice,” Luna
said in a text message. Under the Rules of Court, second and subsequent motions for reconsideration are prohibited, on the principle that a ruling must become final and litigation must end at some point. But Luna is counting on Section 3, Rule 15 of the Internal
Rules of the Supreme Court, which says an exception to the bar on further reconsideration pleas “can only be granted in the higher interest of justice by the court en banc upon a vote of at least two-thirds of its actual membership.” (Inquirer.net with a report from DJ Yap)
Sy-Coson, Gokongwei-Pe among Asia’s... PAGE A1 “To qualify, candidates have to be active in the upper echelons of business in Asia, wield significant power and have access to robust financial resources,” the magazine said. Sy-Coson, 65, led the growth of Sy family-led Banco de Oro Unibank from a niche player to the largest lender in the country. Among second generation Sys, she is also believed to be the most likely to succeed patriarch Henry Sy Sr. as the captain of the ship. She is the country’s constant representative to this list. Gokongwei-Pe, 54, has joined the list for the first time. She leads multi-format retailer RRHI, one of the country’s second largest retailers which benefit from growing consumer affluence in the country. China and Hong Kong dominated the latest list with 14 women, followed by India with eight, Thailand with five and Japan with four. Singapore, Austra-
lia, Indonesia and Vietnam each have three. South Korea and the Philippines each have two while Macau, Taiwan and New Zealand have one each. The magazine said that despite China’s slowdown, a core group of this year’s listees was creating wealth in the country’s manufacturing sector. They include Ma Xiuhui, cofounder and CEO of Opple Lighting, a company that started out making traditional bulbs and whose LED lighting now illuminates homes around the world; and, Mou Jinxiang, cofounder and chair of Lianhe Chemical Technology, which sells specialty chemicals to giants such as Dow Chemical and BASF. With a 30.5 percent stake in the company, Mou is also a member of the Forbes China Rich list with an estimated net worth of $960 million. From India, Nita Ambani, director of Reliance Industries and chair of Reliance Foundation, debuted on this year’s list. She is also the wife of billionaire
Mukesh Ambani. “Her rising profile in the Reliance empire is unusual and earns her a spot in this year’s ranking,” the magazine said. Chanda Kochhar, a five-time listee, helms ICICI Bank, the country’s largest private-sector lender. Others women honored for their achievements includes: Wendy Sui Cheng Yap, cofounder, president director and CEO of Indonesia’s Nippon Indosari; Yuwadee Chirathivat, CEO of Thailand’s Central Department Store Group; Arundhati Bhattacharya, chair and managing director of State Bank of India; Ho Ching, executive director and CEO of Singapore’s Temasek; Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz, CEO and managing director of Australia’s Mirvac; Lee Boo-jin, president and CEO of South Korea’s Hotel Shilla; Pollyanna Chu, CEO of Hong Kong’s Kingston Financial Group; and Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, cofounder and chair of Vietnam’s Sovico Holdings. n
PH launches world’s first mass dengue... PAGE A1 maceutical company Sanofi Pasteur, Dengvaxia was approved last December 2015 in the Philippines and was launched for use in individuals aged 9 to 45. It is estimated that it will cost about 18,000 pesos to treat each dengue patient and the Philippine government will spend3.5 billion pesos ($76 million) to administer the free vaccines. A clinical test performed by the New England Journal of Medicine states that the vaccine reduces the risk of contracting dengue by 65.6 percent, thus preventing hospitalizations by 80 percent. The World Health Organization (WHO) was in full support for the use of Dengvaxia in the Philippines. “It is the prerogative of a country to license the product (and) determine its use based on the internal scientific appraisal of the clinical research that is
DENGUE VACCINATION. A pupil from Parang Elementary School in Marikina receives an antidengue vaccine from a Department of Health worker at the start of the nationwide dengue vaccination program in schools on Monday, April 5. Inset shows vials of the vaccine. Philstar.com photos by Miguel De Guzman
underpinning the product,” WHO country representative Gundo Weller said. Health Undersecretary Vicente Belizario told the press that only
27 were reported to develop side effects, proving it was an effective vaccine in contrast to the safety concerns raised by several public health advocates.
Apl.de.ap honored for work combating... PAGE A1
48 hours of birth, it could lead to blindness. Last fall, the foundation delivered its first RetCams (retinal imaging systems to screen for ROP) to the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao. For these efforts, CHLA recently honored Apl with a spotlight on the hospital’s celebrity charity wall, becoming the first Filipino to be recognized. “[This issue] is close to my heart because I myself am legally blind. I know the difficulties of growing in the Philippines and with sight [problems], it is 10 times harder,” Apl said during the unveiling of his spot on the wall on Thursday, March 24. “It’s a privilege, it’s an honor to be part of this mission, and I feel like it’s only the beginning of this partnership.” Apl.de.ap (whose real name is Allan Pineda Lindo) was raised in Angeles, Pampanga, before he was adopted and moved to Los Angeles to receive treatment for nystagmus, a condition that causes involuntary rapid eye movement. On top of having vibrating eyeballs, Apl is nearsighted and legally blind, which all contributed
to hindrances to learning and self-esteem and confidence issues growing up. Sonia Delen, chair of the Campaign for Filipino Children, shared the impact of delivering the RetCam to the Philippines. “There [were] only four existing RetCams in the Philippines prior to the equipment we brought to Davao. It’s the fifth RetCam in the Philippines, for a population of 120 million,” Delen said. “There are at least 34 RetCams in California alone.” Dr. Thomas Lee, division chief for the Vision Center at CHLA, added that the foundation has partnered with the Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology to train doctors to diagnose and treat ROP. So far over 60 doctors have undergone training. “What makes this program so wonderful is that we’re going to leverage technology. All the technology that we have on our phones — the cameras and the video — can actually go into the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU),” Lee explained. “Once that RetCam is in the NICU, the doctors can treat and diagnose those children appropriately and
what’s wonderful is that they can be taught remotely from doctors and experts in Manila, who can then see the training of other Filipino doctors in cities like Davao.” About 30 percent of premature babies in the Philippines develop ROP each year, but by training at least six to 20 medical practitioners in each of the four partner hospitals the foundation has identified, 4,380 premature babies can be saved from the impairment, Lee told the Asian Journal. Apl.de.ap Foundation International Executive Director Ted Benito and members of the foundation’s executive committee, Mel Avanzado, Robbie Fabian, Fritz Friedman and Audie Vergara were also present at the ceremony. The foundation is on track to provide RetCams to hospitals in Iloilo and Pampanga later this year. “[I]n the poverty stricken areas where our kababayans can’t afford to get diagnosed or have their eyes checked, this is definitely very important, especially in the outskirts of the Philippines… ,”Apl said.
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Assembly Natural Resources Committee passes New York, California minimum wage set... bill to expand benefits of clean energy economy PAGE A1
AB 1550 would send more dollars paid by polluters to disadvantaged neighborhoods and low-income households SACRAMENTO – On Monday, April 4, the Assembly Natural Resources Committee passed AB 1550 (Gomez), designed to ensure that the benefits of California’s climate change policies reach the communities and households that need them most. The bipartisan vote was 6-0 with one member not voting. The measure would require a minimum of 25 percent of proceeds from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to be invested in projects located directly within disadvantaged communities and would require that an additional percentage go to fund projects that benefit low income households, regardless of where they are located within California. Advocates for disadvantaged communities and climate protection hailed the vote: “Assemblymember Gomez’s bill would assure that the Cali-
fornians most at risk from catastrophic climate change receive real help from programs that fight pollution and deliver needed services,” said Bill Magavern, Policy Director for the Coalition for Clean Air, who spoke on behalf of the legislation at today’s hearing. “Millions of Californians have benefitted from climate investments bringing clean energy and consumer savings to low-income and highly polluted neighborhoods,” said Greenlining Institute Environmental Equity Director Alvaro Sanchez, who also testified in favor of the bill. “AB 1550 takes the next step and makes sure a fair share of those benefits go to low-income California families wherever they live.” Chelsea Tu, Staff Attorney with Public Advocates, said, “By directing investments to lowerincome families, whether or not
they live in disadvantaged communities, this important bill goes a long way toward ensuring that the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund brings economic and health benefits to communities throughout California. We applaud its advance through the legislature.” “We have an opportunity here to improve the quality of life of all Californians by investing in the neighborhoods who are enduring the most severe poverty, in addition to the most polluted neighborhoods in the state,” said Parin Shah, Senior Strategist at Asian Pacific Environmental Network.”These are the communities, such as the families that we organize near the Richmond Chevron Refinery, that will most benefit from improvements in renewable energy, affordable housing and public transit.” (Greenlining)
DNC CEO emphasizes importance... PAGE A1 While Dacey did not hint at whether Sanders or Clinton would be the party’s nominee, she said that they have both “run campaigns worthy of the office.” “I’m confident that one of them will be the 45th President of the United States, but I’m not underestimating the amount of work that’s going to take,” she added. Dacey also took a slam at the “divisive politics” of the Republican Party. “You’re watching the debates on the Republican side and I’m working harder the next day because it’s just unbelievable what you see,” she said, describing some of the Democratic Party’s work to reach out to more millennial voters and devote resources to various communities. Despite the two Democratic candidates sparring over different views on the campaign trail, Dacey said she expects that supporters of either candidate will come together once a nominee is selected. With four months until Philadelphia, a contested DNC convention is not expected, unlike what many predict may happen in Cleveland at the RNC convention should no presidential candidate
win a majority of the delegates. “I’m fully confident that we’ll go through this process — that we’ll have a presumptive nominee going into the convention. Our convention is literally going to be about bringing everybody together, having conversations, holding trainings,” Dacey told reporters. “We want to have outreach at the convention. It’s a substantive, inclusive process so that when we leave Philly, you’ll see a stark contrast from the week before in Cleveland, where I do think it could potentially be in disarray.” The DNC’s CEO went on to say that her party is focusing on issues that voters care about, especially those relevant to AAPI communities. Among those issues Dacey mentioned were the Affordable Care Act, equal pay and comprehensive immigration form. “We saw a record turnout from the Asian American community and support of President Obama in the 2012 election cycle. We’ve also seen that 4.5 million Asian Americans were registered to vote in 2012, so I do think they have a strong voice in this election. I do think that the issues we’re talking about are issues they care about,” she said, adding that various party programs are geared specifically
toward AAPI voters and figuring out how AAPIs acquire information and become civically engaged. Fritz Friedman, a Filipino American who is part of the credentials committee for the DNC’s upcoming convention, lauded the Democratic Party’s outreach to the Filipino-American community in particular. “A lot of the issues that Amy mentioned are core to the lives of Filipinos and Filipino Americans, specifically immigration and health care. Also the fact, I find personally, the Democratic Party is much more inclusive than the Republican Party. They understand the issues that are relevant to minority groups, like the Filipino-Americans,” Friedman told the Asian Journal. Friedman added that the values of the Filipino-American community align with the Democratic Party, and that should guide voters come November. “The bayanihan spirit — we are a community, the Democratic Party is a community. Filipinos and Filipino Americans take care of family and friends, as does the Democratic Party,” he said. “I think those base, core things PAGE A4
an extra year to comply. The law also allows the governor to temporarily pause the hike depending on economic conditions and budget deficits. In New York, Gov. Cuomo invoked his late father’s calls for economic justice as he signed the law that will gradually raise New York’s minimum wage to $15 an hour. He was accompanied on stage by Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton. According to NBC, Cuomo told a crowd of hundreds of cheering union workers after the bill signing that his father was “looking down on us today” and smiling. “He is proud of the example that his state has set to the people of this country,” he told a cheering crowd of maintenance, health care, transit, hotel and construction workers. “Proud to sign into law $15 statewide minimum wage and the strongest paid family leave policy in the nation,” Gov. Cuomo tweeted after he signed the bill at a labor rally in New York City. New York State AFL-CIO president Mario Cilento commended Cuomo for signing the bill. “Three million working people in New York State will see their wages go up due to the $15 per hour minimum wage making New York the first state in the country to reach that landmark. Raising the minimum wage is long overdue and is a step in the right direction toward addressing poverty and income inequality. This meaningful wage will allow hard-working men and women the opportunity to better support themselves and their families, and enjoy a standard of living and quality of life they can be proud of,” Cilento said in a statement. Under the law, the timing and scope of the minimum wage increase depends on which county in New York State an employee works, and the size of the business. For employees in New York City who are employed by a company that has 11 or more employees, the minimum wage will increase to $11 per hour at the end of 2016, $13 at the end of 2017, and $15 per hour at the end of 2018. However, for employees in New York City who are employed by a company with 10 or fewer employees, the minimum wage increases are smaller and are implemented over a longer
time period, with the minimum wage rising to $10.50 at the end of 2016, $12 at the end of 2017, $13.50 at the end of 2018, and $15 at the end of 2019. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who approved in 2015 an ordinance to boost Los Angeles’ minimum hourly wage to $15 by 2020, touted the legislation on Monday. “Today California leads the nation once again, passing a historic minimum wage increase that will help lift millions of hardworking men and women out of poverty,” he said in a statement. For many Filipino workers, the passage of the law is a victory. Joanna Concepcion, executive director of Filipino Migrant Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to organizing and mobilizing low-income and workingclass Filipinos in Southern California, said the group welcomes the passage of laws that would
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boost the incomes of struggling, hard-working families. “Many Filipino immigrants in Southern California work multiple jobs in order to place food on the table, pay for health care and other basic necessities on top of supporting family members in the Philippines,” Concepcion told the Asian Journal. “We have seen the detrimental effects this can cause to the health and wellbeing of many Filipino families and children facing economic hardship.” In the Asian community, one business organization says that the wage is expected to hurt for small business owners, particularly in the short run. “Going from $10 to $15, that 50 percent [increase] for a company or small business [is] a big difference,” said Dennis Huang, executive director of the Asian Business Association, a nonprofit organization representing Asian American business owners. One good aspect of the legislation, Huang said, is that the wage increase is mandated statewide, rather than varying in different cities. However, he said he expects that the price of goods for business owners will increase to cover the higher wages, noting that businesses compete on these prices. Huang added that higher wages also equate to increased worker’s compensation, which is an additional expense for businesses. PAGE A4
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SCOTUS upholds law counting total population in voting districts by Agnes
ConstAnte AJPress
THE Supreme Court on Monday, April 4, unanimously upheld that the traditional method in which voting districts are created – based on total population – is constitutional. The lawsuit that challenged the rule was brought on behalf of Sue Evenwel, a Republican county official from East Texas who claimed that the way individuals are counted when drawing districts was “dilutingâ€? votes of citizens like herself. Conservatives wanted districts to be based only on voting-age populations. “As history, precedent, and practice demonstrate, it is plainly permissible for jurisdictions to measure equalization by the total population of state and local legislative districts,â€? wrote Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the majority decision. Activists gather in front of the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles to condemn the bloody dispersal of farmers seeking relief from the Had the high court ruled othdrought in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato. Photo by Kayden Riambon erwise in the case (Evenwel vs. Abott), power would have been shifted to Republican, rural districts, and away from Democratic urban areas, Richard Hasen, an expert in election law at UC Irvine Law School, told the Associated Press. It would have also eliminated many representatives from LOS ANGELES — A Methodist ers were wounded after police they can feed their families.â€? Terrie Cervas, secretary gener- areas surrounding Los Angeles Church pastor, a Latino human forces opened fire at the farmers, rights advocate and more than 50 many of them from the Lumad al of GABRIELA USA, described other community activists held tribes, and their supporters on the dispersal as “horrendous and despicable.â€? a rally in front of the Philippine April 1. Among those violently disSome of the farmers took refConsulate here on Saturday, April 2 to condemn the bloody disper- uge at a United Methodist Church persed on April 1 was Bangsamsal of farmers seeking relief from compound and have remained oro activist Bai Ali Indayla, the keynote speaker at the GABRIthe drought in Kidapawan City, there as of press time. by Agnes ConstAnte Padilla said the government ELA USA’s National Congress in North Cotabato. AJPress Roy Padilla, a pastor at Rose- that was supposed to help the New York two weeks ago. Nap PempeĂąa, vice chairperwood United Methodist Church farmers “became the oppresWITH affirmative action being son of AnakbayanUSA, said it used as a wedge issue in commu(UMC) in Los Angeles who sors.â€? “As Central Americans and was ironic that farmers in the nities, ethnic community leaders spoke at the rally, praised the UMC in Kidapawan for support- Latinos in the United States, we Philippines, one of the world’s and members are working toward ing and providing sanctuary for denounce all acts of violence largest producers of rice, end up expanding educational access, afthe farmers, saying the church (against those) demanding their not having enough rice to feed fordability, and ethnic diversity in “helped people take a stand in basic human rights such as food, their families. public higher education. “They face hunger, abject their faith and in their love for land and water,â€? said Nancy “[How] are we going to frame Zuniga, a Los Angeles-based poverty and landlessness,â€? said the discourse around education as others.â€? “This should be done by every- community organizer for the Hu- PempeĂąa, who lambasted land a public good?â€? said Betty Hung, one who believes that justice can man Rights Alliance for Child grabbing by foreign multination- policy director at Asian Americans be achieved by serving those in Refugees and Families, who also al corporations and called for a Advancing Justice – Los Angeles, genuine agrarian land reform. need,â€? said Padilla. “(The farm- spoke at the rally. during the organization’s conferMeanwhile, two other LA- ence on Wednesday, March 30, “What we just saw is a govers) only wanted a better life.â€? The farmers sought govern- ernment that would rather kill based organizations, Alliance focused on empowering Asian ment help for drought-stricken its people and let them starve Philippines and Bantay Pilipinas- American and Pacific Islander communities affected by El NiĂąo. than let them stand up for their USA, released a statement con- communities. “Is it truly going to They formed a human barricade rights,â€? said Romeo Hebron, demning the incident. be a good that’s accessible to ev“We stand with the oppressed eryone in this multiracial democblocking the national highway Southern California regional cofarmers in Mindanao,â€? said Art racy or is it going to be limited to to dramatize their call for relief, ordinator of BAYAN USA. “We have to demand that the Garcia of Alliance Philippines. only a few?â€? such as rice subsidies. Two were killed and many oth- people get their needs met, that (Nimfa U. Rueda/Inquirer.net) In a panel discussion, Hung
Activists protest in LA, demanding justice for Kidapawan farmers
and Houston where many are immigrants who aren’t citizens. The decision comes as a victory for the Asian Americans, who constitute about 6 percent of the population in the United States, according to a 2011 report by the Pew Research Center. “We are pleased that the U.S. Supreme Court agrees that in our democracy, elected officials do not only represent the people who voted for them or the people who are eligible to vote, but everyone in the community, including children and other not-yet-eligible voters,� Mee Moua, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, said in a statement. “Particularly in this election year, the ruling is a timely reminder that those who cannot or do not vote are still impacted by government: they attend public schools and universities, walk and drive on public roads, and depend on so many more government services. This is a huge win for our democracy and today’s decision ensures that all members of society are represented by our government.� Stewart Kwoh, president and executive director of Advancing Justice – Los Angeles, noted in a statement that 20 percent of Asian Americans in California – or nearly 1.2 million children and adults – are not yet US citizens.
“Had the Supreme Court ruled that district lines need to be drawn based only on eligible voters, 2.3 million Asian Americans in California would have been discounted, including immigrants and youth who are not able to vote,� he said. Edward Blum, the conservative activist who launched the suit, said he was “disappointed that the justices were unwilling to reestablish the original principle of one person, one vote for the citizens of Texas and elsewhere. But the issue of voter equality in the United States is not going to go away,� the Los Angeles Times reported. The top court, however, did not vote on whether it would be constitutional for states to adopt such a rule if it chooses to do so. The Obama administration argued such a move would be unconstitutional. “Whether a state is permitted to use some measure other than total population is an important and sensitive question that we can consider if and when we have before us a state districting plan that, unlike the current Texas plan, uses something other than total population as the basis for equalizing the size of districts,� said Justice Samuel Alito, who concurred with the decision but wrote a separate opinion.
Hung also cited data from the Public Policy Institute of California, which estimates that by 2030, without reinvestment in higher public education, the state will have a shortage of 1.1 million college graduates based on California’s workforce needs. “I think what we have to recognize is that we retain remnants of policies that were adopted in a different era, chief among those is Proposition 209,� said Thomas Saenz, president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Proposition 209, also known as the California Civil Rights Initiative, was enacted in 1996 and amended the state Constitution to prohibit public institutions from discriminating based on sex, ethnicity or race. “But it’s not only the policies we retain,� Saenz added. “I think it’s also common wisdom, approaches to issues and process, that grew out of a different era that we retain even though they no longer serve us well.� In data presented by Karalee Vaughn, board member of Empowering Pacific Island Communities, an organization that aims to empower Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) communities, Filipinos represented 2 percent of students enrolled in LCFF+ schools, while Hispanics constituted 76 percent. She also shared that 19 percent of NHPIs attend for-profit colleges and that many are targeted by these institutions. Upon graduating, these students face difficulty in finding jobs and have incurred much debt. Saenz said he sees two major problems in California with respect to higher education: an inadequate number of seats available in post-secondary institutions compared to the need projected for college graduates
with four-year degrees, and continued inequity. “[We] continue to use sorting and selecting mechanisms for our higher education institutions that have demonstrated biases and, in many cases, were adopted because of those biases, again, to particular student groups. And we have done nothing to root out those biases in criteria or to significantly affect the biases that play out in differential resource availability and differential outcomes for students from kindergarten through 12th grade, where you go to school and specifically the socioeconomic status of those you go to school with largely determine or predetermine where your outcome is likely to be with respect to higher education,� he said. The College for All campaign has identified the highest concentration of LCFF schools, or those with 75 percent or more of students who are low-income English learners or foster care youth, Hung said. She added that there are about 700 high schools with nearly 700,000 LCFF students, 93 percent of whom are students of color. As part of the platform, College for All calls on more resources for LCFF+ high schools to support students in preparing for college. Oraiu Amoni, political director of United Teachers Los Angeles, the second-largest teachers union in the nation, shared during the discussion his story as a product of affirmative action. Born and raised in Watts, Amoni went on to attend UC Berkeley in 1994, a transition he said he didn’t think would have been possible without affirmative action. “From a personal perspective, I think it’s important that folks that have come from this environment or these environments speak up and support these endeavors,� he said.
Community leaders explore ways to expand access to public higher education
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introduced an initiative called “College for All,� which has a five-pillar platform: reinvesting in education, expanding enrollment slots in University of California and California State University systems for eligible California students, promoting the success of the highest need students at the highest need schools with local control funding formula plus (LCFF+), addressing implicit bias in all schools (including against LGBTQ students and others), and opposing all caps and quotas on admission and enrollment. LCFF+ was historic legislation signed by California Gov. Brown in 2013 that allocates more resources to the state’s neediest schools. Under the law, districts receive a per-pupil base grant, a supplemental grant based on the number of English learner students, students who come from low-income families and foster youth, and a concentration grant for districts with more than 55 percent of this targeted population, according to a release.
DNC CEO emphasizes importance... PAGE A3 are really are one of the important reasons why the goals of the Democratic Party align with the goals of Filipino Americans.� Even with the party’s confidence, Dacey said there is more work to be done in the coming months. “It’s going to be a tough general election. I think anybody discounting it because they’re seeing what’s happening on the Republican side, is making a mistake,� she said. Following the roundtable,
Dacey attended a fundraiser with AAPI supporters — which was co-hosted by actor George Takei and attended by elected leaders, such as Rep. Judy Chu, Rep. Ted Lieu and Rep. Mark Takano — and spoke at the Advancing Justice conference co-hosted by the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation and Asian Americans Advancing Justice. “[We’re] trying to make sure the [AAPI] community knows that there’s a home for them in the Democratic Party and that they’ll turn out and vote for Democrats
in the fall,� she said. Both Democrats and Republicans have continued to reach out to AAPI voters, an electorate considered to double by 2040, reaching 12.2 million, according to a 2015 report from the UCLA Center for the Study of Inequality and Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies. Leading up to California’s primary on June 7, both Clinton and Sanders are expected to continue campaigning in the state, where 475 delegate are at stake. (Christina M. Oriel / AJPress)
New York, California minimum wage set...
PAGE A3 As for the six years businesses are given to pay employees $15 per hour, Huang said it would have been better if companies had more time to meet the wage requirement. “I think its a good idea to space it out, but I do think it’s a little bit tighter for small businesses. It takes a little time for them to adjust for this,� he said. Other business owners, like financial adviser Cynthia Tan, whose firm is based in Los Angeles, welcomed the new legislation. “I’m a believer in increasing the minimum wage. I believe in providing benefits. If you take care of your employees they will
take care of you,� Tan said. As a financial adviser, Tan works with business owners to reduce their taxes. She said that although payroll taxes rise along with higher wages, businesses are able to write it off on their taxes. “One of the ways of [reducing taxes] is to increase payroll. The bottom line is, when I talk to different business owners, ultimately the question is: Who do you want to pay? Uncle Sam? Or would you rather give benefits to the employees?� she said. In the state legislature, Filipino-American Assemblyman Rob Bonta (D-Alameda) who supported the move, said the legislation would have a positive
effect on Californians living in poverty and on Filipinos residing in the state. “For small businesses, when minimum wage earners get more money in their pockets, they’ll be taking that money and spending it in the economy, at retail stores and at Filipinoowned businesses. It will be good for businesses. But overall, it’s more productivity for these workers and employers. It’s healthier employees. These are all good things that small business owners should want. The positive outcomes that studies show far outweigh any negative ones. It’s a win-win for the state of California,� Bonta told the Asian Journal.
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A
Dateline PprincehiliPPines of Monaco served ‘tinola of gifts’ from pH seas
FOR SHOWING CRUELTY, NOT MERCY OvER kIdapaWaN vIOLENCE
Church leaders blast Aquino by William
B. Depasupil ManilaTimes.net
LEADERS of the Catholic Church have lambasted the Aquino Administration for its callousness, saying it responded with cruelty, not mercy, to thousands of farmers who took to the streets of Kidapawan City to appeal for food aid. Three farmers died and scores were injured when protesting farmers and policemen clashed in Kidapawan City in North Cotabato last April 1. Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said the Aquino administration is answerable for the death of the farmers. “This is not the way to react to the grievances of the farmers that the government was not able to address in the first place,” Pabillo added. He noted that more than 80 farmers were still unaccounted for or missing days after the violent dispersal. “This is not mercy but cruelty. They are blamed in the name of national security and are accused to be led by communists,’ the bishop said. “I join my voice in protesting the shooting and the violent dispersal of the protesting farmers in Kidapawan,” he added. The government, according to Pabillo, knew beforehand that Mindanao and other parts of the country will be hit by El Niño but did not nothing to assist the affected farmers. “The El Nino is not like a typhoon that can make the government unprepared. It had already
been forecast two years ago. It has hit the country since September last year. The government has not done anything to address this problem. We had been calling on the government for action for months already,” the prelate said. He pointed out that some areas in Mindanao were declared under a state of calamity but the national and local governments did nothing to help alleviate the plight of farmers. “Now that they demanded by mass action that their pleas should be heard, they were asking for rice and basic necessities for their farms, they were sent the police and these rained on them beatings and bullets,” Pabillo said. “This speaks about the neglect of the Aquino administration of the plight of the poor, the farmers and the lumad [indigenous people]. He is calloused to those who suffer,” Pabillo pointed out. Former Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz also on Thursday said the Kidapawan incident was a display of government’s insensitivity and lack of respect for the dignity and rights of hungry farmers. Cruz likened the bloody Kidapawan dispersal to the Mendiola Massacre which happened during the incumbency of thenPresident Corazon Aquino, President Aquino’s mother, almost 30 years ago. “The Mendiola Massacre was the handiwork of landlords and the president at that time was his mother. As if there was no God,”
the archbishop said in an interview with the Church-run Radio Veritas. “A hungry stomach needs food. But instead of providing them rice, they were shot. It’s shameful,” he added. Cruz expressed belief that ongoing investigations of the violent dispersal will go nowhere. Fr. Carlito Garcia, administrator of the Diocese of Kidapawan, said the incident could have been averted had concerned authorities acted with dispatch. “This is supposed to be just a matter of decision-making by competent authorities,” he noted. “There’s a calamity fund, but it seems that the people are not benefiting from it.” Five kilos of rice As the Senate opened its inquiry into the Kidapawan tragedy, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and local government units (LGUs) in Region 12 strengthened their efforts to speed up delivery of assistance to affected families. DSWD-Field Office 12 Regional Director Bai Zorahayda Taha met on Thursday with North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza and Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph Evangelista to identify areas of collaboration. They agreed that 150,000 families in the province will each be given five kilos of rice this month. Meanwhile, the Field Office will also provide burial assistance of P5,000 each to the families of the farmers who died, and P3,000 to the families of farmers injured in the clash.
Demonstrators from various towns in North Cotabato face members of the PNP at the national highway in KIdapawan City on Wednesday, April 6. An estimated 6000 protesters blocked the highway which caused traffic to ground to a halt between the city and the areas of Davao and Cotabato. Inquirer.net photo by Williamor A. Magbanua
duterte camp: No need for martial law to stop crime by nestor
Corrales Inquirer.net
THERE is no need for Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to declare martial law, should he become president, to fulfill his vow to stop crime and illegal drugs in the Philippines, his camp said on Thursday, April 7. “We beg to disagree with Sen. Enrile. There is no need for Duterte to declare martial law. He needs only to enforce the law, the enforcement agencies to do their jobs, the judicial and penal system to work, and the community to cooperate,” Peter Lavina, Duterte’s spokesman, said in a statement. Lavina said getting rid of drugs, crime, and corruption would re-
Presidential candidate Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
quire everyone’s cooperation. “Duterte’s political will is the leading catalyst in this collective societal task. He will not, of course, succeed if we have a defeatist attitude and set up roadblocks on the way for genuine
Inquirer.net photo by Raffy Lerma
change,” he said. On Thursday, Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile said that Duterte would need to declare martial law to bust crime and illegal drugs within the first six months in office if elected in the May elections.
by Kristine
angeli Inquirer.net
saBillo
“TINOLA of gifts from the Philippine Seas” is just one of the special dishes served during the state luncheon for Prince Albert II of Monaco on Thursday, April 7. Prince Albert, who last visited the Philippines 17 years ago, was welcomed by President Benigno Aquino III at Malacañang for a bilateral meeting and a joint press conference. After signing the PhilippineMonaco Framework Agreement for Cooperation, the two leaders addressed the media and joined the other guests at Rizal Hall. Known for its Filipino fusion cuisine, Malacañang’s kitchen came up with several interesting dishes for the prince, who is known for being an environmentalist. According to the menu provided to media, Prince Albert and Aquino ate “ensalada of Batangas duck estofado a l’orange,” which was made from Negros chèvre, Sagada orange, muscovado, heirloom carrots, Tagaytay courgette, and Cointreau-Davao cacao vinaigrette. The prince, who will visit the Tubbataha Reefs this afternoon, would have enjoyed the “Tinola of gifts from the Philippine Sea,” a Philippine-style bouillabaisse containing Bohol white marlin, Bulacan river prawn, Capiz scallop, Quezon blue crab, fish roe duet, French pottage and Bacolod bihod, kasha mayonesa and estragon. The guests also feasted on Blackmore Wagyu short rib inihaw with Bistek Tagalog Jus, organise soy sauce, calamansi onion hay, Philippine chickpea socca, adlai pearls, sigarilyas and kalabasa blossoms. For dessert, they were treated to halo-halo with the following ingredients: ube haleya, creme caramel, saba, jackfruit, red beans, carabao’s milk, San Miguel pastillas gratinee, Iloilo tablea lava and Pangasinan mango. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Monaco, the second smallest country in the world. In his toast, Aquino talked
President Benigno S. Aquino III and His Serene Highness Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco, lead the ceremonial toasts during the state luncheon at the Rizal Hall of the Malacañang Palace for the official visit of the Prince to the Philippines on Thursday, April 7. Malacañang photo by Joseph Vidal
about how Monaco’s royal family has “become close friends of the Filipino people.” “Their visits here were not ones characterized by leisure. They made it a point to make a genuine connection by truly interacting with our people—even visiting areas like Payatas to meet less fortunate children,” he said. He lauded Monaco for “assisting victims of child abuse and exploitation and funding critical research for various illnesses” through the AMADE or Association Mondiale des Amis de
l’Enfance (World Association of Children’s Friends). He again thanked Prince Albert for the aid sent by their country for the survivors of super typhoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) in 2013. “While your state may not be the largest in the world, you still committed several hundred thousand euros to help those affected; you have helped prevent epidemics and rebuild infrastructure, and I speak on behalf of the Filipino people when I say: We will never forget your kindness,” he said.
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OpiniOn
Features
Coincidence
DESPITE a stern warning by China, this year’s anticipated Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) military exercises among 9,000 American and Filipino forces, pushed through. The Balikatan exercises, which began this week, will feature war exercises, naval drills and humanitarian activities. “A big country with vital interests in Asia, the United States should first clarify the targets of its Pivot to Asia strategy, which so far has featured no more than unscrupulous inconsistency between fear-mongering deeds and peace-loving words.” China’s official news agency Xinhua said in a commentary. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) dismissed China’s warning saying that the two-week event is not in any way related to the impasse in the South China Sea. “It’s not focused on a particular incident but rather capacitating our armed forces to deal with a whole lot of exigencies,” said Vice Admiral Alexander Lopez, western command chief and exercise director for the Philippine side of the Balikatan 2016, in a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo on Monday, April 4. Australian troops will also participate in the Balikatan exercises, while other countries, including Japan, Canada, and other Southeast Asian states, will observe the activities.
The bilateral relationship between the United States and the Philippines shares a long history. It began during the first half of the 20th century, when the Philippines became a US colony. In 1946, the Americans ultimately recognized Philippine independence and surrendered full authority, supervision, and sovereignty of the country to the Filipinos. Since then, the Philippine-American ties remained intact up to this day through the Mutual Defense Treaty Act of 1951. Since the inception of the treaty, both countries mutually benefitted from each other’s sources and locations. With the Balikatan exercises still ongoing, the ties have remained sacred, especially since the US is the largest source of military aid for the Philippines. This commitment to help defend each other from the aggravation of external forces is proven at present after the US expressed its support to the Coincidence or not, both the Philippines and the Philippines amid the rising tension between over US stand to benefit in these military exercises, not the rights of Spratlys Islands which is believed to only to improve their enduring relationship, but to have rich reserves of oil and natural gas. be ready just in case a belligerent scenario arises.
Editorial
ManilaTimes.net photo
This relationship is bound by humanitarian values and moral responsibility to ensure peace and security not just for their own people, but for every citizen of the world. (AJPress)
Wisconsin primary: Game changer in US politics?
The Fil-Am Perspective Gel SantoS-reloS HILLARY CLINTON and DONALD TRUMP—they are the frontrunners in the Democratic and Republican races, respectively. But the voters in Wisconsin delivered a divergent verdict in their primary elections last Tuesday, April 5, favoring Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Let us discuss how crucial the Wisconsin primary may be as each party chooses its nominee for president. Republican Party Leading up to the Wisconsin primary, Donald Trump experienced perhaps the most challenging weeks of his campaign. The Republican Party establishment has been openly trying to stop his momentum, and some GOP elites have given full support to Ted Cruz. Trump has been criticized after he said in an interview that women who have had an abortion -when it is illegal -- will have to be punished. This statement is
Cruz’s victory in Wisconsin, makes it harder for Trump to get the magical 1,237 delegate number he needs before the Republican National Convention in July. If Trump does not reach 1,237, he may have to hurdle a contested convention, where the party will implement rules that may nominate another candidate, despite him winning the most number of states. Democratic Party Bernie Sanders’s victory in Wisconsin is his seventh win in the past eight primary contests over front-runner Hillary Clinton. This victory may continue to give Sanders the momentum to win in the delegate-rich state of New York on April 19, which may snowball to California and other states. Sanders was born in Brooklyn, New York, but Hillary Clinton has made New York her adoptive state. She owns a home there and Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton has served as senator before she incongruous to the GOP’s posi- changed his position three times Korea should be allowed to build was appointed Secretary of State tion that women are victims in in a span of three hours, raising nukes to protect their own secu- by President Barack Obama. Through Clinton has kept the rity, a policy that negates the goal this situation, and that the medi- doubts about his policies. Trump was also hit hard for his of the international community to lead over Sanders in New York, cal practitioners shall be the ones who will have to be punished for foreign policy position when he make the world safer by aiming such lead has been diminishing, and may turn the table toward a performing the abortion. Trump said countries like Japan or South to make it nuke-free.
Sanders victory. Political analysts say if Sanders continues to win in the remaining states with at least 60 percent, he may have the chance to overtake Clinton’s delegate lead and reach the 2,383 delegates needed to clinch the nomination. If Sanders falls short of the majority vote, he may still potentially prevent Clinton from getting the magic number 2,383, which means they both go to a contested convention. Part of Clinton’s lead in the delegate math is the heavy support she has been getting from superdelegates (party-elected officials, not ordinary voters). Bernie Sanders’s strategy is to convince these superdelegates to shift their votes to him if the voters of states they represent choose Sanders as their nominee. ABANGAN! *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www. facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
Should we worry about a terrorist attack?
Street Talk GreG B. MacaBenta FOLLOWING the March 22 bombings in Brussels, Belgium, spokesmen of the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines immediately issued official statements to the effect that there were “no validated terrorist threats in Metro Manila.” One of the major dailies promptly ran the headline, “No terror threats in Metro, says PNP,” and described the statement of the authorities as an “assurance.” In fact, there was no such assurance of the absence of a terrorist threat – simply the absence of reliable information about such an eventuality. The only assurance given by the PNP was that its “security forces and the intelligence network are continuously monitoring and doing their jobs.” That is the best we can expect from them. To those who scoff at the capabilities of our Philippine intelligence infrastructure, it helps to know that the quiet, unassuming clerk in your local city hall or barangay or the friendly assistant in that Philippine consulate abroad may, in fact, be an imbedded intelligence operative.
These folks may be taking note of any suspicious meetings or conversations you are engaged in. I am told that the days of Marcosian disappearances are over and that the likelihood of being picked up for subversive activities is remote – unless you live in the rural areas or are a very high profile activist. But please, don’t take my word for it. Rodel Rodis, a lawyer friend in the San Francisco Bay Area and a vocal critic of abuses in past Philippine administrations, related an intriguing incident in a posting on social media. Someone had gone up to Rodel claiming to be a former intelligence agent assigned to tail Rodel and to find an opportunity to do him harm. According to Rodel, he didn’t think the fellow was worth taking seriously - until he read the man’s name in US media. The fellow was being deported for “human rights violations” as a Philippine undercover operative. The man had been telling the truth! Indeed, I wouldn’t underestimate the capabilities of our intelligence community. When the PNP and the AFP say that their agents are on the job, that’s a better reassurance than when you drive up to the parking area of a mall in Metro Manila and the security guards go around your vehicle with a mirror attached
to a pole, ostensibly checking its underbody for a hidden bomb. A determined terrorist with a whole armory of explosives would get past those security guards undetected. So, how serious is the “terrorist threat” in the Philippines and in places like Metro Manila, in the wake of bombings in Paris, Brussels and other major cities? For a US resident and a frequent traveler like me, quite frankly, it is as serious as the threat in any big city in America. Perhaps, the only difference is that the intelligence community in America may be much better trained and concededly much better equipped to monitor suspicious activities among red-flagged foreigners, as well as permanent residents and citizens with “unusual backgrounds.” I use the term “unusual” for lack of a more precise understanding of what the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security consider a red flag among the millions who populate the USA. My own impression, however, is that the kind of near-seditious statements routinely made by local politicians, columnists and social media pundits that go in one ear and out the other of Philippine authorities, would raise serious concerns in the US. We have such an unbridled mass
communications environment in the Philippines that the line between freedom of speech and licentiousness is often breached. If you ask me, as a media person, I prefer the Philippine situation over the Big Brother monitoring in the US. A freer press, in spite of abuses, is preferable to the feeling that your every movement and every statement, your every email and every mobile phone call is being closely watched. This is not to say that this is exactly what is happening in the US. But the possibility that it is, in fact, happening, already serves as a deterrent. It is pretty much the feeling you get when you encounter a full stop sign in the middle of nowhere in California. For some uncanny reason, when you choose to disregard the stop sign, a highway patrol officer suddenly appears. Believe me, it often happens. And yet, in spite of such a high-tech intelligence environment, recent events in the US have shown that there is no airtight guarantee against a terrorist attack. The threat is not simply from foreign travelers with evil intent but also from home-grown “sleepers” who might suddenly be activated by their handlers and transformed into suicide bombers.
It is easy to say that the bombing at the Boston Marathon in April 2013 and the December 2015 terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California happened because of a “lapse in intelligence,” but the harsh truth is that there is no fail-safe protection against individuals who are prepared to give up their lives in the course of murdering innocent people. If you are the kind who worries about these things, Google will tell you that “In the period from 2000 to 2007 (terrorist) attacks killed nearly 400 Filipino civilians and injured well over 1500 more, more casualties than caused by bombings and other attacks in Indonesia, Morocco, Spain, Turkey, or Britain during the same period.” That would make the Philippines a “high risk” country. However, I am not aware of any new advisory issued to US citizens by the US embassy about travel to the Philippines, aside from one released in December last year. That advisory was about visiting critical areas in Mindanao. The same warnings have been given by the British and Australian governments to their nationals. I frankly have no worries about traveling to Manila and even to Mindanao, in spite of media reports of ISIS recruitment and training activities. Of course,
there is always the possibility of stray bullets or shrapnel unexpectedly coming my way, but, where I live near the city of Richmond in the San Francisco Bay Area, the possibility of getting caught in a crossfire between gang members is just as real – or just as remote. I recall how my family worried about my planned trip to the Atlanta Olympics in July 1996, the day after a radical exploded a bomb at the Centennial Olympic Park, killing one person and injuring 111. I told my wife that after the bombing, the Olympic premises would be the safest place in America. In sum, in a world where terrorism has become a daily threat, life must go on. Just cooperate with the strict airport security personnel, play along with the earnest efforts of the security guards at the malls and watch your language when you notice that quiet, unassuming clerk in city hall or at the Philippine consulate casting furtive glances at you. And, remember, vigilance and its corresponding inconveniences are the price we must pay for our security. This may sound like a joke, but at any airport, I would think twice about saying “Hi” to my son-inlaw. His name is Jack. (gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)
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US-PH Balikatan exercises begin as China issues warning by Ian JamotIllo AJPress
MISS U STAMPS. You can now own a piece of Miss Universe history. The Philippine Postal Corp. (PHLPost) on Thursday, April 7 announced that it would release this month limited edition commemorative stamps featuring Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach. The stamps, which show Wurtzbach’s winning moment in the pageant in her royal blue Albert Andrada gown, will feature a special embellishment called “tactile glittery texture embossed” to “enhance the important look and feel of the stamps.”
Olongapo court junks Pemberton’s bail plea, reduces jail sentence to 10 years by Ian JamotIllo AJPress
THE Olongapo Regional Trial Court (RTC) on Monday, April 4, dismissed the petition for bail and motion for reconsideration of convicted US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton for the death of Filipino transgender Jennifer Laude. The dismissal, however, led the court to reduce his sentence from 12 to 10 years in prison. “Wherefore in view of the foregoing, the Partial Motion for Reconsideration of the decision promulgated on 01 December 2015 and the Motion to be Admitted Bail pending motion for reconsideration are DENIED for lack of merit,” a portion of RTC Branch 74’s decision reads. The murder occurred last October 11, 2014, when Laude met Pemberton, a US Marine from Boston, Massachusetts, at the Ambyanz disco bar in Olongapo. Thirty minutes after checking in at Celzone Lodge, Pemberton left the motel and the staff found Laude’s naked body near the toi-
let bowl. Autopsy revealed that “asphyxiation by drowning” was the cause of death. Harry Roque, the private lawyer of Laude’s family stated, “we are happy that Pemberton’s Motion for Reconsideration was not fully granted, and we are happy that the decision remains – that Pemberton is guilty of killing Laude.” Although the Laude family was relieved after the court denied Pemberton’s appeal, they did not welcome the reduction of his sentence. “We are not pleased with the lighter penalty granted,” Roque said as he stressed that the penalty of six to 10 years still disqualifies Pemberton from seeking parole. Judge Roline Jines-Jabalde of the Olongapo RTC Branch 74 said that Pemberton’s jail sentence should be lowered by two years due to mitigating circumstances of passion and intoxication, according to reports. “The accused shall suffer six years to 10 years in prison with full credit for the period of his
US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton
preventive imprisonment pursuant to Article 29 of the Revised Penal Code,” the ruling read. The court originally ordered Pemberton’s detention at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City after a ruling on March 29, affirming the decision to convict him of homicide.
THE United States and the Philippines began the annual “Balikatan” exercises on Monday, April 4, after China issued a warning against “outside interference” in relation to the ongoing territorial dispute in the South China Sea. Over 8,000 US and Filipino troops, including 80 Australian forces, will participate in the 11day war games dubbed as “Balikatan” (shoulder-to-shoulder), from April 4 to 15. The military drills will involve several intense exercises including simulation events, an amphibious landing and strengthening the combat skills of the soldiers. “The Balikatan exercise is designed not to address a particular concern but the whole lump in the spectrum of warfare,” Vice Admiral Alexander Lopez, Philippine military exercise director, said in a news conference. China’s state media, Xinhua, recently reported about the Chinese government warning outsiders entering the disputed islands in the South China Sea, which the country is claiming. US Defense Secretary Ash Carter is scheduled to visit the Philippines next week to observe the annual Balikatan exercises and monitor several US navy ships. He will be the first top US defense official to observe the war games after the two allies started holding joint military exercises. Carter’s visit concurs with the implementation of a new military agree-
SHOULDER-TO-SHOULDER. United States and Philippine officials link arms during the Balikatan opening ceremonies on Monday, April 4. US and Philippine troops began major exercises on Monday as China’s state media warned “outsiders” against interfering in tense West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) territorial disputes. (L-R) Vice Admiral Alexander Lopez, Foreign Undersecretary Evan Garcia, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, US Ambassador Philip Goldberg, Armed Forces chief Gregorio Pio Catapang, and Brig. Gen. Christopher J. Mahoney, US Exercise Deputy Director.
ment between the two countries, the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) and will be highlighting this year’s Balikatan. “Our alliance is strong. The United States is committed to this relationship and these are not empty words.... peace in Southeast Asia depends on our cooperation,” Lieutenant-General John Toolan, commander of US Marine Corps forces in the Pacific told Philippine media. He also added that the exercises would help the allies improve maritime security and maintain regional stability. The ongoing territorial dis-
pute includes several islands in the South China Sea namely the Paracels Islands, the Pratas Islands, Scarborough Shoal and the Spratly Islands. Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims to parts of the waters, in which the Philippines has sought international arbitration on the disputed islands. Major General Rodolfo Santiago, assistant exercise director, however, said that the drills were designed to practice “generic scenario[s]” and were not targeted toward any specific country, in the midst of China’s aggression in the South China Sea.
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Hailee Steinfeld ‘at home’ in the Philippines Hailee Steinfeld has found a home in the Philippines. aside from the warm welcome of her fans, she feels the pull of her Filipino ancestral blood. She has Filipino grand fathers, with her great grandfather came from Bohol. This is the first time that the “Pitch Perfect 2” star visited in the Philippines. She was born and raised in los angeles, California. “The Philippines has been a topic of conversation in my family for years, so it’s incredible that it’s my music that finally brought me here,” she said in an interview in “Tonight with Boy abunda” aired on Wednesday, april 6.
“i’m so far away from home but i feel at home because of that,” she added. The 19-year-old singeractress is one of the international celebrities that the youth look up to, but Hailee doesn’t feel the pressure. “i think my fans are very loyal to me and are very much like myself. So i don’t know if i feel so much pressure, i do feel a lot of love and support,” she explained. She’s also glad that she was able to communicate with people through her music, something she said she couldn’t do through her films. “To have that power so to speak is so incredible. it’s amazing to me that there are people who care and really listen,” she said. (Joyce Jimenez/ Philstar.com)
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Aside from the warm welcome of her fans, Hailee Steinfeld feels “at home” in the Philippines because of her Filipino ancestry. Inquirer.net photo
Kim Chiu takes a bold step by Boy
ABundA Philstar.com
WHen Kim Chiu released an album years ago (she was still in “Pinoy Big Brother”), she devoted all her energies to acting and never really seriously got into singing again. That is, until last year, when she released her album Chinita Princess and had a hit song with it, titled Mr. Right. The album went on to score a platinum award. now Kim is about to take another step forward when she stages a concert inspired by the success of her album. That concert, also titled “Chinita Princess” — which has become Kim’s showbiz moniker — is set for april 9 at the Kia Theater. Besides coinciding with her birthday month, it is also a celebration of her 10th year in the business. When the idea for the concert Action speaks louder than words for Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla as they share sweet moments at “Pangako Sa ‘Yo” appreciation lunch. Twitter.com photos by Roxy Liquigan was first presented to her, Kim actually laughed. “Nu’ng una nila itong in-open up sa akin,” she began, “sabi ko, ‘Sigurado ba kayo, ako? Ako talaga? Di kaya si Kuya Kim (atienza) or kung sino mang Kim diyan?’ Pero sabi nila, people around them believe that kailangan na rin kasi 10 years ko na the defunct primetime series KaTHRYn Bernardo and din sa industry, kaya ang gusto ko they’re already an item. “Pangako Sa ‘Yo,” which ended Daniel Padilla fans can’t contain The two even celebrated the lang, gaya ng lagi kong ginagawa, last February, for an appreciation the sweetness of the love team is magpasaya at um-emote ng Kapamilya actress’s birthday in lunch. on and off cam. konti. At ‘yung concert din is one Balesin island during the Holy Kathryn and Daniel will On Wednesday, april 6, Roxy of my gifts para sa lahat ng taong Week break. soon start working on their film, luquigan posted on his Twitter sumusuporta sa akin through the On his personal instagram which according to reports will account a series of photos, years.” account, Daniel posted a photo be shot in Spain. where Kathryn and Daniel were But Kim is approaching the of him and Kathryn holding although the onscreen seen sweet with each other. concert with the same lighthands while on the island. (Joyce partners haven’t confirmed nor They were together with hearted attitude she brings to Jimenez/Philstar.com) denied their relationship, many the other cast and staff of everything she does. She’s not really bothered by the prospect of bashers or critics or those who will say she has no right to even think
Kathryn Bernardo, Daniel Padilla share sweet moments at ‘Pangako Sa ‘Yo’ appreciation lunch
Binibini hopefuls inspire young cancer patients by Armin
P. AdinA
Inquirer.net
THiS year’s batch of Binibining Pilipinas pageant hopefuls lived up to the catchphrase, “confidently beautiful with a heart,” made famous by 2015 Miss Universe Pia alonzo Wurtzbach, when they spent time with cancer patients at the Philippine Children’s Medical Center in Quezon City last month. all 40 aspirants took part in the “charity day” organized by pageant sponsor Dairy Queen, which saw them playing with the young patients, sharing stories with the parents, and distributing gifts and snacks to the underprivileged beneficiaries of the governmentrun medical facility. Women from the medical field are among this year’s contestants. angela lauren Fernando, a graduate of medicine from University of Santo Tomas, who is currently taking her internship at Makati Medical Center, said activities such as the one they participated in give the patients “happiness and hope.” Fernando, a 24-year-old Kapampangan, also said patients’
parents also benefit from such visits. “They’re down, and this gives them the opportunity to see their children happy. When parents see them smiling, it also makes them happy.” Fellow Kapampangan Roshiela Tobias, a 22-year-old operating room nurse, said “through our presence, we inspire them.” Karen ibasco, a 25-year-old medical physicist and teacher from Manila, said “activities like this brighten the patients’ day.” “i joined Binibining Pilipinas to help patients like them. i see it as a platform to make people aware of sickness like this,” she said. But the ladies said they see themselves benefiting more from the activity. “it gives us the inspiration to be a model to other people. We also hear their story, fighting the struggle of a life-threatening disease we’re lucky not to have. So, i look back at my own struggles and tell myself, ‘i can do this. Because if they can handle their problems, so can i,’” said Fernando, who aspires to become a surgeon or pediatrician after her internship. For ibasco, visiting patients
Binibining Pilipinas candidates with cancer patients at the Philippine Children’s Medical Center.
with cancer is a source of motivation to further pursue her passions. “You get the opportunity to be grateful for what you have, to appreciate life,” said 2015 Miss intercontinental first runner-up Christi lynn McGarry, who also graced the affair. “it gives me hope because they are able to stay positive in the darkest situations.” Holding charity activities, McGarry said, also uplifts the image of the pageant, by promoting the concerns of children and other sectors in need. Get to know more about the 40 candidates in a special program, dubbed “The Road to the Crown” on aBS-CBn’s “Sunday’s Best” bloc on april 10 after “Gandang Gabi, Vice.” The 2016 Binibining Pilipinas coronation night will be staged at Smart araneta Coliseum on april 17, with a telecast on aBS-CBn’s “Sunday’s Best” bloc on the same evening. Xian lim and KC Concepcion will host the ceremony, together with 2014 Binibining Pilipinas first runner-up laura Victoria lehman as backstage correspondent.
about doing a concert since she’s not technically a singer. in fact, Kim refers to herself as an entertainer rather than a singer. “Kaya nga po sa april 9 siya gagawin, Kalayaan Day,” joked the 25-year-old TV and movie actress in a recent press gathering to announce the concert. “Freedom, kasi malaya akong magpapakita ng talento ko, walang makikialam. Ganoon talaga. #Malaya. Malaya po si Kim Chiu sa araw na ‘yon.” (editor’s note: actually, april 9 is Kagitingan Day.) She’s not afraid because she knows her supporters have her back. “Alam ko naman na ang pupunta doon (to the concert) ay ‘yung mga taong sumusuporta sa akin at mga naniniwala sa akin,” she said, but then added, “lower the expectations lang po, ha?” Besides, Kim said, the show won’t just be a showcase of whatever musical talent she has. More importantly, it will tell her life story and how far she has come in the business. There’s no better time for it than now, when she’s celebrating her 10th anniversary and will be turning another year older. The concert will be like traveling back through time and will tell the story of how she became a showbiz princess. The tale they’re about to tell in the show will be more like a story and an interplay of lights, sets and costumes — it’s kind of like a play within a concert. indeed, Kim’s 10-year journey through showbiz is its own fascinating story of how one girl from Cebu dared to dream and
Kim Chiu stages a concert titled “Chinita Princess” inspired by the success of her album on April 9 at the Kia Theater.
became a showbiz princess. Kim right now is at the top of her game, with hit shows, movies, an album and the currentlyshowing “The Story of Us,” opposite screen partner Xian lim. “Gusto ko kasi talaga maging princess,” confessed Kim. “Kaya ganoon ang show kasi ang life story ko is like a fairytale ng isang babaeng sa probinsya lang dati, nangarap, tapos ‘eto na.” it’s definitely a story that deserves to be told, because it is a story of a dreamer and how her dreams came true.
PH ‘still like home’ to Sandara Park by mArinel
r. Cruz
Inquirer.net
KORean celebrity Sandara Park, who was recently here to meet with her Filipino fans, said Manila “still feels like home.” “i don’t go out that much in Korea, that’s why i don’t feel like i’m a superstar. But here, i already feel the love at the airport. i’m thrilled to hear people call out my name,” Sandara said in a mix of Filipino and english when asked to compare her fans here to those in Korea and in other parts of the globe. “The thing i miss the most is spending time with my fans. i’ve known them since 2004. i’m very grateful for their support. What we have is a different kind of friendship,” Sandara said. “i always want to go back to Manila to do a movie. i want it to be a romantic comedy. i’d really do it when schedule permits. i miss the place so much, especially the food. i like sisig, pinakbet and sinigang.” The member of the K-pop group 2ne1 said she would also like to visit Boracay island in aklan. “i have only been there once, some 10 years ago. i didn’t get to enjoy it because i had to work. There’s so much to see in the Philippines,” she pointed out. Sandara’s family moved to Manila when she was 10. Prior to returning to Korea in 2007, the 31-year-old star was a Kapamilya talent. She ranked second to grand winner Hero angeles in the reality-based talent search, “Star Circle Quest.”
Sandara Park
Sandara was also part of several Kapamilya big-screen projects like “Bcuz of U,” “Can This Be love?,” “’D lucky Ones,” “Super noypi” and television programs, “Krystala” and “Your Song: everything You Do.” She also said she wished to work with comedian Vice Ganda “kasi pareho kaming krungkrung.” “ang Pambansang Krung Krung” was her title in the early 2000s because of her crazy but cute and funny antics. “i also want to be a judge (in a talent contest). i was a contestant in ‘Star Circle Quest’ before, so it would be interesting to be on the other side of the fence. When i become a judge, i’d tell every contestant: ‘You’re in!’” Sandara recently finished a dramatic film in Korea, titled “One
Step.” “i would also like to do a Koreanovela. i enjoy romantic comedy projects,” she added. Her most recent trip to Manila was to promote her latest endorsement, the clothing brand Penshoppe. During her chat with reporters on april 1, Sandara was asked how she was as a student. The Korean star said: “i’m not very fond of studying, although i know that school is very important. My favorite (time of the day) was recess and lunch. i like joining cheering competitions. i would always sing during the ‘linggo ng Wika’ celebration.” She then proceeded to performing her favorite, the Regine Velasquez ballad, “Dadalhin,” which she sang a cappella.
3 Arci Muñoz on dealing with loss, making music and dreaming of Disney Cristine Reyes denies second pregnancy April 8-14, 2016
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“My greatest fear was to lose my dad. Now that he’s gone, I’m fearless,” said actress-musician Arci Muñoz, whose father Manuel Ramon Muñoz passed away in February. “In fact, I am now more curious of what life after death is, of where my dad went.” “There are days when I get depressed. When I’m home, I just go to his room and I pray. There will always be things that will remind me of him. I put my faith in the Lord that my dad is in a happy place now.” At the launch of Dickies Intimates, which she endorses, Arci told reporters: “Honestly, I’m numb right now. I still have yet to absorb everything that has happened. As a way of coping, I spend as much time with my family.” Arci said her dad had been very supportive of her career as an actress and as Ramona Thornes, the lead vocalist of rock band Philia. “I hope I was able to make him proud. Now, I dedicate everything to him. That’s why I’m still driven. He’s now my guardian angel.” Opportunities The 27-year-old actress added: “I’m thankful for the opportunities that come my way. Work enables me to divert my attention. I said to myself that in order to show my dad how much I appreciated him, I would take care of the people he loved. That would make him
Arci Muñoz
happy and more at peace. My mom is still here, and she is also grieving.” Arci admitted that she considered giving up on show business last year. “I’ve been in the industry for 10 years, that’s a long time. I guess you just have to be patient—don’t give up on your dreams. It’s the journey that’s important. I’ve learned so much. I’m now content with what has happened to my career. I pray hard that good projects will continue to pour in.” Her drama series, “Pasion de Amor,” aired its finale recently. The screen rom-com, “Always Be My Maybe,” where she teamed
CRISTINE Reyes is not pregnant with her second child with husband Ali Khatibi. “No, nagulat nga po ako, e, kung saan galing ang tanong na ‘yon,” she replied when asked to clarify the issue in an interview in “Tonight with Boy Abunda” on Tuesday, April 5. “Siguro mga ano pa, five years puwede,” she added. The couple has a one-yearold daughter named Amarah. Another controversy that involved the actress was with her former “Tubig at Langis” co-star Vivian Velez. The seasoned actress claimed that Cristine had been “rude” to her, a claim that the Kapamilya actress has already denied. When asked about the lesson
Cristine Reyes denied that she’s pregnant with her second baby with Ali Khatibi
she learned from the incident, Cristine politely declined to answer. “I guess better to be just quiet,” she said.
Aside from her afternoon series with Zanjoe Marudo and Isabelle Daza, Cristine also stars in the horror film “Elemento. (Joyce Jimenez/Philstar.com)
Enchong Dee steps out of comfort zone for a chance to fulfill dream
ABS-CBN heartthrob Enchong Dee beamed with pride as he talked about his first official indie film “Lila.” Directed by Gino Santos, the psychological-thriller is one of the five entries at the second Sinag Maynila film festival this month. Dee said that when he heard the name of the eminent director Brillante Mendoza, he said yes to the project right away. “I said ‘Okay, game! Whatever the story is, whatever the movie is,” he told reporters at the festival’s media launch on Tuesday, April 5. Festival director Brillante Mendoza and Solar Entertainment CEO Wilson Tieng are the chief architects of Sinag Maynila which had its inaugural run in March last year. In “Lila,” Dee plays the cousin of Jess, the troubled main character portrayed by actress Janine Gutierrez from rival TV station GMA. “Piling-pili ‘yung mga projects ko na gustong relationship. gawin..nu’ng una sabi ko duguan ‘to and then I realized “My dad is the most strict na ang ganda ng kwento,” he said. person,” she revealed. “No’ng This, however is not Dee’s first foray into doing bata pa lang ako sinasbai a horror film. In 2012, he starred in “The Strangers,” a na niya, ‘you’re not allowed Metro Manila Film Festival entry. to get married until you’re One of the reasons he accepted to doing “Lila” forty.’” was because he wants to fulfil one of his dreams as an “The fact that they actor. accept Billy, siyempre “Niloloko ko ‘yung mga production na please maganda ang meaning no’n,” naman tuparin n’yo ‘yung pangarap ko na makapagshe added. international film fest. Sana di ba? Lahat naman siguro When asked if this means ng aktor gusto makasali sa film festivals at magbigay they’ll settle down soon, ng honor sa Pilipinas.” Coleen replied, “No need to He recognized the necessity of having that deep Billy Crawford got the “blessing” of Coleen Garcia’s dad rush.” (Philstar.com) acting repertoire the independent cinema requires. for their future plans to settle down.
Billy Crawford wins the ‘blessing’ of Coleen Garcia’s dad BILLy Crawford has one less thing to worry about settling down with Coleen Garcia, after he got the “blessing” of her dad. “I got the blessing!” he proudly announced in an interview with MJ Felipe aired in “TV Patrol” on Tuesday, April 5. The Kapamilya actor met her dad during their recent vacation in the US. Coleen sees this as a “good sign” for their
up with Gerald Anderson, was a surprise box-office hit. “I’m grateful to have had the chance to work with good directors,” said Arci of Dan Villegas (“Always”) and Eric Quizon (“Pasion”). She said an actor’s performance is dependent on how well a director motivates her. “If my directors didn’t pay close attention to my performance, I wouldn’t have been as convincing as I was in those roles.” She said she was grateful for the break from acting and used it to spend more time with Philia, which she once described as “a grunge-melodic-post hardcore band.” Arci added: “The kind of music we do is not very popular here in the Philippines. The typical impression of Pinoys is that it’s evil. I just want the audience to try our music, that’s all. I write our songs, along with our guitarist.” At the same event, Philia performed its original tunes, “Disease” and “Killers,” and did its cover of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” While she said she was satisfied with how her career was doing, Arci said she has yet to achieve her dream project: “I want to be the voice of a Disney character. I grew up watching Disney classics. If I hear that they’re in need of a voice talent, even for a new character, I’m ready to audition,” she said. (Inquirer.net)
Enchong Dee
“Mas wide ‘yung kailangan mong pag-aralan, ‘yung kailangan mong matutunan; mas wide ‘yung dapat mong i-offer kasi ang laki nu’ng ginagalawan mong storya.” He also related how fun his experience was because of the youthful work environment. “Not only is the director young but also the production members… mas madali ‘yung paggawa ng pelikula (making the film is easier).” Dee also praised his co-star Gutierrez. “With Janine, sobrang natutuwa ako sa kanya. I didn’t realize that this is just her first movie, parang ang galing niya for her first (I am pleased with Janine. I didn’t realize this is her first movie. She seems really good for a first-timer).” “Maganda ‘yung discipline …’yung working attitude niya (Her discipline and working attitude are commendable),” he added. (Inquirer.net)
April 8-14, 2016 www.asianjournal.com
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Luis Manzano keeps his sunny side up
Karla Estrada’s concert ‘a dream come true’ by AllAn
PolicArPio Inquirer.net
ALtHOugH Karla estrada has been known more as a sexy actress Philstar.com in her younger years, few people know that it was her singing that Despite his breakup with helped her raise her four children. Angel Locsin months ago, Luis “Only a few people knew that. Manzano still has the same i did gigs in hotels, wherever. sunny disposition when the i even sang at a wake!” Karla entertainment press recently told reporters at a recent press caught up with him after the grand conference for her first solo presscon for the latest ABs-CBN musical show, “Her Highness: the game show “Family Feud” that Queen Mother in Concert,” on April he will be hosting on weekends 30. beginning April 9. the 39-year-old Karla that’s why some quarters described her coming concert “a can’t help but surmise that his dream come true.” she was given split-up with Angel for the second Luis Manzano is tapped to host “Family Feud,” the latest game show on ABS-CBN that is set the moniker “the Queen Mother” to premiere on April 9. time didn’t affect him at all. there by fans, because of her son Daniel hosting is about listening, so will always concede that when were even some who deliberately padilla who, on the other hand, is you have to learn and it’s a long resorted to bashing the actor-host it comes to hosting, i will forever considered the “teen King.” process. bow down to my dad as a game on social media. Karla began her career in show “i’m still learning and i still show host. even if i won an award, Obviously puzzled by the biz in 1987 as a member of the have a long way to go. i have i would never imagine or feel that negative reaction, Luis quipped, Wednesday group of the youthobserved that when you are a i am a better host than my dad. “is there a requirement to show oriented variety show, “that’s host, your world is becoming Anytime of the day, i will always that one is affected? Kelangan ba bigger because you get to interact say that my dad will always be the nakikita sa AsAp (the Kapamilya with lots of people. For me, dun better host compared to myself.” sunday afternoon show) na hindi nabago ang personality ko na to Nonetheless, Luis has more ako makasalita? O yung nangingilid be more considerate and to listen than proven his worth in the ang luha, na sa sobrang lungkot AFter canceling his April more.” number of game shows he ko pataas na yung luha ko? O yung 2 show at the smart Araneta Not once, Luis shared, did his successfully handled. nag-wa-walling ako ng pataas? Coliseum, music legend tom dad and mom Vilma santos, give “When ‘Family Feud’ was people looking for good will always Jones also called off the rest of his tips on hosting and acting. offered to me, i got really excited find good and people looking scheduled Asian tour this month “i’m very happy that they because, for example, when i did for negativity will always find for the same reason: “serious both trust me in whatever i do, ‘Minute to Win it’ and ‘Deal or No negativity.” illness in his immediate family.” especially in hosting. Oo nga Deal’ parang the approach was Luis added that he and Angel According to the latest ano bakit nga kaya wala? Baka very repetitive since there’s one are friends. “At this point we’re statement from Jones’ camp, wala silang pakialam? (laughs). i particular formula for both shows. friends, i don‘t want to add color the 75-year-old singer has also know if i go out of line, for sure basta magkaibigan kami. Let’s leave But in ‘Family Feud,’ every answer canceled his stops in other Asian pagsasabihan nila ko. And i’m is different so there’s always a new it at that.” cities, including Bangkok, Hong very fortunate na alam nila kahit punchline waiting; mas madaling But looking back at what Kong, seoul, tokyo, Osaka and papano na kung anuman yung mangulit. Kumbaga, every answer happened to his love affair with Abu Dhabi. narating ko as a host, i did it is a new punchline for me. Do i Angel, Luis admitted that he has “He (Jones) extends his through hard work and through need to change my personality? learned to live life. deepest apologies to both the the people behind the cameras.” “Life is too short not to be lived i don’t think so because i organizers and the fans, whom he Does he watch himself on tV? is most sad to disappoint. there believe there is something in and i think that what’s happened “No. ever since naiilang ako with every relationship. ’Yung iniisip my personality working (to my are no further details at this time,” kasi baka ma-in love ako sa sarili ng tao na dapat malungkot ka, hindi advantage).” read the first statement issued ko (laughs). seriously, even in Hosting, Luis admitted, has eh, mahal ko ang buhay ko. Do i by Jones’ management, only less photo shoots or commercials, the than two hours before the show’s taught him to listen more which have to crawl when i go to work? directors would ask me to check is something he never thought is No, you have to learn to live life.” scheduled 8 p.m. start. on the previews but i always tell also an important part of being a No wonder, Luis is once again the news was confirmed to them i don’t wanna see anymore. host when he was just starting in tapped to host a game show the inquirer by promoter renen Hindi talaga because up to now, the biz. where he will be interacting with de guia of Ovation productions based on how i look, i still don’t “Hosting is not just about people of varied personalities. through a text message. believe that i’m doing what i’m “Family Feud” requires Luis to ooze talking, real hosting is about De guia, who was also behind doing. that’s why i know that i am Jones’ canceled 2010 show, said listening; it’s about feeling kung with energy, wit and enthusiasm. not fit for mall shows. Let’s leave His dad, edu Manzano, also hosted ano ang sagot ng kinakausap mo. on a Facebook post that he has that thing to piolo (pascual) na Siguro yun ang kulang ko when i the same game show in 2011 been getting messages from titilian talaga ng tao. Me, i am more friends, asking what was the started from MYX na salita lang which was then aired on the rival comfortable talking to people ako ng salita at okey na basta network. “real story” behind the entire which i would rather do any day of incident. He, however, clarified masabi mo ang spiels mo. But Asked who between them the week.” afterwards you will realize that is the better host, Luis replied, “i that the statement forwarded to by Bot
Glorioso
Karla Estrada
entertainment.” she admitted that she was initially hesitant at the idea of holding a concert, especially since she has not had a lot of practice, and wasn’t sure if she had the endurance to pull it off. Her self-confidence, too, she confessed, was at a low point.
But in her moments of self-doubt, it was Daniel who encouraged her to continue chasing her goals. “He knows that i love singing. Daniel once told me, ‘this is what you want, right? You can’t let that go because you love it,’” recalled Karla, who previously joined the reality talent contest, “Your Face sounds Familiar.” she plans to perform hits by the likes of Adele, Madonna and Debbie gibson in her show. But no, there wouldn’t be any dancing—at least from her end. “Why, do you really want to see that?” quipped Karla, who swims to exercise for her diaphragm. “i want it to be a fun concert.” the show, mounted by Cornerstone productions, will feature special guests, including Vice ganda and Karla’s “Your Face” family. Whether or not her kids would perform with her remains to be seen.
tom Jones cancels rest of Asian tour
EMPLOYMENT
EMPLOYMENT
his company by Jones’ camp “is what it is.” A considerable number of people—most of whom the now titos and titas who grew up with Jones’ pop rock music in the 1960s—were already at or near the venue, when the cancellation was announced. And many hoped against hope that the news was merely a belated April Fools’ prank. “someone in the crowd quipped,” let’s not complain— it’s April Fools’ Day!” related concertgoer and Facebook user Wem Borlagdan, who was in a “long queue” with other people “holding the pricey tickets,” when they were informed about the last-minute cancellation. some were already seated inside the venue; others arrived to the sight of guards already removing queuing stanchions at the entrances. But despite the disappointment, some were able to make light of the situation: they would be going home “tom Jones”—a slang for hungry—they jested. the joke was ripe for the picking. “it’s not unusual,” netizens swiftly jested. After all, it was
EMPLOYMENT
FOR SALE
Tom Jones at NAIA on Saturday, April 2.
not the first time such a thing happened: in 2010, he likewise bailed out of a Manila gig. the previous instance, Jones cited laryngitis. this time, the unexpected cancellation was prompted by a sick family member—reportedly his wife, Linda. Jones appeared to have left the country that same night, based on a Facebook photo posted by gMA 7 executive Marivin Arayata, who bumped into the music legend and had a photo taken with him, at Ninoy Aquino international Airport terminal 2. (Inquirer.net)
April 8-14, 2016
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alendar of Events C Retooling coping techniques 101 across America www.asianjournal.com
Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond
I’ve used up all my sick days, so I’m calling in dead.
— Graffiti
Monette AdevA MAglAyA
within us, from our own heads and hearts, as we process the WE all have known of external world from one day to friends, family and complete the next. Oftentimes, our bodies strangers who passed away quite simply follow the lead. If we unexpectedly over the course of recognize this mind-body-spirit our lifetimes. dynamic, perhaps we can retool There seemed to be no the coping skills we need to adapt warning signs. All the deep, to tough, troubling times and still dark emotions of shock, grief, come out whole. denial and finally, calming, quiet The mind-body-spirit acceptance must have washed connection is real. How often have over those left behind like a we heard of this about stress? It is devastating tsunami wave as they not what we eat but what is eating come to grips with the finality of us. Stress is a silent killer. It is not death. No one is exempt. Death unusual to read or hear about does come like a thief in the night. people in the prime of life— sixty, And in many life stories, mercifully fifty, forty and even thirty year old so … men and women who drop down They were there one moment, dead without warning because living, breathing, smiling and so of strokes or massive brain full of life. In the blink of an eye, aneurysms—the body’s reaction they were gone. And just like that, to unrelenting stress that typically it was over. It leaves one with a characterize modern life. profound sense of mortality – that There are increasing numbers final end game. We derive comfort of horrific news accounts in knowing that those we know of ordinary people who felt of and care about may have lived they have reached the end of good lives and are now free of their ropes. Driven by severe all the pain and strains of human depression and complicated by bondage. Death, after all, makes it addictive drug intake, many end possible to finally come home. up killing themselves. Sadly, there And yet, while we are alive and are increasing numbers who kicking, most of us who are aware murder their families in one fell of our own mortality must strive swoop before killing themselves. to make the most of our lives. We Whatever the circumstance, try to make each day count. We murder is never the answer. try to live purposeful lives as best There are a few simple stresswe can. busting techniques we can adapt But it is not always easy. It and perhaps, give us a few more seems we are always at the throes good years out of life. of uncertain times. Can anyone Become a presentist. Learn remember a time that was not to focus on the present to savor uncertain? the joy of the moment. Regretting Most of the things that weigh the past and worrying about the us down or at the very least, future only increases stress. For as ruffle our feathers, will come from long as we are alive, stress is like a
chisel that is meant to shape our characters as real human beings. The most adjusted people have learned to deal with their own stresses. When life becomes too stressful, find a quiet place to pray and meditate. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was stressed too and He would always find a place to be by himself and pray, specially when he has ministered to the crowds, teaching them, healing them and feeding them by the thousands. He would slip away and pray with a few of his apostles. As a God-man, he needed to recharge his internal batteries with prayer and meditation. And so should we. The best times are in the early morning hours when no one is stirring—not even the mouse. Hie off to a quiet corner and get your bearings straight for the day. Listen to the silence as it quiets your mind. Imagine your mind as a blank computer screen with your stresses in teeny tiny bundles which you then drag and drop into a mental trash bin and emptying it out into the netherworld of cyberspace. Poof — all gone! It is astonishing what this quiet half hour can do for us in the quality of our physical and spiritual life each day. Take a break in the middle of a workday. Eat a light, balanced lunch — without hurrying, preferably with good company you enjoy. Slow down deliberately. Find the humor in situations and laugh often. Laughter and exercise produce endorphins in our brain that make us happy and healthy. Continued on Page 7
Powerful lessons from China’s richest man
APRIL 9
Prisoners of War Day at the Filipino Veterans Education Center All WWII veterans and families, please join us as we commemorate the historic 74thanniversary of Prisoners of War Day and the Fall of Bataan, the Day of Valor, on Saturday, April 9th. In the spirit of reconciliation, friendship and international cooperation, let us leave the past behind us as we move forward with joined hands to attain peace for all mankind. The formal Commemoration and remembrance ceremony will start at 2:00pm in the Filipino Veterans Education Center, at the War Memorial Performing Arts Veterans Building (401 Van Ness Ave. San Francisco, CA 94102). This event is open to the public. Please RSVP RudyAsercion@gmail.com; naffaasf@gmail.com. Tel: 415 564 6262.
A P R I L 23
Chino Hills Multicultural Festival Inspired by last year’s successful celebration of the community’s diversity, the Rotary Club of Greater Chino Hills Foundation will host its second Multicultural Festival on Saturday, April 23, from 3 to 9 pm, at the Chino Hills Community Center (14250 Peyton Drive, Chino Hills, CA 91709). Admission is free. There will be food booths, live entertainment, music, dance and performances by an array of participants. Sponsorship and advertisement packages are available for non-profit organizations to fundraise, and for businesses interested in market their products and services. For more information, contact rotary.chinohills@gmail.com or visit www.chinohillsrotaryclub.org. Contact: Ted Alvarez (909) 456-0359, tedalvarez@verizon.net; Tessie Lightholder (909) 576-4152,tessielightholder@gmail.com, or Ginny Mondonedo (951) 212-4624, vmondonedo55@gmail.com.
APRIL 30
COSC celebrates 27th Anniversary The Candonians of Southern California (COSC), under the leadership of their newly elected president, Mrs. Elizabeth Gacula Singh, will celebrate their 27th Anniversary on April 30 at the Doubletree Hotel-Monrovia (924 W. Huntington Dr., Monrovia). Music will be provided by The Midnight Motion Band. For questions and those interested, please email thecandoniansofsocal@gmail.com.
APRIL — SEPTEMBER
Pilgrimages to Eastern Europe, Mexico and India
Kite Runner
Amazing Pilgrimages for the Jubilee Year of Mercy! All are welcome to join Fr. Joe Joseph of Holy Trinity Church for the spiritual and fun-filled experiences of EASTERN EUROPE (April 17- 30): Poland, Czech., Austria, Hungary, Medjugorje; COLONIAL MEXICO/ OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE (June 20 - 27): Mexico City, Theotihuacan, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Ocotlan, Xochimilco, Guanajuato, San Miguel De Allende, Guadalajara, San Juan De Los Lagos, Cristo Rey, Zapopan, Tonala; and INDIA (September 15 - 29): Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Kolkata, Kerala. For more pilgrimage information and detailed flyers, please contact Bernadette at bcorp1114@hotmail.com OR call 323-344-1548 & 323-547-6618.
Prof. EnriquE Soriano (Part 1 of 2)
LAST week was a relatively tough but gratifying week for my family as we were practically living in a suitcase for 6 nights while traversing Osaka, Manila and Hong kong. My Family Business coaching work in Japan and a speaking engagement in Hong Kong to celebrate Julie’s Bakeshop’s 35th Anniversary were the highlights of the twin overseas trips. While in Hong kong which is a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China, I decided to research on the success lessons of Wang Jianlin, China’s newly minted Richest Billionaire with a fortune of $40.7 Billion. Wang is almost 4X richer than our local taipan, mall king Henry Sy. In a Business Insider report, Wang Jianlin, a former People’s Liberation Army soldier who is now a real estate mogul and the world’s largest cinema chain operator, is the richest person in China and he’s caught in a riches race with Hong Kong business magnate LiKaShing to become the wealthiest man in Asia. Wang, born in Sichuan Province in 1954 just after the Communist revolution, spent the first few decades of his life in anything but luxury. In 1970, Wang entered the military, where he remained until 1986 when he took a city government job in the city of Dalian in Liaoning Province. Wang became chairman of Wanda in 1989 at age 35. His fortune more than doubled following successful public offerings of his real estate firm Dalian Wanda Commercial Properties, which has 125 shopping plazas and 68 five-star hotels, and Wanda Cinema Line, one of China’s largest movie theatre chains. According to a Forbes Magazine report, Wang bought 20 percent of Spanish soccer team Atletico Madrid and purchased the US organizer of Ironman Triathlons for $650 million. Wang’s Dalian Wanda Group purchased US movie theatre chain AMC Entertainment Holdings for $2.6 billion in 2012 and took it public in December 2013. His Wanda Group teamed up with the Auchan Group to invest 3 billion euros, or $3.3 billion, in a business and entertainment center
ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS
M AY 27-29
PUP/PCC to hold 1st Global Reunion
Wang Jianlin, China’s newly minted Richest Billionaire with a fortune of $40.7 billion
in Paris. The project will be the largest ever in France by a China company, and will include an indoor and outdoor theme park, stage show, hotels, and business and conference centers. The French investment is part of an aggressive push by 60-year-old Wang to move Wanda beyond its roots in China’s real estate business. The company has in recent years expanded into entertainment, particularly film and sports, and committed billions of dollars to overseas investments. The project in France will be located next to the Charles de Gaulle Airport, about 10 kilometers from downtown Paris. Some 14,000 jobs will be created once the facility begins operation. Wang’s recent book, a compilation of public speeches entitled “The Wanda Way,” claims to give an inside look into his managerial philosophy and the values that turned his company into a giant conglomerate with big global ambitions. Here are some nuggets of advice from Wang as detailed by Sophia Yan in a CNN report: 1. Get tough in the army Wang joined the Chinese military as a teenager in 1970. His gruelling training involved epic marches that took the soldiers through “knee-deep stretches of snow.” He recalls, “We were deprived of everything. In the snow, we had to dig our own hole to spend the night. Anyone who faltered could forget about being chosen to move up that year, or earning your Exemplary Fighter
award.” This experience built his “teeth-gritting spirit and a desire to fight until the end,” he says. Wang suggests there’s a direct relationship between a military background and success, pointing out that many top Chinese entrepreneurs previously served in the military. 2. Differentiate and innovate, like Starbucks “The first key is to understand how you can differentiate yourself from others and be innovative,” Wang said. “For instance, everyone knows how to sell coffee, but Starbucks redesigned the coffee-making process, innovated the business model and became a successful chain business.” Wang disputes the idea that only high-tech companies can lead the way forward -- “No matter whether you are in a traditional or an emerging industry, as long as you’re capable of innovating the existing business model, you can reap super profits.” (To be continued next week) *** Prof. Soriano is an ASEAN Family Business Advisor, Book Author, Executive Director of ASEAN-based Consulting group, Wong + Bernstein Advisory and former Chair of the Marketing Cluster of the ATENEO Graduate School of Business. He is back in Manila after a 2 week coaching work and book launch in the US where he shared his second book “Ensuring Your Family Business Legacy” to Asian and American Family Business owners. Get Prof Soriano’s book by calling Marianne at +639255224713 or email her at mrevilla@wongadvisory.com. Prof Soriano’s business articles can also be accessed at www.Faminbusiness.com.
Attention all graduates of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and the Philippine College of Commerce: join us in our FIRST GLOBAL REUNION being organized by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Alumni Association, USA Inc. scheduled on May 27-29, 2016 (Memorial Day Weekend) at the New Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. We promise a weekend of fun-filled activities, of friendship and camaraderie as we reminisce our best memories during our high school and college days. There will be lots of entertainment, singing and dancing and photo opportunities with your classmates and friends. For more information, please contact any of the following: Loi Herrera at 562-5448210 orloiherrera@yahoo.com; Monette Santillan-Rivera at 818-970-8317 orMonette_santillan@yahoo.com; Rose Mejia at 323-997-3838 or Rosemariemejia@kw.com; Marissa Sugay-Palanca at 818-281-7460 or marispalanca@yahoo.com; Rose Maghari at661-7948906 or rmaghari@gmail.com; Sally Mendoza at 323-695-0235 or sally.mendoza616@ yahoo.com; Honeylette De Leon at 562-480-5743 orhoney@worldclassfreight.com; Virginia Herbito at virginiaherbito@gmail.com; Connie Acosta at 323-854-5303 or connieacosta1@ att.net; Violeta D. Cristobal at 310-880-5808 orvee@cristobalcpa.com; Jun Mapoy at 323627-5326 or jcmapoy@yahoo.com.
JUNE 4
Missionary Society of St. Columban Dinner-Dance The Missionary Society of St. Columban will hold its annual dinner dance event on June 4th, 6PM, at the Friendship Auditorium (3201 Riverside Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90941). Organized by the Dancing for the World, an affiliate of the Columbans, will celebrate the “Year of Mercy” to echo and emphatically support the call of Pope Francis’s Jubilee Year. This year is very important to be responsive to the call of the church and be faithful to the mission of God because God is by nature merciful. Thanks to the many dedicated missionaries, priests, sisters and lay missionaries who responded to the call of God and live among the poor to make a difference and allow God’s mercy to flow into the hearts of those they minister. For more information, please visit www.columban.org. The Dancing for the World event on June 4 is also an opportunity to meet supporters, donors and friends to thank them for their valuable contribution to the Columban mission. Event will include delicious food, ballroom dancing, and fabulous raffle prizes. (For this year, the first prize will be a cruise for two to Mexican Riviera. The second prize is a Flat screen TV. The third prize is a Tablet.) There are many amazing prizes available for all lucky winners. The dinner dance ticket is $40.Reserve your tickets now or before May 15. For information and tickets please contact Carmencita Enriquez (213) 880-5075 or Ariel Presbitero (323) 691-5262, or at: 2919 Moss Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90065. Thank you in advance on behalf of the Missionary Society of St. Columban and the Dancing for the World committee members. Please continue praying for all Columban Missionaries all over the world and the success of this event.
JUNE 11
Piyesta Pinoy Bolingbrook Please join us on Saturday, June 11 for the 3rd Philippine Fest Celebration (Piyesta Pinoy sa Bolingbrook) at the beautiful Bolingbrook Performing Arts Center (375 W. Briarcliff Rd. Bolingbrook, IL). This year’s event will include a variety of food vendors, business, merchandise, and non-profit organizations, as well as hours of dance, games, and musical entertainment, including special guest performances. The Philippine American Cultural Foundation (PACF) is proud to promote and share our rich Filipino cultural heritage and traditions in America. Your participation and support are always valuable and critical to the survival of PACF and its programs. For more information, or to volunteer, perform, exhibit, or donate, please visit www.piyestapinoy.net.
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
April 8-14, 2016 www.asianjournal.com
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Mega Workshop and Citizenship Fair in Long Beach on April 10 AsiAn Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles will be holding a Mega Citizenship Workshop on sunday, April 10 at the Long Beach Convention Center, 300 East Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach, CA 90802. Those who are eligible for citizenship will be get help on application and fee waiver assistance. There will be a Citizenship Workshop (by appointment only) from 9am to 3pm, UsCis info session (open to public) from
11am to 2:30pm, and Resource Fair and entertainment (open to public) from 10am to 5pm. interested parties must bring the following: Documents • Your permanent resident card (green card) • state identification or Driver’s License • if applying for fee waiver, please bring a verification of benefits letter information
• Addresses, work and schooling (last 5 years) • All trips outside of the Us (last 5 years); and current and expired passports serving up to 1,000 applicants! Registration is required. Please call: 888-839-8682 or 855-300-2552 (Tagalog). For more information call 888-349-9695 or visit http:// advancingjustice-la.org/getinvolved/events/mega-workshopcitizenship-fair-long-beach.
CSUF celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
CAL state Fullerton is celebrating Asian American and Pacific islander Heritage Month under the theme of “navigating identity. standing in solidarity. Promoting Visibility.” The monthlong festivities include a wide range of programs, including poetry readings, an exhibit in the Pollak Library, film screenings and events focusing on different Asian cultures. All are open to the public, free of charge. Among the events: • “Gold of Rice Blend With Bombs: Expressions of War and Peace,” an exhibit opening April 6
and continuing through April 27 on the second floor of the Pollak Library. • Asian American and Pacific islander President’s Reception, featuring Raja G. Bhattar, director of UCLA’s LGBT Campus Resource Center, from 5:30-7pm Thursday, April 7, at the Fullerton Marriott. • “The Vietnam War and Militarized Refuge(es): The Production of Memories of the ‘Generation After’” a lecture at 4pm Tuesday, April 12, in Room 252 of University Hall. • screening of “A Place in the Middle” at 4pm Wednesday, April
20, in Room 210B of University Hall. • Korean-American Poet Hannah sanghee Park is featured at 11am Thursday, April 21, in the Rotary Club of Fullerton Room 130 of the Pollak Library. The full schedule of events, including the culimating event — a May 3 community gathering fro 57pm in the Titan student Union — can be found http://www.fullerton. edu/aparc/heritagemonth/APi%2 0Heritage%20Month%20Calendar %203.15.16.pdf. More information is available from the Asian Pacific American Resource Center at (657) 278-3742.
Duarte, Bradbury honor the environment, April 23 during joint ‘Earth Day’ volunteer project DUARTE—Duarte and Bradbury will honor the Earth with a variety of joint community volunteer projects starting at 9:00 am on saturday, April 23rd at the Duarte Teen Center. This year’s Earth Day celebration, sponsored by Burrtec Waste industries and the Volunteer Center of the san Gabriel Valley will include the planting of drought tolerant plants at both Duarte City Hall and the Teen Center, cleaning the Royal Oaks Trail, Duarte Park and retail parking lots along Huntington Drive. some 70 volunteers including
50 teens from the Duarte Area Resource Team (D.A.R.T), Cardinals Helping Youth Live Life (CHYLL), are expected to participate in the day’s activities along with staff from Duarte and Bradbury. A continental breakfast and guest speaker will kick off Earth Day activities at 9:00 am. Mayors of both City’s will also be on hand to officially welcome and thank the volunteers. The day will conclude with lunch, and participation in both an art and craft activities including tie-dying their “Earth Day” t-shirts! For more information, or to
volunteer, call Duarte City Hall, (626) 357-7931, ext. 221. The City of Duarte The City of Duarte was incorporated on August 22, 1957. With integrity and transparency, the City provides exemplary public services in a caring and fiscally responsible manner with a commitment to our community’s future. For more information visit www.accessduarte.com or call (626) 357-7931. Follow the City of Duarte on Facebook at facebook. com/duartecommunity; Twitter @CityofDuarte; instagram @ city_of_duarte and Linkedin.
BOOK AUTHOR WITH IMELDA. Emmanuel “Jolly” Riofrir, author of the coffee table book “Imelda: Unpublished Photographs of the Former First Lady of the Philippines,” presents a copy of the book to the book’s subject, former Firat Lady now Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Romualdez Marcos, during a visit at her Makati apartment on March 8. For inquiries or to purchase the book, please call Emmalie Books Inc. at (818) 383-9081 or visit its website at www.emmaliebooksinc.com.
Edison International congratulates 30 Edison scholars, recipients of $1.2 million in scholarships ROsEMEAD—Edison international, the parent company of southern California Edison, congratulates 30 high school seniors who have been named 2016 Edison scholars, each winning a $40,000 scholarship. students will learn of their scholarship award April 1115 when sCE staffers make notifications that will include surprise visits to some schools. “Congratulations to these deserving Edison scholars,” said Janet Clayton, senior vice president of Corporate Communications for Edison international and sCE. “Their academic excellence has earned each of them a $40,000 scholarship. We wish them continued success as they pursue studies in science, technology,
engineering or math.” Each year, the $1.2 million Edison scholars Program awards $40,000 scholarships paid over four years to 30 high school seniors who want to become engineers — electrical, mechanical, civil, computer, industrial, computer sciences/ info system, environmental or environmental sciences — and plan to pursue studies in science, technology, engineering or math, the sTEM fields, full time at a four-year college or university. since 2006, Edison international has awarded $5.3 million in scholarships to 520 students in its service territory. Edison scholars are also eligible to apply for summer internships at sCE after completing their second year of
college. Edison international’s support of charitable causes such as the Edison scholars Program is funded entirely by Edison international shareholders. sCE customers’ utility bill payments do not fund company donations. in addition, dependents of Edison international and sCE employees are not eligible for the Edison scholars Program. About Edison international Edison international, through its subsidiaries, is a generator and distributor of electric power and an investor in energy services and technologies, including renewable energy. Headquartered in Rosemead, Calif., Edison international is the parent company of southern California Edison, one of the nation’s largest electric utilities.
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Wynwyn Marquez confirms dating Mark Herras AFTER months of speculations, Wynwyn Marquez finally confirmed that she’s dating Mark Herras. “Yes, I’m dating. I’m dating Mark,” she confirmed in an interview in “Tunay na Buhay” aired on Wednesday, April 6. Although she clarified: “Hindi pa [kami], pero I think it’s more than that already. I mean, I won’t date someone if papaasahin mo lang din naman.” “Although we’re taking it slow, we’re enjoying each other’s company. It sounds showbiz but it’s true,” she added. The Kapuso actress said the actor has been courting her for a year now, after turning him down three times. For the five years they’ve known each other, she said she finds Mark “more mature.”
Joyce Jimenez Philstar.com
THE long wait is over for the “Encantadia” fans as the newest Sang’gres have been revealed. On Monday, April 4, Glaiza de Castro, Kylie Padilla, Gabbi Garcia and Sanya Lopez were named as the newest stars in the remake of GMA’s 2005 popular fantasyseries.
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Vice Ganda shares details of 40th birthday party by Joyce Jimenez Philstar.com
VICE Ganda was welcomed back in Manila by his friends with an intimate birthday celebration. The Kapamilya comedian celebrated his 40th birthday last March 31, but he was in the US for a family vacation. A grand entrance was even prepared for him, where he walked on red carpet. On Tuesday, April 5, some of his showbiz and non-showbiz Wynwyn Marquez confirmed that she’s dating Mark Herras, but denied that they’re already an item. Instagram photo by Wynwyn Marquez friends gathered to celebrate with him. Some celebrities “Now he has a daughter and I ‘you have to change.’ Kasi may present was his best friend Coco think ‘yong daughter niya nagbigay responsibilidad na siya,” Wynwyn Martin, Angeline Quinto, and ng parang batok sa kanya na said. (Philstar.com) “It’s Showtime” co-hosts Karylle, Mariel Padilla, Vhong Navarro, Ryan Bang and Karla Estrada.
Meet the newest Sang’gres of ‘Encantadia’ by
April 8-14, 2016 www.asianjournal.com
Glaiza de Castro will play the role of Pirena, which was portrayed before by Sunshine Dizon. Kylie Padilla is Amihan, a role played by Iza Calzado. Gabbi Garcia is Alena, which was portrayed before by Karylle. Sanya Lopez is Danaya, the role played by Diana Zubiri. It has been announced before that Marian Rivera will portray
the role of Ynang Reyna. Also part of the cast are Solenn Heussaff, John Arcilla, Rocco Nacino, Christian Bautista, Pancho Magno, Carlo Gonzales, Buboy Villar, Kate Valdez, Mikee Quintos, Migo Adecer, Klea Pineda, Rochelle Pangilinan, Vaness del Moral and Ruru Madrid. The series is directed by Mark Reyes and will air soon in GMA.
Vice Ganda celebrated his 40th birthday with his friends after his recent family vacation in US.
Retooling coping techniques 101 From Page 5
Once in a while, try taking a nap during lunch breaks instead of eating. Machines need to power down. And so do we. Downtime is just as important in recharging one’s batteries. Hold your calls. Carpe diem! Be ready to admit it when you need help. At the root of the most serious problems is foolish, foolish pride — hubristic pride, being the worst of them all. The fallen angels had this kind of pride. The ego will prevent us from asking for help — effectively dragging us to a whirlpool of denial until stresses and problems have us on a stranglehold. It takes courage and humility to finally admit that we need help. When we get down on our knees and humbly ask for the grace and the strength to finally snap out of it, seek help as soon as possible. It can be our spouse, a friend, a professional or someone we can trust to help us sort out our problems and support us in doing something constructive about them. Deep emotional or psychological problems are the worst burdens for they can weigh Sanya Lopez, Gabbi Garcia, Kylie Padilla and Glaiza de Castro are the new Sang’gres in the remake of the 2005 popular fantasy-series us down and seriously threaten our entire wellbeing and also “Encantadia.”
affect the lives of those whom we care about. Unload the burden of a heavy heart. Allow time to mend and heal a broken heart or it will bury us six feet deep. Know thyself. Gauge what we can and cannot do, both in our personal and professional life. Do not set unrealistic pie in the sky goals. We can choke ourselves to death when we bite more than we can chew. Resist overextending ourselves. The mortgage crisis is caused by millions of borrowers overextending themselves and the financial titans allowing such foolishness to go unchecked. Each human being is created for a specific purpose in life. He who finds his purpose early enough and fulfills it saves himself from unnecessary and unwanted frustrations and crushing disappointments. Filter the messages that bombard us daily. The constant barrage of messages and suggestions from songs, news, features and advertisements from the media and the internet is designed to make us feel inadequate so that each one of us as a consumer will buy a product or service. We can listen, if we have to,
but we must always think for ourselves. Give no one the power to even suggest we are unworthy or inadequate as human beings who need to buy something in order to feel whole. Media and the internet serve a purpose—for good or ill. Together, they are a potent force and we will all do well to keep it at bay. Use self-editing filters, because media agenda-driven messages have the most awesome power to influence thought, feelings, self-image and behavior. There is always the MUTE OR OFF button. We are still the BOSS. Knowing what we can do within our own set of circumstances will save us a lot of angst from wanting to do that which is beyond our capacities. When we begin to relax and REFUSE to be driven by the ego, it is uncanny how life permits us to naturally flow into that glowingly wonderful state of peace and contentment, where our abilities fit with WHAT WE WANT TO DO AND more importantly, WHAT WE HOPE TO BE, like a hand in glove. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com
April 8-14, 2016 www.asianjournal.com
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