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Volume 23 - No. 49 • 2 Sections - 16 Pages

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US agency postpones aid package to DATELINE USA Without ACA Philippines over rule of law issues guarantees, 52-M

from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

adults could have trouble buying individual plans

by Dana

SioSon AJPress

A United states agency said that it has “deferred” a major aid package to the Philippines due to human rights concerns under President rodrigo duterte’s ad-

ministration. in a statement on Wednesday, december 14, the millennium Challenge Corporation (mCC) said that it has “deferred a vote on the re-selection of the Philippines for compact development, subject to a further review of concerns

around rule of law and civil liberties.” “this decision reflects the Board’s significant concerns around rule of law and civil liberties in the Philippines,” U.s. embassy spokeswoman molly Koscina said in a statement emailed to Agence france-Presse

in 2011, mCC signed a five-year, $434 million compact with the Philippines, which it said is aimed at “reducing poverty through economic growth.” the compact, enforced in 2011 and PAGE A2

more than 1 in 4 adults younger than 65 live with conditions that private insurers could have declined to cover in some policies prior to the Affordable Care Act, according to an analysis by the Kaiser family foundation. the researchers noted that a large share of those individuals likely get their insurance through their employers, which does not take into consideration prior health issues. But if the health law were repealed and those people lost their health insurance for any reason, they could face problems. southern states carried the highest percentPAGE A3

American Red Cross reps urge Filipinos to prepare for disasters home fires claim 2,500 lives and make up the vast majority of the roughly 70,000 emergencies the American red Cross responds to each year in the United states. they happen about twice daily in the greater los Angeles region. in light of the frequency at which fires wreak havoc, the los Angeles chapter of the American red Cross (ArC-lA) is encouraging residents of historic filipinotown and surrounding communities to volunteer in efforts to promote fire safety. they have also been offering free smoke alarm installations throughout the city. residents of Pico-Union and Westlake neighborhoods, including parts of historic filipinotown, can now sign up for a free smoke alarm PAGE A2

Police and jail operatives gather inmates during a surprise search inside the Metro Manila District Jail (MMDJ) at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City. Inquirer.net photo by Marianne Bermudez

Duterte claims he ‘personally’ killed drug suspects by Dana

SioSon AJPress

DIGONG IN THE LION CITY. President Rodrigo Duterte (center) and Singaporean President Tony Tan (third from left) inspect the guard of honor during a welcome ceremony at Istana presidential palace in Singapore on Thursday, Dec. 15. Duterte is on a two-day state visit in Singapore. Malacañang photo by Roslan Rahman

Obama signs bill awarding Congressional Gold Medal to Filipino World War II vets by Eric

anthony LicaS AJPress

President Barack obama has signed into law a bill recognizing the sacrifices and contributions of over 260,000 filipinos and filipino Americans who fought alongside allied forces during World War ii. the legislation approved on thursday, december 15 awards the Congressional Gold medal—the nation’s highest civilian honor—to veterans whose service had been largely dismissed by prior acts of Congress.

PhiliPPine President rodrigo duterte said he had ‘personally’ killed drug suspects when he was still the mayor of davao City. duterte made the confession during his speech at Wallace Business forum in malacañang on monday night, december 12, to set an example for police. “i know it because—i am not trying to pull my PAGE A2

Robredo, Liberal Party to discuss national issues in January meeting

“the filipino veterans of World War ii overcame many challenges in their fight for compensation, family reunification, and verification of wartime service,” said senator mazie hirono (d-hi), one of the lead sponsors of the legislation, in a statement published on thursday. the rescission Act of 1946 barred filipino soldiers from receiving veterans’ benefits awarded by measures enacted by the U.s. government after the end of WWii. it also officially labelled their PAGE A4

by Dana

SioSon AJPress

Former Pres. Benigno Aquino III and current Vice Pres. Leni Robredo

the liberal Party (lP), including former President Benigno Aquino iii, is slated to have a meeting next year to discuss and arrive at a party stand regarding different national issues. According to Vice President leni robredo, the meeting, which has been arranged by interim lP President and senator francis Pangilinan, will be held in January 2017. “nag-usap na kami (lP leaders) kasi iyong dating timePhilstar.com photo PAGE A2

PH ends support for US patrols in the South China Sea by Eric

Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii shares a photo of her meeting Filipino World War II veterans. Hirono introduced the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act 2015 in the Senate last year, which was signed into law by President Barack Obama on Thursday, December 15. Photo courtesy of Hirono’s Twitter account)

anthony LicaS AJPress

offiCiAls in manila said on monday, december 12, that they will prohibit the launch of U.s. patrols from the Philippines intended to contest Beijing’s claims to sovereignty in the south China sea. American forces conducting exercises asserting freedom of navigation in the region had been allowed to stage their operations from military bases in the Philippines by the prior administration of former President Benigno Aquino iii.

in line with efforts to strengthen the Philippines’ ties with China, representatives of the duterte administration have set out to end that arrangement. Philippine defense secretary delfin lorenzana foreshadowed the country’s decision during a press conference on thursday, december 8. he told reporters that the Philippines would likely scale back its support for American freedom of navigation patrols “to avoid any provocative actions that can escalate tensions in the south China sea.” the government’s announcement on

monday may conflict with the enhanced defense Cooperation Agreement (edCA) signed by representatives of the U.s. and the Philippines in 2014. the document grants U.s. forces access to certain Philippine military bases and was recently affirmed as constitutional by the latter country’s supreme Court in July. since taking office at the end of June this year, duterte has pushed to mend ties with Beijing which had soured due to disputes over fishing rights at scarborough shoal. PAGE A4

A

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december 16-22, 2016 • Oc/Ie ASIAN JOUrNAL

From the Front Page

US agency postpones aid... PAGE A1 was closed last May 25, 2016, supported reforms and investments to modernize the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). It has also expanded and improved a community-driven development project, Kalahi-CIDSS; and rehabilitated a second-

ary national road in the Samar province. After the completion of the first grant, the new program was supposed to also run for five years and be implemented until 2022 under Duterte’s term. Philippine Economic and Planning Secretary Ernesto Per-

U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Molly Koscina

nia, however, downplayed the issue, saying that the country’s failure to secure a second funding grant from the U.S. in not something to worry about. “Well, I am not really worried… What is the MCC? In terms of value, it’s $430 million,” Pernia told the Manila Standard. “It’s really more symbolic in terms of the confidence of those behind the MCC, rather than... having real impact on the economy…. And [with] the amounts of investments that many countries are interested in putting in, I wouldn’t lose sleep over that,” Pernia added. Over the past few months, the United States has criticized Duterte’s bloody crackdown on illegal drugs, which has also earned him condemnation from different local and international rights groups. Records from the Philippine National Police (PNP) show that around 6,000 people have been killed in relation to the government’s intensified campaign against illegal drugs from July 1 to December 12 — with 2,000 killed during legitimate police operations while the remaining 4,000 were killed in extrajudicial or vigilante-style killings, most reportedly conducted by unknown suspects. The president, however, remarked that the allegations of human rights violations thrown at him would not stop him from continuing the campaign.

Duterte claims he ‘personally’ killed... PAGE A1 own chair—in Davao I used to do it personally. Just to show to the [policemen] that if I can do it, why can’t you?” Duterte said. Before winning the presidency last May, 71-year-old Duterte served as mayor of Davao city for seven terms (22 years). “And I’d go around Davao with a motorcycle, with a big bike around and I would just patrol the streets and looking for trouble also. I was really looking for an encounter so I could kill,” he added. Records from the Philippine National Police (PNP) show that around 6,000 people have been killed in relation to the government’s intensified campaign against illegal drugs from July 1 to December 12—with 2,000 killed during legitimate police operations while the remaining 4,000 were killed in extrajudicial or vigilante-style killings, most reportedly conducted by unknown suspects. Duterte’s bloody crackdown on illegal drugs has earned him condemnation from different local and international rights groups. The president, however, remarked that the allegations of human rights violations thrown at him would not stop him from continuing the campaign. “If I am afraid [and] stop because of the human rights … sorry, I am not about to do that,” he stressed. “You [want to] arrest me? Oust me? Go ahead,” he added, challenging his critics. Following Duterte’s remarks that he had killed drug suspects before, Amnesty International, an international human rights group, said the Philippine president’s claim “takes the meaning

INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY. Groups gather at the Mendiola Bridge in Manila as they commemorate the International Human Rights day in the Philippines. The Duterte administration has earned international condemnation on the spate of killings in the country amid his brutal crackdown on illegal drugs and criminality. Inquirer.net photo by Marianne Bermudez

of ‘state-sanctioned’ violence to a whole new level.” “The climate of impunity in the Philippines has intensified even further since President Duterte began his brutal crackdown on suspected drug users and dealers in July, with a wave of unlawful killings claiming more than 5,000 lives across the country,” Rafendi Djamin, Amnesty International’s Director for South East Asia and the Pacific, said in a statement released on Wednesday, December 14. Djamin urged Duterte to fulfill his obligations as the country’s president by “ordering investigations into these killings and bringing those responsible to justice, not claiming a part in them.” He also urged the authorities to stop pursuing a “bloody path they have set out on, and fulfill their duty to protect all people by ending incitement to violence.” Meanwhile, according to Phil-

ippine Senator Richard Gordon, the president is opening himself to impeachment if his claim of killing people is really true. “When he says that, he’s opening himself up, di ba (isn’t it)? Sya ang nagsabi e (He’s the one who said it). So [what’s the] legal way, e di mag impeach kayo, mag impeach kung sino man ang may gusto (impeach him if you want) because I’m sure he knows how to defend that,” Gordon said. The senator, however, pointed out that a person cannot just immediately file an impeachment case against Duterte because of his claims, noting that the issue must first be investigated. “If the killing was done in self-defense, there is no liability. If he killed someone, then he is liable...The president is prone to making exaggerated statements. I think that is part of his strategy but I think he said this for a reason,” Gordon added.

Robredo, Liberal Party to discuss national... PAGE A1

table, March pa magpapatawag ng meeting kaya lang sinuggest natin na agahan (Our previous timetable sets the meeting in March but we suggested that we conduct the meeting earlier),” Robredo disclosed on Wednesday, December 14, in an open forum with students at the 5th General Trias Youth Leaders’ Summit in Cavite. She said the LP will discuss various national issues, including pending measures on the reimposition of the death penalty, the age of criminal liability, and amendments to the sin tax law. “Sinu-suggest nila na gusto nila mag-meet at magkaroon ng dating ginagawa na may isang policy body para naiintidihan ng mg miyembro… Iyon ang sinasabi nila na mas mabuti sana bago ito pinag-uusapan sa Kongreso para alam na rin namin ang direksyon. (They suggested that we meet so

we can create a policy body so that the members can understand the issues… That’s why they are saying we should discuss this before these are deliberated in Congress, so we have direction),” the vice president added. She also made a distinction regarding the difference between the “voice of opposition” and “leader of opposition.” Robredo, who holds the highest position in government among the members of the LP, previously announced that she is ready to become the “unifying voice” of the opposition after President Rodrigo Duterte earlier ordered her to “desist” attending from all cabinet meetings, prompting her to resign from her post as the housing secretary. “Iyong boses ng oposisyon hindi iyan partisan. Oposisyon sa mga specific na polisiya ng gobyerno. Nag-tratranscend ito ng mga political parties (Being

the voice of the opposition is nonpartisan because the opposition is specific to the policies of government. That transcends political parties),” the vice president explained. Robredo noted that she wanted to help the administration to succeed by unifying the voices dissenting against some policies of the government that “we believe are threatening our democratic institutions.” “Kapag sinabi mo kasi na opposition leader ka parang lahat na lang ng gawin ng administrasyon kontra ka. Parang hindi naman iyon tama. Parang hindi na natin binibigyan ng pagkakataon ang administrasyon na mag-succeed. (Because if you say ‘opposition leader,’ it seems like you will protest everything the administration does. That doesn’t seem right because it’s like we are not giving the administration the chance to succeed),” Robredo added.

American Red Cross reps urge Filipinos to... PAGE A1 installation provided by the ARCLA on Saturday, February 11 next year. The ARC-LA has installed 8,000 new smoke alarms this year, but many buildings still have faulty units, according to the organization’s Regional Disaster Program Manager, Jeanne Woo. “We dealt with multiple fatalities over the Thanksgiving weekend,” she told the Asian Journal on Tuesday, December 6. “There are very positive and easy steps that we can take to make sure that doesn’t happen to our families and loved ones,” she added following a disaster preparedness presentation put on by the nonprofit and hosted by the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles. On Tuesday, ARC-LA representatives and volunteers said Angelenos need to stay vigilant of the potential hazards around them and outlined strategies for surviving fires and other catastrophes. They encouraged residents to develop and practice emergency

plans for a variety of possible emergencies. In addition, Woo said poorly placed alarms have a tendency to go off when they shouldn’t and become a nuisance. As a consequence, some homeowners significantly increase the likelihood of a serious fire by removing the batteries from improperly mounted units, or neglect to replace them when they run out of power. The ARC-LA hopes to properly outfit 400 homes in the PicoUnion and Westlake areas during next February’s round of free installations. Funding for the program comes from a combination of donations, grants, and the ARCLA budget. The organization is looking for volunteers willing to assist with installations and help reduce the likelihood of fires. They need no advanced knowledge to participate and will receive training at the event. A smaller percentage of the ARC-LA’s volunteers come out of Pico-Union and Westlake neighborhoods, compared to other parts

of the city, according to Woo. “This is a great opportunity to reach into the Filipino community,” she said on Tuesday. “We could use more volunteers from within the community who will respond to localized disasters.” Woo said that people from the immediate vicinity of a disaster are especially effective at coordinating relief efforts. In addition to reduced transit times, emergency responders from within the community face fewer language barriers than those from further away. They also tend to possess a deeper understanding of their neighborhood’s specific needs and challenges. More information for those interested in taking part of any of the ARC-LA’s community events or volunteering on a more regular basis can find more information on its website. There, individuals can also set up an appointment for a smoke alarm installation and learn how to better prepare themselves for a wide variety of potential disasters. (Eric Anthony Licas / AJPress)

CHRISTMAS PARTY. Former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. organized a Christmas meet and greet for his online supporters. In several posts on his Facebook page on Tuesday, Dec. 13, Marcos was shown mingling with his supporters, who called themselves “BBM Online Warriors” (BOW). Marcos also launched a weekly online talk show aimed at highlighting his personal life and political crusade. During the show’s first episode, he reiterated that the most memorable gifts he received were the humble souvenirs from his supporters during the electoral campaign period.

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A

Palace hits the New York Times for being ‘one-sided’ in drug war piece by Dana

SioSon AJPress

ber 7. The article — which covers 57 murder victims at 41 sites over the span of 35 days — also includes graphic images depicting some of the incidents. In the piece, writer Daniel Berehulak reported that about 2,000 people “had been slain at the hands of the police alone” since President Rodrigo Duterte launched his “bloody and chaotic” crackdown on drugs. Berehukak added that vigilantes seem to be “taking seriously Mr. Duterte’s call to ‘slaughter them all.’” According to Andanar, the article “depicts the Philippines as the Wild, Wild West in this part of the world. This is farthest from the truth.” “If the reporter had bothered to check the facts of the 3,000 deaths under investigation by the Philippine National Police, only

1,080 are drug-related. The rest are murder and homicide cases perpetrated by gunmen which the Philippine National Police (PNP) is now investigating, the results of which will be made public in due time,” Andanar noted, insisting that Duterte has not given any direct order for police to kill drug dealers and users on mere suspicion. Instead, police officers “neutralize those who violently resist arrest” and have the right to defend themselves, the spokesman said. Meanwhile, in his speech during The Outstanding Filipino Awards for 2016 at Malacañang, the president responded to the international criticism. “I am not a killer. I do not relish or enjoy a Filipino sprawled there with all the blood,” he said.

MALACAÑANG on Monday, December 12, slammed the New York Times for allegedly being ‘one-sided’ in its recent report about the administration’s campaign against illegal drugs and the supposed spate of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines. In a statement, Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar called on foreign media to maintain impartiality when reporting the Philippine government’s intensified campaign against narcotics. LAST TWO MINUTES. Two young men make Christmas lanterns at Quiapo Central Market in Manila on Thursday, Dec. 15 with Christmas just “We ask the foreign media to 10 days awa ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma present both sides of the story when reporting on the Philippine war on drugs,” Andanar said. The statement comes following a New York Times article entitled PAGE A1 strong objections from critics of ties could also reduce coverage “They are slaughtering us like by cutting out certain medications animals,” published last Decemages of adults at risk of being shut the law. out by insurers. Researchers analyzed data such as cancer fighting drugs The analysis found that 52 mil- from two surveys conducted in and antipsychotic medications. lion nonelderly adults faced the 2015 by the federal Centers for Individuals with certain occupapossibility of being denied cover- Disease Control and Prevention. tions such as firefighters, taxi cab age due to a preexisting condition The age, health status and condi- drivers and air traffic controllers if they were purchasing a policy tions participants reported in the faced an uphill battle to secure on the individual market under surveys were key indicators in coverage from some insurers. Sabrina Corlette, research prothe common rules used before identifying this population. VOWING to continue the strug- tors – to follow the courageous the Dakota Access Pipeline and the health law. In the individual Cynthia Cox, associate direc- fessor at Georgetown University market, consumers buy their own tor of health reform and private Center on Health Insurance Re- gle against the “black snake” of leadership of Native Americans their allies,” said Hsingii Bird, insurance. It serves people who insurance at KFF and one of the forms, said the individual man- the Dakota Access Pipeline in who were determined to save 35, a Taiwanese immigrant who cannot access employer-based authors of the study, said as Con- date has not provided enough North Dakota, 50 Asian Pacific their tribal water, land, sacred took part in the protests. “I beinsurance or public health cover- gress considers overhauling the incentives so far to guarantee a Islanders (APIs) gathered in Los sites and sovereignty without lieve the indigenous people are the guardian of Mother Earth, age, such as Medicaid. health law, lawmakers need to robust health pool, but she urged Angeles on Sunday, December violence. On Dec. 4, 2016, the Army and we must be their best al11 to hear eyewitness accounts of A third of the adult population consider those people who churn officials to give it more time. “I would argue that before we recent peaceful protests against Corps of Engineers halted the lies. That is what Standing Rock in Alabama, Kentucky and West in and out of the individual marpipeline construction until it taught me.” Virginia fall in that category. ket. (KHN is an editorially inde- throw the baby out with the bath- armed security forces. Those who traveled 1,500 completes an environmental reAfter a long cross-country The study highlights the risk pendent program of the founda- water, we should give the individual mandate a chance to work,” miles to the Standing Rock Sioux view of alternative routes with drive from Long Beach, Califorthat some people might face if tion.) Reservation said they joined full tribal and public input. nia, Alex Montances, 32, said he Republicans go forward with “I think what the study shows she said. “It takes a tremendous amount and other protestors were warmHowever, Robert Laszewski, a thousands of other peaceful protheir pledge to repeal the health is that the details of a repeal and law and don’t have adequate safe- replace act matter not only for health care industry consultant testers – known as water protec- of strength to not act out towards PAGE A4 guards against basing insurance the people that are immediately and president of Health Policy on preexisting conditions. affected,” she said, “but for the and Strategy Associates, said The individual market is quite people that might need this cover- the individual mandate has been proven to not work. He suggested small — about 8 percent of adults age at some point in their lives.” — but the number of people afPrior to the ACA, medical un- Republicans look at other opfected by it is likely much higher, derwriting was standard practice tions, including a penalty similar researchers note, because people in 45 states and the District of Co- to Medicare Part B, where enrollchurn in and out of that market lumbia, the analysis said. Prospec- ees pay a more if they choose to frequently, as they change jobs tive enrollees typically filled out a enroll after they first become elior go through a divorce, for ex- survey regarding their medical gible. Regardless of the future health ample. history that included questions The federal health law’s prohi- about pregnancy status, medica- policy in place, Laszewski said it bition on denying coverage based tions and lab results. Applications is imperative that individuals livon medical history is quite popu- also included an authorization ing with illnesses have access to lar. But to help maintain a healthy clause that allowed insurers to health insurance. “You can’t have a workable insurance pool that could offset access all medical records. insurers’ costs for the care of sick Insurance companies could system without covering a preexcustomers, the law mandates that deny coverage based on preexist- isting condition,” Laszewski said. This story was produced by Kaimost people buy insurance or ing conditions such as pregnanpay a penalty. It is that individ- cy, cancer and diabetes the study ser Health News. (Carmen Heredia Asian Pacific Islander nonprofits raise funds and sign the banner for NoDAPL on Sunday, Dec. 11, 2016 in LA. ual mandate that has generated reported. Additionally, these enti- Rodriguez / Kaiser HealthNews) Photo by Jeff Chop / Courtesy of Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council

Without ACA guarantees, 52-M adults could...

Fil-Am among APIs continuing fight against Dakota Access Pipeline

A

december 16-22, 2016 • Oc/Ie ASIAN JOUrNAL

Dateline USa

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December deadline approaching to have health coverage by Jan. 1 THE political environment may be changing, but the health coverage realities for many people have not. That is the message Covered California and its Certified Insurance Agents, Certified Enrollment Counselors and other Certified Enrollment Entities are delivering to the remaining uninsured as the December 15 deadline to get coverage starting Jan. 1, 2017 approaches. “People are worried about things changing,” said Henry Jin, owner of Henry Jin Insurance Agency Inc. in El Monte, California. “So we’re trying to educate people on what’s really going on. Nobody knows exactly what’s going to happen, but we know there will be coverage in 2017.” Enrollment for 2017 coverage began on November 1 and ends Jan. 31, 2017. But to have health insurance in place at the start of the new year, enrollment must be completed by Dec. 15. Plans offered through Covered California are name brand and in most areas of the state, there are three or more insurance carriers to choose from. For Roberto Ortiz, co-owner

of Ortiz & Associates insurance agency in La Puente, it has been a unique open-enrollment period. Ortiz, who has partnered with Covered California since its inception, said the first few days of enrollment were like a rollercoaster. “In the first week, there were a lot of calls and traffic,” Ortiz said. “Then everything went quiet after the election, but as more information has become known, it’s gotten busier again.” Covered California had more than 1.3 million consumers in 2016 and more than 2.8 million Californians have purchased health insurance through the exchange since it opened its doors in 2014. Covered California has helped reduce the state’s uninsured rate from 17 percent in 2013 to 7.4 percent in the first half of 2016, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While plans in Washington, D.C. about the future of health care remain uncertain, the subsidies available to Californians to help pay for health insurance remain very much in place. Last year, financial help in the form of subsidies allowed nearly

200,000 Covered California consumers to pay less than $25 per month for their coverage. The average household received more than $5,000 in subsidies that year. For 2017, most consumers can save up to $55 per urgent care visit and their copays for seeing their primary care doctor will also be lower. And, for consumers selecting Silver, Gold or Platinum plans, most of their outpatient services like primary care and specialist visits, lab tests, X-rays and imaging are not subject to a deductible. Emergency room visits for NO TO CHILD PRISONERS. Members of Child Rights Network hold huge Christmas cards and sing carols outside the House of Representatives these plans are now a flat fee. as they join a lobby urging lawmakers not to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to nine. ManilaTimes.net photo by Ruy Martinez Even consumers in Covered California’s most affordable Bronze plans are able to see their doctor or a specialist three times without having to meet their deductBloomberg and other sources. Stephen Lanza, commander of the ible. These changes for 2017 will PAGE A1 American forces will, however, U.S. Army I Corps, told Voice of Efforts to expand the Philiphelp consumers save thousands pines’ relationship with China be allowed to land, refuel, and re- America. of dollars. Despite a reduction in support Open enrollment continues were spurred partly by tensions supply in the Philippines on their through Jan. 31, 2017. Consum- that grew out of U.S. opposition way back from those missions. from what has traditionally been ers interested in learning more to the Duterte administration’s Lorenzana told reporters on Mon- one of the United States’ closest about their coverage options crackdown on the country’s illegal day that the U.S. could still launch allies, American officials say they exercises from Guam or Japan. are likely to remain committed to should go to CoveredCA.com or drug trade. The Duterte administration’s promoting freedom of navigation President-elect Donald Trump call (800) 300-1506. Consumers must enroll by Dec. 15 to get had offered a clean slate to his Fili- decision might have threatened in the South China Sea. pino counterpart and expressed to cancel joint exercises between “You know, we will fly, we will coverage by Jan. 1, 2017. support for Duterte’s war on crime the Armed Forces of the Philip- sail anywhere within international during a direct phone call on Fri- pines (AFP) and the American waters and we will continue that,” day, December 2. Despite that con- military. However, the exercises State Department spokesperson versation, officials in Beijing have could still take place if they were Elizabeth Trudeau told reporters said that the Philippines’ pivot to repurposed into humanitarian and during a press briefing on Thurshistory, said Kathy Masaoka, of China will continue, according to emergency relief training, Lt. Gen. day, December 8. Los Angeles. She recounted the struggle more than 40 years ago military operations. It would also when she and other activists travgive them full access to programs eled to Wounded Knee in South and benefits administered by the Dakota and were met by armed PAGE A1 our Filipino WWII veterans who U.S. Department of Veterans Affederal officers, marshals and the contributions as inactive service, earned and deserve their place fairs. according to the Filipino American amongst our greatest generation,” FBI. Both Gabbard and Hirono said “There was no Facebook, no National Historical Society. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) said in they would work with FilVetREP In 2009, a portion of the federal a statement. “To our Filipino vet- to organize Congressional Gold video, no news coming out,” Masaoka said. “Wounded Knee was economic stimulus package gave erans, their families, and all who Medal ceremonies. the site of the massacre in the surviving Filipino veterans a one- worked so hard to make today The signing of this bill comes 1800s. And treaties were long time lump sum of $15,000 for citi- a reality, maraming salamat sa after a series of actions earlier this zens and $9,000 for non-citizens. inyong lahat.” broken there.” year to give some recognition and “After enduring 75 years of Looking ahead, many particiThe pair of companion bills sub- benefits to the Filipino veterans. pants said they will travel back to injustice and humiliation, our mitted to Congress in June of 2015 The California State Board of Standing Rock when the call for Filipino World War II veterans and eventually signed into law Education recently approved curhelp comes. Several supporting regained their honor and dignity,” on Thursday was introduced by riculum changes of the state’s organizations are also planning Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba (Ret.), Hirono in the Senate and Gabbard high schools to incorporate more support activities in the Los An- the chairman of the Filipino Vet- in the House of Representatives. information about Filipinos’ roles erans Recognition Project (FilVe- The Senate version won unani- in the war in Grade 11 U.S. History geles area. “We have to continue standing tREP), said in a statement released mous approval on Wednesday, lesson plans. as allies with our Native Ameri- on Thursday. July 13. Its counterpart passed In the summer, the United States Decades after their service in the House on Wednesday, No- Citizenship and Immigration Sercan brothers and sisters both in Standing Rock and locally,” ended, fewer than 18,000 Filipino vember 30. vices (USCIS) rolled out a new said Nancy Kim, a water protec- veterans are still alive to personally Another bill resubmitted to Con- family-based immigration program tor who is ready to return. “And celebrate the acknowledgement of gress in May, the Filipino Veterans for Filipino WWII veterans and that means educating ourselves their sacrifices. Fairness Act, would officially rec- their families called the Filipino “...[T]his recognition is a testa- ognize the active service of those World War II Veterans Parole Proregarding the battles and issues ment to each and every one of Filipinos who took part in allied gram. they are facing.” (A3PCON)

PH ends support for US patrols in the...

Fil-Am among APIs continuing fight...

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ly welcomed by Native American women who recounted generations of violence and oppression against them. Yet when it came time for an all-women march toward the pipeline security forces, they stood strong and calm. “Women were on the front lines. They marched up to the barbed wire and the armored vehicles,” recalled Montances, a Filipino American. “They asked the security officers to join them to protect water.” That didn’t happen, so the 150 women – elderly grandmothers, mothers with babies and small children, teens – retreated, but returned again another time for an all-female march. “The strength of the Native Americans and the Native American women – I have never seen that in my life,” he said. Mato Means, 34, a member of the Lakota tribe and a military veteran who lives on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, said he was appre-

ciative of the efforts by Los Angeles-area APIs. “You are all part of the great turtle island,” said Means, referring to the American Indian creation story of how the world first formed as one land mass on a turtle’s back. More than $1,000 was collected to help the Standing Rock Sioux tribal nation and to send future water protectors when needed. Speakers said they foresee a long struggle because they expect incoming president Donald Trump will attempt to force pipeline construction to resume. A colorful banner, to be shared with the Standing Rock community of camps and shelters that now face a harsh winter, was also signed by the group. The Dec. 11 event was co-organized by the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council (A3PCON) Environmental Justice Committee and the Progressive Asian Network for Action. APIs joining in solidarity with Native American causes is a long

Obama signs bill awarding...

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Satellite photos show China NBI takes custody of Kerwin Espinosa weapons in South China Sea by Patricia Lourdes Philstar.com

Viray

MANILA — China appears to have constructed point-defense capabilities at each of its outposts in seven of the Manila-claimed islands on the Spratly (Kalayaan) Islands in the South China Sea. Washington-based CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) reported that China has built large anti-aircraft guns and probable close-in weapons systems (CIWS) in the Spratly Islands. The think tank started tracking China’s construction of hexagon-shaped structures on Fiery Cross (Kagitingan), Mischief (Panganiban) and Subi (Zamora) Reefs earlier this year. Smaller facilities were also seen on Gaven (Burgos), Hughes, Johnson (Mabini) and Cuarteron (Calderon) Reefs based on satellite images. “These gun and probable CIWS emplacements show that Beijing is serious about defense of its artificial islands in case of an armed contingency in the South China Sea,” the report read. Hexagonal platforms, which are likely hosting anti-aircraft guns roughly 20 feet long were seen at two of the smallest of the features, Hughes and Gaven Reefs. Smaller platforms which hold roughly 10-foot-wide objects were also observed but cannot be definitively identified. Center for Naval Analyses’

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) has transferred custody of alleged Eastern Visayas drug lord Kerwin Espinosa to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), The Manila Times learned on Thursday, Dec. 15. Espinosa was reportedly in handcuffs and wearing a bulletproof vest when he was brought by operatives of the PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (AIDG) past 11 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 14, to the NBI office on Taft Avenue in Manila, a police source said. The source, an officer of the PNP-AIDG based in Camp Crame in Quezon City, said the transfer came a week after a trial court in Baybay (Leyte) issued an order for Espinosa’s transfer from the PNP-AIDG to the NBI. On December 6, 2016 Judge Carlos Arguelles of the Baybay Regional Trial Court (RTC) Fiery Cross Reef Branch 14 issued the order for Admiral Michael McDevitt and China’s larger bases on Fiery Espinosa’s transfer to the NBI in RAND’s Cortez Cooper said in Cross, Subi and Mischief Reefs. the presence of the prosecutor a podcast that these are likely The structures were positioned and Espinosa’s lawyer. The court had directed the AIDG CIWS to protect against cruise in such a way that anti-aircraft guns and CIWS installations to make the transfer within 10 days missile strikes. The central facility on Johnson would cover all approaches to upon receipt of the order and that Reef sports an anti-aircraft gun in the base with overlapping fields the police unit should then inform the court of its compliance with orthe south and an apparent CIWS of fire. Such facilities would serve as der within five days. in the north. Arguelles said in his written or“Another gun and probable the last line of defenses against CIWS, along with a radar, were cruise missiles launched by the der to the NBI director, “I hereby constructed on a separate struc- United States, according to the commit to you the live body of ture, consisting of three hexago- AMTI. “They would back up the denal towers on the eastern side of the artificial island,” the report fensive umbrella provided by a future deployment to the Spratread. by anthony Vargas Identical structures including lys of mobile surface-to-air misManilatimes.net an anti-aircraft gun, probable sile platforms, such as the HQ-9 CIWS and radar were also ob- deployed to Woody Island in the RETIREMENT of a ranking poParacel Islands,” the think tank lice official prompted the Philipserved on Cuarteron Reef. The same model was seen at said. pine National Police (PNP) chief

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Mayor Espinosa was reportedly killed after he and fellow inmate named Raul Yap fought off elements of the Eastern Visayas Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) who were serving a search warrant against him at the Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail early last month. Members of the CIDG led by its chief, Supt. Marvin Marcos who were involved in the operation were placed under restrictive custody and are facing investigation. Some of them have been named by Kerwin in his judicial affidavit as among those who received drug money from him. (Anthony Vargas/ManilaTimes. net)

‘Bato’ reshuffles key police officials

to order on Thursday, Dec. 15, a top-level reorganization of other key personnel. PNP Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa has approved new designations of senior police officials based on recommendation made by the Senior Officers Placement and Promotion Board (SOPPB), PNP spokesman and Senior Supt. Dionardo Carlos said in a statement. Carlos added that the reorganization will affect some key positions in the PNP Command Group, Directorial Staff (DS), DiAt Mischief Reef, two of the four structures have been completed, with rectorate for Integrated Police Operations, National Support covers already placed over the systems installed there. Photos courtesy of AMTI/CSIS via DigitalGlobe Units (NSUs) and Police Regional

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Alleged eastern Visayas drug lord Kerwin Espinosa

Rolan Espinosa aka Kerwin Espinosa to be kept in custody as detention prisoner subject to the order of this court.” Espinosa had filed an application to be under the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Witness Protection Program (WPP). Espinosa’s counsel, lawyer Leilani Villarino, had told the court that her client had been under the provisional coverage of the program. Espinosa has been under the custody of AIDG since his arrest in Abu Dhabi in October, months after President Rodrigo Duterte had linked him and his father, late Albuera (Leyte) Mayor Rolando Espinosa, to the illegal drug trade.

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Offices (PROs). He said dela Rosa installed Deputy Director General Ramon Apolinario as the new PNP Deputy Chief for Operations (DCO) replacing Director Benjamin Magalong, who retired from the police service on Wednesday, Dec. 14. Apolinario’s old position as the Chief of Directorial Staff (CDS) will be taken over by Director Fernando Mendez, the current head of the PNP Directorate for Personnel and Records Management (DPRM). The PNP spokesman added that dela Rosa named other senior police officials to their new posts in the DS, PROs and NSUs. Carlos said dela Rosa named Chief Supt. Ramon Purugganan as the new acting head of the DPRM, replacing Mendez, and Chief Supt. Edwin Roque as the acting director of the PNP Direc-

torate for Plans (DPL). He added that Senior Supt. Glen Dumlao was designated as the new acting director of the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG), replacing Senior Supt. Manolo Ozaeta, who was named the new director of the PNP Legal Service. Dela Rosa designated Chief Supt. Sheldon Jacaban as the new director of the PNP Directorate for Intelligence (DI), Senior Supt. Renato Angara as the acting Deputy Regional Director for Administration (ARDA) of the Cagayan Valley Regional Police Office, Senior Supt. Jose Briones as the ARDA of Soccskargen Police Office, Senior Supt. Froilan Quidilla as the new ARDA for the Mimaropa Police Office and Chief Supt. Franklin Moises Mabanag as the new ARDA for the Central Visayas Regional Police Office.

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He said, she said

“I WILL continue to fight against things I do not believe in. If being an opposition leader entails that, then I will be an opposition leader,” Vice Pres. Leni Robredo told the media after she resigned from Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s Cabinet last week. Robredo quit being the chairperson of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) after being ordered—via a text message—to desist from attending all cabinet meetings. She alleged that there’s a plot to eventually remove her from vice presidency. “We had hoped this day would not come. I had been warned of a plot to steal the Vice Presidency. I have chosen to ignore this and focus on the job at hand. But the events of recent days indicate that this plot is now being set into motion,” Robredo said in her resignation letter. Malacañang officials said that the “separation” was caused by irreconcilable differences, as there are certain policies that the two leaders disagree on. Robredo has been a staunch critic of Duterte’s ongoing drug war and has lamented the rising number of casualties. She insists that the rule of law must prevail and urged the public to remain vigilant. “It’s not about deciding who dies or who lives. It’s also about making sure that when the fighting dies down, what’s left is a community that trusts more than fears,” she said in August. The government’s bloody campaign against il-

legal drugs has left more than 3,600 suspects dead, including more than 1,300 killed in gun battles with authorities—an average of 36 killings a day since he took office on June 30. This brutal crackdown on drugs has also led to killings on the streets and violations of human rights, including the right to life and to due process. Another divisive issue that might have pulled the trigger on this short-lived partnership was the controversial decision of Duterte to allow the burial of former Pres. Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes’ Cemetery). Robredo is the highest ranking leader of the Liberal Party and a known ally of former Pres. Benigno Aquino III. She also defeated the late president’s son, former Sen. Bongbong Marcos, in the vice presidential race. Cabinet Secretary Leoncio “Jun” Evasco Jr, who related the president’s order to Robredo, denied that the decision to cut her loose was connected to Duterte’s close ties with the Marcoses. On Thursday, Dec. 8, Duterte assured Robredo that there are no plots to steal the vice presidency from her. “I will assure Leni and the rest of the Bicol region that you will have her until the very end of her

Editorial

ManilaTimes.net photo

term,” Duterte told reporters. “There is no such thing as removing of a vice president,” he added. Duterte has also accused the “Yellows,” or allies of the previous Aquino administration led by the Liberal Party, of plotting to oust him. This political divide led by the country’s top leaders is set to continue well into 2022 if they both

finish their terms. This is not democracy at work because it brings heightened uncertainty and increased tensions. Instead of inspiring intelligent opinion on the country’s current issues, the continuous disagreement causes national bickering and it is deeply unsettling. (AJPress)

Warning to DREAMers: Do not leave the US when Trump becomes president AS most kababayans in the United States are joyfully preparing for Christmas, there are Filipinos who are weighed down by feelings of uncertainty as President-elect Donald Trump’s oath taking comes near. These are Filipinos who are living and working in the United States without the required immigration papers, while some have benefitted from President Barack Obama’s DREAM Act — deportation relief measures that protect these young people brought to the United States as kids and have considered America their home. However, President-elect Trump has vowed to rescind Obama’s executive orders on immigration which may put many of these kababayans at risk of being deported once Trump becomes President on January 20, 2017. These may include those

who may have been granted advanced parole so they may be The Fil-Am able to leave the U.S. to visit their families back in the Philippines Perspective and be able to come back to the United States. However, immigrant rights advocates, lawyers and universities have warned these undocument- Gel SantoS-ReloS ed immigrants, particularly the beneficiaries of the DREAM Act, against traveling. They say it is best for them not to leave the U.S., or if they have to and have the advanced parole documents, it would be in their best interests to come back to America BEFORE Trump takes oath as president. Immigration is a privilege and not a right, and

therefore, if the new president chooses to issue an executive order barring these undocumented immigrants from coming back to the U.S., even if they have the advanced parole documents, then they may not be able to enter the country again unless immigration laws and guidelines change. DREAMers as many fear he would, but he would instead focus on prioritizing the removal of undocumented immigrants with serious criminal convictions. This segues to a very important reminder to kababayans in America who may have already been granted their green card/permanent resident

status. Atty. Lou Tancinco said it may be wise for them to apply for citizenship NOW because having a green card does not protect you from deportation if you are involved and become convicted of a serious crime. There are benefits and protections accorded to naturalized citizens which green card holders do not enjoy. So what are you waiting for? If you are already eligible to naturalize, give yourself and your family this Christmas gift: apply for U.S. citizenship now! *** 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

US Congressional Gold Medal DOJ: They’re turning De Lima into a martyr Shooting for Filipino WWII veterans Straight

Street Talk GReG B. MacaBenta MY father-in-law, Jose Nobleza, Sr., and my eldest brother, Wilfredo, did not live long enough to see this happen, but 99-year old Celestino Almeda of Gaithersburg, Maryland still walks the corridors of power in Washington DC, eagerly waiting for President Barack Obama to sign into law, S. 1555, The Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015. Almeda is one of only 18,000 surviving veterans, out of 260,000 young Filipinos who answered the call to arms of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt upon the invasion of the Philippines by Japanese Imperial Forces. Both the living and the dead will finally be accorded America’s highest civilian honor for their courage, heroism and sacrifices, by the same U.S. Congress that passed the grossly unjust Rescission Act of 1946 that specifically denied veterans’ benefits to Filipinos who had fought under the American flag in World War II. The Congressional Gold Medal Act was finally passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last November 30. It had been earlier passed by the U.S. Senate by unanimous consent. Signing it into law may be one of the last official acts of the Obama presidency. Filipino and Filipino-American veterans will soon be part of the same roster of heroes headed in March 1776 by the first Congressional Gold Medal recipient, George Washington – a roster that includes America’s most honored men and women, including revolutionary hero, John Paul Jones, Major Generals Andrew Jackson and Ulysses S. Grant, Gen. Douglas MacArthur,

Gen. John J. Pershing, Rev. Martin Luther King, Thomas Edison, Charles Lindberg and, among military units, the Navajo Code Talkers, the Tuskegee Airmen, and the Japanese-American Nisei infantry men and intelligence officers who fought in the European theater in spite of the incarceration of ethnic Japanese in America at the outbreak of World War II. The roster also includes South Africa’s Nelson Mandela, the United Kingdom’s Sir Winston Churchill, the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa. Presidents Ronald Reagan and Harry S. Truman, athletes Jesse Owens and Jackie Robinson, Hollywood icons, Walt Disney, Frank Sinatra and John Wayne, and astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr., Michael Collins and John Glenn, Jr. to mention the personalities most familiar to Pinoys. The Congressional Gold Medal will be minted by the U.S. Treasury, to the tune of approximately $33,000, and put on permanent public display at the Smithsonian in Washington DC, along with all the other medals. Replicas will be made available to veterans and their living relatives in ceremonies being planned in the U.S. and in the Philippines. To cover the cost of the replicas and thus make them available for free to the recipients, a fund-raising effort will be mounted by the same FilAms that President Rodrigo Duterte dismissed as being inconsequential (“They do not count!”), on one of his foot-inmouth moments. Indeed, it is a rarified pantheon on which our Filipino veterans will be placed. But reaching that apex required tremendous audacity and unrelenting efforts by

Fil-Ams, led by Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba (U.S. Army, retired), chairman of the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetREP). Taguba is the same general who exposed U.S. atrocities in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq at great risk to his military career. Despite being lionized by the U.S. Congress and American media, Taguba was eased out of the service by Pentagon quarters. According to Bing Cardenas Branigin, Washington DC-based Fil-Am community leader and former staffer of the late Minister Greg Cendaña’s Malacañang press office, Taguba had been involved in securing approval for the Congressional Gold Medal of the Japanese-American Nisei units. Branigin assisted Taguba in the distribution of medals to the aging recipients. And it occurred to them that Filipino World War II veterans deserved the same honor. In 2003, Taguba, retired Maj. Gen. Delfin Lorenzana (then head of the Office of Veterans Affairs at the Philippine embassy in Washington DC and now Secretary of National Defense under Duterte), NaFFAA co-founder Jon Melegrito, Marie Blanco and Jude Saunders met at the Dubliner Irish Pub in the nation’s capital to discuss the idea of national recognition for the Filipino veterans, All they had to start with was a firm belief in their cause. Recalled Ben de Guzman, FilVetREP’s Outreach Director, there was an outpouring of support for the cause which soon became a national campaign. “A coalition of national advocacy groups serving Filipino Americans, Asian Americans/PaPAGE A7

I FULLY concur with the proposal of former Senator Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. in urging the Duterte administration to assert our claim on the disputed territory of Sabah in North Borneo and to include this proposal to the proposed amendments in the 1987 Constitution now that we are in full preparations for that monumental shift from our present unitary form of government and into hopefully a Parliamentary/Federal form of government. No less than Pres. Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte said that Federalism would help the many issues surrounding the Muslim question. However, what Pres. Duterte perhaps doesn’t realize is that in Cebu and many parts of the Visayas, we too want this shift into a Parliamentary/Federal form of government simply because too many projects are not given to us in the Visayas and Mindanao. Too much Anti-Federalism, like Christian and Solita Monsod have been spreading their negative comments against Federalism, they just don’t know that they have become very unpopular here in the South! Let me cite to you a very clear example why we need Federalism in Metro Cebu. In the six years of the reign of Pres. Benigno Aquino III, the route from Cebu City via Mandaue City all the way to the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MICA) and all the way to the fabulous resorts in Lapu-Lapu City that give Cebu its Tourism industry was already traffic congested. Yet in all those six years under the incompetent rule of Pres. Aquino, not one flyover was constructed to ease the congestion along the way. Despite countless columns giving the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) our suggestions to solve this problem, they only constructed a P36 million island separator, which we do not need! In Cebu City, 16 years ago when

BoBit S. avila I was head of the Cebu City Traffic Management & Operations (CITOM), we already predicted that Escario St. would be heavily congested in the coming years. Back then we proposed to construct a parallel road to Escario St. emanating from V. Rama in Guadalupe, passing through the Guadalupe River and the Lahug Creeks and ending in the University of the Philippines (UP-Lahug) or if we had the extra money, we can bring this road all the way to Rosales Ave. and connect to the North Reclamation Area. If only they have P200 million a year sana tapos na. During the 2010 Presidential campaign, I briefed Presidential bet Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. about this and he said, “If I win, you will be on top of that project. Alas he didn’t win, but the Cebuanos who voted for Pres. Aquino were not listened to by his DPWH. Worse, the National Economic and Development Board (NEDA) did not give this project any priority even if the Regional Development Council (RDC-7) prioritized this project. Ten years ago, Escario St. suffered traffic congestion and until today, the political leaders whom we voted into office have no damn idea on how to solve this traffic mess. How many more years do we Cebuanos have to suffer? This is why we in Cebu do not only want this shift to Federalism; we demand to have this before Pres. Duterte exits from the Presidency. Anti-Federalists say that we don’t need Federalism, but to fix our unitary form of governance. Well it has taken over 71 years and

I don’t see anyone fixing anything! The big fix is our shift to a Parliamentary/Federal government. * * * I was greatly disappointed that the Department of Justice (DoJ) under my good friend DoJ Sec. Vitaliano Aquirre gave embattled Sen. Leila De Lima their nod to allow her to travel to the United States and onward to Germany to speak before the Annual Conference on Cultural Diplomacy. Why in heavens did they allow this to happen to one of the biggest fish working for the Philippine government so high in the top officialdom that we have caught since former Pres. Joseph “Erap” Estrada was convicted? If she is not stopped, Sen. De Lima will certainly seek asylum in those countries (preferably Germany where we do not have an extradition treaty) and use her asylum to launch more attacks (a lot of them are the same lies she peddled during those Congressional hearings) and believe me, she would have a ready audience from her friends in the Human Rights community where she has a good rapport. Then they will turn her into another martyr in the mold of the late Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. Mind you, it is easy to seek asylum abroad especially when one is hostile to the current government. VACC founding chairman Dante Jimenez condemned this move saying, “VACC condemns allowing de Lima to leave because of various complaints under investigation like illegal drug trading in violation of [the Dangerous Drugs Act and for snubbing various hearings of House of Representatives and the Department of Justice” The DoJ should treat Sen. De Lima exactly the same way she treated so harshly former Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo with trump up charges that did not stick at all! (Philstar.com)

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China pledges P700M to decongest PH jail

China has pledged funds for a new detention facility in the Philippines as part of its support for President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war, according to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP). Duterte’s unprecedented crackdown has worsened severe congestion in Philippine jails, with agence France Presse (aFP) photographs of Quezon City Jail in July exposing how inmates in one of the nation’s most overcrowded detention facilities took turns to sleep on an open-air basketball court and a staircase. Duterte has credited China for supporting his crime war, STAR POWER. Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle thanks Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach for her donation of cash and goods for Caritas which the United States and the Manila’s bazaar to raise funds for 5000 scholars. Inquirer.net photo by Marianne Bermudez United nations have criticized over alleged extrajudicial killings. Beijing has provided funding for rehabilitation and offered weapons for the campaign that has left more than 5,000 people

PH, Russia to work faster on enhancing defense engagement by PiA lee-BRAgo Philstar.com

ManiLa – The Philippines and Russia have agreed to speed up work on a legal framework and plan of action outlining concrete cooperative activities aimed at enhancing their defense engagement, the Department of Foreign affairs (DFa) said. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana visited Moscow and met with Russian Deputy Defense Minister anatoly antonov on Dec. 5 to discuss Philippines-Russia

defense cooperation. This visit is a first for a Philippine defense official since the establishment of diplomatic relations with Moscow 40 years ago. it also comes on the heels of the successful meeting between President Duterte and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Lima, Peru last nov. 19. During his visit, Lorenzana and antonov committed to fast-track work on building PhilippinesRussia defense engagement. The defense officials exchanged views on possible activities for

immediate implementation, including exchange of high-level visits, military education and training, intelligence exchange in the field of counterterrorism and capacity-building in demining and military medicine, among others. antonov invited Lorenzana to participate in major events to be organized by the Ministry of Defense next year – the Moscow Conference on international Security (MCiS), international army Games and Military-Technical Forum “army 2017.”

US Congressional Gold Medal for Filipino... PAG E A6 cific islanders, veterans service organizations, and countless local organizations and advocates at the local level took part in this national campaign. Their engagement with their senators and representatives in the last 17 months was instrumental in moving the CGM legislation forward,” de Guzman said. “Without grassroots support, it would have been difficult to mount the kind of campaign needed to bring us to this historic moment, which we celebrate with pride today.” When the U.S. house of Representatives finally approved the bill, Taguba exulted: “Today is truly a great day, a significant seminal period in american history – second only to the liberation

of the Philippines and surrender of the Japanese imperial Forces on august 15, 1945. now we can tell our veterans with pride in our hearts that this grateful nation has, at last, granted them recognition for the selfless sacrifice they endured in war, and restored their dignity and honor in service to their nation.” The Filipino Veterans of WWii Congressional Gold Medal act of 2015 was introduced in June 2015 in the Senate by U.S. Sen. Mazie hirono (D-hi), with U.S. Sen. Dean heller (R-nev.) as lead co-sponsor, and in the house by U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-hi2), with U.S. Rep. Joseph heck (R-nev.-3) as lead co-sponsor. all over the U.S., Fil-am community leaders called on their

congressional representatives to support the bill, while other ethnic groups did their own due diligence. The efforts paid off. There was some apprehension with the electoral victory of Donald Trump that the bill would not get the needed support before the adjournment of the current Congress. But last minute efforts by the proponents resulted in 312 cosponsors in the house, complementing the prior Senate approval. One final act is needed to complete this impressive story. a stroke of the pen by President Obama and Filipinos and Filipino-american fighting men will have an indelible place in american history. (gregmacabenta@ hotmail.com)

dead. BJMP director Serafin Barretto said that during Duterte’s trip to Beijing in October, China offered to donate P700 million ($14 million) for detention facilities. “it’s meant to help the anticrime campaign of our president. it’s really for jails,” he said. “We feel happy because this will be a big help to address the lack of resources.” Barretto added that his agency decided to use the money to fund the construction of a new Quezon City Jail, which was built six decades ago for 800 inmates but now houses almost 3,000. Duterte, 71, took office in June and quickly made good on his campaign promise to launch a brutal drug war that would prevent the Philippines from becoming a narco-state. The spike in arrests has packed an underfunded and overwhelmed penal system, with

the population in Quezon City Jail soaring to 4,100 in august. The number had since gone down after a local court agreed to temporarily admit new inmates to other jails in Manila with more space, warden Randel Latoza said. City and jail officials said the aFP report fast-tracked the transfer of land for a new facility that could house 6,000 inmates by 2019 but finances remained a challenge. Latoza said the Chinese aid would contribute to funding the new jail estimated to cost p2 billion ($40 million). Officials collaborated with the international Committee of the Red Cross to present a new jail design by January. “We hope to build a first of its kind jail in the Philippines, in asia, that really factors in the needs of inmates,” Latoza said. (ManilaTimes.net)

New US envoy meets Mayor Sara Duterte, pays tribute to Davao blast victims by Rosette

Adel

Philstar.com

ManiLa — new United States ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim on Wednesday, Dec. 14 visited Davao City and met with presidential daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio. it was the first place Kim visited outside Manila, 13 days after his arrival in the country. Duterte-Carpio said she is happy that the ambassador chose to visit Davao City. Kim also paid tribute to the victims of the night market blast in Davao City last September 2. “My meeting with him, albeit very brief, was cordial and was an opportunity for us to renew our friendly relationship and ties with the United States government and the american people,” Duterte-Carpio said in a statement. “We are also very grateful for his expression of support for our fight against terrorism as he commiserated with the families, the survivors, and the victims of the grisly September 2 bombing in Davao,” she added. For his part, Kim said he was pleased to meet Duterte-Carpio. “Pleasure meeting Mayor inday Sara Duterte today. Wishing

New United States Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim on Wednesday, Dec. 14 visited Davao City and met with presidential daughter Davao City Mayor Sara DuterteCarpio.

all the best for her, her family, and all Davaoeños!” he said. aside from meeting DuterteCarpio and paying tribute to the Davao explosion victims, Kim met

with Mindanao business leaders and visited the Davao Public Safety and Security Command Center. he shared his activities on his Twitter account.

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december 16-22, 2016

Maligayang Pasko:

Filipino Christmas traditions by Klarize Medenilla / AJPress The Philippines touts the longest Christmas celebration of any other country in the world. As early as September, Filipinos begin the holiday festivities by partaking in the many customs and traditions unique to the global Filipino community. Christmas traditions comprise both native customs and the West, which comes from Spanish colonization. Filipinos have adopted Santa Claus, Christmas trees, carols and cards as well as other Western holiday fixtures while still keeping true to native Filipino traditions. Philippine holiday décor Although Americanization of the holidays has found its way to Philippine culture, like Christmas trees, tinsel, reindeer and even snow, Filipinos still keep true to their heritage by decorating their homes with traditional ornamentation. The parol — which comes from the Spanish word farol, meaning “lantern” or “lamp” — is one of the most notable adornments seen on Filipino homes and buildings. These extravagant, colorful starshaped lanterns connote the Star of Bethlehem that helped the Three Kings navigate their way to the manger of the baby Jesus Christ. The decoration was originally designed and crafted by artist Francisco estanislao in 1908. he used bamboo strips as the skeleton

of the design and overlaid it with papél de japón, or Japanese paper. A candle would be placed in the middle for the star’s famous illumination. Famously, before electricity was available, Filipinos who lived in the provincial areas would use a paról to illuminate their paths on the way to Simbang Gabi. Another popular mainstay of the traditional Filipino Christmas is the belén, which is a nativity scene depicting the Birth of Christ in Bethlehem. The expansive installation often includes a three-walled barn house with the infant Christ in the manger flanked by the Virgin Mary, Joseph and the Three Kinds, the shepherds and stable animals. The scene is often surmounted by an angel or a star. Belén is almost always seen at churches, but Filipinos often implement them in their homes, schools and office buildings. Belén can be minimalistic, but the ones

that garner the most public view are more extravagant with folks adorning them with Christmas lights, painted backdrops or even paról. Simbang Gabi Filipino Catholics around the world often partake in the “Simbang Gabi” (night Mass) celebration, a devotional nine-day novena of Mass from December 16-24 to celebrate the coming of Christmas and to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary. Masses begin as early as 3 a.m., but in some parishes, masses are held the previous evening. The last day of the service on Christmas eve is called Misa de Gallo, Spanish for “Rooster’s Mass.” Simbang Gabi began as a tradition in 1669 in the early days of Spanish colonialism in the Philippines. As Christmas approached, novenas were often held in the evenings, but priests noticed the fatigue on the faces of those who had been working in the fields all day. To compromise, clergymen across the country began holding Simbang Gabi in the early dawn before folks headed out to work in the fields. Today, Filipino parishes hold Simbang Gabi either early in the morning or later in the evening. Some local parishes hold partial novenas while many are hosting full services per the 9-day tradition. here are some of the parishes in the Los Angeles area

hosting full novenas. (Note: times, especially on weekends, may vary – call parish to confirm). • St. Anthony of Padua, Gardena (Dec. 16-23) 4:30 a.m. • holy Family Parish, Glendale (Dec. 16-24), 5 a.m. • Immaculate heart of Mary, Los Angeles (Dec. 16-24), 5 a.m. • Precious Blood Catholic Community Church, Los Angeles (Dec. 16-24), 5 a.m. • St. elizabeth Ann Seton, Rowland heights (Dec. 16-24), 5:30 a.m. • St. Genevieve, Panorama City (Dec. 16-24), 5:30 a.m. • St. Jane Frances de Chantal, North hollywood (Dec. 16-23), 5:30 a.m. • St. Kevin, Los Angeles (Dec. 16-24), 5:30 a.m. • St. Lucy, Long Beach (Dec. 15-23), 6 p.m. • St. Barnabas, Long Beach (Dec. 15-23), 6:30 p.m. • holy Trinity, Los Angeles (Atwater) (Dec. 15-23), 7 p.m. • MAST Sisters Convent (Dec. 15-23, except Dec. 16), 7 p.m. • St. Philomena, Carson (Dec. 15-23), 7 p.m. • St. Christopher, West Covina (Dec. 16-23), 7 p.m. • St. Columban, Los Angeles (Dec. 16-23), 7 p.m. • St. John the Baptist, Baldwin Park (Dec. 16-22), 7 p.m. • Blessed Sacrament, Los Angeles (Dec. 16-23), 7:30 p.m.

Recipes for the holidays from Chef Eric Pascual ThouGh born and raised in the Bay Area, Chef eric Pascual spent a good amount of his childhood in hawaii. his passion for cooking started at a young age when he was introduced to cooking by his grandparents and parents. Chef eric’s family told him that he share his grandfather’s passion for cooking, who would prepare meals for large groups of people using ingredients sourced from his backyard. To this day, he can still see his lolo’s passion for cooking and food through the bountiful 50-foot mango tree that he planted in his aunt’s backyard in hawaii nearly 40 years ago.

Growing up in a household with two working parents, he had to learn independence at a young age and it began with cooking. When his mom wasn’t working she was showing Chef eric around the kitchen. Something that began as a responsibility soon turned into a curiosity, slowly turned into a hobby, and is now one of his passions. Through the meals he has hosted, he has been able to portray my style of cooking, which is a blend of his travels, upbringing, experiences, and Filipino culture. Follow him at http://eatsbye.com and Instagram/Twitter @eats_by_e

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Food, glorious Food: The noche buena spread There is no doubt that Christmas is one of the Filipinos’ favorite holidays. Aside from having the longest holiday season (starting in September until January), Christmas is the time for parties, gift-giving, and of course, a multitude of culinary delights. On Christmas eve, the last Mass of Simbang Gabi is attended; and then noche buena — a family feast — takes place after midnight. Noche buena (“good night” or “holy night” in Spanish) is a Filipino custom adopted from Spain and Mexico. It is not your typical meal, as it is very much like an open house celebration where everybody who drops by is invited to partake in what is served on the table. Food is in abundance, often served buffet style. Among the noche buena staples include favorite Filipino dishes such as lechon (roasted whole pig), pancit, barbecue, rice, adobo and native rice cakes (kakanin — biko, sapin-sapin, bibingka, puto bumbong, or cassava cake). however, Western influence has brought in spaghetti or fruitcake, and a fusion of Filipino with international dishes. here are some of the noche buena spread favorites: • Hamon/hamonado ham, (from the Spanish jamon). Pork marinated in pineapple juice, sugar, salt and spices; then baked. • Keso de bola - Literally, a ball of edam cheese (a semihard cheese from Netherlands), usually with a red paraffin wax covering. • Bibingka - Flat cake cooked in banana leaves with salted egg, kesong puti, served with butter and grated coconut. • Lechon - roasted pig, pork belly, chicken, fish — it means anything that’s roasted over coals. But in Filipino households, it is always the lechong baboy (pig) that rules over the table. • Leche flan - The Filipino version of a creme brulee — but better. A mixture of egg yolks, condensed milk, fresh milk and sugar; this sweet concoction is steamed and topped with caramelized sugar. • Macaroni salad - Although every Filipino has their own version, this dish starts with the same ingredients — pasta, mayonnaise and chicken. Others add carrots, celery, cheese and sometimes pineapple. • Spaghetti - Filipino-style, that is. Made with tomato sauce and paste, ground beef or pork, cheese and a little sugar to sweeten the taste, the spaghetti is a Filipino staple in parties and for noche buena. There is no doubt that Filipinos love to celebrate occasions and holidays with food. however, this brings the Filipino value of being family-oriented. Though the noche buena’s central focus may seem to be on the feast being served, the real reason for getting together is partaking the food over laughter, storytelling and love.

How to cook ginataang bilo-bilo A Filipino sweet soup snack perfect for chilly winter nights Contributed by Sarahlynn Filipino Kitchen

Ginataang Alimasag at Hipon by Chef Eric Pascual

Pablo

BeyoND the brown sugar and coconut milk, my aunt said, any available fruit or vegetable may be used for the Filipino ginataan recipe below, like taro root (gabi), corn (mais), even mongo beans or guava (this last one she said was especially good). The important things are that, like IngredIentS: the work of a farm, everyone pitches in — peeling, chopping, dough-ball rolling — to make the dish a sweet success and that the ingredients are • 1 onion, minced • Meat from 2 large Dungeness IngredIentS: local, seasonally available, excess crops. • 1 1/2 tbsp grated ginger crab (approximately 1 lb. of eating seasonally and locally makes sense, right? In much of the world, • 3 ½ cups of frozen grated cas• 3 tbsp cooking oil meat) this is the only way to eat. In fact, in America, we are used to eating out-ofsava or fresh cassava if available • 5 cups coconut cream • ½ lb. shrimp (shells removed) season, far away and/or foreign. • 1 ½ cup evaporated milk (or • 1 tsp ground black pepper • 1 cup green jackfruit, When I was growing up in the northwestern suburbs of Chicago, ¾ cup of whole milk and ¼ cup • 1 stalk of green onions, thinly chopped (fresh or 1 can large, my family was one of a few Filipino families there. For a large part of my half and half ) sliced (for garnish) seeds removed) childhood, we would drive into the city to Chinatown to stock up on Asian • 2 eggs • 3 birdseye or Thai chili, thinly • 3 tbsp bagoong (shrimp groceries. For Thanksgiving and other holidays, my ninang made lumpia • ½ cup cane sugar sliced paste) and pancit canton, and little girl me tried to assist her. of course we had • ½ cup condensed milk • 2 tbsp. fried onions (for • 2 tbsp patis/fish sauce turkey with stuffing and gravy or honey-cured hams, too, but holidays • 1 can coconut milk (13.5 oz.) garnish) • 5 garlic cloves, minced wouldn’t feel special if there wasn’t Filipino food at the table. • pinch of salt CooKIng ProCeSS: Far from home and surrounded by the unfamiliar, the migrant clings • ½ cup melted butter (save 1 tightly to what she knows best: music, holiday traditions and food. Migrants tbsp to grease bottom of pan) lid on but not completely PrePArING The CrAB bring their “stinky” fish sauces and other spices. They pick up from the • ½ cup of unsweetened covered to allow a bit of 1. I suggest using live/fresh butcher for free bags full of what would be thrown away and turn it into toasted coconut venting. crab. culinary creations like fish head sinigang or kare-kare with oxtail. They seek TOPPING 3. rinse and cool crabs. 2. Steam or boil crabs in a out the markets of other, older, more established migrant groups – Chinese, • 4 egg yolks large pot at 7 minutes/pound, Continued on Page 3 Indian, Mexican – to find ingredients for a taste closer to their own. • ¾ cup of whole milk and Though ginataan calls for seasonal and local, I’m grateful that my CooKIng ProCeSS: family flew in the face of those practicalities / limitations in our little part of greased baking pan. Bake in 1. In a bowl combine the America, holiday after holiday, meal after meal. a 350 F oven for 45 minutes egg yolks, condensed milk, and In the spirit of the cold, Christmas-y season, I’d like to share one of my to 1 hour, or until a toothpick evaporated milk and stir well. favorite Filipino late-evening snacks: ginataan bilo-bilo, or coconut milk and inserted in the middle comes Set aside. rice flour balls – a sweet, hot dessert-y soup perfect for when the mercury out clean. 2. Using the melted butter dips low. 3. remove from oven and or margarine, grease bottom My aunt reminds me that this dish is actually a snack, or merienda. let cake settle for 5 minutes. and all sides of a 13” x 9” bakThough sweet, ginataan is too heavy to serve as a dessert at the end of a 4. Pour custard topping ing pan. meal. Merienda, I should note, is a very important part of agricultural life in mixture over surface of cake. 2. In a large bowl, combine the Philippines. return back to oven and resugar, grated cassava, coconut Life on a farm, day into day and months into seasons, is a dance. It has duce temperature to 325 F and milk, and condensed milk. Stir a rhythm. well and pour mixture into Continued on Page 3 Continued on Page 3

Cassava Cake by Chef Eric Pascual

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Cassava Cake...

Ginataang Alimasag at Hipon...

From Page 2 continue to bake until top sets and lightly browns (Approximately 20-25 minutes). 5. Allow to cool for at least 45 minutes for the cake to settle and then slice into serving pieces. For the Flan/Custard Topping 1. In a bowl, combine egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, and milk. Stir well. 2. Pour over surface of cake and return to oven to bake until set. 3. Top with toasted coconut

december 16-22, 2016 www.asianjournal.com

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How to cook ginataang bilo-bilo

From Page 2

4. Remove the carapace/top shell 5. Remove gills 6. Remove crab meat and set aside PRePARIng The gInATAAn 1. In a large pot, sauté the garlic, onion, and ginger until the garlic is slightly browned and onions are transparent. 2. Add the jackfruit, birdseye chili, ground black pepper, and bagoong 3. Add the coconut cream then bring to a boil 4. Add the fish sauce, reduce

in the couple of hours after lunch, it’s much, much too hot for the workers, the kids, the farmers to do strenuous physical activity in the sun. You look to do some activity that’s still necessary to make the farm run but doesn’t require a lot. Maybe you’d take a short siesta (nap). bring the goats out to the field. thrush some rice. Make feed for the pigs. Dress some tobacco leaves. Or maybe you could take on a few of those things. after a few hours of low-key activity, you need merienda before the hard work begins in earnest again at 3 o’clock. enter ginataan. IngredIents Milk and meat from two america by readers of USa tODaY coconuts (gata). this is the critical and rated a Four Diamond property ingredient. by aaa since 2002, Pechanga resort brown sugar. the second of two & Casino provides an unparalleled critical ingredients. getaway. Offering more than Six plantains or cooking 3,400 of the hottest slots, table bananas, peeled (saba) games, world-class entertainment, ten pieces of jackfruit, pitted 517 hotel rooms, dining, spa and (langka) championship golf at Journey grated cassava root (kamoteng at Pechanga, Pechanga resort & kahoy), two medium-sized pieces Casino features a destination that glutinous rice flour (malagkit), meets and exceeds the needs of two cups, and water for bilo-bilo. its guests and the community. Yep, literally, that’s ball-ball. Pechanga resort & Casino is owned One medium sweet potato, and operated by the Pechanga peeled (kamote) band of luiseño indians. For more three small purple yam, peeled information, call toll free 1-888(ube). if you add this, obviously, your PeCHanga or visit www.Pechanga. ginataan will have a tingle of violet. com. two notes on ingredients. One: Follow Pechanga resort & Where available and possible, fresh Casino on Facebook and on twitter ingredients are best. Most of these @PechangaCasino. ingredients may be available in (Advertising Supplement) canned or frozen form in nontropical climes where there are communities of asians or Filipinos nearby. Substitute canned or frozen heat to a simmer and cook until counterparts if you need to and the coconut milk’s texture starts don’t feel any shame about it. to thicken (approximately 25-30 two: i’ve added suggested minutes) amounts of each ingredient but suit 5. Add the shrimp and stir the proportions to your taste. if you occasionally for 3 minutes. like more cassava root like i do, add 6. Add the cooked crab more of those. if you’re on a lowmeat and simmer for an addisugar diet, put less. tional 3 minutes. InstructIons 7. If needed, add additional 1. Open the coconuts carefully fish sauce and/or black pepper and set aside the milk. Scrape the to taste meat from the husk into strips. 8. Remove from heat and Or you can just buy fresh scraped serve over rice. garnish with coconut meat and fresh coconut sliced birdseye chili, green onmilk if you don’t have the tools (we ions, and fried onions. did). Squeeze the remaining milk

from the coconut flesh with your bare hands or with a cheese cloth. Simmer the coconut milk in a large pot with brown sugar. Make sure the brown sugar is fully dissolved. the brown sugar pictured is unrefined, wrapped in a leaf and formed in a coconut shape called panutsa (also known by panotcha or panotsa, which are also the words for peanut brittle). it was so tasty, i think, owing to its smoky molasses quality. i was lucky enough to have shared some with my cousin in the netherlands in the ginataan she made. She used about a third of this half-dome of sugar. if you’re not lucky enough to get this awesome sugar, granular brown sugar works just fine, too. 2. now, the remaining ingredients – plantains, jackfruit, cassava, rice flour balls, sweet potato, purple yam – need to be cut or formed at approximately the same size, i’d say half-inch to one inch pieces, so each spoonful has a few small bits of awesome. all the kids are going into the coconut milk pool later. 3. glutinous rice flour bilo-bilo. Put a cup of the flour in a bowl, add water slowly, a spoonful at a time, stirring slowly. What you want to form from the flour and water is a paste that holds its own. You can tell when it’s “done” when the paste will come up off the bottom of the bowl cleanly when you scrape it with a spoon. after you get the paste to this point, let it rest for a few minutes on the counter. this paste is called galapong, the sticky rice flour dough that is the basis for an infinite number of kakanin, rice-based desserts like bibingka. get a plate and sprinkle it with rice flour. Pick up a little divet of that flour with your fingers and rub it around your palms. Snip off a bit

of the dough paste, and form it into a ball by rolling between your floured palms. Set the little ball on the floured plate. repeat. 4. Cassava root. if using fresh cassava, cut a narrow, diagonal line the length of the root. this will help you shave off the root’s bark. grate the root, though at the core of the root is a very stringy and tough core. Don’t include that. the core left will be about as wide as your pinky finger. Squeeze out the water from the grated cassava root with your bare hands or with a cheese cloth. Form the grated root into balls. add a little of the glutinous rice flour to help it stick together. these cassava truffles – if i may coin this phrase – are really delicate. You can also use frozen, packaged cassava. Defrost and treat it the same as the fresh root. 4. now that the sugar’s all dissolved in the coconut milk, layer your cut-up ingredients inside, with the heavier, denser ingredients going in first: sweet potato, purple yam, jackfruit, glutinous rice balls and cassava root truffles. Once you’ve layered everything inside, DOn’t Stir tHe POt. the cassava’s really delicate (just reminding you!) and, with all that starch, stirring too much will make the ginataan too thick. Just let everything get warm, and come up to a simmer. get a hot bowl and a spoon and go to town. Sweet, stick-toyour-ribs, warming taste of home. * * * Sarahlynn Pablo is the co-founder of Filipino Kitchen, a food media and events group whose mission is to connect Filipinos across the diaspora with their culture and history by celebrating our cuisine. With fellow co-founder, Natalia Roxas, they produce the annual Kultura Festival in October. Pablo, 38, lives in and loves Chicago. For more stories and recipes, please visit http://filipino.kitchen.

december 16-22, 2016 www.asianjournal.com

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Miss U in Manila: A 15-year dream come true by Nathalie

tomada Philstar.com

why ORGANIC? Organic products meet stringent standards Healthier for you & kids Organic food tastes better Organic farming respects natural resources Avoids pesticides & are artificial-fertilizer-free Non-GMO, no synthetic pesticides, no growth-promoting antibiotics There are many, many more reasons to go Organic. But in short: You’ll leave the world a better place than when you found it

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Miss Universe Organization president Paula shugart: For 15 years, it has been my dream, absolutely, to bring the pageant here. Paula on reigning Miss U Pia Wurtzbach: Come Jan. 30, 2017, i don’t see Pia giving up the crown and walking away from us. i think our relationship is continuing. Miss Universe Organization president Paula shugart said that it has always been a dream of hers to bring the pageant to the Philippines. Miss U is happening for the third time in the country come Jan. 30, 2017 at the Mall of Asia Arena. The reason she’s “more excited” in the Manila staging than in any past shows she’s done, is because of her special connection to the Philippines. Her late father who was a Us Navy pilot was stationed for a time in subic during the Vietnam War. “As a child growing up, i remember always being so afraid he was at war in Vietnam. But i always knew he

Paula on reigning Miss Uniservse Pia Wurtzbach: Come Jan. 30, 2017, I don’t see Pia giving up the crown and walking away from us. I think our relationship is continuing.

was safe when he called from the Philippines,” she told The sTAR in an exclusive interview. Paula was in town this week to lead the kick-off activities of the pageant. “My father was here quite a bit. When i was in 10th grade, we actually had orders to move to subic Bay. We packed up the house, and i remember i was looking at the map and was ready and was very excited. But at the last minute, the order changed and we stayed in san Diego.” When Paula became the president of the Miss U pageant 15 years ago, she reconnected with the Philippines. “For 15 years, it has been my dream, absolutely, to bring the pageant here,” she said. Paula also recalled that her father used to tell her “that Filipinos are the most genuinely kind people he’d ever met… good people, hard working. When i came here, i realized that the Philippines has the hospitality of Asia combined with the passion of the Latin people. it’s the perfect combination. You see it in the fanbase. There’s such a pure national

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pride that you won’t see anywhere else in the world.” she has since come to the country for roughly nine times already. The first time was in 2013 with then Miss U Gabriela isler to bring their donation to the victims ofsupertyphoon Haiyan from the Miss U fund in partnership with the Dutch development agency Cordaid. The financial aid has since built houses and launched projects to empower women and children. The Miss Universe Organization is working on having Pia check on these projects next month. During the first visit as well, Paula drove all the way to subic to visit the house where they were supposed to move into back in 1975. Paula revealed that she initially wanted Miss U to happen in 2014 or 40 years after the first Miss U was held in Manila at the Folk Arts Theater. “i’m a strong believer of destiny and i really thought at one point, because the pageant happened here in 1974 and actually my father was here around that time, i was really thinking that 2014, we would have to bring it here. “We were working on it, and just for whatever reason it didn’t happen. Whenever i go to the pageant, wherever it is held, there’s just so many amazing Filipino fans. so, when it didn’t Continued on Page 5

MMFF prepares for possible box office dip by izA iglesiAs ManilaTimes.net

NoT only did the selection of an all-independent line up as the eight official entries to the 42nd Metro Manila Film Festival come as a big surprise, but it also sparked a major controversy in the local movie industry, elating or disappointing, and offending or pleasing stakeholders and the public alike. The MMFF Executive Committee (ExeCom) defended the results of the Selection Committee whose members were conspicuously absent from the roundtable, save for Selection Committee Chair Dr. Nicanor Tiongson (founding member of the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino). Speaking for them, ExeCom member Boots roa-rodrigo said to begin with that the committee did not focus on whether the festival will succeed at the box office because they did had no distinction between mainstream and indie films in voting for the finalists. “I’m going to speak as two bodies—as head of Mowelfund (Movie Workers Welfare Foundation) and as member of MMFF Executive Committee,” she declared. “Historically, MMFF gives Mowelfund 70-percent of its operational costs

happen in 2014, I was incredibly disappointed. But now I realized, it was waiting for Pia to win. It taught me that patience is really, really important.” She also said that to have the pageant happen here is like paying tribute to her father and “coming full circle.” When asked to describe her working relationship with the reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach (the third Filipina to win the title after Gloria Diaz and Margie Moran), Paula said, “Everything I said about the Filipino people is perfectly embodied in Pia. She’s genuine, she’s real, she’s kind, she’s not perfect (laughs). The year has gone by so quickly and I’m glad we had the extra month with her.” She foresees a continuous working relationship with Pia even after she passes on the crown to

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Megan Young all set to host Miss World 2016 Titleholder refuses to predict Catriona Gray’s chances on Dec. 18. by Arlo

Custodio ManilaTimes.net

For the third year in a row, the Philippines’ first and only Miss World titleholder, Megan Lynne Young, is hosting the Miss World 2016 Pageant. Young flew to the US on (From left) ‘Oro’ director Alvin Yapan, forum moderator Wilson Lee Flores, Selection Committee Tuesday, Dec. 13 to return Chair Dr. Nicanor Tiongson, Executive Committee members Boots Anson Roa Rodrigo, Krip as presenter in the widelyYuson, Moira Lang and MMFF PR Head Noel Ferrer. participated beauty contest, which will have its coronation creating agencies like the Film through the year so and we adapt night on December 18 at Academy of the Philippines (FAP); [to that budget]with no complaints. the MGM National Harbor in reorganizing the Movie and The most important thing here is Television review and Classification Washington, DC. that the accounting, funding, and The actress-host turned (MTrCB); initiating the campaign finances are transparent. beauty queen first emceed the against film and video piracy; and “So if the earnings this year pageant in 2014, when she providing aid to movie workers becomes less, that is predictable also relinquished her crown to who are sick, meet accidents, and and also understandable. And successor rolene Strauss of South in death. we are ready if that happens. We Africa. The Philippine bet that Diminished box office returns will not take it negatively. What’s year, Valerie Weigmann, made it to is a very probable scenario for the important for us is that we should Top 25. Young once again hosted ExeCom given the departure from not lose resources to give to our Miss World 2015 in Sanya, China the yearly blockbuster franchises beneficiaries,” she continued. and players in the Magic 8. However, where Mireia Lalaguna of Spain The Mowelfund is credited for: won the crown. Miss Philippines they also believe that an excellent expanding the Metro Manila Film Hillarie Parungao, meanwhile, product pushed via a marketing Festival to a national event as the blitz, including word-of-mouth, may made it to Top 11. MMFF-P (Metro Manila Film Festival Young is happy that although still entice consumers to “take a bite” Philippines); rationalizing the movie her contract had expired with the of this new fare. industry with its contributions in

Miss U in Manila: A 15-year dream come... From Page 4

december 16-22, 2016 www.asianjournal.com

her successor. Pia, for her part, told The STAr that what she learned from Paula is going after what you want and what makes you happy. Paula said, “The organization is about women and for women, and being confident and being able to do whatever you want. Any woman can do whatever she wants and not let anyone tell her no. Everyone will tell you a million reasons why you can’t do one thing but you only need one good reason to try it. “We all hold ourselves back because we’re afraid. If you look at any time you haven’t achieved anything, everyone has a story that they didn’t try something because they were afraid. Women are guilty of that than men are. “And my goal is to really get women to challenge themselves. That’s what happens at Miss Universe. When you challenge

yourself and get up onstage, that’s not comfortable and everyone up there is scared to death. once you’ve survived that, you can survive anything.” Meanwhile, Paula said that audiences will be seeing a lot former Miss Universe winners from all over among the guests and judges in the upcoming pageant, which marks its 65th anniversary, a milestone year. She’s also open to the idea of having an all-former Miss U judging panel. “It’s a good idea, we’ll see.” Steve Harvey, who (in)famously committed the gaffe of announcing Miss Colombia as the winner (and not Pia) during the 2015 pageant finals in Las Vegas, is back as host. Paula recalled the shocking incident: “There was absolute chaos going on.” She said the talent

management firm IMG had just acquired the pageant (from then business tycoon and now incoming US president Donald Trump) two months earlier and the producers were all new. “Everybody had a different (view on) how do you handle somethin’. There’s no handbook on this and so, everybody just did the best they could and everybody handled it including Pia and Ariadna (Gutierrez, Miss Colombia) the best way possible.” Asked how she reacted the moment she learned a big mistake had been made, Paula shared: “oh gosh! Usually, I know who the winner is just seconds before, and for some reason (that) year, I was backstage and the producer said on the headset, ‘Do you want to know?’ And for some reason, I covered my ears and so I didn’t know when they announced Colombia. I said, okay, wow a repeat! Although I thought after her answer, Pia

Miss World organization, CEo Julia Morley still engages her services. She revealed she is well compensated when she works from them and that everything— from travel to accommodation—is perfectly arranged. Asked about the chances of Catriona Gray winning the second Miss World crown for the Philippines, the GMA Network actress said, “I really don’t know, it’s hard to expect [anything].” Explaining why, Young talked about her experience in Bali, Indonesia. “When I competed in 2013, I wasn’t thinking at all I would take home the crown. I [just]wanted the experience and to have fun during the pageant. It’s more heartening when you win without even expecting. That’s more surprising and more fulfilling,” she said. However, Morley’s favorite who is also said to be the best ever Miss World, shared the following thoughts about Gray: Young said the Philippine representative has the potential

was the winner, but well okay, that’s why I’m not a judge ‘cause I don’t know. And then all of a sudden, I realized (there was a mistake). People were running around, like what are we going to do? And our accounting firm Ernst & Young was going, ‘What happened?’ There was pandemonium!” The first thing she decided to do was to “get the card up the screens because I wanted everybody to see what the card says.” A shot of the official card, which read the Philippines, became widely-shared on social media. Then Paula ran back to the dressing room to find Ariadna and to apologize to all the contestants. “This is what’s amazing because I always tell the contestants that this is someone’s destiny (the Miss U crown). I saw Ariadna with fellow contestants who were consoling her. I started

Megan Young

to win especially since she has already made a strong presence landing in the Top 10 for Talent, and Top 24 in the Beauty With A Purpose advocacy videos. “That’s a good step for people there to notice her, that’s already one foot in the door. of course, I like her to win, we all do. But let’s see what happens. Let’s just keep on praying that the Philippines makes it,” Young said. to cry with her, and she was crying, and she turned to me and said, ‘It’s okay, it’s my destiny.’ She was great. At that point, I told her great things are gonna come to you, and they did! She had a great year.” Asked what she thought of Harvey’s move to immediately return on stage and rectify the blunder, she said, “I cannot imagine what Steve was going through. He was devastated. But there’s just one thing to do. And the fact that he did it, and did it graciously, says a lot about him. The fact that he’s so excited to come here to the Philippines, I think in some way, this is going to be some closure for him.” Nevertheless, in the coming Miss U, Paula assured with a wide smile that the announcement “will be the slowest read ever” to avoid any mistake. “I guarantee, it’s something that no one will repeat,” she said.

december 16-22, 2016 www.asianjournal.com

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA JOSHUA hurried outside the inn to the courtyard. A stranger summoned him for help. He had a mule tethered to a post. A badly beaten, wounded man who looked half-dead was splayed helplessly face down across the girth of the pack animal. “What happened?” Joshua asked. The stranger replied, “I came across this man on a deserted part of the roadway to Jericho. He was stripped naked, unconscious and bloodied all over. He was still alive, but barely. I couldn’t just leave him.” He paused and pleaded with Joshua, the innkeeper, “Can you help us?” Joshua sprang to action, “Let’s bring him inside quickly. I can have Luke look him over.”

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A new twist on an old tale — Micah of Samaria “… He opened his swollen eyes slightly seemingly regaining consciousness. The man moaned asking where he was. Then he drifted out once more. …” They carried the man inside and laid him in a bed in one of the rooms. Joshua quickly fetched the man he called Luke. He was a physician who spent much of his time writing. They hurried to the wounded man’s room. With his deft hands, Luke diagnosed the injured man’s condition and briskly gave instructions to Joshua to prepare warm water, oil, ointment and strips of clothing to bind the man’s wounds. The man’s breathing was shallow. He opened his swollen eyes slightly seemingly regaining

consciousness. The man moaned asking where he was. Then he drifted out once more. Luke felt his pulse. It was weak but steady. They ministered to him as best as they could. The man drifted in and out of consciousness but the bleeding had stopped. Seeing that there was no more they can do for the man at the moment, the three men left the room. “I am Micah from Samaria,” the man said. “I am Joshua,” the innkeeper replied, “and this is Luke.” Luke gazing at the two men with kind knowing eyes, nodded, acknowledging them both as he

Filipinos are giving love to Orange County children this Christmas! THe Federation of Filipino Rosary Groups in Orange County hosts the Annual Christmas Party for the County of Orange’s Children’s Center, in Orange, California. Children receive love, gifts, toys, music, food, and entertainment from the Filipino Federation every Christmas time. Below photo taken on December 10, 2016 shows the Filipino Choir, headed by Glen Puzon, that happily renders beautiful Christmas Carols for the children. The non-profit, religious Filipino Federation of Rosary Groups -Orange County which is composed by more than 1000 voluntary members and officers, has been in existence

since 1993 and it’s headed by Joseph Arevalo. This major Filipino organization provides the Annual Retreat, Rosary Rally, Fiesta ni Maria celebrations, and the Simbang Gabi during

Calendar of Events across

Christmas time” in Orange County, CA, aside from its support to different community outreach programs in Orange County. everyone is welcomed to join this Association.

America

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 D EC E M B E R 1 6 -1 7

Simbang Gabi at Christ the King Roman Catholic Church in Los Angeles Christ the King Roman Catholic Church will have Simbang Gabi on Friday, December 16 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, December 17 at 5 p.m. The church is located at 624 N. Rossmore Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90004. For more information, please call (323) 465-7605.

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SIPA’s 2nd annual toy drive & distribution in Los Angeles The Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) will have its second annual toy drive and distribution in Los Angeles on Saturday, December 17. The toy drive will be from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.; please bring in an unwrapped toy for children between the ages of 0-15 years old or make a $25 donation to SIPA. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. there will be a toy distribution by the Purist Group, SCPASA & special celebrity guests. Activities include free kids haircuts by celebrity barber JayR Mallari and holiday music by DJ Icy Ice. Light food and drink will be provided. The event is free and open to the public. SIPA is located at 3200 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026.

Alpha Phi Omega (Philippines) Alumni of Greater Los Angeles’ anniversary celebration Alpha Phi Omega (Philippines) Alumni of Greater Los Angeles (APOGLA) will have its 36th anniversary celebration with the theme “Christmas in the Inland Empire” on Saturday, December 17. Registration and no-host cocktails will take place between 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. while buffet dinner will start at 7 p.m. During the event, the organization’s new officers will be inducted. The event will be held at the Double Tree by Hilton on 222 N. Vineyard Ave., Ontario, California 91764. To RSVP, please contact Bro. Rocky Marte at rsmarte@ sbcglobal.net or at (626) 482-3410.

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Consular outreach mission in Miami, Florida The Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C., in cooperation with the Philippine Nurses Association of America, Inc. - Central Florida Chapter, the Filipino-American Association of Pensacola, Inc., and the Philippine Honorary Consulate in Miami, is pleased to announce that it will conduct a consular outreach mission in Pensacola on Saturday and Sunday, October 17 and 18 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Services offered include: Philippine passport applications; legalization of documents (acknowledgment, authentication, etc.); and receipt of reports of birth, marriage and death. No applications for dual citizenship will be accepted at this time, as oaths of allegiance must be administered by the Philippine Consul General or Consul. For an appointment, please email consular@philippineusa.org and copy furnish honcon.miami@gmail.com. The Philippine Honorary Consulate in Miami is located at 12/F 1200 Brickell Ave., Miami, Florida 33131.

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Cathedral Chapel of St. Vibiana Parish in Los Angeles hosts Simbang Gabi oin the community on Sunday, December 18 at 5 p.m. and Monday, December 19 at 7 p.m. for Simbang Gabi celebrations. The church is located at 923 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036. For more information, please call (323) 930-5676.

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Simbang Gabi at St. Basil’s Church in Los Angeles St. Basil’s Church is hosting Simbang Gabi at on both Tuesday, December 20 and Wednesday, December 21. The church is located at 637 S. Kingsley Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90005. For more information, please call (213) 381-6191.

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Simbang Gabi at St. Brendan Church in Los Angeles Everyone is invited to Simbang Gabi at St. Brendan Church in Los Angeles at 7 p.m. on both Thursday, December 22 and Friday, December 23. The church is located at 310 S. Van Ness Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90020. For more information, please call (323) 936-4656.

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

neighbors are. He refused the two silver coins Micah was giving him. Joshua felt good doing his bit for the wounded man. Joshua went about his day with a lighter heart. He felt sure God made him an innkeeper to meet people on the crossroads. Since that glorious night long ago when he witnessed something rare, precious and mysterious in a childbirth at the stable at the back of the inn that only a few men had ever seen, stories have been unfolding right before his eyes. People and their stories have been opening up his heart and enriching his soul. Joshua often regaled his wife and children with these stories at the dinner table. He thought that maybe one day when the time is ripe, he could share these stories with as many others who cared to listen. These stories are just too good to keep to one’s self. Maybe he can tell Luke who can then write about these stories to pass them on to many generations. Samuel, the wounded man, was in deep thought too. He felt sure the priest and the Levite who had both passed him by were going to help him in his hour of need. They were supposedly men of God. Samuel was a man of some means and had given generously to the temple’s coffers. He even sat with these men in places of honor. Like them, he grew up bound by tradition and despised Samaritans. And yet, here he is, still alive by an unexpected grace. Here he still is because of a surprising deed of kindness from a man whose tribe people thought, including himself, were good for nothing. He closed his eyes and felt deep shame and remorse. Samuel knew he could never repay the kindness this Samaritan man Micah had given him. Yet, Samuel now knows in his heart he can look at Samaritans and perhaps, even other groups who worshiped the same God, with fresh eyes and treat them like his own. ***

went back to his writing. Micah stayed with the injured man through the night, lying down on a cot on one side of the room for short naps in-between while Luke checked in on the man’s condition from time to time during the night. Joshua made sure there is food for Micah and enough oil for the lamp that burned faintly in one corner of the room. It looked like the man was going to make it. He said a prayer of thankfulness. Micah was up early. He had pressing business to attend to. He looked in on the wounded man. He set aside two silver coins for the man’s care. Micah made a mental note to stop by the inn on his way back. He wanted to cover any other cost. Sometime during the day, the wounded man opened his eyes and saw he was in a strange room. His body ached all over and his head was spinning. He was hungry and thirsty and was about to call out when Joshua entered the room. “How are you feeling?” Joshua asked him. He had a tray of warm food and a flask of wine with him. The man groaned in reply. Joshua placed the tray of food beside the man. He had great difficulty eating and swallowing but he must have been truly famished. He cleaned up what was on the tray. Joshua asked as he sat down on a chair, “ So tell me. What happened?” The man answered, “A band of four robbers sprang up on me while I was traveling on a deserted road on my way to Jericho. They beat me up so badly and left me for dead. They took all I had, even my clothing.” The man continued, “Hours had passed when I saw someone, coming up the road. He was garbed like a priest. I shouted for help and he saw me. Alas, he went on the other side of the road and hurried along. No one else came for hours. My heart was sinking. And then, in what seemed to be forever, a Levite came by and saw me but he too could not be bothered and went to the other side of the road and went on his way.” He paused for a while and said,

“I was losing hope. I asked God for mercy to send someone, anyone to help me. The sun was going down and it will soon be cold and dark when I saw someone coming up the road. He was riding in a mule. I managed yet again to shout for help. This time, the man stopped, got off his animal and quickly hurried to where I lay bleeding. I must have passed out since that was the last time I remembered anything.” Joshua told him, “The man who brought you here saved you just in time. God heard your prayer. A physician has been treating you.” Joshua looked at him squarely and added, “The man who saved you is named Micah, a Samaritan. He was up all night looking after you. ” Samuel’s swollen eyes grew wide. Joshua noted the man seemed stunned at knowing who had saved him. “I’m the innkeeper. I’m Joshua. What is yours?” he asked him. “Sam … Samuel from Jerusalem,” the man stammered. Joshua nodded, stood up and took the tray away. “Well, rest and feel better,” he told him in a quiet voice, headed for the door and left the room. Joshua thought to himself as he went about his day. In the many years he had been an innkeeper, he knew Jews and Samaritans took great pains to avoid one other. They were like oil and water. They just did not mix. Jews considered Samaritans as half-breeds, inferior in every way, since they had married pagans and had included pagan rituals in their worship. In the Jewish tradition, they were outcasts, tolerated but not welcome. Joshua guessed Samaritans probably felt just as resentful toward Jews. They probably regarded Jews as high-handed, arrogant stiffs, rigidly set and unbending in their ways and traditions. So deep was the resentment between them that Samaritans and Jews did not even talk to each other. But now somehow Joshua knew it did not have to be so. He knew and felt better about this bit of wisdom about who true

Health@Heart

Appetite regulators

eating. It controls the appetite. This “satiety hormone” is produced by fat cells in the body. When a PhiliP S. ChuA, person loses weight, the leptin Md, FACS, FPCS level in the blood stream also IN this day and age of goes down. As a result, there is a health consciousness and the “rebound” weight gain. The best appreciation of the value and role strategy for losing and maintaining of weight on longevity, interest a desired weight level is to lose in a in weight control and dieting is slow and steady pace, about one to greater than ever, especially during two pounds a week, and not more. holiday seasons. This leads to the In this manner, there will still be an question as to what controls our effective level of leptin in the body appetite. to control the urge to eat. What triggers hunger and What’s the effect of satiety? imbalance meals? The urge to eat (hungry or not) A high carbohydrate diet is, to a large extent, controlled by (rice, bread, sugar, pop drinks, ice hormones in our body. And these cream, and other sweets) leads to hormones fluctuate depending a faster metabolism of these food on how much sleep we get, what items that have high glycemic types of food we eat and how indices and floods the bloodstream much calories we take in, and with a high glucose level. This is on how much physical activities why those who eat a lot of these we indulge in daily. Scientific food items (rice is a great culprit!) researchers are focusing on four are feared to have a higher risk specific substances they call of developing type 2 diabetes. “fat hormones,” which our own Personally, much as I loved rice endocrine glands in the body (a three-meal rice addict), I had produce. There are hormones that decided to give it up following all make one eat and there are also the convincing scientific evidence hormones that signal the brain today of its link to diabetes. to tell the person to stop eating. Could this be the reason why the These substances control hunger incidence of diabetes is very high and satiety. among Asians, especially among Which is the “hunger Filipinos? The research on this is hormone”? still in progress. The hunger hormone is How about emotional stress? Ghrelin, which is secreted by our When one is high on stress and guts (stomach and intestines). low on energy, the body tries to When its level goes up, we feel compensate by producing more hungry and have the urge to eat. cortisol hormone. This substance The level of Ghrelin goes up when mobilizes the blood sugar we get less sleep or not enough transformation (glycogen into sleep. This is the reason why those glucose) and increases the blood who are trying to lose weight sugar level to provide energy. should get adequate amount But it makes the person hungry. (about eight hours) of sleep. An And so the person eats more. imbalance meal and stress also The connection between cortisol elevate the Ghrelin level. Food level and obesity is not a settled deprivation obviously increases question yet. Physical stress, like the Ghrelin level, hence it is better regimented physical exercises to keep the level of this hormone daily, is another story. This has a on an even keel and not fluctuate positive effect on our body in more too much by eating regularly (or ways than one. While it also raises even more than three times a day) the cortisol level and increases but at a controlled total calorie blood sugar, exercise burns ceiling, to maintain health and calories and also helps put our body weight. So, starving oneself body hormones in good balance. is not a good way to lose weight, As a matter of fact, those who do since this will lead to a Ghrelin daily exercises have a lower risk of “boomerang” in the latter part of developing heart attack, stroke, the day. diabetes, and cancer. Which is the “satiety What is Obestatin? hormone”? This is a hormone recently The opposite or counteridentified by researchers at hormone, which is called Leptin, Stanford. This substance has been signals the brain when to stop shown to slow down the digestive

Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com

process. While the studies on Obestatin are still ongoing, it is postulated that this hormone, like the first three above, could be held in check by adequate sleep, balanced diet, physical exercise and minimizing stress. Are appetite suppressants safe? Most appetite control pills, juices, solutions and powders on the market are not physiological, and are unnatural ways to suppress (by force) the appetite for weight control. While they are readily available and very popular, they have potential adverse side effects on the heart, liver, kidneys and brain in the long haul. Some serious complications, and even deaths, have been reported from the use of these diet substances. Since greater calorie intake than output causes an increase in body weight, the safest, most natural, strategy is to eat less and burn more calories with physical exercises, making the output of calories (energy) greater than the intake of calories (food). The use of appetite suppressants could be dangerous. Consult with your physician before using any of them. The main objective of this column is to educate and inspire people, especially parents, whose way of life inevitably impacts the health of their children, to live a healthy lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities, and achieve a happier and more productive life for themselves and for their offspring. My articles are general medical information for the public and are not intended to be applicable to or appropriate for anyone. The data, statistics, and personal commentaries presented here are not a substitute for, or inferred to be superior to, the professional opinion and recommendation of your physician, who knows your total condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com

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