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Volume 15 - No. 35 • 3 Sections – 22 Pages
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US ‘deeply concerned’ as death toll in Philippine drug war rises by Christina and
M. Oriel dana siOsOn AJPress
UNIteD states officials again expressed this week that they are “deeply concerned” about the extrajudicial killings that have occurred since President rodrigo Duterte took office and called for a crackdown on illegal drugs. “the United states believes in the
DATELINE
rule of law, due process, and respect for universal human rights, and that these principles promote long-term security,” U.s. Department of state Deputy spokesperson mark toner said on monday, August 22. since Duterte became president on July 1, the Philippines has reported 712 deaths of drug traffickers and users, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief ronald Dela rosa said before a senate hearing on monday.
it was “not for me to judge” Duterte, who he called a “plain-speaking” politician. Despite the long-standing “frank and candid” bilateral relationship with the Philippines, the U.s. will not be “turning a blind eye to human rights abuses or possible human rights abuses in the Philippines.” the U.s. is committed to urging the Philippines to ensure its law en-
Dela rosa also said that 1,067 other drug-related killings were being investigated. earlier this month, Duterte reiterated his campaign promise to get rid of illegal drugs and traffickers. “my order is shoot to kill. I don’t care about human rights,” the president said on August 5, dismissing the concerns of his critics. “We have a crisis.” During monday’s news briefing at the U.s. state Department, toner said
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Killings in PH indicate lawlessness not crime control, says Amnesty Int’l
USA
from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA
Filipino gay rights activist diagnosed with cancer
by dana
siOsOn AJPress
Family sets up GoFundMe account to raise money
mArCIAL Bolina Cable, along with his husband of 25 years Ben Cable, made national headlines when they challenged California’s marriage laws in the early 1990s. Now living up north in Alameda, California, the couple has been overjoyed with the strides the LGBt community has made for equal rights. this year, however, their lives took a turn when marcial was diagnosed with cancer. the signs were noticeable earlier this year when Ben started noticing that marcial began acting differently. his movement became sluggish and his short term memory was slipping, so Ben decided it was time for a check-
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First Fil-Am elected official passes away at 86 G. moNtY manibog, the first filipinoAmerican elected into public office in the United states, passed away at the age of 86 on friday, August 12 after a long battle with lung disease. In 1972, he became one of the first filipino-Americans elected to a city council, serving the city of monG. Monty Manibog terey Park. he later became mayor of that same city. the manibog family made many strides in the United states, with his father Gonzalo manibog becoming the first filipino-American to graduate with a law degree in 1917.
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US State Dept. Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner
NO SELFIES. The Philippine National Police (PNP) has issued a memorandum reminding police officers to refrain from taking selfies while on patrol in order to avoid giving the public negative impressions. The reminder was issued after a number of police officers posted selfies or group photos while conducting patrol operations on Facebook. About 85 percent of police officers have been deployed on the streets as part of the effort to improve police visibility and curb street crimes. Philstar.com photo
Sen. Reid predicts Hillary Supreme Court Clinton victory in Nevada puts Marcos hero’s e a l burial on hold
vada to elect him,” said reid on tuesday. “he’s going to lose. I am convinced the American seNAte minority Leader people will not vote for Donald harry reid (D-Nev.) told report- trump.” ers during a question-and-anA public opinion poll pubswer session in reno, Nevada lished by suffolk University on on tuesday, August 23, that he thursday, August 18, showed expects hillary Clinton to win Clinton ahead of trump by 2 the pivotal state in the upcom- percent. ing presidential election. the senate minority leader’s the senior Democratic sena- optimism this week mirrors tor from Nevada suggested that statements he made on thursrepublican presidential nomi- day, August 4, regarding Clinnee Donald trump lacked a ton’s chances in the traditionally wide enough base of support to republican states of Arizona and beat Clinton in the silver state, Georgia. reid said he believed according to the Las Vegas both those states were likely to review-Journal. reid went on vote Democrat for the first time to say that trump’s bid for the in at least 16 years, according to presidency was likely to fail. Politico and other sources. “I think there aren’t enough “[During the] last re-elect white, uneducated men in Neu PAGE A2 by
riC
nthOny AJPress
iCas
by dana
siOsOn AJPress
the spate of killings related to the present administration’s anti-illegal drugs campaign in the Philippines indicates “lawless, not crime control,” according to international human rights group Amnesty International. In a statement released on Wednesday, August 24, Amnesty described the number of deaths as “a terrifying indication that the authorities are grossly failing in their obligations to respect and protect the right to life.” the group’s statement was made after Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief ronald “Bato” Dela rosa earlier this week confirmed that at least 1,067 killings by unidentified people and an estimated 712 killings by police have been recorded in the country since July 1. Amnesty stressed that these summary of killings constitute as a crime under international law. “the unlawful and deliberate killing carried out by order of a state actor, or with the state’s complicity or acquiescence, is an extrajudicial execution. this is a crime under international law,” the group said. “Incitement to violence and discrimination are prohibited under international law and risk escalating a cycle of violence in the country,” it added.
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resPoNDING to petitioners, the Philippine supreme Court (sC) has ordered the government to hold former President ferdinand marcos’ interment at heroes Cemetery for 20 days. the court has issued a status quo order effective from August 23 to september 11 and rescheduled the oral arguments regarding the issue from August 24 to August 31, sC spokesman theodore te explained on tuesday, August 23. Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana earlier issued a memorandum dated August 7,
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PNP Chief Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa
Bill to expand ‘Asian American’ label pushed in California by Klarize
Medenilla AJPress
the CALIforNIA senate on tuesday, August 23 unanimously passed a bill that would expand the definition of “Asian American” for demographic reports on ethnic and racial origins. the measure will be sent back
to the state Assembly. earlier this year, filipino-American California Assemblymember rob Bonta introduced AB 1726, or the Accounting for health and education in API Demographics Act (AheAD) to include more ethnicities in the Asian American label. According to the bill, the state
would be required to collect data for Bangladeshi, hmong, Indonesian, Pakistani, taiwanese, thai and other ethnicities. the bill proposes updating demographic categories by including these subgroups into the label. this would address their unique needs, and the state would more easily be able to dole
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AUGUST 26-SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160
From the Front Page
US ‘deeply concerned’ as death toll in… PAGE A1 t
forcement efforts comply with its human rights obligations. “I’m just going to say that we continue to work with the Filipino Government on a broad range of bilateral and regional issues, and while at the same time making clear that as [the] Philippines addresses issues that touch on human rights that
we’re going to make our concerns clear,” Toner added. Following US Secretary of State John Kerry’s visit to Manila in late July, Duterte confirmed that the Philippines will receive $32 million in aid from the U.S. meant to fund training and services for security forces. In another outburst against the critics of his anti-illegal drugs
campaign, Duterte over the weekend lashed out against the U.S. police killings of black men. “Why are you Americans killing the black people there, shooting them down when they are already on the ground?” Duterte said on Sunday, August 21. The president added that those cases are “still human rights violations.” n
against people who have developed a dependency to drugs, Amnesty insisted that authorities should ensure they have access to medical care. “The Philippine authorities should further ensure the rights to life and health of people who use drugs are respected and protected by guaranteeing their access to health-related information and services on a non-discriminatory basis.” It added that the drug issue should be considered as a public health matter. “The heavy reliance on repressive policies and the use of force to control drug use and addiction across differing countries has not led to a decreased use of drugs
over the years, as found by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.” The group also suggested that the Philippines should form an independent complaints commission that would handle complaints on possible human rights abuses by policemen and should be “free from the influence of the RENEWABLE ENERGY COURSE. Engineers who would like to venture in renewable energy industry may want to consider enrolling in the Professional Science Master’s in Renewable Energy Engineering (PSM-REE) program recently launched at the Mariano Marcos State Philippine National Police.” University (MMSU) in Batac City, Ilocos Norte. A first in Southeast Asia, the program was established with the support of United States “The commission should have Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Energy Development Corporation (EDC). Shown in photo are tri-blade modern the mandate to receive comwindmills lining the lush coastal area in Burgos, Ilocos Norte. Philstar.com photo plaints and other reports of human rights violations committed by the police, be required to report publicly on its activities, and have the mandate and resources “Apart from being irrelevant to violations during the Marcos rePAGE A1 t to provide any necessary protecinforming Armed Forces Chief of gime. The government must be the issue at hand, the allegations tion to complainants, victims and may not be assumed as facts Staff General Ricardo Visaya of consistent,” Baniaga said. witnesses,” Amnesty said. n The second group of petition- but needs to be established with President Rodrigo Duterte’s verbal order on July 11 to prepare ers included former Senator competent evidence,” the former Heherson Alvarez and his wife, president’s family said through for Marcos’ hero’s burial. Te added that the high court National Commission for Culture counsel Atty. Hyacinth E. RafaelBrown vetoed a similar bill, AB 176, which had proposed creat- also granted the request of the and the Arts Executive Director Antonio. “Since the purported standing ing new guidelines in collecting SC Public Information Office Cecilia Guidote-Alvarez, former of the petitioners is predicated on movie director Joel Lamangan, to conduct a live stream audio demographic data “I am wary of the ever growing broadcast of the oral arguments former Education Secretary Ed- those facts…and would require desire to stratify,” Brown wrote “subject to the usual conditions ilberto de Jesus, University of the presentation of evidence and Santo Tomas political science the factual determination beyond in a letter. “Dividing people into and restrictions imposed.” professor Edmund Tayao, Move- the jurisdiction of the Supreme On Monday, August 22, two ethnic or other subcategories may yield more information, but more petitions by a youth group ment Against Political Dynasties Court, this by itself will warrant not necessarily greater wisdom and a group of former govern- chairman Danilo Olivares and ac- dismissal of the petition,” the comment stated. about what actions should fol- ment officials were filed against tor Noel Trinidad. They also argued that Duterte’s They argued that the adminisMarcos’s burial at Heroes’ Cemlow. To focus just on ethnic idenetary, bringing the number of pe- tration on former President Fidel order is supported by RA 289 or tity may not be enough.” n V. Ramos permitted the return of the Act Providing for the Contitions to a total of five. The first group of petitioners Marcos’s remains in the Philip- struction of a National Pantheon on Monday included students of pines on the condition that the for Presidents of the Philippines, 24 states he won during his cam- the University of the Philippines exiled president’s body would be National Heroes and Patriots of the Country. Zaira Baniaga, John Arvin Bue- flown straight to Ilocos Norte. paign for the presidency. “President Duterte underThe agreement also specified Earlier this month, Reid had naagua, Joanne Lim, and Juan stands that if this country really that Marcos will not be buried at Antonio Magalang, also referred also said Clinton would send staff the national shrine nor be given intends to extricate itself from and resources into the Republi- to as ‘millennials.’ the quagmire it is presently emThey argued that Lorenzana military honors. can stronghold of Utah, accord“Our petition is not only of broiled in, history must be viewed ing to Roll Call. On Monday, Au- “may have abused his authorgust 22, the former secretary of ity” in issuing preparation orders local significance but macro differently... President Duterte’s state announced the opening of for the interment and that Mar- – global. The atrocities during order to allow former president her first campaign headquarters cos had long been disqualified Marcos’ time is like Hitler in Marcos’ interment at the (Libin the state, a general election of- from a hero’s burial when he was scale. Would Hitler be a hero in ingan ng mga Bayani) is based ousted by the 1986 People Power Germany? Would Mussolini, who on his determination that it shall fice in Salt Lake City. was killed by the guerilla in Italy promote national healing and However, Utah hasn’t swung Revolution. forgiveness, and redound to the be a hero?” Alvarez said. “We cannot with a clear conu PAGE A4 The Marcos family, however, benefit of the Filipino people,” science accept that Marcos the tyrant lie beside the nation’s told the SC that the allegations Solicitor General Jose Calida told genuine freedom fighters. Mala- of human rights violations dur- the Supreme Court on Monday. Duterte previously said Marcos canang cannot insist its will ing the martial law years are irwhen laws have been enacted relevant to the issue of the late was worthy of a hero’s burial as a former president and soldier. n recognizing the human rights president’s hero’s burial.
Killings in PH indicate lawlessness not…
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The group also reminded the government its duty to safeguard the people’s right to liberty and security of person, including fair trial guarantees. Amnesty stressed that these must be applied equally for drugrelated cases as well. “The State has a duty to protect people from all forms of violence, including an obligation of due diligence to prevent killings and to promptly, independently and impartially investigate such killings and bring perpetrators to justice. Recent statements by high-level authorities and police directives have further endangered the right to life.” Instead of inciting violence
Supreme Court puts Marcos hero’s burial on…
Bill to expand ‘Asian American’ label pushed…
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certain circumstances,” the bill read. Opponents of the proposal say that it is divisive, especially for Chinese Americans and more represented Asian groups. Policy Director for Empowering Pacific Islander Community (EPIC) Calvin Change doubts how the data will be used An attorney from the Bay Area Kai Zhu told 89.3 KPCC that the
bill could potentially reignite affirmative action, which was banned in California in 1996. Moreover, he said that the bill could be a disadvantage to Chinese-Americans applying to college. The bill is in its early stages of data collection, but the promise of the bill is impactful. There are currently two categories: Asian American and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander. Last year Governor Jerry
Sen. Reid predicts Hillary Clinton victory…
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for President Obama, he never stepped foot in Georgia, but yet he lost by about three percent,” said Reid. “Georgia’s Hillary Clinton’s, and I’m glad she’s going to be campaigning there.” Georgia hasn’t gone to a Democratic candidate since Bill Clinton defeated incumbent George H. W. Bush and independent candidate Ross Perot in 1992. Clinton and Trump were tied at 43 percent approval in the state,
according to a public opinion poll published by Opinion Savvy on Thursday, August 18. A poll released by YouGov and CBS News on Sunday, August 7, showed a two percent lead for Trump in Arizona. Republicans have not lost there since 1996, and have claimed the state’s electoral college votes in nine out the past 10 election cycles. In 2012, Arizona gave former Republican candidate Mitt Romney his widest margin of victory out of the
Filipino gay rights activist diagnosed with…
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up on June 7. After a general check-up and MRI, the couple was sent to Kaiser Permanente in Oakland. After a “nerve-wracking” wait, the doctors admitted Marcial to the emergency room where he remained for four weeks. The doctors found several unidentifiable masses in his brain that had been causing Marcial’s slowness, walking problems, speech problems and memory issues. After preliminary diagnoses following a brain biopsy in Redwood City, the results were inconclusive; the doctors had determined he had cancer but were unsure of what kind. Through a series of tests—including biopsies and a spinal tap—the specialists determined that Marcial had Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), a condition in which the body produces an abnormal amount of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell.
Ben said that at the hospital, Marcial started to go “downhill”, and his memory had gotten so bad that he could not remember anything from the previous day. “Everyday I came in and I told him everything that had transpired up to the new day,” Ben told the Asian Journal. “I would have to start from the beginning which was very difficult to do. I
just felt thankful that he remembered me. That would have been very hard if he didn’t know who I was.” Marcial Bolina Cable was born Marcial McCarthy in Cavite, Philippines in 1963. His mother and stepfather moved the family to the United States in 1966. Marcial worked for American
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From the Front Page
NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 26-SEPTEMBER 1, 2016
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Mysterious fire destroys Filipino family’s home Investigators unsure of cause, but say incident unrelated to an earlier fire
by Eric
LUCKY PICK. A 76-year-old widower from Quezon City has claimed the P194.6-million jackpot of the 6/58 Ultra Lotto, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) announced Monday, August 22. The winner, who has been a lotto player since 1995, bet on a lucky pick. The jackpot of the online lotto game is now back to P50 million, PCSO general manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas II said. Philstar file photo
First Fil-Am elected official passes away…
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Manibog would follow in his father’s footsteps, opening up his own practice at the Law Offices of G. Monty Manibog in Los Angeles after graduating from Loyola Law School. He practiced law for more than 50 years, representing individuals and families in personal injury lawsuits. He was also a professor at the School of Law at Van Norman University in Los Angeles from the late 1960s to the early 1970s. He also served in the U.S. Army just after the Korean War, serving as a leader in the FilipinoAmerican community. He contributed weekly to the West Valley Journal with his “Point of View” column, educating readers about the law pulling examples from his experience and current affairs. Manibog was a jack-of-alltrades, making his mark in many other enterprises. In the 1950s, the Ilocos-born go-getter was a champion in
wrestling and gymnastics in the Philippines, winning two gold medals at national championships. As a student at the University of the Philippines (UP), he was twice named “Athlete of the Year.” He took his athletic talents abroad, competing at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. His leadership skills and role in the sporting world converged in 1984 when he was ambassador to the Southeast Nations in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Even in his old age he showed athletic prowess. In the 1990s he won three consecutive gold medals at the California Senior Olympics at the ages of 63, 64 and 65. As a student at UP, Manibog also proved ability in the arts, serving as president and lead actor at the UP Dramatic Guild. Through the guild, Manibog performed leading roles in “Six Characters in Search of an Author” and “I Remember Mama”
Filipino gay rights activist…
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International Group, Inc. (AIG) and the American Red Cross. He also served in the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) unit of the U.S. Army where he worked in supplies. “He would have been the Radar of their unit,” Ben quipped, referencing the hit American television series M*A*S*H. “He’s kind of around that height, too, since he was only around 5’4”. He was like a Filipino Radar [laughs]. He’s like that. He’s funny and lively, and has an adorable personality.” Marcial first met Ben in 1990 in a nightclub in West Hollywood. Ben reminisced seeing “this handsome guy” when he first saw Marcial, describing that night as a “cat and mouse game.” They became friends, but the friendship soon blossomed into a relationship. They had been dating for a year before Ben proposed. The couple was married in 1991 in a church wedding in Glendale, California with over 200 guests present. Of Marcial, Ben said that he is “soft-spoken, yet determined. He’s 5’4”, but tall. He’s a soldier, a lover, a wonderful husband and friend.” Pioneers for marriage equality Before the national conversation of marriage equality took off in the early 2000s, the Cables— who were very active in LGBT activism—were on the forefront of the contentious issue a decade earlier. At that time, the hot topics concerning the LGBT community were the AIDS epidemic and gay rights in the military, but gay marriage didn’t receive the attention that Marcial and Ben thought it deserved, Ben said. “We were wondering, ‘why don’t we look at marriage?’ We just wanted the same rights and responsibilities that were granted to other couples, so why not?” Ben said. Two years after their wedding, the couple went down to LA City Hall to submit an application for a marriage license with the city clerk. Ben said that since that was the day before taxes were due, the city clerk’s office was crowded with other couples, all of whom were heterosexual couples. “We were being looked at, I could feel my face getting red, and I know Marcial was nervous. He was real quiet and we were filling out these forms with our heads down, and we knew some people had noticed us,” Ben said. The city clerk then called a judge to receive the application, but Ben said that they never saw that application again. But Ben recalls one moment on this day
that ignited a spark within the couple to continue fighting for marriage equality. One woman working behind the clerk’s desk had written on the back of her blotter, “Let ‘em get married.” Ben said knowing that they had at least one person supporting them lifted their spirits to continue the fight for marriage equality. “At that point, I go, ‘this isn’t right!’ and this is not just a stunt,” Ben said. “We knew we were going to be rejected, but we didn’t think of what kind of impact it would have on us. So we didn’t let it drop.” They challenged state’s marriage laws in the case McCarthyCable vs. Los Angeles City Clerk. Civil rights groups, including the prominent American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), assisted the couple by writing amicus briefs for the case. The couple also got to meet civil rights figures like Reverend Jesse Jackson during national press events for the case in Washington, D.C. After the case was denied review at the city level, the couple flirted with the idea of taking the case up to the California Supreme Court. The ACLU advised against this because if their case got a negative ruling, it would negatively affect future rulings in the similar vein. “At that point, we had to make a hard decision not to pursue it, and I think it was a wise move because years later, it became the law of the land,” Ben said, referencing the legalization of same-sex marriage across the U.S. in 2015. “And it might not have been had we just proudly gone forward with something that could have been reckless.” On the day that gay marriage was nationally legalized, Ben remembered them being overjoyed and proud that their efforts in 1993 had “helped do that.” Ben said that he felt that their efforts had come full circle. They had fought for the rights and privileges of marriage, including caring for a loved one in times of need. Marcial is currently undergoing his first few rounds of chemotherapy in Redwood City. The couple is hopeful that Marcial will have a speedy recovery, but they know it’s going to be an uphill battle. The family is currently taking donations by way of a GoFundMe account (www. gofundme.com/cable) that Ben set up to raise money to cover treatment costs and transportation expenses. “I asked him today (Monday, August 15), ‘What do you think about cancer?’ ‘What are you thinking about right now?” Ben said. Marcial bluntly answered, “Cancer sucks.” (Klarize Medenilla / AJPress)
among others. Manibog’s family held a viewing on Thursday, August 18 at the Miraculous Medal Church in Montebello, California. The funeral was held the following day at the same church followed by a burial at Resurrection Cemetery in Montebello. Manibog is survived by his five children, 18 grandchildren and his wife Jean of 62 years. (Klarize Medenilla / AJPress)
Anthony LicAs AJPress
A FILIPINO family in Northern California woke up to find their house threatened by flames during the predawn hours of Saturday, August 13, less than a day after firefighters had put out an earlier blaze in the same area. Fire crews extinguished a fire that consumed a shed, pumphouse and less than an acre of rural land in Coarsegold, California near the corner of Highway 41 and Black Oak Road shortly after 5 p.m. on Friday, August 12. Investigators told one of the homeowners that the fire started in a shed on the property and might have been caused by an electrical issue involving a malfunctioning heating blanket. Power was cut to the house while the investigation of the first fire took place, then restored at about 8 p.m. The home’s occupants fell asleep sometime after 11 p.m., but were forced out of their beds by a second fire just hours later. “At about 3 a.m. my husband woke up, noticed there was too much light for that time of night, and heard the bullets popping,” Mary “Lyn” Aguillon, 59, told the Asian Journal. She owns the home along with her husband, Antonio, 69. At that time, eight people were inside as the conflagration circled the home, including the couple’s 1-year-old grandson. Two of the house’s tenants and Antonio Aguillon suffer from disabilities affecting their mobility.
Lyn Aguillon helped the home’s occupants get to the family’s car, then had to run back inside to retrieve her keys. She said flames had spread to inside the home when she returned from the vehicle and saw windowpanes shatter due to the heat as she raced back out. “We could have lost our lives,” Aguillon told the Asian Journal over the phone. Firefighters returned to the property just after 3:30 a.m. on Saturday, but multiple reports of gunfire in the area prevented them from immediately approaching the scene. Sheriff’s deputies investigated and determined that heat from the fire was setting off loose ammunition. Crews used eight fire engines and a bulldozer to put out the blaze. They managed to contain the situation by about 5 a.m. No people were reported injured as a result of the incident, but firefighters were unable to prevent the Aguillon’s home from burning down. “I loved that house,” said Aguillon, who wishes she could have saved her jewelry to help the family pay for expenses while an insurance company processes their claims. “We don’t have anything.” The couple hasn’t yet decided whether to rebuild the home or move to a new one. Relatives have set up a GoFundMe page to help the family recover from the disaster. Investigators are still working to discover the cause of the second fire, but say it was unre-
lated to the initial blaze. Madera County Fire’s Public Information Officer, Jamie Williams, told the Asian Journal that the department has no reason to believe one caused the other. However, Aguillon alleges that firefighters failed to conduct proper cleanup and followup procedures after the initial fire, thereby contributing to her home’s incineration. “They didn’t remove the trees that were burned,” said Aguillon. “They didn’t chop them down. They didn’t dig them [out].” She also said a vehicle belonging to the sheriff’s department blocked their exit when they reached the end of their driveway while fleeing the burning property on Saturday. Aguillon accused a deputy of harassing her family after she drove offroad and around the other car. She said the fire’s survivors were accused of making drugs. “He said ‘why do you have so much ammunition … do you have a meth lab?’” Aguillon told the Asian Journal. Aguillon said the deputy went on to suggest that the residents were manufacturing honey oil, a concentrated version of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. The production of both drugs can pose fire and combustion hazards. A honey oil lab operating in the Parkwood area of Madera exploded on Saturday, July 23, destroying the house it was run out of and displacing the 18 residents who lived there, according to the Madera Tribune.
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AUGUST 26-SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
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IHL DAY EXHIBIT. Undersecretary for Policy Enrique Manalo, UNIO Assistant Secretary Mercado and OCA Assistant Secretary Cimafranca are shown viewing the photo exhibit during the celebration of the 2016 International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Day. The exhibit contains 20 photos and will be on display until September 15 at the Passport Enrollment Center at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Office of Consular Affairs in Pasay City. (DFA photo)
Obama visits Louisiana after criticism of delayed response by eric
anthony licas AJPress
PRESIDENT Barack Obama toured southern Louisiana on Tuesday, August 23, where residents are recovering from historic storms and flooding that damaged approximately 60,000 homes and led to the deaths of 13 people. Approximately 110,500 displaced people had applied for federal disaster aid and $74 million dollars have already been distributed as of Tuesday, according to Reuters. In contrast to the controversies associated with the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, state and local officials have praised the federal government’s handling of Louisiana’s current crisis. “They’ve gotten good at it, and they actually do care,” Louisiana’s Lt. Governor, Republican Billy Nungesser, told the New York Times. Despite bipartisan approval of the government’s management of the situation in Louisiana, the president had received criticism for choosing to finish a two-week vacation before making his visit. An editorial published in the Louisiana-based newspaper, The Advocate, on Wednesday, Au-
gust 17, noted that Obama made time to attended a “swanky fundraiser for fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton,” before deciding to “show up for a catastrophe that’s displaced thousands.” However, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards had requested that White House officials delay the president’s trip in order to avoid diverting the state’s resources away from disaster response. On Tuesday, Republican Presidential Nominee Donald Trump said via his official Twitter account that Obama’s appearance was “too little too late.” He flew to Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Friday, August 19 to meet with survivors and assist in relief efforts. The Greenwell Springs Baptist Church, which has been organizing volunteers in flood-damaged communities, confirmed the receipt of a $100,000 donation from Trump via its Facebook account on Monday, August 21. The charitable contribution faced scrutiny after reports surfaced of the Church’s association to a conservative lobbying group that supports the traditional Christian definition of marriage. The interim pastor at Greenwell Springs Baptist Church, Tony Perkins, is also the president of the Family Research Council
(FRC), according to an LGBT-focused online publication, similarly titled The Advocate. The publication referred to the FRC as a hate group. Despite earlier reservations, Edwards told CNN that Trump’s appearance in Louisiana helped bring national attention to the disaster in his state on Sunday, August 21. He had said he worried that the Republican nominee’s plans would boil down to a “photo-op” in a statement released ahead of Trump’s visit. Meanwhile, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said she would come to Louisiana “at a time when the presence of a political campaign will not disrupt the [disaster] response, to discuss how we can and will rebuild together,” in a statement released Monday, August 22. Like Clinton, representatives for the White House say they have been keen to avoid politicizing the suffering of thousands of Louisiana residents. “But the survivors of the flooding in Louisiana are not well served by a political discussion, they’re well served by a competent, effective, strong, coordinated government response,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said during Monday’s press briefing. n
SAN FRANCISCO — Three years after California launched its online health insurance marketplace under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), nearly threefourths of its 5.8 million previously uninsured residents now have insurance, according to a study released by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF). Of them, one-third has coverage through Medi-Cal (California’s name for Medicaid, the health insurance program for low-income people), while 21 percent gained coverage through an employer and 11 percent bought insurance through Covered California, the online health insurance marketplace that launched in early 2014. Another 8 percent said they have non-group coverage or insurance through some other source. But the survey, conducted in English and Spanish, found that one ethnic group was under-represented: Latinos. One-third of Latinos who were uninsured three years ago still
did not have any health insurance after the 2015 open enrollment, with individuals who may not be eligible for insurance comprising nearly half of this group. The ACA disqualified undocumented immigrants from federally subsidized insurance offered through Covered California. But the majority of the uninsured said the cost of insurance didn’t “fit into the family budget,” said Bianca Dijulio, KFF’s associate director of public opinion and survey research. About one-fifth of those surveyed said they didn’t get medical insurance in the past year, and half of those surveyed said that they worry about bills in the event of a serious illness or accident. Those on Medi-Cal, however, would be protected because the program is free or low-cost. The program is open to families that meet the income requirements, and has recently expanded to include all children, regardless of their immigration status. It is also open to those who have received Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).
For the rest, costs will likely remain a challenge as prescription drug prices continue to spike, and premiums in Covered California plans on average are expected to rise by about 13 percent next year. KFF researchers first surveyed a representative sample of 2,001 uninsured Californian adults under the age of 65 in the summer of 2013, prior to the ACA’s first open enrollment period. It followed the same group of people over the next three years, concluding the survey last February after the third open enrollment period. By interviewing the same group of people four separate times, Dijulio said she and her team of researchers were able to track changes in their insurance status and how health insurance affected their lives. “We were trying to shed light on the first few years of the ACA,” Dijulio said of The California Endowment-funded survey. One thing that became obvious to researchers, she said, was that for many of the newly insured, the ACA has provided “stable coverage.” n
July: hottest recorded month by Klarize
Medenilla AJPress
REPORTS from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) indicate that last July was the hottest month since record-keeping began 137 years ago. It’s estimated that July was 1.27 degrees Fahrenheit (0.84 degrees Celsius) warmer than the 1950 to 1980 global average. Moreover, July experienced
a 0.2 degrees Fahrenheit (0.11 degrees Celsius). The average global temperature in July was at 61.97 degrees Fahrenheit. The report continuous the monthly trend of record-breaking temperatures. July 2016 becomes the tenth month in a row to experience warmer temperatures than the previous month, according to data gathered from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Gavin Schmidt, director of
NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, posted on Twitter that there’s a 99 percent chance that 2016 will become the warmest recorded year. Schmidt also said that July will likely the last hottest month this year as the residual heat from the El Nino season will subside come the cooler months. This summer, California has issued two Flex Alerts, which urge Californians to conserve energy on days of extreme heat. n
Sen. Reid predicts Hillary Clinton victory…
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only about a third of states voters Democratic in a presidential support Clinton, versus 53 perelection since 1964. According to cent who lean in favor of Trump. data published by Public Policy “Utah, you know, they don’t Polling on Tuesday, August 23, like Donald Trump and he’s their
nominee,” said Reid earlier this month. “I don’t know about Utah, but I am confident she will [win] in Arizona and I’m confident she will in Georgia.” n
Mysterious fire destroys Filipino family’s…
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Representatives for the Madera County Sheriff’s Department question Aguillon’s accusations. “Ten years ago, we used to get meth labs all the time, but we’re just not seeing them anymore,” the department’s Public Information Officer Commander, Bill Ward, told the Asian Journal. “Something about that [accusation] doesn’t seem right.”
He adds that deputies have no record of interviewing any of the destroyed home’s occupants. On Thursday, August 18, Aguillon said she didn’t know the name of the deputy she accuses of misconduct. At the time she spoke to the Asian Journal, she had not yet filed an official complaint with the department, but said she planned to go to the Madera
County Sheriff’s headquarters to learn the deputy’s name and make her claims known. She added that the other occupants who fled Saturday’s house fire can corroborate her version of events. The Aguillons’ misfortune transpires amidst a destructive fire season that has razed homes and evacuated families throughout the state of California. n
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Dateline PhiliPPines
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Aquino-appointed officials ordered to vacate posts by Joseph
Almer B. pedrAJAs AJPress
MANILA—At least 6,000 government appointees are set to vacate their posts as President Rodrigo Duterte demanded a “massive revamp” to end the corruption that persists in the bureaucracy. Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella clarified that only former President Benigno Aquino III’s appointees and two transport regulatory agencies mentioned by Duterte will be affected. These include the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Land Transportation and Regulatory Board (LTFRB). “These are appointees from the past administration and do not refer to appointees of the current administration, except those who have been made reference to,” Abella said, clarify-
ing that the current appointees, unless compelled, are exempted from the revamp. In a press conference, Duterte stressed that “the most corrupt agencies” are the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), the Bureau of Customs and the LTO. The Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Corrections and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency are also subject to an overhaul, after the deaths of five people during a concert at the Mall of Asia grounds. “It was a failure of intelligence on the part of the police and other agencies concerned. How did it pass security?” Duterte said. “They have to go,” the president said, “there are those we want to get, but the low pay in government discourages them
from being part of my administration.” Aside from the LTO and LTFRB, the order does not also include officials from state universities and colleges, judiciary, and government-owned and controlled corporations. On Monday, August 22, Malacañang released Memorandum Circular No. 4 that “all presidential appointees [should] tender their unqualified courtesy resignations within seven calendar days.” The vacated posts will be filled with next-in-rank officers until the president appoints replacements. The memo added that any presidential appointee who fails to tender his or her courtesy resignation may be held administratively liable and given the appropriate penalty.
‘Napoles case needs 2nd look’ MANILA—The plot thickens. After accusing Sen. Leila de Lima of benefiting from drug money, President Rodrigo Duterte vowed to disclose “revealing” details about the pork barrel scam case that he said would “horrify” the senator. Duterte said the case of Janet Lim Napoles, the businesswoman tagged as the brains behind the multibillion-peso fund scam, deserves a second look. “Wait until we revisit the Napoles case, Secretary or Senator De Lima. And I assure you, you will be horrified,” Duterte told a press conference in Davao City. “It involves corruption and De Lima,” he added without elaborating. Napoles has been accused of diverting congressional allocations or “pork barrel” to dummy non-government organizations for ghost projects worth more than P10 billion. She has denied the allegations and insisted all of her earnings were legitimate. De Lima was justice secretary when the investigations into the funding scam started. Several officials have been charged in connection with the scam, prodding some groups to question the legality of the pork barrel before the Supreme Court. The pork barrel fund, officially
known as Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 2013. The SC said PDAF violated the principle of separation of powers because it allowed lawmakers “to wield, in varying gradations, non-oversight, post-enactment authority in vital areas of budget executions.” Duterte lamented that “a lot of billions and billions of pesos” were lost because of the pork barrel scam. He noted that some lawmakers were placed behind bars only because the accusation against them of plunder is nonbailable. “In the meantime, they (lawmakers) are in prison but is not enough vindication for the Filipino people,” Duterte said. Last week, Duterte accused De Lima of having an illicit affair with her married driver, whom, he said, collected drug money to support her senatorial bid this year. De Lima, who has been criticizing the Duterte administration’s anti-drug war, has denied any involvement in narcotics and even claimed the President would lose face for making such allegation. Duterte said he made the expose because De Lima made herself popular at his expense. He cited De Lima’s effort to link
FREED COMRADES. Communist rebel leaders Wilma (with raised fist) and Benito Tiamzon get out of the Camp Crame police headquarters in Quezon City after getting temporary passes from the courts. The two, who will join the resumption of peace talks with the government in Oslo, Norway next week, was welcomed by militant groups. ManilaTimes.net photo by Mike De Juan
Corruption, unemployment biggest concerns of millennials, says WEF study National government and news media, meanwhile, have been found as the most distrusted MANILA—Corruption, unem- institutions among millennials, ployment and lack of education with a voting share of 47 percent Janet Lim Napoles has been accused of emerged as the top concerns each. diverting congressional allocations or of millennials from around the On a global scale, however, “pork barrel” to dummy non-government globe in their respective economillennials chose climate change organizations for ghost projects worth more mies, while the national govern- as the number one challenge than P10 billion. ment and the media were cited as with 45 percent of respondents him to the Davao Death Squad, the most distrusted institutions, selecting it, followed by largethe vigilante group believed to be a report by the World Economic scale conflicts or wars at 38 perbehind the killing of suspected Forum (WEF) showed. cent and religious conflicts at 34 criminals in the city. The WEF’s Global Shapers An- percent. “I have to quarrel with you (De nual Survey 2016 revealed that “Young people between 18 Lima). It was you who started this 57 percent of young people beand 35 view the world with cauruckus many years ago,” Duterte tween 18 and 35 years old worldtious optimism and, overall, dissaid. wide pointed to corruption as the play progressive values, with “Now that you are at the re- most serious issue affecting his regionally diverse views on genceiving end of all of these, you or her country today. der equality and same-sex marshould not be heard complaining This was followed by lack of riage. Millennials embrace new because there are serious matters economic opportunity and ample technologies, with a wary eye on already arrayed against you,” he employment at 34 percent and their privacy and personal data, added. lack of education at 30 percent. and see access to Internet as a Lawmakers said they are ready Corruption was also cited as key requirement for empowerto conduct an investigation into the top factor in making the pubment,” the WEF said. the allegations against De Lima. lic sector job market unattractive “The majority are frustrated by (Alexis Romero, Edith Regalado, to young people. corruption and lack of jobs, and Delon Porcalla/Philstar.com) by richmond
mercurio Philstar.com
climate change remains the top global concern, trumping war and poverty,” the WEF said. But despite serious concerns about widespread corruption, conflicts, the effects of climate change and missing opportunities for social and economic inclusion, the WEF said young people remain optimistic as 70 percent of millennials see the world full of opportunities and 50 percent believe they can actively contribute to decision-making in their countries. The Global Shapers Annual Survey 2016 received results from over 26,000 millennials from more than 140 countries, including the Philippines, on their opinions on a range of issues including technology, governance, roles of business, values and work-life balance. The survey offers insights into the thinking, priorities and concerns of young people around the world.
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august 26-sEPtEMBER 1, 2016 • NORCaL asIaN JOuRNaL
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Features
OpiniOn
Impasse
HISTORY will tell that the Philippines has one of the world’s most celebrated democracies today. On Sept. 21, 1972, former Philippine Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos declared martial law. For today’s Filipinos, 42 years may seem like another lifetime—a bygone period with sketchy details of what martial law entailed for the people who had to endure it. But for those who lived through the wretched moments of this tumultuous era in Philippine history, the horror and pain live on. In February 1986, hundreds of thousands of Filipinos joined the nationwide protest that brought People Power Revolution to life. In this historic uprising, the voice of the people resonated through the country, and has been forever etched in the pantheon of Philippine democracy. The People Power Revolution continues to this day, as a reminder to Filipinos of how supporting a common stand can turn them to a formidable moral power. The People Power Revolution ignited the people’s longing for genuine democracy. It is empowered by the will of the people. It gives the citizenry the power to overturn the culture of corruption, unethical conduct, and self-serving antics of politics. The impact of this period may very well be wiped in Philippine history following the order of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte to allow the remains of Former Pres. Marcos to be laid to rest at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes’ Cemetery). “The only requirement of the law is for one to be president . . . that law provides for the burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani,” Deputy Speaker Frede-
nil Castro said. Republic Act 289, which provided for the construction of a National Pantheon or the Libingan ng mga Bayani for President of the Philippines, National Heroes and Patriots of the country states that it was erected “to perpetuate the memory of all the Presidents of the Philippines, national heroes and patriots for the inspiration and emulation of this generation and of generations still unborn.” The issue has caused a public divide, even among the president and his allies. “I see the point of the President that if it’s a completely legal issue, he (Marcos) is entitled to it. But the name [of the cemetery] is Libingan ng mga Bayani. While he had heroic moments in his life, we do not consider him in totality heroic because of things that happened during martial law. Unless we change the name to Libingan ng mga Bayani at Diktador,” Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano. But for Vice Pres. Leni Robredo, this recent decision is complete disregard of the human and civil rights violations accounted for during the martial law period. “How can we allow a hero’s burial for a man who has plundered our country and was responsible for the death and disappearance of many Filipinos? Those who have greatly committed crimes and moral turpitude to the Filipino people cannot be buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani,” Robredo emphasized.
Guest Editorial
Philstar.com photo
“This decision will not bring unity to our country; it will only deepen the unhealed wounds of the survivors and family members of victims of the terrible years under the Marcos presidency. Furthermore, his heirs continue to deny that these sins against our people happened. They continue to have no remorse and still prevent the return of the wealth that they stole,” she added. Groups opposing the planned Marcos burial has brought the issue to the Supreme Court. The High
Court has issued a status quo ante order against Marcos’ burial set in September. on Tuesday, Aug. 23. The halt order is effective for 20 days as the court prepares for oral arguments on the petitions against the former president’s final interment at the Heroes’ Cemetery in Taguig. Until then, Filipinos are once again reminded how the martial law period and lessons of the People Power Revolution have impacted how they live today. (AJPress)
Human Rights Watch: Killings in Duterte’s war on drugs a national emergency INTERNATIONAL organizations like the United Nations (UN) and Human Rights Watch(HRW) did not mince words in their concerns about how Philippine Pres. Rodrigo Duterte is governing the country, specifically on his war against drugs. The United Nations may send observers to the Philippines after it has expressed concern regarding what the international organization deems as Pres. Duterte’s empowerment of the police to eradicate the drug problem. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has condemned this, and the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime referred to as an “apparent endorsement of extraju-
dicial killings.” ABS-CBN News re- The Fil-Am ported that the number of drug-related fa- Perspective talities since May has reached 1,179. With this alarming number and trend, the Human Rights Watch orga- Gel SantoS-ReloS nization believes that what is happening now in the Philippines is now a national emergency and that governments like the United States the members of the European Union should make it clear to Duterte that this will have diplomatic and economic consequences to the Philip-
Commentary
FRanciSco S. tatad The first question is one of ethics. Ethics, for beginners, refers to the rightness or wrongness of a human act. Human act is one performed with the aid of will and reason, as distinguished from the involuntary act of man, like talking in one’s sleep or sleepwalking. Now, is it all right for the President to believe that a former justice secretary-now senator is carrying on with her driver and that the two had been protecting certain parties involved in the traffic of illegal drugs? If he is convinced of the evidence, he cannot be faulted if he so believes. But is it all right for him to publicly denounce the allegedly immoral relationship and the alleged criminal partnership, instead of having them charged in court for their alleged crime? This is what many are still trying to figure out. De Lima in pictures Front-page newspapers photos have since captured the lady in a bathing suit, surrounded by her “bodyguards” in some rustic resort. These seemed to document the lady’s “closeness” to her driver-bodyguard, which she had already admitted. There was nothing in the photos though, which would prompt an Italian paparazzo to proudly claim them as his work. But the mere fact of publishing the photos, complained a young reader, was offensive enough; it violated her sense of aesthetics, not just her sense of ethics, she said. She was not complaining that the lady had made no effort to look like a Dior cosmetic model
pines. In a report by Balitang America New York Correspondent Don Tagala on The Filipino Channel, HRW Deputy Asia Director Phelium Kine said, “In terms of foreign aid or foreign support for various Philippine Agencies and programs — this is something -- an obligation of the international community to support the Filipino people, and to support their universal rights and freedoms which the Philippine government right now
is absolutely trampling and streamrolling.” On “Balitang America,” Kine said, “What we have seen in the last seven weeks since President Duterte came to ffice is an almost unprecedented scale of government-sanctioned bloodletting on the streets of the Philippines.” “President Rodrigo Duterte was not elected with a mandate to trample on the Constitution, to absolutely ignore and abuse human rights and legal process,” Kine pointed out. With Duterte’s much publicized dismissal of international critics, Kine contended: “President Duterte is a former law-
yer he should know these things. And so for him to either profess ignorance about the idea of due legal process, or to announce that he will not honor it — this is a very disturbing development in terms of where the Philippines is going.” DO YOU AGREE with the perspective of the UN and the Human Rights Watch? *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www. facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
DU30 can still change course – for the better
before being photographed. Rather she was complaining that through those cheap photos the lady’s accusers had lowered the moral quality and tone of the ongoing public debate on a very serious subject. The greater danger, this young person pointed out, was no longer posed by illegal drugs, but by the entire society losing its grip on the value of human life. If the State had to wage a war to save lives, should human life be the first casualty in it?, she asked. I found this insight from a very young person utterly provocative. I could not quite dissuade her from insisting that the high moral plane had become too high and unreachable for those who seemed to believe that, as happened during the Reign of Terror in France, criminal suspects could be, and should be, eliminated without due process. And she expected this issue to explode at the opening of Sen. Leila de Lima’s hearing in the Senate. A refreshingly fair hearing Well, it didn’t. The hearing opened as scheduled, and de Lima, as chair of the Justice and Human Rights committee, conducted herself in a professional manner without any tinge of acrimony against President Duterte, despite their recent bitter exchange. It was refreshingly fair. The only notable reservation about the hearing was expressed by Sen. Panfilo Lacson, a former chief of the Philippine National Police and chair of the secondary committee, the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, who feared the hearing could have a negative impact on the morale of the police involved in the war on drugs. De Lima took note of Lacson’s reservation but proceeded nevertheless, pointing out that the
inquiry was meant not to stop the fight against drug abuse but simply to make sure that it is not used as an excuse to violate human rights. Under the Senate rules, the lead committee controls the proceedings. The hearing resumed yesterday after this column was written. Reconciling DU30 and de Lima Despite the DU30-de Lima imbroglio, many are hoping the protagonists could settle their “personal differences” in peace. Qualified sources said the idea had been broached to the President and that he was not hostile to it. A private meeting was suggested for today, but ran into some technical problem, the sources said. However, the problem is believed to be temporary. One thing going for a possible rapprochement, according to them, has to do with the ongoing peace talks between the government and the CPP/NPA/NDF in Oslo. De Lima is a blood relative of Mrs. Juliet de Lima Sison, wife of Jose Maria Sison, the founding chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines and current adviser to the National Democratic Front in the peace talks. DU30 would very much like the talks to succeed, and making peace with de Lima could very well become part of his confidence-building measures with his former college professor, and the CPP/NPA/ NDF. Quitting the United Nations? A quieting down of the DU30de Lima conflict could lead to a “recalculation” of the President’s recent statements against critics of the spate of extrajudicial killings, including the United Nations. Stung by calls from some UN bureaucrats to end the killings, DU30 has struck back by calling
the UN a “useless” organization and threatening to terminate Philippine membership in the world body. No serious Filipino observer has taken this threat seriously, but it obviously created its own sensation in the foreign media and in UN circles. Not only is the Philippines a founding member of the UN in 1945; one of its early statesmen Gen. Carlos P. Romulo (18991985) became president of the UN General Assembly in 1949 and of the UN Security Council four times (twice in 1957, then in 1980 and 1981). CPR was one of Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt’s active collaborators in framing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. The only other name that left its mark from that select circle was that of the Lebanese philosopher and Ambassador Charles Malik, who was the real brains behind the Declaration. As Professor Mary Ann Glendon narrates it in her book, A World Made New: Eleanor Roosevelt and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Romulo became a good friend of Malik’s. This was confirmed to me in my personal conversations with Malik’s son, Prof. Habib Malik, with whom I used to sit on the international advisory board of World Youth Alliance in New York. The Philippines has such an investment in the UN’s fight for the freedom of peoples around the world and for international peace that many Filipinos could not believe their ears when they heard DU30’s threat to bolt the UN. Filipinos in the UN At least a full one-third of the UN secretarial and administrative staff are Filipinos. Were all of them to walk out of their offices, the UN would shut down. Except
for B. S. Aquino 3rd who had a stand-up hotdog lunch on a street corner outside the UN Headquarters building, but avoided the Filipino staff on his first visit to the UN, every Philippine President who came to the UN would devote an hour or longer to be with the Filipino employees. In 1980-81, Rafael M. Salas (1928-1987), the first Executive Director of the UN Population Fund, was mooted as a possible UN Secretary General to succeed Kurt Waldheim of Austria whose term was ending in 1981. But Salas, who had been Marcos’ executive secretary from 1966 but left the country after a falling-out with the President on the eve of the senatorial election in which he had wanted to run, failed to be nominated by his own government, despite the reported readiness of most of the Permanent Five members of the Security Council (US, UK, France, Soviet Union and China) to support his bid. He—not the present Ban Ki-Moon of South Korea—would have become the second Asian to lead the UN after U Thant of Burma who served from 1961 to 1971. The UN elected Peru’s Javier Perez de Cuellar instead, who served until 1991. Siazon at UNIDO A number of Filipinos have risen high in the UN system. The late former Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon Jr. (1939-2016), who died in Tokyo earlier this year, had served as Director-General of the UN Industrial Development Organization from 1985 to 1992, before he became the 18th foreign secretary under President Ramos. Officials of the Philippine Commission on Audit have also been elected to examine the books of the UN, showing that no auditors are without honor except in their own country.
Renunciation of UN membership means getting out of the international system and pursuing a course of total isolation. No country has ever done it; it is completely unthinkable. On the other hand, the few non-member states will probably do anything to become full members. These include the Vatican city-state which, because of its unique status and tiny population, is a permanent observer state but not a full member; Palestine, which remains a non-member state because it lacks support in the Security Council; Taiwan, which remains part of the People’s Republic of China under the OneChina policy; Kosovo, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Sahwari Arab Democratic Republic, which are partially recognized and have not really insisted on seeking membership. A chance to reconsider DU30 has since corrected himself, and withdrawn his threat through Foreign Secretary Perfect Yasay Jr., who said that while the President was “disappointed” with the UN, he had no real intention of withdrawing from the world organization. It is not clear, though, whether this means the UN would now be allowed to inquire into the killings as earlier requested by the Rapporteur on Summary Executions. But it certainly affords DU30 a fresh opportunity to reconsider his position on the whole issue of extrajudicial killings. It is not too late to backtrack on his methods, without necessarily abandoning his ‘war.’ This could stop all speculations that the country has entered the equivalent of the “Reign of Terror” during the French revolution. It would also give him the chance to raise the quality and PAGE A7
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Dateline PhiliPPines
Pacquiao starts boxing training near Senate by Paolo
RomeRo
Philstar.com
MANILA—Sen. Manny Pacquiao has started training for his comeback fight with reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight titleholder Jessie Vargas on Nov. 5 in Las Vegas. The 37-year-old boxing icon started doing laps around his mansion in North Forbes Park in Makati City. On Tuesday, Aug. 23, he jogged for 30 minutes. A member of Pacquiao’s staff said the senator has found a gym near the Senate where he could train, which will gradually intensify as the fight approaches. His trainer Freddie Roach is set to arrive in the country several weeks before the fight.
Pacquiao will conduct most of his training in the country due to his work in the Senate. When he was a member of the House of Representatives, he was criticized for constant absenteeism, which he attributed to his lengthy training abroad before fights. Vargas, an American, has a 271 win-loss record with 10 knockouts. Pacquiao’s Canadian adviser Michael Koncz earlier said the promotion of the fight would be held only in Los Angeles. After that, Pacquiao and his team will return home to attend to his Senate duties, he said. Pacquiao earlier this month admitted he is excited to fight again in the ring.
“Boxing is my passion. I miss what I’d been doing inside the gym and atop the ring,” he said. He assured his constituents his training would not affect his duties as a senator. “My entire training camp will be held here in the Philippines so I can attend to my legislative work. This is my campaign promise and I’m determined to keep it,” Pacquiao said. He said he has to fight again to earn a living. “Boxing is my main source of income. I can’t rely on my salary as public official. I’m helping the family of my wife and my own family, as well. Many people also come to me to ask for help and I just couldn’t ignore them,” he said.
Implementing rules for FOI out in November by Giovanni
nilles
Philstar.com
MANILA – People looking forward to scrutinize government records and transactions may have to wait until Nov. 4 when the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the executive order on Freedom of Information will finally be released. Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said his office, which is tasked by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea to create the IRR, is done with creating the template for the manual of implementation, which will be distributed to all agencies under the executive department today. However, it is still waiting for the list of exemptions to what people can access through the FOI. The Office of the Solicitor General and the Department of Justice are working on the exemption list. Among the information that can be withheld from the public are those relating to intelligence reports and matters affecting national
security. “We expect to receive the exemption list on August 29. The final IRR will be out on November 4,” Andanar said in an interview over dzRB. For more than three decades, there has been a clamor for access to information on government transactions and records, with several Congresses submitting various versions of an FOI bill. None of the proposals was approved into law. President Duterte, who promised a clean government, issued the FOI executive order last month. However, it is only valid for “all government offices under the executive branch including, but not limited to, the national government and all its offices, departments, bureaus, offices and instrumentalities like government-owned and -controlled corporations, state universities and colleges.” Local government units are encouraged to observe and be guided by the order. All the offices should grant and
release the request for information within 15 days. So far, the order said “information” refers to any records, documents, papers, reports, letters, contracts, minutes and transcripts of official meetings, map, books, photos, data, research materials, films, sound and video recording (magnetic or other tapes), electronic data, computer store data or similar data or materials recorded, stored or archived. Signal for Congress Meanwhile, BIBLEMODE president and former Manila congressman Benny Abante said Malacañang’s executive order for FOI should serve as a signal for Congress to finally enact a law that will serve as the pillar of good governance. Abante, who authored the FOI bill in the 14th Congress in 2010, hailed President Duterte’s bold move to pre-empt Congress into passing the FOI bill that should promote greater transparency, accountability and citizen participation in governance.
DU30 can still change course... PAGE A6 level of public conversation across the nation. Since July 1, the history of his first 50 days in office has been written in one running headline about police killings of suspected drug runners in slippers and about his verbal attacks on the most “benign” personalities and institutions—one supposedly gay foreign ambassador, two women officials of the government, the Catholic Church, the media, and
the UN. The nation has to have a little more sunlight and breathe some fresh air. Life in an open society is best lived, in purely secular terms, in search of beauty and meaning. The true and the good make for the beautiful. If we cannot avoid the morally impermissible, we should at least strive to associate ourselves with the aesthetically suitable. Dostoevsky has argued that beauty will save the world, and Victor Frankl has taught us to
imitate his own search for meaning. In all of this, the State must be a faithful partner of the citizen. But the mantle of violence and ugliness that now shrouds the nation will prevent this from happening. This must give way to something more humanly fulfilling. This is what people expect when they hear DU30’s promise that “change is coming.” Otherwise, they might simply respond, “Keep the change.” (ManilaTimes.net)
NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • AUgUSt 26-SEPtEMBER 1, 2016
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ABISO TUNGKOL SA LUNGSOD NG ALAMEDA BLOKENG GAWAD SA PAGPAPAUNLAD NG KOMUNIDAD (COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT-CDBG) / HOME FY 2015-2016 PAG-UULAT NG PAGSASAGAWA Ang Lungsod ng Alameda ay magsusumite na kanilang Blokeng Gawad sa Pagpapaunlad ng Komunidad FY 2015-16 Pinagsamang Pag-uulat ng Taunang Pagsasagawa at Pagsusuri (Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report-CAPER) sa Kagawarang Pederal ng Pabahay at Urban na Pagsasagawa sa Setyembre 28, 2016. Ang CAPER ay nagbibigay ng pinansyal at impormasyon sa operasyon sa mga aktibidad sa Blokeng Gawad sa Pagpapaunlad ng Komunidad (CDBG) / HOME at nagsusuri ng isang malawak na hanay ng iba pang pabahay, komunidad, at aktibidad sa pagsusulong sa ekonomiya para sa panahon ng Hulyo 1, 2015 hanggang Hunyo 30, 2016. Ang layunin ng abisong ito ay upang gawin ang CAPER na mga pag-uulat na mabatid para sa pampublikong komento. Ang CAPER ay magagamit para sa pampublikong pag-susuri sa opisina ng Klerk ng Lungsod, ng Awtoridad sa Pabahay, at lahat ng mga aklatan ng Lungsod ng Alameda mula Setyembre 1 hanggang Setyembre 15, 2016, at ang mga mamamayan ay inaanyayahan at hinihikayat na magbigay ng mga komento. Ang CAPER ay makukuha sa website ng Awtoridad sa Pabahay, www.alamedahsg.org. Mga nakasulat na mga komento tungkol sa mga aktibidad ng CDBG/HOME at ng CAPER tatanggapin mula 5:00 p.m. sa Setyembre 15, 2016 sa City of Alameda Housing Authority, 701 Atlantic Avenue, Alameda, CA 94501, o sa pamamagitan ng email kay Rosemary Valeska, rvaleska@alamedahsg.org. Para sa karagdagang impormasyon sa abisong to, tumawag sa (510) 747-4316 (tinig) o (510) 522-7538 (TDD).
MGA TADHANA PARA SA MGA TAONG MAY KAPANSANAN Kung ang sinumang taong may interes sa paglahok sa programang Blokeng Gawad sa Pagpapaunlad ng Komunidad (Community Development Block Grant-CDBG) / HOME at isang taong may kapansanan gaya ng nilinaw ng Seksiyon 504 ng Batas ng 1974 sa Rehabilitasyon na nag-aatas ng isang kaluwagan upang lumahok o magkainteres, na ang tao ay dapat gumawa ng kahilingan para sa kaluwagan kay Rosemary Valeska, (510) 7474316 o magpadala ng email sa rvaleska@alamedahsg.org. Ang naturang kahilingan ay dapat kabilang ang isang paglalarawan ng kaluwagang hinahangad, kasama ang isang pahayag ng kapansanan na nangangailangan ng kaluwagan. Anumang kahilingan para sa kaluwagan ay dapat suriin at ang isang sagot ay ipagkaloob sa loob ng limang araw ng trabaho pagkatapos matanggap ang naturang kahilingan. Ang paunawa ng anumang kaluwagan na iginawad ay agad ipagkakaloob sa humiling. Mangyaring kontakin ang Lungsod sa (510) 747-4316 (Tinig), (510) 522-8467 (TDD), o email rvaleska@alamedahsg.org upang humiling ng anumang ibang makatwirang mga kaluwagan na maaaring kailangan. Ang tagapag-ugnay ng Seksiyon 504 ng CDBG/HOME ay si Vanessa Cooper. Si Ms. Cooper ay makakausap sa (510) 747-4325 o vcooper@alamedahsg.org. Ang isang kopya ng 504 na pamamaraan sa karaingan ng Lungsod ay matatagpuan online sa www.alamedahsg.org.
MGA TADHANA PARA SA MGA RESIDENTENG HINDI NAGSASALITA NG INGLES Ang Lungsod ng Alameda ay may ugnayan ng mga empleyadong nagsasalita ng 45 wika na maaaring kumilos bilang mga tagasalin para sa mga residente na naghahangad ng impormasyon na nauukol sa mga programa ng CDBG/HOME. Kung binigyan ng paunawa nang maaga ng limang araw ng trabaho, makikipag-ayos ang Lungsod upang makakuha ng isang interpreter. Mangyaring kontakin ang Lungsod sa (510) 747-4316 (Tinig), (510) 5228467 (TDD), o email rvaleska@alamedahsg.org.
PATAKARANG WALANG-DISKRIMINASYON Ang Lungsod ng Alameda ay hindi nagdidiskrimina laban sa anumang mga tao dahil sa lahi, kulay, relihiyon, bansang pinagmulan, angkan, seks, kasarian, kinikilalang kasarian, pagpapahayag ng kasarian, oryentasyong sekswal, katayuang marital, katayuang pampamilya, pinagkukunan ng kita, henetikong impormasyon, kondisyong medikal, kapansanang pisikal o kapansanan ng isipan, o anumang ibang kategoryang protektado ng batas.
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august 26-sEPtEMBER 1, 2016 • NORCaL asIaN JOuRNaL
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Your Immigration Solution GreGory J. Boult and nancy Miller MANY individuals seeking an immigration benefit in the United States encounter inexplicably long delays in receiving a final decision on a pending application or petition. Too often, individuals who find themselves experiencing such a delay are frustrated and uncertain as to what, if anything, can be done to pry loose their case and get a decision. Many simply resign themselves to waiting for the government to act. However, there are options beyond simply waiting indefinitely. One such option is to sue the government in the United States District Court (USDC) aka federal court. Not all petitions and applications for immigration benefits in the United States are processed in the same fashion. Some petitions or applications require interviews. And no decision is made until all the applicant’s files are located and given to the adjudicating officer. As a result, some cases will naturally take longer than others. However, that does not mean that United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) has carte blanche to take as long as it sees fit to process a request for a benefit. Ultimately, there comes a point in time when a petition or application has simply been pending too long. And while administrative means exist to follow-up a pending matter with USCIS, often such action yields little or no results. It is at this point in time when an individual should consider exercising his or her rights in federal court. When an individual files a petition or an application for an immigration benefit, there is an expectation and a requirement that the government will timely process the submission. In effect, the government cannot simply let an application or petition languish – the government must make a decision within a reasonable period of time. USCIS posts
NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 26-SEPTEMBER 1, 2016
CJ
Journal Ending the long wait: Suing the government when it fails to timely act its normal processing time on its official website. These processing times typically state how many months it is currently taking to process various petitions and applications at its numerous offices. When a petition or an application is pending beyond its posted processing time, it is appropriate to consider additional action, including a lawsuit in federal court. Unreasonable delays and erroneous actions by the U.S government are nothing new. In fact, Congress passed the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) in 1946 to deal with these same problems. This act was specially designed as a “bill of rights” for individuals who have been aggrieved by certain conduct by the government. Specifically, the APA entitles individuals to sue the government when it unlawfully withholds action or when it unreasonably delays action. As an agency of the government, USCIS can be sued by an individual when it unlawfully withholds action, or unreasonably delays action, in rendering a decision on an individual’s pending petition or application. In addition to suing the government under the APA, an individual can also seek to compel the government to act upon an unreasonably delayed petition or application through a lawsuit for a Writ of Mandamus. When filing a Writ of Mandamus in federal court, an individual must establish a clear and certain claim, an administrative duty which is plainly prescribed, and establish that no other administrative remedy through governmental process is available. In most instances this legal standard is met by showing the unreasonable delay by USCIS. While a Writ of Mandamus is a separate and distinct legal action from one undertaken under the APA, the result sought in both of these types of actions is identical - to compel
the government to act when it has failed to do so in a reasonable period of time. Unfortunately, too many individuals who are victims of unreasonable delays by the government are unaware of their rights or afraid to exercise them. However, prompt action can save months or even years of unnecessary waiting. Filing a U.S. District Court action for relief under the APA or a complaint for a Writ of Mandamus are both very effective in compelling USCIS to act on an unreasonably delayed petition or application. It is important to note that neither an action under the Administrative Procedures Act nor a Writ of Mandamus orders USCIS to make a specific decision. The U.S. District Court Judge orders the USCIS to make a decision. That in itself is beneficial because, even if the decision is not positive, the applicant may be able to appeal it or renew it in another venue. An action seeking that the federal court Judge order USCIS to make a specific decision is called a complaint for declaratory relief. Some delay is a normal part of the process when dealing with the federal government but inordinate delays are not. An experienced and knowledgeable immigration attorney can help get your case “unstuck”. *** Reeves Miller Zhang & Diza is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration firms in the United States with offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Manila. For more Information please call (800) 795-8009 or visit www.rreeves.com. Telephone: (800) 795-8009 E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com Website: www.rreeves.com. *** The analysis and suggestions offered in this column do not create a lawyer-client relationship and are not a substitute for the personalized representation that is essential to every case. (Advertising Supplement)
by Mary
grace Philstar.com
Padin
MANILA, Philippines — Months after the fire that devastated Mount Apo, the Department of Tourism (DOT) is eyeing to develop new products and activities that would revive tourism in the area. DOT Region 12 director Nelly Dillera told The STAR a team from North Cotabato and Davao del Sur is set to go on a mission in Malaysia to explore ideas on new tourism products that can
apply to Mount Apo’s base. “A team will go to Malaysia to study what activities we can offer at the bottom of Mount Apo, since we can’t open the summit yet,” Dillera said in an interview. “We also want to benchmark, because Mount Kinabalu in Malaysia has been generating thousands of visitors every year, we also want that to happen in Mount Apo,” she said. Mount Apo is currently under a rehabilitation program from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
“A lot of opportunities are being wasted because it is closed. But the entry points, which are located at the base of the mountain, are already destinations in themselves. So why can’t we promote those areas down the mountain?” Dillera said, referring to New Israel, Lake Agco, Tawsuvan Falls in North Cotabato. She said the DOT is also looking into offering short climbs along the mountain’s base. “We are exploring the possibility of offering trekking activi-
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IMF to raise Philippine growth forecast by Lawrence
agcaoiLi Philstar.com
MANILA, Philippines — The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is set to raise the country’s economic growth projection for 2016 after a stronger than expected growth in the second quarter. IMF resident representative Shanaka Jayanath Peiris said the IMF resident representative Shanaka Jayanath multilateral lender is set to raise Peiris said the multilateral lender is set to the country’s gross domestic raise the Philippines’s gross domestic product product (GDP) growth forecast. (GDP) growth forecast. Philstar file photo The economy grew seven per-
cent in the second quarter from the revised 6.8 percent in the first quarter on the back of election-related spending. This brought to 6.9 percent the GDP growth in the first half from 5.5 percent in the same period last year. “The second quarter GDP outturn in the Philippines was somewhat faster than anticipated in our six percent growth forecast for 2016. Therefore, we will mostly likely be revising up our growth forecast for the Philip-
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AUGUST 26-SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
The CTV Files Atty. LiLLi B. BAcuLi JAMES had just finished with his Adjustment of Status interview based on the immigrant petition of his wife, Kimberly. At the end of the interview, they were given a piece of paper entitled “Removal of Conditional Status” and the Immigration Officer made them both sign. A year-and-a-half later, Kimberly filed for divorce and left James. Closing in on the 2-year anniversary of their marriage, James is wondering what is the “conditional status” that was given to him, and what does it mean now that he and Kimberly are divorced? Under the Immigration and Nationality Act Section 216, a non-citizen spouse and his/her non-citizen son(s) or daughter(s) “shall be considered, at the time of obtaining the status of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence, to have obtained such status on a conditional basis . . . ” Section 216 goes on to state that there is a notice requirement: “At
Community Journal
Conditional green card: What it is and what to do the time an alien spouse or alien son or daughter obtains permanent resident status on a conditional basis . . . the Attorney General shall provide for notice to such a spouse, son, or daughter respecting the provisions of this section and the requirements of subsection (c)(1) to have the conditional basis of such status removed.” What is a conditional permanent resident status? A conditional permanent resident status means that a non-citizen foreign national has obtained the status of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence as an immediate relative spouse of a citizen of the United States, as the fiancé/e of a citizen of the United States, or as the spouse of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence, by virtue of a marriage entered into less than 24 months before the date the status was obtained by virtue of the marriage. What is the notice requirement? Under the Act, the Attorney General shall provide notice at the time a non-citizen spouse
or son or daughter obtains permanent resident status on a conditional basis. This notice is usually provided at the time of the Adjustment interview or upon entry into the United States under an immigrant visa as an immediate relative spouse of a citizen of the United States, or as the spouse of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence. Requirements of timely petition and interview for removal of condition. In order for the conditional basis of a non-citizen spouse or a non-citizen son or daughter to be removed, the non-citizen spouse and the petitioning spouse jointly must submit to the Attorney General a petition which requests the removal of such conditional basis. The petition must be filed during the 90-day period before the second anniversary of the non-citizen spouse’s obtaining the status of lawful admission for permanent residence. The interview for this petition shall be conducted within 90 days after the date of submitting the petition.
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Take a stand, you all! Fight for dear life
Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAgLAyA (Part 1 of 2 parts)
IF there is one issue aside from the fearsome economic downturn we are currently experiencing that must be given due attention particularly during this election season, it is the issue of ABORTION that all God-fearing and /or God-loving citizens everywhere across the nation should fully engage in. As a dyed-in-the-wool Catholic conservative in agreement with millions of Christian evangelicals in many parts of the country, I staunchly believe that the gift of life is from God and that life begins at the moment of conception. For me personally, there can be no equivocation on this issue. Abortion is nothing less than the murder of innocents — a most grievous offense against the Holy Spirit from whom all life emanates. It is the duty of all who hold human life sacred to fight for it and uphold moral laws that guarantee the life of future generations. It’s not easy to stick your neck out these days particularly with the so-called intellectual pundits of the liberal media spewing bile and sarcasm over those who believe differently, relying on their Ivy League credentials for their authoritative take on social mores. It takes courage that comes from deep down to confront the issue of immorality that has become so pervasive and ingrained in popular culture, we can drown in it just by switching on the television or watching the movies. The scripts and the stories on TV are skewed towards political correctness, rather than what is true, good and moral, while most pander to the least common denominator in order to serve the largest demographics and the biggest markets all for the sake of profit.
“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
— Edmund Burke
It does not help that our scandal-plagued churches and political and religious leaders appear to have lost the moral high ground. The voice that once seemed so sure and resonant in matters affecting life, is lost in the din and cacophony of so much chatter. The task seems overwhelming. As daunting a challenge as it is, the wholesale murder of innocents must be addressed. The family unit, which was once the cornerstone of a strong society, has to be revived and energized to take charge of a child’s upbringing — not society, not government, and certainly NOT media. A moral grounding that starts from childhood, nurtured in the teen years and blossoming in adult life is basic in order to see through the twisted and depraved logic of political correctness and pervasive immorality that afflicts many nations in the world today and confront these evils head on. The moral issue of abortion far transcends any earthly concerns. The battered economy made worse by the rampant, mindblowing corruption in the finance industry and in government at the highest levels, the war on terror, national security, taxes, energy independence, global warming, health care— all these are important issues of our time. But as history will attest, all these will be overcome in due time. Our problems in the material world will find resolution and eventually come to pass. This issue is fundamental to our humanity and our connection to divinity. Our decision to take it down or uphold it, will reverberate for centuries beyond our time.
Abortion strikes at the root of our essence as human beings. It is pure evil. Without action on our parts to confront this, it will prevail. As Edmund Burke once said, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” This is a call to fight for the unborn — the most defenseless of all creatures, a call to preserve the life of a thinking, feeling, spiritual being in human form. Estimates of the number of abortions in this country alone have reached way past the 48 million mark, the population of a small country. Worldwide, the figures could be staggering. China, one of the economically advantaged nations of the world today, is beginning to pay the price for its one-child policy that has brought on a serious and detrimental societal imbalance in its male-to-female ratio, in a culture that puts a higher stock on sons. With the recent accidental discovery near the Ural Mountains of discarded, plastic vats of 250 near full-term human embryos mummified and preserved in formaldehyde still with tags of the mother’s name on some of the babies’ legs, it is even possible to guess that some scientists have been experimenting or conducting studies in the name of research and disposing of the evidence as biological waste. The sale of fetal body parts by Planned Parenthood for research purposes is a horrific offense against all of humanity. (To be continued) *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com
Business News Faeldon: Customs may miss P406billion revenue target this year by Christina
Mendez
Philstar.com
MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs might have difficulties in reaching its P406billion revenue target for 2016, Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faledon said on Monday, August 22. Faeldon explained that the BOC cannot sacrifice its other mandates of border security and trade facilitation to pursue revenue targets. “In the past 30 years — 20 years — there is only one year that the bureau has hit the target. Okay? We should understand that,” he said in a press briefing in Malacañang. “So, this year, is not an ordinary year. It’s a normal year for the BOC, meaning it’s behind the target. Now, in the first semester, two quarters, it’s how many percent below the target and then we are picking up in this month. So, hoping we can recover up to December,” he said. “But if that’s the direction of the correction, we are improving in this month but in July it’s very low, as low as the other months of the year,” he said. Bribery charges Meanwhile, Faeldon said, the BOC has investigated the case of a member of the Customs police for allegedly getting payoffs from certain individuals who have dealings with the agency. “We have also have a strong case against one of our employees, the name is Customs Police Captain Arnel Baylosis. Four individuals who have direct transactions with him testified through
Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon at a press conference with President Rodrigo Duterte during the election campaign. Philstar file photo
affidavit that previously -- Since 2012, they have been giving bribe money,” he said. He said the bribe, called ‘tara’ among Customs insiders, ranged from P100 million to P220 million a month. He said that his office has referred the Baylosis case to the Department of Justice for investigation. “That’s so far as our effort to curb corruption in the bureau is concerned. We now have a very strong case against this individual,” he said. Revenue enhancement measures The Bureau of Customs early this month created a committee tasked with making sure that the agency will meet its target revenue of P498 billion in collections for this year. “We will work hard to at least reach the target but it’s really one --- just one of the mandates of the bureau,” he said. “I think it’s do-
able. It depends on our ability to address the other issues, that we improve the revenue collection,” Faeldon said. “You know, when you talk about BOC, some people really try to rate the performance of the BOC on the revenue collection. We can bring in a lot of commodities and reach the target but we might sacrifice our mandate of border security,” he said. Faeldon issued Customs Personnel Order (CPO) No. D-232016, creating the Committee on Revenue Enhancement (CORE), on August 2. The committee is expected to help the agency bolster its revenue collection efforts. He noted that the BOC failed to attain its annual targets for revenue collection in the past years. In 2015, it posted a total collection of only P367.534 billion – 15.8 percent short of the P436.592-
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IMF to raise Philippine growth…
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better. “The Philippine economy is doing very strongly despite external headwind of the trade slowdown and the added market volatility and the recent Brexit,” Sumi said. Despite the strong growth, inflation remained manageable and is still below the two to four percent target set by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). Inflation averaged 1.4 percent in the first seven months of the year after hitting 1.9 percent in July. IMF welcomed the plan of Duterte administration to raise
the budget ceiling to three percent of GDP instead of two percent of GDP to be able to increase infrastructure spending. The 10-point reform agenda of President Rodrigo Duterte, according to IMF, would anchor policy formulation and structural transformation over the medium term. “The continued solid growth in 2016, despite the external headwinds, is due in part to fiscal stimulus and supporting monetary conditions,” Sumi said. The IMF mission said the seven to eight percent GDP growth would be attainable for the Philippines. team would also explore talks The Development Budget CoPAGE CJ1 t ties, around two or three hours. with their Malaysian counter- ordination Committee (DBCC) Of course, just within the base of parts to form a partnership. recently lowered the GDP growth Mount Apo. We still can’t go to Mount Apo is the highest projection for the Philippines to the summit,” the official said. mountain in the Philippines with a range of six to seven percent Aside from doing research and an elevation of 2,954 meters instead of 6.8 to 7.8 percent this benchmarking, Dillera said the above sea level. n year. n pines in the next round of revisions,” Peiris said. Last July, the IMF retained the country’s GDP growth forecast at six percent amid the external headwinds brought about by the volatile global financial markets. IMF mission head Chikahisa Sumi earlier said the Philippines is likely to survive the impact of the volatility in the global financial markets. Sumi said the Philippine economy has performed well but there is still room to do even
DOT jumpstarts Mt. Apo…
Community Journal
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Filing a new fraud waiver if your first one is denied
Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ DEAR Atty. Gurfinkel: I entered the US under an assumed name. When I filed for adjustment of status, I had to file a fraud waiver (Form I – 601). Unfortunately, USCIS denied my fraud waiver along with my adjustment of status application. I am so depressed and want to know if there is anything I can do, or if there is hope with my case. Please help. Very truly yours, L.S. Dear L.S.: If a person commits fraud or a “material misrepresentation,” the person is ordinarily required to submit a fraud waiver, waiver of inadmissibility, or form I–601, basically asking USCIS to “forgive” them, based on the “extreme hardship” being suffered by the person’s spouse or parent who is a US citizen or lawful permanent resident (qualifying relative). In some cases, the fraud waiver is denied, usually because the person has not demonstrated sufficient evidence of extreme hardship on their qualifying relative. At that point, the person has the option of either appealing the denial to the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) in Washington DC, or filing a new fraud waiver, with a stronger and better package or presentation of extreme hardship on a qualifying relative,
including any new evidence of hardship factors (e.g. recently diagnosed illness, loss of job, death in the family) which were not previously submitted. If the person appeals to the AAO, they’re limited to the “record on appeal,” or the same showing of extreme hardship they made to the USCIS officer. If their presentation or packaging was not strong enough, then their chances of winning on appeal are greatly reduced. In addition, it can sometimes take years for the AAO to decide an appeal. An alternative is filing a new fraud waiver, with a stronger presentation and perhaps new evidence of additional extreme hardship factors on qualifying relatives. I have had many people come to me with denied fraud waivers, and in evaluating whether to appeal or file a new fraud waiver, the original presentation was very weak and sparse, with hardly any evidence of extreme hardship. In those cases, it might be a waste of time to file an appeal, as it is likely to be denied. Instead, we filed new fraud waivers, with stronger showings of extreme hardship on the qualifying relative. Fortunately, those new fraud waivers were approved. Now I am not guaranteeing that if you file a new fraud waiver, it will be approved. It all depends on the facts of the case, and if the evidence of extreme hardship is properly packaged
and presented. But sometimes a better packaged “new” fraud waiver could be more productive than appealing the denial of a poorly presented original fraud waiver. And remember, nothing in the law forbids a person from filing a new fraud waiver if the original one is denied. If your fraud waiver was denied, seek the advice of an attorney, who can evaluate your situation, and determine the best course of action-- whether to appeal or file a new fraud waiver. And if a new fraud waiver is to be filed, make sure it is properly packaged and you have a very strong evidence of extreme hardship on your qualifying relative. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel is licensed, and an active member of the State Bar of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different. The information contained herein including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and reenactments) is of a general nature, and is not intended to apply to any particular case, and does not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorneyclient relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: (866)—GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)
Business News
Railways, roads, bridges and ports part of the plan
by Mayvelin
U. Caraballo ManilaTimes.net
THE Duterte administration is set to launch five infrastructure projects ex-pected to decongest Metro Manila road traffic. The projects are: The North-South Railway Project (NSRP)-South Line; the Metro Manila Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)EDSA project; Bonifacio Global City (BGC)-Ortigas link bridge; common station for MRT 3, LRT 1, and MRT 7; and, the use of the Batangas and Subic ports. The Infrastructure Committee has specified measures to urgently address Metro Manila’s traffic crisis and decongest the city, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said in a press conference in Malacañang on Tuesday, August 22. The projects will be carried out in partnership with private sector. Road traffic congestion in Metro Manila cost the country at least P3 billion a day, according to a study that Japan International Cooperation agency conducted in 2012. Two of the projects—NSRP South Lane and BRT-EDSA—alone
America
ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS St. Margaret Mary Parish Luau The St. Margaret Mary Parish will celebrate their Annual Luau on August 27 at the SMM Parish Hall on 12686 Central Ave., Chino, California. Music will be provided by The Midnight Motion Duo. For more information, please call SMM Filipino Ministry President - (909) 315-9812, Adel Rellora.
Startup Business Expo Tour (with Tagalog translation) Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Office in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration invites you to the 2016 Startup Business Expo Tour. The series of events is intended to help startups, small businesses, entertainment and production companies, food services, event planners, home-based businesses, entrepreneurs, fashion & beauty businesses, e-commerce, accounting services, cleaning services, consultants, childcare and more! Topics include: starting a business in LA, predicting your financial future, choosing a legal entity & access to capital. This event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 6313 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Ste. 2140, Woodland Hills, CA 91367. The event is FREE & open to the public. There will also be free food & refreshments for participants. To RSVP, please visit www.startuptourla.com.
SEPTEMBER 3 Heavy traffic seen at EDSA in Guadalupe, Makati City on Wednesday, August 10. Manilatimes.net photo by DJ Diosina
will cost P238.96 billion. Costing of others is yet to be finalized. According to the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center website, the NSRP, which has an indicative cost of P170.7 billion, aims to revive the railway to provide improved transport and logistics services to currently underserved areas and encourage more productive activities. The proposed NSRP South Line PPP covers Metro Manila to Legazpi City, Albay, plus a number of existing and proposed branch lines totaling 653
kilometers. It consists of commuter railway operations between Tutuban and Calamba and long haul railway operations between Tutuban and Legazpi, including extended long haul rail operations on the branch line between Calamba and Batangas and extension between Legazpi and Matnog. The railway between the existing Tutuban station and the city of Calamba, in the Laguna province is a 56km section of the NSRP and is proposed to have
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by raadee
S. SaUSa ManilaTimes.net
Filipino Association of Leisure World Annual “Luau” The Filipino Association of Leisure World will hold its Annual Hawaiian Luau at the LW Hall (1232 Golden Rain Rd. Seal Beach, California) on Saturday, Sept. 3. Music will be provided by Willie Manacsa & The Midnight Motion Band. Please call the president of the association, Ren Villanueva at (323) 854-6209 for other related questions.
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42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of Peñafrancia United Bicolandia Los Angeles (UBLA) invites everyone, Bicolanos, devotees and friends to come and celebrate the 42nd annual celebration in honor of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, Patroness of the Bicol Region. The festivities will start on Sept. 9, with the translacion at 5pm at the Immaculate of Mary Church (4954 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90029. A nightly novena Mass follows from Sept. 9 to Sept. 16 at 6 PM except on Saturday, Sept. 10, at 3:30 PM and Sunday, Sept. 11, at 2;30 PM and culminates on Saturday, Sept. 17, with the ninth day novena at 8am, foot & fluvial procession at 9 AM, and a Concelebrated Mass at 10 am at Lincoln Park, 3501 Valley Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90031. Main celebrant will be HE Most Rev Arturo Bastes, Bishop of Sorsogon. For details, please call Lanie Berrei (818) 281-3169 or Gene Leano (818) 439-6896.
SEPTEMBER 10
17th annual Asian Small Business Expo The Asian Small Business Expo is the only business-to-business expo that engages the Asian business community and brings this growing economic force into the mainstream to connect and utilize your company and its services. Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with small businesses, market your organization and tap into a network of entrepreneurs, service providers, financial organizations, franchises and governmental and legislative representatives. Admission to the expo is FREE! It will be held on Saturday, Sept. 10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Almansor Court Banquet & Conference Center, 700 S. Almansor St., Alhambra, CA 91801. To register, please visit: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/annual-asiansmall-business-expo-tickets-23824155691. Walk-ins are also welcome on the day of the expo. For more information, please visit www.apisbp.org. 2018 and 2019,” Pinnacle said. “The Philippines is actually doing better than most countries in Southeast Asia,” Pinnacle said. With the hotel sector marking such growth, a trade fair called the Hotel Suppliers Show is scheduled to take place on September 22-24, 2016 at the ground floor of the SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City. This is our response to the volume of requirements needed by the domestic market – a one-stop shop sourcing platform to link up suppliers, developers, stakeholder, and buyers, said event chair
Liza Hernandez. “From the front desk to the back of house, to the kitchens, to the furniture, and to housekeeping, Hotel Suppliers Show has it all covered,” she said. The show, a joint project of the Chamber of Furniture Industries of the Philippines (CFIP) and GlobalLink Exhibitions Specialist Inc. (GESI), will bring together a comprehensive expo, Food & Beverage Suppliers Show, and Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment Philippines. Some 200 exhibitors and 500 brands from top international and local companies will take part in this event. n
Faeldon: Customs may miss P406…
billion target. The committee has been tasked with scrutinizing the daily performance of 17 Customs collection districts, identify loopholes in collections and suggest solutions for them, study and formulate strategies to maximize revenue collection, and guide assessment officials on how to maximize collection efforts and surpass targets. BOC, which oversees the collection of Customs revenues from air and sea ports, is the second-largest revenue-collecting agency in the country.
Calendar of Events across
SEPTEMBER 1
Hotel boom likely to continue five years THE Philippine hotel industry is expected to see continuous growth in the next five years as top players and hotel brands pursue their respective expansion projects, according to the latest Market Insight report of Pinnacle Real Estate Consulting Services Inc. Industry players continue to pursue their respective expansion projects. For instance, Pinnacle said Filinvest Group is beefing up its hotel portfolio and expects to reach 5,000 guestrooms by 2020 from 1,063 guestrooms at present in Alabang and Cebu. The Filinvest Group’s Chroma Hospitality, which offers hotel management services, is investing P2.6 billion into a 228-room Canvas Hotel in Cubao and a 185room Canvas Hotel in Mactan. “Filinvest is also bringing to the market a Crimson Hotel in Boracay; Quest Hotels in Dumaguete and Tagaytay; Canvas Hotels and Resorts in Cubao, Mactan, and Cebu City; and a Serulyan condotel in Mactan. These hotels will open between
ENCORE EPISODE: ANOTHER “DEATH OF DOMA” SUCCESS STORY ON A SPECIAL EPISODE OF ‘CITIZEN PINOY.’ Benny (center) found love in Tom (right) after the most challenging experiences in life. After watching “Citizen Pinoy’s” special episode on another LGBT couple, they consulted with leading US immigration attorney Michael Gurfinkel who paved the way for their union. As Tom’s spouse, Benny could be petitioned and get a green card. Watch this inspiring love story on a special encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday, Aug. 28 at 6:15 pm (PST) on TFC.
AU G U ST 27
Gov’t picks 5 schemes to decongest MM
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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 26-SEPTEMBER 1, 2016
First 50 days Faeldon said the bureau has accomplished much during the first 50 days of the Duterte administration. Among those are the confiscation of 11 packs of suspected shabu from a passenger from Hongkong last July 20, the discovery of various high-caliber firearms in a balikbayan box last July 19, and the implementation of various alert orders. “That’s why we have these balikbayan boxes inspected, we have controlled the delivery of these 10 high-powered firearms to make sure that we will not just
bring in commodities here so that we can hit the target at the same time we [do not] sacrifice one of our mandates, that is border security,” he said. “So if you are going to rate the Bureau of Customs based on the tariff or the revenue collection performance alone, then you will be missing two mandates that’s border security and trade facilitation,” he said. Faeldon has also ordered the installation of CCTV systems at the main Customs office in Manila, and in major ports in the country. n
SEPTEMBER 16
CAC to celebrate Town Fiesta The Cabatuan Association of California will celebrate their Annual Town Fiesta in honor of their Patron Saint, San Nicolas de Tolentino on September 10, 2016 with a mass at 11:00 am at Nati Matitu-Mercado’s residence - 15255 Knapp St. North Hills, CA, 91343. Please invite four friends and relatives. Music will be provided by Willie Manacsa. For other inquiries, please call Esoy Tavarro, president, (714) 797-0073; Sally Bilbao, adviser (951) 8785589; Boboy Mosqueda, adviser (714) 519-8973; or Nati Matitu-Mercado, adviser at (818) 894-5142.
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
Conditional green card: What it is…
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Waiver in certain cases. Failure to remove conditions on residence will result in the termination of the permanent resident status of the non-citizen foreign national, and s/he will be put in removal proceedings. In certain situations where the non-citizen spouse is unable to file the petition jointly with his/her petitioning spouse, a waiver might be applicable. A waiver may apply if a non-citizen spouse is able to demonstrate that extreme hardship would result; the qualifying marriage was entered into in good faith but the marriage has been terminated and the noncitizen spouse was not at fault in failing to meet the removal of
condition requirements; or the qualifying marriage was entered into in good faith and during the marriage the non-citizen spouse or child was battered by or was the subject of extreme cruelty perpetrated by the U.S. citizen or permanent resident spouse noncitizen was not at fault in failing to meet the removal of condition requirements. Given the gravity of the consequences for failing to remove conditions on residence, it is important to seek meaningful advice from an experienced immigration attorney well before taking any steps, especially if one is unsure as to the immigration processes. Where there is a threat of being put in removal or
deportation proceedings, an immigration attorney specializing in deportation defense would be able to provide the most beneficial advice in a situation. *** Atty. Lilli Berbano Baculi is an associate attorney with Chua Tinsay & Vega, A Professional Legal Corporation (CTV) - a full service law firm with offices in San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento and Philippines. The information presented in this article is for general information only and is not, nor intended to be, formal legal advice nor the formation of an attorney-client relationship. Call or e-mail CTV for an in-person or phone consultation to discuss your particular situation and/or how their services may be retained at (619) 955-6277; (415) 4958088; (916) 449-3923; lbaculi@ctvattys. com. For general information visit www.
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AUGUST 26-SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
Business news
WB lauds PH for financial inclusion by Mayvelin
U. Caraballo ManilaTimes.net
THE World Bank has lauded the Philippine’s approach to financial inclusion as it noted that the country’s National Strategy for Financial Inclusion (NSFI) has a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system. National financial inclusion targets, better data availability, and transformative business models to provide financial services, the multilateral lender said in a blog, are helping to accelerate financial inclusion across the globe and in Asia – where more than a billion of unbanked people live. It said countries set national financial inclusion goals to increase the pace and impact of reforms. For this to be effective, it’s critical to have in place a robust M&E system to track progress, identify obstacles, and demonstrate success. However, it is often difficult to evaluate and track the extent and quality of the national financial inclusion strategy implementation, and to aggregate the results of multiple actions at the national level the World Bank pointed out. Nevertheless, the Philippines, it said, “has adopted a fresh approach to this challenge by designing a comprehensive M&E system that will report on headline and national-level indicators, as well as track progress of the regional and program-level performance indicators.” Launched in July last year, the NSFI envisions a financial system that is accessible and responsive to the financial needs of all Filipinos, and provides a well- coordinated framework for public private coordination and coop-
eration as well as harmonization of efforts in financial inclusion. “The Philippines has pioneered a unique approach to gather relevant data on activities, inputs and indicators to enable collaborative reporting by the various implementing agencies [of the NSFI],” the lender stated. Between 2011 and 2014, it noted that the Philippines improved access to bank accounts by 4 percentage points, resulting in some 2.7 million adults gaining access to formal financial services. Through NSFI working groups, the World Bank noted, the BSP devised reporting templates for each implementing agency. It then used consolidated inputs on activities the agencies developed and indicators they selected to develop the M&E system. These inputs include performance-level activities and indicators that agencies can regularly report, and can be used to monitor national progress, as well as the granular activity-level progress on implementation, it said. “This approach ensures that each agency has ownership and accountability of its commitments to implement NFIS activities and report indicators,” it added. As a result, the lender said
Gov’t picks 5 schemes to…
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commuter rail operations in addition to long haul rail operations of NSRP. This section represents an existing Philippines National Railway (PNR) right-of-way (ROW) which runs through Metro Manila. Currently, the NSRP has a narrow gauge railway. However, the PPP Center said extensive rehabilitation and reconstruction is needed to bridges and road crossings to bring it to safe operating condition. Meanwhile, the Metro Manila BRT-EDSA, is a rapid transit infrastructure of 48.6km through EDSA, Ayala Avenue, Ortigas-
EMPLOYMENT
BGC, and Ninoy Aquino International Airport with 63 stations. It will add accessibility infrastructure like greenways, pedestrian walkways, and bikeways. The total project cost is estimated at P68.26 billion, of which public sector component is P37.76 billion, with an implementation schedule of 2017 to 2019. The bridge that will link Bonifacio Gobal City (BGC) in Taguig City and Ortigas Center in Pasig City will include vehicular underpasses below the Makati Business District. “The immediate implementation of the Bonifacio Global CityOrtigas link bridge… is expected
agencies are not expected to implement activities or report indicators that are out of their control, are difficult to manage or require additional funding. “This collaborative and consultative approach has allowed the Philippines to develop an M&E system to easily collect inputs for NSFI,” it said. NSFI, the World Bank noted, has also helped the country avoid many potential issues such as gaps in data, a lack of ownership or accountability of specific NSFI actions, or challenges in tracking activity-level implementation. The NSFI secretariat can clearly map activities, progress and indicators of each implementing agency and act pro-actively where needed, it noted. “This approach creates a solid and practical foundation for the successful implementation of NSFI activities and a comprehensive evaluation system that monitors the performance, implementation and national progress of the NSFI,” it said. Lastly, the World Bank said the unprecedented level of collaboration for NSFI implementation is a good sign for future progress on improving financial inclusion in the Philippines. n to divert 25 percent of the EDSA traffic,” said Pernia. The link bridge will add up to C5, which is located on the east side of Metro Manila. “So we need another one there to add road space for those traveling between the two parts of Metro Manila that is cut by the Pasig River,” he explained. Another, Pernia said, is the early resolution of the Common Station for MRT 3, LRT 1, and MRT 7. “The Department of Public Works and Highways will hand the final configuration of the station to the Department of Transportation,” he said. Lastly, Penia said the InfraCom urges the use of the Batangas and Subic ports to decongest Manila ports. n
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Hit a home run with Social Security
A HOME run is a highlight of any baseball game. The fans cheer with excitement to see a player rocket the ball into the stands. So, what are you doing to prepare for your retirement home run? Your goal should be to get past 1st, 2nd & 3rd base and make it home with a hefty plate of savings. Social Security has many tools to help you achieve financial security. Take the first step and visit www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. The benefit of having a my Social Security account is that it gives you access to your personal Social Security Statement, verification of correct earnings, and an estimate of your early retirement benefits at age 62, full retirement age of 66, and delayed age at 70. We protect your information by using security features and strict identity verification to detect fraud. In several states including
the newly added Idaho, Mississippi, and North Dakota, you can request a replacement Social Security card online. Find out if your state offers the service at www. socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber. In addition to using your personal my Social Security account to prepare for a comfortable
retirement, you can visit www. myra.gov. At myRA, you can access new retirement savings options from the Department of the Treasury. This service is designed for the millions of Americans who struggle with saving for retirement — it’s an easy and
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Dr. Susan Abad Bunag, MD (September 20, 1950 - August 15, 2016)
DR. Susan Abad Bunag (MD - Philippines 1978 and New York 1980) passed away on August 15, 3 p.m. in San Francisco after a long struggle with cancer at the age of 65. On her last breath she was surrounded by her loving family — husband Ramon and son Emmanuel. Susan was born on September 20, 1950 in Manila, Philippines to Faustino and Concepcion Abad of Gapan, Nueva Ecija. Her siblings are Luchie, Tinton, Sixta, Faustino Jr., Enrico, Michael and Wengweng. A graduate of the Far Eastern University-College of Medicine, Susan started her medical practice in the Philippines and continued in New York Medical Center when she went to the United States. After several years, she moved to California where she met her husband, Ramon. She dedicated 27 years working at St. Luke’s Hospital in San Francisco.
EMPLOYMENT
FOSTER HOMECARE
A devout Catholic, Susan was an inspiration to many others during her fight against cancer. She remained optimistic, lighting people’s hearts with her sense of humor. Viewing was done last Tuesday, August 23 and Wednesday, August 24 at Cypress Lawn Funeral HomeTiffany Chapel at 1370 El Camino Real, Colma. Funeral mass and cremation will be on Thursday, August 25. Final viewing for the family is at 9 a.m. Her remains will leave Cypress Lawn and will be transferred at the Our Lady of Mercy Church at 1 Elmwood Drive, Daly City at 9:45 a.m. There will be a funeral mass at 10:30 a.m. After the mass, her body will be cremated at Cypress Lawn. The Abad-Bunag family requests prayers for Susan’s soul that she may rest in peace with God. n
SERVICES
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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 26-SEPTEMBER 1, 2016
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Join the 37th Nursing Convention in South Shore, TX
THE University of the Philippines Nursing Alumni Association International (UPNAAI) will hold its 37th annual education conference and convention on October 14-15, 2016. The UPNAA-Texas Chapter will host this event by at South Shore Harbor Resort and Conference Center located in the Bay Area between Houston and Galveston, Texas. The 2016 convention theme is “Crossing and Closing the Gap: Nursing Then and Now”. The Breakfast Education Conference on October 14th is open to all nurses, members and non-members of UPNAAI. Attendees can expect varied poster presentations and robust discussions on issues related to nursing practice presented by distinguished mem-
bers and will allow you to earn 4.8 CE credits. Avail of the early bird discounted cost of $45 for members or $50 for non-members (includes CEU and breakfast). Attendees will have the opportunity to meet the current J.V. Sotejo Medallion of Honor Awardee and keynote speaker, Ma. Rebecca Galvez Tan. We also have a panel of experts coming from various nursing specialization sharing their respective perspectives on the event theme. The Luncheon General Assembly follows the education conference. You will treated to the famous Texas BBQ buffet. A very popular feature of the convention is the Dinner Dance on October 15th. Come and celebrate UPNAAI’s 37th anniversary and
honor our jubilarians from classes 1956, 1961, 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, and 2011. For more information, visit the upnaai.org website for convention registration, advertisement in the 2016 UPNAAI Yearbook, and booking your room at the venue or at nearby hotels. Avail of the early bird discounted prices on or prior to Sept. 20, 2016. UPNAAI is a nonprofit organization whose members are alumnae of the UPCN and UPPGHSN. Since its foundation in 1979, it held yearly conventions to foster fellowship and provide quality continuing education to the members. (Teresita Carambas Santos / Public Relations Officer, UPNAAI)
The San Francisco Unified Lions Club donated backpacks to the members of the Philippine Softball All Girls team during the recent Pistahan Parade and Festival. The organization gifted the girls for representing the Asia Pacific team representative and for being the champions.
AIASF showcases Recology San Francisco’s Artist in Residence Program in Architecture and the City festival exhibition S A N FRANCISCO, Calif. — The American Institute of Architects, San Francisco (AIASF) and the Center for Architecture + Design San Francisco (CADSF) will host Resilient City: Strength by Design, an exhibition for the Architecture and the City festival Image credit: Abel Rodriguez, The Future of Industrial Man (2011). in collaborato the challenge of creating ortion with Recology San Francisco’s Artist in der from chaos in the world we Residence (AIR) Program during live in today. Understanding that a large percentage of matethe month of September. The exhibition includes over rial found in the public dump is 39 works made by 26 artists dur- comprised of building materials, ing their residencies at Recology the exhibition will illustrate the San Francisco, a 46 acre facility unique realization that architecthat serves as the transfer station ture has the capability to build up for the city of San Francisco. The a city, while simultaneously servRecology AIR Program provides ing as its adversary. AIASF and CADSF commisartists with studio space onsite and access to the public dump sioned a work of art by Erik Otto, where they scavenge for materi- a former artist in resident of the als to make work during their 4- Recology AIR Program, responding to the festival’s theme. Otto’s month residencies. “Our goal is to support Bay residency occurred in 2010 and Area artists while also educat- he has taken this opportunity to ing the public about resource retell his narrative on the world conservation and the amount we live in by showcasing this new of reusable materials that enter work in the upcoming exhibition. “For me, resilience comes our facility,” says program curator Sharon Spain. “Art has the from being able to see an event unique ability to reach people on or challenge I’m facing from an emotional level, so its impact multiple perspectives in order can be very different from what to not get defeated or feel stuck we might experience when read- from trying the same thing the ing about environmental issues.” same way,” artist Erik Otto stated “These bespoke works of art in reference to the project. AIASF and CADSF hope to demonstrate how one man’s waste truly becomes another’s generate discussion and spark treasure,” AIASF and CADSF ex- new commentary regarding the ecutive director Jennifer Jones, every day challenges a city enCAE, IOM, commented. “Recolo- counters when shaping the urban gy’s Artist in Residence program environment. The organizations is truly demonstrative of this also hope to spread awareness year’s festival theme, ‘Resilient of the Recology AIR Program City: Strength by Design,’ and through this display, highlightwe are so pleased to partner with ing the work created over the past 26 years. them on this year’s exhibition.” “Resilient City: Strength by The collection of work relates to the overall festival theme “Re- Design” is currently on view silient City: Strength by Design” through November 18 at the by artists responding positively AIASF + CADSF Gallery, 130 Sut-
HERCULES CYCLING CLUB. Want to get into cycling or looking to ride with a group? Established in August 2013, The Hercules Cycling Club was organized to promote the enjoyment of cycling in our local community. We are a collection of cyclists from different backgrounds and skill levels that organize fun group rides open to everyone, and support events and activities that encourage cycling. Membership is not limited to Hercules City residents, we have members all over the Bay Area including San Francisco, Fremont in the south and Fairfield up north. Safety comes first on our rides, and no one gets dropped nor left behind! For more information on the club and ride schedules, go to www.herculescyclingclub. net or email herculescyclingclub@gmail.com.
Hit a home run with Social…
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safe way to help you take control of your future. myRA is designed for people who don’t have a retirement savings plan through their employer, or are limited from other savings options. If your employer provides a retirement savings plan, such as a 401(k), learn more about that plan’s potential for matching contributions or other benefits. Since myRA isn’t connected to
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ter Street, Ste. 600, San Francisco. There will be an opening reception on Friday, Sept. 9, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. n
State Commissioners commended Ray Satorre last August 18 for his 9 years of unwavering public service as a former outstanding member of the Board of Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors & Geologists, a consumer agency which overseas over 115,000 licensed engineers and geologists-land surveyors in the State of California at the Dept. of Consumer Agency executive offices.
CJ
AUGUST 26-SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160
Friday, August 26, 2016
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cover story The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - August 26, 2016
Building your career:
Tips on how to love what you’re do-
I
t’s not uncommon that we hear people say that they only go to work because they are being paid and that they need the money. Most workers you’ll come across have that mindset and only a few would really honestly say that they love their jobs. the whole concept of getting a job you love and the excitement of working after school wear off fast when reality sets in. Many wonder if there’s such a thing as “going after your passion.” According to a 2014 Global Workforce study by towers Watson, only 4 out of 10 workers are highly engaged. the same year, the Us Department of Labor Department released a survey that showed that Americans are quitting their jobs at the fastest pace since early 2008. For those who have been in and out of the job market too often, they’d tell you that
an inconsistent employment history looks bad on one’s resume. Aside from a potential employer seeing this as a lack of loyalty and possibly an inability to adapt to a new job or work environment, the lack of a career foundation can be detrimental. so is there hope for someone who hates getting up in the morning just because it’s a workday? Kerry Hannon, career transition, retirement and personal finance expert, and author of the book “Love Your Job: the New Rules for Career Happiness” believes that there are a few ways you can fall in love
with your job — even if you don’t like it right now. In an article she wrote for Forbes Magazine, Hannon shared some tips on how to make it work where you are right now: (1) Focus on what you like about your work and ramp it up. Knowing what you like in and about your work can help you get through the tough parts. Weed through the negative things you don’t like, and consider things like your coworkers, opportunities for learning, whatever respect you get and/or any perks — whether free coffee or a 401(k). (2) Kicking boredom out
and making a change. One of the roots of unhappiness at work is boredom. the challenge is gone and there is no drive left to do your best. Making a change — even a small one — can give you more joy at work. Who knows, if the change persists, it can add worth to your job and chances are your boss will notice and reward you According to a finance expert, there are ways you can fall in love with your job — even if you don’t for it. like it right now. Inquirer.net photos Hannon also suggests to sign up for continuing education or professional development programs that your employer may offer. Learning new things turns your mind on, thus keeping boredom at bay. (3) Take out the clutter. Usually when people see unfiled papers on their desks or their inbox overflowing, their energy becomes low. they can’t think properly and the clutter only adds to the stress. Hannon shared that decluttering is liberating and empowering. As career coach Beverly Jones said, “You are saying, ‘this is valuable, this is not.’ It’s a physical, practical way to engage in making decisions about your life and what you isn’t just words. A Gallup poll Whatever and wherever it want to do with it.” found that people who smile may be, try to have a picture (4) Inspire yourself with a and laugh at work are more of that happy place and tape it positive image or view. We all engaged in their jobs. thus, on your office wall or on your have our “happy place,” that the more engaged you are, the desk. It’ll help you transport one image or moment we go happier and more enthusiastic there even for a few minutes back to when we feel down or you’ll be. Plus, laughter is infecand revive your mind. stressed out. It could be that tious — you are not just making (5) Laugh more. Yes, we one sunny day at the beach or yourself feel better, but also the childhood town you grew up get it — how can you laugh if you don’t love what you’re do- your co-workers who may be at. It could be Disneyland or in the same boat just like you. ing. But then again, the saying just your favorite nook at your “Laughter is the best medicine” (AJPress) home.
On retirement and preparing for your ‘nest egg’ By Eric
Anthony LicAs AJPress
NO career lasts forever. However dedicated individuals might be their professions, health and other concerns will eventually limit their ability to work. When that time comes, it is unlikely that seniors will be able to rely on their social security pension to live comfortably in retirement. the social security Administration (ssA) estimates that the average beneficiary receives about $15,600 a year. that leaves about a $20,000 annual shortfall for a retired couple planning to live off of the median household income of about $50,000. Factoring in some interest, they would need to set aside about $450,000 to fund 30 years of retirement. the exact amount a person would need to stop working while living comfortably can vary greatly depending on their intended lifestyle, projected healthcare costs and other expenses. the importance of saving has increasingly resonated with Americans, according to a study released by Bankrate. com on March 28, 2016. their
Sources: (“Foreign-born healthcare workers in the United States”) (“Filipino immigrants in the United States”) from www.migrationpolicy.org and www.pewsocialtrends.org/asianamericans-graphics/filipinos/
research shows that the number of people saving at least 10 percent of their income grew to 28 percent, compared to 24 percent in 2015. Meanwhile, the number of Americans saving 5 percent or less dropped from 28 percent to 21 percent. “the bad news is that 21 percent of employed Americans claim not to be saving any of their paycheck,” said Bankrate. com Chief Financial Analyst, Greg McBride in a statement announcing the study. “Nothing for retirement, nothing for emergencies, and nothing for other financial goals.” Most experts recommend that people begin saving as early as they are able to provide as much time as possible for their wealth to grow, according to a special money and retirement edition of AARP magazine. In addition, the Internal Revenue service (IRs) places limits on how much people can pay each year into an Independent Retirement Account (IRA), 401(k) plan, and other retirement funds. In 2013, 45 percent of working-age households did not have any retirement account
assets, according to a study by the National Institute on Retirement security (NIRs). In order to combat what the NIRs and others have called a retirement savings crisis, lawmakers in California proposed legislation last March 28, that would create a state-operated 401(k) plan, according to the Los Angeles times. senate Bill 1234 calls for the creation of the California secure Choice Retirement plan, which would be available to workers at companies that do not offer savings plans with 5 or more employees. those getting a late start at retirement planning should consider setting aside more of their income by reducing their expenses, according to AARP. Workers over 50 can make catch-up contributions that allow them to pay more into their IRAs each year than younger people. there are also benefits to delaying retirement. Working longer allows more income to contribute to retirement. In addition, social security benefits increase 8 percent for each year a person delays retirement.
According to AARP, Those getting a late start at retirement planning should consider setting aside more of their income by reducing their expenses. Photo from USA.gov
features SF3 The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE – August 26, 2016
The perks of being Liza Soberano By Monet
Lu
SOME people just have it all—beauty, brains and personality—plus the fame and fortune that come with having all three. But if the bearer of “all things beautiful” is as lovely and kind as this lady, I guess the ‘perks’ are thrown at the right person. Liza Soberano is one of the most sought-after stars of her generation. Even as a total standout among her peers, she is very amiable and her simplicity just makes her even more attractive. I admire her beauty and style; and apparently, I am not the only one. Soberano placed 6th in the 26th annual Independent Critics Liza Soberano List of the 100 Most Beautiful rich hoteliers, while Soberano Faces 2015. came from a strawberry-farmThe half-American, half-Fili- ing family. pina actress was born in Santa “Dolce Amore” is now on Clara, California to Filipino its third season and is set to father John Castillo Soberano end in three weeks. and American mother Jac“LIZ” in the LizQuen quelyn Elizabeth Hanley. She loveteam moved to the Philippines at Not only is LizQuen one the age of 10 to be with her of the most popular love father and relatives. She started teams today, they also have as a print ad model at age 12 the chemistry every tandem and was discovered by a talent dream of. Soberano and Gil scout when she was 13. were already friends before Soberano received her first they got paired up by their leading role in the romantic TV network. Incidentally, they comedy television series “Forhave the same handler at Star evermore” in 2014 alongside Magic, which brought them Enrique Gil. even closer. The “Serena Marquesa” of As their friendship got Dolce Amore “deeper and better,” accordAfter the success of “Foring to Gil, their chemistry evermore,” which birthed the became more real on and off loveteam, “LizQuen” (Liza screen. Soberano and Enrique Gil), While Gil has openly admitSoberano graces the TV screens ted his intentions of courting again as she plays the role of Soberano, they both agree Serena Marquesa in the topthat being friends for now is rated primetime series, “Dolce better for them professionally Amore.” and personally. Their “status” Soberano plays the Filipina may have been interpreted as who was adopted by a rich an ‘open door’ by Soberano’s Italian man as an infant. Despite admirers. being raised as a ‘princess,’ Just recently, Grammyshe longs for a simple life, nominated performer Charlie which her adopted mother Puth admitted to having a disapproves. In an attempt to crush on Soberano, as he talks escape her arranged marriage about her during his concert. to her best friend, she travels to Puth invited Soberano to his the Philippines to search for a concert but the latter wasn’t young billionaire who can save able to make it. Last January, her family’s company. While British pop band The Vamps staying in the Philippines, she lead guitarist James McVey meets Tenten (played by Engave a special shoutout to the rique Gil) by accident. He soon Filipino actress. McVey told reveals that he was her childABS-CBN News in an interview, hood pen-pal. “Liza, if you’re watching, I’ll The plot of “Dolce Amore” sing to you tomorrow at the is the opposite of what “Forshow.” evermore” had. In “ForevThe newest Maybelline girl ermore,” their roles were Bold, empowered, and conreversed: Gil played the son of fident – this is what Maybelline
New York is all about. Qualities you can certainly find in Liza Soberano which makes her the perfect fit for Maybelline. On August 3, Maybelline New York officially announced their newest endorser. This marks Soberano’s first global beauty label endorsement. She officially joins the ranks of Gigi Hadid, Jourdan Dunn, Emily Didonato, and more. “I believe that girls should be confident innately, and makeup helps because it gives them the extra boost that they need,” shares Liza, who reveals that confidence is her ultimate beauty secret. Through the years, Liza has risen to become one of the most iconic teen stars in the Philippine industry with contracts and starring roles she can barely count. As the perks of being Liza Soberano continues to pile up, she never stops showing her gratitude and love to her fans and supporters. And while being a “Serena,” “Liz” and Maybelline Girl comes with great responsibility, it certainly comes with so much fun that she ought to enjoy more than anyone. To Liza, more blessings to you. Keep up the good work, you make us all proud! *** Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, awardwinning celebrity beauty stylist with his own chain of Monet Salon salons across Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Ultimately, Monet is known as an all-around artiste who produces sold-out fashion and awards shows as well as unforgettable marketing campaigns. Monet is also the founder of the revolutionary all-natural beauty products such as Enlighten, your solution to discoloration. To contact Monet, please visit www.monetsalon.com or email him at monetsalon@aol.com
Enteng Kabisote keeps going by Lhar
Santiago ManilaTimes.net
AFTEr a six-year break from the annual Metro Manila Film Festival, ace comedian Vic Sotto is bringing back to life his well-loved character of Enteng Kabisote to the big screen anew via “Enteng Kabisote 10 And The Abangers.” Intended for the 2016 MMFF, Vic is so proud of the new “Enteng Kabisote,” which is being directed by two known comedy directors Tony reyes and Marlon rivera. “This new Enteng Kabisote is really different. Of course, we’re levelling up. From the story to the dialogue and special effects, they’ve all been attuned to the millennials.” The new “Enteng Kabisote” franchise also boasts of at least 30 stars in the cast. Among them are the three “lolas” of Eat Bulaga’s “Kalyeserye” fame, Jose Manalo, Wally Bayola and Paolo Ballesteros; Oyo Sotto, Epi Quizon, Bea Binene, Ken Chan, ryza Cenon, and Jerald Napoles; and “Kalyeserye” discovery rogelia. “I was actually not planning to join the film festival this year,” Vic revealed. “The first time they announced that there would be changes in the rules—like they will only accept entries that are already finished and the deadline for submission was early—I said it would be impossible for us to finish the whole movie. “But when they moved the deadline to a later date, I knew we had enough time to fin-
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Vic Sotto
ish the film with all the special effects. That was when I sat down with my co-producers and our directors. All it took was one meeting and we ironed everything out. Before we knew it, we already had our shooting schedule. As you can see, even before we had our story conference, I had my first shooting day already.” Everybody is guessing now who will be Enteng’s Faye in the movie. The last Faye was played by Bubble Gang mainstay Gwen Zamora. In “Enteng Kabisote” 10, Vic assures that Faye’s character will be very prominent in the story. There are those who say that it might be Kris Aquino who just had a lengthy meeting with APT Entertainment boss Tony Tuviera, but the producers were quick to say, “No.” So who will she be? “Secret… surprise,” Vic answered with a smile. Actually, I know who will play
Faye and I would say that the role really fits her. But then, I am forbidden to say who the actress is, so let’s just allow Vic to make the announcement very soon. Even before Paolo Ballesteros makes his much anticipated comeback in “Eat Bulaga,” he already had his reunion with his fellow “lolas” Jose and Wally at the shoot of “Enteng Kabisote 10 And The Abangers.” It has been more than five months since the trio—collectively known as “Jowapao”—worked together and Jose and Wally don’t hide the fact that they miss Paolo very much. “We have been used to see him and to work with him every day, so of course we miss Pao. It’s different when the three of us are all together—it’s more fun. And now that we are working in a movie together, we’re very excited. We can see so many things we can do now that we’re all together again,“ Jose said.
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SF4
celebrityworld The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - August 26, 2016
celebrity world By Ferdie Villar Actor Matteo Guidicelli dismissed rumors that he and girlfriend, Pop Princess Sarah Geronimo, are planning to get married. He explained that getting married is a serious matter and thinks that they shouldn’t pressure themselves. Even the discussion of marriage has not been ventured to, Matteo said during a press conference last Friday, August. “Hindi pa naman (napag-uusapan). Siyempre pinagdaanan ‘yan but you know, we have to be realistic with ourselves. Being realistic is very, very important. the day will come, kumbaga,” he said. Weeks ago, rumors floated that Sarah was “expecting,” when she didn’t not come back as a judge in the talent search, “the Voice Philippines.” More speculations came out when the Pop Princess went abroad for a vacation. *** Is Kris Aquino moving out of her home network, ABS-cBN 2? Last week, rumors about the
Queen of All Media’s transfer have set the online world abuzz. reports began when she initially posted a photo of her meeting with television And Production Exponents Philippines (tAPE) Inc. and APt Entertainment executive Antonio tuviera and his son, Mike tuviera on her Instagram account. tAPE is the producer of the longest-running noontime show in the Philippines, “Eat Bulaga” on GMA 7. Kris’ contract with the Kapamilya network ended last March. Her social media post last August 20 seem to drop hints about making a very important choice. “My family understood I needed some time to reflect and just be on my own,” Kris wrote on her Instagram post. “You all have a right to your opinions regarding decisions I’ve made & continue to make because you are all stakeholders in my career, and I need you...
Matteo Guidicelli on marriage: No plans yet
Pop Princess Sarah Geronimo has remained quiet about the rumors circulating about her relationship with actor Matteo Guidicelli. The Saint Andrew Catholic Church choral group in Daly City was treated by their parents with a swimming luncheon party held recently at Water World Resort in Concord. Shown in photo are (L-R) Brenda Padilla and son Eren, Charisea Roldan, Jed Pasco, Trisha Eteson, and other members of the singing group.
“But I’ve also been praying that you will reciprocate the respect I’ve tried my best to consistently give you by being a dedicated & passionate professional.” Still, Kris has remained mum amid persistent rumors as whether of not she would be a Kapuso soon.
The Saint Andrew Catholic Church choral group in Daly City was treated by their parents with a swimming luncheon party held recently at Water World Resort in Concord. Shown in photo are (L-R) Brenda Padilla and son Eren, Charisea Roldan, Jed Pasco, Trisha Eteson, and other members of the singing group.
Filipina fashion and commercial model Jessica Apolinario celebrated her birthday last Saturday, August 20, with a barbecue party given by her parent Ermin and Ting Ting Apolinario at their residence in Springfield, Virginia.
Actor Matteo Guidicelli recently dismissed the rumors that he and girlfriend Sarah Geronimo have wedding plans already.
Regal matriarch Mother Lily Monteverde celebrated her 77th birthday last Friday, August 19, at her own Regal Events Place in Quezon City. Mother Lily is shown in photo being presented with a plaque of appreciation by MOWELFUND officer Boots Anson Roa-Rodrigo for her donation of P1M to the organization. Photo courtesy of Philstar.com
Daly City Vice Mayor David Canepa (center), who is running for the San Mateo Board of Supervisors this coming November, hosted a fundraising party held at the Plumbers Union Hall on Rolling Road in Burlingame last weekend. Shown in photo with him are Priscilla Abenoja, Tess Gregorio and Marie Enerio.
Andi Eigenmann, Arci Muñoz, Bela Padilla, Yassi Pressman, and Kim Molina are beautiful women who have graced magazine covers; who have been hailed some of the sexiest Pinays alive by adoring men. They have also been cheated on, been left behind, and have done some spectacularly stupid things for love.
Lonely hearts club
by IrIsh
ChrIstIanne DIzon Philstar.com
oMG, we look like sh*t next to them,” we said as photographer BJ Pascual approached to take a Snapchat of this Supreme interview. We were sitting in a circle with Bela Padilla, Andi Eigenmann, Kim Molina, Yassi Pressman, and Arci Muñoz, and whatever part of us that wanted a selfie with this celebrity squad was silenced by our feelings of inadequacy. Beautiful women tend to have this effect. So we made a silly face and flashed the peace sign — in case anyone points out how we look next to these glamazons, we can say we’re going for wacky. But after settling down with the five women, stars of the highly anticipated film “camp Sawi,” something curious happened. In a few moments, our insecurities began to subside. Imagine this: Bela, Andi, Kim, Yassi, and Arci devouring fast-food fried chicken as they tell stories about their exes. there are no tears here, no hugot; only gratuitous face-stuffing and deadpan jokes. “Pinatay ko. Chinopchop ko siya,” Kim says of her ex, a boyfriend of nine years who cheated on her with one of her best friends. Andi, meanwhile, finishes her one-piece chicken and rice meal, and wordlessly requests for another serving. She gives us a sheepish smile as she bites into the deep-fried drumstick. It’s unfair how these girls can eat grease and carbs and look as smoking as they do in unforgiving LBDs. But this whole scene proves a point: In most everything that’s important in life, from love to career, if you’re beautiful, half the battle is done. But beauty does not give you immunity from heartbreak. celebs are just like
us, and looks don’t exempt them from being cheated on. Break, burn, & end take Arci, for example. Men and women leave loving comments on her Instagram account, calling her “perfect” and “pretty” and “stunning.” You look at her and you can’t imagine that any guy in his right mind would even glance at other women when he has this girl in his arms. But guess what? Her first boyfriend, a musician she “stalked” and “courted” for four years before he gave her the time of day, cheated on Arci several times. It didn’t matter that she’s beautiful and that she was a doting girlfriend (even going as far renovating his apartment and paying for his car loan). He still strayed. And every time he did, she forgave him, steadfast in her belief that they were “meant to be.” Until one morning, at a very early 6 a.m., he broke up with her through text, saying, “I need a break.” He spent P1 to break her heart. Like Arci, Yassi was a devoted partner; the kind who always kowtowed to her man. “Feeling ko ’pag galit siya, kailangan hindi na siya magalit. Ako laging mali kahit wala naman akong ginagawa,” she reminisced. this is how into him Yassi was: If a fight lasted until 2 a.m., she would drive from Antipolo to the South just to apologize in person. So when they broke up, she was a mess, and nearly lost her career along with him. “Dahil magulo ’yun, nawawalan pa ako ng work. I almost wanted to quit showbiz, because at work, he was there. I didn’t want to be there.” Bela, on the other hand, remained irrationally hopeful about her ex long after he broke up with her. “Kahit may mag-text lang, kahit tanungin lang ako kung anong call time bukas, hindi
ko ine-entertain. Kasif eeling ko bine-betray ko ’yung ex ko. Feeling ko kasi babalik siya.” she said. Her feelings proved to be just that: feelings. It took her three years and countless crying-in-thecar-while-listening-to-rivermaya’s-Your Universe to fully move on from the guy she would have taken back in a heartbeat. Kim couldn’t help but quip, “ang gago,” upon hearing these tales. But the same could be said about her ex-boyfriend of nine years. the betrayal was double whammy. He didn’t just cheat on her. He cheated on her with one of her best friends. She didn’t want to believe the rumors at first, but when she confirmed everything, she walked away and never looked back. “Hindi pa nahahanap ’yung katawan ng ex niya,”Bela jokes, taking a bite of her chicken. Public displays of Arcimony of the five girls, it’s Andi who has the most public and most tempestuous relationship with her ex. (Just this week, #AndiEndedJakeParty trended on twitter, after she called out Jake Ejercito for drawing first blood. He tweeted about how she’s using him to promote the movie.) At the time of this Supremeinterview, Andi said her biggest heartbreak left her feeling “mababa.” Every inch of her was filled with pessimism. But when the dust cleared, the self-confessed “emo kid” found peace in a bleak realization. “It was about accepting that I’m not meant to be happy. It was about teaching myself to accept that maybe this misery is something I need to learn to live with. It was about realizing that everything you do in life is a choice.” So, take their word for it, beautiful women are not immune Continued on Page SF5
features SF5 Graton Resort & Casino announces hotel tower opening Lonely hearts... Premier gaming and entertainment destination in Sonoma County The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - August 26, 2016
Prepares to welcome new resort, spa, meeting space and pool
ROHNERT PARK, Calif. – Graton Resort & Casino will be the pinnacle of luxury resorts in Northern California when its hotel tower opens to the public on November 15. The resort is also now taking hotel reservations. As the premier gaming and entertainment destination in Sonoma County’s wine country, Graton Resort & Casino’s $175 million expansion will include a full-service 200-guestroom hotel featuring an opulent lobby, a luxurious 10,000-square foot spa, 20,000-square feet of flexible event and convention space and an outdoor resort-style pool area. Located just off U.S. Highway 101 near Rohnert Park, California, Graton Resort & Casino provides the Bay Area locals a nearby staycation similar to the luxurious quality and excitement that can be found in Las Vegas without traveling the distance.
In addition, Graton Resort & Casino will continue to feature its array of award-winning restaurants and casual dining options, more than 130 popular table games, an exciting selec-
tion of 3,000 slot machines, a live-action poker room and an exclusive high limit casino area. Guests can book reservations for overnight hotel accommodations for stays beginning November 15, 2016 by visiting
www.GratonResortCasino.com or by calling 707-588-7070. Approximate weekday room rates will begin at $399 plus taxes and fees; weekend room rates will begin at $499 plus taxes and fees. *Advertising Supplement
From Page SF4 to heartbreak. If anything, they get hurt more. Bela said it best: “If you’re beautiful, meron kang self-entitlement konti. You feel you deserve better all the time. Ba’t ako iiwan eh ang ganda ko nga? It hurts more because it’s unexpected.” The five women dealt with devastating heartbreak in their own ways. For Arci, she had friends who told her “ang tanga tanga mo” straight up, and that kept her from going back to him. “Kasi kailangan mo ng ganun eh. Kasi kung wala sila baka hinabol habol ko pa siya. Kahit na ilang beses niya akong lokohin.”For Kim, work kept her from thinking about the betrayal. (The hit musical Rak of Aegis started around the time they broke up. Maybe singing all those Aegis songs is more cathartic than we think.) Yassi boxed and partied with friends. Andi went on adventures. Time was Bela’s friend. Three years after the breakup, while doing a crying scene, she thought of him and realized he didn’t have power over her tear ducts anymore. And ‘Camp Sawi’ was born Perhaps “Camp Sawi” was also Bela’s therapy. It was her and her current love, businessman Neil Arce, that conceived the movie. Last year, during a dinner date, Neil asked Bela, “What if may rehab para sa mga broken-hearted?” and they found themselves with a story they just had to turn into a film. Bela felt that there already exist so many hugot movies about heartbreak, but not enough stories about how you pick yourself up after breaking into pieces: “The healing process is usually only shown in the last five scenes of the film. I hope people see that it’s more important to fixate on the healing process, the moving on part, rather than the pain.” With this mission, in May of this year, Bela and her handpicked writer-director Irene Emma Villamor (who was Antoinette Jadaone’s co-director for the teen rom-com Relaks It’s Just Pag
Ibig and wrote the screenplays of “Bakit Di Ka Crush Ng Crush Mo?” and Vilma Santos’ “Everything About Her”) took the cast (including the sexy Sam Milby, we must add) to picturesque Bantayan Island to shoot the film. Begin again With a movie like this though, there’s another thing that must be said about beauty. The last time someone put five gorgeous women in one movie set in a fictitious island, the press went crazy over stories that an epic war broke out (Google search: Heart versus Marian). Feminine beauty, unfortunately, is often equated with cattiness. Again, “Camp Sawi,” subverts expectations. There was zero drama on this set. (Except maybe that time Kim bawled after they pulled a friendly prank on her. In the middle of a ghost stories fest, Kim had to pee. When she came back, they were gone. They conspiratorially hid behind the house, leaving the actress super spooked. Context: They were the only people on the island, and Arci could hear otherworldly voices.) Otherwise, it was a light set. And we saw it while shooting this cover, in the way these girls banter. It’s refreshing to watch these beautiful girls get along and not succumb to heartbreak, hugot, cattiness and competitiveness. It makes you want to see how this friendship translates onscreen, how convincing they will be as fictitious characters who help each other go from wasak to whole. Direk Irene tell us,“Camp Sawi is where you go to take your time, to pose the questions, and to hope for answers. Hope ha, hindi find.” In an email interview, Bela said she hopes their film “encourages everyone to heal and be brave to love again,” and punctuated it with a smiley face; a fitting conclusion. After a slew of films that glorify pain, it’s time someone made a movie about learning to smile again.
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The Asian As ian Jour Journal na l SF SF MAGAZINE M A G A Z I NE -- August Augus t 26, 1 9 , 2016 2016 The
Wanda Teo
Tourism secreTary
VisiTs Bay area
Newly-appointed Tourism Secretary wanda Corazon Tulfo Teo visited the Bay Area recently to inform people of the Philippine government’s plans in the tourism sector and invite kababayans and non-Filipinos to visit the country. Sectetary Teo addressed airline executives from Asiana Airlines, China Airlines, eva Air, Korean Air and Philippine Airlines and other guests at a dinner organized in her honor at The Grand Harbor Restaurant in Burlingame, CA in the evening of August 14. In her brief remarks, Secretary Teo emphasized that the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte is committed to properly developing the tourism sector in the Philippines. She revealed that they are finalizing details that will go into the National Tourism Development Plan for the period of 2016 to 2022. The Secretary also shared the government’s vision and goals for the tourism industry, noting that they are working on a master plan to make Philippine tourism stable, resilient, sustainable, transformative, inclusive and a shared experience. Secretary Teo invited the attendees to become a part of the vibrant tourism industry in the Philippines and asked for assistance and cooperation in ensuring that their department is able to “offer more and better tourism products and services in aggressively marketing and promoting our destinations.” Secretary Teo ended
seAfood city fpfc
Guests at the Grand Harbor Restaurant eagerly wait for Secretary Teo’s brief remarks.
Top and bottom: Sec. Teo posed with guests after the dinner and short program.
her remarks by stating that they are a very easy partner to work with. “let us work hand in hand in making the tourism industry fulfill its promise to improve the lives of the Filipinos because at the end of the day, that is the real mission,” she said. At the brief Q&A following her remarks, Sectetary Teo discussed major events taking place in the Philippines in 2017, including the Miss Universe Pageant, Madrid Fusion Manila and the ASeAN Summit. earlier in the day, Secretary Teo had the opportunity to address a crowd of mostly Filipinos and Filipino Americans attending the Pistahan sa yerba Buena event in downtown San Francisco. She conveyed the importance placed by the government in developing responsible tourism in the different parts of the country and encouraged kababayans to visit the Philippines, reconnect with family and friends and take advantage of the many tourism packages and programs available via the department and their attached agencies. (Joseph Peralta/AJPress)
Secretary Teo with husband Roberto.
Guests at the special dinner hosted for Secretary Teo in Burlingame, CA pose for a souvenir photo.
Secretary Teo with Asian Journal Editor-in-Chief Christina M. Oriel.
The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - August 26, 2016
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Secretary Teo (seated, 3rd from left) met with airlines executives during her brief stay in the Bay Area. With Secretary Teo in photo above are Consul General Henry Bensurto Jr., Deputy Consul General Jaime Ascalon, DOT Director Purificacion Molintas, GTT/Majestic Vacations Eliza Chung and Manny Ilagan, and representatives from Asiana Airlines, China Airlines, Eva Air, Korean Air, and Philippine Airlines at the Grand Harbor Restaurant in Burlingame, CA. DOT Secretary Wanda Teo (4th from left) at the Pistahan sa Yerba Buena in San Francisco. With Teo are husband Roberto, executive assistant Marinella Miranda, Tourism Director Purificacion Molintas, Deputy Consul General Jaime Ramon Ascalon and FAAE head Al Perez.
Sec. Teo delivers her brief remarks to guests at the Grand Harbor Restaurant.
Consul General Bensurto addresses dinner guests.
Secretary Teo (3rd from left) at the Pistahan backstage after her brief remarks. She also met Pistahan Hermana Mayor Sonia Delen (extreme left).
From left Deputy ConGen Jaime Ascalon, ConGen Henry Bensurto Jr., Secretary Wanda Teo, executive assistant Marinella Miranda, Mariza Bensurto and Cecile Ascalon.
From left: Consul General Henry Bensurto Jr., Secretary Wanda Teo, Roberto Teo and Mariza Bensurto.
Secretary Teo (center) poses with GTT/Majestic Vacations representatives (from left) David Chien, Manny Ilagan, Eliza Chung and Ruby Cerna. AJPress photos by Joseph Peralta and Greg Michael Nitro
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The As ian Jour n a l SF M A G A Z I NE - Augus t 2 6 , 2 0 1 6
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