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Volume 24 - No. 29 • 2 Sections - 16 Pages

JULY 28-AUGUST 3, 2017 Also published in LOS ANGELES, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY

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Palace clarifi es: Duterte threat to DATELINE USA US gov’t vows to address abolish CHR made ‘out of frustration’ bells of Balangiga issue FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

by JHOANNA

BALLARAN Inquirer.net

THE United States Embassy in Manila on Tuesday, July 25, vowed to work on a solution to address the issue concerning the bells of Balangiga church in Samar, which were seized by U.S. soldiers as spoils of war in 1900s. “We are aware that the bells of Balangiga have deep significance for a number of people, both in the United States and in the Philippines. We will continue to work with our Filipino partners to find a resolution,” U.S. Embassy press attache Molly Koscina said. The embassy issued the statement after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte demanded the U.S. to return the century-old bells back to the Filipino people during his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 24. PAGE A4

A PALACE spokesperson on Thursday, July 27, said President Rodrigo Duterte was just “expressing his frustrations” when he said the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) should be abolished. In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said the president is simply “expressing his frustration” on the “apparent biases” of the Commission. “He’s merely…not merely, he’s actually stating

his frustration regarding the CHR,” Abella said. “However, it is a Constitutional commission and it cannot be abolished by a mere legislation. The chairperson and its members serve at the pleasure of the president,” he strssed. When asked if the president might fire CHR Chair Chito Gascon, Abella said: “Technically, he can be replaced at his [Duterte’s] pleasure.” Abella, however, quickly clarified that his In this Aug. 15, 2016 file photo, human rights activists light candles for the statement was not an “empty threat.” victims of extra-judicial killings around the country in the wake of “War on “We do not talk about empty threats, we talk about Drugs” campaign by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in Quezon City. Philstar.com photo PAGE A2

Babe Romualdez named new PH envoy to US by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

Fil-Am groups hold rally, rate Duterte’s first year in office PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte was sworn into office on June 30, 2016, and Filipinos around the world have mixed feelings about the controversial leader’s first year in office. On Monday, July 24, nearly 50 students, social justice activists and religious leaders gathered in front of the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles to address Duterte’s track record as he surpasses one year as president. Called the “People’s State of the Nation Rally and Report Card for Duterte’s First Year,” the groups critiqued Duterte’s administration and condemned its handling of several national issues. The rally was a part of a national movement in which cities across the U.S. and internationPAGE A2

MEDIA executive Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez has been nominated as the new Philippine Ambassador to the United States, Malacañang announced on Thursday, July 27. In a statement, the administration of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte expressed confidence that Romualdez’ nomination will further strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countries. “We are confident that with Mr. Romualdez at the helm of the Philippine embassy [in] Washington, D.C., [this] will further strengthen Philippine-US relations and promote stronger cooperation between the two countries,” Duterte’s spokesperson Ernesto Abella said. According to Abella, Romualdez would also have concurrent jurisdiction over the Commonwealth of PAGE A2

GIFT FROM AMERICA. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana (right) and U.S. Ambassador Sung Kim try out one of two Cessna 208B Grand Caravan intelligence and reconnaissance aircraft donated by the U.S. government. Lorenzana said the two aircraft would be used for maritime patrols over the West Philippine Sea. ManilaTimes.net photo by Bob Dungo Jr.

Pres. Duterte delivers second SONA Maintains stand on fight against illegal drugs as ‘unremitting, unrelenting’ by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

DIGONG’S SONA. President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) during the joint session of the 17th Congress at the House of the Representatives in Quezon City on Monday, July 24. Also in photo are House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez (right) and Senate president Aquilino Pimentel III. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte delivered his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 24, covering a wide range of issues — from his administration’s policies, such as his “unrelenting” drug war; call for implementation of laws, including capital punishment; and government spending on infrastructure projects; to lambasting his critics and warning to tax mining companies to “death.”

PH tourism revenues hit P220-B by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

THE Philippines’ tourism revenue has reached to P220.30 billion during President Rodrigo Rodrigo Duterte’s first year in the office, according to the country’s Department of Tourism (DOT). In its one-year accomplishment report released on Monday, July 25, the department said the tourism industry has become a “bright spot” for the country’s economy. It noted that the country’s tourism revenue during the first year

of the Duterte administration doubled in comparison with his predecessor’s, former president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, during the same period. The current administration, according to the department, achieved a 109.13-percent revenue increase. “The tourism industry has become a bright spot for the Philippine economy during the first year of the Duterte administra- In its one-year accomplishment report released on tion, with the country more than Monday, July 25, Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo said doubling its tourism revenues that tourism has become a “bright spot” for the

He also cited his administration’s achievements in his first year of presidency, including the establishment of Citizen’s Complaint Hotline, as well as the implementation of the No Balance Billing Policy, and the recent nationwide smoking ban. The president mentioned the West Philippine Sea issue and federalism as matters the Philippine government has “to tackle sooner or later,” but were not PAGE A3

Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez has been nominated as the new Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Philstar.com photo

BOC promotes tax-free ‘Balikbayan Box’ program by JENNIFER

SORIANO

AJPress

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) is encouraging Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to use the tax-free “Balikbayan Box” program, saying that no one has availed of it yet as of this month. “We are encouraging the OFWs to avail of this program. Isa itong pagpaparangal sa ating mga OFWs (This is one way of recognizing our OFWs),” Customs Commissioner NicaPhilippine economy, hitting revenues up to P220.30 nor Faeldon said. PAGE A2 billion. Philstar.com photo

Qualified Filipinos While Abroad (QFWA) can send balikbayan boxes to their families and relatives without having to pay for duties and taxes up to three times and not exceeding P150,000 in a calendar year, under the Republic Act No. 10836 or the Customs Modernization and Tarrif Act (CMTA). However, Faeldon said that as of July 2017, the program has no takers yet. “P75 billion annually, this is the amount the government has given to the OFWs (in this project) instead of the govern-

ment collecting tax from the OFWs,” Faeldon said. Packages sent under this program is limited to packages sent to the OFWs’ family or relatives up to the fourth civil degree of consanguinity. The program does not include items in commercial quantity or intended for barter. It should only contain personal and household items, Faeldon said. How to avail Qualified Filipinos who can avail of the program are OFWs PAGE A2

A

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JULY 28-aUgUst 3, 2017 • OC/IE asIaN JOURNaL

From the Front Page

BOC promotes tax-free ‘Balikbayan Box... PAGE A1 with valid passports and certified for overseas employment, the Customs chief said. Qualified applicants for the program also includes: Filipinos under job contract that do not require certification from the Department of Labor and Employment and Philippine Overseas Employment Administration;

non-resident Filipinos who are permanently living abroad but retained their Filipino citizenship; and resident Filipino citizens that are holders of student visa, investor’s visa, tourist visa, and similar visas which allow them to establish temporary stay abroad. The OFWs will have to provide the biographical page of pass-

port, the itemized list of their packages, and receipts of newlypurchased items to the consolidator. Thereafter, international forwarders will then submit information sheets from the senders through a secured electronic format simultaneously to the BOC and to the deconsolidator. The Philippine forwarder, on the other hand, will also submit the information sheets and documents in a secured electronic format to the BOC. Migrant workers group calls it a new ‘money-making’ ploy Meanwhile a migrant workers’ rights group hits the Bureau of Customs’ new guidelines on balikbayan boxes, calling the memorandum a “money-making” requirement. Migrante International opposes latest order Customs Memorandum Order 04-2017, specifically on the items that requires the balikbayan boxes to include an “itemized list” of the contents and receipts of the newlypurchased items inside the box. Also, the new directive requires the recipients of the packages to show proof that they are a relative of the sender. BOC said it issued the directive “to adopt transparent custom rules regulations policies procedures consistent with international standards and best practices and “to prevent revenue loss from possible abuse in the availment of the privilege on the tax and duty-exempt importation of balikbayan boxes.” “Itong mga taga-Customs, halatang walang malasakit at walang respeto sa mga OFW. Hindi ba nila alam na kasama sa sayang dulot ng balikbayan box ang surpresang dulot nito sa mga pamilya? Pati ba naman ito ay tatanggalin nila? Gusto nilang tanggalin ang saya ng OFW at pamilya sa pagpapadala at pagtanggap ng balikbayan box (The Customs does not care and respect the OFWs. Don’t they know that the idea of surprise brings happiness to the OFWs and their families? And now, the Customs will remove this? They will remove the happiness brought about by sending and receiving balikbayan boxes to the OFW and their families?),” Migrante International spokesperson ArPAGE A4

INAUGURATION. Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar seated (left), DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu (center), along with Senator Cynthia Villar and Rep. Emmeline Aglipay-Villar (partly behind), led the Inaugural drive thru of the Phase 3 of Zapote River Drive that will help ease traffic congestion and reduce the incident of flooding in the area. Phase 3 covers a full kilometer of flood control structure and improvements covering Pegasus St., Moonwalk, Talon 5 to M. Alvarez Avenue and an additional 500 meters that extend to San Isidro Subdivision and Pamploma 1, at the Zapote River Drive, Las Pinas City on Wednesday, July 26. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Palace clarifies: Duterte threat...

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concerns,” the spokesperson said. In a press conference after his State of the Nation Address on Monday, Duterte slammed the CHR, which has been critical of alleged human rights violations by the police and military.

“And when the time comes, yung CHR, yung opisina dito (the CHR, its office), you are better abolished,” he said. “I will not allow my men to go there to be investigated. Human Rights Commission, you address your request through

me because the Armed Forces is under me and the police are under me. Kaya ‘pag kinuwestyon ninyo sila for investigation, dadaan muna sa akin (If you question them for investigation, they will have to go to me first).”

Babe Romualdez named new PH envoy...

PAGE A1 Jamaica, Republic of Haiti, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and Grenadines and Saint Lucia. For his part, Romualdez said he was “honored” and “humbled” by his nomination to be Manila’s representative in Washington. “I’m happy and honored to serve the country. I am humbled by President [Rodrigo] Duterte’s

trust and confidence,” Romualdez, who is also a columnists for the Philippine Star, said. U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim also congratulated Romualdez. “Warm congratulations to my good friend Babe Romualdez on his nomination to be Ambassador to the U.S.,” Kim said in tweet. Duterte initially offered the post to Romualdez in December last year but the latter reportedly declined as he was still about to undergo an operation the fol-

lowing January because of an eye ailment. The Philippine Star reported that the columnist has since fully recovered and is now ready to assume the position. Romualdez is the chairman of the Philippine offices of several US-based multinational companies, including FCB Manila and Weber Shandwick Philippines. He is also the president of the Manila Overseas Press Club and vice president of Manila Rotary, as well as the publisher and CEO of Stargate PeopleAsia.

PAGE A1 to P222.3 billion from July 2016 to May 2017, a 109.13-percent increase compared to P106.297 billion receipts during the first 11 months of the Aquino administration,” the DOT said. It attributed the tourism boom to the government’s “firm resolve in dealing with threats, creating a more secure and safe environment, and raising tourists’ confidence.” Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo also mentioned several events that contributed to the success, citing the country’s hosting of Miss Universe pageant in, the third Madrid Fusion Manila, as well as

the United Nations World Tourism Organization Conference, among others. She also took note of the cooperation pacts the Philippines signed with other countries like China, Russia, Cambodia, Thailand and Turkey. “The numbers are expected to increase as China has committed to sending at least a million travelers to the Philippines this year,” Teo added. Netizens, however, slammed the government agency for its supposed misleading data. Some pointed at the omitted tourism revenues in years 2011 to 2015 from the DOT’s “Bright

Spot report” graph, which aims to compare tourism revenues during Aquino administration’s first year and the current administration’s. “Department of Tourism-Philippines, why is your chart missing a few years? Isn’t this a misleading graph? Selective use of data? As a matter of fact, 2016 had 313.6 billion tourism revenue from 306 billion in 2015,” a netizen tweeted, quoting data from the Philippine Statistics Authority. Another netizen commented in part, “Compared to 2010, revenue increased during Duterte’s first year in office but compared to the last year of Noynoy Aquino in office, we lost a lot.”

PH tourism revenues hit...

Fil-Am groups hold rally, rate Duterte’s... PAGE A1

ally held their own People’s State of the Nation Rally to call attention to many of the Duterte administration’s “unfulfilled promises.” There was an emphasis on the Duterte administration’s handling of the illegal drug war, the recent extension of martial law in Mindanao and the increased militarization amid the stall of the peace talks between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP). “People were very hopeful for change, but what has really changed?” Deputy Secretary General of BAYAN USA Nikole Cababa told the Asian Journal. “We still see abject poverty, low wages and contractualization, people being pushed out of the country...and at the same time, we’re seeing this extension of martial law which has led to a lot of human rights violations.” Cababa added that Duterte “should take a note in the history books,” in that martial law is widely condemned by people all over the globe. She also said that social justice organizations, like BAYAN USA, encourage Duterte — and all world leaders — to explore fighting terrorism through socio-economic reform, like addressing poverty and the need for social services. The rally began with the diverse group of young Fil-Ams holding colorful signs and several chants, which were met with supportive car honks from drivers driving along the adjacent Wilshire Blvd. One sign, in particular, was a blown up mock report card for Duterte, which criticized his handling of many foreign and domestic issues, including education, housing, the drug war, contractualization and more. The rally grew as the speakers voiced their concerns for the

Various Fil-Am activists gathered in front of the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles and released a “report card” of President Rodrigo Duterte’s performance thus far. AJPress photo by Klarize Medenilla

growing tensions in the Philippines, with a focus on socio-economic reform, especially poverty and education. Annalou Lingat, vice chair of ANAKBAYAN LA spoke about the lack of education reform and stressed the importance of public programs and affordable education. In 2013, the Philippine Department of Education added two more years to the country’s 10-year basic education system, implementing the K-12 system, widely implemented throughout the globe. Educators, parents and students have petitioned to have this system revoked, calling it “unfair” and a “catastrophe,” according to a petition sent to the Philippine Supreme Court. “Under this new education system, it’s much harder to gain access to quality education, forcing many Filipinos to settle for lower wage jobs or even make the hard decision to find jobs abroad. The Duterte administration should

be able revive a free, accessible education for all. The rally was hosted by BAYAN USA Southern California, the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHROP) Southern California Network and National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON) Southern California. Filipino youth and student organization ANAKBAYAN and Filipino women’s organization GABRIELA USA also joined in to voice their concerns over the president’s lack of attention on the ongoing human rights abuses. “Human rights are still violated in the country right now,” Cervas told the Asian Journal after the rally. “We still have over 400 political prisoners who were imprisoned, in the first place, for trumped up charges. They were arrested because of their political beliefs and for fighting for a more just and free Philippines.” (Klarize Medenilla/AJPRess)

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Pres. Duterte delivers second...

Dateline USa

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further elaborated. ‘Unrelenting’ drug war Despite what he described as international and local pressures, Duterte maintained that his administration’s campaign against illegal drugs will be “unremitting as it will be unrelenting.� The drug war has earned heavy criticisms over its alleged violation of human rights and related summary killings. But the unfazed president, while clarifying that he “value[s] human life,� insisted that he has no intention “to loosen the leash in the campaign or lose the fight against illegal drugs.� “I will not allow the ruin of the youth, the disintegration of families and the retrogression of communities, forced by criminals whose greed for money is as insatiable as it is devoid of moral purpose. Neither will I be immobilized into inaction by the fear that I will commit an act that will expose me to public condemnation or legal prosecution,� he remarked. Addressing his critics, Duterte went on to say: “Your efforts will be better spent if you use the influence, moral authority and ascendancy of your organizations over your respective sectors to educate the people on the evils of illegal drugs instead of condemning the authorities and unjustly blaming for every killing that bloodies this country.� Martial law ‘fastest way’ to quell rebellion Defending his martial law declaration and suspension of the writ of habeas corpus in the entire Mindanao, the president said he believed it is the “fastest way to quell the rebellion at the least cost of lives and properties.� “At the same time, the government would be adequately equipped with the constitutional tool not only to prevent the escape of rebels who can easily mingle and pretend to be civilian evacuees only to re-group in another place to fight another day, but also to prevent them from spreading their gospel of hate and violence in the rest of Mindanao,� he added. Death penalty, implementation of laws Duterte called on Congress for the implementation of several bills, including capital punishment, Rightsizing the National Government Act, Salary Standardization Law, tax reform, and establishment of a new authority

President Rodrigo R. Duterte delivers his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) before a jampacked attendance at the House of the Representatives in Quezon City on Monday, July 24. PNA photo by Oliver Marquez

or department for disaster resiliency, among others. In his speech, the president asked Congress to “act on all pending legislations to reimpose the death penalty on heinous crimes — especially on the trafficking of illegal drugs.� He pointed out that capital punishment is “not only about deterrence� but also “about retribution.� “In the Philippines, it is really an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. You took a life then you must pay for life. That is the only way to even. You cannot place a premium on the human mind that he will go straight,� he said. Duterte also called on for the “expeditious� passage of the “Rightsizing the National Government Act,� which aims to improve public service delivery. For the government owned and controlled corporations, the president cited the implementation of the existing Salary Standardization Law pending the review in the Compensation and Position Classification System. “Salaries and allowances, incentives, benefits, and bonuses across the government owned and controlled corporations – at this time increases will have to pass by my office. And I am not inclined to increase your allowances, bonuses, and salaries at this time,� he said. The president also asked the Senate to support his tax reform in full and to pass it without haste. “The passage of the Tax Reform Law is needed to fund the proposed 2018 budget which I am submitting here and today. The poor and vulnerable are at

the heart of my tax reform. Your support would ensure that the benefits of the tax reform can be felt immediately by them,� he added. Duterte also called the members of Congress to “craft a law establishing a new authority or department that is responsive to the prevailing 21st century conditions and empowered to best deliver [an] enhanced disaster resiliency and quick disaster response.� Golden age of infrastructure The administration is targeting to increase government spending on infrastructure from 5 percent of the GDP (gross domestic product) this year to 7 percent of the GDP by 2022, amounting to a total of 8 to 9 trillion pesos or 160 to 180 billion dollars. “We will make the next few years the Golden Age of Infrastructure in the Philippines to enhance our mobility and connectivity, and thereby spur development growth equitable in the country. In other words, we are going to build, build and build,� Duterte said. In connection with sea connectivity, he cited the launching of 15 brand new Ro-Ro vessels to ply major nautical routes all over the Philippines. An ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Ro-Ro Shipping Route connecting the ports of Davao and General Santos, Philippines to Bitung, Indonesia, were also opened. To further address the congestion of seaports in the country, ports of Iloilo, General Santos, Cagayan de Oro and Zamboanga were “modernized.� PAGE A4

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OC/IE ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 28-AUgUSt 3, 2017

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Just-approved VW diesel plan a step forward for disadvantaged communities, more needed SACRAMENTO – On Thursday, July 27, the Greenlining Institute supported the California Air Resources Board’s approval of a clean vehicle investment plan stemming from a settlement to address the Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal. Greenlining has been critical of the plan, as it falls short of prioritizing meaningful investment in the state’s most polluted low-income communities of color, butupdates to the plan have eased some of these concerns. “Because low-income communities of color are most likely to live near busy roads and freeways, the health of these com-

munities took the biggest hit from VW’s emissions cheating,� said Greenlining Institute Environmental Equity Legal Counsel Joel Espino. “We’re glad that VW has updated its plan to make clear that it will work toward major investments in electric vehicle infrastructure, access and awareness in the communities that need it most. But we look forward to actions because they speak louder than words.� Under the Zero Emission Vehicle Investment Plan, to be implemented by its subsidiary Electrify America, VW will invest $800 million over 10 years in clean vehicle access, infrastructure and

awareness. With some progress on commitments to underserved communities, Greenlining and a variety of environmental and public health organizations supported the plan. “While we’re pleased with today’s decision, VW’s breach of trust with Californians requires CARB and community groups to keep a close watch on implementation,� Espino said. “We and others will keep pushing for strong CARB and stakeholder engagement to ensure that Electrify America rolls out its investments in a way that maximizes benefits to California’s poorest and most polluted communities.�

US senator calls for renewal of Filipino veteran benefits program by Dana

SioSon AJPress

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Amid its looming expiration, United States Senator Mazie K. Hirono sought the renewal of a provision under “Keeping Our Commitment to Overseas Veterans Act� which extends the country’s authority to operate the Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office in Manila, Philippines. Hirono introduced the bill on Wednesday, July 16, pointing out that it is “imperative� for Congress to renew it, citing its thousands of beneficiaries. The day coincides with the 76th anniversary of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s order to incorporate the Philippine Army into the U.S. forces in 1941. “Hawaii’s deep cultural and family ties to the Philippines extend to the sizable community of veterans and their dependents who rely on the Manila VA to receive their pensions and health care,� Hirono was quoted saying in a news release. According to the VA, its regional office in Manila supports around 13,000 beneficiaries through over $19 million per month in disability compensation or pensions. The office also serves about 6,000 enrolled patients through its outpatient clinic. “We must keep our commit-

ment to these veterans and all veterans who rely on the Manila VA. It is imperative for Congress to promptly renew authority for this facility to avoid any impact to the hard-earned critical services these veterans deserve,� the senator added. If not extended, the bill will expire on September 30, 2017. Edmund Aczon, chairman of the board of directors of the Filipino Community Center in Waipahu, Hawaii, thanked the senator for her “steadfast efforts to support [the] Filipino World War II Veterans,� including those who are currently residing the Senator Mazie K. Hirono Philippines. “We are grateful to Senator to provide the benefits and serHirono for introducing this bill vices the veterans have earned to reauthorize the Manila VA during World War II. Regional Office and Outpatient Veterans of Foreign Wars Clinic to ensure stability for the (VFW) National Legislative Ditens of thousands of veterans rector Carlos Fuentes, on the and their families who receive other hand, described the MaVA disability compensation, pen- nila VA as not only a testament sions or healthcare which will to Washington’s commitment give peace of mind to their fami- but also serves as “a reminder of lies in Hawaii,� Aczon added. the sacrifices of those veterans Retired U.S. Army Major Gen- in the Philippines who answered eral Antonio Taguba, chairman President Roosevelt’s call to of the Filipino Veterans Recogni- service during World War II 76 tion and Education Project, also years ago.� expressed gratitude to the sena“The VFW thanks Senator Hitor for her leadership in introduc- rono for her leadership in introing legislation to reauthorize the ducing this bill to ensure veterManila VA. ans in the Philippines continue Taguba said the VA’s longtime to have access to their earned presence in the Philippines is a health care and services,� Fuenreflection of Washington’s duty tes added.

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Dateline USa

JULY 28-aUgUst 3, 2017 • OC/IE asIaN JOURNaL

Supreme Court broadens family exceptions of Pres. Trump’s ‘Muslim ban’ Top court rules against Trump’s request to expand the controversial travel policy

by Klarize

Medenilla

AJPress

THE United States Supreme Court this week ruled in favor of a lower court opinion that temporarily banned extended family members of American citizens from six Muslim-majority nations. The highest court in the U.S. on Wednesday, July 19 voted to allow a ruling by a federal judge in Hawaii who argued that grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and siblings-inlaw should be added to the list of close family members who can get visas to travel to the U.S. The ruling is a loss for the Trump administration, which has looked to expand the scope of the travel ban, an executive order on immigration first introduced on January 31. The mission of the ban was to provide a temporary halt in immigration from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. However, Wednesday’s Supreme Court decision did block

requests from the Hawaii court that included refugees; the Hawaii court argued that refugees that made arrangements with a humanitarian aid organization in the U.S. should be exempt from the ban. This means that, unless the appeals court rules otherwise, the nearly 24,000 refugees who have already been assigned to a resettlement program in the U.S. will not be admitted. The travel ban — colloquially called the “Muslim ban” — represents the strict immigration reform promised by President Donald Trump, who affirms the temporary ban is for national security purposes. Since its introduction in January, several courts have ruled that many stipulations of the ban violated the Constitution, including providing preferential treatment of religions. Lower courts have blocked certain aspects of the ban. On June 26, a Hawaii declared that the list of exempted individu-

als was too restrictive in its allowance of only parents, parents-inlaw, spouses, fiances, children, and children-in-law. He ruled that people “who have a credible claim of a bona fide relationship” with a relative or organization in the U.S. would be exempt from the ban. The Supreme Court ruled that that should be up to 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to make the decision. The scaled-down version of the travel ban was put into effect last month following the June 26 ruling by the Supreme Court. As of press time, travel to the U.S. is banned from the six nations for 90 days, and the refugee program is temporarily suspended for 120 days. The Supreme Court is scheduled to rule on the legality of the ban as a whole in the fall, but travelers may bypass the ban if they can prove that claim of an established “bona fide relationship” with a relative or organization.

BOC promotes tax-free ‘Balikbayan Box... PAGE A1 man Hernando said. Hernando described sending balikbayan boxes as the “most personalized translation of love and affection for its recipients,” a culture practiced by Filipinos and their relatives abroad since then. “Bakit kami ang pinagdidiskitahan ng gobyerno gayong hindi naman nila masawata ang mga malalaking iligal na smuggler at sindikato? Pawis at dugo ng mga OFW ang puhunan para mapuno ang bawat isang balikbayan box (Why are we the one being blamed by the government now that they cannot suppress the big time illegal smugglers and syndicates? It requires hard work for the OFWs to fill in their balikbayan boxes),” Hernando said. “The least the government could do is to make sure that this simple vehicle of love is not burdened by unnecessary requirements and money-making schemes at the expense of OFWs and their families,” he added. Meanwhile, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto on

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Duterte camp spent $200,000 for troll army, Oxford study finds by MiKas

Matsuzawa Philstar.com

A UnIvERSITY of Oxford study found that $200,000, around P10 million, was spent to hire trolls who would spread propaganda for President Rodrigo Duterte and target his opposition. The study titled “Troops, trolls and troublemakers: A global inventory of organized social media manipulation” looked at how political parties and candidates across 28 countries deploy “cyber troops” who use a variety of strategies, tools and techniques to shape public opinion. Countries included in the research were Argentina, Azerbaijan, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, China, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, Germany, India, Iran, Israel, Mexico, north Korea, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, South Korea, Syria, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, venezuela and vietnam. The study said that Duterte’s team of 400 to 500 cyber troops post nationalistic and pro-government comments and interact with dissenters through harassment and individual targeting. Membership in cyber troop teams in the Philippines is “liminal” but with some coordination. Popular forms of individual targeting involve “verbal abuse, hate speech, discrimination and/or trolling against the values, beliefs or identity of a user or a group of users online” usually over a long duration. Fake accounts, which, in many cases, are “bots”—bits of code designed to mimic human users—were also found to have been deployed in the Philippines. These were often used to flood social media networks with spam and fake

Infograpchis by

news—propaganda made to seem like legitimate news articles—and inflate the number of likes, shares and retweets to create “an artificial sense of popularity, momentum or relevance.” “This is different to traditional digital campaign strategies, which have generally focused on spreading information about the party or candidate’s platform, or sent advertisements out to voters.” The study showed that Duterte’s online machinery is composed of his party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan, his campaign’s social media manager nic Gabunada, volunteer groups and paid citizens. “Social media has become a valuable platform for public life. It is the primary medium over which young people, around the world, develop their political identities and consume news. However, social media platforms—like Facebook and Twitter—have also become tools for social control,” the study said. The study listed 2016 as the year of the earliest report of orga-

nized social media manipulation in the Philippines. During that year “keyboard trolls” were hired to spread propaganda for then presidential candidate Duterte and many of them continue to amplify messages in support of the president’s policies now that he’s in power. Ronwald Munsayac of PDPLaban’s Public Information Committee on Sunday, however, said their party never hired or used online trolls. In a series of tweets, he said that the allegations by the study were “plain and simple ignorant.” Research for the study was conducted in three stages. First, through a systematic content analysis of news media articles. The content analysis was supplemented with other sources from think tanks, government agencies, civil society groups, universities and other credible research. Finally, they consulted with country experts to check facts, find additional sources in multiple languages and assist in evaluating the quality of sources.

US gov’t vows to address bells of Balangiga... Qualified Filipinos While Abroad (QFWA) can send balikbayan boxes to their families and relatives without having to pay for duties and taxes up to three times and not exceeding P150,000 in a calendar year, under the Republic Act No. 10836 or the Customs Modernization and Tarrif Act (CMTA). Inquirer.net photo

Monday, July 24, shared the sentiments of the migrant workers group, saying the present BOC guidelines and implementation on balikbayan boxes has loopholes that can encourage “pilferage and theft by corrupt customs personnel.” Recto said that attaching a list

of contents was “tantamount to providing a keyhole that might tempt unscrupulous handlers to open it and rid it of its contents.” “We should review it because of the complicated requirements, balikbayan boxes will be wrapped in red tape,” Recto said in a statement.

PAGE A1 In his speech, Duterte recalled the Balangiga massacre during the Philippine-American War in 1901, when U.S. soldiers retaliated by “mak[ing] a desert of Balangiga” through killing Filipinos aged ten and above in Samar. Duterte said the killings “reduce[d] Samar Island into an island of ‘howling wilderness’.” Three bells were taken from Balangiga Church by U.S. soldiers as spoils of war — two of which were presently displayed at the F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming as a memorial to U.S. troops killed by

Filipino insurgents. The third bell was in South Korea. “I say today give us back those Balangiga bells, they are ours, they belong to the Philippines. They are part of our national heritage. Isauli naman ninyo, masakit yun sa amin. (Return those to us, it is painful for us),” the president said earning applause from the audience. He pointed out that the bells serve as “reminders of the gallantry and heroism” of Filipinos who “resisted the American colonizers” and “sacrificed their lives in the process.” This was not the first time

Duterte brought up the Balangiga massacre in his speeches. In September last year, the president took a swipe at the U.S. government for the around 2,500 Filipinos killed in Samar under U.S. General Jacob Smith’s order, saying that his soldiers “hijacked [the Balangiga bells], stole it and never returned it” to the Filipino people. Despite several attempts by previous administrations, the bells have yet to be returned in the Philippines. It remained to be a perennial issue between the two countries’ bilateral relations. (Dana Sioson/AJPress)

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This May 2001 photo shows the two bells of Balangiga at the F.E. Warren Air Force Base outside Cheyenne, Wyoming, that signaled an attack by Filipino insurgents on occupying American troops in 1901. Inquirer.net photo

Pres. Duterte delivers second... PAGE A2 “We shall complete strategic road and bridge projects and some of the road sections shall be widened and improved to address the worsening traffic,” Duterte added. The president also said that the government of China has “committed to build two bridges to span Pasig River free of charge.” He went on to say, “We might get some money also from China and we’ll have new airports in the coming days and we are now accelerating the implementation of the communications, navigation, surveillance and air traffic managements system projects which will result in the on-time arrivals, departures better managed air traffic, reduced flight operational cost and safer and more convenient travel experience.” Prioritizing environment over mining Duterte warned mining companies and contractors in the Philippines “to refrain from the unbridled and irresponsible destruction of [the country’s] watersheds, forests, and aquatic resources.” In his speech, he emphasized the government’s advocacy for “responsible, regulated and sustainable development,” saying that protection of the environment must be prioritized ahead of mining and all other activities that adversely affect it. He then warned mining companies: “Either spend to restore the virginity of [your] source or I

will tax you to death.” “So I will increase the taxes. Then I will think of something that will compensate or make up for the damage or at least the income restored. Otherwise, I’ll have to stop mining. I will ask you to stop it. It’s not good,” he added. The president further warned government officials tasked with monitoring mining operations to “do their job without fear or favor.” Duterte also said that if possible, the government “shall put a stop to the extraction and exportation of our mineral resources to foreign nations for processing abroad and importing them back to the Philippines in the form of consumer goods at prices twice or thrice the value of the original raw materials foreign corporations pay for them.” Achievements Citing some of the administration’s achievements, Duterte mentioned the establishment of Hotline 911, which allowed the government to receive and immediately respond to emergencies; and of Hotline 8888, or the Citizen’s Complaint Hotline, which receives feedbacks or concerns on government services. Executive Order no. 26 imposing a ban on smoking in public places was also implemented to “minimize access to tobacco products, and provide a more supportive environment for those who are attempting to quit tobacco use.” In securing the rights and wel-

fare of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) the president said he has ordered the increase of government assistance from 400 million pesos to more than 1 billion pesos. Meanwhile, to ensure that Filipinos are given equitable access to quality and affordable health services, Duterte said the administration has “expanded health insurance coverage and benefits.” “The destitute and the indigents, or those who just could not afford hospitalization, can now be provided with free services of government-operated and public hospitals as well. We have strengthened the implementation of the no Balance Billing Policy,” the president said. The administration also “sustained investments in higher education” and “committed to the full implementation of the K-to-12 Basic Foundation Program.” Duterte added that his administration “took steps to promote inclusiveness in the Bangsamoro Transition Commission [BTC] by expanding its membership through Executive Order no. 8,” which he signed in november last year. “By giving representation to indigenous peoples, women, children, and sultanates, and key stakeholders in the drafting of the Bangsa[moro] Basic Law, we ensure a Bangsamoro government that truly reflects the aspirations of our Muslim brothers and sisters as well as our indigenous brethren,” the president said.

(818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 • http://www.asianjournal.com

OC/IE ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 28-AUgUSt 3, 2017

D ateline PhiliPPines Drilon, Lacson claim ‘cover-up’

A

in downgrading Marcos’ liability by Dana

SioSon AJPress

SenatorS Franklin Drilon and Panfilo Lacson believe that there is an obvious cover-up for Supt. Marvin Marcos and other policemen who were spared from murder charges in connection with the slay of albuera Mayor rolando espinosa. the Department of Justice (DoJ) earlier downgraded the murder charges recommended by the national Bureau of Investigation (nBI) against Marcos and 18 other members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group eastern Visayas (CIDG-8) who were involved in an operation that lead to the death of espinosa and fellow inmate raul Yap in november last year. the suspected policemen were also reinstated, prompting the Senate to conduct an inquiry into the controversial developments. In a sideline interview after the hearing on Wednesday, July 26, Drilon said the inquiry “proved that there’s a cover-up on the liability of Marcos.” “Instead of being able to explain what happened, it is obvious from the hearing today that there’s a deliberate cover-up to allow Marcos and his group to be reinstated and to allow Marcos and his group to be able to post bail,” the Senate minority leader said. He pointed out that both the nBI and the Senate concluded in its separate investigations that the slay of alleged drug lord espinosa and Yap were “premeditated murder,” contrary to suspects’ claim that they were killed in a “shootout” incident. Drilon added that Justice Sec-

Sen. Franklin Drilon

Sen. Panfilo Lacson

retary Vitaliano aguirre II also agreed that it was murder case. But instead of murder, Justice Undersecretary reynante orceo downgraded the charges against the suspects to homicide. During the hearing, orceo maintained that aguirre “doesn’t have any hand” in the draft of the resolution downgrading the policemen’s charges. “to me, what the hearing today confirms is a conspiracy to cover-up,” Drilon added. Lacson also echoed Drilon’s statement, saying, “We have all the reason to suspect that Marcos is being coddled here.” referring to Marcos’ reinstatement and possible promotion, Lacson added, “the reason I mentioned this is really to preempt whatever it is they are planning because he (Marcos) is already at the entry point. He was given an entry point to be promoted. at least I made them conscious that the Senate is watching closely.” Philippine national Police (PnP) Chief Director General ronald Dela rosa, for his part, denied that President rodrigo Duterte influenced his decision to reassign the charged policemen.

“If we base it on the pronouncements of the president, your honor, it has not affected our decision. Because for the record, your honor, he did not call me up to give instructions whether to absolve or to penalize Marcos. He did not intervene,” the PnP chief said during the hearing. Dela rosa, however, admitted that Duterte repeatedly told him to bring Marcos and his men back to duty since the government is paying their salaries. “as far as the reassignment back to CIDG… the president really said that we should use these people. We lack people on the ground. they are being paid so let’s put them to work,” he said. He further noted that the reinstatement of Marcos and his men “boosts the morale” of the police. Quoting the P\president, Dela rosa went on to say, “He said that if you (police) run into trouble, I will back you up, I will not abandon you. What Superintendent Marcos did, it was in the line of duty. Supt. Marcos is being assisted to get back to work so this boosts the morale.”

PH signs MOU on cooperation with China by Dana

SioSon AJPress

tHe governments of the Philippines and China have signed a memorandum of agreement (MoU) on strengthening their bilateral cooperation. Philippine Foreign affairs Secretary allan Peter Cayetano and his counterpart, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, signed the agreement on tuesday, July 25, during the latter’s official visit to Manila. In a press briefing, Cayetano described the friendship between the two countries under Philippine President rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping as a “friendship worth fostering.” Cayetano said the agreement “will reinforce the foundation of the relations” between the two foreign ministries “through exchanges and collaborative activities.” “taking to heart the Philippine Constitution and President Duterte’s independent foreign policy, we seek to strengthen ties and cooperation with all countries in order to bring tangible benefits to all Filipinos and to the people of our partner countries,” he added. Joint gas exploration earlier on Monday, July 24, Duterte cited a possible joint oil exploration between Manila and Beijing in the disputed South China Sea. In a conference after delivering his second State of the nation address (Sona), Duterte, while saying he could not reveal the details,

COOPERATION DEAL. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (right) and Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano exchange pleasantries in Manila on Tuesday, July 25. The two agreed to strengthen cooperation in tourism, trade, finance and fighting illegal drugs. ManilaTimes.net photo by Rene Dilan

disclosed that the talks about the joint exploration are ongoing. “When they start to excavate the gas and all. I tell you, it’s going to be just like a joint venture. Para pareho (So it will be fair),” the president said. “We are there already, may partner na (There’s a partner already),” he added. “Di ko lang masabi kung sino. nandoon na ang atin pati kanila (I just cannot reveal the partner. Our representatives and their representatives are there). they are talking and they are exploring.” asked about potential joint oil exploration with Beijing, Cayetano expressed hope that both countries would find a way to use the natural resources in the area “for the benefit of the people.” “as very spiritual people, we

believe natural resources are blessings from God that should be enjoyed by His people,” Cayetano told reporters. He went on to say, “thus, the natural phase two of better relations here and of the environment of dialogue, peace and stability is seeking to be able to use those natural resources to benefit your people.” Wang echoed Cayetano’s sentiments. “In waters where there are overlapping of maritime rights and interest, if one party goes for unilateral development, then the other party will take the same actions, and that might complicate the situation at sea that might lead to tensions, and as end result nobody might be able to develop the resources,” Wang said.

House panel releases detained ‘Ilocos six’ the six provincial officials have been detained since May 29 for their “dismissive answers” during an investigation into the alleged illegal purchase of motor vehicles by the Ilocos norte Provincial office using the tobacco excise tax. they were provincial planning and development officer and bids and awards committee chair Pedro agcaoili, provincial budget officer evangeline tabulog, provincial treasurer Josephine Calajate, accountant eden Battulayan, and treasury office staff Genedine Jambaro and encarnacion Gaor.

earlier on the same day, Ilocos norte Governor Imee Marcos attended the House panel’s hearing tHe Philippine House Cominto the alleged anomaly. mittee on Good Government and this was after the House panel Public accountability has orissued a subpoena against her, dered the release of the so-called warning that she will be detained “Ilocos six” government officials for contempt if she did not attend from detention on tuesday, July the tuesday’s hearing. 25. the panel issued the subpoena House Majority floor leader after Marcos skipped previous rudy Fariñas, who is also the Ilohearings, where she was invited cos norte representative, ordered to explain her knowledge in conthe release of the officials after nection with the issue. they answered the panel’s ques“Pagkakataon na rin para magtions during the House inquiry salita (It’s now time to speak),” into the P66.45 million-worth toMarcos told reporters in a chance bacco excise tax anomaly. interview. During the hearing, the governor maintained her innocence in connection with the issue. “Walang korapsyon at katiwalian sa pagbili ng pamahalaan ng Ilocos norte sa minitruck. Walang kickback o ghost purchase (There was no corruption or anomaly in the Ilocos Norte government’s purchase of minitrucks. There was no kickback or ghost purchase),” Marcos insisted. the House panel’s next hearing into the alleged misuse of toIlocos Norte governor Imee Marcos hugs one of the “Ilocos Six” after they were ordered bacco funds is slated on Wednesreleased from detention for contempt by the House of Representatives. Inquirer.net photo by Marc Jayson Cayabyab day, august 9. by Dana

SioSon AJPress

FEEDING PROGRAM. Senator Cynthia A. Villar leads the feeding program for the 200 children from Baseco, Manila as part of the multi-services caravan of Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (SIPAG). The senator was joined by Atty. Regie Jularbal, Vice President of the Legal Department of Manila Broadcasting Corporation and Station Manager of DZRH, the longest-serving radio station in the country which celebrated its 78th anniversary. Senate photo

Robredo reiterates call to human rights in pursuing anti-drug campaign by Jennifer

Soriano

AJPress

a DaY after President rodrigo Duterte delivered his second State of the nation address (Sona), Vice President Leni robredo reiterated the need to uphold the human rights in pursuing the president’s campaign against illegal drugs. “ako po naniniwala ako na sa pagpapatupad ng anti-drug campaign, sa pag-aayos ng peace and order, hindi pa rin dapat labagin iyong karapatang pantao (I believe that in the implementation of the anti-drug campaign, in ensuring peace and order, human rights must still be upheld),” robredo said. the vice president also stressed that the rule of law is dictated in the 1987 Constitution. “Ito naman iyong sandata ng mahihirap natin na mga kababayan laban sa pang-aabuso ng mga nasa kapangyarihan (This is the weapon of our poor countrymen against abuses committed by the powerful),” she said.

Vice Pres. Leni Robredo with daughter Tricia before they attended Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 24. Photo from Tricia Robredo’s Twitter account

Duterte used much of his twohour speech to talk about his flagship program against illegal drugs and further pounced on his critics for their stand on the premise of human rights and the rule of law. the two highest officials in the Philippine government do not have the same views when it comes to the situation of the illegal drug problem and human rights. the vice president, who has repeatedly slammed Duterte’s brutal

drug war, has said that the drug problem should be addressed using a “health-based approach.” robredo has since initiated the creation of a community-based rehabilitation program, through the local government units and civic organizations. earlier, the vice president said that illegal drug problem is a “complex public-health issue linked intimately with poverty and social inequality” that needs to be addressed appropriately instead of using bullets.

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OPINION

‘Bane of efficiency’

FEATURES

TEMPORARY restraining orders, President Duterte said on Monday, July 24, are “the bane of our efficiency.” The president made the observation as he directly urged Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, who was seated in the audience during his second State of the Nation Address (SONA), to lift the Supreme Court’s TRO on the implementation of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act. THE RH law was passed in 2012, and the TRO has been in place for two years now. Contraceptives and other drugs costing millions in public funds, bought by the Department of Health before the TRO was issued, are about to expire because of the restraining order, Duterte said. Last May, the SC stressed it had tossed the issue to the Food and Drug Administration, which was ordered by the tribunal to determine if two contraceptive implants are safe to use and not abortifacient. The SC should give the FDA a deadline for completing a task that doesn’t require rocket science. Similar deadlines should be given for resolving the subjects of TROs throughout the judiciary. A two-year TRO is anything but temporary. Criminal cases in many other countries are resolved with finality within that period. President Duterte correctly pointed out that TROs have grossly delayed many government projects and programs, setting

back poverty alleviation and reform efforts. He’s not the only one complaining about the TROs. Local and foreign investors have long lamented the issuance of TROs and denounced the corruption that underpins many such orders. The orders are not only issued arbitrarily, they complain, but can also take forever to lift. This is what the Supreme Court TRO on the RH law is starting to look like. Benigno Aquino III, during his presidency, had also feuded with the SC over “judicial overreach” including the restraining orders. President Duterte, who at the start of his term included the promotion of reproductive health in his 10-point socioeconomic agenda, asked Congress in his second SONA to give him a law that would deal with judicial TROs. The judiciary should not wait for this. The SC should be able to temper the exercise of its power without the need for checks and balances from the two other branches of government. (Philstar.com)

Guest Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS MY HEART goes out to Attorney General Jeff Sessions. As you are reading this piece, the man President Donald Trump appointed to be his Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary may either have been fired or has resigned, following the barrage of tweets the president has made on Twitter over the past several days that publicly criticized and even humiliated Sessions. Trump said in his tweets how disappointed he’s been with Sessions for recusing himself from the investigation probing into the alleged collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign to meddle in the U.S. presidential election last year. Sessions was the first Senate Republican who endorsed Trump and has, in fact, been instrumental in winning many conservatives to believe in Trump, whose conserva-

PeaceMaker FORMER SPEAKER JOSE C. DE VENECIA, JR. TWO weeks ago at the first meeting of Asian and European Political Parties in the Asia-Europe Political Forum (AEPF) held in Seoul, July 6-10, 2017, we listed the major conflict areas in Asia and some of their extensions in Africa and at the same time pointed to some of the successful but seldom mentioned geo-political settlements in explosive conflicts in the region including some of the solutions that we thought could be useful. Today it is correct to say that the most dangerous of the conflict areas in Asia and in the world is the continuing confrontation between South Korean and U.S. forces on one side with those of North Korea across the 38th Parallel, which slices the two Koreas at the waist, with the nucleararmed North under the young President Kim Jong-un, supported but also restrained to some extent but perhaps not controlled by the People’s Republic of China. Over the years since the Korean Armstice of July, 1953, which ended the Korean War without a formal peace treaty, the threat of new fighting has always plagued the peninsula. The Philippines bravely sent three Army battalions to help South Korea over three years since 1950, barely five years after the end of a crippling World War II in our own country

Phlstar.com photo

Trump’s imminent ‘firing’ of Attorney General Jeff Sessions for recusing in Russia probe is an assault to conservative causes tive principles were being questioned when he announced that he was running for president. Sessions was very much respected in his home state of Alabama for his conservative principles, programs and advocacies. He went on board the Trump train because he wanted to help Trump solve the problem of illegal immigration in the United States — an issue that is very close to many conservative Filipinos in America. The senator left behind his secure seat to serve the Trump administration as his DOJ Secretary (also known as Attorney General), and has, in the past six months, been earning accolades and support from among his fellow Republicans for being an honest-to-goodness law and order officer who has helped lower the number of illegal immigration to the United States, and has been working hard to implement laws to solve the drug problems. He has been deemed

as a defender of the Constitution and the rule of law. BUT TRUMP, in his recent interview with the New York Times, as well as in a news conference this week said he was disappointed in Sessions for recusing himself from the Russia probe in March, saying that had he known, he wouldn’t have hired him to be Attorney General. His recent tweets have revealed that he has lost his amour for his loyal number one supporter and is willing to let go of him. President Trump has labeled him “beleaguered” (troubled, having a lot of difficulties). He also tweeted that Sessions was weak on investigating Hillary Clinton’s crimes and the leaks coming out of the U.S. intelligence community. BUT why was Trump surprised? Sessions had been forthcoming during the Senate confirmation hearings in January that he would recuse himself from any investigation of Clinton

if confirmed because of the comments he previously made during the campaign about Clinton’s use of the email server and her family’s charitable foundation. He explained that this could place his objectivity and impartiality in question. Trump said that by recusing himself, Sessions was unfair to the president and to the presidency. WHY? In my opinion, Sessions showed “delicadeza” in deciding to recuse himself from the Russia probe because he was part of the Trump campaign being investigated on after his undisclosed meeting with Russian officials during the campaign. How is that damaging to the presidency or to the Office of the President? His recusing himself, in fact, has been helping Trump so that there will be no doubt in the investigation which, in fact, should be Trump’s way to prove he has nothing to hide and has not truly

The many possibilities in North Korea in 1945. Over the years, an explosion between South and North has always threatened intermittently. But today a new war is even more dangerous, more fatal because it is clear nuclear weapons are now available to both sides. At the conference in Seoul which we presided, we recalled that in 1990, as a young Congressman, we led a small Philippine Congressional Mission to Pyongyang, and we had an almost oneand-a-half hour meeting with the founder of North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, DPRK) Kim Il Sung, who led the North Korean Armies which fought the U.S., U.N. and South Korean forces in 1950-53 since the founding of North Korea in 1945, following the partition in the peninsula. Then with us were the late Congressman Miguel Romero, businessman Len Oreta, the late President Corazon Aquino’s brother-in-law, Education Undersecretary Nestor Kalaw, and we were later joined by Kiyoshi Wakamiya, the Japanese journalist who later accompanied the late Sen. Benigno Aquino on his last fatal plane trip to the Philippines on August 21, 1983. When we asked him then about persistent reports that he planned to attack and invade the South, the North Korean leader replied in serious terms: “If we attack the South, the South will be destroyed but we in the North will also be destroyed”. His tone was indicative of how

the leaders in Pyongyang regarded the seriousness of an all-out war with the Americans and with the Koreans in the South. We had recalled earlier in this column that our conversation went so well that we asked him for a written assurance that he would not extend material assistance to the New People’s Army (NPA) in the Philippines and he did, and we then journeyed back to Manila via Beijing, and feeling elated, we proudly presented his letter to a then pleased President Corazon Aquino and Foreign Secretary Raul Manglapus in Malacañan Palace. Over the years, Pyongyang kept his word of their non-involvement with the Communist NPA. In a couple of weeks as he promised, and on our invitation, he sent to Manila then North Korea Vice-Premier Kim Dahl Hyun who set the schedule for the exchange of notes formalizing diplomatic relations between North Korea and the Philippines. We distinctly remember his last day’s visit in Manila because in that afternoon the Mt. Pinatubo volcano erupted and the gray ash rained over us all the way to Manila. We also remember that the day before we took Vice-Premier Hyun on a helicopter visit to Corregidor and on the World War II island fortress, he suggested to us that we consider building a connecting bridge with enclosures between Bataan province to Corregidor to Cavite province, which links could be opened or closed to let ships in and out as needed, so

Manila Bay could then be part of a large reclaimed area for development as the North Koreans did with a successful similar project in North Korea (food for thought!) Our friend, Kim Il Sung, has since passed away and was succeeded by his son Kim Jong Il who also led North Korea in many tense sessions with the South but did not live long enough. Today his 33-year-old son, the first President’s grandson, Kim Jong Un, is leader of a nuclear-armed North, over whom China apparently does not have overwhelming influence, since he has inherited and also built his own strength, developed a large army and created his own nuclear weapons and is today developing an inter-continental ballistic missile delivery system, already in an advanced stage, within easy reach of Japan and Guam, with its large U.S. bases, and farther, to the distant frontline areas of the U.S. in Alaska (range 6,700km). We believe therefore the time has come for direct face-to-face talks, perhaps no longer avoidable, not through intermediaries, between a U.S. President and the young North Korean leader, in Beijing or in Hongkong, both reachable by train, the preferred means of transport by the North Korean leaders as far as we could remember. We could also urge as well the revival of the long-postponed 6Party talks among the U.S., North Korea, China, South Korea, Japan and Russia to help the process but there is no substitute now to

been colluding with the Russians as alleged. Trump’s critics are alleging that the reason why Trump was disappointed in Sessions’ recusal from the Russia probe was because it paved the way for the hiring of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, the highly respected former FBI Director, by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to head the independent probe on the Russia connection. As we read from the news, Mueller has now expanded the probe to include the Trump family’s business and financial ties to Russia. His critics likewise allege that in firing or letting Sessions go, Trump could now appoint a new DOJ secretary who can fire Mueller (but the law says there needs to be a compelling cause to do this), OR, have this new AG stop the investigation because there was nothing out there, in support of Trump’s labeling this probe as

a “witch hunt”. Trump has to understand that the Department of Justice, despite being under the executive department, is an independent body tasked by the Constitution to seek justice and the rule of law for ALL, and should not let anybody, not even the president, be above the law. Trump tweeted this week: “It’s very sad that Republicans, even some that were carried over the line on my back, do very little to protect their President.” MR. PRESIDENT, our public officials— both elected and appointed are there to defend the Constitution and NOT you, as a person. Let them do their job. ***

direct talks. The case is difficult but successful direct talks have been done before between the two Germanys and the two Vietnams, which have been both long united, and as we pointed out before, an inter-Korean family might perhaps emerge someday united in a unique, federated system under common inclusive or alternating leadership which could lead to a modern prosperous first-world power in Northeast Asia, or with an accepted separate North, which later could join an ASEAN Plus 4. In Seoul, in an earlier conference not too long ago, we told our friend, former U.S. Ambassador to the Six-Party Talks Joseph De Trani, South Korea’s religious and economic leader Sun Myung Moon and now his widow, Madame Hak Ja Han Moon, that the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) under President Thomas Walsh and its network which includes the Washington Times, could perhaps revisit their friendships in Pyongyang. The late Reverend Moon, born in Pyongyang, a religious Christian leader with an influential global following, became a successful business leader in Seoul and in the U.S., built a hotel and automobile factory in Pyongyang, which he both later donated to the North Korean government. The goodwill remains and the Moon family and the UPF can avail of their useful links in Pyongyang. The International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) could also rekindle its ties with the Korean Workers Party, the only political party in the North.

It is now clear that the conversations between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jingping although helpful in other ways have so far failed to get any positive response from the young North Korean leader. Other sincere initiatives have failed over the years and the danger today continues to mount. We believe the time has now come for the U.S. President and the young North Korean leader to meet face to face, and subsequently to be joined by the new South Korean President Moon Jae-In to try to settle the mounting crisis in direct talks, for there seems to be no other workable alternative. The U.S. and China might offer to supply some of the North’s petrol requirements; Japan and South Korea might establish economic joint-ventures in the North; Russia and China can help build a railway across North Korea all the way to Pusan in the South, linked with the Caucasus and Europe. In the latest move, President Moon offered rare direct SeoulPyongyang military talks at the Panmunjom truce village on the militarized inter-Korean border in the 38th Parallel but has elicited no response. Also, the Seoul Red Cross proposed an early August meeting to discuss “reunions of families reported by the 1950-53 Korean War”. These two proposals have good value and are workable. But we believe only direct U.S.-North Korean talks will be the ground-breaking first choice for the North Koreans. Even Mr. Trump says direct talks with the North is now possible.

Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABSCBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFilAmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos

The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.

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De Lima to Aguirre: Disclose your ‘verified’ EJK cases by Dana

sIoson AJPress

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT. President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, July 25, expressed gratitude for the assistance of the private sector to the families of the fallen government troops in the conflict in Marawi. The president witnessed the turnover of financial assistance from Go Negosyo Kapatid Family Fund and Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. during a ceremony at the Heroes Hall of Malacañang Palace. Malacañang photo

SENATOR Leila De Lima on Monday, July 24, dared Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II to disclose the breakdown of the supposed 219 “verified” cases of extrajudicial killings (EJK) in connection with President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs. “We should ask for a breakdown of the 219 ‘verified’ cases of EJKs disclosed by the DOJ (via a July Sen. Leila De Lima 21 article by Rappler) by way of a retort to my claim, based on reli- filing of cases against any official able sources that the SOJ issued an enforcing the drug war. This is the reason, she claimed, internal directive not to file cases against law enforcement officers why “not a single case” of summary enforcing the War on Drugs,” De killings — apart from cases exposed in Senate hearings — “was ever Lima said in a statement. The senator made the challenge investigated or prosecuted by the after Aguirre denied her claim NBI (National Bureau of Investigathat he failed to investigate and tion) and the NPS under respondent prosecute more than 7,000 kill- DOJ Secretary.” In defense, Aguirre said that ings allegedly related to Duterte’s the DOJ has “219 verified cases of drug war. Earlier on July 13, De Lima filed EJKs” covered by the Administrative a complaint against Aguirre before Order No. 35 (AO35) or the Interthe Office of the Ombudsman, Agency Committee on Extra-Legal accusing him of issuing an illegal Killings, Enforced Disappearances, directive ordering National Pros- Torture and Other Grave Violations ecution Service (NPS) to restrict the of the Right to Life, Liberty and

Security of Persons. The figure, according to the department, include three cases under preliminary investigation of the NPS, one case under preliminary investigation of the Office of the Ombudsman, 6 under police investigation, 21 under trial, 48 unsolved, 64 archived, and 76 terminated. De Lima, however, stressed that AO35 pertains to the extrajudicial killings that occurred before the Duterte administration. “I should know because I was the one who drafted the AO35 (as then SOJ) and recommended the same to then President PNoy (Benigno Aquino ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III) who signed and issued the same,” said De Lima, who also served as the justice secretary during Aquino’s term. She also pointed out that she was “obviously referring to the present-day EJKs” in her recent complaint. The senator went on to say, “Mukhang nanloloko na naman kayo (Looks like your’e fooling anyone again). Stop misleading or fooling the people, please.”

PH gov’t eyes abolition of PCGG, other agencies Mayor Estrada slammed for inappropriate publicity stunt THE current administration is planning to scrap the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), the agency tasked to recover the ill-gotten wealth of late President Ferdinand Marcos. “They don’t do anything. What do they do?” Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said on Wednesday, July 26. According to him, the plan to stop the PCGG operations is part of the administration’s bigger proposal to trim redundant agencies in the executive branch. On Monday, July 25, President Rodrigo Duterte, in his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) called on Congress for the “expeditious” passage of the House Bill No. 5707 or the “Rightsizing the National Government Act.” The bill, which was introduced by Senator Loren Legarda in September last year, aims to improve public service delivery by merging or abolishing agencies under the executive branch with redundant operating functions. “There are many specific recommendations for policy actions under the rightsizing bill. One such proposal is to abolish the PCGG and to transfer its remaining activities to the Department of Justice (DOJ),” Diokno said.

He noted, however, that the abolition of the PCGG remains a suggestion, and that the decision on the issue would be made by a committee chaired by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea. “All decisions by the committee will be in the nature of an executive order to be signed by the president,” the budget secretary added. Since its establishment three decades ago, the PCGG has so far recovered an estimated P170 billion-worth of cash and assets plundered by the Marcoses and their allies. Reacting to the report, PCGG said it was “surprised” at the recent questions regarding its “performance, relevance, and efficiency.” “Aside from the fact that it was awarded as the best DOJ performing agency for three years, what other government agency can effectively raise non-tax revenues?” the agency said in a statement on Thursday, July 27. It also noted that it was able to recover P57.1 billion in 2012, P631 million in 2013, P1.57 billion in 2014, P14.01 billion in 2015 and P481.95 billion in 2016. It went on to say, “Why is there a question on its budget and relevance when PCGG’s cost-to-

recovery ratio is exemplary as shown by [the] numbers? Of all agencies? Figures do not lie.” The Defense of Human Rights and Dignity Movement (I-DEFEND) Philippines, also described the plan to abolish the PCGG as a “huge blow to human rights groups especially those who have been against the Marcos dictatorship.” “This administration seeks to absolve the Marcoses from their responsibility to the Filipino people,” iDEFEND Spokeswoman Jean Enriquez said in an Agence France-Presse (AFP) report. Malacañang, however, denied that politics is influenced the proposed abolition of PCGG. “It’s a question of streamlining. There’s no question of politics there,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella clarified. He further explained that the proposal came from Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), which is tasked with filing of cases to recover Marcos ill-gotten wealth. The PCGG, on the other hand, handles the administrative functions. “There was a proposal that the OSG can also handle the administrative functions as well… Based on the OSG’s position, apparently they can,” Abella said. (Dana Sioson/AJPress)

by IrIs

VIcente AJPress

NETIZENS slammed the local government of Manila, especially Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada, for heading the clean-up drive of Manila Bay last Friday, July 21 which turned out to be a publicity stunt. The supposed clean-up drive initiated by the local government of Manila was a trending topic for the past few days when video footage of an ABS-CBN reporter circulated online showing trash that was being scattered prior to the efforts for “picture purposes.” The video revealed how the reporter asked whether the people were serious about deliberately throwing out trash in the water before administering the clean up drive. “Cleanup po iyan. Pupulutin po ulit para lang may photo. (This is a cleanup. They’ll pick this up later after taking a photo),” the man in the said video explained. The video was shared multiple times earning criticisms from the public. It was later revealed that the environmental activity was spearheaded by Rizal Park Hotel not by the City of Manila. “This is spearheaded not by the city but by Rizal Park Hotel in cooperation with some govern-

ment agencies such as the City of Manila... It will be done monthly,” said Atty. Sol Arboladura, the director of Manila Tourism and Cultural Affairs. Estrada was asked if he was aware or had given instructions for his staff to throw trash into the water for the publicity photo but he answered vaguely saying, “For publicity only, but we are serious in cleaning Manila Bay.” Even former Manila Mayor and now Buhay Party-List Rep. Lito Atienza showed repulsion over the absurd incident. “Maling mali. You cannot have photo opportunity [cleanup drive] tapos magtatapon ka ng basura. Masamang example ito para sa publiko.(It’s very wrong. You cannot have a clean up drive and throw wastes. It’s a bad example for the public),” he said in an interview with ABSCBN. He also stated that someone should be held accountable for it. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) expressed indifference towards the controversy. “Kapag nagtapon ka ng basura sa Manila Bay, mayroon naman talagang parusa ‘yan sa batas. Ang depensa siguro nila diyan ay kinuha rin naman nila. Sana lang nalahat nila. Hindi sana

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada Philstar.com photo

natin kailangan gawin ‘yun kasi marami namang puwedeng kunin sa Manila Bay. Kalkalin mo lang ‘yung kaunti sa shore. (Throwing wastes in Manila bay is punishable by law. Although they had taken the garbage they had thrown, I just hope they took all of them. There’s no need to do that, in fact they can just dig a little bit on the shore and the wastes would come out),” Undersecretary Maria Paz Luna said. Asked whether Estrada has any liability over the incident, “Di naman natin siya nakitang nagtapon e. Nakita mo ba siyang nag-utos? (We didn’t see him throwing out garbage. Have you seen him giving directives?)”Luna said.

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THE ASIAN JOURNAL ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE

JULY 28-AUGUST 3, 2017

may 30-june 5, 2014 www.asianjournal.com

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july 28-august 3, 2017

Margot Bautista Henry,

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---------- CEO and FOundEr OF Matina ----------

Putting Filipino pride into personal style by MAlou liwAnAg-Bledsoe/AJPress

W

hile working in the banking industry for years, Matina CeO and Founder Margot Bautista henry found herself looking to replenish her wardrobe. She sought to support Filipino-made, or designed clothes she could wear to work, but somehow her search in the United States fell short. “My searches would always come up with Filipiniana clothing, terno, or any variety of the Filipino national garb or costume — which, of course, i could not (would not!) wear to my corporate job,” Margot shared. “i recognize[d] that i must not be the only one that has search for this, being that i am not the first, nor the only, first-gen Filipino immigrant that has probably had the same yearning.” The desire to express her Filipino pride and own personal style and journey was the start of Matina, an online store that sells clothing and accessories designed by Filipino designers. The idea of the store came to Margot during one of her yearly trips to the Philippines in 2016 with her husband and fivemonth-old son. Apart from being on maternity leave, she also took the time to reflect on what she wanted to do when she was done with her MBA at the University of Washington. “My career prior to the store was in finance. i worked at Bear Stearns, and Credit Suisse for well over a decade, after my undergrad at the University of Asia and the Pacific in Manila. What inspired me was hearing about the success of a variety of local, up-and-coming designers that have sprouted in Manila. “One of my best friends, Pia See, is one such designer. her brand, Unif0rm, has very quickly garnered a cult following, and so much demand was coming from all over the world, especially from Filipinos in the U.S. i did a little bit more research, and discovered that the same was true for a

multitude of other designers. There was U.S. demand, but no quick and easy way to fulfill it. “i realized that i was in a unique position—i am well connected with Pia, and there is a big gap in the market that has yet been unfulfilled. it was time to put my MBA to use and figure out this supply chain puzzle,” she shared. Filipino-designed, worldclass apparel Matina is one of the fastestgrowing U.S. based online stored featuring world-class apparel by Filipino designers, curated for life in the U.S. and beyond. Opened in August 2016, the online store has doubled its sales each month — with the exception last March wherein they have outdone their best month five times over. “We are doing exceptionally well, and will keep looking to stay on this trajectory of growing and expanding,” she said. Margot also shared that she personally chooses the pieces that they sell, according to what she would wear. “Being that my clientele is very similar to me, i think i am a pretty good barometer of what would do well at the store, and so far this has worked wonderfully,” she said. Mainly, Matina carries the Unif0rm brand, whose designs capture the style and grace of the Filipina so well, according to Margot. “i have gotten so many comments and messages of how happy the customers are that they found the store, and that they are so in love with the styles. They are truly unique, in that they are basic pieces, never trendy, and will never go out of style,” she said proudly and added, “ i have chosen other designers, thus far, that are similar in quality, timeless in styles, yet striking in their design aesthetic. The Filipino woman is one of a kind in that they put great care and thought into what they want to get across about who they are, with the way

Matina CEO & Founder Margot Bautista Henry with her son, Charlie.

they carry themselves, and the way they dress. This is not to be mistaken with trying to control how they are perceived—but it is more allowing what they want you to know about them.” Apart from Unif0rm, Matina also features other designers like Anika, Florence Fling and ethnique, which are all owned and run by Filipino women. Other lines to look forward to are Studio Curator and Crisp. To be clear, Matina focuses on fashion by Filipino and Fil-Am designers, rather that pieces that are Filipino-inspired or carries the “native” or national look. “Matina features designers that are Filipino. Their work may or may not be Filipino-inspired. i think this is an important distinction because we are not positioning ourselves as a store selling Filipino-themed items, rather we are a Filipino brand, seeking to fulfill the need of the Filipino-American to be able to wear world-class and high quality apparel that has a little piece of home with them that they can show off and be proud of,” Margot explained. Filipino roots Born in Davao City in 1978,

Margot and her family moved to Manila shortly and went to school all the way through college. “i grew up spending my childhood summers in Matina, a town in Davao, hence the name of the store. i felt it was important to have the name of my store be something very personal and meaningful,” she shared. “Matina summers remind me of my maternal grandmother, who was a lawyer, an educator, and the most influential figure in my life. She was well loved and revered by those who knew her.” Margot then moved to San Francisco in 2001, and went to UC Berkeley for a one-year international Marketing program before starting a career in banking. She is now based in Seattle with her husband ian and son, Charlie. Matina moving forward The store is continuously changing and expanding, being that pieces are not massproduced to ensure that high quality remains. This, Margot says, is what makes Matina different from other online clothing companies. “Matina is definitely not a fast fashion boutique. We carefully

curate the designers and the quality of our items,” she said. “it is by no accident that we picked designers that do not produce en masse, and therefore are priced correctly for what the customer is getting. The clientele that we serve is discerning, and understand & appreciate the value of the pieces that they get from us.” Clearly, the biggest challenge Matina has is keeping up with demand, since designers are independent and do not massproduce. But Margot believes that they are moving forward by scoping out other talented Filipino designers who are in the same caliber as the ones they carry now. For now, Margot’s advice to others who are thinking about

establishing their online fashion store is not to “overthink” it. “Don’t try to create the perfect plan because starting your own business on paper looks very different from what really happens. Start small, and be patient with yourself—it is when you are nimble that you get to figure out what the kinks are and work through them so that when you are big, you would know what works,” she shared and then added, “Know what you are good at, and find a place to put that energy. Find your niche, live and breathe it. You will know the truth by the way that it feels. As they say, seek what sets your soul on fire and you will not lose your way!” Check out Matina at www. shopmatina.com.

Sharon Cuneta shrinks to size Brillante Mendoza, Lav Diaz elated medium, admits it’s not enough over invitation to join the Academy By Krissy

AguilAr AJPress

MegASTAr Sharon Cuneta happily shared that she has finally reached “medium” size in an instagram post. “i’m going for size small but really would like to get to XS – eXTrA SMAll (or over na ba ‘yun? Baka mata at ngipin ko na lang ang makita niyo) [or am I going overboard? My eyes and teeth might be the only thing left for you to see]” she said. She admitted that aside from following a strict diet, she has been losing her appetite. She also said that she has a lot to think of “but at least this weight loss has been one good thing to come out of my concerns and stresses.” The only thing she worries is

to make sure she doesn’t get sick. “Pumapayat ako (I’m becoming slimmer) but i’m afraid i’m not getting enough nourishment.” Cuneta has long been dealing with her weight loss problems, but with perseverance, she’s finally getting back in shape. She was congratulated by celebrity friends. “Galing! good job ate!” Judy Ann Santos said. “happy for you mama,” actress Jackie lou Blanco congratulated. “i will love you in any size!” singer Martin Nievera commented. “The Voice” coach recently finished filming a movie, which is an entry for Cinemalaya 2017 entitled “Ang Pamilyang hindi lumuluha.” it will be shown at the Cultural Center of the Philippines and Ayala Cinemas on August 4.

Vicente AJPress

STAr of the movie “Finally Found Someone” John lloyd Cruz admits giving his co-star Sarah geronimo a ring in the past which the latter did not accept. The two stars of the box office hit trilogy movies: “A Very Special love,” “You Changed My life” and “it Takes A Man And A Woman,” are now back on the big screen for yet another blockbuster. They appeared as guests on the late show “gandang gabi, Vice” last Sunday, July 23 to promote their rom-com movie “Finally found Someone”. As Vice ganda is known for putting his guests on hot seats, the “Ashllyod” tandem were no exemption. During the show, Vice came up with a segment where the two played the “honesty cookie.” The game prompted

AguilAr AJPress

iNTerNATiONAllY-acclaimed filmmakers lav Diaz and Brillante Mendoza were recently named as new members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organization behind Oscars. in a press release on the Oscars website, Mendoza and Diaz are among the 774 artists and executives from 57 countries invited to join the Academy. The members will vote in the annual Oscar awards under the categories they have been invited in. This means that Mendoza and Diaz will help choose Academy Awards best director for 2018. its “Class of 2017” brought the prestigious organization a total of around 8,500 members, a huge leap from last year’s 683 new members. “We’re proud to invite our newest class to the Academy. The entire motion picture community is what we make of it. it’s up to all of us to ensure that new faces and voices are seen and heard, and to take a shot on the next generation the way someone took a shot on each of us,” Academy president Cheryl Boone isaacs said. This year’s members also include high-profile directors such Sharon Cuneta as guy ritchie (“Sherlock holmes”), Barry Jenkins (“Moonlight”), Anthony and Joseph russo (“Captain America: Civil War,” “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”) and David Ayer (“Suicide Squad”). Brillante Mendoza hollywood stars like gal gadot (“Wonder Woman”), Chris evans (“Captain America”), Chris hemsworth (“Thor”) and former wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne “The rock” Johnson were also invited to the Academy Class of 2017. “i am glad that we now have representation in the Academy,” Mendoza said in an interview with inquirer. “in spite of our contrasting aesthetics, lav and i were invited to join the same group.This can only mean that hollywood now recognizes Philippine cinema.” in 2016, Mendoza’s “Ma’rosa” was chosen as the Philippine submission to the 89th Academy Awards. he was also the acclaimed Cannes best director winner for “Kinatay” in 2009. “it’s a good development, and i hope other Filipino filmmakers will continue our work of making positive contributions to the world of cinema,” Mendoza said. it’s a historic first for Filipino directors to be invited. “it is an acknowledgment that Philippine cinema and Southeast Asian filmmaking are finally a part of the Academy’s once-exclusive forum,” Diaz told inquirer. Sarah Geronimo is starring in her fourth movie with John Lloyd Cruz in “Finally Found “Now, they are opening up—albeit only in terms of the Someone.” Star Cinema photo Oscars’ voting process. Uy, sama na rin kayo. May konting boses conversation led to John llyod’s the two to spill about their na rin kayo. (You can now join us. You now have a little say.)” juicy revelations. relationship as co-stars through Diaz’s film, “Norte: hangganan ng Kasaysayan,” was the “May binigay kasi ako sa the years and were even asked country’s entry to Best Foreign language Film to the 87th kanya dati, eh ibinalik niya sa if there was ever a time when Academy Awards. he also directed the golden lion prizeakin. eh nasa akin pa rin, pwede the two developed romantic winning epic, “Ang Babaeng humayo,” in Venice Film Festival last feelings toward each other. The Continued on Page 3 year. Lav Diaz

John Lloyd Cruz still keeps the ring for Sarah Geronimo By iris

By Krissy

Fil-Am short film about an undocumented immigrant at featured NYC film fest By elIjah

roderos

AJPress

“TO what extent can a mother sacrifice just to give her child a better life?” An official selection to the 40th Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF), “The Pleasure Of Being Served” by Michael Manese is a story of inner struggle between principle and pragmatism. The 15-minute short film centers on Rosa, a single mother from the Philippines who chose to work in the U.S as a domestic helper with the hope of bringing his son along to the “the land of the free.” She works for a young and rich American named Hudson, who is caught between two lovers at the same time: Lynn, also a Filipina, and Jen, an American who both don’t know about Hudson’s shenanigans. Having befriended both of them, Rosa knows exactly the consequence of infidelity. Rosa is torn between telling the two women about Hudson’s manipulative lies and leave, or keeping mum about his deceit and accept Hudson’s generous offer. A simple depiction of an undocumented immigrant far away from home, yet a multifaceted narrative, “The Pleasure Of Being Served” speaks the dilemma of our modern day heroes.

july 28-august 3, 2017 www.asianjournal.com

Yassi Pressman shares lessons learned in 10 years of showbiz by Iza IglesIas ManilaTimes.net

FROM playing supporting roles when she came to the showbiz scene in 2006, gaining a little bit more of the spotlight as time went by as third wheel to top loveteam JaDine of James Reid and Nadine Lustre, Yassi Pressman has finally blossomed all on her own today. Thanks to her fresh pair-up with Coco Martin in ABS-CBN’s toprated prime time series, “Ang “The Pleasure Of Being Served” tells the story of Rosa, a single mother from the Philippines Probinsyano,” the 22-year-old who chose to work in the U.S as a domestic helper with the hope of bringing his son along Viva talent and network contract to the “The land of the free.” artist is proof that starting at the bottom has its rewards. Day’ and ‘Hud’. Both are two of “I would like the audience After all her decade-long my favorite movies ever that to come out of the theater experience in various projects— just, coincidentally, have similar experiencing complex emotions. whether big or small—has themes,” he said. Was Rosa right in what she did? indeed honed her acting skills According to Manese, the What was she thinking? What to an impressive quality as seen title came from an episode of would have the audience done in Everybody Loves Raymond where in “Probinsyano.” Lately too, her her situation?” said Manese, the popularity on prime time has the mother goes to a restaurant writer and director of the film. helped to further her career with and tells her family to leave her Drawing inspirations from movie offers, guest stints, and alone; she just wants to have the different outlooks, the main multiple product endorsements. pleasure of being served. character is inspired from Looking back at her journey, The short film is currently Manese’s previous Latin American Pressman says she learned many being written into a featurehousekeeper while Hudson is lessons along the way, which she length film set in 2016 U.S. from his favorite movie, Hud. will keep with her in this new and Presidential Election, in the light He also shares that he’s always of Trump’s administration wherein more exciting phase in her career. been fond of doing a film with “I’ve encountered a lot of the deportation is a threat to subtitles. obstacles and a lot of challenges. undocumented immigrants. “I always wanted to do a The festival will until August 5 There had been so many times movie with subtitles. I loved that I felt I couldn’t do it anymore,” in New York City. the movies ‘The Remains of the the beautiful mestiza added. “But of course, as in anything that you want to achieve, you have to be strong, believe in yourself, and hold on to the people who believe in you too. I’ve been lucky to my family, friends and fans to support me these past 10 years.” Speaking at her launch as brand ambassador of skincare company Silka, Pressman

Paulo Avelino dating a Fil-Aussie model By KrIssy

aguIlar AJPress

PAULO Avelino confirmed that he and Filipino-Australian model, Jodie Elizabeth Tarasek are together now. “Kami na (we’re officially dating),” he admitted to Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP) when asked about the status of their relationship. “Hindi ko na sasabihin kung kailan, pero kami na. Happy ako ngayon. (I won’t say when [we became official] but we’re now a couple. I am happy now),” the Gawad Urian Award-winning actor added. Rumors about the two started when Avelino posted Instagram stories of him, teaching Filipino phrases to Tarasek. He taught her how to pronounce words like “nakakapagpabagabag (worrisome)” and even taught the model a line from the song

aguIlar AJPress

AN American comic book writer put a Filipino-American character in the spotlight of his comic book series called “Rocket Girl.” The story’s creator, Fred Corder, originally hails from Washington DC. He is also the founder and creative director of Pockets Fulla Pillz (PFP), an art design company that publishes the “Rocket Girl.” The original comic series is illustrated by Corder’s Filipino

Yassi Pressman

continued, “There are and there will always be rejections. And you’ll also have a lot of bashers, who though only in social media, can even follow you at home, in your sleep, and surround you all the time if you let them bother you. So, it’s important to learn how to handle it.” The actress further admitted she used to fall prey to bashers and allowed the criticism about her acting, singing, and dancing affect her. “They still do sometimes, and in the past, I broke down many times. But I’ve learned that you can never please everybody. If you change one thing about you because of what one group said, another group will have something negative to say about it. But as long as you try to be the best version of yourself, no matter

what they say, you’ll always be on the right track.” Pressman is grateful to work on the set of Probinsyano nowadays, not only because it certainly fueled her career, but because it allows her to work with some of the best and veteran artists in the business whom she learns so much from every taping. “I am so fortunate to be included in the show, and to be able to work with my co-actors is just surreal. There is so much to learn from so many people. There’s Tita Susan [Roces], my mom and dad in the show—Tita Shamaine Buencamino and Tito Joel Torre—and a lot more. And there are also lessons I learned from my journey as [the character] Alyana,” Pressman shared. Saving the best for last, she meanwhile said of her leading man, “I learn so much from Coco as well who is such a great actor. Besides that, he is such a gentleman. Before we eat, he makes sure to pull out my chair and then he’ll get food for me. Even my water! He really displays a unique kind of concern, kindness and respect not just for me but with everyone on the set, most especially the women.” Finally, when asked how she sees herself in another 10 years from now, Pressman replied, “I hope I will still be here in the industry. But honestly speaking, if I weren’t actress today, I’m sure I’d still be doing something behind the cameras. Maybe starting as a personal assistant. So, in time, I hope to learn everything about this field and still be doing something in showbiz.”

John Lloyd Cruz still keeps the ring for... From Page 2

Paulo Avelino

Jodie Elizabeth Tarasek

“Basang-Basa sa Ulan” by Aegis. Avelino said he first met her through a mutual friend and described Tarasek as “Sobrang simple lang, yun ang isa sa mga reasons kung bakit sobra akong na-attract sa kanya (She’s very simple. That’s one of the reasons why I was attracted to her).” According to Tarasek’s

Instagram page, she is a Manila-based model who has starred in catalogue shoots and commercials. Avelino is the father of 7-year-old Aki, his son from ex-girlfriend LJ Reyes. Prior to Tarasek, he also dated KC Concepcion and Natasha Villaroman.

American comic book writer creates ‘Rocket Girl’ from Manila By KrIssy

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artist friend and business partner, Jeck Flores. “Rocket Girl” delves into the life of a Filipino-American neurologist, Rashida Johnson, whose work is taken by her Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) boss. Rashida is a Filipina born in Luzon and was adopted by African-American physicians who were conducting a mission in the Philippines. While Rashida looks like your typical superhero, Corder said that she has no superpowers in the classical sense.

“She just can’t die properly,” he told FilAm.net. “Each time she dies, she comes back 15 minutes before it happened. That’s just the beginning of the oddity of her predicament. It really plays with the question of morality and causality. Her character’s journey asks the central question: Do you define your actions? Or do your actions define you?” The only power that Rashida possesses is her quick-tempered nature, hence the code name “Rocket Girl.” What makes her different from other superheroes is that the only villain present is Rashida herself. “She is fighting the enslavement imposed by her own dark emotions and pride,” Corder said, “and that makes her relatable and interesting for fans.” The comic duo, Corder and Flores, have been working together for six years already. They previously worked on designing album covers and other graphics before eventually shifting their focus to comics. In 2012, Fred left his job as a psychologist in DC and made his move to Manila official to further expand his business. “It took me by surprise honestly; the graphic artists of the Manila area are the best in the world,” he said. “I immersed myself and intentionally got lost in the colorful world that is the Manila art underground scene.” While writing the story and dialogue of his comic, Corder has also been on a lookout for new artists within Metro Manila to join his PFP team. “Create! Create! If you are an artist, you must draw nonstop. If you are a writer, you have to write nonstop,” he advised aspiring comic artists. “Even if your art or writing sucks, as long as it’s original and there is a scary amount of it everywhere you will succeed eventually.”

ko na bang i-dispose? (I gave her something before but she returned it. I still have it though, should i dispose it?)” he told Sarah. The actor was referring to a ring he supposedly gave Sarah but the actress refused to accept it.

When asked why she gave it back, she explained that someone had advised her to return the ring to its owner so as not to cause confusion. “Mahal ‘yun oi! Sayang yun Llyodie. Balik mo nalang sa ‘kin wala namang problema. (Don’t

dispose it! Its expensive. Just give it back to me)” she said as she joked about the subject. Sarah is romantically involved with actor-athlete Matteo Guidicelli since 2014, while John Llyod dated Angelica Panganiban in 2012 and broke up in 2016.

JULY 28-AUGUST 3, 2017 www.asianjournal.com

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Pechanga’s live August treat: ‘Golden Voices’ of Jed Madela & Morissette Amon TWO of the most-coveted, multi-awarded international Filipino singers- Jed Madela and Morissette Amon, are set to perform live in Pechanga Resort & Casino theater on August 19 at 7:30 p.m. Pechanga Resort & Casino is well-known for hosting the best and the brightest Filipino entertainers and performers such as Megastar Sharon Cuneta, the singer/actress and Tony Award winner Lea Salonga, popular comedian and actor Vice Ganda, winner of “Star Power Search 2011” Angeline Quintos, international actress and top endorser Anne Curtis, and Pop Star Princess Sarah Geronimo - who all gave wholesome entertainment to the delight of the crowd. Not only fine dining, relaxation and entertainment, Pechanga Resort & Casino wish to provide the ultimate experience especially, to Filipino-American patrons. Commonly known as John Edward Tajanlangit, JED is a Filipino recording artist and TV host, who became the first to win the World Grand Champion title with a uniquely wide vocal range. Madela, who hailed from Iloilo, Philippines, started his singing career at five years old while joining various competitions where he usually ended up winning. As Madela rose to stardom, he represented the country in 2003 to join and landed first in surveys in the Voice of Asia competition as he bagged the ‘People’s Choice Award.’ Thereafter, he received numerous awards like the ‘Sponsor’s Choice’, the Mainhill Award as the ‘Best Voice of Asia Male Singer. ‘ He made waves during the 2005 World Championship of the Performing Arts in Hollywood, California a she vested over 3,000 contestants from 52 countries to win the grand prize. The highly acclaimed singer also shared the limelight with George Benson and Billy Joel who both received the Lifetime Achievement Awards in the same award-giving body. Madela’s powerful voice was showcased in

these winning pieces in the threeday competition-- “I’ll Be Around”, “Labis Akong Umiibig”, and the festival version of Martin Nievera’s hit song “Be My Lady”. While Madela’s albums became a hit and after nine years with Universal Records, he finally inked a contract with ABS-CBN’s music recording company and likewise, remains a contract artist of the ‘Kapamilya’ record label, Star Records, with an all-original feature songs. Back to back with Madela to render one of the most ‘Golden Voices’ in the music industry is Morissette Amon, who at the onset of her career was discovered and coached by world-renowned singer, Sarah Geronimo. Amon, better known as Johanne Morissette Daug Amon, who was runner up on TV5’s ‘Star Factor’ at the age of 14. In 2012, she made her professional stage debut in the Repertory Philippines production of Disney’s ‘Camp Rock. The talented singer-actress, who also joined the Voice of the

Productions, will surely transform the patrons’ live entertainment experience at Pechanga Resort & Casino. For a very cozy and scintillating performance, patrons and guests could expect a unique experience with JED and Morissette at the most-frequented destinationPechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, California. Tickets are now on sale Wednesday-Sunday from moon to 8p.m. from $125, $100, $78 and $58, and may also be purchased at the Pechanga Box Office, 877-711-2WIN (2946) or online at www.Pechanga.com. Shows in the Pechanga Theater offer a comfortable and intimate concert experience. With 1,200 seats in its theater, each show features state-of-theart and acoustically perfected sound. Enjoying favorite artists at Pechanga versus other venues proves effortless with free valet and self-parking for guests, complimentary casino/resort shuttles, gourmet and casual dining options on site, plus comfortable Philippines, became a recording chairs and an up-close view from artist of Star Music/Star Records in every theater seat. early 2014 and released her selfPechanga Resort & Casino titled album, ‘Morissette’ in March Pechanga Resort & Casino 2015. Amon was tagged as “The offers one of the largest and Next Diva, “ as she became part most expansive resort/casino of ABS-CBN’s Sunday noon show, experiences anywhere in the ASAP. United States. Voted the Number Like Madela, Amon is not far behind in winning an award as the One Casino in America by readers New Female Recording Artist of the of USA TODAY and rated a Four Diamond property by AAA since Year by the 7th PMPC Star Awards 2002, Pechanga Resort & Casino for Music in November 2015 and she bagged the Female Artist of the provides an unparalleled getaway. Year on M.O.R. Pinoy Music Awards Offering more than 3,400 of the hottest slots, table games, in August 2016. world-class entertainment, 517 One of the most sought-after hotel rooms, dining, spa and singers internationally, Amon is championship golf at Journey frequently invited to perform in at Pechanga, Pechanga Resort & various singing engagements Casino features a destination that abroad to Overseas Filipino meets and exceeds the needs of Workers (OFWs) through the its guests and the community. Filipino Channel (TFC) mainly, in Pechanga Resort & Casino is owned Hong Kong, Dubai, Los Angeles, and operated by the Pechanga Qatar, San Francisco, Abu Dhabi, Band of Luiseño Indians. For more Taiwan, Bahrain, Toronto, Canada information, call toll free 1-888and New York. PECHANGA or visit www.Pechanga. Don’t miss this chance of a com. lifetime! The singing combination (Advertising Supplement) of this duo, under Stargaze

Charo Santos-Concio

Charo Santos-Concio: ‘You learn more from your failures than your success’ by IRIS VICENTE

through some adjustments but I look forward to it because I’ve been working all my life. I’m enjoying this AT 61, Charo Santos-Concio stage where I’m able to try things is considered as one of the most I have never done in my life. I’m powerful women in local media industry—surging from production still discovering myself. You reach the stage where you have gone assistant to now Chief Content through so much, you learned so Officer of ABS-CBN. The host of the longest-running many lessons. Maybe because I’m so open na to all the opportunities television drama anthology “Maalaala Mo Kaya,” passes on new coming my way. That also speaks about my attitude ever since I was life lessons these days including young. Surprises continue to come aging gracefully and leaving a my way,” Concio shared. legacy based on values. She said that at her age, the “Legacy is really more about only thing that has changed is her values, a universal truth that you attitude towards life, she has now leave your children. Whatever role more desire to try different things. a person portrays because we The mother of two also shared wear different hats in life, I hope what she’s doing to secure the they were able to touch the lives future of her children, what with of everyone they meet along the way and teach them lasting values,” the early demise of her father, it taught her the importance of Concio said. preparing for the future of the The media executive teaches loved ones that individuals leave everyone to face their fears saying, behind. “you learn more from your failures Concio is an award-winning than you would ever learn from actress who starred in criticallyyour success.” acclaimed films both local and She believes that having international. She was appointed confidence allows people to take as the 5th President of ABS-CBN risks, learn from experience and in 2008, making her the first reach their goals. woman president of the media “It’s really courage and having the inner strength to face the truth conglomerate and the Lopez Group of Companies. and your fears and see how you On January 1, 2016, she retired can stretch yourself and see your as President and CEO of ABS-CBN capacity to excel, to love, to do Corporation. She remains as the good,” she said. Chief Content Officer of ABS-CBN Now in her golden years, while having an additional role as Concio starts to confront the next the President of ABS-CBN University phase of her life— retirement. Nonetheless, she has become more and serves as the executive adviser to ABS-CBN Corporation Chairman adventurous and open. Eugenio Lopez III. “I knew that I’ll be going AJPRESS

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Liza Soberano, Daniel Padilla are not pairing up for ‘Darna’ by Krissy AguilAr AJPress

SPECULATIONS about Teen King, Daniel Padilla, being Soberano’s leading man in highly anticipated “Darna” surfaced online. The rumor created an online buzz especially to fans who are expecting Soberano’s on-screen partner, Enrique Gil, to be the leading man. “Not true po,” Liza Soberano’s manager, Ogie Diaz, said as he shuts down the rumors in a recent Facebook post. There is no official announcement yet as to who will play Soberano’s male lead in “Darna” as well as the movie’s other cast members in the upcoming movie directed by Erik Matti. Matti confirmed that he will pen the script, but has yet to cast the characters because he’s more focused on the technical aspects of the film. “Look at this [new movie] as a coming-of-age film—not just as Narda to Darna, but also Liza to becoming a serious actor,” he told

EMPLOYMENT

ManilaTimes.net

QUELLING rumors that she was merely waiting for her contract with GMA Network to end and make a comeback in ABS-CBN, Comedy Queen Ai-Ai delas Alas signed a brand new deal with the “Kapuso” bosses on Monday, July 24. “It wasn’t hard to decide. I still want to be Kapuso,” she declared even before the ink could dry on the document. Ai-Ai swears she is very satisfied with her relationship with GMA, and loves the shows the studio has given her. “Signing a new contract Liza Soberano Daniel Padilla ABS-CBN photos means more work, may mga trabaho na naman ako. One of for) light teen stuff, but now Spot.ph. them is a new show with Bossing it’s coming-of-age for her,” the As Soberano is still [Vic Sotto]. I can’t reveal the filmmaker explained. undergoing training for her role details yet pero we already had Some of the actresses who as the Filipina superhero, Star a meeting, nag-pictorial na rin Cinema still hasn’t announced the previously played Darna in a kami. Ibig sabihin, malapit na film or television series include movie’s release date. malapit na siyang mapanood. Angel Locsin, Marian Rivera, “You know the amount of “Sa ngayon, busy muna Nanette Medved, Anjanette challenge Liza is facing, not just ako sa ‘Sunday Pinasaya.’ We Abayari, Sharon Cuneta, Lorna emotionally or psychologically, just celebrated our second but also physically. All these years, Tolentino and Vilma Santos, anniversary, and we really have among others. hinahasa siya sa (she was trained all the reason to do so because the rating is high. That’s why I’m so thankful to the viewers because since we started airing, GMA Artist Center prime artist Gabbi Garcia is slowly making a they’ve been supporting us kaya mark in the showbiz industry. After landing the iconic role of Sang’gre naman pasabog ang second Alena in GMA’s highly-successful telefantasya “Encantadia,” Gabbi has anniversary namin, di ba?” become more in-demand for magazine covers, features and product Network Senior Viceendorsements. President for Entertainment TV At the young age of 18, with a successful teleserye in her portfolio, Lilybeth Rasonable, meanwhile, being an ambassadress for an international hair product and sold out intimated to Showbuzz that they magazines with her on the cover, where is Gabbi Garcia headed to now? have even bigger plans for Ai-Ai As if living out every young girl’s dream, Gabbi is set to fly to Europe from hereon. Since she has been as part of her commitment to #MakingMega as Mega Magazine’s first winning acting awards both here ever Mega Style cover. and abroad, they will give her Originally a digital publication, Mega Style carefully handpicked her roles befitting her caliber. to grace their first ever print copy. She will be going to Nice, France for “Ai-Ai is a very versatile an avant-garde photoshoot and will star in a 45-minute documentary performer. She’s not only a and a three-minute fashion film to be shot by Emmy-award-winning concert box-office drawer, she is director and producer Mike Carandang not only excellent in comedy, but “This is going to be my first time in France, so I’m very excited. Being she’s also a very good dramatic handpicked by Mega is such an honor, and I can’t wait to try different actress. We are currently looks for the magazine cover and enjoy this European experience,” she discussing to explore that side of reveals. Ai-Ai. We’ve already talked to her What is her secret to becoming one of today’s in-demand cover about it and she’s very excited,” girls, Gabbi shares, “Doing my homework as an artist, keeping fit, Rasonable related. staying true to myself and taking care if my looks by sticking to the At her contract signing, Ai-Ai beauty products that I trust like Gluta C and Pantene.” didn’t just wear her heart on her Meanwhile, Gabbi is part of GMA Network’s Sunday noontime sleeve but literally dressed up variety program “Sunday PinaSaya.” (ManilaTimes.net) in countless little “kapuso” in a

PSYCHIC

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Ai-Ai keeps keeps her ‘heart’ on her sleeve by lhAr sAntiAgo

Gabbi Garcia continues to conquer the world

Gabbi Garcia

july 28-august 3, 2017 www.asianjournal.com

heart-patterned off shoulder top. Everyone complimented her on her ultra slim figure these days. “Pati nga si Atty. Gozon, sabi ang payat ko. I told them that my change of diet is the key. It’s become a change of lifestyle. I only eat organic vegetables and fruits, no meat, no dairy. Pwede rin namang mag-meat at least twice a month or fish and other seafood. Ako lang kasi I cannot eat them because bawal sa akin for my allergies. “It was really hard at first because you’ll turn your back on food that you’ve been used to eating but after some time, masasanay ka din,” she explained. Super svelte, the next compliment she received was how fabulous she’ll look in a wedding gown. “Huwag kayong mainip, malapit na. Ilang buwan na lang,” she laughed. “Sa December na, tuloy na tuloy na ang wedding namin ni Gerald (Sibayan, her fiance). Sinabi ko na nga kay Atty. Gozon i-block-off niya na yung date. Siyempre nandu’n siya.” Not ready to share other details, Ai-Ai said instead, “Si Gerald, nagpapapayat na. Gusto raw niya pumayat kasi sa wedding daw ang payat-payat ko tapos siya ang tabataba. “It’s good that his job requires him to really exert physical effort. Coach kasi siya ng badminton sa school kaya laro din siya nang laro. Ngayon, he plays even more so he will lose weight faster.” Finally, she said they’ve completed the entourage for the big day but will only

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announce names when they’ve informed those in the list. “Baka naman ma-shock sila pag pinagsasabi ko mga pangalan nila na hindi pa namin sila nakakausap. Let us talk to them first because that’s the proper way. When we get their blessing, we will definitely announce it. Siyempre you’ll be the first to know. Kayo pa ba?”

july 28-august 3, 2017 www.asianjournal.com

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Fil-Am Angelica Hale earns Golden Buzzer on ‘America’s Got Talent’ by Joanna

“The deepest definition of youth is life as yet untouched by tragedy.” - Alfred North Whitehead

(2 of 2 parts)

Angelica Hale performing Alicia Keys’ “Girl On Fire”

Howie Mandel, Mel B, Heidi Klum, and Simon Cowell were also impressed by the Fil-Am’s rendition of the Alica Keys’ hit. The child wonder first impressed the judges with her astonishing performance of Andra Days’“Rise Up” on her audition. She further amazed viewers with her kind heart for using her voice to sing on charity events. “I wanted to become like [popular singers], but instead of

Photo courtesy of NBC

doing it for something else, I did it for raising money for the hospitals. I won’t forget my experience in my hospital because that is kind of like a centerpiece in my life,” Hale said in a video. The experience she was pertaining to was the bacterium infection in her lungs that damaged her kidneys, requiring her to undergo a kidney transplant when she was just four years old.

Ahron Villena clears name over Twitter outburst By IrIs

VIcEntE AJPress

ACTOR Ahron Villena apologized in a statement via a Facebook post regarding his controversial tweet last July 20. The bitter exchange stemmed with Cacai Bautista seemingly admitting to having a romantic past with Villena, but also saying “accepted ko naman kung ano man siya (I accepted whatever he is.)” VIllena responded through Twitter and people are calling him out for his offensive “bakit ano ba ang alam mo sa pagkatao ko? Naging tayo ba? (Why? Wat do you know about who I am? Were we in a relationship?)” post on Twitter. In a lengthy Facebook post last July 22, Villena expressed remorse towards his statement, in which others found as obnoxious. He maintained that everything he said were true. “Yes, the words I used in an

Monette AdevA MAglAyA

Children just like you

(Continued from last week’s issue …)

EstorquE

AJPress

THE extraordinary voice of 9-year-old Filipina-American singer Angelica Hale continues to prevail on “America’s Got Talent” as she incredibly performed “Girl on Fire,” convincing guest judge Chris Hardwick to bestow her the coveted Golden Buzzer on Tuesday, July 18. The Golden Buzzer automatically advances contestants to the live shows, the later round of the contest. “I’m so blown away because you walk out and you’ve got these sneakers on, and you look like this adorable little child. And then you open your mouth and it’s like, ‘How do those pipes fit in that tiny body?’ You are unbelievable!” Hardwick said before pushing the Golden Buzzer. He continuously praised the singer by saying, “Angelica, I feel you’re the chosen one.” Aside from Hardwick, the rest of the judging panel, which includes

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond

Ahron Villena and Cacai Bautista

earlier post related to this matter are quite strong. But those were not intentional. I am angry, and the words that came out are those of an angry person,” his post read. The Star Magic actor also reiterated that he made the right decision to voice out his anger as he refuses to let his reputation be

abused by someone who finds it convenient to use him. Villena is referring to Bautista’s upcoming concert entitled “Live,Love, Laugh.” The two were romantically linked in 2015 when they kept posting videos of themselves together in their respective Instagram accounts.

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DAEDALUS took off flapping his wings faster and faster to get vertical lift-off and escape gravity. Icarus followed suit and took off shortly after. As they flew, the people on the ground in Crete watched in amazement wondering whether the winged creatures are the gods themselves flying. Icarus trailed his father closely at first, following his flight pattern and struggling to take heed of his father’s admonitions. But feeling an overwhelming sense of growing power in his ability to fly, reveling in his freedom and giving in to his impetuous, youthful nature, Icarus deviated a little at first, taking little swoops and side trips and catching up with his father who was intently flying on a steady speed and altitude. As Icarus swooped, dived and indulged frivolously in his aerial acrobatics, Icarus soon forgot his father’s words and flew higher and higher towards the noonday sun. Then the wax in his wings melted, the wooden framework broke apart and the feathers blew away. Wingless and panicking, Icarus plunged headlong like deadweight into the blue waters. Daedalus swooped down in hot pursuit to save his son but it was much too late. All he saw were a few feathers floating on the surface. Daedalus, with a heavy heart at the tragic loss of his beloved Icarus, managed to fly to Sicily. In his grief, Daedalus retired his wings, lost his love for life and never flew again. Over and over again through the generations, we see this tendency of some of the young ones to “forget” the things they have been taught and allow hubris and folly to rule. Some throw away

by IrIs

VIcEntE

AJPress

FORMER “Miss Saigon” star Jenine Desiderio hollered on social media about what is seemingly a rift between her and daughter Janella Salvador. The actress-singer, who is known for playing Kim in “Miss Saigon,” reacted to a controversial Twitter post last July 19. “Napakahirap bang magpaalam? 2 simple, basic rules hindi masunod. Kase ayaw sumunod. #nuknukanngtigasngulo #angtigasngloob. (Is it so hard to ask permission? Can’t follow 2 simple, basic rules because u dont want to follow #hardheaded #stubborn)” her tweet read. Desiderio’s tweets were immediately flocked by her followers who were curious if she was referring to daughter Janella, who is one of the most popular actresses on ABS-CBN, and actorrapper Elmo Magalona, who is Janella’s loveteam and rumored boyfriend. Some netizens advised Desiderio about talking it out and solving the rift privately instead of calling her daughter out in public which will do no good especially with Janella’s career. Without confirming or denying anything, Desiderio went on to answer her followers and slammed back at comments saying that they will never know because they are not in her situation. Her problems with her daughter is not the same as

The Asian Journal would be delighted to list your event in our Calendar of Events.

Jenine Desiderio and daughter Janella Salvador

other parents’ problems. One follower tweeted: “hahanap at hahanap yan ng lusot pag masyado mong pinaghihigpitan. (she’s going to find ways to sneak out if you’re restricting her).” To which Desiderio replied: “pinaghihigpitan ba? (am I restricting her?)” Netizens feasted on the long thread of tweets that suggests that the mother and daughter is going through something serious as Desiderio also tweeted “I will not get to this without reason.” Some of her followers asked her to just delete her tweets but Jenine was not fazed and even told them that it was her own space until all of them chimed in. It wasn’t the first time Desiderio ranted on social media

Inquirer.net photo

about a suspected disagreement with her daughter. In February, she also posted a series of cryptic tweets in which people were quick to associate Elmo as the person she described as “a guy who pretends to be decent but sneaks behind my back.” Janella later denied those rumors in an interview with Pep. ph in April, saying that she just had a misunderstanding with her mom in which they have already resolved. Three months later, Desiderio once again ranted loaded tweets which implied a brewing melee between her daughter and a “mystery guy”. No words yet from both sides on whether they have patched things up or not.

Filipino artists react to the death of Chester Bennington EstorquE AJPress

And for consideration in our print calendar, please send submissions at least three weeks before the date of the event. To be included in our online calendar/ e-newsletter, please allow at least two to three weeks' notice.

in wisdom, no real learning is possible. There are lives all around us who can serve as models that we can emulate and cautionary tales we can learn from. On the part of adults who have been there and done all that and have the scars to show for it, achieving perspective and an empathetic bone are needed to remember we were once just as young, just as foolish, or perhaps even more so. But that we praise the God of our being and with all humility admit that we were the lucky ones who got a pass because life was magnanimous enough to let us get past that harrowing stage of youthful folly, with barely a scratch and live long enough to see the cycle repeated in our children. Sigh. Picture a flashback. You can almost see your mother or father, eyes rolling upward, throwing their hands in the air in sheer frustration after you’ve committed a stupid, arrogant stunt or acted like a mindless jackass for the nth time when you were young, quipping a line that sounds like a curse, “May you have children just like you!” Of course, it works just as well on the flip side of the coin. When you have children who have finally become wise after being foolish, you can say the same line as a blessing and heave a sigh of relief. Take heed, young ones. One day, you will become adults who will have children of your own. Then you’ll know that what goes around, definitely comes around. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com

Netizens feast on alleged mother-daughter feud between Jenine Desiderio and Janella Salvador

By Joanna

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, email us the details (title, description, time & date, location, etc.) at info@asianjournalinc.com.

everything they have learned and painstakingly worked for in one impetuous decision or action. It is as if their overwhelming sense of freedom, newly-attained independence and sense of power goads them to “fly close to the sun.” Humility gets torpedoed and overweening pride rules. They feel they no longer need guidance from anyone. Sometimes a good scare or a tiny thorn of bad experience can be humbling and worth more than a lifetime of warnings, advice and admonitions to nudge prideful youth back to reality and on the straight and narrow. While we may think that this tendency of the youth today is unique to our times, we only have to look back several thousand years to know that the scenario may have changed, the cast of characters in every generation in every nation may be different, but the predilection for hubris particularly in the young, remains the same. Notice the youth within your immediate daily orbit. With few exceptions, you might see that the egocentric self-absorption that consumes the severely distracted young these days is borne of hubris that a modern, tech-savvy culture seems to engender with short-cuts that only serve to shortcircuit. Self-confidence and a healthy self-esteem come only after the young have paid hefty dues in life’s lessons learned. Humility, erroneously perceived as meekness these days, is scoffed at and swept under the rug. And yet without humility that instinctively knows and accepts that one needs to learn from others to grow

THE news of Chester Bennington’s death shook the universe, including Filipino artists who have been influenced by the music of Linkin Park’s lead singer. Several condolences for the family, tributes and reactions from Bennington’s fans, fellow artists, and friends outpoured on social media. In her twitter account, former “Miss Saigon” cast Lea Salonga said, “Rest In Peace, Chester Bennington (lead singer of Linkin Park). Condolences to his family, band mates and fans.” Chicosci vocalist Miggy Chavez posted a sketch of the Linkin Park frontman on Instagram. “Rest in peace, Chester. Thank you for the music,” he captioned the photo. Francis Brew Reyes, The Dawn guitarist, reminisced the phone interview he had with the singer. “Had the chance to interview

Chester Bennington over the phone a few years ago for Yahoo PH. It was a wonderful conversation and he was very forthcoming, delightfully chatty. Rest in Peace,” he posted on Facebook. Meanwhile, Gabby Alipe of the rock band Urbandub recalled the chance their band had to open for Linkin Park members during the Manila leg of the “Living Things World Tour” back in 2013. “Will always be grateful for the opportunity to open up for you and share the same stage,” he said in a Facebook post. The artist was also impressed by Bennington’s warmth and humility. “Among your band mates, you were the only one that took the time to approach us and say hello and acknowledge we were there with you backstage. Rest in power,” he added. On the other hand, Jamir Garcia, vocalist of the veteran local band Slapshock, paid tribute by posting photos of their band with Chester.

Lea Salonga

He also recognized the influence of the Linkin Park singer to him and his band, “This man and his band helped shape me and my band to what we are right now.” Bennington was found dead inside his home on July 20, Thursday, according to Los Angeles County coroner. The cause of death of the 41-year old lead singer of Linkin Park, an American rock band that helped pushed the ‘nu-metal’ genre in early 2000s, was suspected suicide.

JULY 28-AUGUST 3, 2017 www.asianjournal.com

The Metamorphosis

Prison ministry work makes a person more grateful and fulfilled

me if I could visit her daughter in jail who was accused of murdering ERNIE D. DELFIN her husband. Much as I wanted to go then, I could not for many (Part 1 of 2) reasons. Among others, I did WHAT do you do when you not have the badge as a prison feel a little bit less energetic minister nor the training to do or somewhat depressed to do that kind of ministry work then. anything? However, I was able to request my That was a predicament that I Bible study classmates who were had to fight back for about week already prison ministers to visit the when I lacked the stimulation to daughter for me, which they did. work outside my mundane tasks The following week, all of them day after day. Alone for several told me that my friend’s daughter weeks while my wife was in the was asking for me. That was the Philippines, taking care of our two profound catalyst of my saying young granddaughters, some YES to my classmates’ countless church and Rotary volunteer invitations for me to join their work, and lots of reading and prison ministry work. writing provided some degree Completing the required of subterfuge to my busy-ness. trainings and background checks To change a downward spiral in from both the Diocese of Orange my internal thermostat, after my and the OC Sheriff ’s Office over a Monday morning Bible Study couple of months, I was granted followed by a morning mass, I that prison ministry badge. forced myself to visit the Orange County Jail to fulfill my commitment Thereafter, I was able to see, talk and minister to my friend’s as a Catholic prison minister at the Women’s Intake and Release Center beautiful daughter while she was still incarcerated at the County Jail (IRC) in Sta. Ana, California, by providing communion services and awaiting her trial then. (She was then transferred to a California bible study for a couple of hours. Miraculously, last Monday’s visit was State prison for women after her unfortunate conviction, where unusually uplifting that changed I continue to visit her with her my paradigm for the better. mom). Through God’s grace, I A brief backdrop about my have been visiting the County never-planned involvement in this prison ministry: God indeed works Jail for about five years now, for a minimum 4-6 hours every month, in mysterious ways and often uses and it has been one of the most other human beings to do His will. fulfilling volunteer work that I have Despite the fact that I have been done in my life. attending mass regularly since Now, let me give you a peek high school, and Bible study for of what happens in our a prison almost ten years, I never thought ministry “classroom.” Anyone nor imagined doing this unknown — including us prison ministers, ministry for laymen, until a long although been “cleared” — must time trusted Rotarian friend called

Health@Heart PHILIP S. CHUA, MD, FACS, FPCS THE United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued warning on the use of tanning beds at home and at tanning salons: tanning increases the risk for melanoma, a deadly skin cancer, up to 59 percent! More than 2.5 million teens, mostly girls, use tanning booths each year in the U.S. Just like with poison, the more exposure, the more sessions, the higher the risk. The data are from the National Health Interview Survey’s Cancer Control Supplement, published in the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The World Health Organization has also determined that ultraviolet (UV) rays from tanning beds cause cancer. The second most common cancer, melanoma has the following 5-year survival rates: About 95 percent for Stage IA, when diagnosed early, and between 5 to 20 percent for stage IV, when it has already spread to other organs. Amazingly UV rays emitted from tanning beds are up to 15 times greater (deadlier) than the rays from the sun. Melanoma kills one person every 50 minutes, or about 28 every day. And these are useless and preventable deaths! Let us review some facts about sunlight and its harmful UV rays. What is in sunlight that is beneficial and harmful to us? The sun and its light are not only beautiful, but vital to our life and survival on this planet. Without the sun, we will be frozen to death, and life forms on earth will cease to exist as we know it today. About 75 percent of our body’s supply of Vitamin D is generated by our skin’s exposure to sunlight (UV-B rays in particular). Abnormally low blood level of Vitamin D increases the risk of colon and breast cancers and may also speed up .the growth of an existing or early melanoma. Of course, Vitamin D can be taken by mouth. The harmful effects of sunlight come from its UV radiation, which could be dangerous to our health in more ways than one, depending on the amount of exposure and dose that a person gets. What are the sun-related diseases of the eye? Cataracts (cloudiness of the lens), which, in severe forms, could cause blindness, especially exposure to UV-B radiation; macular degeneration, the major cause of impaired vision in the USA for people older than 55; photokeratitis, a reversible sunburn of the cornea, also from excessive exposure to UV-B; pterygium,

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still go through formal procedures to enter the facility. First, we give our IDs to a deputy who will then allow us to go to another room to get our day’s pass, and passing through a couple of metal doors that are opened every time one is cleared to enter. Then, a uniformed deputy escorts us, except a few accredited priests, deacons or chaplains, to the assigned ministry classroom. What transpires in that classroom is monitored by deputies who can hear anything being said at their discretion. Just walking and observing through the corridors from the first entry, you can feel that you are in a different “planet” and can be very scary when you see inmates’ activities in their orange prison garbs (men and women are separated by buildings or mods). Some inmates (that’s what they are called when they are in county jails, and once there are in state or federal prisons then they are called “prisoners”) are in solitary confinement for their protection and the protection of other inmates as well. Many cats and dogs in many American homes are treated much better than many of them especially those in solitary incarceration, as many of them are out of their cells for only about two hours a day. Hence, many attend our Catholic services, although some are not Catholics, just to be out of their cells. (To be continued next week) *** Email: ernie.delfin@gmail.com Website: www.gkerc.org www.gk1world.com

Tanning salons and skin cancer growth of pinkish tissues on the while of the eye, which may spread on the clear cornea and block vision. This results when one has prolonged sun exposure on the beach or snow without eye protection, and can be very painful for 1-2 days, with temporary blindness. Even with eye cover, the high dose of UV rays from a tanning bed is still most harmful to vision. A nice tan is too high a price to pay for blindness, much less cancer. How about adverse effects on the skin? Excessive exposure to UV rays predisposes to skin cancer, which includes the face and the eyelids, besides skin in other parts of the body. There are three major types of cancers of the skin: Basal Cell Carcinoma, the most common one, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, second most common, and Malignant Melanoma, the most deadly, but fortunately, the rarest. Malignant Melanoma spreads easily and often deadly if not caught early. How prevalent are skin cancers? This is an epidemic and is a global phenomenon. In 1978, in the United States alone, there were 480,000 cases of nonmelanoma skin cancers, rising to over one million in 1994, with a growth rate of seven percent per year. In Canada, from 1970-1986, melanoma frequency rose six percent per year for men and 4.6% per year for women. Australia has the highest incidence of melanoma in the world. It is said that by age 75, two out of three Australians will have been treated for some typed of skin cancer. In the United States, the estimated 30,000 cancer deaths each year could be prevented if Americans, who love sunbathing, do not over-expose themselves to the sun. How do we protect ourselves from UV radiation? First and foremost, let us not intentionally expose ourselves to UV rays, thru tanning salons (a costly way) or via the sun (for free). Just like anything in life, moderation is the key when it comes to the sun. Tanning beds must be avoided at all cost. While Americans laugh at Asian women when the latter stay under the shade or umbrella on the beach, they also recognize that Asian women’s complexion looks more youthful, with less wrinkles, and that Asian women look younger in general, compared to Caucasian females. Asian women also have lower incidence of sunrelated diseases. Since UV radiation comes not only from the sun but is reflected from the ground, snow, sand, water, and other reflective surfaces, the use of wide-brimmed hat or cap will reduce the UV radiation to the eyes by 50 percent. Wrap around UV absorbing eyewear provides

the greatest protection, because it also limits radiation from the peripheral rays. Polarized sunglasses or transition lenses reduce glare but do not, by themselves, provide protection from UV radiation. Which are the best glasses? Sunglasses, and or prescription lenses, that absorb 99-100 percent of the full UV spectrum to 400 nm are the best for babies, children and adults. Labels on sunglasses should be closely scrutinized to make sure that they say the lenses absorb 99100 percent of both the UV-B and UV-A. If they do not have labels, do not buy them. Consumers must be cautious when the label claims the lenses “block harmful UV” but does not specify how much. Are skin lotions effective for cancer protection? For skin cancer protection, do not rely on sunscreen skin lotion. The best is not to sunbathe for more than 15 to 20 minutes, and apply “physical” sunscreen lotion. Wear protective clothing and wide-brimmed hat when you go outside during sunny days. Avoid sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. if possible. Also, it has been shown that taking vitamin C, D, and E and selenium protects against the damages of UV rays by lessening the adverse effects of the UV rays on the immune system. If one must absolutely be out in the sun, he/she must wear a “physical” sunscreen with a SPF of 15, which contains titanium dioxide, zinc oxide or talc. “Physical” sunscreen works by reflecting the UV radiation rather than absorbing the sunscreen into the skin. Doubling the amount of the lotion, or re-applying it later in the day, does not confer added protection. The best is to minimize sun exposure to a safe degree. Tanning beds are dangerous and must be avoided. Lastly, if you develop any skin spots or notice any mole in your body to be growing larger or darker, or feel any lumps in your body, consult your physician without delay. If treated early and caught in time, most skin cancers are curable. To our legislators and civic leaders: Tanning beds and tanning salons must be banned to protect the public from the unconscionable, greedy, and reckless entrepreneurs out to rob the ignorant people of their hard-earned money while exposing them to cancer and death. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

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The University of the Philippines Nursing Alumni Association International’s annual reunion/convention in Garden Grove, CA The University of the Philippines Nursing Alumni Association (UPNAAI) announces its 38th annual reunion & convention on Saturday, July 28 and Sunday, July 29. Calling all UP Nursing Alumni and Jubilarians to celebrate the milestone of their careers! This two-day event will be held at the Hyatt Regency of Orange County (11999 Harbor Blvd, Garden Grove, CA). The theme is “Charting the course for optimal impact.” The highlight of this reunion is the awarding of the JVSotejo Medallion of Honor to Lydia A. Palaypay, GN ’51, BSN, MSN, DSc (Hon.), RN. To read more about her, please visit http://upnaai.org/LAPNamed-2017-JVS-MOH-Recipient. The full program can be accessed at www.UPNAAI.org. For questions, please contact Merly Abrenica at (818) 384-5064 or Natalia Matitu Mercado at (818) 894-5142.

J U LY 29

The Filipino-Americans of Contra Costa County, Inc. hosts annual picnic in Hercules, CA The Filipino-Americans of Contra Costa County, Inc. (FACCC, Inc.) invites you to its annual potluck picnic on Saturday, July 29 at Foxboro Park in Hercules, CA. It will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bring your favorite dish to share. FACCC, Inc. will provide barbecued beef, chicken, hot dogs and water. For any inquiries, call Chairperson Roy de Leon at (510) 5655465 or Vice Chair Joe Medrano at (510) 417-0585.

Spotlight on Vets in Van Nuys, CA Together with and under the leadership of Consul General Adelio Angelito Cruz, Mutch Carino of Maxx Promos is presenting a fundraiser show Spotlight on Vets, in support of the Filipino WWII Veterans. The benefit show was launched during a press conference that was hosted by Goldilocks Norwalk in Cerritos through the courtesy of Robert Yee and Ms. Jo Ann Kyle. The Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015 was passed and was signed into law by President Obama on December 14, 2016. With this Act, our Filipino veterans will be honored by Congress with the Congressional Gold Medal (CGM) for their service and sacrifice during World War II. Spotlight on Vets aims to raise funds in order to purchase and award Congressional Gold Medal replicas in bronze to living veterans and posthumously to surviving family members. It will be held on July 29, 2017 Saturday 7:00pm at the Envision Center - 15055 Oxnard Street in Van Nuys, California. For tickets and sponsorship information, please call (626) 716-5442.

AU G U ST 5

2017 St. Joseph College of Olongapo City “grand alumni reunion gala night” in Alpine, CA The St. Joseph College of Olongapo City Class of 1987 is hosting a grand alumni reunion gala night on Saturday, August 5. The fundraiser will benefit the high school library project. It will be held at Viejas Casino and Resort at 5000 Willows Road, Alpine, CA 91901 from 5 to 11 p.m. It is $87 / person and the attire is formal. Please contact Gemma Gutierrez Hornilla at (949)861-1732 or Maridy Salle Curry at (818)730-4490. For registration and for further details about the upcoming event, you may also visit http://sjs2017grandreunion. com.

17th Annual St. Francis Children’s Fund fundraising dinner dance silent auction in Burbank, CA Join us for a night of great food, dancing, fellowship, and answering to God’s call of helping our poor children in the Philippines. This special fundraising dinner dance and silent auction will take place on Saturday, August 5 at Burbank Legion Hall Post 150 (940 W. Olive Avenue Burbank, CA 91506) from 6 to 11 p.m. For reservations, please call Emie at (818) 748-7361 or Ramon (818) 297-6618.

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Silliman University Alumni Association of Southern California’s annual picnic in El Monte, CA The Silliman University Alumni Association of Southern California invites alumni, their family and friends, to its annual picnic and membership meeting on Saturday, August 12, at Whittier Narrows Recreation Area, Picnic Area D #9 ((near Legg Lake area with free parking for the early birds). The address: 750 S. Santa Anita Ave, South El Monte, CA 91733, 10 a.m. to sundown. For more information call: Jessie Mario Duran 626.715.2525, Joji Amparo 909.991.8919, and Zeny Duran Bennett 626.824.3595.

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University of the Philippines Alumni Association of Greater Los Angeles (UPAAGLA) Induction Ball in Whittier, CA The Univeristy of the Philippines Alumni Association of Greater Los Angeles (UPAAGLA) will hold its Induction Ball on August 13, 2017 Sunday at the Double Tree by Hilton - Whittier on 7320 Greenleaf Avenue, Whittier, CA 90602. Consul General Adelio Angelito Cruz will swear in Mutch Carino as President of UPAAGLA for 2017-2019, together with the newly elected officers composed of Ethel Rubio (President-Elect), Nati Matitu Mercado (1st VP), Evelyn Andamo (2nd VP), Joy Angeles (Recording Secretary), Yvee Tadeo-Guevara (Corresponding Secretary), Gil Guinto (Treasurer), Melette Lampino (Assistant Treasurer), Dick Cu (Auditor), Benny Uy (PRO) and Bobby Canseco (IT Officer). The 2017-2019 UPAAGLA Board of Directors are Ivy Manalang, Atty. Mary Lyn Sanga, Ellery Atienza, Mary Trinidad, Sonny Gancayco, Annie Nepomuceno, Mary Drees, Jess Espanola, Bob Shroder, Carina Slepian, Ivy Cosio-Bautista, Ellen Gomez, Relson Banas, and Angie Alvarez. The advisers of UPAAGLA are Dr. Arnel Joaquin, Vicky Gancayco, Jazmin Gaite, Alma Onrubia, Frank Mamaril, Doris Maligalig, and Sonja Menor. Red carpet arrivals and No Host Cocktails begin at 6:00 p.m. Program and dinner start at 7:00 p.m. For tickets, sponsorships and souvenir program advertisements, please call Dick Cu (562) 547-0560.

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Philippine Madrigal Singers to perform in Northridge, CA Philippine Madrigal Singers in Concert on Saturday, August 19 is the long-awaited return to Los Angeles of the world-renowned prize-winning choir. The performance begins at 7 p.m. at the Plaza Del Sol Performance Hall at the Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC) located at 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA 91330. The theatre is part of CSUN, and tickets are $70, $55, and $40 online anytime at www.ticketmaster.com. Special student pricing is available only in-person at the VPAC box office, call or visit (818) 677-3000 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday. Tour information at www.musicartsevents.com.

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Philippine Madrigal Singers in Loma Linda, CA An Evening with the MADZ on Sunday, August 20 is an opportunity to hear the awardwinning first-ever two-time European Grand Prix winning choir, the Philippine Madrigal Singers, at Campus Hill Church, 11057 Hill Dr Loma Linda CA 92354. The performance is at 7 p.m. $40 General Admission, $20 Child/Student. For tickets, call Ephraim Dela Cruz at (909) 831-4225, Marjorie Ann Reyno-Huynh at (909) 965-6936 or Nemuel Enriquez at (323) 2290506.

SEPTEMBER 1-4

Ramon Magsaysay (Cubao) High School international reunion in Las Vegas Come and celebrate with RMCHS alumni and guests for the third biannual international homecoming. Sing, dance, party, share precious memories and join the fun from Friday, September 1 to Monday, September 4 at The Orleans Hotel and Casino at 4500 W. Tropicana Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89103. Join the golf tournament in the morning of Saturday, Sept. 2 and then wear your best (black and white) for a dinner dance later that evening. Make this event an opportunity to reunite with your own batchmates, watch a show, visit tourist spots, and stroll along the Las Vegas Strip. For more information, visit the RMCHS 2017 INTL REUNION Facebook page.

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

JULY 28-AUGUST 3, 2017 www.asianjournal.com

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