Orange County-Inland Empire -- November 11--17, 2016

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Volume 23 - No. 45 • 2 Sections - 16 Pages

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Trump wins the presidency, Clinton concedes Fil-Ams react to Trump’s stunning victory

and for their families,” he continued. President Barack obama delivered a speech at the rose Garden early Wednesby MoMar G. ViSaya, ChriStina M. oriel anD Klarize MeDenilla / AJPress day afternoon, November 9. obama said After a long, heated and hard-fought midtown manhattan. that he had a chance to talk to PresidentAs of this writing, trump took 279 elect trump about 3:30 am on Wednescampaign season, the American people have made their choice: GoP candidate electoral votes, versus secretary hillary day and invited him to come to the White Donald J. trump is the next president of Clinton’s 228. Clinton, however, won the popular vote with 59,796,805 votes. the United states. “I just received a call from secretary the real estate billionaire garnered Clinton. she congratulated us on our 59,590,426. “As I’ve said from the beginning, victory and I congratulated her and her family for the campaign. We owe her ours was not a campaign, but rather an a debt of gratitude for her service to incredible and great movement made this country,” trump said in his victory up of millions of hard-working men and speech, delivered in front of his support- women who love their country and want ers who gathered at the hilton hotel in a better, brighter future for themselves

house to talk about a successful transi- obama said. the president also said that he had a tion between their presidencies. “Now, it is no secret that the Presi- chance to speak with Clinton. dent-elect and I have some pretty “I could not be prouder of her,” obama significant differences. But remember, said. “her candidacy and nomination eight years ago, President Bush and I was historic and sends a message to our had some pretty significant differences,” PAGE A2

Duterte congratulates Trump: Mabuhay ka! by Dana

SioSon AJPress

Pres. Rodrigo Duterte

Philstar.com photo

DATELINE

IN his speech before the filipino community in malaysia, Philippine President rodrigo Duterte congratulated Donald trump on his election win as president of the United states. “Ayaw kong makipag-away kasi nandyan na si trump (I don’t want to quarrel anymore because trump is now there). I would like to congratulate President trump.” Duterte said on Wednesday, PAGE A2

TRANSITION. Pres. Barack Obama welcomed Pres.-elect Donald Trump to the While House on Thursday, Nov. 10 in a meeting that lasted for 90 minutes. The two leaders have pledged to work together and vowed a smooth transition that will unfold on Jan. 20, 2017, when Trumo is sworn into office. Screengrab from the White House

Supreme Court: Marcos can receive hero’s burial

USA

by Dana

SioSon AJPress

from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

Piñol visits LA bearing promises to improve, innovate PH agriculture Reiterates PH/US alliance

LAte President ferdinand marcos can be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (heroes’ Cemetery) in taguig, the Philippine supreme Court ruled on tuesday, November 8. With a vote of 9-5-1, the court dismissed the petitions that sought to stop APPROVAL. For loyalists of the late Ferdinand Marcos, the hero’s burial for the late president will bring the former president’s interment. healing to the country. oting 9-5, the high court dismissed the petition filed by human rights groups the petitioners, including the martial

oNe of President rodrigo Duterte’s prom- and victims of martial law. ises upon entering the Philippines’ highest office was to innovate the Department of Agriculture (DA) to eliminate corruption and to bring autonomy to the farmers. In the administration’s first 100 days, Agriculture secretary emmanuel “manny” Piñol sought to do just that. “Until today, the Philippine Department by Marlon raMoS Inquirer.net of Agriculture is still trying and struggling to feed a nation of 105 million people,” Piñol, PresIDeNt rodrigo PAGE A4 Duterte has appointed real estate magnate Jose e.B. Antonio as special envoy to the United states, according to foreign Affairs secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. In a statement, Yasay described Antonio, chair and chief executive officer of A fILIPINA-American philanthropist and Century Properties community leader based in New York has Group, as the “perdenied allegations that she is spearheading fect choice for the a plan to remove Philippine President ro- position” due to his drigo Duterte from power. years of experience Loida Nicolas Lewis brushed the presi- as a business leader dent’s accusations off as “a complete fab- and his “wide netrication and totally false,” following his work” in the busispeech on friday, November 4 in which he ness community in publicly addressed the supposed plot. the United states. “I am concerned that the president is be“Jose Antonio is ing given misinformation designed to divide well-suited to work the country and advance the interests of a in advancing the muPAGE A3 u PAGE A2 Jose E.B. Antonio

PAGE A2

Philstar.com photo by Efigenio Toledo IV

Antonio appointed as special envoy to US

Filipina-American philanthropist denies plot to oust Duterte

law victims, argued in summary that the burial is allegedly against the law, citing r.A. 10368 or the human rights Victims reparation and recognition Act as a basis. the court, however, said marcos was not convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude and the cases against him were all civil in nature. the court also lifted its status quo

Pacquiao back in Senate after victory against Vargas Arum says rematch with Mayweather likely

by AJPress fILIPINo boxing champion and senator manny Pacquiao arrived in manila on tuesday, November 8, to continue his legislative duties after dominating mexican-American boxer Jessie Vargas during their match at thomas & mack Center in Las Vegas. Pacquiao reclaimed his World Boxing organization (WBo) welterweight title after defeating Vargas via unanimous decision last saturday, November 5. the filipino boxer won on all three scorecards, 114-113, 118-109 and 118-109, in his comeback fight after his several months of retirement from boxing to focus on his senate duties.

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Manny Pacquiao wins match against Vargas

AJPress photo by Robert Macabagdal

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november 11-17, 2016 • oC/Ie ASIAn JoUrnAL

From the Front Page

Duterte congratulates Trump...

PAGE A1

November 2, a few hours after the U.S. election poll results were announced. “Mabuhay ka (May you live)!” Duterte remarked. The Philippine president also drew comparison between him and the new president-elect of the United States. “Pareho tayo nagmumura.

Konting rason lang, mura kaagad. Medyo pare-pareho kami, (We are both foul-mouthed. We curse even the smallest things. We were kind of alike),” Duterte pointed out. Duterte, known for his profanity-laced speeches against the U.S., also seemed to receive an advice to lower his hostile remarks against the United

States. “Ayaw ko po ng kalaban, but I cannot also – sabi kasi nila, ‘tutal tapos na ang election, nanalo na si Trump, why don’t you just shut up? (I don’t want an enemy, but I cannot also – because they said, now that the election is over, Trump already won, why don’t you just shut up?),” he related. For the past few months since he took seat, President Duterte repeatedly lashed out the United States for the latter’s alleged interference in the Philippine government’s war on illegal drugs. Duterte also previously expressed his intent to severe ties with the U.S. and pursue an independent policy. Meanwhile, hours before Duterte’s congratulatory remarks in Malaysia, the Malacañang expressed its wish for Trump’s success in his next four years as Chief Executive and commanderin chief of the U.S. military. Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said President Duterte “looks forward to working with the incoming administration for enhanced Philippines-U.S. relations anchored on mutual respect, mutual benefit and shared commitment to democratic ideals and the rule of law.”

Antonio appointed as... PAGE A1 tual interests of both countries,” Yasay said, adding: “His strong business leadership will steer the Philippines’ trade and economic goals in the right direction and help seize opportunities for both public and private sector Philippine-US businesses while promoting robust relations in the 21st century.” As special envoy, Antonio was tasked to “enhance business ties and strengthen the economic affairs” of the two countries. The real estate magnate established the Philippine-China Business Council when he served as a special envoy with the rank of ambassador to China in 2005. Antonio currently serves as director of the US-Philippines Society, a group of business leaders.

Trump wins the presidency... PAGE A1

daughters all across the country that they can achieve at the highest levels of politics.” Earlier on Wednesday, Sec. Clinton delivered her concession speech at the Wyndham New Yorker Hotel’s grand ballroom, in front of hundreds of her staff, friends and supporters. “This is not the outcome that we wanted and we worked so hard for and I am sorry that we did not win this election for the values we shared and the vision we hold for our country,” Clinton said in her first public address after the results of the elections became apparent. Clinton was supposed to speak in front of thousands of her supporters who gathered at the Jacob Javits Convention Center on Tuesday evening, a setting that her campaign chose primarily because of the steel building’s glass ceiling and structure which is symbolic of the Democratic nominee being elected as the first woman president of the United States, and thus being able to “shatter the highest, hardest glass ceiling.” Thousands of supporters gathered inside and outside of the Javits Center and the mood was fun and electric as early as 6:00 p.m. when the gates opened. As the evening progressed, however, some people began leaving when it was apparent that Sec. Clinton’s path to the presidency was becoming narrower as results from the swing states came in. Most of the people inside the Javits Center opted to stay. Eventually, campaign staff told the people who remained inside the convention center that Sec. Clinton would not make an appearance anymore. At around 2:00 a.m., John Podesta, her campaign manager, said that there would be no announcement until the morning. “This is painful and it will be for a long time. Our campaign was never about one person or even about one election. It is about the country we love,” Clinton said. “Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind a chance to lead. Our constitutional democracy enshrines the peaceful transfer of power and we don’t just respect that, we cherish it.” Fil-Ams for Hillary A number of Filipino-Ameri-

The scene inside Javits Center in New York, where the Clinton campaign held its official election night party. Contributed photo by Joshua Ang Price

can supporters braved the cold weather as they stayed outside the Javits to wait for the results to come in. Some of them expressed dismay at the results. Joshua Ang Price, a Fil-Am from Arkansas who was a delegate for Clinton during the Democratic National Committee, describe the mood inside the convention center. “The atmosphere at the Javits Center began on a high note in anticipation of an easy victory for Hillary as suggested by national polling data. Jubilation however soon turned to tension once the final data began to roll in. As Trump’s electoral votes began to mount, so did the fear of the crowd. A lot of people were crying. Others angry. As the long night progressed, few remained hopeful that a victory

for Hillary was still possible, but I was one of the ones who remained optimistic,” he said. Though Clinton’s defeat may come as a blow to many Fil-Am supporters, Price called on them to unite and work together to make sure their voices are heard as the new administration comes in. “For better or ill, Donald Trump is our president elect and should be treated with the respect accompanying that highest position. We must work with our president not against him to make positive changes in America for all of us. I believe the Fil Am community should work to form a healthy dialogue with the Trump administration to enlighten them on the issues which affect us so that our needs PAGE A3

Pacquiao back in Senate after... PAGE A1 In a ringside interview, Pacquiao said he is very happy regarding the outcome of their match but expresses a little regret for being unable to knock Vargas out. He then thanked his fans and the Filipino people for their support. Meanwhile, for Vargas, his fight with Pacquiao was like a “chess match.” “We were on our toes trying to catch a big shot. He caught me a couple of times, I caught him a couple of times. It was an

entertaining fight,” Vargas said. “It was very interesting for me. It’s a good learning experience being against one of the best such as Manny Pacquiao. This automatically elevated my game and I know I have more potential,” he added. Asked about his next match, Pacquiao said he doesn’t know yet who’s going to be his next contender. “I don’t know, whoever the people wants to fight me. Whoever my promoter gives to me, I will fight,” Pacquiao said. On the other hand, promoter

Bob Arum told ESPN on Monday, November 7, that there’s a 75 percent chance that Pacquiao will have a rematch against Floyd Mayweather Jr. The retired American boxer earlier surprised the crowd as he made an unexpected appearance at Thomas & Mack Center to watch Pacquiao’s match. In May 2015, Mayweather was declared the winner by a unanimous decision in his match against Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and announced retirement later in September.

Supreme Court: Marcos can receive... ante order (SQAO) that temporarily halted the Department of National Defense (DND) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) from the burial preparations for the late dictator. With permission from President Rodrigo Duterte, Marcos’s burial was supposedly set in September, but the court initially issued an SQAO at the request of petitioners who sought to stop the burial. The SQA, which originally should have expired on September 12, was extended twice until November 8. The court also said there was no grave abuse of discretion on the part of Duterte in ordering the burial of Marcos, and that the president has the power to decide on how to use land within the public domain, including the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

Those who voted to dismiss the petitions include Associate Justices Estela Perlas-Bernabe, Lucas Bersamin, Arturo Brion, Leonardo-De Castro, Mariano Del Castillo, Jose Mendoza, Diosdado Peralta, Jose Perez, and Presbitero Velasco Jr. On the other hand, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P. A. Sereno and Associate Justices Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, Antonio Carpio, Marvic Victor Leonen, Francis Jardeleza dissented. Justice Bienvenido Reyes abstained from voting. In a statement, former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. thanked the Supreme Court for its decision. “We also would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to President Rodrigo Duterte as his unwavering commitment to this issue sustained us these past

several months. Our family will forever be thankful for his kind gesture,” he said. The younger Marcos said he hopes that his father’s burial will “lead the nation towards healing as we endeavor to move the country forward to give every Filipino a better life.” On the other hand, several rallies were conducted in different parts of the country, including Quezon City, Makati, Baguio, Los Baños, Cebu, and Davao, to protest against the court’s decision regarding the internment. Former President Marcos died of kidney, heart and lung ailments in 1989 while in exile in Hawaii after being ousted during the 1986 EDSA Revolution. His remains were brought back to the Philippines in 1993 and have stayed remained in a glass coffin in Ilocos Norte.

VICTORY SIGN. Ilocos Governor Imee Marcos gives the victory sign after the favorable decision of the Supreme Court on the burial of her father, former President Ferdinand Marcos, at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Voting 9-5, the high court dismissed the petition filed by human rights groups and victims of martial law on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Inquirer.net photo by Lyn Rillon

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Dateline USa

Trump wins the presidency... PAGE A2 and concerns can be addressed and not forgotten,” he said. Emily Supil, a New York City resident, said she felt “a little defeated” by the results. “I voted for Clinton today and I had hoped she would be president tonight,” Supil said. Supil believes that the FBI and email issue were major factors, along with the possibility that the campaign became a little over-confident because they were leading in most of the polls. “The email issue was a factor and some people questioned who they wanted to vote for. It’s tricky because some people would prioritize certain things over other issues,” she added. “Half of the country would be upset either way,” Vincent Ganzon said. “I just feel disheartened because I was thinking that the election would go a certain way based on what I have been reading on the internet and seeing in polls.” “We need to accept the results because that’s how democracy works. Moving forward, I would like to see both parties work together,” Ganzon added. Wayne Regencia, a resident of Jersey City also expressed his disappointment about the poll results. “Not just about the election results but about the country as a whole,” Regencia said. “I wasn’t really enthusiastic with Clinton as our candidate but at least we should elect someone who is qualified. He has no knowledge about the issues and gives a good sound bite and people buy it.” The Filipino American Democratic Club of New York released a statement congratulating Secretary Hillary Clinton for winning the popular vote in last night’s presidential elections and commending her for her historic campaign and candidacy, and her lifetime of public service. They also expressed disappointment about the results of the polls. “While FADCNY is deeply disappointed and will be in mourning long after today with the overall results of the election, it is time now to roll up our sleeves to protect our political and policy priorities, including DACA and DAPA at the Federal level. We have no time to waste. These executive actions are now in jeopardy. 4,800 Filipinos who were undocumented have already benefited from a legal status provided by Presi-

dent Obama’s executive actions on immigration, with many more still eligible. We call on Filipino Americans whose immigration status is in question to make a plan to apply for relief, and for green card holders to naturalize as soon as possible, and to organize with immigrant organizations to fight for their rights,” the statement said. “The results of this election have made one thing clear: Our families are on the line, but we as Filipino Americans are here to stay. We are here to build and protect our community, our families, and our loved ones. We stand ready to safeguard the progress that we have already accomplished, to build our political power, and to rise to the immense challenge before us,” the statement added. “It is critical that our community must step up, and show up, not just for ourselves but for others, so that our needs and priorities are represented. And not just every four years, but every day. Democracy must be our duty practice, and not a chore.” Fil-Ams praise Trump Leading up to Election Day, the National Asian American Survey (NAAS) reported that over a quarter of Filipino registered voters favored Trump, comprising the largest support out of any of the groups surveyed. Given the support Fil-Ams had for Trump and the Republican Party, the Republican National Committee (RNC) continued its outreach to the community, especially in battleground states. “Through the RNC’s historic data-drive ground game operation from the past three years, Republicans up and down the ballot worked with the FilipinoAmerican community, and played a significant role in the success in this year’s election. Republicans will continue to work with the Filipino-American community to ensure their voices are heard, and create policies that will make them easier to have the opportunity to live their American Dream. Under a Trump Administration and a GOP majority in both chambers of Congress, our nation will thrive and be a huge improvement from the failed liberal policies of the last eight years,” Ninio Fetalvo, APA press secretary of the RNC, said. “I voted for a change in America,” Cecile Ramos, a Fil-Am community leader in Los Angeles, said. “And I believe Donald Trump represents that.”

Dolly De Leon, a business owner and avid Trump supporter in Las Vegas, said the Republican’s win was a “real surprise.” “The ‘Silent Majority’ is not silent anymore after Trump wins. Many were shocked not just surprised. Pollsters were wrong and even lied to the public for the purpose of swaying voters or intimidating Trump’s supporters. Many Filipino Americans did not vote for Trump because they were not really informed of the platform of the Trump campaign,” she said. Ron Villaneuva, a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, congratulated Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence for their win. “As a member of your Asian Americans for Trump Advisory Board, I was honored along with my colleagues from all the Asian American communities to work alongside you and help advance our communities and America. We have a lot of work ahead of us as we work to fix a broken national government. We look forward to working with you and your administration in helping to create and sustain jobs here in America, fix a broken immigration system, restore our prominence in the international community, and have government working for us instead of against us. On behalf of our Filipino-American community, America is great because of its people so let’s all unite, work hard, and move our country forward,” he said in a letter addressed to Trump and Pence. Villanueva was one of five FilAms on Trump’s Asian Pacific American (APA) advisory board, a group tasked with briefing the campaign about issues relevant to the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population. “Filipinos in America should rejoice with those who believed in Donald Trump from the beginning I honestly believe that President Trump will be the president for all and will do what he had promised during his campaign,” De Leon added. Poll: Clinton wins AAPI vote Although Trump won the election overall, exit polling shows that Hillary Clinton won over more Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) voters by a landslide. An exit poll conducted by Asian American Decisions on the eve of the election showed that Clinton won over 75 percent PAGE A4

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Filipina-American philanthropist denies... PAGE A1 certain political group while casting Filipino Americans in an unfavorable light,” Nicolas Lewis said in a statement. In his remarks before the Integrated Bar of the Philippines’ regional convention in Manila, the Philippine president said that “those who are of Western persuasion” are working to unseat him from office. “Yung ayaw sa akin, madali yan… (It is easy to deal with those who are against me…), no need for coup d’etat…you are wasting your bullet,” he said. The president went on to say that he is ready to step down from his post without being coerced. “Go to Malacañang, we’ll have coffee and I myself will swear you to run this Republic and solve the problem. Walang problema (No problem). Next year, there will be mass demonstration, for all I care. Wala akong illusions (I don’t have illusions). Do not give me a reason to go out because you might get your wish,” he said. Though he did not directly name Nicolas Lewis, he mentioned that a prominent funder of the ouster is “an affluent businesswoman.” He also mentioned billionaire George Soros’s financing of Human Rights Watch, one of the many organizations that has raised alarm over the Philippine government’s controversial crusade against illegal drugs. “They have funding money. They will really attack to justify. They chose me... they’re pounding on me. That is fine, editorials every day,” the president said. “I can swallow that.” Rumors of a plot first came to light in September when Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar revealed that Fil-Ams in New York were “hatching a plan to oust the president by January 2017.” He said that the information came from a cabinet secretary who was visiting the city at the time. Despite the accusations, Nicolas Lewis wrote a letter to Sung Y. Kim — the new U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines who was officially sworn in on Thursday, November 3 — asking the U.S. government to support Duterte’s anti-drug campaign with rehabilitation programs. “With all due respect, may I suggest that you offer him assistance in the rehabilitation of the

New U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim receives a letter from NY-based philanthropist Loida Nicolas Lewis after he was sworn in at the U.S. State Department on November 3. Lewis suggested drug rehabilitation assistance for the Philippine government. Photo by Eric Lachica

800,000 drug addicts and drug dealers who have surrendered and are now in prison all over the country?” she wrote. She added that she met with the Philippine president in June and remarked that “he has the genuine intention to lead the Filipino people out of poverty, criminality and corruption.” Nicolas Lewis was married to the late Reginald Lewis, the first African American to own a billion-dollar company, TLC Beatrice International Holdings. Since taking office, Duterte has made remarks against the United States, one of the Philippines’ long-time allies. Following his first state visit to Beijing, he suggested a military and economic break from the U.S. in

favor of aligning with China and Russia. On Friday, he also slammed U.S. President Barack Obama anew for the latter country’s “threats of aid withdrawal.” “Mr. Obama, what went wrong? Get your dictionary. Find out the right meaning of dignity,” Duterte said. The U.S., however, has reiterated its commitment to maintaining its relationship with the Philippines. In three and a half months, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has recorded more than 3,000 individuals killed, which include deaths from both legitimate police operations and vigilante killings. (Christina M. Oriel / AJPress)

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november 11-17, 2016 • oC/Ie ASIAn JoUrnAL

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Former Nevada Attorney General Cortez Masto becomes first Latina in US Senate Democrats win key seats in Southern Nev.

tina, Cortez masto will be the first woman to hold one of Nevada’s Senate seats. The Las Vegas native FORmER Nevada Attorney Gen- and granddaughter of a mexican eral Catherine Cortez masto be- immigrant served as the state’s atcame the first Latina elected to the torney general from 2007 to 2015. U.S. Senate beating out Republican “I want you to know this isn’t Rep. Joe Heck in what was one of my win, it is our win. We did this the tightest races in the nation dur- together” Cortez masto said on ing this election cycle. Tuesday night, November 8 at the For the seat that will be vacated ARIA Resort and Casino in Las Veby Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Cortez gas, where the Nevada Democratic masto won 47.1 percent (520,658) Party held its party. of the votes, while Heck garnered Both Cortez masto and Heck pre44.7 percent (494,427). viously spoke with the Asian JourIn addition to being the first Lanal about their outreach and involvement with the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population, particularly Filipino Americans. As the fastest-growing minority group in Nevada, AAPIs comprise about 9 percent of Nevada’s electorate. Several reports stated that this population would be the swing vote for many of the state’s races. Cortez masto, who was handpicked as Reid’s successor, had high-profile leaders stumping across the state for her, including President Barack Obama, who traveled to Las Vegas two weeks before Election Day for a campaign speech. “As I look at the room right now, I can see there Catherine Cortez Masto by Christina

M. Oriel

AJPress

is just an incredible, incredible group of people out here. The multicolored fabric of Nevada, the diversity here, is our strength and I can see from your faces that we are going to continue to be strong and continue to fight for our families, for our future — here in Nevada and across this country,” Cortez masto continued in her victory speech. Following his defeat, Heck — a physician, small business owner and brigadier general in the U.S. Army Reserve — released a statement congratulating Cortez masto. “Our race for the Senate was always about the people of our wonderful state. For months, I had the privilege of traveling to all corners of Nevada. I met patriotic Americans from small towns like Goldfield and populous cities like Reno. my life is better for it,” Heck said. In the past month, Heck’s numbers slid in the polls, after he distanced himself from Republican candidate Donald Trump, following the release of the controversial tape in which the real estate billionaire bragged about sexual assault. Democrat and political newcomer Jacky Rosen beat Republican Danny Tarkanian in the race for the 3rd Congressional District, which Heck has represented since 2011. Rosen, who has built a career as a computer programmer and software developer, was personally tapped by Reid to run for this position. “Our government should fun-

damentally be about the people, your dreams, your hopes, your challenges, and our collective future. For too long, a dysfunctional Congress has forgotten that. In the aftermath of this divisive and often ugly campaign season, I hope that every person elected tonight will remember that behind every problem, there are people back home who are suffering,” Rosen said in a statement. She added, “Now, the hard work begins of healing our country. The work of crossing the aisle and finding solutions, rather than retreating into partisan corners. I pledge to begin that work right now. I got into this race to make a difference, not just to hold an office. I can’t wait to take your stories to Washington and fight for you.” Also in Southern Nevada, Dina Titus (D-Nev.) of the 1st Congressional District easily retained her seat with 62 percent of the votes. Her district is home to the city’s Chinatown and has one of the largest concentration of AAPI businesses in Southern Nevada. Democrat Ruben Kihuen won by 48 percent for the state’s 4th Congressional District, triumphing over Republican Cresent Hardy who finished with 45 percent of the votes. “Thank you, Nevada, for making this son of a housekeeper & a former farmworker your next representative in the U.S. Congress. #AmericanDream,” Kihuen tweeted following his win.

Piñol visits LA bearing... PAGE A1

62, said at a community forum at the Philippine Consulate General office in Los Angeles on Thursday, November 3. Pinol presented a report of his first 100 days as the Secretary of Agriculture with a focus on modernization, efficiency and department accountability. Piñol underscored Duterte’s commitment to eliminating food insecurity across the Philippines, noting that it was one of the president’s highest priorities upon entering office. “What is leadership if you do not even feed your own people? What did Jesus Christ do? Didn’t Jesus Christ feed his people? That is the moral obligation of a leader. If you cannot feed your own people, then you are no good. Can I get an ‘amen’?” Piñol said, the audience chanting back, “Amen!” One of the most striking problems Piñol inherited from the previous administration’s DA was relying too much on foreign markets while ignoring the domestic resources, of which the Philippines has many, Piñol said. “We still import rice in spite of the fact that we have 39,498 km of [available land],” Piñol said. “We still import our fish. We import 99 percent of our baby and milk requirements. And for a country of 105 million Filipinos, we only have 2.5 million cattle.” “So these are the problems that the president wanted me to solve, and I cannot tell you that I will be able to solve it all in the next five years,” he admitted. “But within the next 5 years I can assure you that we will set out a basic foundation of a sound agriculture and business program.” One of the first things the DA did was to take stock of the state of farming in the Philippines. The comprehensive survey involved measuring food insecurity, understanding the terrain on which to farm and the effects of agriculture on poverty and population growth. “So the land area is constant, but the population is growing exponentially. In fact by the year 2050, the Philippine population is expected be 125 million Filipinos. The land is constant at 30 mill hectares, so we need to know, at what point do the land and sea resources will still be

able to feed the Filipino people?” Piñol told the Asian Journal, emphasizing the need to explore alternative nutrition options. He added: “What is the breaking point? When does rice cease to be the staple of the Filipino people? We have to prepare now, because when the time will come when the land and the sea could no longer supply the food requirements of the growing population of Filipinos.” The department also wanted to restore farmers’ rights by lowering costs. Piñol worked with local communities to understand their issues and make sure the department is catering to their needs. Piñol also pushed to provide rice farmers with free irrigation starting 2017. The DA is also looking to uplift several industries including the banana industry. Bananas are the second highest-earning export in the Philippines, earning about $1.2 billion per year. Last month, Duterte was in talks with Japan to supply bananas to a leading Japanese supermarket chain, which Piñol said is expected to generate more than 100,000 jobs in the Philippines. Shifting to political talk, Piñol also made it a point to reiterate that the Philippine/U.S. will remain strong because both countries are still dependent on each other for resources. The secretary said that the DA is in talks with several American companies to bring new technology to the Philippine agriculture sector. Amid international attention on Duterte, Piñol took time at the end of his presentation to speak about the qualities of Duterte that make him a fit president. Citing Duterte’s commitment to domestic affairs and eliminating corruption, Piñol said that the “few controversial things he’s said” don’t compare to the actions he’s taken as president in the first four months. He added that the controversy surrounding the possible break in the Philippine/U.S. alliance is nothing but paranoia, and that both countries will remain allies. “Politics and diplomacy are temporary. Relationships based on culture and emotions are permanent. Let there be permanence,” Piñol declared at the end of his presentation. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

Trump wins the... PAGE A3

of the AAPI compared to Trump’s 19 percent -- 5 percent voted for another candidate. Across all the surveyed groups -- Filipino, Chinese/Taiwanese, Indian, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese -- Clinton received the most votes in the poll, titled 2016 Asian American Election Eve Poll. Clinton handily won the AAPI electorate in eight key states: California (79 percent), Nevada (60 percent), Texas (73 percent), Florida (72 percent), North Carolina (73 percent), Illinois (84 percent), Pennsylvania (83 percent) and Virginia (78 percent). Researchers also measured “emotional drive” in this survey. When asked whether each candidate ever made them feel angry, afraid, proud or hopeful, 51 percent said that Clinton made them feel “proud” and 62 percent made them feel “hopeful.” In comparison, 68 percent of AAPI voters said that Trump made them feel “angry” and 54 percent said he makes them feel “afraid.” “Roughly one out of every three Asian American voters nationwide lives in California -- that’s 1.8 million Asian American voters in California alone,” Dan Ichinose, Director of the Demographic Research Project at Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles, said in a statement. “This poll showed that Asian American voters in our state were particularly angry at Trump and afraid of the consequences of him being elected,” he added. Asian Americans are the fast-

est growing demographic in the United States, according to Census Bureau statistics. moreover, they are the fastest growing electorate in the country, meaning the Asian American vote becomes more influential with every coming election, according to Jill Hanauer, President of Project New America. “Despite the results of last night’s election, this poll shows that the Asian American electorate is quickly becoming a significant factor in national elections and only underscores the need for progressives to invest more research on AAPI voters,” Hanauer said. She added: “Like the Latinos, AAPI voters are not monolithic, and both parties will need to better understand the community if they want to tap into unrealized potential in this growing electorate moving forward.” The poll comprised of a sample of 2,391 registered voters and was conducted from November 1-7. The group samples included Chinese or Taiwanese (496), Filipinos (329), Indian (589), Japanese (216), Korean (217), Vietnamese (380) and “Other Asian” (164). Participants were contacted through phone calls and online polling. The national margin of error was 2 percent. The poll was initiated by AAPI Civic Engagement Fund and was sponsored by Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, National Education Association and Service Employees International Union.

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Dateline PAguirre: hiliPPines Kerwin Espinosa wants witness protection

Petitioners say Marcos is “No Hero” as the Supreme Court makes its decision.

Philstar.com photo

CBCP laments SC decision on Marcos burial: ‘We do not forget’ by Kristian Javier Philstar.com

MANILA — The Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said it is saddened by the Supreme Court’s (SC) decision to bury the late dictator President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. According to the CBCP, burying Marcos at the Libingan will not bring peace and unity to the country. “We see this as another step to build the culture of impunity in the country,” the CBCP said in a statement Wednesday, Nov. 9.

The high court’s decision to allow Marcos to be buried at the heroes’ cemetery came out Tuesday, Nov. 8 with nine votes for it, five against and one abstaining vote. Several petitioners, however, asked the SC to reconsider its decision with at least one of them planning to file a motion. Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, whose activist brother Hermon disappeared during the Martial Law years, said in a statement that “motions for reconsideration are in order for a reversal of the majority decision.” CBCP said that Marcos is no hero and that he should not be

presented as one, citing several human rights violations done in his regime during Martial Law. “We do not forget this! We will not allow that this be forgotten by future generations in order that the sane strong-hand oppression may not happen again,” CBCP added. CBCP further added that the burial is an insult to the EDSA spirit and that it “mocks our fight to restore democracy.” “We are puzzled and hurt and in great grief. It calls on us for greater courage to make the full truth of the dictatorship known,” CBCP said.

NBI files drug raps vs De Lima, 17 others by Patricia Lourdes Philstar.com

viray

MANILA — The National Bureau of Investigation on Thursday, Nov. 10 filed drug trafficking, bribery and graft charges against Sen. Leila de Lima and 17 others in connection with the Bilibid drug trade. The charges are based on the report of the NBI’s investigation into the proliferation and trade of illegal drugs inside the New Bilibid Prison. According to the report, De Lima violated the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, the

Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. De Lima also allegedly violated Presidential Decree 46, which penalizes public officials and employees who receive, and for private reasons, give gifts on any occasion. Also facing charges are former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Franklin Bucayu, former Justice Undersecretary Francisco Baraan III, former BuCor officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos, De Lima’s former security aide Joenel Sanchez, De Lima’s former

driver Ronnie Dayan, NBI agent Jovencio Ablen Jr., Bucayu’s alleged bagman Wilfredo Elli, DOJ employee Jesusa Francisco, De Lima’s former personal assistant Lyn Sagun, Julius Rejuso and an alias George. High-profile inmates Jaybee Sebastian, Herbert Colanggo, Engelbert Durano, Vicente Sy, Peter Co and Jojo Baligad were also included in the charge sheet. Last month, police and former officials of the NBI also filed drug charges against De Lima. The complaints accused the senator of receiving payoffs from drug lord Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa.

MANILA — Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa Jr., the alleged bigtime drug lord from the Eastern Visayas, wants to be placed in the Witness Protection Program of the Department of Justice once he returns from the United Arab Emirates. Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II made the statement after he received a letter from the Philippine ambassador to UAE Constancio Vingno Jr., saying Espinosa has expressed his intention to be placed under the WPP. “He could qualify for WPP because he appears to be not the most guilty (in the drug trafficking crime). When there’s someone else from the government, then that person could be the most guilty,” Aguirre told reporters in a press conference. Aguirre said Kerwin must first execute an affidavit before he can be admitted to the WPP. He said that while the affidavit executed by his father lost its probative value, he could corroborate it through his own affidavit. Espinosa, who was arrested in the United Arab Emirates after months of hiding, is set to return to the country as he would be fetched by the Philippine National Police from the UAE, Aguirre said. He said three PNP officers are set to leave for Abu Dhabi on Sunday. Aguirre said once Espinosa arrives, he will be brought to the PNP custodial center before being turned over with his sworn statement to WPP custody. Kerwin’s father, Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa, who was earlier tagged by President Rodrigo Duterte as one of the politicians linked to the illegal drugs trade, was shot and killed along with another inmate at the Baybay Sub-Provincial Jail on Nov. 5. The Senate held a hearing on Espinosa’s death on Thursday, Nov. 10 over concerns that it was an extrajudicial killing. Aguirre said that the government needs to be extra careful in securing Espinosa after the mayor’s death. The DOJ has already ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to probe the mayor’s kill-

Undated photo released by Interpol shows Filipino major drug kingpin Rolando “Kerwin” Espinosa Jr. who was arrested in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

ing during a supposed shootout with policemen serving a search warrant. Aguirre said Espinosa’s family also needs be secured. Last October, his former wife Annalou Llaguno, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen riding motorcycle. “I was told even the family because of what happened to his father, Kerwin is afraid of his safety as well as that of his family. So, either we are going to accept him at the WPP kasama yung pamilya niya (Either we are going to accept him alone or we will also place his family

under the WPP),” he added. Meanwhile, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who spearheaded the probe on the killing of the Albuera town mayorsays the government must protect Kerwin once he is brought back to the Philippines, as he can identify his supposed protectors in government. Sought for comment on the ongoing Senate hearing, Aguirre urged Sen. Leila de Lima to inhibit from the investigation since she was implicated by the late mayor in Kerwin’s alleged illegal drugs operations. (Philstar.com)

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OpiniOn

Features

Judgment

THE burial of Former Pres. Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes’ Cemetery) was given a go signal by the Supreme Court on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Voting 9-5, the high court has put an end to the highly contested and heavily debated issue, dismissing the petition filed by human rights groups, and victims during the Martial Law from 1972 to 1981. The petitioners argued that the atrocities committed under the despotic leader’s regime invalidated his right to a burial at the Heroes Cemetery. Marcos died in exile in Hawaii in 1989, three years after the 1986 Edsa People Power Revolution toppled his two-decade rule. Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, daughter of the late President, welcomed the high court’s ruling and acknowledged that Pres. Rodrigo Duterte supports the favorable ruling. “Malaki ‘yung naging tulong ni President Duterte kahit ‘di namin hiningi ‘yung tulong niya. (President Dutere helped a lot even if we didn’t ask for it),” she said adding that the family has no plans for the burial and is waiting if there would still be a motion for reconsideration. “Minsan hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit kailangan pa sa Libingan. Marami namang iba diyan. Sa Ilocos, ang laki-laki. Pero sundalo po ang tatay ko e. (Sometimes I do not understand why [we need to bury him] at the Heroes’ Cemetery. There are many other out there. In Ilocos, it’s vast. But, my father is a soldier),” she explained.

For Former Sen. Bongbong Marcos, the Supreme Court decision was a fulfillment of his wishes. “As a son, it is something that I have been praying for for many, many years,” Marcos told CNN Philippines in a phone interview. “Even equally, it’s important with the belief that this was for the healing process in this country,” he added. The younger Marcos also thanked Pres. Duterte for his support. “This is a recognition of the rights of my father as a veteran of the war and a president for 20 years and we thank the justices of the Supreme Court for recognizing that right,” he said. The former senator also called for the healing and reconciliation of “whatever differences or schisms there might be in the political arena in our country. Several groups have already mounted rallies across the country to express indignation and protest the Supreme Court’s decision. Could it be that the very branch of government seeking to determine what is “Constitutional” is the very same body finding ways to circumvent it? In its decision the Supreme Court said it “must uphold what is legal and just and that is not to deny Marcos his rightful place at the LNMB.” However, it should have also recognized Republic Act No. 10368,

Editorial

ManilaTimes.net photo

which allows for the “reparation and recognition of victims of human rights violations during the Marcos, regime, documentation of said violations, appropriating funds therefor and for other purposes.” The law guarantees that the State “acknowledges its moral and legal obligation to recognize and/or provide reparation to said victims and/or their families for the deaths, injuries, sufferings, deprivations and damages they suffered under the Marcos regime” to restore their honor and dignity. The high court must handle this situation in a

manner that will promote civil liberties and provide a ground for peaceful resolution of political conflicts. Today, Filipinos celebrate one of the world’s most vibrant democracies. This ideology gives the people the power to demand for greater and social and economic equality. We must never forget that in order to get here, it took enduring and toppling 20 years of draconian dictatorship. Many lives were sacrificed to achieve the freedom and equality Filipinos enjoy today. (AJPress)

Does Marcos deserve a hero’s burial?

The Fil-Am Perspective gel SantoS-ReloS THE headline back home in the Philippines eclipsed the U.S. Presidential Election last November 8. The Supreme Court of the Philippines just ruled that the remains of the deposed dictator Ferdinand Marcos may be buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani. The highest court’s 9-5 decision ended a decade-long debate: did Marcos deserve to be buried with heroes who fought and died for

the Philippines? This ruling effectively junked seven consolidated petitions to block Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s move to allow the burial of the late dictator in the Libingan ng mga Bayani. According to the Supreme Court ruling, Duterte did not abuse his executive power in giving the go signal for Marcos to be buried in the Libingan, as advocated by the Marcos family. The High Court explanation concurred with Duterte’s rationale, stating that Marcos is qualified to be buried in the Libingan because he was a former president, com-

mander-in-chief, a soldier, Medal of Valor awardee, legislator, and Secretary of National Defense. Not many kababayans are happy about the Supreme Court decision, even among those who voted for Duterte. But Malacañang said the Duterte administration hopes the matter will finally be laid to rest so that the nation can move forward. Among the many arguments against the Supreme Court decision was that of Sen. Francis Pangilinan, who was then head of the UP student government during the Marcos regime. His message

articulated the disgust and opposition of Filipinos about this issue. To quote Sen. Pangilinan: “This is a horrible day for democracy. Thanks to the Supreme Court, the Philippines will be a laughing stock of the world. We kicked out a reviled dictator and now we are honoring him by burying him in our national heroes cemetery. No less than our Supreme Court wants our citizens, our children to honor a plunderer and tyrant. This is shameful and deplorable. Now the Supreme Court wants Mr. Marcos, who it previously

called a “dictator…who caused twenty years of political, economic and social havoc in the country”, buried alongside our heroes. Rather than effect closure as the final arbiter of all disputes, the Supreme Court has reopened old wounds. If the Supreme Court thinks it has the final say on the matter, then they are terribly mistaken. Burying Marcos in the Libingan has created a huge divide that will haunt the nation for days and years to come. The law creating the Libingan ng mga Bayani, Republic Act 289, reserved its sacred grounds for

heroes to be emulated by “this generation and of generations still unborn”. Marcos is not a hero. His burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani desecrates our democracy and the memory of those who fought for freedom and justice in our country.” *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective. com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos. Relos

Why is Duterte so quiet about the rubout of the century?

Commentary

RigobeRto tiglao IT’S been three days (as of this writing) since more than 15 policemen of the Eastern Visayas Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) motored for several hours from their headquarters in Tacloban City, to arrive in Baybay City in the wee hours of the morning, occupied the sub-provincial jail, disarmed its warden and guards, and executed Albuera mayor Rolando Espinosa with their Armalite rifles. The detained mayor had been awakened by the surprise visit of the police search team and asked if he could first go to the toilet. The scene was like shooting a goldfish in a fish bowl, or a sick dog in a pen. Espinosa, as everyone in the country would know by now after Duterte himself named him as a drug lord, was to become a star whistleblower for the President’s anti-drug campaign. His alleged ‘affidavit.’ This alleged ‘affidavit’ pinpointed protectors of his son’s illegaldrug syndicate, with Senator Leila de Lima at the top of the list and 225 others, including 19 politicians, four judges, 38 policemen, seven CIDG agents, a Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency operative, three from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, one Army man, and three from the media. I haven’t heard of a case that had involved such a brazen execution of a star witness, or anybody else for that matter. In a cell, by policemen? Even in the most imaginative mafia movie, the assassins of a stool pigeon were hardened inmates — not a platoon of policemen disarming jail guards. Even Marcos and his henchmen at the apex of the dic-

tatorship couldn’t have thought of such an execution. The killing of Espinosa would, without a doubt, be known as the ‘rubout of the century,’ the most brazen ever here or even elsewhere in the civilized world. And to think that Espinosa on nationwide television appealed to his son in August: “Surrender na lang tayo kasi tutulungan naman tayo ng ating Presidente at ng ating PNP chief (Director General) General Ronald Dela Rosa.” (Let’s just surrender, because you see, the President and the PNP chief would help us.) Marcos had a search warrant What should add to our outrage is that the head of the Eastern Visayas CIDG, Police Superintendent (Lt. Col.) Marvin Marcos, who approved the operation led by Chief Inspector (Major) Leo Laraga, takes us for fools. They claimed he was holding a search warrant, and based on the claim of an informant he wouldn’t name, there were guns in Espinosa’s cell. Obviously so that it wouldn’t appear the CIDG platoon’s aim was to exterminate Espinosa, another inmate, Raul Yap, was also killed as he allegedly had a gun and even illegal drugs in his cell. Such ruthless slaughter was undertaken with a very bad script, as Senator Panfilo Lacson and Rep. Romeo Acop, both former police generals familiar with these things, said. Bad, I think since these people think they can either fool us, or frighten us to believe their preposterous story. I find it strange that the PNP chief, after presumably having been told of the execution, didn’t rush home from his junket in Las Vegas to watch Manny Paquiao’s championship. After all, he had given Espinosa and his son Kerwin his personal protection, that they wouldn’t be killed if they became state witnesses.

What I found stranger, though — and worrying — is that the usually loquacious President Duterte has been totally mum over this crime, which is really a slap on his face, as executed by the police who have been undertaking his war on drugs, his overarching project since he assumed office in July. He had blown his top and called Ambassador Philip Goldberg an idiot and a gay when the US envoy said that extrajudicial killings threatened our rule of law. He went into a paroxysm of anger and blurted out “putang ina” when a reporter baited him with a question about what to say if President Obama raised in an upcoming APEC meeting with him the issue of extrajudicial killings. But over the Espinosa killing, he has been as timid and quiet as a sheep. I would have cheered him if he appeared on national TV hours after Espinosa’s killing and shouted putang-ina several times, and addressed a crisp curse at his factotum PNP Chief Ronald de la Rosa (Who was in Las Vegas three days before to watch Manny Pacquiao’s championship fight): “Putangina ina mo Bato, huwag mo nang panoorin si Pacquiao at umuwi ka na at pinatay ng mga bata mo ang star witness ko laban kay de Lima.” It’s been surreal that not a single word has been heard from our crime-busting President, as if he had not even been informed or heard of the Espinosa execution. Two speeches, not one word on Espinosa He made two speeches the other day. In that one on the occasion of the swearing in of the new officers of the National Press Club (NPC), he rambled for over halfhour on various topics – from his view that not all the media men who were gunned down were targeted because they were do-

ing their job but for some other reason, to why he doesn’t support the past administration’s commitments to the world to reduce its carbon emissions but would still have to honor it. In both speeches, Duterte has said not one word on the Espinosa rubout. It’s a demonstration of the sorry state of the media that the new officers of the NPC didn’t approach him to ask him about the mayor’s brazen murder. While he hasn’t said a word on the killing, the PNP has been in disarray, with its top officials sending conflicting messages on what happened. Police Chief Inspector (Major) Jovie Espenido, Albuera municipal police chief, was livid as he asked, sarcastically, why Espinosa was killed over one gun. “It will have a chilling effect on the other witnesses against police and government officials,” he added. Guards of the municipal jail narrated over TV news broadcasts how they were disarmed and threatened to be shot if they resisted, how the CIDG cut the cell’s chains with a bolt cutter they brought with them, and how one police officer shot Espinosa, right after he asked if he could go to the toilet. The CIDG agents, they claimed, very methodically ripped out the hard disc that contained the closed-circuit TV video of those hours, and took it with them. Police Superintendent Marcos, the CIDG officer who led the raid, arrogantly claimed during a TV interview that he and his men had no choice but to kill Espinosa because he fought back. As if oblivious to the consequences of such brazen slaughter of a whistleblower, Police Deputy Director General Francisco Uyami Jr. said the incident would be investigated as “a matter of standard procedure.” Duterte cannot underestimate the consequences of the Espinosa killing and his lack of leadership

– so far – in this episode. Even Senators Panfilo Lacson and Richard Gordon — who defended him against the onslaught of Senator Leila de Lima to prove him responsible for the extrajudicial killings since he assumed power — wouldn’t accept the PNP’s absurd explanation. The Yellow Cult has smelled blood, with its leader, former President Noynoy Aquino, apparently waking up from his stupor to arrogantly tell the media that he is “monitoring the case.” Duterte’s apparent paralysis in the past three days over the Espinosa slay would be in the same scale as those of President Benigno Aquino 3rd in the Luneta hostage crisis and the Mamasapano massacre. A strong response needed While I would think that Duterte and his advisers, especially the veterans of so many political crises, would certainly know how to handle the crisis, a strong response would involve the following steps: 1. Duterte must order the suspension of all officers of the CIDG’s Eastern Visayas command and policemen involved in the raid on the Baybay jail, and have them taken to Camp Crame to be “kept” in circumstances that they would be unable to communicate with each other or with anyone else for the whole duration of an official inquiry into the case. This would ensure that they would be unable to concoct a false explanation or threaten or bribe those such as the jail personnel who witnessed the raid. The Baybay City jail’s warden and staff must also be brought to Manila and kept in secret locations to ensure their safety. 2. Duterte must order the CIDG, the PNP’s Internal Affairs, and even the National Police Commission to stop their announced plans to investigate the incident.

Instead, it is solely the justice secretary, using the NBI, which is under his authority, or any other government agency that should investigate the case. Duterte must use his persuasive powers over Congress to request them to wait for the Justice Secretary’s report before they undertake their own investigation in aid of legislation. 3. Duterte must require the justice secretary to submit his report in 15 or even 30 days at most. This wouldn’t be at all difficult. Those involved wouldn’t number more than 30 — the CIDG national head who approved the raid, the CIDG Region 8 head, Marcos, CIDG officer Laraga, who led the team that executed Espinosa, together with his officers and men, the Baybay City jail warden and staff, and the inmates who witnessed the rubout. How would that be difficult? The highest officer who is really accountable for this shame on the nation is of course, PNP Chief Director General Ronald de la Rosa. What kind of a message did his behavior send to the PNP, appearing unruffled by the rubout back home and staying on to enjoy watching the Pacquiao fight in Las Vegas? Just five months in his high-profile strategic job, with the war against illegal drugs still unwon, and he takes a one-week vacation? The strongest message Duterte could send – that he is undaunted in his war against crime – is to fire de la Rosa. But there seems to be no other such person Duterte can trust, or follow his orders without question. The nation and I, myself, have been cheering Duterte’s fight against illegal drugs and crime. But then his own police officials undertook one of the dastardliest crimes this nation has seen. What a pathetic country we’ve become. *** E-mail: tiglao.manilatimes@gmail.com Facebook: Rigoberto Tiglao and Bobi Tiglao

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OC/IE ASIAN JOURNAL • NOvEmbER 11-17, 2016

A

Peso-dollar rate might depreciate to P51-$1 in 2017 by Dana

M. SioSon

AJPress

THREE of the largest banks in the Philippines suggested that the peso to dollar rate could reduce from P49 to P51 versus the U.S. dollar by the end of the year. According to Metrobank, the Philippine peso might depreciate P48 to 1 dollar. The BDO Unibank also expected a depreciation between P48-P48.50. On the other hand, the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) suggested the peso could close up at

P49, and possibly even at P51, by the end of 2016. In the past few months, the Philippine peso has declined P1.225 from its 47.06 finish in 2015. On Wednesday, November 2, the peso hit P48.37 per dollar. Some economic analysts said that the decline has been attributed to President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial remarks against America. However, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez downplayed the slide in the Philippine currency.

He noted that the weakening of peso would boost the peso value of dollar remittances, particularly of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), and of the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector. “When the peso slides 50 centavos, you have P25 billion more in the Philippines for people to spend, buy condos. It’s not all bad. Agricultural products will certainly benefit,” Dominguez added. Other analysts also suggested that the dollar is just getting stronger and the peso is not necessarily getting weaker.

Robredo on Duterte’s remarks: Right to be offended by it PACQUIAO ARRIVES WITH BATO. Filipino boxing champ Manny Pacquiao holds his WBO Welterweight belt with PNP chief Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa during his arrival at the NAIA Terminal 1 in Pasay City on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Pacquiao beat Jessie Vargas in a unanimous decision on Saturday, Nov. 5 in Las Vegas. Inquirer.net photo by Raffy Lerma

Court upholds dismissal of NBN raps vs Arroyo by Reina leanne

tolentino Manilatimes.net

SANDIgANBAYAN’S Fourth Division stood pat on its ruling dismissing the graft and breach of conduct charges filed against former President gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in connection with the botched $329-million national broadband network (NBN) deal. In a five-page ruling dated November 7 and made public on Wednesday, the anti-graft court threw out the prosecution’s plea to reconsider the dismissal of the cases.

“After a reading of all the arguments of the prosecution and the accused, this Court finds the arguments of the prosecution insufficient to warrant the reversal of the questioned resolution,” the court said. “The prosecution failed to raise new and substantial arguments, and no cogent reason exists to warrant a reconsideration of the Court’s Resolution.” The charges against Arroyo, now a Pampanga representative, were filed in 2011 but the court dropped the complaints in August for lack of evidence.

Meanwhile, the prosecution has a pending motion for reconsideration on the dismissal of a separate graft case filed against Arroyo, her husband Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo and former Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. also in connection with the NBN deal. They were accused of violation of Section 3(g) of the antigraft law which prohibits public officers from entering, on behalf of the government, into any contract or transaction that is manifestly and grossly disadvantageous to the government.

PNP relieves 24 cops in Espinosa killing by aJ

BolanDo Philstar.com

MANILA - Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Ronaldo “Bato” Dela Rosa ordered Thursday the relief of 24 cops involved in the killing of Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa inside his detention cell. Dela Rosa directed Police Director Fernandez Mendez Jr. of the Directorate for Personnel and Record Management to immediately relieve the cops who served search warrant for firearms against Espinosa on Saturday, Nov. 5. The 24 cops who were from the Crime Investigation and Detention group (CIDg) and the Regional Maritime Unit (RMU) are now reassigned at Personnel

In this August 2016 file photo, police chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa presents alleged drug lord Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Jr. to the media.

Holding and Accounting Unit tion by the Internal Affairs Serwhere they will face investiga- vice.

by RoSette

aDel

Philstar.com

MANILA — Vice President Leni Robredo on Wednesday, Nov. 9 said she deliberately chose to ignore what she calls are inappropriate remarks of President Rodrigo Duterte due to more pressing issues at the time. Saying she was thinking of the Supreme Court’s decision on the burial of the late President Ferdinand Marcos, Robredo said she chose to look the other way when Duterte admitted to be smitten with her looks and “nice legs” at the public commemoration of the third anniversary of Super Typhoon Yolanda in Tacloban City. “When President Duterte made inappropriate remarks, I deliberately chose to ignore these. There are larger and more urgent issues we confront as a nation that demand our collective attention,” Robredo said in a statement. “But many were bothered and offended by it. As we all rightly should. Tasteless remarks and inappropriate advances against women should have no place in our society. We should expect that most of all from our leaders,” she added. Duterte said there is nothing wrong if he admires Robredo, a widow, since his marriage with his first wife, Elizabeth Zimmerman, had been annulled. “Pupunta rin ako dito kasi nandito ang Vice President (I will come here because the Vice President is here). Wherever she goes, I will follow. She is a widow and my marriage had been annulled,” the president in his speech at the event. Duterte’s remarks earned negative reactions from netizens

In this July 2016 photo, Vice President Leni Robredo paid a courtesy visit to President Duterte to personally convey to him her full support.

while some present at the venue laughed it off. Others found it as a sensitive issue on sexism and objectification of women. The president is known to make informal comments and jokes in his speeches. He also mentioned in the same speech that he sometimes inserts jokes when meeting with Robredo to avoid a serious mood. Robredo, for her part, said the president’s remarks only strengthened her resolve to fulfill her duties as the country’s vice president. She said she is committed to help alleviate poverty and uplift lives of the Filipinos through building homes and communities. “I have spent many years as an alternative lawyer fighting for the rights of women, myself included. That commitment will never waver,” the vice president said. Duterte defends comments as ‘appropriate’ Duterte on Wednesday defended his remarks to Robredo saying it was a suitable compli-

ment to break the ice. “It’s appropriate. As a matter of fact, it was good,” he said at a media conference prior to his departure for Malaysia. He also slammed the reporter, who asked him to react on Robredo’s statement, saying the media wants to depict him as “sexist.” “Unless umakyat ka sa tuhod hanggang diyan [points to upper part of body] then that could be (an) extreme bad take,” the president said. Asked if it was necessary to make such comments at a commemoration event, Duterte replied it was necessary to make people laugh and enjoy the occasion. He added that he was also angered to learn that despite billions of budget for the Yolanda victims, there is little progress in the rehabilitation efforts. “Do not cast aspersion sa mga biro ko. Kasi ako hindi ako heneral, politiko ako. Natural samin ang magpatawa lalo na after magalit,” he said.

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november 11-17, 2016 • oC/Ie ASIAn JoUrnAL

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november 11-17, 2016

2

Joseph Lim’s ‘Half of My Life: The Testimony of a Father and His Special Needs Child’

A true story of unconditional love and unwavering faith

By Malou liwanag-Bledsoe AJPress

ONE of the things that parents wish for is for their child to grow up normal and healthy. So when Joseph Lim and his wife first found out about their son Jordan’s autism, they were devastated, even though they had a feeling about it. “We noticed for some time that Jordan was behind his social development and his speech was delayed. But our fears were finally confirmed with the diagnosis of autism,” said Joseph in an e-mail interview with the Asian Journal. “But still, our hearts broke for him. For so many years he was misunderstood. I can only imagine how hard it must have been on him to be misjudged all this time but unable to speak up for himself.” With all the frustration, anger and pain in watching his son fight through the challenges as well as battling hard for Jordan’s services and care, Joseph decided to write a poem entitled, “Half My Life.” Years

later, it grew into a biographical journal of Jordan and his family. “Being autistic, Jordan is not able to communicate effectively. He can speak fine, but cannot express his thoughts and feelings well. He can’t hold a lengthy conversation,” he said and then added, “And I can clearly see the frustration in his eyes and body language when he can’t get his point across properly. So with this book, I have the opportunity to speak for him. I can be his voice when he cannot speak for himself. I know my son better than most anyone else, and with this book I hope to do him justice.” Joseph shared that the challenges in writing the book was mainly emotional. There were positive experiences, but of course there were difficult ones. One thing that stands out for him was the chapter when he talked about Jordan’s diabetes. “Interestingly, when I first started writing my book, Jordan

Joseph with Jordan.

only had autism. But in the middle of writing it, he developed Type 1 diabetes. All of a sudden his health issues became more than just social and developmental, they are also physical. His life is at stake now. This added an entirely new level of difficulty to his challenges and a whole new dimension to his story that I needed to tell. “I recall numerous times during the editing process and even as I read through my book today when I had to take a break because it was too difficult.” Published by Christian Faith Publishing, “Half My Life: The Testimony of a Father and His Special Needs Child” is a vivid chronicle of the highlights and struggles one family experiences with a special child diagnosed with autism and diabetes. Despite the challenges, Joseph and the rest of the family consider Jordan to be one of their greatest blessings on earth. Joseph also acknowledges

Joseph and Jordan with the rest of their family

that although he lets all his children know that he will always be there for them, it was his wife who did majority of the legwork in dealing with Jordan’s autism. “...She took the bull by the horns,” he said. “She did the research, attended seminars, read books, talked to experts and other parents. Through her diligence motivated by her love, Jordan has several services provided to him.” It was also his wife who completely opened his eyes about the reality of Jordan’s condition. “She said, ‘You know what…If you can’t even try to understand your own son, then how can you expect others to?’ That statement whipped me back into place. Because I realized that if anything is to happen for Jordan’s benefit, and if anyone’s attitude is to improve towards him, then it has to begin with me. From that point forward, I would never misunderstand Jordan again, not intentionally. I already loved him as my son, but I became his biggest fan under all circumstances. Of course, ultimately, they turn to God for strength and guidance to push through all the challenges. “We don’t know what His purpose is in Jordan being the way he is, but we put our full trust in Him,” Joseph said. “ I realize that not everyone reading this may share the same religious beliefs as I have, or even believes in God. But

I know that every family deals with their struggles their own way. And I’m just explaining the way that I dealt with mine; it’s through my faith in God.” Joseph wants to reach out and ask for people’s support by purchasing the book and spreading the word about it. Explaining that it’s not about him personally, but is actually for a good cause because a portion of the book sales goes to selected charities for autism, diabetes, and special kids. “(Certainly,) I want to reach the special ed community – in particular, the families of other special needs children. To inspire them and let them know that they’re not alone in their struggle. I know every child is unique, every situation is different, and the dynamics of every family vary by household. But for the most part, I believe we can relate,” Joseph explained and then added, “After all, we share a common challenge in working through our children’s conditions, and we share a common desire to obtain the best services and benefits for them. And to the general public, I’m hoping that my book brings about greater awareness of special conditions, and compassion towards these awesome kids and their families.” At present, their family is working hard to prepare Jordan for the future.

“ Jordan has many awesome qualities. He’s loving and friendly, he loves greeting people, he likes to read people’s name tags at stores, and he’s a stickler for schedule and routines. We plan to use these characteristics to get Jordan a viable job when he becomes an adult. He will still need full time supervision, but at least he’ll be working. We’re trying to get him to be as independent as possible even though we know he will need total care for the rest of his life. This is actually one of our biggest concerns. What will become of Jordan when my wife and I are no longer earth? Fortunately, my wonderful daughters have agreed to care for their brother when we’re gone. Furthermore, whoever they marry will need to love Jordan too. They can never mistreat him. If they truly love my daughters, they will also love my son. My daughters have agreed to find men who are willing to make that commitment, and I trust my girls completely.” “Half My Life: The Testimony of a Father and His Special Needs Child” is available at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, Kobo or Barnes and Noble. On social media: www. facebook.com/Half-My-Life-TheTestimony-of-a-Father-and-HisSpecial-Needs-Child-61910076158 9405/?fref=ts.

3 Celebrities take big steps to advocate breast cancer awareness Best revenge for the heartbroken according to Angelica november 11-17, 2016

www.asianjournal.com

FiLiPinOS of all ages stepped out of their homes and comfort zones to join the culminating breast cancer awareness activity of global women’s company Avon, dubbed “130 Million Steps.” As The Manila Times reported in October, annually regarded as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the direct-selling brand designed an app of the same name to enable participants of their yearly run to track their total number of steps to be converted to funds for the advocacy. gathering at the Liwasang Ullalim in CCP Complex at the crack of dawn, Avon Philippines general Manager emie Aguilar-nierves and celebrity ambassador Jennylyn Mercado led the ceremonial download of the application, which

signaled the start of the walk-for-acause. explaining the novel idea for company’s CSR, nierves said, “Here in the Philippines, we are so excited for people to use our mobile app, which makes the crusade bigger and more personal than ever before. The more people participate, the more noise we can make, the more people can become aware, ask questions, and be compelled to have themselves checked.” Mercado, who is officially the “Kiss goodbye to Breast Cancer” ambassador along with fellow gMA artist Rocco nacino also pledged their daily steps to the movement. Before setting off for the track, Mercado related, “This is a fight that i will never get tired of fighting.

Celebrity participants Jim Saret, Jennylyn Mercado and Toni Saret

i am very fortunate to be able to empower my fellow Filipinas. in many ways, everyone can take part in this journey.” Meanwhile, nacino, whose involvement in the cause is personal as his mother Linda is a breast cancer survivor, declared, “My mom is my greatest inspiration, and to share this fight with her as well as everyone else is such an honor and joy.” Celebrity coaches Jim and Toni Saret participated in the walkathon as well. “We’re doing this Walk of Awareness as our personal pledge to the cause and as our way of encouraging everyone to walk for a purpose,” said Jim. Toni added, “Health is always of utmost importance, and awareness of the fight against breast cancer can go a long way. early detection remains to be the closest thing to a cure when it comes to breast cancer.” The funds raised at the highly successful 130 Million Steps outing are earmarked for the Philippine general Hospital’s Breast Cancer Center, which serves thousands of indigent Filipinas inflicted with the disease; assisted breast consultation activities of Avon Representatives; and the sustenance of the monthly activities of the Avon-PgH Breast Care Center Support group. (ManilaTimes.net)

Misses U beauties on the pageant’s return to Manila

ALL systems go for the mounting of the Miss Universe pageant in Manila on Jan. 30, 2017 the third time over (first was in 1974 won by the late Amparo Muñoz of Spain and the second was in 1994 won by india’s Sushmita Sen). Funfare asked what the homegrown Misses U beauties have to say. • gloria Diaz, Miss U 1969: Actually, i don’t know for sure. i am not even sure we can afford it or rather if we should afford it. According to several people, it will be all private money. Wish that together with the pageant also some new MRT and LRT trains. Or something which many people will benefit from. i am allowed to dream, no! • Margie Moran, Miss U 1973: it’s good for a short-term tourism

1969 Miss Universe Gloria Diaz (with her good friend, Thailand’s first Miss Universe [1965] Apasra Hongsakula, during a recent visit to Bangkok)…1973 Miss Universe Margie Moran…and 2013 Miss Universe third runner-up Ariella Arida.

marketing exposure. Our cities and tourism venues will be exposed to millions of viewers. it will also be a fitting homecoming for Pia (Wurtzbach) when she passes on the title. • Ariella Arida, Miss U 2013 third runner-up: As a Filipino, i am very happy that the pageant will be held here. After two decades,

by Marinel

Cruz

Inquirer.net

Being beautiful is the best revenge,” said actress Angelica Panganiban when asked what advice she could give to someone nursing a broken heart. “As the popular saying goes: Nagmahal, nasaktan, nagpaganda,” quipped Angelica. The actress is the star of Maryo J. delos Reyes’ latest romantic drama, “The Unmarried Wife,” which begins its theatrical run on nov. 16. Angelica said her focus now is “self-improvement—i feel like i’m a house that needs renovation. i just want to take care of myself for now, because i’m the type of person who, when in love, would really give the relationship my all.” While she does not claim to be an expert on romantic relationships, Angelica believes that one should fight for love, “as long as you are not hurting other people’s feelings, or as long as you treat yourself with respect, and also the person you are in a relationship with.” “Seriously,” she added, “i always say that it’s never wrong to love, even though it’s like a one-way street; regardless of your gender or your religion. The world will be much better if we all just love each other.” Angelica and her former boyfriend, actor John Lloyd Cruz, were recently spotted hanging out again. Asked to confirm the rumor that she is once again playing sweet music with John Lloyd,

Angelica Panganiban

Angelica said: “Although it’s unlikely for former lovers to be good friends again, it’s something that we’re proud of. Yes, we’ve struggled shortly after the breakup, but we have managed to maintain the friendship.” At a recent media gathering for the Star Cinema-produced film, which also features Dingdong Dantes and Paulo Avelino, Angelica was asked what she thought was the ideal marrying age. The 30-year-old actress replied: “i really can’t tell. i just know that i don’t want to grow old alone. i wish for a special someone to be beside me when i’m old—be it a child, a man or a friend.” She added: “i don’t think it (marriage) will happen in the near future. i’m now more open to the idea that married life is not for me, although plans could still change. if not, then i’d just raise dogs and cats.”

The actress then said she was concerned that people might misinterpret her. “They might think i’m just being bitter. i respect those who have finally found their life partners, those who already have a successful married life. How i wish that would happen to me, too,” she clarified. in “The Unmarried Wife,” Angelica is Anne, a woman who is torn between staying with her cheating husband, geoff (Dingdong), and leaving with her persistent lover, Bryan (Paulo). Angelica said she had a hard time relating to her character in the beginning, and that it helped that her most difficult scenes were done during the latter part of filming. “By that time, i was already very much involved in the development of the character and her relationships with the two men,” she explained.

Kristine Hermosa gives birth to baby boy

the pageant fans will witness this historical event right at home. Of course, it will also boost tourism in our country. i can’t wait for everyone to see how beautiful our country is. As a friend, i am very happy that Pia will crown her successor here. it’s a dream to bring the pageant here. (Philstar. com) Photo from Kristine Hermosa’s Instagram account

PLAY NOW TO DECEMBER 18

ACTReSS Kristine HermosaSotto delivered her healthy baby boy late Saturday, nov. 5. To welcome his new son Marvic Valentin Sotto ii, proud father and actor Oyo Boy Sotto posted a photo of his son on instagram. Marvic is the fourth child of the celebrity couple. Kristine gave birth to her first child, daughter Ondrea Bliss, in

2011. They then adopted a son named Kristian Daniel and gave birth to another son with Oyo, Kaleb Hanns, in 2014. Before giving birth, Kristine returned to the television scene last June, in gMA-7’s comedy sitcom “Hay Bahay.” Her husband, Oyo, and the latter’s father comedian Vic Sotto, also star in the sitcom. (Rosette Adel/Philstar. com)

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november 11-17, 2016 www.asianjournal.com

4

99 Ranch Market and Toyota announce the lucky Prius winner TO give back to its loyal and supporting customers, 99 Ranch Market in Southern California hosted a fun-filled sweepstakes event in the Rowland Heights’ branch by raffling off an allnew Toyota Prius. To ensure fairness, the interactive raffle was witnessed by Robert Chang, the Chief of Supervisors of Chinese Accountants Association of America. The lucky winner of the much anticipated raffle was Alexander W. from Temple City. in response to his winning ticket, Alexander said, “i’m so excited i won! i’m so grateful and thankful for 99 Ranch Market and Toyota.” 99 Ranch Market aims to provide even more exciting activities in addition to quality products and service for our future events. Find us on social media: Facebook.com/ 99RanchMarket @99RanchMarket @99RanchMarket @Official99Ranch (Advertising Supplement)

McDonald’s USA to introduce two new burgers inspired by the Big Mac to its national menu The Grand Mac and Mac Jr. to join the Big Mac national line-up in early 2017

Big Mac fans will rejoice when the grand Mac and Mac Jr. join the legendary Big Mac roster for a limited time on McDonald’s national menu in early 2017. These twists on the famously delicious sandwich – which boasts two 100 percent all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, and onions on a sesame seed bun – are the latest menu innovations from McDonald’s that customers today are looking for. The grand Mac is made with two 100 percent pure beef patties for a total of one-third pound* with two slices of melty American cheese and iconic special sauce served on a larger sesame seed bun with crisp lettuce, California minced onions and tangy pickles. Each Big Mac patty is seasoned to perfection with salt and pepper in McDonald’s kitchens. The Mac Jr. is a single-layer Big Mac that’s easier to eat on the go. The 100% pure beef patty is bigger and packs in all the flavor of the Big Mac without the middle bun. “The Big Mac is a legend and AJPress photos by Ding Carreon a great-tasting burger with hints

of pickle relish, mustard, garlic and onions,” said McDonald’s Chef Mike Haracz. “We listened to our customers who told us they wanted different ways to enjoy the one-of-a-kind Big Mac taste. The classic combination of ingredients remains timeless and customers around the world continue to enjoy its signature taste.” Earlier this year, Central Ohio and Dallas/Fort Worth tested these burgers to gather valuable feedback from consumers. in advance of the national rollout, customers in Florida and the Pittsburgh area will be able to experience these new sandwiches

before the rest of the country, beginning in mid-November. The Big Mac was first introduced in 1967 by Jim Delligatti, a McDonald’s franchisee from Pennsylvania, and the following year was available nationwide. McDonald’s is continuously testing and innovating to meet its customers’ needs. Recent regional innovations include the Egg White and Turkey Sausage Breakfast Bowl, Scrambled Egg and Chorizo Breakfast Bowl, Lobster Rolls and gilroy garlic Fries. *Average weight before cooking. Advertising Supplement

Vice Ganda, Bb. Pilipinas 2016 queens headline annual Christmas tree lighting Kristy so Philstar.com

by

THE Araneta group has marked the start of the Christmas season with their annual giant Christmas tree lighting. The Christmas tree lighting happened on November 4 at the Araneta activity center with a grander setup and activities that spectators enjoyed. Aside from the colorful and lively lights and decors, the audience also enjoyed performances from their favorite Kapamilya stars like Vice ganda, Alex gonzaga, iñigo Pascual and Loisa Andalio. The Bb. Pilipinas queens were

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

Vice Ganda, Stella Araneta-Marquez and Bb. Pilipinas 2016 queens lighted up the giant Christmas tree found in Araneta Center activity center in Cubao, Quezon City. Philstar.com photo by Jonathan Asuncion

also present that night, sending more positive vibes to everyone in the venue. The audience was not only

entertained for some were lucky enough to take home prizes from the Araneta group of companies and its sponsors that night.

EMPLOYMENT

FOSTER HOMECARE

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond

Luck, moxie and the good life “The harder I work, the luckier I get.”

— Unknown

Monette AdevA MAglAyA (NOTE: I feel compelled to hold off comment extensively on yesterday’s event — ELECTION DAY in America. It is still much too early for me to process and see if history turned a corner.) Just a few thoughts though… Has the country decided to head in a different yet bold direction of self-determination based on TRUTH, just like it did 240 years ago in 1776? OR has it decided to still pretty much remain mired in the muck of the horrendous world order of elitist, soulless corporatism and globalism of the last quarter century? One thing is clear. The politics of our time is not for the faint-hearted. We have entered uncharted territory where the story of a pitched battle and a long, drawn-out arduous struggle between the forces of good and evil rages just as they have from the very beginning when the Archangel Michael drove the forces of Satan and his minions to the deep bowels of hell. Only this time, the scene takes place on earth and in the ballot box. Do take note as we watch this story in real time. There seems to be unforeseen forces in the mix. Where did this ragtag band united by a common desire for TRUTH and TRANSPARENCY to prevail come from? No human author could have thought of such forces as Wikileaks and citizen journalism like Project Veritas and a multitude of others to coalesce, EACH ACTING ON ITS OWN, yet acting as one army of truth tellers. Truth, like sunlight is a disinfectant in this season of darkness, death and moral depravity. Truth is also a light saber that can cut through lies, damned lies and statistics. Students of literature know about the concept of deux ex machina, a factor in story-telling, where an unexpected power or event, moves quietly in the background or dramatically comes into play just when the situation becomes dire and hopeless. As multitudes bend their knees and humbly pray for deliverance, help comes in God’s perfect timing. Actually, for many believers who do not require explanation of why things are, it is divine intervention, help from above, pure and simple, an implicit faith and belief that a loving God IS patently involved in the affairs of men throughout much of history. While taking time to process the events of the last 24 hours, here’s my take on the correlation between luck, gumption, hard work and the good life. ) Do you believe in luck? And if you do, have you got the moxie to be lucky?

On its face value, being in the right place at the right time seems to be completely random and impersonal, much like a lightning strike. We have all heard of the incredible luck of people who have won the lottery multiple times and each time, they at least, bought a ticket, took a chance and made themselves available for Lady Luck to smile at them. Some people modestly attribute their success to luck; others, to hard work but more than likely, it is a combination of both. They were lucky because they had gumption, persisted against all odds and worked their tails off. The truth is, in some ways, we can influence good fortune with the attitude, motivation and oftentimes, with sheer moxie, with which we face our individual daily lives. If you expect bad things to happen to you or if you yourself confirm that you are unlucky, more than likely, it will become a selffulfilling prophecy. You might as well admit it. You’re a sad sack Eeyore with a permanent, black rain cloud hanging over your head. The negative energy you emit repels people who would otherwise be of help to you. You just might be the person who can brighten up a room simply by leaving it. Perhaps, it’s your personality and there’s nothing you can do about it. You were wired to be negative and pessimistic and no motivational speaker can get you out of that rut. You’re one tough customer for the Holy Spirit to work wonders with. Fine. But for as long as you think that you have nothing to do with the ill fortune that seems to bedevil your life, you can just live with the dire consequences of fear, anxiety and unhappiness which result from being toxic and always believing the worst of things or of people. Particularly during these uncertain times, no one can afford the luxury of a negative thought. But much more so for vulnerable immigrants who are on survival mode, an optimistic can-do attitude is a must. With this current economic morass, a big chunk of the immigrant population along with many more in the middle class, have regressed back to survival mode, quite by default. Many who have moved to more comfortable levels but were caught by the real estate slump and lost their homes, may find themselves sliding back to square one and engaging in the daunting prospect of finding a job. Choosing what one does to make a living and still live a good life in the process, requires one to strike a delicate balance. Will he choose a career in government

service or work in the private sector? Should he go into business or set up a professional practice? Should he pursue the arts? Should making money and achieving higher status, weigh more than fulfilment? What are the tradeoffs? An accurate assessment of one’s talents, gifts, skills, training and calling will help him make the right choice. If you have the moxie to make the right choice, it is amazing to note how luck always dovetails. Money will always be a major consideration. However in choosing a profession, the soul must be nurtured just as well, if not more. Never confuse soul with ego. The question is: are you doing what you were born and meant to do? If you are, then work is no longer work and every moment of every day holds the potential for joy. You begin to discover the sacred in the ordinary. You begin to notice the blue of the skies and the seamless flow of life, even in the mundane. You see what’s special about people. You no longer take anything for granted. The connections snap into place. Just imagine waking up thankful to your Maker for the amazing privilege of doing what it is you do every single day of your life. What you label as sheer, impersonal, random luck is actually a personal blessing just for you from above given to you freely and generously, without strings. All that is required is a bone marrow deep, boundless gratefulness that spills out as pure joy in practically everything you do. You are not just lucky, you are among the blessed ones. Few things in life can be more satisfying. If you notice yourself singing or humming while you do the work that earns you money that allows you to live the life you love, consider yourself one of the blessed ones who are living the life they were meant to live. On the other hand, if you have to drag yourself every single morning and pop a Tylenol to numb some kind of pain that won’t go away everyday at work and long for the end of the day on the first hour, plan to heave yourself out of that sinkhole, just as soon as you can safely do so. Plan the great escape and find the work that blesses you within as it blesses you with the physical needs of your life. A caveat: Jobs to your liking may be harder to find these days. Bide your time. Be patient. As in all fortuitous events, timing is everything. ***

Health@Heart

by Deni Rose M. AfiniDAD-BeRnARDo

of India advocate uro-therpay. There is no scientific basis for the belief or assertion espoused by PhiliP S. ChuA, “practitioners of urophagia” that Md, FACS, FPCS urine has medicinal benefit. Is drinking urine safe? IF you are, hold that glass and Drinking your own urine do not say “cheers or ganbei” yet or other people’s urine – even until you read the information on infant’s urine – is as safe as urine therapy in this column. drinking the urine of dogs, cats, Informational technology is mice, or other animals. It is just a wonderful gift to humankind. like recycling waste material: out But just like anything else which from your kidneys and bladder, makes access to tons of data easy and back into your mouth and and widespread, interpretation gastrointestinal tract, with all of the information or its abuse the toxic ingredients in the urine could negatively impact some your body is trying to get rid of people’s lives, especially those through your kidneys. Urination, who are gullible or those who do like bowel movement, is a part not do due diligence and simply of our body’s natural processes believe everything they read on (physiology) to cleanse the blood the internet. One example of this and the body of toxic waste to is the widely-circulated claim maintain health. Swallowing back (in a dozen or more websites) the urine, or vomitus, or feces that urine has a wide range of our body has eliminated does medicinal use. not make sense, and certainly is Why do we urinate? not safe, besides being repulsive. Urination is one of the One does not even have to be detoxification processes of the a physician to understand the body. Humans and other animals fallacy of urophagia. urinate to eliminate the toxic byWhat are the risks in products of the body’s physiology. drinking urine? The system is eliminating these Urine could be contaminated waste materials contained in the with bacteria. Urine normally urine through the kidneys in order contains urea, sodium, potassium, to get rid of them. This is the same creatinine, magnesium, calcium, when we move our bowels. The ammonia, sulfates, phosphates, body is excreting the stools (feces) hippuric acid, citric acid, from our body because it contains glucoronic acid, hormones, toxic waste. and drug metabolites for those What is the basis for this on medications. These waste claim? products, when reintroduced to Urophagia (drinking urine) the body by drinking urine, will and urine therapy or urotherapy put a stress on the kidneys. The (also known as urinotherapy or adverse effect is worse among auto-urine therapy) is a practice those who are dehydrated. If one that dates back to the ancient is allergic to, or could not tolerate, times in countries like Egypt, India, a certain medication and drinks China, and the Aztec empire. the urine of a person taking that Some of the uses for urophagia specific medication, the drinker are for ceremonial services, sexual might develop allergic or a worse practice, for survival, and as an reaction to the metabolites of alternative cure for illnesses. that drug in the urine. Drinking Even today, some misguided the urine of a drug addict or a people think urine is beneficial patient with cancer is obviously for teeth whitening, migraine, more scary than drinking one’s asthma, skin wrinkles, skin own urine. Either way, urophagia allergies, as hormonal therapy, is not medically accepted and is or for prevention or treatment unhealthy, even in a desperate of arthritis and other diseases, marooned situation. including cancer. The Ayurveda Is urine therapy effective for ancient holistic healing practices cancer?

No, urine is useless in the treatment of any disease, including cancer. The American Cancer Society states that “available scientific evidence does not support claims that urine or urea given in any form is helpful for cancer patients.” Some cancer clinics in Mexico and other countries are offering urine therapy as an alternative to treating cancer, which is obviously inspired only by financial greed, giving false hope and victimizing desperate cancer patients and their family who are already suffering. If urine could effectively cure cancer, there won’t be any cancer left in this world, and its advocates would win the Nobel Prize in Medicine. Who are some celebrities doing urophagia? Some popular personalities drinking their urine posted on the internet include Madonna, the 5th prime minister of India Morarji Desai, British actress Sarah Miles, former major league baseball player Moises Alou, martial arts fighter Lyoto Machida, and boxer Juan Manuel Marquez, who fought Mayweather. Of course, everybody has the right to consume anything he/she wants, but common sense dictates that what our body rejects and kicks out must remain out. Medical science is lucidly clear on this. How about urine for topical use? There are also claims that urine could be used effectively as a topical agent (applied directly to parts of the body). Some examples of the asserted topical application is for jellyfish bite or insect bites, eye infection, skin allergy or ulcer, acne, ear infection, etc. No, urine is not effective or beneficial for any of these conditions, or for any disease at all. Is urine totally useless? No. Urine is very useful as a plant fertilizer. According to ModernFarmer, “Across the Atlantic, studies have long established urine as a powerful fertilizer. A study conducted by the Stockholm Water Company Continued on Page 7

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

Philstar.com

“Make sure that you’re fully dedicated and are in it for the right reasons, because if you’re in it just to get rich, you’re not going to be happy.” Philstar.com photo by Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo

can tell you what’s right or wrong. Listen to the advice, but make your own decisions and do what you feel is right for yourself and your baby.” Like Britney Spears and Demi Moore, she said she made a “very shocking cover” of her pregnant state for a local magazine, which will come out anytime soon. On fashion Her sense of style did not change because of the pregnancy. “I hardly buy any new clothes. I just use whatever I have,” confessed the model, who was in low heels during the recent launch of Sunnies Café’s Megamall branch. On parenting Besides being a cool mom, she hopes that her life will not change too much when the baby comes. On business For those who want to

be successful in business like Georgina, she said: “You have to do something that you love. Make sure that you’re fully dedicated and are in it for the right reasons, because if you’re in it just to get rich, you’re not going to be happy. You really have to love what you’re doing. Give respect to the people you’re working with and make a difference in your community.” On giving back True to a Christmas chant that says, “Give love on Christmas Day,” on an episode of “It Girls,” Georgina can be seen reaching out to build a village for non-government, pro-poor organization Gawad Kalinga. “I want to work next on education. It’s so important for me,” shared the model, who was an A-student and a math whiz with college degrees in finance, economics and accounting.

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Drinking your own urine?

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

#Lifehacks from ‘it’ mom Georgina Wilson WHAT can an ‘it’ girl who has everything could ever wish for this Christmas? “Sleep!” Georgina WilsonBurnand, who is yet to come up with a holiday wish list, told this writer in an interview. The star of the reality TV show “It Girls” and former “Asia’s Next Top Model” host also has no plans yet for the season, except to open another branch of Sunnies Café, the dining joint she co-owns with Bea Soriano-Dee, Eric Dee Jr., and Martine Cajucom, who can also be seen on “It Girls.” “How to be you, po?” many Filipinos ask, and these are Georgina’s answers. On being a reality TV star Georgina shared that on “It Girls,” she withheld nothing. “It’s all out in the open, no holds barred,” she enthused. “It’s such a cool experience. I really enjoyed it. I get to see all my friends so much more.” On pregnancy, diet and fitness The model-entrepreneur admitted, “I haven’t been focusing much on my pregnancy. I’ve been so busy with work.” She said even people around her keep on forgetting that she is pregnant. She used to cook when she was still studying, but ever since she became busy, she has been unable to. She hopes she could cook again for her baby. “Listen to your body. Do what you feel is right,” she advised expectant moms like her. “Ask tips from your fellow moms… No one

november 11-17, 2016 www.asianjournal.com

Calendar of Events across

America

november 11-17, 2016 www.asianjournal.com

Miss International 2016 Kylie Verzosa: Eat right, pray regularly & love your body by

Mylene Mendoza-dayrit Philstar.com

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS N OV E M B E R 1 2

University of Baguio High School 40th anniversary in Chino Hills, CA Come join us in celebrating University of Baguio High School’s 40th Anniversary on Saturday, November 12 in Chino Hills, California. For more information please contact, Romy Vidal at (951) 733-7140.

Hyatt Baguio/Manila/Palawan Reunion in Las Vegas Former and current employees and guests of Hyatt Terraces Baguio, Hyatt Manila and Hyatt Palawan are having a dinner/dance reunion on November 12 in at the Hampton Inn Tropicana in Las Vegas. The address is 4975 Dean Martin Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89118. For more details, please send an email to: Beng Paraguas-Flores (Hyatt Terraces Baguio) at bengparaguasflores@gmail.com or Marian Nobleza (Hyatt Terraces Baguio) at minobleza@ yahoo.com.

Filipinas are taking the world by storm. The latest lady to make headlines is Kylie Verzosa. Her loyal fans may have been disappointed when she didn’t take home the title of Bb. pilipinas Universe 2016, but it may have been a blessing in disguise. The 5’9 stunner just brought home the Miss international crown from Tokyo, making her the sixth Filipina to hold the title. she draws strength from within, attributing her success to her balanced physical, emotional, and spiritual health and well-being. That means working out, eating right, reading, volunteering, and praying regularly for holistic wellness. We caught up with her before she left for Tokyo at her cover shoot for shape philippines to talk about contest preparation, health and fitness. The Philippine Star: How does it

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Film showing of “Curiosity, Adventure & Love” in New York The Philippine Consulate General New York invites the public to a film showing of “Curiosity, Adventure & Love,” a film by Sunshine Lichuaco de Leon and Suzanne Richiardone. The showing will be on Monday, November 14 at 6:40 p.m. at the Kalayaan Hall, Philippine Center at 556 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10036. To reserve a seat, please send an email to events@newyorkpcg.org (Subject: Fil-Am History Month) or call 212-764-1330 ext. 3866.

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Build a shelter project appreciation and book launch in New York Build a shelter project appreciation and book launch in New York The Philippine Consulate General New York in cooperation with the Assumption Alumni Association invites you to Build a Shelter Project (BASP) Appreciation and a book launch on “Yolanda: An Oral History in Verse” by Tim Tomlinson. The event will be on Tuesday, November 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the Kalayaan Hall, Philippine Center at 556 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036. To reserve a seat, please email events@newyorkpcg.org (Subject: BASP Appreciation) or call 212-764-1330 ext. 3866.

Consular outreach mission in Pensacola, Florida

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FASO’s Christmas Concert in Glendale, CA The Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO), the only Filipino symphony orchestra outside of the Philippines, as it presents “A Christmas Concert” on Saturday, December 3, 6:00 p.m. at the John Wayne Performing Arts Center in Glendale, California. FASO will play Christmas carols, accompanied by the voices of various choir groups. John Wayne Performing Arts Center is located at 1440 E. Broadway, Glendale, California 91205. For tickets, call Andy Tecson (323) 467-5096; Bob Shroder (818) 395-8936; and Arlene Ferrolino (213) 248-9850. Tickets are also available athttp://fasochristmas.eventbrite.com/. Tickets are at $25, $45 and $75. More information at www.fasofoundation.org.

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Aurora Inter-organizational Alliance-USA celebrates 8th anniversary in Granada Hills, CA Aurora Inter-organizational Alliance-USA announces its 8th anniversary celebration on Saturday, December 10 in Granada Hills, CA. It is an annual gathering of immigrants from the Aurora province’s 8 towns, aiming to further strengthen the camaraderie and spirit of the members. This year’s celebration hopes to gather 100 members and guests, who will be treated with traditional Filipino dishes as well as entertainment amid the sounds of Christmas carols. The night will be capped by the election of new officers for the new year. The event will be held at the Granada Hills Pavilion at 11128 Balboa Blvd., Granada Hills, CA 91344 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, please contact Atty Al Nabor at (951) 818-8172 or Luchie Cuento at (818) 300-3212.

feel to be crowned Bb. Pilipinas International 2016? Kylie Verzosa: indescribable! it surprised me and it’s a rollercoaster of emotions, but i’m so grateful for everything that has happened. i’m really happy. We heard you are a teacher and an advocate for depression and suicide awareness. i used to teach kids. i love kids. Recently, i was a volunteer for iVolunteer pH, a website where you can volunteer for different organizations. i volunteered for Bayanihan and these are out-ofschool kids. i did this because last sunday, i really missed kids since i used to teach preschool and it’s really happy when you’re with the kids. For depression awareness, i found the foundation through a friend and i decided to volunteer for it and be part of it. Depression is something very close to me because it’s something that i don’t think people really talk about and it’s a stigma. i want to speak out about it because not many people focus on mental well-being; instead, they focus so much on the physical aspect of the person. it makes me happy that i get to speak out about it and in return, a lot of people come to me as well to share their experiences and it makes me feel better. i’ve been doing all this starting after college. How do you keep yourself fit despite your busy schedule? i go to the gym as often as i can. i try to move every day. i try to do cardio every day. i balance it between pilates, cycling, yoga, going to the gym, lifting weights, and resistance training. sometimes, i work out with a trainer, sometimes not. it’s really all about balance and finding time for it. We saw your upside-down

N OV E M B E R 1 9 -2 0 The Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C., in cooperation with the Philippine Nurses Association of America, Inc. - Central Florida Chapter, the Filipino-American Association of Pensacola, Inc., and the Philippine Honorary Consulate in Miami, is pleased to announce that it will conduct a consular outreach mission in Pensacola on Saturday and Sunday, November 19 and 20 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Services offered include: Philippine passport applications; legalization of documents (acknowledgment, authentication, etc.); and receipt of reports of birth, marriage and death; and administration of oath of allegiance for dual citizenship. For an appointment, please email consular@philippineusa.org and indicate “Pensacola FL Outreach” in the subject line. In the body of the email, indicate the complete name(s) of the applicant(s) and the corresponding service(s) required by each application. The outreach will be held at the Fil-Am Community Center at 234 West Oakfield Road, Pensacola, FL

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Pilates photos on Instagram. How did you manage to do that? i started pilates just recently. people were wondering how did i do that? i’ve been doing yoga for three years now. it was something i did more for me and realized it helped me improve myself, find calmness and serenity. i became more flexible through yoga then because of pilates; i found out “Oh, i can do this” and it became one of my favorite workouts because while you’re doing pilates, you get to target parts of your body that you don’t always get to work out in the gym. it’s quite dynamic and i enjoy it a lot plus it’s a whole different environment from something i was used to. What aspects of your physical fitness do you think got developed from Pilates and yoga? Flexibility, that’s one. But for me, what works is i find myself more peaceful when i go to yoga and as cliched as it may sound, it may not be for everyone, but it has helped me. and i think that’s what’s important in fitness. You have to be experimental and know what works for you and what doesn’t. That’s also the beauty of having your own body — you get to experiment what’s good for you and what’s not and that goes for fitness as well. What are the advantages of living a fit and healthy lifestyle aside from the aesthetic benefit? it helps manage your stress and balance your life. When you’re healthy, it also affects the way you feel about yourself, which i feel is very important, especially among young girls today. it keeps you also mentally active and it gets rid of your stress, that’s what’s good about it. What kind of eating habits did you start out with before preparing for competitions? i have to say it’s so difficult because i love food! We have to be at our very best. i watch what i eat now very much, but i try not to deprive myself of anything. My diet right now is low carb and high protein. Fruits and vegetables. i stay away from sugar, salt, mostly sugar. i try not to snack in between meals. i try to have enough protein in Continued on Page 7

Camille Prats: A proud single mom to her little star by iza iglesias

Junior, prats was a proud mom as she talked about nathan, who was also launched as the line’s FORMeR child star Camille endorser. prats continues to prosper in she generously shared showbiz as a dramatic actress. But despite her hectic TV schedule, her parenting style in the interview, priorities are far from just being in explaining how she simply strives to “balance” her approach, with the spotlight. being a single parent in mind. Best known as “sarah ang “i have to be the disciplinarian Munting prinsesa” from the ‘90s adaptation of the Japanese anime, when the situation calls for it. prats considers herself a mom first sometimes i am the barkada-type of all these days to her eight-year- of parent, and i also make it a point that we enjoy doing things old son nathan. together,” the 31-year-old mom nathan is her only child by related. husband anthony linsangan “i am into positive parenting who tragically died of cancer in september 2011. a widow at such but i make sure that i also have to be strict in some cases since my a young age, prats faced her fate child is a boy and i want him to be bravely and has since succeeded responsible and independent. But in raising her little boy with the because i am a single parent, i also help of her close-knit family. want to be the kind of mom he Talking with The Manila Times enjoys being with.” at the launch of new Japaneseasked for advice on how to inspired street wear brand swag ManilaTimes.net

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Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Greater LA (FACC-GLA)’s 15th year anniversary The Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Greater LA (FACC-GLA) is celebrating its 15th year anniversary by recognizing businesses and community partners and installing officers and board members on Sunday, December 11 from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. The event will be held at the Courtyard by Marriott Los Angeles Westside at 6333 Bristol Parkway, Culver City, CA 90230. The cost to attend is $50 and formal attire is required. Please make your check payable to FPACC Foundation, a 501(c)(3) corporation. A portion of the proceeds will go toward the educational scholarship funds and to help the underprivileged children in the Philippines. For any inquiries, please email info.faccgla@gmail.com.

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

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 Former child star Camille Prats now has her own little star in son Nathan

bond with one’s children, prats said there is no need to plan something special every time. “We don’t really need to leave the house or go elsewhere. There are so many things that we can do together, like watch his favorite clips on YouTube or playing soccer in the garden. What is most important is quality time—to make your time bonding memorable even if limited because of work.” prats also told The Manila Times that she also has to consider the “celebrity factor” in raising nathan, with an actress for a mom, as well as John prats for an uncle. she never made him feel entitled to anything just because she and her brother are from showbiz, and thankfully, the boy grew up humble and well rounded. “That’s why i allowed him to join [aBs-CBn children’s gag show] ‘Goin’ Bulilit’ because i know he can handle it,” the doting mom continued. “He’s actually shy so i’ve had to guide him–like when people ask to have photos with him, i remind him to say yes because they might think he’s snobbish if he says no. He accommodates everyone naman,” she shared. asked whether she will allow nathan to appear in more shows, prats replied, “i will when he’s much older because now, our focus is school and sports. i really want him to engage himself in sports because it instills a different kind of discipline.” she added, “Growing up in the limelight and i really know how hard it is to juggle being young and being in showbiz. i am just very lucky that my parents were very supportive of what i wanted to do, but at the same time, guided me to study and balance work with school.” learning from her own experiences, prats feels confident she will be able to show nathan the most ideal path to pursue. and come 2017, she will also have the help of a new dad for the young boy as she marries her boyfriend of three-years, John Yambao, with nathan’s all-important blessing of course.

The hero in Derrick Monasterio by Lhar

Santiago ManilaTimes.net

EvEN when he was younger, Derrick Monasterio had always been helping other people. He would extend a helping hand to those in need at every chance he gets, from members of his family to others he doesn’t even know. When Derrick entered showbiz and started earning his own money, he stepped up to help his mother, former actress Tina Monasterio, in sending his siblings to school. “My mom was the only one working then and I know that it’s not easy for her to send us all to school. Since I was already earning, I volunteered to help not only in my sisters’ schooling but even in most of the expenses at home,” the young and responsible actor opened up to Showbuzz. With Derrick’s current status as one of the top leading men of GMA Network, it is prudent to say he’s earning more than what needs, considering the simple lifestyle he’s chosen to lead. He can very well afford to have his own house or condo unit, but unlike many of his peers on the business, the actor doesn’t even entertain the idea of moving out leaving his mom and siblings on their own. “I am now the breadwinner in the family. I’ve asked my mom to stop working and just to enjoy life. She’d been working for all of us for so long already, and It’s about time that she takes life easier. It’s my turn to work now and give our family a more comfortable life.” True to his word, Derrick has

Derrick Monasterio as ‘Tsuperhero’

busied himself with his career. He tapes for shows, promotes his album, and takes on guestings and out of town appearances. Through this hectic schedule, you will never hear him complaining. “I chose this career and I’m happy with what I’m doing. I’m even thankful that I’m blessed with a lot of work. Of course, there are days when I feel tired but my love for my family is enough to keep me going,” the actor averred. Moreover, through all his success, he still continues to help

others whenever he can. He is the go-to guy of relatives when they need help paying the hospital bill of an uncle, the tuition fee of a cousin, or even the electric bill of a distant kin. As if his good deeds were not enough, whenever he comes across some extra money—say a good deal from an endorsement or out of town show—Derrick will unselfishly share his blessings the less fortunate. He would make donations to parents of sick children in public hospitals, or buy medicines and send them to a charity ward. Best of all, he does all these without any Tv cameras and fanfare. He simply says of his actions that he subscribes to what the Bible says: To whom much is given, much is expected. Given these discoveries about Derrick, his latest role on Tv as Tsuperhero certainly fits him to a tee. Premiering as a weekly fantasy sitcom this Sunday, he plays plays the role of Nonoy, a street smart but good-natured jeepney driver who always gets into trouble. He then becomes an accidental superhero when inhabitants from another planet crash into earth and give him their powers. As Tsuperhero, Nonoy becomes the defender of the oppressed and rescues those who are in need. “I was so happy when GMA entrusted this role to me. I always want to play characters that impart positive values. To top it all, I’m a super hero too in this show so I can surely inspire kids at the same time as teaching them good values.”

Miss International 2016 Kylie Verzosa... From Page 6

every meal because I know it helps burn fat. I don’t have any rice, but I do try and eat my complex carbs because our body needs them to keep us going and to keep us happy. Protein also helps you feel full throughout the day, and fruits and veggies give you vitality. I go for fish. I love chicken. I like chicken, fish, and nuts. Tell us more about your thoughts on the mind-body connection. It’s the thing that not many people are open about. We focus

too much on the physical aspect. Your happiness comes from outward things, not knowing you have the power to control everything that you can. The things you put into your body and the things you do to your body are heavily influenced by the way you think. With a healthy mind, you get to think well, you become happier, you become stress-free, you think deeper, you make better connections. You become more whole as a person. It’s well-being. Also I wanted to put in the spiritual aspect of it. It’s also very important.

Prayer helps. Why do you love your shape? I think it’s all about knowing what’s best to do for your body and what not to do. Doing the very best you can and then accepting it and also putting so much effort into it. And I love my body and I think everyone should love their body because they are already beautiful. You should love your shape. People come in all shapes and sizes. Girls come in all shapes and sizes so they have to accept that. And also don’t compare yourself to others.

november 11-17, 2016 www.asianjournal.com

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Anne Curtis joins New York Marathon, dedicates run to Filipino youth

TElEvISION host and actress Anne Curtis has crossed an item off her bucket list as she finished the New York Marathon, dubbed as the largest marathon in the world that coursed through five boroughs of the city. Curtis, UNICEF Philippines’ celebrity advocate for children, dedicated her first ever marathon, which she called a “dream come true and personal milestone,” to the Filipino youth. “I did it! My very first marathon in NYC! What a bucket list moment. I can’t explain how fulfilling it is when you cross the finish line. It certainly isn’t easy but the whole experience is worth the physical pain. Each borough (there were 5) had a different feel, music and vibe. The spectators are there to cheer you on, give you power up highfives and push you when you feel like you want to stop,” Curtis wrote on Instagram, sharing a photo of her wearing a medal. “To all the kababayans that were out there today to cheer me on… screaming and some even with posters, Maraming Salamat. Nakakaiyak and yan po ang dahilan kung bakit halos hindi nawala ang ngiti ko (Thank you so much. It’s touching and it’s why I the smile never left my face). After my first…

From Page 5

Photo from Anne Curtis’s Instagram account

I would like to conquer more! 26.2 or 42.165 dedicated and inspired by the FIlIPINO YOUTH and it’s through God’s grace, I FINISHED,” she added. Aside from finishing the race, Curtis also targeted to raise at least P42,000 for the 42 kilometers she ran, proceeds of which will go to UNICEF Philippines.

As of writing, Curtis has raised P52,353 from 22 donors. Curtis’“It’s Showtime” co-host Kim Atienza also joined the marathon, but had gastrointestinal issues. “It was still a good race nevertheless, definitely the best marathon in the world,” Atienza wrote on Instagram. (Inquirer.net)

Drinking your own urine?

in the late 1990s diverted urine from four housing projects to a grain farmer outside the city. The scientists concluded not only that urine could replace quick-acting mineral fertilizers, but also calculated that one Northern European adult pees enough plant nutrients to grow 50 to 100 percent of the food requirement for another person. Other successful trials have taken place in China and Mexico, though none as detailed as the Swedish one. In other studies, urine-treated farms had twice the productivity compared to unfertilized ones.” What is NASA’s FOB urine filter?

The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has been working on a FOB (Forward Osmosis Bag) system to transform urine and gray water into water that is safe to drink, “to address one of the challenges of outer space travel.” The FOB system uses a semi-permeable membrane and a concentrated sugar solution. This appears to be very promising but studies are still ongoing. What is the latest on urine therapy? Down here on earth, all available scientific data and information from evidence-based medicine today clearly confirm that urine has no medicinal

value whatsoever and people are advised not to practice urophagia. Future technology might change all this. In the meantime, for me, I will stick to drinking filtered water, regular coffee, and my Pinot Noir. *** 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

november 11-17, 2016 www.asianjournal.com

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