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Volume 24 - No. 36 • 2 Sections - 16 Pages
SePtember 15-21, 2017 Also published in LOS ANGELES, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, NEw YORk/NEw JERSEY
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AFP, DND: ‘No coup plot’ against Duterte admin sow some discord,” he added. During the hearing, senator Antonio trillanes IV sought to clear his name concerning reports of an alleged destabilization plot. trillanes cited a facebook post from a certain “General Kakikala”—whom he later identified as Gen. Joselito Kakilala—that a “popular politician” has been recruiting members of the Philippine military Academy (PmA) class of 2006. A screen capture of the post provided by the senator’s camp, which was originally written in filipino, read: “this politician is a fool. the Armed PAGE A2
by Dana
SioSon AJPress
Both Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Armed forces Chief eduardo Año denied reports that members of the military are being recruited to join a coup d’etat plot against the administration of Philippine President rodrigo Duterte. “Nothing to worry. there’s no coup,” Lorenzana told reporters after a senate hearing on thursday, september 14. “We have not received any such report. It only came out in social media so I view it as fake news. It’s possible that only one Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana Inquirer.net photo or two persons were trying to
USA
DATELINE PH gov’t intensifies post-disaster response operations on Irma-hit Caribbean islands from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA
WAshINGtoN, D.C. – the embassy response team entered the British Virgin Islands (BVI) and met with the filipino community there on monday, september 11, minister Patrick A. Chuasoto, Chargé d’Affaires of the Philippine embassy, reported to secretary of foreign Affairs Alan Peter s. Cayetano. the primary mission of the response team is to alleviate the suffering of kababayans reeling from the devastating effects of hurricane Irma, which slammed into the BVI and other islands in the Caribbean last week. the Philippine government’s assistance is mainly in the form of providing basic supplies to and facilitating the repatriation of affected filipino nationals in the British overseas territory. to date, there are 135 kababayans in the BVI PAGE A3
California sues Trump over DACA termination, $30-M planned for recipients
the state of California filed a lawsuit on monday, september 11 against the trump administration over its decision to terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA). California Governor Jerry Brown and state legislative leaders have also agreed to designate $30 million to help California DACA recipients. the state is home to over 200,000 DACA recipients. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra was joined by attorneys general for minnesota, maryland, and maine, in filing a lawsuit against the trump Administration on monday, over its decision to rescind DACA. “In California, we don’t just support and value them — we fight for them. And it’s important that we get this right,” said Becerra. “We will not permit Donald trump to destroy the lives of young immigrants who PAGE A4
NEW BELGIAN ENVOY TO PH. President Rodrigo Duterte engages in a discussion with newly-appointed Belgian Ambassador to the Philippines Michel Goffin after the latter presented his credentials to the president at the Malacañan Palace on Wednesday, September 13. Malacañang photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.
Trump set to attend US-ASEAN summit in PH in November, likely to visit China by Dana
SioSon AJPress
foLLoWING his scheduled visit to the Philippines, United states President Donald trump will likely make a stop to China this coming November. A reuters report on tuesday, september 12 cited a U.s. official confirming trump’s visit to Beijing.
trump is set to attend the U.s.-AseAN (Association of southeast Asian Nations) summit and the east Asia summit in the Philippines in November. the U.s. president is also expected to later attend the Asia Pacific economic Cooperation (APeC) summit in Vietnam. In April, Chinese President Xi Jinping invited trump to pay a
state visit to Beijing when the two leaders met for the first time in Palm Beach, florida. they also met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in July. trump’s possible trip to China in November will come amid tensions over North Korea’s United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein Photo from UN.org nuclear tests. the U.s. leader has been urgPAGE A2
UN rights chief hit Ombudsman upholds Aquino indictment over report on PH over botched Mamasapano operation by Dana
SioSon
AJPress
Former Pres. Benigno Aquino III
Ombudsman Conchit Carpio-Morales
the office of the ombudsman has affirmed the graft and usurpation of authority indictment of former Philippine President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III in connection with the botched mamasapano operation that led to the deaths of 44 police commandos two years ago. In a resolution approved monday, september 11, ombudsman Conchita Carpio-morales rejected Aquino’s motion for partial reconsideration which cites his indictment a “misappreciation of facts and specious application of the law.” “While a President of the republic is certainly possessed with broad discretionary powers, the exercise thereof must not, however, be done in violation of a law or laws, much less when such constitutes a crime,” the resolution read. PAGE A4 Inquirer.net photos
by Pia Lee-Brago Philstar.com
mANILA — the Philippines directed heavy criticism at the United Nations human rights chief for severely mischaracterizing the human rights situation in the country in his report to the human rights Council. foreign Affairs secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and maria teresa Almojuela, the deputy permanent representative of the Philippine Permanent mission to the United Nations and other international organizations, separately called out UN high Commissioner for human rights Zeid ra’ad Al hussein for criticizing the Philippine government’s human rights record, saying his report on the conduct of anti-drug operations was deliberate misinformation. In Geneva, Almojuela responded to the commissioner’s report, stating that “the practice of making highly biased and sweeping generalizations, without due consideration of the facts on the ground, has no place in the human rights Council.” PAGE A3
Mega Manila Subway construction to begin next year by Dana
SioSon AJPress
the National economic and Development Authority (NeDA) on tuesday, september 12, has approved the implementation of mega manila subway Project (mmsP) — the Philippines’ first subway and the soon-to-be longest mass railway transit. the estimated $7-billion (P358.25-billion) subway will run from mindanao Avenue in Quezon City to ftI complex in taguig City. With the new transportation, the trip from Quezon City to taguig can be reduced to half an hour from two hours. It will also have an additional line extending towards the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminals in Pasay City, as
NeDA approved the recommendation of the Investment Coordination Cabinet Committee (ICC-Cabcom). the project will be funded by an official development assistance (loan) the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). the loan will have an interest of 0.10% per annum payable in 40 years, with a grace period of 12 years. Its construction is scheduled to begin next year, with partial operations slated in 2022 and and full operations by 2025. It is expected to accommodate a daily 350,000 passengers, according to the government. “the approval and eventual completion of these projects will pave the way for us to achieve our mid-term and long-term goals In a statement issued by his office on Wednesday, Sept. 13, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto as a country and a nation,” Pernia said the first phase of MMSP would not only ease congestion in the metro, but would also cut PAGE A2 the P2.4 billion worth of economic loss that the country experiences due to daily traffic.
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From the Front Page
Mega Manila Subway construction to...
PAGE A1 Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said that the project will boost mass transport and ease the heavy traffic in Metro Manila. “The MMSP’s first phase will significantly improve Metro Manila’s transportation system, air quality, and productivity, thereby reducing the 2.4 billion economic loss the country incurs daily
due to heavy traffic,” he added. The Mega Manila Subway is part of the Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte administration’s 8.2 trillion “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program. Apart from the MMPS, NEDA also approved this week four new “flagship” projects. These include the Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao Road Sector Project; Binondo-
Intramuros and Estrella-Pantaleon Bridges Construction Project; Lower Agno River Irrigation System Improvement Project; and Infrastructure Preparation and Innovation Facility of the Department of Finance (DOF). “The approval and eventual completion of these projects will pave the way for us to achieve our mid-term and long-term goals as a country and a nation,” Pernia added. The Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao Road Sector Project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) involves the upgrading of seven roads and the widening of a 40-km road segment with slope protection. The P21.19 billion project will be funded through a load from Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB), with construction slated to begin late this year and end by 2020. Also a DPWH project, the Binondo-Intramuros and Estrella-Pantaleon Bridges Construction is set to begin fourth quarter this year and end in the fourth quarter of 2020. Its total cost of P5.97 billion will be financed by grants from the Government of China. The Binondo-Intramuros Bridge involves the construction of a new 4-lane bridge and viaduct, while the Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge involves the replacement of the existing 2-lane bridge with a 4-lane bridge and widening of the approach roads. The National Irrigation Administration (NIA)’s Lower Agno River Irrigation System Improvement Project involves the development of a 12,650 ha service area that will benefit 10,372 farmers in 7 municipalities in Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, and Tarlac. The project, worth P3.5 billion, will be financed by the national government and will be implemented from January 2018 to December 2021. The P7.91 billion Infrastructure Preparation and Innovation Facility will also be funded through a loan from ADB. It will directly support the DPWH and Department of Transportation (DOTr) in delivering more effective and innovative infrastructure projects by accelerating the approval process and ensuring the timely, high-quality procurement and implementation of projects.
ORCHIDS IN BLOOM. Senator Cynthia A. Villar enjoys touring the Flower Area at the Quezon City Memorial Circle while enjoying the beauty of our very own waling waling and other orchids in bloom during the 71st Midyear Orchid Show. The senator, chair of the Senate committees on agriculture and food and environment, led the ribbon-cutting ceremony in the event sponsored by the Philippine Orchid Society in cooperation with Quezon City government, Quezon City Memorial Administration with special participation of Villar SIPAG, Del Monte Philippines and other plant society. Aside from the orchids, also on display are bonsai and succelents plants, garden accessories and fertilizers. The event which included a trade fair, landscape exhibits, plant and orchid competitions, and daily lectures, will run until September 16. Senate photo
AFP, DND: ‘No coup plot’ against... PAGE A1 Forces worked hard for the AFP Transformation Roadmap to highly professionalize the corp. Don’t believe this guy. Many soldiers and their families suffered because of their participation in various coups. Finish your mission in Marawi, that is the honorable thing to do in our profession.” “This Gen. Kakilala is spreading news that there is supposedly a popular politician recruiting officers from PMA Class 2006 for a coup against Duterte,” said Trillanes, who previously led two failed coup attempts against for-
mer President Gloria MacapagalArroyo. The senator then sought Año’s confirmation if the military received any intelligence report about a coup plot. “I did not feel alluded to not only because I’m not recruiting anybody but I’m also not popular. So I want to be clarified. Is there any recruitment activity (to join a coup)?” Trillanes asked. But according to Año, the military has not monitored any coup attempt against Duterte. “With regard those information, they have to be validated. So far we have not validated and
we have not seen any cause for dissatisfaction. So far we have not monitored any destabilization of any politician or personality,” Año said. For his part, Kakilala, who was also the Army spokesman during the term of president Gloria Arroyo and Benigno Aquino 3rd, clarified that he was not trying to spread fake news. “I just commented in the post, but it is farthest in my mind that I speak against a revered senator…[When I was] told that it could be fake news, I pulled out my comment,” Kakilala told GMA News Online.
Trump set to attend US-ASEAN summit... PAGE A1 ing China to exert more pressure on North Korea, saying it could easily stop the latter’s nuclear advancement. On Monday, September 11, the United Nations (UN) Security Council unanimously passed a resolution imposing new sanctions on North Korea just a week after the latter carried out its sixth and largest nuclear test. The resolution, drafted by U.S.,
requires UN member states to cap North Korea’s crude oil imports, ban textile exports—Pyongyang’s second largest export after coal and other minerals in 2016—and end additional overseas laborer contracts, among others. “Today, we are saying the world will never accept a nuclear armed North Korea, and today the Security Council is saying that if the North Korean regime does not halt its nuclear program,
we will act to stop it ourselves,” U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said following the vote Monday. Crediting a “strong relationship” between Trump and Xi for the successful resolution negotiations, Haley added: “If it agrees to stop its nuclear program, it can reclaim its future … if North Korea continues its dangerous path, we will continue with further pressure.”
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PH gov’t intensifies post-disaster response... PAGE A1 who have requested repatriation assistance from the Philippine government. The Philippine Embassy clarified that those who volunteer to be repatriated will be directly brought to the Philippines. As directed by Secretary Cayetano, the Embassy also dispatched a second two-member Response Team to provide logistical and administrative support from Puerto Rico. Additional teams are on stand-by in case there is a need for additional deployment in Puerto Rico or other areas. The extent of the damage in the Caribbean region is gradually becoming clear as more areas become accessible to the outside world. In the meantime, Dr. Henry B. Howard, the Philippine Honorary Consul in Florida, reported that “kababayan communities in
Pensacola, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa and Miami-Ft. Lauderdale have largely dodged the bullet known as ‘Hurricane Irma’”. Filipino leaders in Tampa also said that the storm caused less damage than what was anticipated. So far, the Embassy in Washington, D.C. and the Honorary Consulate in Florida has not received any report of Filipino casualty resulting from Irma’s crossing across the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean and the U.S. third largest state. Downgraded to a tropical storm, Irma is making its way to Alabama after passing directly over the coast of southern Georgia. The latest projections indicate that Irma will weaken to the point of being a tropical depression by tomorrow, Tuesday, September 12. However, it is still expected to bring rains to central Georgia, eastern Alabama and southern
South Carolina. The Philippine Embassy reiterates its advice to the Filipinos in the southeastern part of the United States to exercise extra precautions, heed the orders and warnings of state and local authorities, and monitor weather bulletins for updates. Those who want to share or find information about the condition of their family members and friends in the abovementioned places may reach the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. through the following contact information: · Emergency hotline: +1 (202) 368 2767 · Email addresses: consular@ phembassy-us.org / atn@phembassy-us.org · Facebook: www.facebook. com/philippinesusa · Twitter: @philippinesusa
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Legislation pushed to roll back DL suspensions SACRAMENTO – Sen. Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) recently introduced a legislation to roll back driver’s license suspensions for Californians who have been unable to pay their traffic fines and fees. SB 237 would apply to about 200,000 Californians who did not benefit from Traffic Amnesty Program that ended this spring and who had their licenses suspended before Gov. Jerry Brown changed the law to prevent the practice in a trailer bill attached to the 2017-18 state budget. “The governor and the Legislature have changed the law, because everyone understands suspending a person’s driver’s license simply because he or she can’t pay the fine for a minor traffic violation is ridiculously harsh and unfair,” Hertzberg said. “We have ended this injustice moving forward and we should end it retroactively, too.” The new law took effect June 27 when the Legislature passed the budget trailer bill. In his budget proposal, Brown noted that there didn’t appear to be a
connection between suspending people’s driver’s licenses and collecting their fines yet the suspension could have serious negative consequences, such as preventing people from getting to work or taking their kids to school. The legislation comes after the Judicial Council released a report last week showing the tremendous success of California’s Traffic Amnesty Program. In 2015, Hertzberg authored SB 405, which, along with a related budget measure from Brown, established the program for traffic offenses prior to 2013. From Oct. 1, 2015 through April 3 of this year, Californians with longstanding unpaid traffic fines or fees could talk to a judge to lower the fine and lift the suspensions on their driver’s licenses if they signed up for a payment plan. The Judicial Council report said that more than 255,000 Californians had their debts reduced, more than 246,000 received their driver’s licenses back and the court system netted $31.5 mil-
lion in revenue. “Amnesty proved the naysayers wrong and showed that many Californians weren’t paying their traffic fines and fees simply because they didn’t have the money to do it, not to thumb their noses at the law,” Hertzberg said. “Amnesty had a huge positive impact on the lives of a quarter million Californians and on the court system, which netted revenue it almost certainly never would have seen without this program.” SB 237 is sponsored by a coalition of social justice groups that includes the Western Center on Law and Poverty, American Civil Liberties Union of California and East Bay Community Law Center. “These 200,000 Californians are on a desert island, and it’s not fair,” said Michael Herald, legislative advocate for the Western Center on Law and Poverty. “They weren’t helped by the Traffic Amnesty Program and they had their licenses suspended before the law was changed. We need to change the law to end this injustice for everybody.”
Gov. Brown signs bill to help psychologists prevent suicide
Sailors load cases of food and water into a Navy C-20 Gulfstream logistics aircraft at Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Fla. The Sailors packed vacant seats aboard the aircraft with the supplies which will be flown to NAS Key West, Fla., to provide relief from the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. U.S. Navy photo by Cmdr. David Hecht
UN rights chief hit over report... PAGE A1 “Like any country, the Philippines cannot and does not assert that it manages the challenges to human rights in a perfect manner, but the Philippine government, more than any party here, seeks justice and dignity for all Filipino people,” Almojuela said. Cayetano said the “Philippines has provided the Human Rights Council with all the facts regarding the campaign against illegal drugs in our report to the Third Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in May 2017” and that the commissioner’s report “would have been balanced and
accurate had he considered the information that we provided, instead of just relying on uncorroborated information.” The report, he added, emphasized Duterte’s directive to fight the drug problem by all means that the law allows. “The anti-illegal drug campaign should follow approved protocols to ensure the protection of human rights, and that any erring law enforcement agent would be investigated and prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” said Cayetano, who led the Philippine delegation to the Third Cycle of the UPR in Ge-
neva and presented the country report. Zeid said on Monday that he is gravely concerned by Duterte’s lack of respect for the due process rights of all Filipinos with the Philippines among the countries with “darker and more dangerous” human rights situation. The UN is also deeply concerned about the impact of the government’s war on drugs on Filipinos. But Almojuela stressed that the Philippines “is a democratic country that strongly adheres to the rule of law, with well-esPAGE A4
FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS
( Mt Carmel, Mt Beatitude, Mt.Tabor, Cana, Capernum, Nazareth, Mt. of Olives, Old & New Jerusalem, Bethlehem Qumran, Masada, Jericho )
Dec 3 to 14, 2017
Spiritual Director: Rev. Fr. Alvin Cachola
SACRAMENTO – On Friday, September 1, day one of National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, Governor Brown signed into law Assembly Bill 89 (Levine), which was co-sponsored by the California Board of Psychology. The bill takes effect January 1, 2020, and requires all licensed psychologists to receive education and training in suicide risk assessment and intervention. Psychologists will need to complete a one-time, minimum of six hours of coursework or supervised applied experience. In its sponsorship letter supporting the bill, the board stated, “Suicide is a critical public health issue in the State of California, where on average, one person dies of suicide every two hours and twice as many people die of suicide than by homicide.” The board also cited statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that suicide is the third leading cause of death for Californians ages 15 to 34, and the tenth leading cause of death for Californians of all ages. With the passage of this bill, all psychologists will be exposed to a baseline of basic educa-
tion and training regarding the identification and assistance required for a patient or client with suicidal ideation. Although psychologists are among the best trained clinicians in addressing suicidality, the board wants to ensure that all psychologists
have received a minimum of basic training. To find a licensed psychologist in your area or to check the license of your current psychologist, visit the website of the California State Board of Psychology psychology.ca.gov.
Havan�, Cub� May 22 to 29, 2018
May 22, 2018 (Tuesday - Day 1) Los Angeles to Havana, Cuba Depart from LAX to Havana, Cuba. Upon arrival in Havana, meet our guide and transfer to the hotel for dinner. May 23, 2018 (Wednesday - Day 2) Havana, Cuba Our day will begin with mass at the Cathedral of Havana located in the center of Old Havana. After On board meals are served mass, proceed for a city tour of Old Havana with an experienced local tour guide. The tour will take 4 DEC-Day 2 - (Mon) - Arrive at Ben Gurion airport Tel-Aviv/Tiberias place on foot and you will visit all the squares of Old Havana. Take in the astonishing beauty of the After you have finished Immigration, collect Luggage then Meet our guide and driver. Transfer to Tiberias , Dinner /overnight Gai Beach Hotel historical buildings, sculptures, and monuments. After lunch you will have free time to bargain at the 5 DEC-Day 3 - (Tues) Cesarea /Haifa San Jose Craft Market. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) 3 DEC-Day 1 - (Sun) LAX/TLV
There was a certain man in Caesarea” Drive north to the sparkling port city of Haifa, viewing Caesarea en route, the city built by Herod. In Haifa, we will ascend Mt. Carmel; home of the two prophets Elijah and Elisha, Visit the Stella Maris Church celebrate Holy Mass in the main Altar, after enjoy the panoramic view of the Mediterranean, continue to Tiberias for dinner and overnight. Gai Beach Hotel (BB,D)
May 24, 2018 (Thursday – Day 3) Havana, Cuba This morning, we will visit the Convent and Church of Our Lady of Bethlehem. This religious complex is the most extensive of those surviving in Old Havana. Here you will attend mass. After mass, you will meet with the 6 DEC-Day 4 - (Wed) - Tiberias/ Cana/ Nazareth Holy Eucharist at the Church of annunciation “And Mary said, Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your nuns and assist with projects of the day. Lunch is included at a local restaurant. In the evening you will assist word” We head to Cana of Galilee, where Our Lord performed the first miracle – changing water into wine at the wedding feast. Here, we’ll a Cuban cultural demonstration. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) invite couples to renew their marriage vows. Continue to Nazareth, Celebrate Holy Eucharist at the Church of Annunciation, visit St Joseph workshop. We return to Gai Beach Hotel for our dinner and overnight. (BB/D)
07 Dec-Day 5 - (Thurs) Mt Tabor/Mt Beatitude/Capernum/ Sea of Galilee/Tabgha
We drive to Mount Tabor, celebrate Holy Eucharist at the church of Transfiguration, Visit Mt. of Beatitudes the site of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus preached to the people. enjoy a scenic boat ride across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum, home of Our Lord during his ministry. After visiting the Synagogue where he taught, proceed to Tabgha, the site of the miracle of the loaves and fishes. Gai Beach Hotel for our dinner and overnight. (BB/D)
May 25, 2018 (Friday – Day 4) Havana, Cuba You will have mass at the Convent and Church of Our Lady of Bethlehem. After mass, you will continue to assist the nuns. Lunch is included at a local restaurant. This evening in Havana, we will plan an exciting tour of the historical complex of Castillo del and La Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabana. If the timing and weather conditions permitted, you will witness the special nightly cannon at the fortress. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
08 DEC-Day 6 - (FRI)-Jordan valley/Jericho/Bethany/Jerusalem
May 26, 2018 (Saturday – Day 5) Havana, Cuba Start the morning off with mass at a local church in Havana. After, you will visit the Abel Santamaria School for the blind, located on the grounds of an old military base. The school aims to integrate the children into mainstream schools as soon as the child is ready through an outreach program which continues to support children at their secondary schools. You will spend time meeting the students 09 DEC-Day 7 - (Sat) - Jerusalem (old City) - Via Dolorosa and teachers. Lunch is included at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit Cintio Vitier Community Project Center, where arts Holy Sepulcher Church “And he bearing his cross went forth into a place of a skull, which was called in Hebrew Golgotha” Enter the old city of Jerusalem, Sing a hymn in the Church of St Anne and view the pool of Bethesda. Visit the Chapel of Flagellation, Programs of all types including painting, ceramic and dance hosted. You will learn about this community project and hear from Lithostrotos, where the soldiers played the Game of Kings, and Arch of the “Ecce Homo”. Follow the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross) to the the director of the program, Pedro Pulido. End your day with a panoramic drive through Modern Havana riding in old classic cars holiest shrine in Christendom, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, visit Golgotha and the tomb of Our Lord. This afternoon drive to Mount Zion, from the 1950’s. Be sure to have your camera ready for this unique experience. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) Drive the Jordan Valley to Jericho, the oldest inhabited city in the world. View the Mount of temptation, where Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the desert. Visit the ancient ruins of the wall. Drive through Wadi Welt to view St George’s Monastery. Continue to Bethany celebrate Holy Eucharist, and then visit the tomb of Lazarus. Arrive in Mount Scopus; enjoy the first view of Jerusalem. Dinner and overnight at Notre DAME VATICAN HOTEL (BB,D)
to visit the upper room, revered as the site of the last supper. Then survey the Dormition Abbey’s, St. Peter in Gallicantu, where Peter denied Jesus three times. Dinner and overnight at NOTRE DAME Vatican Hotel (BB.D)
10 DEC-Day 8 - (SUN) - Mount of Olives/Gethesemane/Bethlehem/New City
Holy Eucharist celebration at the Church of all nations Main altar Arrive at the Mount of Olives and enjoy the beautiful view of Jerusalem. Visit the Chapel of Ascension, Pater Noster Church and the Dominus Flevit Church”God wept “& walk the Palm Sunday road to the Garden of Gethesemane and the Church of all Nations. This Afternoon drive to Bethlehem, a city whose name the whole world recognizes ,visit the Church of Nativity, the manger, Church of St Catherine, The Grotto of St Jerome, and the shepherds fields. Dinner and overnight at NOTRE DAME VATICAN HOTEL (BB ,D).
May 27, 2018 (Sunday – Day 6) Havana – Las Terrazas – Vinales Valley Start the morning off with mass at a local church in Havana. Then you will be transferred to Las Terrazas for a tour of the community. Visit the neighborhoods, their schools, artists and community projects in the area. You will then continue to Vinales. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel for check in and rest. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
May 28, 2018 (Monday – Day 7) Vinales Valley Start the morning off with mass at a local church in Vinales. Then you will have a sightseeing Visit the Western Wall , the only part of the Herodian temple still standing and the most sacred place in the world for Jews. We drive to Dead tour. There is an opportunity to visit a Tobacco Farm and learn how to expertly roll a cigar. You will Sea, the lowest spot on earth. Visit Qumran; see the caves where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered. Continue to Masada, visit Herod’s also have the chance to visit an interesting site called the Prehistoric Wall and to take a Boat Ride fortress and the Jew’s last stronghold against the Roman. Return to Jerusalem Overnight Notre Dame Vatican Hotel (BB,D) through underground caves known as The Indian Caves. Then visit Finca Agroecolgica El Paraiso 12 DEC-Day10 - (TUE) Jerusalem New City where you will have lunch. After you will visit the gardens with the breath-taking views. Return to the hotel where you will have Return to the new City, Including the Temple Model to see a scale model of Jerusalem as it was during the time of Jesus. Here we will have a dinner. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) 11 DEC-Day 9 - ( MON) - Jerusalem/Dead Sea/Qumran/Masada
better understanding between old and New Jerusalem. Next to Ein Karem, birthplace of St John the Baptist, visit the Visitation church where Mary proclaimed her famous “Magnificat Overnight NOTRE DAME VATICAN HOTEL (BB,D)
13 Dec-Day 11 - (WED) Jerusalem/TLV/LAX
Breakfast rest of the morning Free time early PM dinner has to check out from the hotel, around 8:30 PM flight from TLV/ LAX in the 13 Dec flight depart TLV at 1:00 Am Dec 14,2017 ( end of Service )
May 29, 2018 (Tuesday – Day 8) Vinales – Havana – Los Angeles Today, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back home as your trip comes to an end. (Meal: Breakfast)
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California sues Trump over DACA...
VILLANUEVA TAKES OATH AS SET MEMBER. Senator Joel Villanueva takes his oath as member of the Senate Electoral Tribunal before Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio on Thursday, Sept. 14 in Manila. Senate photo
Ombudsman upholds Aquino indictment... PAGE A1
Aquino was indicted of violating the Section 3(a) of the AntiGraft and Corrupt Practices Act, or Republic Act (RA) No. 3019, and of usurpation of authority under Article 177 of the Revised Penal Code over his alleged role in the tragic operation dubbed as “Oplan Exodus” on January 25, 2015 in Mamasapano, Mindanao, where 44 Special Action Force (SAF) were slain in an ambush. Section 3(a) of RA 3019 states that it is unlawful for any public officer to persuade, induce or influence another public officer to perform an act constituting a violation of rules and regulations duly promulgated by competent authority. Usurpation of authority, on the other hand, is committed when a person falsely represents himself as a government official or performs any act pertaining to any person in authority without being lawfully entitled to do so. In his appeal, Aquino lamented that he was not given the opportunity “to adequately address and refute the charges… prior to the issuance of the Assailed Resolution.” He further noted that the Assailed Resolution was “not only premised on highly inaccurate and flawed facts, but the legal conclusions drawn from these facts were patently erroneous and bereft of any merit.” The Ombudsman, however, as-
serted that the former president was “accorded the opportunity to be heard during the conduct of (the) preliminary investigation.” The indictment against Aquino’s co-accused—former Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Alan Purisima and former PNPSAF head Getulio Napeñas—was also sustained. “President Aquino himself has repeatedly admitted and asserted in his counter-affidavit and in the instant motion that he utilized the services of Purisima for Oplan Exodus, albeit he is insisting that it was only for a limited role of a resource person,” the Ombudsman said. “To this Office, however, the evidence on record regarding the extent of Purisima’s actual participation in Oplan Exodus… shows that he was certainly much more than being a resource person,” the Ombudsman added. Oplan Exodus sought to neutralize terrorists Zulkifli bin Hir, more known as Marwan, and Abdul Basit Usman in the southern Philippines where various separatist rebel groups are based. SAF troopers successfully killed Marwan during the raid but were ambushed by insurgent groups, including the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF)—leading to the death of 44 elite soldiers. But the complaint for reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide against Aquino, which
were filed by SAF 44 families’ lawyers from the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC), were junked again due to “lack of probable cause.” Morales previously said that Aquino’s negligence cannot be treated as the proximate cause of the deaths of the troopers. The proximate cause, she noted, was the “intentional act of shooting by hostile forces that included members of the MILF, BIFF,and PAGs (Private Armed Groups).” “In addition to the absence of probable cause, counsel’s theory that 44 counts of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide lie against respondents is clearly bereft of merit,” the resolution said. Following the Ombudsman’s decision, Aquino’s spokesperson Abi Valte said the former president will meet with his legal team “to determine his next course of action regarding this case.” VACC chairman Dante Jimenez, meanwhile, lamented the Ombudsman’s “unfair” resolution on the Mamasapano case. “Talagang halatang-halata na hindi nila isinama ang homicide sa kaso (It’s so obvious that the homicide charge was not included in the case),” Jimenez said in a statement. “It’s so unfair, I will ask now the family, they want the Ombudsman to be removed, so we are looking at that option. We will ask the SAFF 44 if they want to join,” he added.
PAGE A1 make California and our country strong.” Key points from the lawsuit state that the decision to end DACA violates federal laws, and may be detrimental to the economy. In the lawsuit, Becerra argues that the termination of the program violates the Fifth Amendment due process clause by “substantially altering DHS’s prior assurances regarding the use of information contained in DACA applications.” A major concern for recipients was of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) access to their personal information which they feared could be used for deportation. A recent memo by the Trump administration titled “Talking Points - DACA Rescissions” fueled concerns by revealing the DHS’s urge for DACA recipients to “use the time remaining on their work authorizations to prepare for and arrange their departure from the United States.” This came shortly after Trump posted a tweet telling recipients not to worry, and after the DHS said that DACA participant information would not be “proactively provided” to other law enforcement entities like the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), or Customs and Border Protection (CBP), unless a threat to public safety or national security. The policy may be rescinded or modified at any time without notice, the DHS added.
Becerra also argues in the suit that the Trump administration violated two federal laws, the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), and the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA). The APA requires agencies to go through a certain procedure, including a “notice and comment” process, before making a decision. In violation of the RFA, the Justice Department failed to give a sufficient assessment of how the decision would affect businesses and municipalities. Becerra signaled his intent to sue before, in a statement following the decision to end DACA. “California is taking action because one in four DACA grantees live in our state,” he said. “I will do everything I can to fight for them.” Other lawsuits have been made against the Trump administration as well. On Friday, University of California President Janet Napolitano filed a lawsuit and said in a Los Angeles Times Op-Ed, “I’ve seen the exceptional contributions Dreamers are making to the nation. They represent the very best of our country.” Napolitano served as secretary of the DHS under Obama, and signed the directive that created DACA. Last Wednesday, Sept. 6, a coalition of 15 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit against the administration. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman called the decision “cruel, shortsighted, inhumane, and potentially devastating to
PAGE A3 tablished and institutionalized human rights, policies and programs.” “The Philippine government investigates and prosecutes all credible allegations of human rights violations, including those perpetrated allegedly by state security forces,” she said in her statement at the 36th Human Rights Council General Debate. “The UPR has shown our openness to constructive dialogue to continue to enhance and strengthen the protection and promotion of human rights in the country,” she added. The Universal Periodic Review is a state-led process, which seeks to promote cooperation among UN member-states in further enhancing their respective national human rights policies and practices.
Many UN member states, especially those from ASEAN and developing countries, expressed support for the efforts of the Philippines to address the drug menace. Some member-states also committed to provide support for the Philippine drug treatment and rehabilitation plans. Meanwhile, UN special rapporteur Agnes Callamard, in an interview with French newspaper Liberation, warned that Duterte’s war on drugs has become a crisis of human rights and public health as the vast majority of drug related killings has not been investigated. She said the obligation of an independent inquiry on the murders committed by state officials has become stronger. “The vast majority has not been investigated. On this point alone, Manila contravenes its ob-
hundreds and thousands of immigrants and millions of people who work with, study with, love, and care for them.” $30 million planned for DACA recipients Outside of the lawsuit, California Governor Jerry Brown and other state legislative leaders have agreed to designate $30 million to assist DACA recipients through financial aid and legal services. “We will not let one man with xenophobic tendencies undercut years of progress we have made in California to integrate these young adults into our society and economy,” said California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León. “California is their home and they are our future.” Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon said, “The new funding for DACA services we are adding to the budget will provide answers and help young Californians stay in the only country they’ve ever known. Donald Trump may love chaos. These kids don’t deserve it.” Of the $30 million, $20 million will to go to legal services under the One California program, and $10 million will be for California public colleges — $7 million for California Community College students, $2 million for California State University students via the Dream Loan Program, and $1 million for University of California students also via the Dream Loan Program. (Rae Ann Varona/ AJPress)
UN rights chief hit over report... ligations. The victims are no longer journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders, trade unionists, but people suspected of being linked to drug trafficking, consumers or drug addicts,” Callamard added. In reaction to the House of Representatives’ decision to slash the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) 2018 budget from P678 million to only P1,000, Callamard said it was “an act of wasting public money, damaging and hurting the Philippine society at a time when it is confronted with allegations of massive human rights violations throughout the country.” She added that the CHR, although critical of the administration’s war on drugs, is a crucial institution for the Philippines for human rights protection, the rule of law and accountability.
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D ateline PhiliPPines Ombudsman braces for possible
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grant of Jinggoy’s bail plea by ElizabEth
MarcElo Philstar.com
MANILA — The Office of the Ombudsman is now charting its next move in case the Sandiganbayan allows former Sen. Jinggoy Estrada to post bail. In an interview with select reporters, three higly-placed sources from the Ombudsman admitted that they are anticipating the anti-graft court’s Fifth Division to grant Estrada’s omnibus motion filed on September 12, 2016 which prayed to the court to allow him to post bail for his plunder case. One of the sources said that this early, they are already preparing a motion for reconsideration as they are anticipating a 3-2 vote in favor of Estrada’s bail. The source said they are also prepared to go before the Supreme Court should the Sandiganbayan deny their appeal. The plunder case stemmed from Estrada’s alleged amassing of P183-million worth of kickbacks by allocating portions of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel to bogus foundations allegedly owned by the alleged pork scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles. Estrada and Napoles have been in detention since the filing of the case in June 2014. ‘Not main plunderer’ Estrada’s petition for bail had earlier been denied with finality
by the Fifth Division, but in September last year, his camp filed an Omnibus Motion, which again prayed for bail on the groud of the supposed failure of the prosecution to establish the elements of plunder. Estrada’s camp also argued that the prosecution failed to identify him in the charge sheet as the “main plunderer” in the case. Estrada argued that if the alleged P183-million kickback is to be divided among him and his three co-accused, each’s share would only amount to P45.9million, below the P50 million threshold amount of illegally amassed fund for a crime to be considered as plunder. Further, Estrada also maintained that he is not a flight risk and his continued detention has already caused him “irreparable” loss of right to liberty. The three Ombudsman sources admitted that the grant of Estrada’s bail might affect PDAF cases pending before the antigraft court. “The grant of the motion for bail after the second [denial] will create a domino effect,” said one of the sources. “There was already an assessment the first time around that the evidence is strong. The composition of the [Fifth] Division might have been different now but as to the grounds for bail, the same have been proffered to jus-
The Sandiganbayan granting Estrada bail could have a “domino effect” on PDAF cases at the anti-graft court, sources warn. Philstar.com photo
tify a departure from the original order,” the source added. The three Ombudsman sources maintained that Estrada raised no new arguments or new evidence in his omnibus motions other than those he already presented during the hearings of his original petition for bail. Past petitions It can be recalled that the Fifth Division denied Estrada and Napoles’ petition for bail on January 7, 2016 maintaining that the prosecution’s evidence against them was strong. Estrada appealed the ruling through a motion for reconsideration but the same was denied on May 11 of that year. At the time, the court was composed of Associate Justice Roland Jurado, Alexander Gesmundo, and Ma. Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta. The Fifth Division’s composition has changed since. Its regular members now are Associate Justices Rafael Lagos, Ma. Theresa Mendoza-Arcega, and Reynaldo Cruz, which means that a new set of justices would decide on Estrada’s omnibus motion. “If the motion is granted, the original denial is reversed, ipso facto they mis-granted,” the second source said. The source said they could only hope that Estrada’s bail would be granted on “humanitarian considerations” and not on the former senator’s claim that the evidence against him is weak. “Our fear is that it may affect the other PDAF cases,” the source said. Former Senators Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Juan Ponce Enrile are also facing plunder and graft cases before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the pork barrel scam. Revilla’s petition for bail had earlier been denied by the Sandiganbayan First Division. He and Estrada are detained at the Philippines National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezpn City. Enrile was granted bail by the PAGE A7
Minority senators back call for Aguirre resignation by Dana
SioSon AJPress
MANILA - The Senate Minority bloc on Tuesday, September 12 backed Senator Risa Hontiveros’ call for Philippine Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II to resign after he was “caught red-handed plotting” against her. Hontiveros, also a member of the Senate minority, earlier released a photo showing Aguirre urging a certain “Cong. Jing” in a text message to expedite a case against her. “We reiterate our call for Vitaliano Aguirre to resign from his post as Secretary of Justice. This recent development once more highlights his unethical actions as a public official,” the Minority bloc said in a statement. Other Senate minority bloc members include Senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV of Nacionalista Party (NP); and Senators Franklin Drilon, Francis Pangilinan, Benigno Paulo “Bam” Aquino IV, and Leila De Lima who were all members of the Liberal Party (LP). Earlier this week, Hontiveros released a photo of Aguirre which was “inadvertently” taken by a photojournalist during a Senate probe into the death of 17-yearold Kian delos Santos last September 5. In a photo, the Justice secretary can be seen texting “Cong. Jing,” who, according to Hontiveros, is Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) member and
former Negros Oriental Representative Jacinto “Jing” Paras. “Naturuan na ni Hontiveros yung testigo (Hontiveros already coached the witnesses). Her questions are leading questions,” Paras’s message to Aguirre read. Aguirre was seen typing a reply on his phone: “’Yon nga sinasabi ko kanina dito. Very obvious. Kaya expedite natin ang cases ninyo vs her. (That’s what I’m saying. Very obvious. So let’s expedite your cases against her.)” The minority senators said Aguirre’s actions “signify a lack of competence for a man who holds the highest office on justice” and “clearly violate the norms of conduct for public officials under the law.” “The Filipinos deserve better than a Cabinet official who resorts to spreading lies, sowing intrigue and to name-calling. We need a Secretary of Justice who will uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct, integrity, and justice. Secretary Aguirre clearly does not fulfill these requirements,” they added. The LP senators previously called on Aguirre to resign over his “repeated issuances of erroneous claims,” particularly when he claimed that they attempted to bribe the parents of Delos Santos. “Last August 30, we called for his resignation due to his propensity for spreading fake information on those he tagged as ‘dilawan’ — for which he had to publicly apologize more than
once,” the minority senators recalled. They went on to say, “Now, he has been caught red-handed plotting against a sitting Senator during a hearing where he is supposed to be paying his utmost attention.” In turn, a sad and enraged Aguirre said he is studying the possibility of filing a case against Hontiveros and the photographer who took the picture. Cited Article III Section 3(1) of the 1987 Constitution, the justice secretary stressed that text messages are “private communications” and “any unauthorized intrusion into such exchanges is illegal and betrays the Constitution.” “I am saddened, enraged, and more importantly, afraid of how our rights to the privacy of our communication can easily be disregarded and trampled upon…and the people who subsequently trumpeted it, did so in the very hallowed halls of the Senate itself,” the justice secretary said. He described the released of his controversial photo as a “shameless violation of a citizen’s right to the privacy of communications.” Aguirre went on to say, “I am saddened by the thought that while I gave my time, cooperation and humble efforts to the Senate during the hearing, unknown to me, I will be victimized and my rights disregarded and my privacy intruded upon.”
Trillanes: I trust in the ‘wisdom, good judgment of my colleagues’ by Dana
SioSon AJPress
MANILA - Senator Antonio Trillanes IV maintained that he has not done anything unparliamentary during the recent Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings, saying that he trusts in the “wisdom and good judgment” of his colleagues who will decide on the ethics complaint filed against him. In a radio interview, Trillanes insisted that it was Senator Richard Gordon who does not know which actions were considered parliamentary and which were not. Gordon, chairman of the Sen- FAKED? Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV shows evidence that his alleged offshore bank accounts were ManilaTimes.net photo by Rene Dilan PAGE A7 nonexistent.
WATER EVERYWHERE. Filipinos brave floodwaters dumped by Tropical Depresion ‘Maring’ on Tuesday, Sept. 12. (Clockwise from top, left): Commuters cross Rizal Avenue on a boat; residents of Tatalon, Quezon City wade in knee-deep waters; heavy traffic at South Luzon Expressway; and a school caretaker moves chairs to higher ground in Noveleta, Cavite. ManilaTimes.net photos
Tropical depression ‘Maring’ exits Luzon, leaves 4 dead by Dana
SioSon AJPress
MANILA - Tropical depression “Maring” (international name Doksuri) brought heavy rains and strong winds to Luzon, leaving at least two minors and an infant dead before exiting the landmass. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported that as of Wednesday morning, September 13, Maring was 270 kilometers west of Iba, Zambales, with sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 90 kph. Warning signals had been lowered but the tropical depression was still expected to bring light to moderate and occasional thunderstorms over the provinces of Bataan, Zambales, and Batangas. Maring is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) sometime between Wednesday night and Thursday
morning, September 14, when it was expected to be 565 kms west-northwest of Iba, Zambales. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) received reports of three landslide incidents in Calabarzon. A landslide at around 4 a.m. on Tuesday, September 12, in Taytay, Rizal left two teenage brothers dead, who were identified as Jude Pundal, 17, and his brother Justin, 14. Two-month-old Steve Abas died while at least 10 others were injured after heavy rain caused a riprap protection wall to collapse later around 9:30 a.m. at the back of Mt. Carmel Diocesan General Hospital in Lucena City, according to various reports. There were also reports of flooding in the cities of Malabon, Quezon, Parañaque, Pasig, and the provinces of Camarines Norte, Quezon, Laguna, Rizal, and Batangas. A person yet to be identified
reportedly drowned in a flash flood in In Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Twenty-two domestic flights were canceled while two international flights—Air Asia Flight AK 582 from Kuala Lumpur to Manila and Cebu Pacific flight 5J 102 from Guam to Manila—were diverted to Clark International Airport. Around 1,170 people were also stranded in various ports in the Bicol region and Southern Luzon, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). Typhoon Lannie PAGASA also continues to monitor Typhoon Lannie (international name: Talim), which it said is not directly affecting the country. Lannie continues to move west-northwest at 22 kph towards Taiwan, with sustained winds of 125 kph and gusts of up to 155 kph. PAGASA expects Lannie to be 585 kms north-northeast of Basco, Batanes, and outside the PAR by Wednesday evening, Sept. 13.
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September 15-21, 2017 • OC/Ie ASIAN JOUrNAL
OpiniOn
Impeachment, again
Features
WILL Philippine Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno share the same fate as her predecessor? Sereno succeeded the late Renato Corona, the first Filipino magistrate to be impeached and convicted. Beginning this week, the House of Representatives Committee on Justice will tackle impeachment complaints again Sereno. The committee will review whether the complaints are sufficient in form and substance. Sereno is accused of alleged culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, and corruption for purportedly bypassing the Supreme Court en banc in creating new offices, her “excessive” purchase of a P5.1-million sports utility vehicle, and her alleged failure to declare “exorbitant lawyer’s fees” allegedly amounting to $745,000 or P37 million. Under the Constitution, the House acts as the prosecuting panel while the Senate acts as an impeachment court. If at least one-third of all the House members vote to endorse the impeachment, a trial will proceed in the Senate, which will sit as an impeachment court. The Corona trial was the first of its kind to be concluded in Philippine history. He was the third Filipino official to be impeached by Congress after martial law. The first was former President Joseph Estrada, who was deposed while still under trial by the Senate. The second was former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, who resigned days before her Senate trial. In December 2011, members of the House of Representatives moved swiftly to impeach then
Chief Justice Corona for alleged betrayal of public trust, violation of the Constitution, and graft and corruption. In May 2012, 20 senators declared Corona guilty of betraying public trust and committing a culpable violation of the Constitution, instantly removing him from his post and disqualified him from holding any public position. Criminal charges including graft and corruption, and multiple counts of tax evasion cases before the Sandiganbayan and the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) were then filed against the former chief justice. However, these charges were extinguished when the defendant succumbed to cardiac arrest last April 29, 2016. Corona died at the age of 67. “It does not affect me at all,” Chief Justice Sereno said when asked about the two impeachment complaints lodged against her. Sereno maintained that she has been living a life of modesty. “I have been prudent in use of the court’s resources at the expenses for judicial reform. My travels, my security requirements are all regular and above board. Public documents and records will speak for itself and I have not objected in the public release of the same,” Sereno said in August during the Ulat sa Hudikatura forum held in Cebu. “I have done nothing wrong. Nothing can be proven against me that will show that the Chief Jus-
Editorial
ManilaTimes.net photo
tice has betrayed her oath of office. I have served the country with all faith and diligence. I will never waver from that pledge,” she stressed. This debacle portrays many forms of denigration that continuous to taint the country’s political and constitutional process. No matter which side who is on, the outcome of the trial will be difficult to predict and vagaries in the procedures will be inevitable. The seriousness of this challenge affects both parties involved, and every Filipino as
it slowly but surely traces impacts on the independence of the Philippine judiciary. Rendering justice will strengthen the system. It will be present a strong statement in balancing all the interests of the Constitution, the law, public welfare, and due process in this impeachment trial. Whichever camp wins, the outcome will be a guiding principle saving the country from the usurpation of the Filipinos’ celebrated democracy. (AJPress)
Hurricanes Harvey and Irma send wake-up call to climate change deniers like Trump, EPA chief Scott Pruitt & Florida Gov. Rick Scott OUR hearts go out to people and communi- The Fil-Am ties in Texas, Florida, and other states in the Perspective southeast of the United States following the devastation left by Hurricanes Harvey and Gel SantoS-ReloS Irma. As of press time, at least 60 deaths have been caused by Hurricane Harvey, the storm that dumped several feet of rain in southeast Texas in a matter of days. At least seven people in the United States have been killed as a result of Hurricane Irma, in addition to the 37 killed in the Caribbean, including 10 in Cuba. These back-to-back natural calamities should now serve as a wake-up call to people, especially government offi-
Commentary
FRanciSco tatad SEPTEMBER 11, 2017 is the centennial of Ferdinand Edralin Marcos’ birthday. While the world recalls the horror of 9-11-2001, when al-Qaida struck the twin towers in Manhattan and the Pentagon in Washington D.C., killing 3,000 victims, and plunged the world into a war on terror, the whole Ilocos region will be celebrating Marcos’ centennial as a regional holiday by order of President Rodrigo Duterte. In Metro Manila, the Marcos family, with some friends and invited guests, will be offering a Mass at the Marcos tomb at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. There could be some political demos to try to disrupt the family celebration and disturb the peace of the dead. Of all our 16 Filipino Presidents, Marcos cast the longest shadow. Understandably, he occupies a unique place in our nation’s history. Born on September 11, 1917 in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte, he studied law at the University of the Philippines, defended himself successfully in the killing of his father’s political enemy, Julio Nalundasan, fought in the war against Japan, became a congressman, senator and ultimately President of the Philippines, from 1965 to 1986. Nine of these 21 years were under Martial Law, which became the defining element of his extended presidency. Taking on the communists On September 21, 1972, he
cials like U.S. President Donald Trump, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt, and Florida Gov. Rick Scott, who continue to deny how we are now paying back to the abuses we have increasingly been committing against Mother Nature. We have now been reaping what we have been sowing through the effects of climate change and extreme temperatures. Since Trump took office in January, he has already rolled back some of the environmental protection laws put in place under his predecessor, Barack Obama, and announced his intention to withdraw from the Paris Climate
Accord. I do not understand how despite proof after proof and hard evidence presented by science, there is still a debate about climate change. This just impedes how we all work together to address this problem that affects our planet and the future of living things in the world. Even Pope Francis — who according to the Official Vatican Network, studied Chemical Technology and worked as a chemical technician before he chose the priesthood — has been weighing in on this issue, something that we have yet to see being proactively done by other religious leaders who seem to have challenges in acknowledging how faith and science are not diametrically apart from each other. The fact is: God has given man intelligence far greater than any other living things on the planet so
we can take care of Mother Nature. As BBC News reported, “Pope Francis has warned history will judge world leaders who do not act as he blasted climate change skeptics in the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Harvey.” Pope Francis is concerned that the impact of climate change will be hardest on the people of the world’s poorest countries, calling on the moral responsibility of everybody, especially those in positions of power to do something about this problem. “All of us have a responsibility. All of us. Some small, some big. A moral responsibility, to accept opinions, or make decisions. I think it is not something to joke about,” the Pope said. “If we don’t go back we will go down,” he warned reporters on Monday, Sept. 11. “That is true. You can see
the effects of climate change with your own eyes and scientists tell us clearly the way forward. Pope Francis quoted a phrase from the Old Testament: “Man is stupid, a stubborn, blind man.” “Those who deny it (climate change) should go to the scientists and ask them,” the Pope said. “They are very clear, very precise.” Why do people, especially President Trump, continue to deny the truth about climate change? What is the true underlying motivation behind this? *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos
Marcos in Malacañang: A short reminiscence
proclaimed Martial Law and suspended the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus throughout the country, to defeat the Maoist rebellion that threatened to put in power the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’ Army/ National Democratic Front. He jailed the top communist leaders, and members of the political opposition, including Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, who was deemed responsible for bringing together the CPP founding chairman Jose Maria Sison and Bernabe Buscayno, “Commander Dante” of the NPA, in a historic meeting at Hacienda Luisita in 1969. The NPA became the military arm of the CPP thereafter. Martial Law drove Joema’s followers underground and enabled Marcos to confront the Moro insurgency that had broken out under Nur Misuari in southern Philippines. He suspended elections until 1978, when he called for parliamentary elections, followed by a presidential election in 1981, and finally a snap presidential election on February 7, 1986. He won all such elections. But on February 25, 1986, he was ousted in a military uprising supported by the United States and the civilian population, and flown to Hawaii. They then installed Cory Aquino, who had lost the snap election, as “revolutionary President.” Barred by Aquino from ever returning home, Marcos ultimately died in exile on September 28, 1989. In 1993, with Cory Aquino out of power, President Fidel V. Ramos, who had served as Marcos’s Chief of Constabulary and AFP Vice Chief of Staff before
joining Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile in the military revolt, allowed Marcos’ remains to be transferred to Batac, Ilocos Norte, where his family decided to keep them in a refrigerated vault. Cory Aquino as the opposite of Marcos As “revolutionary President,” Cory Aquino freed the communist leaders from prison, even without the benefit of a peace agreement. This enabled them to rebuild their ranks in the countryside while enjoying political sanctuary for themselves in Utrecht, the Netherlands, from where they directed the conduct of their war against the state. When the Cold War ended in 1991, upon the dissolution of the Soviet Union and China’s emergence as a market-oriented economic power, the only cardcarrying communists left in Europe were the Filipino holdouts in Utrecht—Joma Sison and his wife Juliet, Fr. Luis Jalandoni and Sister Connie Ledesma, who had become Dutch citizens, and a few others. I spoke to Joma Sison in Utrecht in 1991. He thought the collapse of the Soviet empire was the result of a grievous mistake, but he said the communist struggle was far from over. Thus, the CPP/NPA/ NDF conducted themselves as though they had, in fact, won the Cold War; they pursued the antiMarcos propaganda campaign without any let-up, as though Marcos remained the enemy to be brought down. This prompted many to wonder whether Marcos had not erred in lifting Martial Law when he did, and whether Cory Aquino had not acted irre-
sponsibly when she released the communists from imprisonment. But the mainstream propaganda sought to picture Martial Law as the cause of the virulent insurgency rather than the consequence thereof. This reached a high point last year when DU30 cleared the way for the Marcos burial at the Libingan. Need for more scholarship It will perhaps take several generations of serious intellectual work to separate the truth from the myths that have gathered around Marcos and allow the nation to see with clearer eyes what separates Marcos from the other politicians of his, and our, time. The 28 years that have passed since his death is not enough; we may need at least a hundred years more before the most ruinous of those myths are finally brought down. Genuine scholarship must replace rabid partisanship; honest and accurate history books must be written for both the young and the old. For this, we need not only more honest and intelligent historians, but also more time. This notwithstanding, there are certain things people of different beliefs say of Marcos. That he had a first-class mind, a photographic memory, a commanding eloquence, and a personal charm which, in the company of peers, often made him the first among equals. He frequently disarmed his critics with his intelligence. Once I had him interviewed by William Buckley Jr., editor of the National Review, known for his lacerating wit, and one of America’s towering public intellectuals. At the end of it, I asked Buckley
how he found his conversation with the President. He said he was not quite prepared to find a Third World leader who could casually quote Heraclitus. Beyond his intellectual qualities, Marcos’ concrete achievements were beyond dispute. The institutionalization of the “barangay,” the smallest political subdivision of the country; the dramatic opening of diplomatic and economic ties with the socialist and Islamic worlds; the delineation of our archipelagic rights through Sen. Arturo Tolentino’s brilliant interventions at the UN Conference on the Law of the Sea; the incorporation of a career executive service into the bureaucracy through the Development Academy of the Philippines; active state intervention to protect the rights of Filipino migrant workers, etc. This list is merely illustrative. Resisting the US At the 1966 Manila summit conference of the Vietnam war allies, U.S. President Lyndon Johnson made a pointed effort to persuade Marcos to join Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Thailand in sending combat troops to Vietnam. Marcos deftly fended off this pressure and ended sending the 2,000-strong Philippine Civic Action Group (Philcag), a noncombat contingent, instead. Years later, at the Asean summit meetings, Marcos showed deference to all his peers, but they clearly held him in the highest esteem. Aside from Indonesian President Suharto, he had the highest respect for Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. At the
1976 Kuala Lumpur summit, Marcos, speaking before Lee, said he was going to “take steps” to remove the Sabah dispute from the area of contention between Malaysia and the Philippines. Lee, speaking after Marcos, said, “After that statement, all I can do now is tear my statement into little pieces. He’s already got the international headlines!” Such was the relationship between Lee and Marcos that Lee and his wife made a couple of low-profile private visits to Manila, without an official entourage. In one intimate private dinner where my wife and I were the only other ones present, the two statesmen picked each other’s brain on a wide range of things, from state matters to tai chi chuan. It was a supreme delight to watch the homegrown lawyer from the University of the Philippines spar with the Cambridge (double first honors) barrister who would be acclaimed Southeast Asia’s sage after Marcos had gone. Photographic mind Marcos hated reading speeches, and did not mind relying on his “photographic memory”. But he did not mind others making light of it. Once in conversation, I told him that in my youth I used to have such a terrifying memory also—I could repeat whole pages of text verbatim after reading it once. “What happened?” he asked. “I lost it when I began to think, sir,” I said naughtily. “You’re mad,” he said, with a big laugh. He was serious about everything, but he was not beyond self-depreciation. PAGE A7
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Dateline PhiliPPines
OC/IE ASIAN JOURNAL • SEptEmbER 15-21, 2017
A
‘Sereno impeach leads to tyrannical rule,’ says lawyers’ group Makabayan bloc leaves House supermajority, ends Duterte alliance by
Gaea Katreena CabiCo
MANILA — A group of lawyers on Thursday, Sept. 14 warned that the impeachment complaint filed against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno could pave the way for a tyrannical rule as it weakens the independence of the judiciary. In a statement, National Union of People’s Lawyers stressed that the impeachment bid filed against Sereno would undermine the independence of the judiciary and dilute the separation of powers and checks and balances. “These supposed democratic safeguards against autocratic rule are being speedily disposed of ironically under the pretensions to good government,” NUPL said. The group added: “It is essentially not about the office holder that is the issue. It is about the office being truncated by the other wild, more aggressive branches.” On Wednesday, Sept. 15, the House justice committee found
lawyer Larry Gadon’s impeachment complaint against Sereno “sufficient in form and substance.” Voting 30-4, most of the panel’s members agreed with COOP– NATCO party-list Rep. Anthony Bravo to declare the validity of Gadon’s complaint. The grounds for the impeachment cases against the chief justice include culpable violation of the Constitution, corruption, other high crimes and betrayal of public trust. However, the same committee junked the second complaint filed by Dante Jimenez of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption and Eligio Mallari of the Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution. Only five solons found the second complaint sufficient, while 28 voted against it due to “flawed” verification. “These judgmental maneuvers might end in a docile Court disrobed of independence and credibility, dismissing seats for dis-
sent and divergence, nay reason, common sense and conviction,” NUPL stressed. ‘Attempt to immobilize constitutional bodies’ In a joint statement, Former Senior Government Officials and International Center for Innovation, Transformation and Excellence in Governance on Tuesday also slammed the impeachment cases filed against Sereno. Both groups noted the cases are “insidious attempt to immobilize and weaken” institutions that check on the excesses of the executive. “We see this as part of a bigger strategy to compromise the Commission on Human Rights, the Office of the Ombudsman and the Commission on Elections—all constitutional bodies designed to serve as checks and balances of governance,” they said. Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales and Commission on Human Rights Chair Chito Gascon also dealt with threats of removal from office.
PAGE A5 Supreme Court in August 2015 due to “humanitarian considerations”. Special division for Estrada A source from the Sandiganbayan confirmed that the a special division of five had already convened to decide on Estrada’s motion. The source said a special division was convened after the three regular of the Fifth Division
failed to reach a unanimous decision. Under the Revised Internal Rules of the Sandiganbayan a “unanimous vote of the three Justices” is required when granting or deciding on a motion. If a unanimous decision is not reached, the Presiding Justice would have to designate two other justices from other divisions to participate in the voting. The Sandiganbayan source
said Associate Justices Zaldy Trespeses and Lorifel Pahimna were already chosen to participate in the voting. Pahimna was an appointee of President Rodrigo Duterte. When asked for confirmation regarding the special division’s composition, Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang advised the reporters to just “wait for the official promulgation of the resolution once it is finally reached”.
Philstar.com
by PatriCia Lourdes Philstar.com
Viray
MANILA — The Makabayan bloc, consisting of seven partylist lawmakers, on Thursday, Sept. 14, announced that it would be leaving the supermajority in the House of Representatives. The Makabayan bloc lawmakers bolted out of the House majority coalition to intensify their opposition against the Duterte administration. “As representatives of the poor and marginalized sectors in Congress and as nationalist and progressive legislators, it would be a violation of our duties and principles to remain with a Majority that enables and defends the fascist, pro-imperialist and antipeople policies of the Duterte regime,” the Makabayan lawmakers said in a statement. The Makabayan bloc is composed of ACT Teachers Reps. Antonio Tinio and France Castro, Gabriela Reps. Emmi de Jesus and Arlene Brosas, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate, Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao and Kabataan Rep. Sarah Elago. The seven lawmakers noted that they supported Duterte during the start of his term due to his “reformist and populist actions and pronouncements” on several issues. With the suspension of the peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front and the Marawi conflict, the Moro peace process is spiraling downward, the lawmakers said. The declaration of martial law in Mindanao threatens to turn the region “into an even more violent land of strife and lost promises.” The lawmakers also criticized Duterte’s so-called independent foreign policy as he has allowed China to occupy the West Philippine Sea. “His ‘independent foreign policy’ has turned out to be a farce. He is now as dependent as ever on the U.S. for national security
Makabayan bloc lawmakers announced that they will be leaving the majority coalition in the House of Representatives to intensify their opposition against the Duterte administration. Photo courtesy of Bayan Muna
and has practically abandoned our valid and internationally recognized claims of sovereignty and territory in the West Philippine Sea in exchange for China’s promises of aid and investments,” they said. Duterte’s anti-illegal drug campaign has turned into a campaign of “mass murder of the poor, for which he shows no signs of turning back.” “Nor that President Duterte and his allies are embarking on efforts to undermine the very institutions that serve as a check on his executive powers, now that he is pushing for an insidious revision of the Constitution, now that he has revived his threat to declare martial law nationwide and impose a revolutionary government, we resolve to intensify efforts to defeat the emergence of a new dictatorship,” the statement read. Meanwhile, Sen. Francis Pangilinan, president of the Liberal Party, welcomed the decision of the Makabayan lawmakers to leave the supermajority. “The assumption by the Makabayan bloc of an independent role at the House of Representatives assures that the democratic processes in the chamber would be preserved, and that another group may stand as a potent, vigilant, and credible fiscalizer against the imperfections and excesses of this administration,” Pangilinan said
Trillanes: I trust in the ‘wisdom... PAGE A5 ate Blue Ribbon Committee, has filed an ethics case against Trillanes over the latter’s alleged “repeated display of unparliamentary conduct and disorderly behavior.” This was after Trillanes called Gordon’s panel “committee de absuwelto” (committee of exoneration) and accused the latter of “lawyering” for President Rodrigo Duterte and his family during a hearing on August 31 into the smuggling of P6.4 billion shabu from China. Trillanes’ actions, according to Gordon, were “causing damage to the Senate and to the people.” But Trillanes insisted that he “did not do anything unparliamentary” during that hearing. “Even in the previous hearings, I am very conscious on what is parliamentary and what is not,” Trillanes told DZBB on Sunday, September 10. “I trust in the wisdom and good judgment of my fellow senators so my fate is in their hands,” he
added. On Monday, September 11, the Senate Committee on Ethics found Gordon’s complaint against Trillanes sufficient in form and substance. “The complaint is sufficient form and substance except for issue number 5. With no objection, motion is approved,” said Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, who is also the ethics committee chairman. Sotto said Trillanes has 10 working days to submit a counter-affidavit. Earlier, Trillanes expressed intention to file back an ethics complaint against Gordon. He accused Gordon of violating the Senate rules for refusing “the right of the minority to be heard,” as well as committing dishonesty for insisting that the phrase “committee de absuwelto” was made on the record. Likewise, he threatened to expose the Gordon’s supposed “corrupt acts” as chairman of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC).
Marcos in Malacañang: A short... PAGE A6 People of all shades are wont to say Marcos had the best Cabinet of all the Presidents. At 29, I became the youngest member of that Cabinet, and 10 years later, the only member to resign, six years before the EDSA revolt. How did Marcos do it? People are obviously looking for a secret formula which perhaps the incumbent President could use. I think the answer is simple enough. Marcos had a clear vision of the presidency and its place in the order of things. He had no intellectual insecurities; he was sure of himself and was not afraid that any of his appointees could be as smart as, even smarter, than he was. Most of them were highly academically pedigreed, but some others, like Blas Ople, Adrian Cristobal and myself, were not. Academic pedigree did not intimidate Marcos, neither did the lack of it. And one did not have to be from the Ilocos region or the UP College of Law or his university frat to be invited to the Cabinet. In my case, I was an obscure diplomatic reporter and columnist of the Manila Daily Bulletin, and had only one face-to-face meeting with the President a few months before he offered me my job. His Ilocano assistants thought the idea of bringing me on board was absurd—the President did not know me, and I did not know the President. I thought they were absolutely right. An absurd appointment But it looked like my one meeting with the President had left an impression he could not discard. In that meeting, we discussed his decision to establish the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and
Ninoy Aquino’s questions about it. Marcos said if I needed to clarify anything, all I had to do was call him—at which point he told Gen. Hans Menzi, his aide the camp, and also my newspaper publisher, to give me his telephone number. “With all due respect, sir, I don’t believe this is done,” I said. “What do you mean it’s not done?” he asked. “I don’t believe any reporter should be calling you on the phone, sir,” I said. “Well, in that case, I would be the one calling you,” he said. “Again, with all due respect, that too is not done, sir,” I said. “The President should not be calling any reporter on the phone.” “What then should we do?” “Well, sir, your Press Secretary clarifies things for you. But if you want to have greater rapport with the press, perhaps you could hold more press conferences, and we could ask you more questions.” On July 14, 1969, I was offered my job, and on August 16 I was sworn into office. “I will depend upon you,” Marcos said, and for the next 10 years I spoke for the President, wrote speeches and ran the government’s information program. I resigned in 1980 for political reasons, but whenever Marcos needed my opinion, he reached out and I obliged. Thus, after he announced his decision to hold a snap election, he asked to see me to tell him what I thought of it. I said, “it looks like a first step to your stepping down.” He vehemently disagreed. He conceded my point when I saw him for the last time in Hawaii on my way home from a speaking engagement in Washington, D.C. after the disastrous 1987 senatorial elections. (ManilaTimes.net)
in a statement. Last February, senators from the LP were ousted from their committee chairmanships and were booted out of the majority after visiting Sen. Leila de Lima who was detained for her alleged involvement in the proliferation of the illegal drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison. The LP senators—Bam Aquino, Franklin Drilon, Risa Hontiveros and Pangilinan — are now part of the Senate minority along with Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV. In a statement, presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said: “We take due notice of the decision of the seven partylist representatives belonging to the Makabayan bloc to leave the House of Representatives majority coalition.” “We were hopeful that they would remain open to working together with the administration, particularly on pro-poor, propeople issues,” Abella added.
Ombudsman braces for possible grant...
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Anthony CAilAn: Fil-Am sommelier in los Angeles Interview by Christina
On a recent afternoon toward the tail end of summer, Anthony Cailan is beaming, ready to talk about new wines he has tasted that are locally sourced not too distant from Los Angeles. For him, wine lists at restaurants shouldn’t be bound to the usual reds or whites, nor should they be intimidating to the typical diner. “Wine is not something that should be put on a pedestal,” he says. “It is something that should be viewed as a cocktail or a beer. It shouldn’t be read as, ‘Oh, you’re fancy. You drink wine.’” The last name Cailan may sound familiar, as his older brother is Alvin Cailan, who has been behind Eggslut, Amboy, and Unit 120, among other projects. In addition to helping Alvin open Eggslut and reinvigorating Los Angeles’ breakfast culture after graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, the younger Cailan is making his own imprint on the food and wine scene, from working at famed wine shop Domaine LA to some of the best restaurants, including Bestia as a runner, server and eventually wine steward, and Animal as a line cook. His entry into the culinary landscape began with influences from his babysitter growing up named Auntie Cita, whom he says “used to cook me the most amazing meals of my entire life,” and watching the Food network. “I was probably the only 10year-old who would be like, ‘Mario Batali’s so cool.’ Like I would watch him and I would watch ‘Too Hot Tamales.’ I grew up watching Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken on television and eventually go to their restaurants and fall in love with the world of food. I was never really good at school. I was bad at it because I was not a book smart person…But food always made
with each other, like the best part about working at those places is that the people who work there have the exact same mentality of striving for something greater, something bigger than themselves. Like when I worked at Animal, I was the line cook. I was not getting paid a lot of money but I still wanted to be there because the food was delicious and Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo were fairly rising up in the scene. To be able to put that on my resume was like an honor. The amount of people I still talk to from those restaurants — that I consider family to this day — that’s the best thing to come out of working at these places. If you ever have a question or need a dishwasher or front of the house help, the community is the best part. AJ: Fast forward to here at Hayden, how did you land running the beverage program here? AC: Chef Ari Kolender and myself have a mutual friend named Gloria. She reached out to me about Ari opening a restaurant around February. I had just started my hiatus and was taking a mini vacation. I had a conversation with her about what this project is and I told her that I had already been burned twice for other possible job offers so I was a bit skeptical. But then she’s like, ‘This one’s real. I promise you…’ And when I got the image of the chef, it honestly was like chemistry. He and I get along very, very well and we understand each other. Our philosophies, when it comes to the food and wine programs, is source the best quality product as possible. That’s what we’re doing and at prices that are not unattainable to the average person. AJ: What are some features of the wine program that you want to share? AC: The wine program that I am focusing on is everything in small production. I work with small producers in California and small amounts from Italy and Germany. The goal for me is to highlight wine producers and farmers who work hard on their wonderful products and grapes that are not the most known. If you look around town, wine lists end up all looking kind of the same — you have your Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay. But the world of wine is so huge. The diversity of grapes in this world is thousands upon thousands. My goal is to create something different where you can have a different glass or bottle of wine — something that you wouldn’t have at a normal place. I get people to try something new, which I think is the most satisfying thing in the world and then you’d see their face saying, ‘Oh, I’d never tasted anything like it.’ It’s the best feeling. AJ: As a sommelier, how do you keep searching for and expanding your knowledge on the different type of options there are all over the world? AC: The best part of being a wine buyer is that the owners of wineries come to visit you and Hayden’s Jambon de Bayonne & burrata sandwich — green give you a taste of what they have olive tapenade, ‘tutti frutti’ heirloom tomato on Focaccia coming. I’ve been working with bread.
sense,” Cailan shares. As a teenager, he got his first job at Tony’s Pizza in San Marino, California, where he says that “if you work at a really busy pizzeria on a Football Friday and you have a line out the door…and if you can survive that people yelling at you, you’ll strive in the business.” Currently, he is the beverage director at Hayden — a restaurant and wine bar by chef/partner Ari Kolender inside the Platform development in Culver City — bearing the distinction as one of the youngest sommeliers to oversee a wine program in LA. Hayden itself gives the casual California atmosphere without the fussiness and pretense that could be presumably found at places that boast curated beverages from all over the world. “Hayden to me is this place of deliciousness and really good wine,” he says. “Everyone from our dishwashers to cooks — everybody who works at this restaurant is on an equal playing field. We all work together so well and we just wanted people to come in here, try and drink something different.” Cailan recently spoke to the Asian Journal about his start in the food industry, lessons from his older brother, the best wines to pair with Filipino cuisine, and what it takes to become a sommelier. AJ: Your brother Alvin has widely shared his side of the Eggslut story. What was your view of working with him and having a hand in building this LA favorite? AC: It was like going from throwing out the idea and name Eggslut out there to having a physical shop in a matter of three weeks. It was one of the most insane experiences of my life. We were working grueling hours inside a very hot truck with a bunch of dudes and it was not my favorite thing in the world but you could
Anthony with Hayden’s chef/partner Ari Kolender, a James Beard semifinalist.
Hayden boasts a fresh oyster selection and has daily specials from 6 to 7 p.m. for wine and oysters. Cailan recommends them with a bottle of 2016 Methode Sauvage San Benito Chenin Blanc, saying that “Chad Hind’s delicious and zippy California Chenin is meant to be drunk and consumed with most things but oysters sing with briny flavors of my favorite shellfish.”
M. Oriel /AJPress feel that there was something special happening. But after a while, working with your family puts a strain on your relationships so it’s like we had to not do that anymore. AJ: But you and Alvin continue to work on projects together. AC: We’ve done a few collaboration dinners at the old Unit 120 space. It was fun to collaborate and not think about business. It’s like getting people drunk and feeding them. That was it. AJ: What are lessons that you learned from him? AC: There was a drunken night at Unit 120 after we got done through service where we sat down and we were both talking about how hard it is to continually work. He kept on reminding me that ‘You are a Filipino American.’ I’ve always just associated myself as being an Angeleno, but in reality, I am also a Filipino American representing [my] people in that industry. In LA, there are only four of us, not a lot of us. And so, Alvin told me, ‘You are going to have to work harder than everybody else. It is not gonna be easier for you and you have to just remember to keep your head down.’ And I have already been working hard — I’ve always had that work ethic since I was a student — but like to have the weight of an ethnicity on your shoulder is a little bit more intimidating and stressful. For me, it was a was a weird, brutally honest experience that we had. I still think about that. AJ: What has it been like working at top restaurants in LA like Bestia and Animal? AC: It’s a lot of fun. I think that’s the most important part. People are like, ‘Oh, you work in a restaurant, that must be so hard, you have no social life.’ You do have a social life! It just happens to be
Filipino-American Anthony Cailan runs the beverage program at Hayden, an all-day restaurant/ wine bar in Culver City, California. He is considered one of the youngest sommeliers in Los Angeles.
wine reps and importers for five years and these are people I’ve developed relationships with. We hang out outside of our workplaces and drink. These are people who I trust, so I get to taste things that wouldn’t normally be in most places. AJ: What do you see as an upcoming trend in wine? AC: The current trend is ‘all pink and everything.’ Everyone seems to love rosé. But I think the next trend is realizing that you can chill red wine. There are red wines lower in alcohol that are very refreshing. If you serve it with a chill, it’s like you could have red wine in the summer of Los Angeles. You can drink lots and lots of chilled red wine. AJ: For people who don’t really know wine, what would you say for them to get started in tasting and exploring wines? AC: Find a wine shop in your neighborhood that has a very curated selection, not a liquor store, not a grocery store. There are so many shops now in the city where you can tell them, ‘I want to learn about Pinot noir.’ They’ll give you three options: one that’s $15, one that’s $25, one that’s $100. If you want to buy them all and open them, you can experience that. But I think the best way to really learn wine is to keep drinking wine with food every single day. At 21 when I first got my job at Domaine LA, I was very lucky where we had a video conference with Eric Asimov, the wine writer for the New York Times...My question was ‘Where do I begin?’ He told me, ‘Every day, with your meal, with your family, with your friends, have a bottle of wine…Always have some wine wherever you go.’ AJ: Where are some of your favorite regions in the world for wine? AC: My favorite region is the Loire Valley. There is so much diversity of the grapes in that
Photos by Katie Gibbs region of France where you could literally hop from one part of the valley to another and the wine’s going to be different. All the wines that I wanna drink copious amounts of and are doing the interesting work at the same time are from this region. There are light-bodied red wines, full-bodied red wines, wines that age for a long time, sweet white wines…the whole thing is crazy. If you did like a full year of tasting the Loire Valley wines every day, you would learn something new every single day. The amount of interesting wine that’s happening in California is blowing my mind. There is so much deliciousness that’s coming out of [the state]. It’s the new California wine movement. I think that because this is California and Los Angeles, I find a moral obligation to also support them. You may root for different baseball teams but that’s fine. The wines are delicious and it brings us all together. AJ: What are some wines that could be paired with Filipino food? AC: In my experience with Filipino food specifically, it’s hard to generalize the wine or like a couple wines that would boost the flavor’s range so wisely because of all the influences, such as Chinese, Japanese, American, that make their own flavor profiles. But honestly, high acid white wine. If there’s a rich, fatty dish, that wine will refresh your palette. Something like krispy pata would be good with really light white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling — stuff that’s just happy. AJ: Where do you see yourself in the next few years in terms of your career? AC: The end goal for myself is to have my own restaurant/wine bar. I don’t know where. Historic Filipinotown would be cool or Chinatown. But I’m an Eastside Angeleno, born and raised, so I feel Continued on Page 3
How Marian finally achieved the best version of herself by edMund
silvestre Philstar.com
HAVInG played Darna, Super Inday, nieves the engkanto slayer, Amaya and Kung Fu Diva, Marian Rivera has the distinction of portraying the most number of superheroine roles in Philippine television and cinema. And just when she thought she’s done saving the world with her supernatural powers, she’s back on GMA Telebabad primetime block via the action-fantasy series “Super Ma’am.” Yes, the Kapuso primetime queen is set to rule one’s nightly viewing habits starting Sept. 18 as Minerva Henerala, the kind-hearted and passionate high school teacher bent on helping wayward students and defending them from the Tamawos, Pinoy folklore creatures who suck youth and vitality off of children.
More than the spectacular effects, stunts and fight scenes, what attracted Marian to the project helmed by LA Madridejos is its social relevance and the moral lessons it will impart on students, teachers and parents. “I want the show to be an eyeopener for students to appreciate the sacrifices of their teachers and vice versa,” said Marian in a oneon-one with The Philippine Star at Rockwell’s Grace Park Restaurant. “This is for all teachers who have dedicated their lives educating children and treating them as their own. I also want to do projects that will make my daughter Zia proud of me when she watches them.” Among other things, “Super Ma’am” addresses — without being preachy — disruptive and misbehaving kids who give teachers a lot of stress and hard
time managing the class and impede the learning of the other students. Super Ma’am’s alter ego, Miss Henerala, endures bullies and disrespectful students until she wins them over. In one of Marian’s favorite episodes, she recalled Miss Henerala befriending an unruly student who comes from a broken family. It turns out the boy merely needs somebody to talk to who will listen and won’t judge him, she said. “Sometimes it’s only necessary that the lines of communication are open to understand why a student behaves this or that way,” Marian pointed out. “With everyone preoccupied and the world besieged with problems, we forget to talk to our children and ask them if they have problems or something.” Continued on Page 4 Marian Rivera with husband Dingdong Dantes and their daughter Zia in Paris.
Photo from Instagram/@marianrivera
Vilma Santos appeals to fans to stop bickering by Ronnie
CaRRasCo ManilaTimes.net
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StAr for All Seasons Vilma Santos had to gently put her foot down as she enjoined her supporters—and Noranians alike—to end their bickering shortly after they tied in the Best Actress category at the recently concluded Star Awards for Movies. Santos-recto won for the film
Star for All Seasons Vilma Santos
sa taong ito. Correction! Lahat na natanggap na ni Vilma sa taong ito, natanggap na ni Ate Guy! Pakisabi mo d’yan sa nag-text sa iyo na magkita kami at magbilangan ng mga awards nina Ate Guy at Vilma, hindi ko siya uurungan!” the same texter sent an addendum, “Sabihin mo sa nag-text sa ‘yo na magkita kami, sapakan na lang kaming dalawa, hindi ko siya uurungan!” If that Jojo wasn’t picking up a fight, we didn’t know what else to call it. Anyway, little did we know that Ate Vi was listening to CfM’s Monday, Sept. 11 edition all along. She, too, shared her piece on the subject via a text message which calmly read, “Hi ’te Cristy, ronnie and Wendell, maramingmaraming salamat po. Vilmanians, Noranians, huwag na kayong mag-away. Magkaibigan kami ni Ate Guy…God bless, Vilmanians/ Noranians. Mabuhay kayo!” Knowing La Aunor, she would also have made the same earnest appeal most specially to that Inquirer.net photo belligerent, if not barbaric fan!
“everything About Her,” while her five decades-long-arch rival won for “Kabisera.” Santos’ reaction [via a text message sent to our radio show “Cristy ferminute” the other Monday, Sept. 4] came in the wake of a Noranian’s text comment (from a certain Jojo) which read: “Narinig ko ‘yung nag-text sa inyo na isang award lang ang nakuha ni Ate Guy
Devon Seron still can’t believe it! by RiCky Lo Philstar.com
eVeN now that You With Me is in the can, showing nationwide starting Sept. 27, Devon Seron still has to pinch herself to realize that it isn’t all a dream — you know, being the leading lady of two Korean drama actors, Hyun (who rose to fame via the KBS show “the Gentlemen of Wolgyesu” “tailor Shop”) and Jin Ju-Hyung (of the KBS2 show “Hwarang: the Poet Warrior Youth”). “I’m not so much into Korean dramas,” admitted Devon (remembered as James reid’s first girlfriend), “and I haven’t seen the shows of my Korean leading men.” In the movie co-produced by Gitana film Productions and rr films/entertainment, Devon plays rich girl Kim Soriano overprotected by people around her and aching to stand on her own two feet. It’s her biggest break after seven years of doing supporting roles following her graduation from the “Pinoy BigBrother (PBB) teen edition.” “I actually gate-crashed into the exclusive audition for the
september 15-21, 2017 www.asianjournal.com
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John Lloyd Cruz has ‘no regrets’ over viral videos, but apologizes
John Lloyd Cruz
After photos and videos of an intoxicated John Lloyd Cruz went viral early this week, the award-winning actor apologized for his misbehavior but does not regret it. In an Instagram post, John Lloyd said that while he is sorry to “the little boys & girls” for setting a bad example, he has “no regrets” because as he explained, what he did was “just life revealing its raw beauty.” As seen on the post, the actor said what happened was a “learning” and a “very humbling” experience. Netizens have mixed reactions on the Instagram stories posted by a friend of actress ellen Adarna. the videos and photos that went viral on facebook showed the actor singing and dancing weirdly and holding up dirty fingers, making others comment that he might be under the influence of illegal drugs, a hot topic nowadays given the government’s war on drugs. Meanwhile, on JLC’s apology post, some netizens commented that they understand that the actor just wanted to be true to himself and to have fun. Others advised him to also choose his friends or “the right company.” they added that though the actor is entitled to get drunk and be merry, he should not forget his values. (Deni Rose M. AJPress file photo Afinidad-Bernardo/Philstar.com)
Anthony Cailan: Fil-Am sommelier... From Page 2
like it’d be my obligation. I could open a wine bar in the San Gabriel Valley. I wanna like do something interesting because it’s home. Comfort food doesn’t necessarily mean filipino food, so when I crave comfort, I crave like soup dumplings and classic Chinese food, and with wine, oh my, it’s pure, pure joy. AJ: Being one the of the youngest people in the wine industry, what’s your advice for people who want to get started in Lucky Girl Devon Seron in You With Me with Korean leading men Hyun Woo and Jin it as well? Ju-Hyung. Philstar.com photos AC: Work hard. Don’t have a huge ego. Wine tends to do that to stone.’” movie,” recalled Devon who is people, but work really hard and It was also a learning from Cebu. “I thought it was for honestly, have humility. If someone experience. an indie. I really wanted to do an has a different palette than you, “the Koreans are punctual,” indie kasi. I wasn’t on the list of that’s normal. Be someone who’s shared Devon. “If the call time the auditoneers so I nagged my always open-minded and always was 8 a.m., they expected friend to let me in. I told him, ‘Uy, be willing to try something new everybody to be there earlier ipasok mo lang ako sa audition, or even try something you have than that. And also, they treated okey na ako.’ that was what already written off. try again. everybody equally; walang starhappened.” find a place where someone star sa kanila.” By coincidence, Devon said will give you a shot. I was lucky that the two Korean actors are that she and a friend had been when I was in Domaine LA at 21 expected to come as part of the planning to visit Korea. years old, I got a shot to work there movie’s promo. Asked where he “Bakasyon lang,” she said. would take them, Devon said, “Of one day a week. All you gotta do is “that was last June. I never persist. Or if you want a restaurant, course, Cebu. It’s my place and I thought that it would be vacation be 21 years old and be a busser. know what places to bring them and work for me at the same Don’t be afraid to work somewhere to, kung anu-ano ang dapat kong time. Oh my gosh, I told myself, that has a very good reputation, ipakita sa kanila.” ‘this is hitting two birds with one
has really delicious food, has an amazing wine program. Just don’t be afraid to let your intentions be known to those in charge and tell them that you want to learn more about the wine. And eventually, there will be a moment after your shift where someone says, ‘Hey, would you like to taste
some of this wine?’ Wine people love to share — it doesn’t matter who you are and what spectrum of wine you know. I’m very lucky to have had opportunities fall in front of me and I grabbed them as fast as I could. [This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.]
Celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival at Ellen Adarna defends John Lloyd Cruz over viral videos Pechanga Resort & Casino with a 2017 Mercedes giveaway and a share of $100,000 in EasyPlay! september 15-21, 2017
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in line with the issue surrounding John Lloyd Cruz’s viral videos on social media, his rumored girlfriend Ellen Adarna seemed to have defended the actor in an instagram comment. in a comment on the instagram post of FM radio disk jock Rico Robles or Rico Chismoso, Ellen said that what she and John Lloyd did in Cebu was not a yoga retreat. in the post, Rico wrote: “For those asking about this.. these people work hard, they
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had time off, they all took a vacation, had fun and had a few drinks... C Mon guys it’s 2017! #vacay #RandR #theydeserveit press like if you feel the same.” After Ellen’s comment, netizens flooded the post with other reactions. Many of them dared the actress to spill the beans on the real score between her and John Lloyd, but the actress has not responded as of the moment. In an Instagram comment, Ellen Adarna (Deni Rose M. Afinidadseemed to have defended John Lloyd Cruz. Philstar.com photo Bernardo/Philstar.com)
How Marian finally achieved the best ... From Page 2
And every teacher or parent can accomplish wondrous things even without the aid of superpowers, she added matterof-factly. “This may sound a cliché but what the world really needs now is love,” Marian said. “There’s too much hatred around. Even in social media, you can sense it. The bashings are too much and you can only wonder where the anger is coming from. With love comes respect, understanding, harmony.” Ever since the Madrid-born and La Salle-educated actress was thrust into stardom exactly a year ago via the Filipino adaptation of the hit Mexican telenovela “Marimar,” not a few in the industry have noticed how she has matured immensely both as an actress and as a person. Gone are the days when the three-time FHM’s sexiest frequently landed in hot water over issues she’d now rather take with a grain of salt. “We all believe the turning point was the arrival of her daughter Zia,” a GMA insider told The Star. “Zia is constantly giving Mrs. Dingdong Dantes joy and peace and inspiration that helped her become the best version of herself.” She has acknowledged that her now two-year-old girl has pushed her to become a super mom and taught her to prioritize things. “When i got married and became a wife and mother, my priorities and perspective on life
EMPLOYMENT
Join us at Pechanga Resort & Casino in celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival with our exciting $100,000 Harvest Moon Drawings on Sunday, october 1st. Prizes include a 2017 Mercedes Benz and $100,000 in EasyPlay. Pechanga Club members can earn entries to the drawing by playing slots and table games from 4 a.m. to 6 p.m. Multiple entries can be earned depending on your membership/tier level: Red Card members can earn up to 8x entries; Platinum Card members can earn up to 5x entries; Gold Card members can earn up to 2x entries, and Silver Card members can earn 1x entry. Entries will be drawn at 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. A total of 200 lucky winners will share $100,000 in EasyPlay, while one grand prize winner will drive away in a 2017 Mercedes Benz. Play more to win multiple times. Winners will be posted throughout the casino floor. For more information, please call 1877-711-2946 or visit Pechanga. com. All of us at Pechanga Resort & Casino wish everyone a Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! Pechanga Resort & Casino Pechanga Resort & Casino offers one of the largest and most expansive resort/casino experience anywhere in the United States. Rated a Four
endorsing at least 18 popular products that attest to her high trust rating as a brand ambassador. “i still get surprised whenever i am told that they want me to endorse their brand,” Marian revealed. “i am very grateful to showbiz industry for everything it has given me. it gave me the power to help others. it gave me the opportunity to meet a Pechanga Resort & Casino is Diamond property by AAA lot of people, including the man owned and operated by the since 2002, Pechanga Resort & who became my husband. And Pechanga Band of Luiseño Casino provides an unparalleled i’m really thankful that since my indians. For more information, getaway. offering more than ‘Marimar’ days, all my fan clubs are call toll free 1-888-PECHAnGA or 3,000 of the hottest slots, still there for me.” visit www.Pechanga.com. Follow table games, world-class isn’t she afraid of someday Pechanga Resort & Casino on entertainment, 517 hotel rooms, giving up her throne as her Facebook and on Twitter @ dining, spa and championship network’s beloved queen? We PechangaCasino. Pechanga golf at Journey at Pechanga, asked her. Resort & Casino is open 24Pechanga Resort & Casino “Someday i will also get old hours. Guests must be 21 and features a destination that and i have to give way to other older to enter the casino. meets and exceeds the needs of stars,” said Marian, who suddenly its guests and the community. (Advertising Supplement) turned serious. “i’m fully aware of that reality. it’s all about acceptance. What is clear to me is Marian Rivera as Super Ma’am GMA photo that showbiz shouldn’t be my life changed,” she noted. “i don’t easily that when my career slows down A MAn who, according to observers, seemed to be get affected by bashings anymore. or comes to an end, my life will end drunk , attempted to approach actress and entrepreneur Ara i learned to choose my battles. as well.” Mina as she was watching the concert of American duo The There are times when you just have “That queen tag is just a label,” Chainsmokers at the Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday, Sept. to stay quiet because the truth will she continued. “What really matters 13. eventually come out.” is how i was as an actor and as Ara’s foreigner companion was preventing the “The social media is also a a person. What have you done unidentified man from getting near the actress who was big factor because i have my for others? How many lives have seated at the ViP area. own instagram account where you touched? Have you made a The incident reportedly happened a few minutes before people see the other side of me difference in this life? At the end of The Chainsmokers’ concert started. off camera,” she said, “how i am at it all, those are the things that will The police tried to remove the rowdy fan from the venue, home as a wife, as a mother, as a matter.” but he insisted to stay where he was at the ViP area and friend.” “i always believe that what you stopped pursue the actress. Marian’s manager Rams David sow, you reap,” Marian added with Ara was among the thousands who enjoyed the jamsaid the actress’ positive image has a wide smile. “And if the fruits are Actress Ara Mina (center) enjoying The Chainsmokers’ packed concert featuring DJ nick Martin as guest act. (Deni also turned her into a formidable show. sweet, it means you’re doing the Philstar.com photos by Efigenio Christopher Toledo IV Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo/Philstar.com) product endorser. She is currently right thing.”
Fan tries to harass Ara Mina at concert
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Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA (Continued from last week...)
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Angels among us “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.” — From Frank Capra’s film, “It’s a Wonderful Life”
ANGELS were strong proactive characters when the story of humanity unfolded during biblical times. And while today, cynics, atheists and those on the dark side might argue that angels are figments of the human imagination, there are countless people who will brave the scorn of scoffers, fight back vehemently and attest to the very real presence of angels in their lives. Trawl the internet and social media and read about how angels, though unseen in many instances, can be felt by many who believe in them. There are many instances when the presence and oftentimes the direct interventions of one’s personal guardian angel are a part of the twists and turns of the unraveling story of many people’s lives. Many have written about their encounters with angels, documenting how their guardian angels are a real part of their lives guarding, guiding and protecting them from harm and on many occasions, even from death, because their time had not yet come. I am sure many others have their own personal stories to tell about this unseen entity that can be ascribed to the presence of God himself – an ever-present help to aid us in navigating life on earth. The common image of an angel is a beautiful heavenly being with piercing eyes, big white pair of wings and long cascading golden hair, robed in
androgynous white gown and who is neither male nor female but to which we ascribe the word “he” just for convenience. An angel, who is an eternal celestial being, is not subject to the constraints of gravity, time, space or language problems. Communication between protector and protectee is often wordless and automatic. Some are messengers and some bring punishment and death but each has a definite purpose, most of which are beneficial to humans. Some claim to have seen their angels appearing differently from the common image we believe of winged beings. Some morph into human form to lend a hand, to protect from danger or avert disaster then disappear quickly. They appear specially when the humans they are protecting find themselves in dire straits and need help. As one might imagine, angels are extremely busy considering the weakness of humans and their predilection to stray from the straight and narrow. In Frank Capra’s classic Christmas film, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” Clarence, a portly, bumbling character aspiring to become an angel must earn his wings by doing something good for a human being in desperate need and contemplating suicide. “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings,” is a memorable line in this
Health@Heart
Lemonade for kidney stones
PhiliP S. ChuA, Md, FACS, FPCS NOTHING to date can dissolve kidney stones, in spite of various marketed herbal substances or “natural and home” remedy potion or pills that claim to be able to do so. Don’t be fooled by false advertisements which are only after your hard earned money. If you are prone to develop kidney stones, drink lemonade. It cannot dissolve kidney stone crystals, but it can slow down the development of stones. It is a delicious way to control your stone formation. “When treating patients in our kidney stone center, we put everyone on lemonade therapy,” says Steven Y. Nakada, chair and professor of urology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.at a previous annual meeting of the American Urological Association in Atlanta. Potassium citrate is usually prescribed for patients with kidney stones. Citrate is a kidney stone preventing substance, and lemonade (lemon juice) is full of citrate. The pill is more potent but the citrate in lemonade has been
found to also slow down kidney stone formation. An alternative to “another pill” to take. Liquid biopsy? The term biopsy conventionally means cutting a piece of solid tissue for microscopic analysis to make a diagnosis. Liquid “biopsy” is a new promising procedure for detecting early-stage cancers by blood test, which replaces cutting a “solid tumor,” hence termed “liquid biopsy.” The article about this future much less invasive way of finding cancer at its early stage, edited by William E. Chavey, MD, MS, was published in the New England Journal of Medicine and Science Translational Medicine. The report says, “the technique allows assessment of sequence changes in circulating cell-free DNA.” Researchers used the method to look for alterations in nearly 60 cancer-related genes in blood samples from 44 healthy individuals and 200 patients with colorectal, breast, lung, or ovarian cancer. None of the healthy patients showed genetic changes related to solid cancers, while the test detected genetic alterations in 60–70 percent of those with stage I or II cancer. The researchers say the approach could “in principle” be implemented for cancer screening, pending
classic film that is intended never to get old and aptly becomes new again for a new generation around the Christmas season. On the other hand, in the warped imagination of liberal film makers, “Michael” supposedly about Michael, the Archangel, the highest seraphim who fought Satan and flung him to the burning sulfurous depths of hell and believed to be the protector of the nation of Israel, is portrayed as somewhat of a sleaze who is more human than angelic. In this film, Archangel Michael can charm females because he smells of cookies and who is a bit of a Lothario to boot. It may be somewhat funny to color outside the lines in portraying angels but don’t be fooled by the liberal yarn on angels. Hollywood, in my opinion, has no gravitas on angelic matters. Trust your own instincts. Your own personal experience will color the lens with which you view and relate with your personal guardian angel. God so loved the world, He sent His only son to redeem us from sin and death so we may gain eternal life — not unlike His angels. (To be continued …) *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com
validation studies. Early detection and intervention are likely to be the most effective means for reducing morbidity and mortality of human cancer. When it is validated and accepted as a standard diagnostic procedure, “Liquid Biopsy” could save hundreds of millions around the globe. Your mouth and diabetes Most people do not know or realize that poor dental/oral health increases our risk for diabetes T2 and, in turn, this metabolic disease adversely affects our teeth. It is a vicious cycle of cause and effect highlighted by the American Dental Association. The ADA clarification: “Blood sugars fueling the acidity that leads to tooth and root decay and gum disease, and dental disease that leads to infection and boosts blood glucose when the body’s immune system responds. The 2017 publication recognizes the close association of dental disease and diabetes, even though ADA acknowledges that causes and effects aren’t yet universally understood.” Also, dental/oral infection, and infection (inflammation) in any other parts of the body increase our risks for cardiovascular diseases and Continued on Page 6
Saint Lorenzo Ruiz Catholic Church 26th Anniversary celebration WALNUT - As they celebrate the 26th Anniversary of their parish, the faith community of St. Lorenzo Ruiz Catholic Church (SLRCC) is inviting everyone in the Southland to come and celebrate as they launch yet another milestone in their continuing journey of “becoming and being church” — the quest to become a Diocesan Shrine! “Twenty six years ago, we had a dream, that was to build a church. God granted us that dream. Then, seventeen years later, we longed for a bigger, more permanent church that can accommodate a burgeoning population of parishioners and devotees who are coming from all over. Once again, God had blessed us to accomplish that dream despite the tough economic situation that saddled the entire nation at that time. This year, as part of our Parish Renewal Encounter (PREn) program on the Life of Missionary Discipleship and Evangelization modeled after our Blessed Mother, we will be launching our quest to become a Diocesan Shrine dedicated to our patron and first Filipino Saint, Lorenzo
Ruiz,” Father Tony P. Astudillo, the pastor, announced. The Liturgical celebration of the anniversary and the “dream launching” will be on September 23, Saturday, at 10:00 am. But the festivities will begin on 22nd, Friday, at 7:30 pm, where food trucks and lots of music and dancing will solely be the order of the evening. On the 24th, Sunday, at 12:30 pm, shortly after the community sealed the Lifetime Benefactors Time Capsule, the parish will unveil the Good Shepherd statuary in honor of, and in gratitude to, those who, in the past and the present, are unabashed in offering their lives, talents, time and treasures for the church. “The devotion to Saint Lorenzo Ruiz is fastly gaining traction over the years not only among Filipinos but among other ethnicities as well; specially on those who have experiences with our patron saint whose works of miracle have been strongly felt in their lives. Are you burdened with something heavy that you no longer know how to come out of it? Ask Saint Lorenzo Ruiz to intercede for you,” Fr. Astudillo
added. As the youngest Catholic church in the San Gabriel Valley region, the SLRCC couldn’t believe that she would be designated as one of the pilgrim churches for the Door of Mercy last year -- a privilege usually given to older churches of historical importance. This event made her Silver Jubilee celebration even more significant, touching and memorable. “As we celebrate our anniversary, we ask everyone to come and join us as we raise our prayers and aspirations to heaven, that our Almighty Father would grant our wish, our new dream, to become a Diocesan Shrine...that whosoever enters our doors, knelt on our pews, or celebrate the Eucharist with us, may incessantly encounter Christ...and their ‘earth’ shall ceaselessly meet ‘heaven’,” Father Astudillo ended. For other information on this and other events of the parish, you may contact the Parish Office at (909) 595-9545 or visit our website at www. saintlorenzo.org.
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Kayamanan Ng Lahi performs at the Ford Theatre in Los Angeles “Tao Po!” – We Are Here! is a multi-disciplinary production that will cover the breadth of Philippine folk-based dance, music and song, juxtaposed with contemporary dance forms and musical stylings with underlying positive social messages. The show declares that Filipinos are here, there and everywhere, adding to the richly diverse cultural landscape of America. The evening will feature guest stars Deedee Magno Hall and Jennifer Paz of singing group Mama Bares and voice actors of Steven Universe, original music by Anthony Fedorov of American Idol, and the Glendale College Concert Singers with their musical director Dr. Peter Green. The performance will also include appearances from the following guests: Rondalla Club of Los Angeles – Philippine rondalla music; Giovanni Ortega – actor, playwright, director; Annie Nepomuceno – singer, T.V. personality, producer; Marc Macalintal – musical director; Guro Alvin Catacutan – Kali master; Beatriz Eugenia Vasquez – dancer/ choreographer; Kumu Keali’i Ceballos – choreographer for hula piece; Faith Santilla and Alison de la Cruz – spoken word; Vince Reyes – musician; and Culture Shock Los Angeles – street/urban dance. To purchase tickets, please visit https://secure.ticketsage.net/websales. aspx?u=fordtheatres&pid=320003.
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Liliwenos reunion in Las Vegas, NV Calling all Liliwenos living all around the world! There will be a three-day reunion in Las Vegas, NV starting with a picnic on Friday, Sept. 15 at Silverado Ranch Park. On Saturday, Sept. 16, it is a dinner/dance party at the Palace Station (2411 W. Sahara Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89102) at 5 p.m. The attire is semi-formal and costs $50 / person. Souvenir t-shirts cost $10 regardless of size. Deadline of payment for both the reunion and t-shirt cost is August 31 to be sent to Ms. Nerri Monteagudo at 9252 Bronze River, Las Vegas, Nevada 89149. On Sept. 17, participants are free to explore the Strip and other Vegas activities. For more information, please contact Bob and Nerri Monteagudo at (702) 339-3838; Carmen P. Manguin (702) 526-8005; Loida Borgonos at (201) 654-5482; or Fred Polistico at (818) 527-3476.
SEPTEMBER 16
43rd Bicol fiesta in Los Angeles The big Lincoln Park at 3529 N. Mission Road (cross st. Valley Blvd.), Los Angeles, CA 90031, will again be hosting an overflow of thousands of Bicolanos and their guests during the 43d “kafiestahan” (feast day) in LA in honor of their patroness, Our Lady of Penafrancia, on Sunday, Sept. 16. The festivity is held yearly under the auspices of the United Bicolandia Los Angeles (UBLA), a local association of Bicolanos who originally hailed from the provinces of Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate and Sorsogon, designated as Region V, in the Philippines. The day begins at 8 a.m. with the recitation of the 9th day novena, the last-day continuation of the previous eight days of novena prayers; at 9 a.m., a fluvial parade, a mass at 10 a.m., and a lunch at 12 p.m. After lunch, a “velada” of cultural and entertainment presentations will follow.
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Celebration of the feast of San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila in North Hills, CA Come celebrate with us! The Archdiocese of Los Angeles Filipino Ministry San Fernando Region invites all to the 9th regional celebration of the feast of San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila on Saturday, Sept. 23 at Our Lady of Peace Parish (15444 Nordhoff St., North Hills, CA). It starts with a procession at 4:15 p.m. and mass at 530 p.m. The Principal Celebrant is Most Rev. Gerald Wilkerson, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus. A reception and program follows right after mass at Schneider Hall. For a schedule of the nine-day novena masses prior to the event, please call Christine Hart at (818) 612-5060 or Patty Santiago at (818) 472-4288 or email Betty Defensor at bettydefensor@yahoo.com.
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3rd annual Kultura: Filipino-American food & arts festival in Chicago Kultura Festival is a contemporary Filipino-American food and arts festival taking place at Logan Square’s Emporium Arcade Bar (2363 N. Milwaukee Avenue) on Sunday, Sept. 24, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Carefully curated to appeal to those who personally identify with Filipino culture and the merely curious or uninitiated, Kultura Festival aims to highlight the best in Filipino-American food and arts in Chicago and around the Midwest. Kultura Festival signals the start of Filipino-American History Month, a nationally commemorated holiday every October since November 2009, with the passage of U.S. House Resolution 780 and Senate Resolution 298. Kultura Festival will showcase Chicago and Midwest-based FilipinoAmerican chefs such as Hapa Chicago (Chicago),Meat on the Street (Milwaukee), and Sarap Detroit (Detroit), Guerrilla Street Food and Skip To Malou (both from St. Louis), as well as Chef Sharwin Tee of Lifestyle TV’s Curiosity Got The Chef (Manila, Philippines). Additional chefs and the full festival menu will be soon announced. The curated menu promises to tantalize festival-goers with a wide variety of chef-prepared Filipino and Filipino-inspired dishes between $5 and $7 each. Filipino American artist-entrepreneurs will offer their unique wares for purchase at the festival: custom tailored barong Tagalog (traditional formal wear) from New York Citybased Pineapple Industries; artwork, books and apparel based on the prePhilippine script, baybayin, from San Francisco-based expert Kristian Kabuay; and clothing, jewelry and accessories centered around indigenous symbols and spirituality from Los Angeles-based Ginto Seeds. This year, Kultura Festival patrons can learn about the connections between Filipino cuisine and culture. Admission to the Lechon Lectures, hosted in adjacent The Upside Down pop-up bar, is included with Kultura Festival ticket. Two time Hugo award winning editor of Uncanny Magazine Michi Trota leads a panel discussion on the role of food in science fiction and fantasy storytelling and how Filipinx creators in these genres integrate food and cultural identity into their own work. Descriptions of the full Lechon Lectures lineup and schedule will soon be announced. As in previous years, Filipino American DJs will provide the soundtrack for the festivities (schedule TBA). Kultura festival general admission tickets are available for $20 ($15 ticket plus 5 Kultura dollars) online at https://ti.to/filipino-kitchen/ kultura-2017. Discounted general admission tickets are available for students with ID, senior citizens with ID, and children under 13 years of age. More information can be found at http://filipino.kitchen/kultura-festival/.
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PeDRO celebrates its 13th anniversary with a fundraising dinner dance The Philippine Disaster Relief Organization, a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation invites everyone to “A Dinner to Remember” with surprise guests on Saturday, Sept. 30, from 6 p.m. to midnight at the Crystal Ballroom, Quiet Cannon, 909 N. Via San Clemente, Montebello, CA 90640. Free parking; $55 cost and formal attire. Maricar and the 4700 Band will provide musical entertainment with DJ George Cunanan. For more information, contact President Archerie Calunod (714) 655-4285 or PRO Bettie Francisco (323) 828-7648.
SF Assessor Carmen Chu’s free Family Wealth Forum Free one-on-one counseling with experts. Multi-lingual workshops. Exhibitors hall from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at City College (Ocean Campus), 50 Phelan Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94112. To register: http://sfassessor.org/familywealthforum or call (415) 554-7434.
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A3M Starnight 2017 annual gala in Long Beach, CA In the past 25 years, A3M has given hope and a second chance of life to many patients. Their journeys have inspired and motivated the organization to continue its mission of increasing and diversifying the Be the Match Registry. A3M is committed to supporting patients from the communities that are underrepresented in the Be the Match Registry. To continue its life-saving work, you are invited to support A3M at its Annual Gala Dinner held on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017, at the Hyatt Regency Long Beach (200 South Pine Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90802) from 5 to 9 p.m. To purchase tickets, please visit https://www.flipcause. com/secure/event_step2/MTk3NjI=/13381.
City of Carson’s Filipino-American History Month Kick-Off The City of Carson will kick off this year’s Filipino-American History Month on Saturday, Oct. 7 at the CJMM Community Center at Carson (801 E. Carson St., Carson, CA 980745). From 8 to 9 a.m., there will be refreshments at the Community Center East Parking Lot. It will be followed by a wreath laying at Dr. Jose P. Rizal’s monument from 9 to 9:15 a.m. From 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. there will be a program at the Carson Dominguez Room. For more information, please call (310) 952-1743.
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
september 15-21, 2017 www.asianjournal.com
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Filipina ‘Asia’s Next Top Model’ represents Philippines at New York Fashion Week THE Philippines’ first “Asia’s Next Top Model” grand winner and ‘it’ Girl Maureen Wroblewitz holds her first fashion and beauty shoot in the Big Apple. The New York Fashion Week (NYFW) Spring/Summer 2018 shows began on September 7 and have exhibited works by famous designers such as Jason Wu, Rochambeau, and Bibhu Mohapatra, among others. With inspiring personalities showcasing their work, many women (and men) will be all eyes and ears to the makeup and fashion trends NYFW has in store for them. As a representative of Maybelline Philippines to the ongoing NYFW, Maureen aims to continue to inspire Filipinas by making catwalk to sidewalk makeup looks happen. Among these is the brand’s new Color Jolt Matte lip collection that is reportedly packed with three
Ricky Lo Philstar.com
THIS story was relayed to Funfare by an eyewitness. Baron Geisler disappointed some fans when he failed to make his theater debut during the opening night of Tanghalang Pilipino’s rock sarswela, “Aurelio Sedisyoso,” at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). Baron was supposed to play the composite role of Tikbalang in the play, but he reportedly couldn’t memorize his lines. Director Chris Millado deemed it better not to allow Baron to act on opening night and instead, fielded an alternate, Jonathan Tadioan, who played multiple roles as a shape-shifter in the American colonization. It was a pity because Baron auditioned for the role and passed with flying colors. Baron’s role was the second most important part in the play, next to the title role of “Aurelio Tolentino” who was played by
JBK, a boyband from the Philippines, and Filipina-Australian singer Elysa V., took a shot at making it into “The X Factor UK” and raised the Filipino spirit and flag yet again. JBK performed Sam Smith’s “Lay Me Down,” which was a hit with the judges. Their 24-hour flight paid off as they got four yeses on the show’s fourth episode on Monday, Sept. 11. JBK is comprised of Joshua Bulot, Bryan del Rosario, and Kim Lawrenz Ordonio, and is officially the first Filipino boyband who made it to the show. Fans are hopeful that they go as far as the Filipino girl group 4th Impact who joined “X Factor” in 2015.
ğ įōíľ ÀðıÃæµįPçį ʼn æIJįıÀ ØÃĉÃæîÂ ß ğÃqPç qíß߼æÃıŎįĤÀíĽØ ÕæíŊįPdíĽIJĕ If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, email us the details (title, description, time & date, location, etc.) at info@asianjournalinc.com. And for consideration in our print calendar, please send submissions at least three weeks before the date of the event. To be included in our online calendar/ e-newsletter, please allow at least two to three weeks' notice. The Asian Journal would be delighted to list your event in our Calendar of Events.
After their performance, judge Louis Walsh praised the group and said, “I love your dedication flying from the Philippines, it was good!” Judge Nicole Scherzinger, who also has Filipino blood added, “You are making the Filipinos so proud right now.” After Simon Cowell said, “Four yeses!”, the boys were ecstatic as they exited the stage. Another X Factor UK hopeful, Filipino-Australian, Elysa V., performed Fleur East’s “Sax” and impressed Scherzinger in particular. She said, “For you, your mom, dad, everyone back home in Australia, it’s a yes.”
Elysa V.
ManilaTimes.net photo
Both acts are moving to the next level of the show, where they will join fellow Filipino Gaga Lord, who made it last week. (ManilaTimes.net)
Lemonade for kidney stones
From Page 5 cancer too. “Asia’s Next Top Model” Season 5 grand winner and ‘it’ Girl Maureen Wroblewitz holds her first This is why dental hygiene fashion and beauty shoot in the Big Apple. Photo from Instagram/@Maureen Wroblewitz and regular visit to the dentist is paramount. together with celebrity times more pigments in eight Sleep and diabetes makeup artist Jigs Mayuga and shades ranging from nudes, to Impairment in sleep raises beauty and fashion vlogger pinks, oranges, reds and violets. our risk for metabolic disease, like Kryz Uy, hosts video blogs to give For the NYFW Spring/ diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular everyone a backstage access to Summer 2018 show, the creative illnesses, like heart attack, stroke, what has been considered as inspiration takes a different turn and even cancer. Yes, lack of restful the biggest makeup and fashion with a “makeup-first” approach sleep leads to increased proneness event this season. (Philstar.com) gracing the runways. Wroblewitz, to all these major ailments, including deadly cancers. Indeed, sleep is that important to our health and well being. Pilipino. Baron was reportedly More and more, physicians told he could not take in alcohol today are far more vigilant about or anything that could impede Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) as a his acting during rehearsals and most common cause of impairment especially during the actual of sleep and its association and performance. role to the development of (and as Not only Chris was nervous a worsening factor) for the major about Baron’s performance, even illnesses listed above the actor’s fellow cast members About 3-7 percent (roughly were worried if Baron could pull about 10 to 16 million) of the U.S. off the role. A source from the population have sleep apnea, more theater production confirmed to among men. There are countless Baron Geisler: If only he would (if he could) the Funare informer, however, that undiagnosed OSA cases. Almost 25 stay away from alcohol. Baron was allowed to go onstage percent of individuals with diabetes last week on both matinee and David Ezra Cruz, son of Dulce. T2 also have OSA, evening performances. As they In fact, during the curtain call, In OSA, there is frequent (could would say, all’s well that ends well. be hundred times a night) breath the role of Tikbalang was the “Magaling siya,” said second to the last to take a bow holding, severely reduced oxygen somebody who watched the play. level, and the person wakes up onstage. “He should stay away from the During the press conference gasping for breath. Some do not bottle at least when he’s shooting even wake up at all, suffering anoxia for “Aurelio Sedisyoso” held three a movie or TV, or when he’s doing and heart attack or fatal heartweeks ago, Baron reportedly a play…especially a play.” showed up intoxicated despite rhythm problem. The constant We never doubted that. Baron reduction in oxygen due to OSA his earlier promise to Chris that is one of the finest actors around. he would behave in this project. every night also leads to fatigue, Let’s just hope that he can stay Chris said he agreed to include sleepiness during the daytime, lack Baron in the cast after he seriously away from alcohol, so he can of concentration, poorer decisionseriously go full-time into acting talked to the actor who agreed making, and inferior performance. on stage, TV and film. to the conditions of Tanghalang Depriving the body oxygen and
Why Baron was ‘missing’ at play’s opening night by
Two more Filipino acts impress ‘X-Factor UK’
rest also increase the risk for those major diseases mentioned above, including cancer. Among diabetics, SleepDisordered Breathing (SDB), OSA, and all other stresses, impair the metabolism of our body in general and, among those with diabetes, the body’s ability to allow the medications to work fully. Metformin, the most popular drug for diabetes T2, which acts to reduce the glucose production in the liver and reduce the cell insulin resistance, acts less than 100 percent when the patient has an untreated sleep disorder. This makes the treatment less optimal. And the same thing is true among those patients with high blood pressure or other major ailments on treatment. A good restful sleep every day is essential for all of us. After a sleep study has confirmed the diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea, the best treatment is the use of CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) whenever going to sleep. CPAP has saved and improved countless lives. Undermining global health The pernicious and criminal modus operandi of tobacco companies, particularly Philip Morris International (PMI) and British American Tobacco (BAT), of running secret campaigns to block or undermine the implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and governmental negotiations at the FCTC Conference of Parties (COP), according to the investigative
reports by Reuters and The Guardian in Bangkok July 14, 2017. These companies are undermining, not only health governance but the health of the people around the world, all in the name of income and profits as they act as the purveyors of diseases, family disruption, misery, and deaths. The report says “the investigations reveal multiple tobacco industry offensives across at least 14 countries in Africa, America, and Asia, including Vietnam, and how they subvert the treaty on multiple levels. Tobacco kills more than half a million annually in the ASEAN region, creates poverty among the users, and burdens the national economy with more than ten billion U.S. dollars in healthcare costs each year because of tobacco-related diseases and premature deaths. These unconscionable criminal companies and their principals ought to be prosecuted and held accountable for their crime against humanity. *** 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
september 15-21, 2017 www.asianjournal.com
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september 15-21, 2017 www.asianjournal.com
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