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Volume 23 - No. 52 • 2 Sections - 16 Pages
jaNuary 6-12, 2017 Also published in LOS ANGELES, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, NEw YORk/NEw JERSEY
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Robredo: I never talked about Duterte ouster with Goldberg by Helen
Flores Philstar.com
mANILA – Vice President Leni robredo said on Wednesday, Jan. 4 that she met former Us ambassador Philip Goldberg only twice in social events months ago and there was never any discussion about ousting President rodrigo Duterte during their brief encounters. robredo made the clarification anew after she was asked by report-
Former US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip S. Goldberg appeared with Vice President Leni Robredo at a forum on strengthening health programs in Muslim areas in Mindanao in October last year. Photo by USAID Surge
DATELINE
USA
from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA
115th Congress sworn in, agenda targets Obama initiatives the United states’ 115th Congress was sworn into office on tuesday, January 3, ushering a GoP-controlled Legislative Branch. thirty-four senators and the entire house of representatives was sworn in, including speaker of the house sen. Paul ryan (rWisconsin). once President-elect Donald trump is inaugurated on January 20, the GoP will be in control of both the executive and Legislative branches —the first time in a decade. that being said, the future of several key initiatives from President Barack obama look bleak, especially the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as obamacare. the dismantling of obamacare — which has been a fixture in the republican agenda since obama entered office in 2008 — is likely to happen after republican lawmakers announced a bill that may repeal the law within the next month. Democrats fear that repealing obamacare will leave millions of Americans without health care. Although the future of PAGE A2
Filipino-American participants celebrate history, promote heart health awareness at 2017 Rose Parade CLoUDy skies could not hamper the high spirits of thousands of cheering spectators who lined the five-and-a-half mile route of the 128th tournament of roses Parade in the City of Pasadena, California on monday, January 2. A collection of 41 floats, 19 marching bands and 20 equestrian units from across the country captivated people of all ages and walks of life who came out to witness the iconic celebration of the New year. “the vibes from everybody, everyone’s energy, it’s really cool!” said filipino-American snare drummer Kai Domingo, who had marched in three prior rose Parades with the Los Angeles Unified school District’s All City Band. “It’s a thrill,” he told the Asian Journal at the sidelines of monday’s spectacle. filipino Americans were also among the PAGE A3
ers in tiwi, Albay about her supposed involvement in the alleged oust Duterte movement and rumors that the former Us envoy prepared a blueprint to topple the president. “I don’t believe that there is such a thing as (oust Duterte movement). Ambassador Goldberg and I had two encounters, first is during an event and second is when he paid a courtesy call in my office,” she said. “We didn’t talk about the presiPAGE A2
US gov’t downplays PH defense ties with Russia by Jose
KatigbaK Philstar.com
WAshINGtoN – Any bilateral defense ties between the Philippines and russia will not affect how the United states views the importance of its bilateral relationship with the Philippines, a long time ally, state Department spokesman John Kirby said.
he said the defense relationship between the United states and the Philippines remains “very, very strong.” “our overall mil-to-mil relations remain robust, they remain multifaceted and that’s the way we want STRENGTHENING TIES. Russian marines attached to the visiting anti-submarine ship Admiral Tributs show their to see it continue,” Kirby added. In recent months President strength and skills using hollow blocks and a sledgehammer during a demonstration in Rizal Park in Manila on PAGE A2
Thursday, Jan. 5.
Philstar.com photo by Miguel De Guzman
Filipino Lakers fan wins $95K after sinking half court shot by Dana
sioson AJPress
Jerald Acoba of Tulare said he plans to buy his mom a new car after winning $95,000. Photo from LA Lakers’ Twitter account
A fILIPINo Lakers fan on tuesday, JanuaA filipino Lakers fan on tuesday, January 3, took home $95,000 after hitting an improbable half-court shot during a Los Angeles Lakers game at the staples Center. Between the third and fourth quarters, Jerald Acoba, from tulare, California, sank the Aria Big shot Jackpot contest. following his successful shot, the 30-
year-old pointed at his wrists, mimicking D’Angelo russell’s trademark “ice in my veins.” “It’s good to see a lot of fans keeping that ‘ice in the veins’ going,” russell said after the game, according to reports from NBA.com. “I appreciate everybody for that. that’s a lot of money, man. take care of it.” Acoba told the crowd that he plans to buy his mother a new car with the money he won. he said that he wanted to upgrade
his parent’s old van. “she’s always been there for me when I need her,” Acoba said. “she’s always there to help me out. It’s my turn to repay the favor to her.” Acoba went to watch the game with his wife, Lenslie, and his nieces. he is the fifth winner of the Lakers’ Big shot Jackpot and also the second winner for this season. “It’s surreal right now,” Acoba said. “I can’t believe it’s just happening right now.”
The AsiAn JournAl YeArend reporT
A year of political surprises, uncertainty in US-PH relations and more WIth 2016 now behind us, the Asian Journal editorial team takes a look back at the top news stories of the past year. from the elections of Donald trump and rodrigo Duterte as the presidents of the United states and the Philippines, respectively, to longawaited recognition for filipino World War II veterans, the Asian Journal has been there reporting as these stories unfolded, and how they have impacted filipinos in the United states and around the globe. here is our roundup of top issues and events — broken down by month — that have dominated the front pages of our six editions: January PH Supreme Court rules EDCA constitutional the Philippine supreme Court on tuesday, Jan. 12, upheld the constitutionality of an executive agreement between the Philippines and the United states that permits increased rotational presence of Us military troops in the country. In a 10-4-1 vote, the top court ruled in favor of the enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (eDCA), which was signed by the Philippines and U.s. in 2014 but was not implemented due to legal challenges. the agreement, which has a 10-year lifespan, also allows U.s. troops access to Philippine military bases. the
Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtbach
decision comes amid the ongoing dispute between the Philippines and China regarding conflicting claims in the south China sea. Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach returns to PH after win more than a month after she was crowned as miss Universe 2015, Pia Wurtzbach returned home to the Philippines. Wurtzbach arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on January 23 after triumphing at the international beauty pageant held in Las Vegas in 2015. It was later followed by a Grand
Pres. Benigno Aquino III was conferred an Honorary Degree in Humane Letters by the Loyola Marymount University. Photo from Pia.gov.ph
homecoming Parade on January 25, where she received a warm welcome from her fans and thousands of fellow filipinos. During the coronation night on December 20, the pageant’s host steve harvey, incorrectly announced miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez as the winner instead of Wurtzbach. February PH Pres. Benigno Aquino visits LA Fil-Am community, earns honorary degree from Loyola Marymount University more than 800 members of filipino
community groups from the southwestern United states gathered in Los Angeles to hear Philippine President Benigno Aquino speak about the progress of the country. some of the achievements under Aquino’s leadership include 91 percent of health coverage of filipinos, the country’s reputation as one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia, and the addition of 180,000 classrooms around the nation. earlier in his trip, Aquino received an honorary Doctor of humane Letters PAGE A2
A
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january 6-12, 2017 • OC/IE aSIan jOurnaL
From the Front Page
Robredo: I never talked about... PAGE A1 dent. What we discussed was the bilateral relations between the US and the Philippines,” Robredo said. Goldberg made a courtesy call on Robredo in her office in Quezon City in August last year, more than a month after she assumed her post as vice president.
They also attended a forum on strengthening health programs in Muslim areas in Mindanao at the Heritage Hotel in Pasay City in October last year. Photos of them together in both occasions were widely tweeted and retweeted in social media. The vice president said instead
of calling for the President’s removal from office, the public should ask him to listen to their sentiments. Robredo said she has not talked to the president since she was barred from attending Cabinet meetings last month. “I tried but it appears that he doesn’t want to talk to me,” she said. Robredo, however, said she and the president are not enemies. “Let’s just give him time,” she said. Robredo also said the Liberal Party (LP), which she chairs, has no capability of ousting Duterte, with only a few members remaining in the party. Many LP members shifted to the president’s party PDP-Laban following his election. “I think it’s obvious that the Liberal Party is no longer powerful. How many of us remain in the party right now?” she said. “It became a joke among us that the LP now has become a Volkswagen,” she said. “Maybe the party was strong during President Aquino’s term, but now we are only a few in the party,” Robredo said. She said LP members are talking informally among themselves on the possible directions it would take in the future, but the party has yet to formally convene. Palace hits VP Presidential spokesman Undersecretary Ernesto Abella assailed Robredo for criticizing the administration’s alleged slow assistance to the victims of recent Typhoon Nina, even as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) admitted it does not knothole enough manpower to provide the relief goods to the household level. Abella accused Robredo of capitalizing on disaster to hit Duterte and his administration over the issue. “The remark Ms. Robredo made saying that the relief operations were slow suggests a cynical political mindset willing to capitalize on disaster,” Abella said. Instead of appreciating the response of the concerned government agencies and officials, AbelPAGE A4
US gov’t downplays PH defense... PAGE A1 Duterte, seething at the outgoing Obama administration’s criticism of extrajudicial killings in his war on drugs, has been moving to lessen the country’s foreign military dependence on the United States and veering toward Russia and China. “I’d let the Philippine government and the Russian government speak to the degree of their bilateral defense relations and how that is taking shape. I’ve said many times – and this is a good example of it – that foreign relations aren’t binary. Right? And these choices that countries have to make are not binary choices, and every nation-state has the right to pur-
sue bilateral relations of its own choosing,” Kirby said in a press briefing. “And so again, I would leave it to both of their governments to discuss it. What it – what I can promise you is that it won’t affect how we view the importance of our bilateral relationship with the Philippines,” he said. Russian anti-submarine ship Admiral Tributs and tanker Boris Butoma made port call at the Manila South Harbor. In September, Duterte announced that he would establish alliances with China and Russia as part of his independent foreign policy. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the Philip-
pines and Russia have agreed to speed up work on a legal framework and plan of action for cooperative activities aimed at enhancing Philippines-Russia defense engagement. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana visited Moscow last month and discussed with Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov expanding Philippines-Russia defense cooperation. The visit was a first for a Philippine defense chief since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries 40 years ago. It also came on the heels of a meeting between President Duterte and President Vladimir Putin in Lima, Peru last Nov. 19.
115th Congress sworn in, agenda targets...
PAGE A1 Obamacare doesn’t look good, Democratic lawmakers are committed to fighting to sustain it. “We have the responsibility and the power to lift the lives and the hopes of the American people. Yet every American should know: if there’s any attempt to destroy Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security or ACA, we will stand our ground,” Democratic Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said on Twitter. But, as Republican lawmakers previously mentioned, conservative lawmakers are seeking to replace it through bills and proposals under the Committee on Ways and Means. “We’re doing what we promised,” Rep. Doug Collins (RGeorgia) said. “What we have seen so much with Obamacare is that what has happened is that what sounded good turned out to be a disaster.” Republicans also plan to do away with the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. The law — which was a direct response to the 2008 financial crisis — brought significant regulations and reform to the financial system and sought to prevent another Great Recession. Collins proposed a bill called the Reins Act, which would essentially make it easier for Congress to eliminate multiple regulations at once.
“We’re simply saying, you’re not going to be able to do these in the undercover agencies with people not having input and knowing what happens,” Collins said of his new bill. Some of other Republicanbased ideals this Congress has planned include cutting funding toward Medicaid, repeal the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, privatizing Veteran’s care and cutting taxes. Although minority representation remains low, the 115th Congress features the widest array of ethnic and gender representation than any Congress in U.S. history. Asian American and Latino representations is at an all-time high with 15 Asian Americans and 38 Latinos serving in both houses. Female representation is also at a record high with 21 women serving in the Senate. Moreover, there is a record four women of color serving in the Senate: Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Kamala Harris (D-California). Cortez Masto is the first Latina to ever be elected to the U.S. Senate. Trump criticizes House Republicans on ethics office In a shocking move that ruffled feathers, House Republicans voted behind closed doors on the night of Monday, January
2 to put Congress’ ethics office — which independent from both houses — under the control of the House of Representatives’ ethics committee. However, the vote was dropped after President-elect Donald Trump criticized House Republicans for the move, which he considered a reverse to his call to “drain the swamp” — his promise to end corruption in Washington. “With all that Congress has to work on, do they really have to make the weakening of the Independent Ethics Watchdog, as unfair as it is may be, their number one act and priority. Focus on tax reform, health care and so many other things of far greater importance! #DTS,” Trump tweeted on Tuesday morning. The move — which was only a part of the House’s rules set for approval on Tuesday by the new Congress — was intended to restrict the powers of the independent office. However, the reversal may only be temporary as Republican leadership confirmed a bipartisan effort later in the year to negotiate with other Congress members on the issue. The independent ethics office was established during the recession in 2008 after three Congress members were jailed for involvement in corrupt scandals. (Klarize Medenilla/AJ Press)
Duterte, Robredo elected president & vice president of the Philippines
A year of political surprises, uncertainty...
PAGE A1
degree from Loyola Marymount University for his administration’s work in improving the lives of Filipinos. Manny Pacquiao under fire for homophobic statements Filipino boxing champ Manny Pacquiao apologized on Tuesday, Feb. 16 after he said that those who are in same-sex relationships are “worse than animals.” In an interview with TV5 network, Pacquiao — who ran in the Senate under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) party — was asked to share his views on same-sex marriage. Responding to the backlash, Pacquiao issued an apology on social media for his remarks, saying he was “just telling the truth of what the Bible says,” however, he said his stance on same-sex marriage remains unchanged. The boxer was criticized by local and international figures and was dropped by Nike as an endorser. March Obama visits Cuba, re-opens diplomatic ties President Barack Obama made history on Sunday, March 20 when he became the first sitting president to visit Cuba since 1928. Human rights and a potential end to a 54-year-old economic embargo were among the topics discussed by Obama and his Cuban counterpart, President Raul Castro. Obama also visited the recently reopened U.S. Embassy in Havana and paid tribute to Cuban independence hero Jose Marti during his trip. At the outset of his journey, the American president said the island nation was ripe for change and later encouraged the Cuban people to play an active role in their country’s future. Fil-Am director of “Inside Out” wins Oscar Filipino-American Ronnie
del Carmen, co-director of the Pixar Film “Inside Out,” bagged this year’s Best Animated Feature Film at the 88th Academy Awards. Del Carmen, who hails from Cavite, is the first Filipino to co-direct a Pixar film, and, at the same time, the first Filipino to win an Oscar award. “Inside Out” was also the seventh Pixar movie to win an Oscar. April Gov. Jerry Brown signs bill making CA’s min. wage $15/hour California, along with New York, became the first states to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2022. The California legislation will raise the statewide minimum to $10.50 on Jan. 1 for businesses with 26 or more workers, the first of several incremental increases to $15, with future raises tied to inflation. Smaller businesses will have an additional year to phase in each increase. The law follows measures in Los Angeles and San Francisco, among other cities, to gradually raise their own minimum wages to $15. It is expected to affect millions of low-wage workers and businesses that employ them, especially in the state’s agriculture, restaurant and retail industries. By 2022, a full-time minimumwage worker would see annual earnings increase to $30,000 from $20,000 today. Canadian hostage beheaded by Abu Sayyaf Canadian John Ridsdel was beheaded by the Abu Sayyaf after Canada’s refusal to pay the terrorists his ransom. Ridsdel and his companions — another Canadian Robert Hall, Kjartan Sekkingstad of Norway and Hall’s Filipino girlfriend, Marites Flor — were abducted at a resort in Samal Island, Davao in September 2015 and were taken to the island of
Jolo. In November, the terrorists demanded $80 million for their release. In March, the group set a one-month deadline, then released a final 10-day warning in mid-April, setting April 25 as the last date to receive a ransom payment. Hall, the other Canadian, was beheaded in June. May Duterte, Robredo elected president & vice president of the Philippines After a tumultuous campaign, former Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Camarines Sur Representative Leni Robredo won as president and vice president of the Philippines, respectively. Based on the final official tally, Duterte won the presidential race with 16,601,997 votes beating out other aspirants, including former Vice Pres. Jejomar Binay, Sen. Grace Poe, former Interior Sec. Mar Roxas, and the late Sen. Miriam Defensor- Santiago. The mayor’s victory was in spite of accusations of having ties to death squads in Davao, his hands-on style of leadership and off-color remarks. For vice president, the race was tight, as the numbers were a cliffhanger between Robredo and closest rival, Bongbong Marcos. In the months following the election, Marcos filed a protest with the Presidential Electoral Tribunal for election fraud against Robredo. Filipino World War II veterans can reunite with family under new parole program A new policy introduced by the White House is now helping Filipino World War II veterans be reunited with their families in the U.S. The policy will allow certain family members of veterans who fought in the second world war to seek parole under a program set up by the Dept. of PAGE A3
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Dateline USa
Filipino-American participants celebrate history... PAGE A1 riders and marchers at the annual event. Recognizing Filipino World War II Veterans This year, a historical society commemorating the legacy of a U.S. Army unit made up of Filipino soldiers was featured for the first time in the parade’s history. The Philippine Scouts Heritage Society (PSHS), a nationwide living history group, made its Rose Parade debut on Monday. The 26th Ceremonial Mounted Unit (CMU) of the PSHS’s Nininger chapter in Los Angeles rode proudly down Colorado Boulevard fully adorned in World War II regalia. “It’s a great honor,” PSHS Membership Chair Gil Mislang told the Asian Journal during a phone interview on Saturday, December 31. “We also worked very hard to get in there so that the Filipino soldiers can be shown to the world.” Members of the 26th CMU paid thousands of dollars to cover their own equestrian maintenance and transportation costs in order to take part in Monday’s parade as well as other events held throughout the year, according to Mislang. He said the PSHS’s efforts seek to do more than educate people about the sacrifices made by the Philippine Scouts. They also celebrate the history of cooperation between the militaries of the Philippines and America, as well as the triumph of Filipinos who started families in the U.S. That mission reflects the theme of this year’s parade, “Echoes of Success.” In 2016, American lawmakers helped take the hidden history of the Philippine Scouts out of the shadows. On Thursday, December 15, President Barack Obama signed legislation that awards Filipino veterans of WWII with the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal. Despite progress made last year, Mislang admitted that more still needs to be done in order to bring the contributions of those soldiers out of obscurity. He and other people working to bring recognition to the Philippine Scouts are pushing for the passage of California Assembly Bill 199, which would add the stories of Filipino soldiers into the history curriculum of the state’s public schools. Promoting heart health Every person’s education
Wiener Kaiser Health News
AJPress Photos by Eric Anthony Licas
should also include cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). It invited Filipina-American Celine Showman, a cardiac arrest survivor, to ride on the organization’s parade float to help bring awareness to health issues affecting Filipinos and many other people in the U.S. In 2007, the resident of Oceanside, California had been momentarily declared deceased after her heart stopped beating while she was out to dinner with her daughter, Megan. “It didn’t feel real. It felt like I was watching a movie,” said Showman’s daughter, who began screaming for help after watching her mother unexpectedly collapse. During a phone interview with the Asian Journal on Thursday, December 22, she went on to say “I was freaking out because no one was doing anything.” Showman could have died or suffered permanent brain damage that day, surrounded by helpless bystanders. Thankfully, an ambulance was nearby and a group of three Navy Corpsmen who happened to be having dinner at the same restaurant stepped in to administer life-saving CPR. The experience was a wakeup call for Showman, who has since maintained a healthier, less stressful lifestyle. “I was on the go, working 50 to
60 hours a week, and not getting enough sleep,” Showman told the Asian Journal on Thursday. After the incident, Showman took stock of her circumstances, refocused her priorities on her family and loved ones, and learned to let go of unnecessary stressors. She has also led and participated in efforts to raise awareness of heart health concerns in her community. On Monday, Showman and other survivors of cardiovascularrelated issues rode on the AHA’s float titled “Keep the Beat Alive” to promote CPR training and healthy living. The AHA’s entry won the Judges’ Special Trophy in this year’s event. Despite the gray weather and abundant competition for good viewing positions, most of those who came out for Monday’s celebration left with a smile. “The first time I saw [the Rose Parade live], it was pretty impressive, but I think, through the years, it’s gotten bigger,” Filipino-American Manny Zamora, a system’s analyst for the city of Los Angeles, told Asian Journal while in attendance of the parade on Monday. Later in the day, University of Southern California football fans found an extra reason to cheer after the Trojans claimed victory in a hotly contested Rose Bowl game over Penn State’s Nittany Lions. (Eric Anthony Licas/AJPress)
A year of political surprises, uncertainty...
PAGE A2 Homeland Security (DHS). It is estimated that as many as 26,000 Filipino vets (of the over 260,000 who fought) are U.S. citizens, and their petitions for family members in the Philippines have to wait as long as more than 20 years due to statutory visa caps. Decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis for a temporary period of time based upon “urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.” June U.S. Supreme Court fails to decide on Obama’s immigration orders On Thursday, June 23, the U.S. Supreme Court arrived at a deadlocked decision on a landmark case concerning President Barack Obama’s immigration policies, leaving 5 million undocumented immigrants uncertain of their future. The 4-4 ruling delayed a definitive judgment on the president’s executive order that would have implemented the Deferred Action for Parents of US Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) and granted expansions to the championed Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The tied ruling further ignited the ongoing national conversation concerning immigration reform in the contentious election year with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s strict immigration promises and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s commitment to creating a pathway to citizenship. Orlando, Florida nightclub shooting claims 49 lives A terrorist attack in an Orlando gay nightclub on Sunday, June 12 claimed the lives of 49 people and injured 53 others. The attack occurred at around 2 a.m. and witnesses said the gunman fired shots into the crowd with an assault rifle before police arrived on the scene. A gunfight with police ensued which prompted
In this July 7, 2015 photo, legal counsels and representatives from the Philippines argue on the tribunal’s jurisdiction over the case against China on the South China Sea dispute.
the shooter to retreat to the club bathroom, holding hostages in a three-hour stand-off. That was followed by a second gun battle which killed the shooter. There was no evidence that suggested that the perpetrator, Omar Mateen of Fort Pierce, Florida, was tied to any major terrorist group, but the FBI had interviewed him twice regarding comments he made to co-workers about radical Islamic propaganda in 2013 and 2014. July Philippines wins arbitration case against China On July 12, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in the The Hague sided with the Philippines and ruled that China has no legal basis over its territorial claims in South China Sea. After several months of deliberations, the Tribunal declared China’s claim to ‘historic rights’ to resources within the sea areas that fall within the ‘nine-dash line’ as invalid. According to the Court, China also violated the Philippines’ sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone by interfering with Philippine fishing and petroleum exploration, constructing artificial islands, and failing to prevent Chinese fishermen from fishing in the zone. The Philip-
Hidilyn Diaz won the silver medal in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
pines filed its case at the PCA in 2013 after engaging with China in a stand-off in 2012. China, which refused to take part in the proceedings, has said it will not recognize the ruling and will continue to take measures to protect its sovereignty over the disputed sea. Clinton, Trump win nominations for respective parties On the final night of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, Donald J. Trump defied the odds and clinched the Republican nomination for president, garnering a whopping 1,725 delegate votes. Some Filipino-American Republicans shared their praise for the results, saying they believe Trump’s family, religious and business values will benefit the community. The following week at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton formally became the Democratic presidential nominee, making history as the first woman to be on the top ticket of a major U.S. political party. Many Democratic Filipino Americans expressed faith in the seasoned politician and saw Clinton’s nomination as an open door for more representation of women as well as ethnic minorities in the government. August PH wins Silver Medal at 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil The Philippines has earned its first Olympic medal in 20 years after Filipina weightlifter, Hidilyn Diaz, won the silver medal in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games held in Brazil. Diaz, who hails from Zamboanga city, scored 88 in snatch and 112 in clean and jerk, with a total of 200 points. Chinese Taipei’s Hsu Shu-Ching won the division with a score of 212, while PAGE A4
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Fear of deportation, hate crimes reportedly threaten mental health of young Californians by Jocelyn
The Philippine Scouts Heritage Society made its Rose Parade debut on Monday, January 1.
OC/IE ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARy 6-12, 2017
IN the months leading up to the presidential election, Guillermo and his friends at Oakland International High School had a running joke. “If Donald Trump wins,” they’d tease each other, “go buy some suitcases.” Then they’d laugh. They didn’t think the candidate who was threatening to deport millions of undocumented immigrants stood a chance. Guillermo, an 18-year-old senior, fled gang violence and police corruption in El Salvador three years ago. California Healthline is not using his last name at his request because he fears jeopardizing his quest for legal status in this country. The night of the election, Guillermo flipped on the television to check the news while celebrating his father’s birthday. “Look,” he told a friend, “Trump’s ahead.” The next morning, he arrived at school to find teachers and other staff in tears. “I felt a little strange,” he said. The scenario that had seemed impossible a day earlier was suddenly very real. Some kids still joked about being kicked out of the country, but the humor had a new edge to it. Around the country, children and adolescents who are undocumented immigrants or who have undocumented family members, are experiencing a surge in stress, depression and anxiety, advocates, educators and mental health providers say. The same is true for young people belonging to other groups targeted by threats or hate crimes, including Muslim and transgender youth. Reports of these mental health concerns remain mostly anecdotal so far. Keith Humphreys, a professor of psychiatry at Stanford University, says it would be too soon to try to quantify the impact of the election on people’s mental health. But he believes this election has been “uniquely scarring.” Specifically, he says, members of groups that have been targeted by hateful rhetoric are now uncertain whom they can trust. He lists, among others, Muslims, Jews, Latinos, AfricanAmericans and women and victims of sexual assault. During his campaign, Donald Trump announced plans to cre-
ate a Muslim registry and to immediately deport as many as 3 million people upon taking office. A tape recording of his remarks about grabbing women by their genitals was widely reported. In November, the FBI reported that hate crimes had increased six percent in 2015 — during the run-up to the presidential election — compared to the previous year. In recent weeks, civil rights groups and journalism organizations in California and around the country have reported threatening incidents apparently linked to campaign themes. Among the reports: a Redding, Calif., high school student who handed out fake “deportation” notices to fellow students, and teachers in Los Angeles and San Jose who told their students that they or their parents would be deported. Imelda Padilla-Frausto, a mental health researcher at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, said studies show that discrimination leads to increased mental disorders. Young children often absorb stress and become depressed, she said; adolescents — especially boys — are more likely to act out or abuse drugs or alcohol. “That we are standing up for them, that we are here for them, that we are going to do everything we can to fight with them and for them … I think that’s a very powerful message that these kids and these families need to hear,” she said. Heightened vigilance Alma Leyva, project manager of Health Initiatives at the Dream Resource Center of the UCLA Labor Center, did a study a few years ago on the experience of stress among undocumented young people. She said 83 percent of respondents reported living in a state of heightened vigilance, altering their behaviors to avoid detection. The election has exacerbated this, said Leyva, who herself came to California from Mexico without papers when she was one year old: “You can see it and hear it how scared folks are, and how uncertain the future feels for them.” At Oakland International High School, students say they feel especially vulnerable. All of the school’s 349 students are English learners and recent arrivals.
Approximately 30 percent are undocumented; 28 percent are refugees or those who have been granted asylum. Even before the election, nearly half of 11th and 12th graders at the school reported frequent, sad and hopeless feelings, and nine percent had seriously considered suicide, according to the 2014-2015 California Healthy Kids Survey. The day after the election, students were crying, shouting, cursing and hugging, said Carmelita Reyes, co-principal of the school. “To be honest, I don’t think I’ve seen anything this raw from adults and kids since 9/11,” she said. Reyes knows her students are luckier than some. They live in Alameda County, which provides them with mental health and legal services. They live in the “sanctuary city” of Oakland, where police and other officials do not ask about their immigration status. The city’s mayor, Libby Schaaf, recently told the New York Times that she intends to defy “unjust immigration laws,” even if the Trump administration withholds federal funding to the city. Many of the school’s neighbors have been outspoken in their support: When students marched the day after the election, people in the neighborhood cheered them on with tears in their eyes, students and staff at the school said. Reyes said many of her students escaped violent countries and worry about federal raids. Many are particularly anxious about a repeal of the executive action, signed by President Barack Obama, that protects from deportation some undocumented immigrants who arrived in the country as children. They are concerned not just for themselves, she said, but for their families and friends. The election left some kids angry, she said, “but the vast majority were hurt and confused about why anyone would want them personally to be gone, or would fear them, or think that they were bad people.” She said one student asked a teacher: “How could they hate everything I am?” ‘Not allowed to be a teenager’ Ramzi Hasan, an 18-year-old PAGE A4
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Foul play suspected in Fear of deportation, hate crimes reportedly... disappearance of Filipina in Georgia by Eric
PAGE A3 senior who fled war in Yemen, is especially anxious for his mother. Ramzi is a citizen, but his mother only has a green card. Their family is Muslim, and he wonders if the government will try to send her away. After Trump won the election, Ramzi said his family asked him to text his teacher with a question: “Do we have to leave now?� Stephanie Noriega, a clinician from La Familia Counseling Service who works with Oakland International students,
Anthony LicAs AJPress
POLICE in Georgia suspect foul play is involved in the disappearance of a Filipino-American woman who has been missing for over two months. Cecilia Bustamante, 42, was last seen as she was rushing to leave her place of employment, Willy’s restaurant, at the AT&T Midtown Center building in Atlanta, on Friday, October 28. “I don’t think she voluntarily left Georgia or Chamblee,� Police Capt. Ernesto Ford told reporters earlier this month. “I think she is in grave danger or worse.� Bustamante was not known to drive a car, and Chamblee city police have not confirmed exactly how she might have gotten home from Atlanta. Authorities were not notified of the woman’s disappearance until Friday, December 2, after family members noted the wife and mother’s absence from a Thanksgiving celebration in Baltimore, Maryland. While executing a warrant to inspect the Bustamante’s home, police discovered a small locked safe hidden beneath the bed of her 7-year-old son, according to Ford. After forcing the lockbox open, investigators found firearms, as well as the missing woman’s credit cards, bank card, identification, and passport. Police also spoke with Bustamante’s husband, Carlo Jonson, who had not filed a missing per-
son’s report. “He was indifferent in his responses and showed a total lack of concern for his wife’s well-being,� Ford told the Asian Journal during a brief phone interview on Wednesday, December 28. Jonson said that he did not know where his wife might have gone, but suggested to investigators that she might be in either Baltimore or the Philippines, according to Ford. He added that authorities have not brought charges against any individual. Bustamante, Jonson and their son had just relocated to Georgia from Maryland a few years ago and were not known to have relatives elsewhere in the country, according to Ford and Willy Blanco of the Filipino-American Association of Atlanta. They say the family of three had rented an apartment in the Atlanta neighborhood of Lindbergh for about
a year before moving to a house in Chamblee. Blanco said the family had few connections in the local community, making it difficult to find people in the area who knew Bustamante and might have any idea where she went. However, he said that a few have gotten in touch with investigators with additional information that has yet to be confirmed by authorities. Blanco hopes that others will come forward. “At this point, we have no suspect and we have not ruled anyone out,� Ford said on Wednesday. Cecilia Bustamante is described as a 5’3� woman weighing approximately 120lbs. with brown hair and eyes. Anyone who might have any information regarding her whereabouts is urged to call the regional crime stoppers hotline at (404) 5775477.
Robredo: I never talked about... PAGE A2
la asked why Robredo resorted to finger pointing when she was not around when the typhoon struck many provinces, including her hometown in Bicol. “One wished she displayed more appreciation of the work of our disaster officials, our social workers and other volunteers who were on Ground Zero even before Nina made landfall,� Abella said, taking a potshot at Robredo who was criticized for being in the United States at a time when her provincemates needed her assistance. Robredo said there should be no politics in disaster response
and relief as she called the accusation against her for her remark on slow government response in areas hit by the typhoon. “Iyong panahon ngayon, panahon na magtulung-tulungan tayo. Parang nag-over react naman ata,â€? Robredo said when asked to comment after MalacaĂąang said she seems to be capitalizing on disaster after she hit the slow government response. Robredo visited Brgy. Salvacion-Centro, Buhi, Camarines Sur and other areas that suffered devastation when Typhoon Nina hit. She explained that the problem is not on the entire Bicol region
but areas that suffered devastation by the typhoon. She lauded local government units and officials in the Bicol region who are from different political parties but have been cooperative in disaster response and relief. The private sector, she said, was also mobilized for disaster relief. “Sana magtulungan na lang,� she said. The vice president said people affected by the typhoon appealed for fast relief operations and assistance to those who lost their homes and livelihood from abaca and coconut farming.
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said that many young people feel so unsafe since the election that they have lost all motivation to study. “Right now, in this moment, you are safe,� she tells them. “Right now, in this moment, he can’t come take you.� The other day, Noriega sat in Reyes’ office, listening to the principal describe a recent interaction with students who’d been clowning around. “I said, ‘you cannot do that on the streets,’� Reyes said. The boys protested. “Miss,� they told her, “we are just acting like any
other teenagers.� Reyes’ response: “‘And you’re a Yemeni male who’s Muslim and an immigrant and you cannot act like this right now.’� Noriega sighed. “You are not allowed to be a teenager,� she said. “Confining a person to a box really does mess with their overall healthy growth and development.� This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation.
A year of political surprises, uncertainty...
PAGE A3 South Korea’s Yoon Jin Hee, who placed third, finished with 199. Filipinos angered by Trump’s immigration plan, suggesting PH is a ‘terrorist nation’ In his speech on August 4, Donald Trump, who was then a presidential nominee, proposed a ban on immigration from countries with high rates of terrorism. Trump narrated names of what he described as terrorist nations, mentioning the Philippines in his list. Trump also suggested that immigrants should be heavily scrutinized, even those who obtained citizenship legally. Many Filipino immigrants condemned Trump’s pronouncements, asserting that his remarks disregarded the contributions Filipinos have made to the country. Some however, argued that Trump’s comments were taken out of context, citing that Trump previously professed his love for the Philippines during the launch of his 57-story luxury apartment in Makati. September Duterte, Obama meeting at ASEAN Summit canceled U.S. President Barack Obama canceled a much-anticipated meeting with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, that had been scheduled to take place at the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Vientiane, Laos. The move came after Duterte appeared to use an expletive to refer to Obama while responding to a question about extrajudicial killings during a press conference on September 5. However, Filipino officials explained that Duterte was actually directing his comments at the news media. The two world leaders did wind up speaking informally and shaking hands before a gala dinner at the summit on Wednesday, September 7. It was the first face-to-face meeting between the two presidents. PH gearing up for Miss Universe next year; Duterte opposes Steve Harvey as host Philippine Department of Tourism officials said President Rodrigo Duterte was displeased to learn that Steve Harvey had been selected to host the upcoming 2017 Miss Universe Pageant set to take place in the Philippines next January. Although the president has downplayed certain comments as jokes in the past, D.O.T. Secretary Wanda Teo said the president was not laughing when he expressed his disapproval with Harvey. When the comedian hosted the pageant in 2015, he mistakenly announced that Miss Colombia, Ariadna Gutierrez, had won before retracting his statement and proclaiming victory for Filipino contestant, Pia Wurtzbach. Teo said the DOT would recommend a local media personality to take Harvey’s place. October U.S. celebrates Fil-Am History Month People observing FilipinoAmerican History Month this past October had even more reasons to celebrate this year. 2016 marked the 70th anniversary of the Philippines’ independence from the U.S. and several other momentous events in Fil-Am history. 1946 was also the year of the Great Sugar Strike in Hawaii, during which roughly 6,000 foreign Filipino field workers joined picket lines and demonstrations instead of undercutting the wages of fellow laborers. In Los Angeles, the Fil-Am community held sever-
Donald Trump
al events to celebrate the month, including the Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture (FPAC). Duterte marks first 100 days in office with rise in death toll and China visit President Rodrigo Duterte marked his first 100 days as president with a “very good� satisfaction rating from the Filipino public, anchored by his strong stance on his anti-drugs, anti-crime and anti-corruption agenda. However, his intense campaign against illegal 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. Despite drawing ire from the international community, Duterte has been adamant on his ways and managed to alienate himself from the U.S., European Union, the United Nations and other international organizations that have criticized his anti-drug campaign. Additionally, he made headlines for his state visit to China that seemingly suggested reopening diplomatic ties with the country, despite the years-long territorial dispute in the South China Sea. November Fil-Am shortstop helps Cubs win World Series The Chicago Cubs made history when they won game 7 of the World Series against the Cleveland Indians, for the first time in 108 years. The Cubs fought back from a 3-1 deficit in the series, winning four matches in a row to end one of sport’s longest running dry spells. That win was fuelled in no small part by the contributions of 20-year-old Filipino-American shortstop Addison Russell, who hit a grand slam in the third inning and sent home five other runners that evening to tie a Major League Baseball record with six runs batted in during a single world series game. In doing so, he became the first Cubs player to ever hit a homerun with the bases loaded in the season’s final series. Donald Trump elected as 45th president of the United States In a truly stunning victory, Republican nominee and real estate billionaire Donald Trump -- whose campaign slogan was “Make America Great Again� -- was declared the 45th president of the United States, beating Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, who had been leading in the polls leading up to Election Day. With ballots still being counted weeks after the election, Clinton leads the popular vote with over 2 million votes, while Trump has 306 electoral votes to her 232. Trump, who will be inaugurated into the presidency on January 20, 2017, has drawn criticism for his administration picks so far, including Steve Bannon as chief strategist and senior
counselor, Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions as attorney general, and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson for the Housing and Urban Development secretary. Former Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos buried at the Heroes’ Cemetery In a ceremony on November 18, former Philippine president and dictator Ferdinand Marcos was ‘secretly’ buried at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani (Heroes’ Cemetery) in Manila. Surrounded by his surviving family and military personnel, Marcos was given honors and a 21-gun salute. This ceremony came after the Philippine Supreme Court dismissed petitions that sought to stop the former president’s interment, which was supposed to be scheduled back in September. Though MalacaĂąang was not informed about the surprised burial, President Rodrigo Duterte previously said Marcos was worthy of a hero’s burial because of his military and presidential service. Meanwhile, many activists and martial law victims have opposed the burial, saying it does not heal the country’s wounds. The remains of Marcos -- who died of kidney, heart and lung ailments while in exile in 1989 -- were brought back to the Philippines in 1993 and have stayed in a glass coffin in Ilocos Norte before the burial. December PH Vice President Leni Robredo resigns from Cabinet, vows to finish term Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo stepped down as chairperson of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council on Dec. 5 after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered her not to attend future Cabinet meetings. She said that being barred from meetings would prevent her from doing her job properly. However, she will remain as Vice President, and said she will continue to voice her opposition to the administration’s actions she disagrees with. Robredo, whom Duterte and his supporters have accused of being involved in a plot to unseat him, asserted that she is not eyeing the presidency. Trump praises Duterte’s drug war In a call with President Rodrigo Duterte, United States Presidentelect Donald Trump reportedly praised the Philippine leader’s war against the illegal drug trade as the ‘right way’. The two leaders — whom many have drawn comparisons for their unfiltered way of speaking — spoke for the first time earlier this month during a seven-minute phone call. Trump went on to invite Duterte to visit the White House next year. Duterte said hearing the real estate billionaire’s praise made him ‘feel like a saint.’
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In a move that caught petitioners against Marcos’ burial at Libingan ng mga Bayani off-guard, the Marcos family flew in Marcos’ remains from Ilocos Norte province on Friday, Nov. 18 and interred them in an hour-long ceremony that featured a horseless carriage, a military march, taps, and a 21-gun salute. Inquirer.net photo
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PH gov’t will not ‘hide’ street dwellers during Miss Universe pageant by Dana
SioSon
AJPress
The Philippine government will not ‘hide’ street dwellers during the upcoming Miss Universe 2016 beauty pageant later this month, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said on Tuesday, January 2. “In fact, we would like to show them this is the Philippines,” Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo told CNN Philippines in an interview. Teo noted that most candidates in the Miss Universe pageant are also not from rich countries. “Sila naman din they have also the squatters (They also have squatters), they also have the homeless in their country. hindi naman sila mayayaman din (They were also not rich), so we would let them see that the reality that we are not a rich country,” she said. The DOT also noted that the Philippine government would not shell out any money for the event. “We are not spending any mon-
ey. That was my promise to the president,” Teo added. In 2015, the previous Aquino administration was heavily criticized for allegedly hiding poor families from Manila by sending them to a resort in Nasugbu, Batangas during Pope Francis’s visit to the country. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), however, clarified that it was a “family camping workshop” for the poor. The DSWD said these families were under its Modified Conditional Cash Transfer (MCCT) program which provides monthly cash grants for health and education assistance to “families with special needs.” homeless families were also reportedly rounded up in Manila during the Asia-Pacific economic Cooperation (APeC) Summit hosted by the Philippines in November 2015. Last week, Malacañang said
President Rodrigo Duterte wants the street dwellers to be left alone. “What I heard but this is anecdotal, not policy, is the fact that the President apparently has said ‘go leave them there so that the people see exactly where we are,’” Presidential Spokesperson ernesto Abella said in a press briefing on December 27, 2016. “As far as I know anecdotally that he has said we’re not hiding our true situation,” Abella added. The beauty pageant’s coronation night will be held on January 30 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, with Steve harvey as its host. Maxine Medina will represent the Philippines in the pageant and attempt to succeed the crown from reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach, who received the Miss Universe honor in December 2015. Wurtzbach is the third Filipina to win the title, following Margie Moran in 1973 and Gloria Diaz in 1969.
Lacson: Lawmakers got ‘pork’ by JeffeRSon
antiPoRDa Manilatimes.net
SOMe senators and members of the house of Representatives got billions of pesos in “pork barrel” under the General Appropriations Act of 2017, Senator Panfilo Lacson claimed on Wednesday, Jan. 4. Lacson made the revelation after learning that the Department of Public Works and highways (DPWh) regained the P8- billion allocation slashed from its budget and even got an additional budget of P497 million. The senator said he learned about the P5 billion “pork” of some house members from Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) congressmen who talked to him during the plenary debates on the proposed 2017 budget. The ARMM congressmen, Lacson said, explained their side on the specific allocation embedded on the DPWh’s budget intended for projects to be implemented in the eight legislative districts of
the autonomous region. Lacson, during the budget deliberation, pushed for the return of the P8.3 billion to the ARMM budget which the house of Representatives transferred to the DPWh and the removal of the P3.6 billion from the DPWh budget intended to fund infrastructure projects at ARMM. Lacson said the transfer is not allowed under Republic Act 6734 or an act providing for an organic act for the ARMM. “If you add the P8.3 billion and the P3.6 billion the house of Representatives allotted to ARMM and divided it for the eight legislative districts in the region, it would mean that each ARMM congressman get P1.5 billion worth of projects in 2017,” Lacson said earlier. The ARMM congressmen, the senator said, told him that the P1.5 billion worth of projects each of them were asking for their respective districts was small compared to the allocation given to some congressmen who were allowed up to P5 billion in
Sen. Panfilo Lacson
projects. “Change is coming? Maybe, but it’s pork allocations changing hands from LP (Liberal Party) congressmen to those from Mindanao,” Lacson said. The lawmaker admitted that some of his colleagues in the Senate also got P300 million worth of projects but he did not name names. Lacson said that he did not PAGE A7
FISH HAUL. Fishermen bring their catch from the Laguna de Bay to the fish port in Binangonan, Rizal province, for delivery to different markets. The lake produces 400,000 metric tons of milkfish and tilapia, supplying 70 percent of the fish needs of Luzon and parts of the Visayas. Inquirer.net photo by Rem Zamora
New Year injuries drop by 60% due to ‘fear of Duterte’ by Dana
M. SioSon
AJPress
The average number of firecracker-related injuries for New Year’s eve dropped to the lowest in 10 years, the Philippine Department of health (DOh) reported on Sunday, January 1. The DOh has recorded a total of 350 firecracker-related injuries as of 6 a.m. on January 1, 2017, which is 60 percent lower compared to the average 1000 cases from 2006 to 2016. “People are now afraid to light firecrackers because of the President (Rodrigo Duterte),” health Secretary Paulyn Ubial said in a press conference on Sunday. She added that Filipinos have “this impression” that they would be punished if they use firecrack-
ers. Last month, Duterte said he would issue an order to ban people from using firecrackers, just like what he as mayor of Davao City, where he limited community fireworks displays. “The least that I can say or do is just to issue a warning that it’s very, very dangerous,” Duterte previously said, pending the order’s release. Among the 350 cases, Ubial said 348 were caused by firecracker injuries. The remaining two, on the other hand, were caused by firecracker ingestion. Ubial also noted that more than half of the victims were children below 15 years old, with two years old as the youngest and 71 years old as the oldest. 84 percent of the total injured
were male. The DOh recorded Piccolo as the most common cause of injuries with 132 cases, followed by Boga with 18 cases. Both are considered illegal firecrackers in the country. The National Capital Region (NCR) has been reported as the place with thehighest number of firecracker injuries nationwide, with 211 cases or 60 percent of total injuries. It was followed by Western Visayas (Region 6) with ten percent and Central Luzon with eight percent. Ubial said the fireworks surveillance, which started on December 21, 2016 will continue until January 5 of this new year. The DOh previously recorded a total of 932 firecracker-related injuries from December 21, 2015 to January 5, 2016.
De Lima: DOJ chief fakes even his own hair by Paolo
RoMeRo Philstar.com
against her in a congressional inquiry over her alleged involveMANILA – Sen. Leila de Lima ment in the drug trade in NBP. De Lima said Justice Secrerefuted on Thursday, Jan. 5, allegations that she was behind tary Vitaliano Aguirre II, who the riot at the New Bilibid Pris- had accused her and Sen. Antoon (NBP) in September last year nio Trillanes IV of instigating the that left one high-value inmate riot to stop some inmates from dead and injured several other testifying, should be the one convicts, who later testified held accountable as the NBP is
under his supervision. “Aguirre is lying. he is a chronic liar like his boss, and a secretary of justice without balls. What do you expect from a public official who fakes his own hair?” De Lima said in a statement, referring to Aguirre’s wig. PAGE A7
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OpiniOn
Features
Collateral damage
In war, there is collateral damage. In the case of the vicious war on illegal drugs, President Duterte acknowledged last week that there have been “unintended killings” that have claimed the lives of innocents including children. In fact practically everyone killed in the drug war was legally innocent since guilt beyond reasonable doubt was never established in court, and most of the slain weren’t even indicted. For the unintended killings, the President said he’s sorry, although he made it clear that it would not stop his relentless war. Such a cavalier attitude toward human life is likely to rub off on the forces fighting the drug menace, making them careless about hitting innocents in the crossfire. It can encourage them to continue disregarding laws and rules on armed confrontations and the conduct of arrests and searches. The forces of the Marcos dictatorship at least went through the motions of presenting arrest, search and seizure orders—the dreaded ASSO—that were used to crush political dissent. These days, polic—and masked vigilantes who may also be lawmen – simply enter neighborhoods and private homes and start shooting, unmindful if toddlers are caught in the crossfire. Sorry, even from the president of the republic, isn’t enough for those who have lost their children in the course of Oplan Tokhang.
The bereaved need justice, which starts with competent investigation and the arrest of the killers. The government must show that the rule of law still prevails in this country and that there is justice for rich and poor alike. Every “unintended killing” must be investigated and the killer brought to justice. Law enforcers cannot just keep saying “oops!” each time they pull the trigger and hit the wrong target. They must be reminded that under most circumstances, they must first aim to disable rather than kill, and not the other way around. In armed police operations, utmost care is required particularly when children are around. Callous disregard for human life can only erode public support for the police in its bloody campaign against the drug menace, especially when cases of “unintended killings” soar and more children become collateral damage. (Philstar.com)
Guest Editorial
Philstar.com photo
Do you feel optimistic and excited about US politics in 2017? CRYSTAL BALL — what do you reveal? After a divisive, toxic and confusing election season in 2016, will it be an enlightening, hopeful and promising year for U.S. politics in 2017? On Tuesday, January 3, Re-elected Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and the newly-elected members of Congress were sworn into office. In his speech, Ryan said that all the elected officials, regardless of party affiliations, are in office right now because they want to help the American people and get things done to serve the country, promising to work with Democrats on things they agree on while treating each other and the institution with respect on issues they do not agree on. Ryan is excited about the fact that the Re-
publicans control both the Executive and the Legisla- The Fil-Am tive branches of government, which means that there may Perspective be more actual results and action, instead of gridlock and bickering that held the American people in the past years. Minority Leader Democrat Gel SantoS-reloS Nancy Pelosi affirmed the Democrats’ commitment to work with Republicans for the good of the American people, but also vowed in her speech before introducing Speaker Ryan: “We will stand our ground wherever in good conscience we must. If there is an attempt to destroy the guarantee of Medicare, harm Medi-
care, Social Security or the Affordable Care Act, Democrats will stand our ground! If there is an assault on clean air and clear water, on civil rights, women’s rights or LGBT rights, if Dreamers and their immigrant families face the nightmare of deportation.” On January 10, President Obama is set to deliver his farewell speech to the nation in Chicago, just as the first President of the United States George Washington did before his term ended. On January 20, Obama’s successor, President-Elect Donald Trump will take his oath, and will be America’s president, chief execu-
tive and commander-in-chief for the next four years. However, as most political experts point out, Trump is not really an ideological President. This makes them wonder if he will really champion Republican principles and platform. DO YOU THINK Trump will stir the country in the right direction? Do believe he will be able to fulfill his campaign promise to “make America great again”? Do you feel optimistic and excited about U.S. politics in 2017? *** 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 ABSCBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
The instincts of a leader
Street Talk GreG B. MacaBenta IN the wake of the devastation wreaked by super typhoon Nina in the Bicol Region, Vice-President Leni Robredo has been pilloried in social and mainstream media for being “missing in action.” Camarines Sur has been among the most severely damaged, as well as Albay and neighboring provinces. The fact that CamSur is Robredo’s home province has made her fair game for supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte who see Robredo as a lurking threat to his presidency, what with the media playing up rumors of a plot to oust him. But even those who think well of Robredo may have begun to have second thoughts about her readiness to assume the leadership of the country, in case of an abbreviated Duterte tenure. Proceeding with her Christmas vacation in the United States with her family, in spite of the approaching calamity, and remaining in the US in the face of the devastation have raised questions about her priorities as a national leader. One pundit put it to me quite candidly: What would Jojo Binay have done under the circumstances? Knowing the former vice-president, I have no doubt that he would have personally been at ground zero as soon as typhoon Nina made a landfall, leading volunteers and distributing relief goods. Another question posed to me was: What would the current vice-president’s late husband,
Jesse Robredo, have done under the circumstances? I never had the privilege of meeting him, but here is what I dug up in the archives about Jesse Robredo as mayor of Naga City (quoted verbatim): ”December 5, 1992, Naga City was flooded. It was like Ondoy and Habagat. Naga City was full of total darkness due to absence of power supply from CASURECO II. Large trees blocked the road and contaminated drinking water. Guess what, it was cleaned up in less than a week. The power supply was restored in two days time. Trees blocking the road were cut immediately and you can see the road free from mud. How did DILG Secretary do this? He mobilized all the contractors of Naga City, he used the trucks and heavy equipment in clearing the city free of charge. And, he personally led the clearing operations. Imagine that early morning of December 6, 1992, DILG Secretary Robredo is shoveling the mud in the streets and his city hall employees were helping. Every single resident of Naga City was inspired with the action taken by DILG Secretary Robredo…” VP Binay and Jesse Robredo had the instincts of a leader. They knew their priorities. On the other hand, Leni Robredo, in spite of being the second highest official in the land, apparently acted like the average individual who had already made plans for a holiday vacation and, therefore, could not cancel the trip. In fact, that was how Robredo’s apologists explained it. In social media, a certain Gomez, responding to critics, posted: “Why are you overreacting? If she wants to spend her holidays
with her family and sister in the US, there’s nothing wrong with that. Everyone’s entitled to spend the holidays with their family, same as you and everyone else.” Gomez further “argued that the vice president cannot stop a typhoon, and that local government units are the ones responsible in looking after their constituents. Camarines Sur Gov. Miguel Villafuerte and Naga Mayor John Bongat are on top of the situation and have evacuated people to safety.” The apologist is absolutely right - that is, if Robredo were not the vice-president of the country. But she is. She is not your average Juana or Maria. She is also being primed by supporters as head of the opposition and is just a heart attack (or a coup) away from being chief executive and commander-in-chief. For sure, a long-planned overseas Christmas holiday with family members, is not easy to cancel, whatever natural calamity or disaster might be looming. It really depends on how important one considers the threatened victims of the calamity or how one values one’s image as a leader. Several years ago, my wife and I were about to board a flight from Phoenix, Arizona to Europe, in the course of a long-planned trip to promote the 3rd Global Filipino Networking Convention in Cebu. But my mobile phone suddenly rang and we received the news that my mother-in-law had just died. Because the deceased was the mother of my wife and was someone dear to me and my family, rushing to her internment was more important than the trip to Europe, no matter what the additional expenses and other inconveniences were.
We cancelled our trip and immediately booked a flight to the Philippines. It was simply a matter of priorities. Were the people of Camarines Sur and the people of the Bicol Region, high on Robredo’s list of priorities? The decision she made to proceed with her trip – although seemingly logical and practical (she could probably not have been as effective as the provincial officials of CamSur and Albay in managing relief operations) – may have sent the wrong signals about her leadership instincts. To put the issue in perspective, here is what was said about US Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush in a newspaper editorial, when Louisiana was struck by massive flooding in August 2016, while Obama was on vacation. “Vacation or not, a hurting Louisiana needs you now, President Obama – Last week, as torrential rains brought death, destruction and misery to Louisiana, the president continued his vacation at Martha’s Vineyard, a playground for the posh and well-connected. We’ve seen this story before in Louisiana, and we don’t deserve a sequel. In 2005, a fly-over by a vacationing President George W. Bush became a symbol of official neglect for the victims of Hurricane Katrina… It’s past time for the president to pay a personal visit, showing his solidarity with suffering Americans.” The editorial added: “Like his predecessors, Obama has no doubt discovered that crises keep their own calendar, even when commanders-in-chief are trying to take some time off the clock. It’s an inconvenience of the pres-
Pres. Rodrigo Duterte
idency, but it’s what chief executives sign up for when they take the oath of office.” Indeed, rushing to the side of beleaguered constituents is an inconvenience of high national office, but it’s what Leni Robredo signed up for when she agreed to run for vice-president. It can be argued that Robredo is “helping coordinate the relief operations for typhoon ‘Nina’ in the Bicol Region, while on a break in the US,” to quote her spokeswoman, Georgina Hernandez, and that “a team from the office of the vice president (OVP) has been dispatched to the affected areas to facilitate relief and emergency response operations on the ground.” But as the Louisiana editorial said about Obama, the president of the United States needed “to pay a personal visit, showing his solidarity with suffering Americans.” Likewise, Vice-President Leni Robredo needed to do the same in CamSur and the Bicol Region to show her solidarity with her suffering constituents. In an August 2015 article in US News & World Report on the 10th anniversary Hurricane
Katrina, Democratic pollster Geoff Garin observed that Bush’s tepid response to the disaster “raised fundamental questions in people’s minds about how in touch he was while there was chaos in people’s lives, and how much he cared about it. And it raised questions about the basic competence of his administration.” The same questions may have been raised about how in touch Robredo is with the chaos in her constituents’ lives and how much she cares about them. Of course, Robredo can always make good the next time another disaster pummels our hapless nation (God forbid). Hopefully, she will learn a few lessons in crisis management, the burden and inconveniences of a national position, and the need for sharpening her leadership instincts. Incidentally, President Rodrigo Duterte - whatever may be said about his verbiage and his deadly management style - is familiar with all of these and there is no doubt about his leadership instincts. (gregmacabenta@hotmail. com).
The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal. ROGER LAGMAY ORIEL Publisher & Chairman of the Board
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OC/IE ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARy 6-12, 2017
A
PET ignores Bongbong plea to preserve VCMs by Patricia Lourdes Philstar.com
THE BIRDS HAVE FLOWN. An armed policeman patrols along the perimeter fence of the Kidapawan district jail hours after 158 inmates escaped. A jail guard was killed when dozens of armed rebels raided the facility. ManilaTimes.net photo
De Lima: DOJ chief fakes even his... PAGE A5 De Lima said it was President Duterte who ordered the riot to pressure the inmates, including Jaybee Sebastian, to testify against her during the House of Representatives’ inquiry into the drug trade in the NBP. She said the allegation was in line with the propaganda thrust of the administration to pin all the blame on anybody except themselves. “If I were responsible for the stabbing, it then seems that the
NBP is run and managed by idiots who cannot protect highvalue inmates staying inside the most guarded spot in Philippine prisons,� De Lima said. She said Aguirre was exercising the powers of secretary of the Department of Justice (DOJ) without taking any responsibility for such exercise. Aguirre has power and authority over the NBP but refuses to take responsibility for the stabbing of several high-profile inmates under his watch, De
submit his list of projects to be funded by the P300 million. He said two senators approached him after learning about the P1.5 billion being sought by ARMM congressmen and told him that members of the House were asking too much considering that senators were only allowed P300 million each. “Senators Tito (Vicente) Sotto 3rd and Kiko (Francis) Pangilinan approached me on separate occasions to inform me that they too did not submit. I don’t know who else among my Senate colleagues likewise did not submit their list,� Lacson said. He clarified however that he is not saying that those who identified their projects in the 2017 national budget would get commissions from contractors. “What I’m trying to say is Filipinos are made to believe that the PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) is dead after the Supreme Court (SC) ruling in 2013. I am not stupid. Filipi-
nos are not stupid. They are just resigned, I think. After all these years that I and my staff scrutinize the budget books year in and year out, I know pork when I see it,� Lacson said. The senator’s efforts to have the P8.3-billion “pork� removed from the DPWH budget failed since the agency was able to regain the said amount and even managed to get an additional P497 million at the expense of the calamity fund. Lacson said the additional funding increased the 2017 DPWH budget from P445.766 billion to P454.721 billion but led to a huge cut in the budget of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRMC) or Calamity Fund under the Special Purpose Fund. From an original budget of P37.255 billion in the National Expenditure Program (NEP), the calamity fund was reduced to a mere P15.755 billion in the GAA or a reduction of P21.5 billion. “What is unfortunate is that
MANILA - The Supreme Court, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), ignored the plea of former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong� Marcos Jr. to preserve the vote counting machines (VCMs) in connection with his poll protest. Marcos had filed an electoral protest to challenge the victory of Vice President Leni Robredo before the PET. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) earlier wrote a letter to the PET seeking clarification on whether election paraphernalia not containing results data are covered by the tribunal’s order to preserve all documents containing results of the vice presidential race. The poll body noted that most
Lima said. “Instead, he creates a convenient scapegoat in the person of two senators who were at least several kilometers away from the crime scene,â€? De Lima said. Aguirre has Special Action Force members from the Philippine National Police securing the NBP “but blames two senaby Patricia Lourdes Viray tors for the stabbing incident, Philstar.com instead of asking the PNP-SAF why they were sleeping in the MANILA - Anti-graft court Sannoodle house during the so- diganbayan has denied the mocalled riot,â€? De Lima said. tion of lawyer Jessica “Gigiâ€? Reyes, former chief of staff of former Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, to dismiss the plunder case against her. Reyes, along with Enrile, is with massive devastations brought by recent calamities facing a plunder case in connecstarting with Pablo, Yolanda, tion with the P172.8-million pork Karen, Lawin, and Nina, to name barrel scam. Voting 4-1, the Third Divisome, most of the victims might be left to fend for themselves in- sion of the Sandiganbayan destead of getting sufficient govern- nied Reyes’ motion to quash the charges against her for lack of ment assistance,â€? Lacson said. He cited the Yolanda rehabili- merit. The court stressed that the Sutation program that still needs at least P100 billion to complete. He noted that when he was the presidential adviser on rehabilitation and recovery, he recommended funding of P167.8 billion by catherine VaLente but up to now, based on the anManilaTimes nual budget being appropriated for the purpose since 2014, the PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte amount has been a drop in the has been named “Person of the bucket compared to the total Yearâ€? by a Chinese magazine, budget required. MalacaĂąang announced on Tues“What is sad here is the day, Jan. 4. thought of sacrificing the victims Presidential spokesman Ernesof calamities for political favors to Abella said Yazhou Zhoukan, and alliances. The details of the “the Time magazine of the ChiDPWH budget and other agen- nese-speaking world,â€? gave the cies are not yet out. Once we get honor to Duterte following the hold of the budget books, we will Filipino leader’s “announcement diligently scrutinize them,â€? Lac- of an independent foreign policy son said. that consists of his distancing
Defeated vice presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong� Marcos Jr. questioned the election results in 39,221 clustered precincts in 25 provinces and five cities all over the country.
election paraphernalia do not contain election results data including satellite antennas, external back up batteries and VCM kits. The tribunal granted the request of the Comelec to conduct
closure or stripping activities of election paraphernalia. “As to the backing-up activities, there appears to be no need for the backing-up of the ballot images as these are already in the two SD cards from the VCMs,� the PET resolution read. The PET has authorized the poll body to immediately conduct stripping activities for all VCM kits as part of the 2016 Automated Election System Project. The Robredo camp earlier said that Marcos’ protest against the vice president lacks proof. In his protest, Marcos questioned the election results in 39,221 clustered precincts in 25 provinces and five cities all over the country. The tribunal has yet to issue an order calling for the recount of votes in the vice presidential elections.
Court denies Gigi Reyes motion to dismiss plunder case
Lacson: Lawmakers got ‘pork’ PAGE A5
Viray
preme Court order to clarify the plunder charge was validly filed. The Sandiganbayan rejected Reyes’ argument that the bill of particulars filed to clarify the case did not specify which individual committed “overt criminal acts� constituting plunder. Reyes will remain detained at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology compound in Taguig City while facing a nonbailable case. On Aug. 18, 2015, the Supreme Courtallowed Enrile to post bail after filing a bail petition citing that the court should consider his advanced age and his voluntary surrender. Enrile had been under hospital
Lawyer Gigi Reyes, former chief of staff of former Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, is facing plunder charges in connection with the pork barrel scam.
arrest at the Philippine National Police General Hospital at Crame Crame prior to posting bail. He was charged with plunder and graft for allegedly amassing kickbacks from the scam of Priority Development Assistance Funds from 2004 to 2010.
Duterte named ‘Person of the Year’ by Chinese magazine away from the US and forging closer ties with China.� “The article also praises Duterte’s program of good governance and anti-corruption campaign as a reason for his popularity among the Filipinos,� Abella told reporters. Yazhou Zhoukan, he noted, is the world’s only Chinese language international affairs magazine, circulated in major markets including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia. The weekly magazine is owned by the Malaysia-based Media
Chinese International Ltd., which is listed on the Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur stock exchanges. Since taking power on June 30, 3016, Duterte has made headlines for declaring a “military and economic separation� from the US and hitting hard on Washington and United Nations officials critical of his bloody war on drugs. To pursue a more independent foreign policy, Duterte is seeking closer ties with US rivals China and Russia through economic and arms deals.
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Celebrity predictions for 2017
2
by Ricky Lo Philstar.com
When the Rooster crows at the start of its year (Jan. 28, 2017, according to the Chinese Calendar), will somebody from showbiz recoil consciencestricken? hard to tell. It’s much easier to predict (with an old, sometimes hazy, Crystal Ball as usual) what could happen to showbiz denizens in the next 12 months which could witness a lot of, well, “cockfighting” since, as I just said, it’s The Year of the Rooster. To borrow the words of Miss World Organization (MWO) head Julia Morley, we’ll do it in reverse order — you know, we’ll start with the “Wide-Awake Items”: • Kris Aquino will bounce back and spring a big surprise on all of us, proving to all and sundry that she’s not done yet, careerand romance-wise. Is a dashing foreigner lurking nearby? • Ruffa Gutierrez and her foreigner boyfriend will not elope (too old for that) but will seriously think of getting married despite the objection of her Mom Annabelle Rama (over her dead
Angel Locsin
Luis Manzano
body?). • Luis Manzano will not fall on his knees to propose to Jessy Mendiola even if that’s the “trend” among their colleagues, Luis and Jessy not being known for being gaya-gaya, puto-maya. But they will enjoy another year of blissful togetherness, with the blessing of Luis’ mother Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos who said she found Jessy mabait at maganda. • Angel Locsin, Luis’ ex, will finally (finally!!!) find her own new happiness since she
Claudine Barretto
Isabelle Daza
claimed to have already moved on…without looking back with anger. everybody deserves to be happy, right? • Claudine Barretto will let bygones be bygones and accept a peace offering if extended to her estranged husband Raymart Santiago. It isn’t nice to carry a heavy 2016 emotional baggage, is it? • Miss Universe (2015) Pia Wurtzbach will make an “important announcement” after she relinquishes her crown to the winner (will she be somebody from Asia?) in the 2016 Miss Universe Miss Universe pageant on Jan. 30, the third time it’s being staged in Manila? • Sen. Manny Pacquiao will defy age and prove that he’s invincible by having another fight (with Floyd Mayweather? not too soon!) middle of the year. In God, he trusts. • Papa Jack will quit Love Radio after many years, leaving his followers (this one included) orphaned. Asked why, all that PJ said was, “Long story,” adding that he planned to take a welldeserved rest. Will he resurface in another station? Stay tuned. • Although his “It’s Showtime!” co-hosts Billy
Ruffa Gutierrez
Crawford and Anne Curtis are engaged (to Coleen Garcia and erwan heussaff, respectively), Vhong navarro is not going to be a copycat and propose to his long-time girlfriend Tanya Winona Bautista, probably shrugging that he’s “been there, done that,” with his first marriage annulled (he has two children with his ex-wife). But Vhong promised to give Tanya “the best wedding ever.” As he marks his 40th birthday today, Vhong is keeping his fingers crossed that his starrer, Cineko Productions’ Mang Kepweng Returns (inspired by the Chiquito movie first shown in 1977, remade in 1979 and 1981), will attract a long queue as it opens nationwide today, with Kim Domingo as one of his leading ladies, directed by GB Sampedro. • Isabelle Daza and husband Adrien Semblat will welcome the stork’s visit before the end of the year, following her cousin Georgina Wilson who has already given birth to her and husband Arthur Burnand’s first child last Dec. 26. Their “It Girl” friend Solenn heussaff (also married like Isabelle and Georgina last year) is not following suit, not this year anyway.
Philstar.com
cRuz
The beginning of every new Year brings with it the opportunity to reflect on the past while looking forward to the future. Since each day is a reminder that there is always a chance to improve ourselves, and the hope of starting anew can give us motivation to pursue our dreams, Kapuso artists share their goals and the things they want to accomplish in the next 12 months. What do you want to achieve this 2017? Megan Young: I hope to learn a new skill, whether it be in the form of music or in sports. Dingdong Dantes: I want to do a 70.3 Iron Man, I want to join a full marathon and also, I want another baby. Nar Cabico: For 2017, I want to hone my craft as a singer, musician or songwriter. I want to provide more available materials to the audience and fans as well. Aicelle Santos: I want to achieve a better career, better family life and a better Philippines. Allan K.: Actually, I just take things as they come because I’ve already reached my peak. I started with a very simple dream yet, the Lord provided me with blessings that exceeded my dreams. I just count my blessings and don’t aim for more. Andrea Torres: I’m hoping for more projects and more characters that the viewers will love. I also just want to focus more on work and my
Megan Young
And now, the “Blind Items”: • new young(er) loveteams will take center stage, dimming the spotlight on established ones who are not getting any younger and should seek new directions to stay longer in the race. • not all those who were engaged last year will really walk down the aisle. Some might call it quits, knock on wood. • Wedding bells might ring for J and D who have found each other, and will show the world that, yes, to quote the song, love is lovelier the second time around, more comfortable the second time you fall. • A couple in a bitter court battle will reconcile and start life anew, past set aside, for the sake of their child. Marital love will triumph over infidelity.
• After Prince Stefan, another actor is contemplating to out himself, unless people close to him stop him. Some things are better left unspoken, undisclosed. • The merry-go-round will continue unabated, with Kapamilya and Kapuso stars jumping ober da bakod.So what else is new? • A drug-related (minor) scandal will rock the industry which will survive with “clean hands.” Look, Ma, negative! • Three TV shows will fold up due to poor ratings…even before they complete their intended run. • A recently-reconciled couple will (finally?) get married abroad. If ever, it will be the fulfillment of the lady’s dream.
Chef Charleen wins ‘Chopped’
Kapuso stars’ new Year goals by AngeL JAvieR
Kris Aquino
The Global Kababayan G. TönGi SOMe really exciting news for 2017 for our community! Sharing the success of Charleen Caabay— a chef based in Oakland, California and the owner of the Kainbigan restaurant—who won the “new Year’s Bash” episode of the realitybased cooking television game show “Chopped” on the Food network. Chef Charleen is the first Filipino-American female chef Andrea Torres Mark Herras to win the Food network’s more as an actress. I have been family. “Chopped.” She also happens receiving positive feedback that Arianne Bautista: I want to to be my blood-related cousin have a movie. not necessarily a lead makes me feel good and makes me as my grandmother and her want to focus more on my work. role, I just want to be a part of a grandmother are siblings. Solenn Heussaff: I want to movie or indie film in order for me As Michelle Caabay wrote: discover new places like Tibet and I to widen my horizons. It was the first time that also want to attend a photography Max Collins: Probably to “Chopped” hosted a new become business-savvy. I’ve started class and go to Africa for that. Year’s party and the four chef Traveling, for me, it’s the richest some businesses; I’m working on competitors got to prepare a thing you can possess. Basically, I them. They’re not yet running but I festive three-course meal with really hope that they’d flourish and I just like to travel more. traditional and extravagant Mike Tan: I want to do indie films holiday ingredients. The show is hope that they’d do well. to further develop my skills. Gabby Eigenmann: I want to divided into three rounds: each Mark Herras: I want to work have a healthy lifestyle. I need to be chef is given a basket of several mindful of what I should eat. I’m not out more. Also, I want to make unrelated ingredients and the getting any younger so I know now several investments like for prepared dish must contain all of example, buy some land, to start what’s best for me and what’s not. them. a new business — those are my Isabelle de Leon: I want At the end of each round, the targets next year. to perform again in a children’s panel of rotating culinary judges Katrina Halili: I’ve been saving decides which chef gets “chopped” hospital, though I did it last year, I up this year, so I’ll probably buy want to do it again and hopefully, based upon presentation, taste next year like a house and lot, for do it annually. and creativity. The featured Rich Asuncion: I hope to grow example. judges for this episode were: Alex Guarnaschelli, Aarón Sánchez and Scott Conant. The comforting flavors of Filipino cuisine and Chef Charleen’s heritage served as an inspiration throughout the competition. Chef Charleen proclaimed, “We’re gonna celebrate, We’re gonna cook good food, and we’re gonna party!” She got the celebration started with an appetizer dish of Crab Torta with Collard Green Laing and Champagne Butter Sauce. Alex Guarnaschelli commented, “Your sensibility really comes through and I respect that.” Chef Charleen added her own twist on laing, by making it with collard greens; it is typically Dingdong Dantes
Chef Charleen Caabay
stewed taro leaves in coconut milk. Scott Conant really loved the richness from the coconut milk. She also used the blini as a binder and mixed it with the king crab legs, and made it all into a into torta, a Spanish-inspired Filipino omelet dish that she loved to eat while growing up. Aarón Sánchez appreciated the big chunks of crab that were welcoming and brought a sense of comfort when he ate the torta. Moving into the second round, Chef Charleen shined through with her special entrée dish of Martini Steamed Lobster Tail with Barbecue Strip Loin and Curried Black-eyed Peas. She wanted to create a party on the plate for the new Year’s theme, and that she did! Chef Charleen always finds a way to bring people together through the food that she makes. She said, “In my culture, barbecue stick is popular, so my first instinct is to marinate it with all the yummy seasonings.” Growing up in a Filipino household, she was always surrounded by amazing food shared with family and friends. It’s no wonder she ended up opening her own Filipino comfort food restaurant, it’s like a family party every day! Aarón Sánchez commented to the other judges, “Charleen’s going to show us a window into Filipino cuisine, she’s doing it her way, I really appreciate that!” Then Alex Guarnaschelli chimed in by complimenting Chef Charleen, “There’s some really great cooking here!” I love the meat, it’s deeelicious, when I pull the lobster out of the shell and I get the marinade on it, it’s delicious!” Then Scott
Photo by Shar g. photography
Conant said it simply, “It’s good eating!” Chef Charleen topped the party off with a Funnel Cake with Pomegranate Grape Compote. The dessert round can be a challenge at times, and kept us at the edge of our seat, but she made it! Chef Charleen commented, “I looked at Matt’s plate and see this fluffy white stuff… Oh-Oh! he used some kind of technique that I don’t even know…” She transformed the featured ingredients into a playful twist on a festive holiday funnel cake with a last-minute sprinkle of toasted coconut, but it was a tad too sweet and needed more balance. Scott Conant said, “Your instincts are great, but those are the nuances that you learn as time goes on.” Chef Charleen’s own recipe of true passion for food, pride in her Filipino heritage, determination and creativity won the judges over! Thanks Michelle for writing this article and a special thanks to shar g. photography for Chef Charleen’s photos. Congrats Pinsan! The community rejoices in your success and accomplishment. Watch out for Chef Charleen in 2017! *** Giselle “G” Töngi is the host and producer of Kababayan Today, a daily talk show that features relevant topics for Filipino’s living in America. Her aim is to bridge not only the cultural gap between America & the Philippines but to help with the generational gap between our own people. She is married with two children and is based in Southern California and makes frequent trips in the Pacific Rim to Hawaii and Manila to feature fellow kababayans who are empowering the FilAm community.
How to indulge à la Anne Curtis BEtWEEn hosting her noontime show, filming an upcoming movie and attending to her overflowing commitments, Anne curtis is definitely a busy woman. In addition to her already brimming plate, curtis will soon add wedding preparations to her to-do lists as she recently got engaged to her long-time beau Erwan Heussaff. But despite her demanding schedule, the multimedia personality still makes sure to pause, rest and reward herself for her accomplishments. today, curtis reveals how she rewards herself for every win, be it big or small: relaxing at home. there’s nothing more rewarding for the actress than relaxing in the comfort of her own home. Here the self-confessed geek and pet lover can let her guard down, be herself, and do anything she wants to do—stay in bed or lounge in her favorite sofa while reading her favorite book, playing with her pets, or going on a tV marathon. Spending time with family. nothing beats the company of family. the 31-year-old enjoys shopping with her mom, sharing long conversations with her
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Liza flaunts Enrique’s birthday gift that left her crying by Rosette
Adel
Philstar.com
Curtis with long-time boyfriend and fiance Erwan Heussaff.
dad or going on trips with her sister, Jasmine if their schedules permit. For the holidays, curtis and her whole family, with fiancé Heussaff, basked in the sea, the sun and the sand at Hamilton Island in Queensland, Australia. Moments spent with her family are what she treasures most since sometimes she may not see them very often. Enjoying a good meal. there is no doubt that curtis—one of the most followed local celebrities with over 6-million Instagram followers—loves food. Whether
she’s spending time with friends or exploring a country abroad, she makes sure to indulge herself with their sumptuous meals or sinful desserts to satisfy her sweet tooth. Proof to this are her carefully-curated food shots on her Instagram feed. travelling. Despite her busy schedule, the globetrotter always finds time to explore the world. For her, nothing is as enjoyable as learning different cultures, meeting new people and learning their way of living. (ManilaTimes. net)
Barbie Forteza is GMA’s first bright star for 2017 by lhAR sAntiAgo ManilaTimes.net
For Barbie Forteza, having her new primetime series chosen as the first to air on GMA this new year is a big blessing. the teen star can really be called GMA’s first bright star for 2017. She’s the first Kapuso lead star to have a press con for the year together with her co-stars in the romantic-comedy series “Meant to Be.” “I’m honored and at the same time, challenged. I’m nervous because, it’s the start of the year and “Meant to Be” is the year opener for GMA. However, I am confident that the viewers will like what we are offering. they will have a good time watching our series because it’s light, nakakakilig and at the same time, may puso. this is the type of show that people of all ages will really enjoy,” Barbie averred.
january 6-12, 2017 www.asianjournal.com
Barbie Forteza (center) with ‘Meant To Be’ co-stars (from left) Ivan Dorschner, Ken Chan, Jak Roberto and Addy Raj.
the fun that the cast is having on the set easily translates into the screen because, everyone is so relaxed working with one another. Barbie takes pride in the fact that she and her four leading men—Ken chan, Jak roberto, Ivan Dorschner and Addy raj—are
already very close because they have been bonding even before they started taping. their workshop for the series did the trick for them to be very close and comfortable with each one. Fun is how Barbie sums up Continued on Page 4
Actor Enrique Gil’s birthday gift to on-screen partner and rumored girlfriend Liza Soberano left the actress crying. In an Instagram post dedicated to the actor, Liza showed off a photo of Enrique’s “birthday gift.” “Posting this picture to thank a special someone. I literally cried when opening a huge package which was supposedly my ‘birthday gift,’” Liza said. Enrique gave her a distinct luxurious designer bag from chanel. She said she has been looking for the bag for a long time now. the Kapamilya actress gushed as she thanked Enrique for making the impossible happen given her specifications.
Enrique Gil gave Liza Soberano a distinct luxurious designer bag from Chanel. She said she has been looking for the bag for a long time now.
She said the actor made her the “happiest.” “thank you for making me the happiest and thank you for making my dreams come true,” Liza said to Enrique.
For his part, Enrique also posted a sweet message telling Liza he loves her before her birthday ends. Liza just turned 19 on Wednesday, Jan. 4.
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Manny Pacquiao gears for Spotlight on Christine Bersola showbiz comeback – as producer january 6-12, 2017
www.asianjournal.com
Christine “Tintin” Bersola-Babao
on her lap at the Kapatid Network afforded her more opportunities to sort of re-invent herself in the direction of doing the things she loved most –tackling shows that would advance her advocacy for parenting and entrepreneurship. For the first she calls herself a “mompreneur” coming with such book titles as Basura Monster and Super hero Nio including a heartwarming Christmas story “Bakit Siya Meron? Bakit Ako, Wala?” She had always wanted to follow in the footsteps of her mom who as an entrepreneur has helped put up the annual Grand International Importers and exporters Christmas Bazaar & Celebrity Bazaars. Up from TV5 and now totally out on her own, Tintin has ventured into another challenging phase of her career as TV producer in tandem with Wealth and Life Coach Chinkee Tan. The show billed Moneywise has moved from one network to another wanting to catch a wider niche audience for it. It is backed up by a competent group of production and creative teams led by co-executive producer Gilda Yanesa and director Rich Generoso. The show airs every Sundays at 9 a.m. on GMA News TV with aim to help Filipinos become financially literate, and inform the viewing public on how to make their savings and money grow through entrepreneurship, banking and investment. Tintin and Chinkee themselves are no strangers to dispensing practical tips on financial literacy. Both have been exposed to handling money judiciously at a very young age. Off-cam, like a typical wife, she has time allotted for the family’s household chores. She makes sure to balance her time as well as seeing to the needs of Julius and their two children Antonia, 11, and Antonio 6. As ardent devotees of Saint Anthony of Padua, they go to church on Sundays to pay homage to their patron saint of whom their two kids have been named after.
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Gifted with gab and bubbly by GeorGe Vail Kabrisante personality, Tintin comes from ManilaTimes.net a long line of educators and The common notion that entrepreneurs with social behind a man’s success is a advocacy on the side. She had woman or for that matter a always wanted to impart lifesupportive dutiful wife to a enhancing experience with her husband is partly true in the viewers injecting informative case of Christine “Tintin” Bersolaand enriching social contents Babao. even if she was at the handle however, she would want to of dispensing entertaining and perish the thought that her virtual lifestyle news. self-imposed disappearance There was not much of an from ABS-CBN after marrying offer to challenge her metier Julius Babao was to give way to beyond putting up a pretty, highly the broadcasting career of her animated face on the small screen husband who now towers with and voice on radio at her home the few formidable others on ground. So when a tempting offer board like Noli De Castro and Ted with a good pay to boot came Failon. from TV 5 for her to co-host a except for the eventual lifestyle talk show for the family, romance a-blossoming between she literally jumped at it without them at the aforesaid turf, batting an eyelash even if it meant Tintin thinks there has been no leaving behind her pleasant competition between her and memories for about a couple of Julius since day one. She was decades spent at ABS-CBN, eight on the soft side of reporting for years of which as co-host of Julius entertainment and lifestyle and on DZMM. he for reporting hard news. In a way, the shows that fell
by MJ Marfori
slated to become the next president after him. Although many took it GONe are the pseudointriguingly, Manny said that it is narcissistic days where our still out of his equation. “wala pa sa “Pambansang Kamao” slash Senator isipan natin ‘yan dahil para sa atin ay Manny Pacquiao wanted to be gampanan lang ang trabaho natin.” the star of each and every film Vhong Navarro not or project he produces, because pressured to follow engagement now he is considering his showbiz bandwagon comeback for 2017—but only as Considering that Vhong producer. Navarro’s relationship with her We had the chance to chat with selfless girlfriend Tanya Winona this man amid his busy schedule at Bautista runs for almost a decade the grand opening of his kumpare now (eight years), the comedian Anthony Taberna’s third branch of does not feel the pressure of Ka Tunying’s Cafe. proposing to her girlfriend real here Manny revealed, “Nagsoon. iisip ako ‘yung gumawa ng pelikula Vhong was faced with this na Christian movie.” Some of his question by the press after the favorite Bible stories include King highly publicized engagement Jehoshaphat, Daniel and Joseph the announcements of his colleagues Dreamer, “gusto ko kasi magbigay Anne Curtis to erwann heussaff ng mga inspiration sa tao dahil wala and Billy Crawford to Coleen Garcia. na ang mga movie na ‘yan lalo na sa “Hindi naman, kaya lang, ang kabataan.” nangyari kasi, may 2017, may 2018 Manny also mentioned that it (wedding). Ayoko namang sabayan. is his kids’ time to shine since his Gusto ko ibigay muna sa kanila ‘yung son Jimuel is slowly entering the moment.” showbiz scene and will go full blast Tanya was admired by the after he finishes school. public after standing by Vhong As for politics, the boxereven though he got caught in senator just smiled when asked a scandal with Cedric Lee and about President Rodrigo Duterte’s Deniece Cornejo back in 2014. statement during his birthday They are now going stronger bash earlier in December where than ever and Tanya understands the President said that Manny is that with Vhong’s ongoing cases ManilaTimes.net
Sen. Manny Pacquiao
and upcoming movie projects such as Mang Kepweng Returns, a wedding cannot fit in his schedule any time soon. “Ang dami rin kasing dumating na kailangan asikasuhin muna at alam ni Tanya ‘yun. Gusto ko kapag na bring up na rin ‘yung mga ganung topic, nakaplano na. Hindi pa namin napag-uusapan [about engagement].” Speaking of Vhong’s movie Mang Kepweng Returns, it is opening in two days, January 4, in cinemas nationwide, same as his birthday.
Barbie Forteza is GMA’s first bright... From Page 3
her working with her four leading men. She swears she is having a good time with them on the set. “Yan ang nagagawa ng kape,” she said while letting a hearty laugh. “They are often with me on the set because we have lots of scenes together. We occupy the same standby area so we always talk. Lahat kami makukulit. There are many times when we shoot in a location where we need to be on the set at 2 a.m. so to ward off yung antok namin, madalas nagkukulitan.” Most of the time, there is one who starts joking. “Iba talaga nagagawa ng kape! Lahat kami kumukulit. even the most quiet among us, si Jak, nagiging makulit. But the one who is forever hyper is Addy. he starts the fun most
of the time. Pinakatahimik si Jak, pinakamabiro si Ken and Ivan is the most malambing. What’s good is their real-life character fits their respective characters in the show.” Among her four leading men, there is also one who always ends up being laughed at and it’s none other than Ken. “It’s always Ken because he is the one who is always sleeping. he is also, among the four boys, ‘yung hindi mapigilang magkanin, that’s why he is always the one we bully.” Barbie frowns on the comparison of “Meant To Be” to the phenomenal Taiwanese series years back, “Meteor Garden.” She points out the only similarity it has with their show is that, there are four men and one woman in the lead but that’s about it. “Our series is also a family-oriented show. It’s
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not only about my character Billie and the four men in her life. It’s also about our families.” “Meant To Be” starts airing on Monday, Jan. 2 after “Alyas Robinhood” and Barbie cannot contain her excitement. “Siksik kasi siya. A lot of things will happen on the first week of airing. May development agad ang story. The characters will be introduced and it will also be shown how and why I will be a part of my four leading men’s life. And let us not forget the other stars of ‘Meant To Be’ like Tita Gloria Romero, my millennial lola; there’s Sef Cadayona, my kuya; sina Miss Manilyn Reynes, Kristina Paner and Sheryl Cruz, known collectively as Triplets and many others. So, who’s not gonna get excited?”
Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette aDeva Maglaya (Part 1 of 4) DO you believe in angels? I do. Most people do. The strong presence of angels in the various books of the Bible, specially during the birth of Jesus Christ attests to the role of angels in human history. The Angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would bring forth a son. Zechariah received a message from an angel. It was an angel that told Joseph to take Mary for his wife. It was a multitude of angels that told the shepherds where to find the newborn child while angels hovered above the stable during that wondrous night. It was also an angel that warned Joseph of a clear and present danger to the child Jesus. herod, the unhinged, murderous king descended from a long line of power-mad monarchs, wanted to make sure no one stood between him and his throne. In haste, Joseph left with Mary
Angels among us “I think that someone is watching out for me, God, my guardian angel, I’m not sure who that is, but they really work hard.” — Mattie Stepanek and the child during the night after the Magi had left for a long and arduous trek to a town in egypt some scholars estimate to be 200 miles away where herod had no authority to commit mass murder. You can bet a host of angels guided them in seeking refuge. herod’s murderous rampage began when he realized that the Magi had tricked him and had taken a different route home ignoring his sly request to tell him of the child’s location. It is believed 14,000 innocent male babies from the age of two and below were killed in herod’s most cruel, preemptive strike against this perceived threat to his kingdom. The holy family stayed safely away for years until the king died and the danger had passed. Did these holy innocents become cherubs, angels without wings? Do the millions of the unborn of our time the world over
cut down by murderous abortionists become cherubs? Does God repurpose innocent souls upon their deaths to become angels themselves? There is a belief that souls are indestructible. If so, do souls get recycled back to be born at another time and place? Only God knows for certain. Angels were strong proactive characters when the story of humanity unfolded during biblical times. And while today, cynics, atheists and those on the dark side might argue that angels are figments of the human imagination, there are countless people who will brave the scorn of scoffers, fight back vehemently and attest to the very real presence of angels in their lives. (To be continued …) ***
january 6-12, 2017 www.asianjournal.com
A tribute to Benjamin G. Maynigo: An idealist and dreamer till the very end The Metamorphosis
ernie D. DelFin (PART 2 of 2)
Unlike many of my friends and business associates, I don’t remember Ben and I ever discussing any business deals to get super rich. That was probably due to our humble beginnings in Pangasinan where our parents and grandparents were not materially driven except to get the best education that we can obtain within our means. To end this unusual tribute to a dear compadre and soulmate, let me reprint what he wrote about two years ago, when he stayed with us for a few days at our Fountain Valley home. You can see and savor the flavor of his unique descriptive writing that comes from a sharpened provincial pen. That visit was the last time we saw each other, with my wife and my son eJ, his inaanak (godson) : “….I also had a chance to see and meet old friends. My compadre (I am godfather to his only son, eJ) ernie Delfin and his beautiful and forever young wife Benita, hosted me to a nice dinner. In fact, eJ who is a school teacher actually taught at my Alma Mater, huntington Beach high School, as an American Field Scholar during my high school senior year. My Facebook updated status described my visit with them: Yesterday, a welcome dinner for me was hosted by one of my closest friends, ernie Delfin. The food was great but it was not what amazed me. he brought me to his house for 36 years in Fountain Valley — only about 10-15 minutes from huntington Beach. It was also the house where the late editorpublisher Max Soliven and I used to stay every time we came for a visit. he showed the guest room which was renovated, for me to know that next time, I should stay with them as I used to. But again that was not what amazed me. his front and backyards are only as small as mine in McLean, Va. This was what amazed me:
he was able to convert both into a combination of a little FARMYARD and floral garden. he planted and is producing the following: A. VeGeTABLeS: eggplant, Ampalaya, Kalabaza, Pipino, Leek, Kamatis, Kamote, Basil, different Mints and herbs, Alugati, Malunggay, and a few more American salad vegetables that I cannot name. B. FRUITS: Avocado, Guava, Banana (Saba), Persimmon, Papaya, Apple, Tangerines, Oranges, Grapes, Mango, and Palm trees. C. FLORAL: Roses, Orchids, Arias, Annuals and Perennials, and hundreds of succulents. Doesn’t that make you jealous? My friend, who has proven himself as a good CPA, an Innovative entrepreneur, a Pioneer of eRotary, and a Patriotic Community Leader, is also an excellent Small Urban Farmer. I ate some of the fruits we picked in the small farmyard for breakfast.” What kind of a person can’t be touched by reading and savoring such a beautifully written essay, on a seemingly mundane or ordinary “farmyard” and human activity? As an insanely idealist like him, I am humbly moved and this is one reason that makes me sad that my compadre left this world so sudden. With his family, however, I want to remember and celebrate his life where he did his best to leave this world a better one than he found it. Compadre BeN, you are one of a kind! I will never forget you! So, until we meet again in heaven and I promise you, together we will replicate our beautiful farm-garden in Paradise! To you Compadre and those who you have left behind, hAPPY BIRTDAY, and yes, let me shout your signature Season’s Greetings: “ MALIGAYANG PASKO AT MAYNIGONG BAGONG TAON!” ***
BeN was one guy who just loved to make up acronyms and/or repetitive letters to remember things easier, like his four hs = humility, honesty, honor, and hope (and humor, as added by his Tanya, when she read her eulogy). I still remember also his 5 Ms for a successful business to have: Money (or capital) Management, Manpower, Materials (logistics) and “Mansion” or a great ROI (rate of investment). For many of his friends and readers, Ben was Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian known as a wordsmith who created Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e- many things out of the 26 letters mail monette.maglaya@asianjournalinc.com of the alphabet. That is one of the things I will miss from his always active and prolific mind amidst his weakened heart. When he semi-retired from loses weight, the leptin level in greater danger for persons with his newfound love affair with AI the blood stream also goes down. diabetes. (Artificial Intelligence) field that As a result, there is a “rebound” eating several times a day, allowed him to travel extensively weight gain. The best strategy for even five or six times a day, not in many countries, I introduced exceeding the total 24-hour caloric losing and maintaining a desired him to my Asian Journal-San Diego weight level is to lose in a slow need of our body, is a healthier publisher friends Genny and Sim PhiliP S. Chua, and steady pace, about one to two Silverio and shortly thereafter habit, which helps maintain our MD, FaCS, FPCS pounds a week, and not more. In blood glucose level in a more he started penning his almost this manner, there will still be an stable, less erratic, pattern during weekly columns “Take it from my effective level of leptin in the body Barber” and also on “Tech IT” (on The holidays may be behind us the day. But the key is calorieto control the urge to eat. control, especially the ones from but their physical effects, among technology) that made his mind Are appetite suppressants carbohydrates (rice, bread, soft others, will linger for a while. always on high gear. safe? drinks, cakes, ice cream, candies, Medically speaking, it is actually a The many times that we were Most appetite control pills, time for “damage control” for those and other sweets). together both in his residence in juices, solutions and powders Several years ago, we wrote of us who overindulged during the Virginia or in our house in Southern on the market are not the about two main hormones that festivities. California, our friendship and physiological and unnatural way control our appetite, which is The post-holiday “makeover” respect deepened because of apropos to our discussion. here is a to suppress (by force) the appetite common values and ideals on so is just as a healthy preemptive for weight control. While they are segment of that column: measure, more so for those many aspects of life in general. readily available and very popular, We talked about what kind of What triggers hunger and who really want to maintain they have potential adverse side satiety? their normal weight or those legacy we can leave to our world. The urge to eat (hungry or not) effects on the heart, liver, kidneys who have diabetes, heart Knowing his family and children and brain in the long haul. Some is, to a large extent, controlled by disease, hypertension or — Tanya, Traci and Raul — at close serious complications and even hormones in our body. And these hypercholesterolemia. range, without doubt, I can say that deaths have been reported from As with anything else, damage hormones fluctuate depending “ang bunga ay hindi mahuhulog the use of these diet substances. Email: ernie.delfin@gmail.com on how much sleep we get, what control is best as a preventive na malayo sa puno” (the fruits will Since greater calorie intake than Website: www.gkerc.org types of food we eat and how strategy. however, the holidays never fall far from the tree). output is the cause of an increase many calories we take in, and and special celebrations (like a in body weight, the safest, most on how much physical activities birthday or a wedding reception), natural strategy is to eat less and we indulge in daily. Scientific which could go on for more than burn more calories with physical researchers are focusing on four a week, expose all of us to that exercises, making the output of specific substances they call great irresistible gastronomical calories (energy) greater than the “fat hormones,” which our own temptation. intake of calories (food). The use endocrine glands in the body For dieters, those who are of appetite suppressants could be watching their weight or counting produce. There are hormones that dangerous. calories, these occasions are tough make one eat and there are also The healthier “damage control” hormones that signal the brain times. Blessed are those strongfor our post-holiday misadventures to tell the person to stop eating. willed souls, whether or not they includes daily gradual incremental These substances control hunger carry a calorie counter on one reduction in the food we eat, daily and satiety. hand and a scale on the other. physical exercises, as simple and Which is the “hunger These health-conscious individuals easy as brisk walking for about 30 hormone”? will reap their rewards in terms minutes a day, and hitting the scale The hunger hormone is of stamina, energy, a stronger daily (yes, daily) to check on any Ghrelin, which is secreted by our immune system, and even progress. Drinking a lot of water guts (stomach and intestines). longevity, as shown by medical (not fruit juices and, especially When its level goes up, we feel statistics. not toxic soft drinks!) can help a hungry and have the urge to eat. Bear and horse analogy lot. excess weight that does not The level of Ghrelin goes up when here is an analogy to clarify come down only means a greater we get less sleep or not enough a point: “The bear, a carnivorous, ja n ua ry 1 5 sleep. This is the reason why those reduction in food intake is needed. eats with impunity in one sitting, The excess weight gained over the who are trying to lose weight gaining pounds after pounds, Feast of Santo Niño in Los Angeles holidays could be safely eliminated should get adequate amount and then sleeps, slowing down its On Sunday, January 15, 2017, at 3:30 pm, a mass sponsored by Santo Niño Cruzada within a week. For those really body metabolism, while the horse (about eight hours) of sleep. USA, will be held at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels to celebrate its 30th year anAn imbalanced meal and stress overweight to begin with, the grazes on grass several times the niversary of the solemn Feast of Santo Niño, the Divine Infant Jesus. also elevate the Ghrelin level. Food same strategy (output of calories whole day, and runs around very The Southern California Sinulog Dance Co. will perform traditional Sinulog dances after deprivation obviously increases the must exceed the intake) could be frequently, and as such, is a more the mass. used. Ghrelin level, hence it is better to agile, much leaner, and healthier Although the devotion to the Divine Infant has roots in Europe, Filipinos are known Simply put, more exercise and keep the level of this hormone on animal.” for their fervent devotion to the Infant Jesus, celebrating with religious and civic activities. an even keel and not fluctuate too less food, until the scale tells you Our physiology is at the As a result, Filipino immigrants brought their Santo Niño to the United States to be their that you have achieved your dream much by eating regularly (or even optimum when we exercise and spiritual recourse, assistance, and protector. more than three times a day) but at weight for the NeW YOU and the consume just the right amount We celebrated the first Feast of Santo Niño in 1986 at then Saint Vibiana’s Cathedral in a controlled total calorie ceiling, to new year. of calories of the right foods to downtown Los Angeles. It was in the summer of 1988 that the original group of Santo Niño *** maintain health and body weight. maintain our normal weight and devotees formally organized under the name, Cruzada de Santo Niño. The organization’s Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac So, starving oneself is not a good when our glucose (blood sugar) name was eventually changed to its present name, Santo Niño Cruzada, USA. Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and way to lose weight, since this will levels are on an even keel most of chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 As in any organization, the organization’s path to success is measured by the dedication lead to a Ghrelin “boomerang” in the time. When we overeat and at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he and commitment of the officers and members whose primary goals are to promote devothe latter part of the day. then try to starve ourselves to holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, tion to Santo Niño, provide individual sanctifications, give aids to needy families and be What is the “satiety compensate for our indiscretion, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow united with other Santo Niño groups. hormone”? our blood glucose spikes up of the American College of Surgeons, the For more information in this year’s celebration, please contact any of the following officThe opposite or counterand down — a phenomenon Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton ers and members: hormone, which is called Leptin, described as yo-yo dieting. This A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He Romy & Tess Esturas: (213) 387-6982 Rey & Tess Edpao: (818) 469-7292; Carmen signals the brain when to stop is the chairman of the Filipino United Network severe fluctuation in our blood Estrada: (213) 413-2881; Fe Montano: (323) 218-1587; Ester Paredes: (213) 864-1149; Lilia eating. It controls the appetite. This – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation glucose levels has adverse effects Figuracion: (626) 394-2661; Fe Reyes: (213) 413-5286; Cherry Guerrero: (213) 747-6508; in the United States. Email: scalpelpen@ on our bodies and on our immune “satiety hormone” is produced by Tessie Cruz: (213) 361-0937; Vicky Samia: (818) 851-2262; Laurie Dolorfino: (213) 407-0097; gmail.com fat cells in the body. When a person systems. And this poses an even Maria Oclarino: (213) 427-0353.
Post-holiday ‘damage control’
Health@Heart
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A fun birthday celebration for Manny Ilagan
IT was another memorable birthday for Manny Ilagan at their residence in Fullerton, CA on December 24, 2016 as he celebrated his special day on Christmas eve. Christmas carols, delicious
food, lot of drinks and games marked Manny’s birthday party which was hosted by his wife Meg. Colleagues from the Filipino-American media, friends and co-choir members from the St. Pius V Parish Church of Buena
Park, CA were among those who came together and wished him well. entertainer Joseph Gelito, with his witty humor, brought the house down with his performances.
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ja n ua ry 28
Historic Filipinotown Scavenger Hunt Explore the cultural gems of HiFi (Historic Filipinotown) by joining the 2nd HiFi Scavenger Hunt Fundraiser on Saturday, January 28 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m! Meet Filipino-specific challenges (from a Balut eating contest to dancing Tinikling to a hip hop beat!). You may find yourself meeting a little-known community hero, tasting a Filipino food challenge or receiving your very own Filipino nickname! You will be having a blast while building your bayanihan spirit by asking your friends and family and even your Facebook fans to donate money to sponsor your Team to take this challenge. You and your team choose your own fundraising goal! Funds raised by this event will go to the programs and services of 2 HiFi community organizations, Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) and Filipino American Service Group, Inc. (FASGI) to provide vital services to families, workers and seniors in our community. Services include free or low-cost citizenship application assistance, human trafficking survivor support, civic engagement, wage theft claims assistance, cultural programs and more! Have fun, Discover Historic Filipinotown win prizes and support your community while doing it! Go to www.pwcsc.org/HiddenHiFi to sign up now. PWC is located at 153 Glendale Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026.
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
january 6-12, 2017 www.asianjournal.com
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Right buttons pressed in ‘Die Beautiful’ by Arlo
Custodio ManilaTimes.net
ExcEllEnt story, good direction and superb acting make a “class A” movie. If one aspect sagged, “Die Beautiful” would have not been as beautiful as it is. Good thing, it has all the right buttons pressed at the right time. A good-looking boy from a conservative family whose single dream was to become a beauty queen as transgender has all the elements of a story for all ages and all cultures. After all, isn’t being gay universal? Doesn’t it exist across races, cultures, classes, nationalities, religions and regions? the movie mirrors what is common in society—young effeminates who have crushes on handsome boys consequently abhorred by kin especially fathers who can’t take their sons as gays; their wish to become women to the point of spending a fortune to grow breasts and even to have their manhood cut-off to make them women—in form at least, but never in substance. the movie also represents the common work as parloristas and beaucon (beauty contestant) habitués, the act paying men for sexual gratification, the reality of growing old alone and or keeping boys so someone can look after them at old age or over them at death—as what lou Veloso characterizes as the owner of the funeral parlor where the wake transpires. Behind their made-up faces, flawless skin, flowy dresses, high stilettos and flirty gaits though are human beings who love and are capable of loving without expecting in return; people whose heartaches, dreams and aspirations are the same as anyone else’s. “Ang galing ng story, ng screenplay,” one moviegoer remarked. Anyone who’ve heard it agrees, for this is the story na may puso, punumpuno ng puso, hindi lang kababawan at katatawanan tungkol sa kabaklaan. As Patrick who becomes trisha Echevarria, Paolo Ballesteros is both funny and arresting; some of the lines he delivers are admittedly adlibs, according to producer Perci Intalan. And the best thing is that,
Ballesteros’ adlibs are intelligently caught and replied with equally funny and witty adlibs by his best friend Barbs, played by straight christian Bables. Making “Die Bautiful” truly an excellent movie is the beautiful acting of Ballesteros and Bables, as in reality, they are not flamboyant gays, only excellent actors who played their characters according to the story. Director Jun Robles lana’s use of flashbacks has been very effective to understand how things came to be and what they have become. Even the old puzzle “Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?” comes into fore with a funny conclusion. Always a runner-up and never a titleholder, all trisha wanted was to become the queen, complete with crown, sash, sceptre and victory walk—then he can die. And it happens when the only question-and-answer he ever memorized is what’s picked up for him in the biggest gay pageant he ever joined. Sickly since he was young, he dies of brain aneurysm soon after his declaration as winner. Going back why he looks a different beautiful celebrity everyday during his wake, trisha jokingly (with premonition) told Barbs that for seven days, he wanted to look like his favorite celebrities—as Angelina Jolie on the first day—they’ve been copying with their make-up skills on their free time together. there are unanswered issues in the film—like what happens now with trisha’s adoptive daughter, Sheila May (Inah De Belen), how trisha became close to Jesse’s wife, what happened to the boylet whom he spent to have a nose job but left him for another gay, his father’s (Joel torre) non-presence during the wake and Barbs’ own love story if ever there was. But it’s the humanization of the transgender—who abound in Metro Manila and could be a family member, kin, friend, acquaintance, friend of a friend or just anyone you know up close and personal or from afar—that is the most important thing achieved in this
movie. Having all these elements, it is no wonder that “Die Beautiful” became a favorite in the tokyo International Film Festival held in October where Ballesteros also got his first Best Actor award. It is funny and entertaining, yet emotionally wrenching. the cameo roles of Iza calzado and Eugene Domingo add color to the film, but Ballesteros’ aping of the subtle acting of Jaclyn Jose is one that elicited the biggest laughter among moviegoers. the success of this film in the Metro Manila Film Festival may produce a clamor for another Ballesteros starrer next year, which means a slapstick real transgender Vice Ganda movie could be, well, a thing of the past—for intelligent paying movie going public, at least. Mother lily Monteverde of Regal Films is credited as one of the producers, along with her daughter Roselle, making this production not an indie movie after all. So it was surprising that the Regal matriarch blurted out words that undermine the indie realm when her solo-produced Mano Po 7 did not make the cut. We can only thank the MMFF executive committee for truly bringing change to the movie industry and choosing the likes of Die Beautiful as treat to Filipinos during the holiday season. A big congratulations to Paolo Ballesteros and christian Bables for winning Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor respectively during the 42nd MMFF Awards. More of movies like this, please!
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Duterte has reserved seat at Miss U tHE Department of tourism (DOt) on Wednesday, Jan. 4, confirmed that President Rodrigo Duterte has a reserved seat at the Miss Universe pageant. “Yes, there will be. He will be seated beside me,” tourism Secretary Wanda tulfo-teo responded to the media when asked if there is a reserved seat for the president. Early December, the DOt expressed interest in having Duterte attend the pageant. DOt public affairs, communications, and special projects Undersecretary Katherine “Kat” De castro said the pageant may even have him as a judge. However, De castro later on clarified that her previous statement on the president judging the pageant was only “hypothetical.” Miss Universe Organization President Paula Shugart also said the president
Reigning Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach paid a courtesy call on President Rodrigo Duterte at Malacañan Palace last July 18, 2016.
will not become a judge as they do not allow government officials be chosen as a pageant juror. Miss Universe candidates are scheduled to conduct a courtesy call at Malacañan on January 23.
the candidates will start arriving in the country on January 12 and 13. the prestigious international pageant will be held at the Mall of Asia Arena on January 30. (Philstar. com)
‘Vince & Kath & James:’ truly feel-good hipster movie but... by Arlo
Custodio ManilaTimes.net
lEt’S admit, anything churned out by ABS-cBn becomes a hit. It would be a big shame if and when a movie made or distributed by Star cinema bombs at the tills—what with its unequalled publicity and promotions, in and outside of the station. Good thing even slapstick movies produced by the network always carry redeeming value. And what happened better in this Joshua Garcia, Julia Barretto and Ronnie Alonte year’s Metro Manila Film Festival when the characters bump, disposition how excited he is for is the choice of “Vince & Kath & James” by the selection committee having a major movie in a title role clash or almost physically get over the incongruous Vice Ganda- at that. looking closely, Garcia has comfortable or discomfortable with each other. striking semblance to John lloyd coco Martin starrer. Based on the online romantic cruz and Alden Richards, and that’s truly a hipster movie that series Vince And Kath written by an added factor to his likeability millennials can relate to, the Jenny Rith Almocera, this movie onscreen. modern romantic story centers is perfect for those beginning Julia Barretto as Kath is pretty, on tomboyish Kath who wins her and still trying to know how to commands strong presence on school’s Miss Engineering beauty fall in love. For those who have screen, and could well be Star pageant, schoolmate Vince who’s cinema’s next superstar—possibly fallen in and out of love, the kilig got a crush on her for the longest moments could be reminders of eclipsing aunt claudine’s once time but always teases her every how it was having your first crush stature in the outfit. Incidentally, time their paths cross, and varsity who becomes your girlfriend or both Kath and Vince’s favorite player James who immediately movie in the story is “Got 2 Believe,” boyfriend. likes Kath upon seeing her on there are no flashbacks, just the claudine Barretto-Rico Yan pageant night. references through dialogue, and starrer whose dialogues they texting and social media play memorize by heart, and the climax theodore Boborol successfully a major part in the intertwining connects the dots together—even of the film becomes “life imitating relationship of the three art” when James enters the picture the scenes between Vince and his protagonists—as screenshots mom (Ina Raymundo). spoiling the hidden happiness of of SMS and chat conversations “Vince & Kath & James” is the lovers-in-development. between the characters make up a clean movie, funny at times As James, Ronnie Alonte the development of the story. specially with the witty hugots, but plays his role well as a rich kid the exchanges start when Kath has been overrated as “A” by the sends a question to her best friend more inclined to basketball than cinema Evaluation Board (cEB). Maxine but instead ends at Vince’s academics. He always relies on Realistically, it should be “B+.” It’s a cousin Vince to save him from all phone—what to do with newlygreat vehicle though for the acting predicaments in every situation— circumcised brother Kyle who’s careers of Barretto, Garcia and as if it’s his way of exacting in pain and restless. Vince’s reply payment for debt of gratitude that Alonte. proved to be effective. From tV, these three are now his family has taken Vince to their Joshua Garcia as Vince, the legitimate movie box-office draws home, sending him to the same geeky Electrical Engineering and sooner as superstars of local school as he is and enjoying the student who hides under his blog filmdom, especially Alonte who luxury of privileged lifestyle. “DaVinciQuotes” and martyr of a plays the central character in the there’s plenty of kilig in the cousin, is convincing in his role, other top-earning MMFF entry, movie, which young girls in the though at the start of the movie Seklusyon. audience would shriek and shout it shows in his ever-smiling facial
Karylle stars as daring pole dancer, single mom in Singapore series by ClArizel
AbAnillA Inquirer.net
her thrill to work with foreign actors such as carl ng, Vanessa FIlIPInO artistry is indeed Vanderstraaten, Kathiravan coming to its full glory, as more Kandavelu, Joyce ng, najib and more Filipino actors get Soiman, Shane Mardjuki, terence recognized globally. now, it is not tay and Kaidon Jinyan. the show is only in independent films that directed by Ian Seymour. Filipinos show power in acting, but On being a pole dancer in television series as well. SingerKarylle is long known to be actress Karylle ranks with the one of the most successful singers present trailblazers, reaching the in Philippine showbiz but she has top of her game as she just made very seldom showcased talent her Asia television mark with the for dancing. not a lot of people premiere of her Singapore-based know that Karylle is actually a show, “PI” (“Private Investigator”) ballet dancer, but pole dancing set on January 9. is something she never thought Karylle plays the role of Maia, of trying, as she feels it is just not a pole dancer and single parent for her. who happens to be a private “I’m really a ballet dancer, investigator as well, caught I’ve done aerial hoop but I’ve in a web of lies and deceit in never tried pole dancing for the one-season (13 episodes) some reason. I always thought series, produced by Mediacorp, it was impossible,” she shared. Singapore’s leading tV network. For her role as a pole dancer, she “I play the role of Maia… donned blonde hair and dared [who] has her struggles in life. put on some revealing outfits. She has a kid and all that so she Dedicated to perform her role does anything to put food on the well, she took a crash course on table. She also is a honey trapper, pole dancing under her Showtime [assisting the] PI photographer dance colleagues. As demanded [to catch the] cheating husband,” by her role, Karylle also underwent Karylle explains about her serious physical training. character. “One day, an old friend A different, daring role of hers asks her to join [the] PI Karylle is beyond thankful for firm but the catch is, it’s not a the role she’s been given but the licensed PI firm, so they’re actually 35-year-old singer initially wanted scammers. that’s where the fun a different role. She actually begins, and all the adventures.” wanted the role of co-star Vanessa Karylle, addressing the Vanderstraaten. But it appears crowd at a mini press conference Karylle is destined for something on tuesday for the Singapore else. premiere of “PI”, also shared As every role comes with
Karylle takes on a daring and different role in the Singapore series, “PI”.
it’s own challenges, Karylle’s character as Maia is no exception. She particularly cited the story and language factors as the main challenges she faced, since the story totally veers away from the typical Pinoy drama every Filipino has been accustomed to. Karylle explains that while her pole-dancing, single parent role is not bitter towards men, life in Singapore can be “very difficult and challenging, so if you have a kid, it’s gonna be really hard.” Her character was abandoned by family, and Karylle believes that this is where her character’s angst is coming from. It’s the same angst which will fuel Karylle’s prowess into navigating some new acting terrain, so watch out.
january 6-12, 2017 www.asianjournal.com
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JANUARY 6-12, 2017 www.asianjournal.com
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