NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
w w w. a s i a n Volume 16 - No. 21 • 3 Sections – 20 Pages
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Duterte expects China nod for sea code of conduct by EDITH
REGALADO Philstar.com
DAVAO CITY – For years an elusive target for nations with conflicting claims in the South China Sea, a code of conduct for managing the dispute is expected to be ready on May 19 when the
DATELINE
China-led Bilateral Consultation Mechanism convenes for the first time, President Duterte said on Tuesday, May 16. “There will be a code of conduct. I will not speculate on how or rather the dimension of the agreement. It has to be worked out. So I don’t
want to speculate,� the President said upon his arrival at the Davao International Airport before dawn on Tuesday from China. The President was in Cambodia and Hong Kong before his China visit. The President stressed
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CA approves Cayetano appointment as new DFA chief
USA
by DANA
SIOSON AJPress
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
Fil-Am teen killed in car crash after prom Mother sustains non-life threatening injuries
A FILIPINO-American teenage girl was killed in a car crash in the Bay Area on Sunday morning, May 14, as she and her mother were on their way home from senior prom. At around 2:30 a.m., 18year-old Shane Alexis Marcelino of Fremont, California was riding in the Filipino-American Shane Alexis Marcelino, p a s s e n g e r ’ s 18, of Fremont, California was killed in a car seat of black crash on Sunday morning, May 14, on her Toyota Yaris way home from senior prom. Photo from Marcelino’s GoFundMe driven by her page created by Noah Dela Rosa mother, Maria. Just a few blocks from the Marcelinos’ home, the Yaris attempted to make a left-hand turn, when it collided with a blue Chevy Malibu traveling in the opposite direction, according to various reports.
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Outside Washington, a more powerful immigrant rights movement emerges SAN FRANCISCO – Immigrant rights advocates say that despite the cloud of fear hanging over communities in the first 100 days of the Trump administration, there is also a growing and increasingly organized resistance. “We are seeing an increase in the number of people apprehended for removal,â€? Melissa Chua, immigration director of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), told reporters on a national press call organized by New America Media and Ready California. “It’s not just growing infrastructure [for future deportations]‌we’re seeing it in reality.â€?
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APPOINTED. Senator Alan Peter Cayetano (right) is congratulated by Acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo after a Commission on Appointments panel approved his nomination as DFA secretary on Wednesday, May 17. Inquirer.net photo by Maila Ager
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Janet Lim-Napoles Morales
Ombudsman to block moves to make Napoles state witness by AJPRESS THE Office of the Ombudsman will block any moves to turn Janet Lim Napoles into a state witness in the planned reinvestigation of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), according to Ombudsman Conchita CarpioMorales. “Aszfar as the prosecution is concerned, [Napoles] is one of the principal alleged malefactors. Certainly the OSP (Office of the Special Prosecutor) will block any attempt to make her state witness,� Morales told reporters on Tuesday, May 16. Last week, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II revealed that the Department of Justice (DOJ) will conduct a new investigation into the PDAF, also referred to as the pork barrel scam. Napoles, the supposed mastermind of the operation, is being considered as a state witness. While the DOJ has discretion to conduct a new probe into the PDAF case, Morales maintained that it is her office, not the DOJ, which
THE Commission on Appointments (CA) has approved the nomination of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano as the new chief of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). Cayetano’s appointment met no opposition from the members of the CA committee on foreign affairs led by Senator Panfilo Lacson. His nomination was approved in less than five minutes before he could even deliver his opening statement on Wednesday morning, May 17 — which, according
to Lacson, is likely the “shortest confirmation hearing of a Cabinet Secretary.� The CA committee referred Cayetano’s confirmation to the plenary in the afternoon. It also approved the motion to confirm his nomination without objection. Cayetano’s approval came a week after President Rodrigo Duterte announced his nomination on May 10, after the one-year appointment ban on losing candidates in the May 2016 elections ended. Thanking the CA for the “swift and painless� confirmation, Cayetano reiterated that he will do his
best as the new DFA chief. “I will make a commitment to you today that I will do my best na hindi po kayo mapahiya (to not embarrass you),� Cayetano said, who is now deemed resigned as a senator. Even as the chief diplomat, Cayetano, who was also Duterte’s vice-presidential running mate in the previous elections, maintained that he would defend the chief executive from critics. Cayetano, however, noted that he would take into consideration his new position by using “more diplomatic language� when speaking, especially before
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Marcos asks SC to designate hearing officers for poll protest, hasten proceedings by DANA
SIOSON AJPress
FORMER Senator and defeated vice presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong� Marcos Jr. urged anew the Supreme Court (SC), sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), to speed up the proceedings in his election protest against Vice President Leni Robredo. In a seven-page urgent motion dated May 12, Marcos asked the SC to designate at least three hearing commissioners who will assist the Tribunal during the upcoming preliminary
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Former Senator and defeated vice presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos
House kills Duterte impeachment rap by DELON
PORCALLA Philstar.com
MANILA - Deemed lacking in substance, the impeachment complaint against President Duterte met an early end at the House committee on justice on Monday, May 15. All 42 of the 50 committee members present at the hearing voted to declare the complaint lacking in substance, effectively consigning it to the trash bin. Forty-one voted House Majority Floor Leader Rodolfo FariĂąas stresses a point during the that it was sufficient in form. “We will convene again so that meeting of the House justice committee that junked the impeachment complaint against President Rodrigo Duterte. Beside him is the committee the committee will make its report chairman, Rep. Reynaldo Umali of Oriental Mindoro. and submit this to the plenary,â€? ManilaTimes.net photo by Ruy Martinez committee chairman Oriental Min-
doro Rep. Reynaldo Umali said after banging the gavel to signal the adjournment of the nearly fivehour hearing on the matter.
House Majority Leader Rodolfo FariĂąas made it clear to complainant-endorser Rep. Gary Alejano of
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MAY 19-25, 2017 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160
From the Front Page
Duterte expects China nod... PAGE A1 t that both China and the Philippines are looking forward to a bilateral mechanism for settling the dispute over areas in the South China Sea. The Philippines refers to the side of the disputed waters within its exclusive economic zone as West Philippine Sea. Other claimants in the South China Sea aside from the Philippines and China are Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan. China claims almost the entire South China Sea through which 40 percent of world trade passes. Chinese built fortresses with airstrips and bristling with sophisticated weapons system. “We look forward to the bilateral meeting on the South China Sea. This is one step forward in peacefully managing disputes,” the President said. The President emphasized that the forging of deals with China amounting to billions of dollars under the latter’s One Belt One Road development strategy would not influence – much less undermine – the Philippines’ position in next week’s bilateral talks on the South China Sea issue. He said the government does not have to take extra measures to ensure the sovereignty of the country is not compromised. “It is not really the safety measure that you are talking about. The safety measure is that when you avoid trouble, we avoid violence and we avoid war because frankly, we cannot afford it and China cannot afford it also at this time.
President Duterte and China President Xi Jinping meet in Beijing.
Masisira tayong dalawa (We’ll both lose),” the President further said. While acknowledging there is indeed a dispute with China over territories, Duterte said he and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and President Xi Jinping had agreed there is a proper time to raise the July 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling on the issue. The UN-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration based in The Hague invalidated China’s massive claims in the South China Sea and reaffirmed the Philippines’ maritime entitlements. Beijing, however, made it clear it would not comply with the ruling. “There is a time for me to ask about the arbitral ruling but it is not now. We have to go into the mechanics of… We have to have an agenda, the structure of the meeting and… how to
Malacañang photo
present the case to them first because we agreed to talk, to have a dialogue,” the President pointed out. “Maybe at some future time these things will crop up. And you cannot avoid it because there is the arbitral ruling,” he added. “In the end it would always be legal. The arbitral ruling rendered by an organ of the United Nations will always be there,” he said. The previous Aquino administration filed a case against Beijing in 2013 with the arbitral tribunal in response to China’s escalation of island building activities in the West Philippine Sea. The filing of the case came a year after the Chinese took control of Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal off Zambales after a standoff with the Philippine Navy. Chinese maritime surveillance vessels arrived in the area to rescue Chinese poachers arrested by the Philippine Navy earlier. The poachers were allowed to leave with their illegal cargo of endangered corals, giant clams and baby sharks. Fair and balanced Meanwhile, President Duterte said he still has to study the suggestion of former speaker Jose de Venecia that the Philippines conduct joint exploration of the West Philippine Sea with China and Vietnam, as he stressed any deal would have to be “fair and balanced.” De Venecia, recently named special envoy for intercultural dialogue, raised the idea at the Belt and Road Forum in China last Sunday, May 14. He said the three countries should “discard occasional enmity and exaggerated pride” and consider conducting a three-way energy exploration in the South China Sea and West Philippine Sea. He expressed belief his suggestion, if adopted, could promote peace and development in the area. Duterte said De Venecia’s proposal should be examined to ensure that the Philippines would not end up shortchanged. “Let us see the wherewithals. Tingnan muna kung ’di ba ako malugi (Let’s see if we will not be shortchanged)? It has to be fair and it has to be balanced,” the President said. “So if we can get something there with no hassle at all, why not?” A Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking signed by the Arroyo administration with China drew flak from various sectors, which saw the deal as tantamount to giving Beijing unbridled access to the Philippines’ maritime territory. (With Alexis Romero) n
PHILIPPINE INTERNATIONAL OPEN 2017. Senator Vicente C. Sotto III, as one of the greatest bowlers in the country, together with the hall of famers Paeng Nepomuceno and Bong Coo, spearheaded the opening of Philippine International Open 2017 organized by Philippine Bowling Federation Incorporated at the Star Mall, Mandaluyong City. Senate poto By Ramon Lopez
CA approves Cayetano appointment...
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the international community. “I will continue to speak for the President, I will continue to speak pag inutusan ng (if ordered by the) President, I will continue to speak kung sa tingin ko necessary (if I think it is necessary) but not in the political manner that was available to me when I was in the Senate,” he told reporters in a chance interview. Cayetano replaces Undersec-
retary Enrique Manalo, who was assigned as the acting foreign secretary after the CA rejected the ad interim appointment of Perfecto Yasay Jr. over citizenship issues. Revealing his plan as the new Foreign Affairs secretary, Cayetano earlier said the department would prioritize the welfare, protection and comfort of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). He assured that all the DFA officials would “not have their
own agenda or their own foreign policy,” adding that they would “all work hard together to implement the foreign policy of the Philippines.” He also promised to “keep building bridges” with other countries while maintaining good relationships with allies. Likewise, Cayetano vowed to refrain from using “microphone diplomacy” and instead leave the public communications to the spokesperson.
Ombudsman to block moves... PAGE A1 t has the final say on whether or not to recommend Napoles as a state witness. “It is the OSP which will consider whether or not [Napoles] will be a state witness and it’s going to be the court who will finally approve whether or not she is going to be state witness,” Morales clarified. “We don’t find her (Napoles) to be a candidate for being state witness,” she added. Last week, Napoles’s lawyer, Stephen David, said he has met with Aguirre to discuss the possibility of turning her into a state witness. David said they requested the DOJ to give Napoles “proper security” if the proposition passes, adding that she is ready to name “higher” officials involved in the multi-billion peso scam. Sought for comments on the reported “exploratory talks” between
the DOJ and Napoles’s camp, Morales responded: “I’m not bothered at all. We are confident of our position.” In 2014, Morales indicted Napoles of plunder, malversation, graft and direct bribery charges in connection with the scam. Her office denied Napoles’s request to become a state witness, saying that the latter is the “most guilty.” Senators Ramon Revilla Jr., Jinggoy Estrada, and Juan Ponce Enrile were also charged alongside Napoles in connection with the anomaly. Enrile is currently out on bail, while the other two remain incarcerated. “We are not bothered, we’re not concerned at all by whatever they say about whether or not there is a pending agreement or what is modus vivendi between Napoles and the DOJ,” Morales told reporters. The Ombudsman also main-
tained that her office is not bound by the DOJ’s findings. “I don’t know what the DOJ wants to reinvestigate, whether they want to reinvestigate cases filed in court or reinvestigate cases already investigated by us. It’s up to them if they wish to reinvestigate,” Morales said. She went on to say, “But as I said, we are not bound by any findings over cases over which the Ombudsman has the final authority to determine whether or not there is probable cause.” Also on Tuesday, Napoles was transferred to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BMJP) at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City after the Court of Appeals acquitted her serious illegal detention case filed by whistleblower Benhur Luy. She was previously detained at the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong.
Marcos asks SC to designate hearing...
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conference. According to Marcos, the designating of three commissioners will help in attaining “an orderly, simplified and expeditious disposition of this electoral contest, considering that there are three causes of action raised in this election protest.” Among the causes of actions Marcos raised in his protest include the alleged flawed automated election system (AES), and the failure of elections in several provinces in Mindanao. He also raised the unauthorized introduction by Smartmatic’s Marlon Garcia of a new hash code into the Transparency Server on the day of the elections. Insisting that PET should take Marcos’ allegations, his camp underscored that the protest is “not only for the benefit of the winner, but for the sake of public interest.” “In a long line of decided cases, this honorable tribunal has consistently ruled that an election
case, unlike an ordinary action, is imbued with public interest,” Marcos said. Marcos argued that his protest “involves not only the adjudication of the private interests of rival candidates, but also the paramount need of dispelling the uncertainty which beclouds the real choice of the electorate.” “Public interest demands that this electoral controversy be resolved with dispatch to determine once and for all the genuine choice of the electorate for the contested position,” he added. In the May 2016 vice presidential election, Robredo won the position with only around 263,000 votes more than Marcos. Marcos stressed that it is “neither fair nor just to keep in office for an uncertain period one whose right to it is under suspicion.” He also accused Robredo of intentionally delaying the election protest. Robredo’s camp, for its part, claimed that Marcos’ recent motion is “premature and im-
practical.” “This is very premature. We have not yet even held our preliminary conference where the issues to be resolved by the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) will be defined,” Robredo’s election lawyer, Romulo Macalintal, said in a statement on Wednesday, May 17. “And now, Marcos is again preempting the action of the PET on this matter,” he added. The preliminary conference is slated on June 21, 2017. Last month, Marcos paid the initial P36 million of the P66.2 million required for the proceedings of his election protest. He questioned 39,221 clustered precincts which are composed of total 132,446 established precincts. Robredo, meanwhile, has paid P8 million as first installment of the total P15.5-million fee for her counterprotest. She contested 8,042 clustered precincts equivalent to 31,278 established precincts.
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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 19-25, 2017
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San Francisco Becomes first city in nation where all residents live within a 10-minute walk to a park San FranciSco— Mayor Edwin M. Lee and the recreation and Park Department announced on May 16 that San Francisco is the first and only city in the United States where all residents have access to a park within a 10-minute walk. The findings were part of the Trust for Public Land’s (TPL) Park Score, an assessment of the nation’s 100 largest cities. During Mayor Lee’s tenure, San Francisco has invested $355 million in parks and open space projects. For his upcoming twoyear budget, Mayor Lee will include $84.4 million in capital projects for the recreation and Park Department, maintaining record levels of investment in the city’s parks and open spaces. The $84 million investment in capital projects represents an 81 percent increase from 2015 levels. in San Francisco, we want everyone to enjoy the prosperity of this city, which is why it is particularly meaningful that we have a parks system that is accessible and enjoyable for all of our residents,” said Mayor Lee. “We are proud to be the first city in the nation to have a least one open space within a 10 minute walk of every resident. We are maintaining our record investment into our local parks so that all San Franciscans can continue to enjoy our wonderful natural environment.” The announcement took place at the newly renovated Hilltop Park, a recreational facility with a state-of-the-art skate park and
playground. To get to the park, Mayor Lee, recreation and Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg, and TPL’s Urban Parks Director adrian Benepe took a 10-minute walk with children from the Family & children Empowerment Services child care center located at 100 Whitney Young circle. according to TPL, a 10-minute walk, or a distance of one-half mile, is the standard for urban park systems. Though walking speeds vary, the U.S. Department of Transportation agrees that most people can walk a half-mile in about 10 minutes. TPL and park planners across the country rely on sophisticated technology and data to measure the 10-minute walk and have concluded that everyone should be able to reach a park in that amount of time, no matter what kind of neighborhood they live in. “Most city residents won’t walk more than 10 minutes to get to shopping, transit, or parks, so close-to-home access to parks is vital for public health, clean environments, and thriving, equitable communities,” said adrian Benepe, The Trust for Public Land’s SVP & Urban Parks Director. “This is an enormous achievement, based on years of dedicated and thoughtful work and planning, and San Francisco should be very proud.” To achieve the distinction as the nation’s first city with every resident living within a 10-minute walk of a park or open space, the recreation and Park Department has been actively maximiz-
Marcelino’s mother, Maria, who was driving the vehicle, suffered injuries but is expected to survive. Photo shows Maria and Shane during a senior night celebration for the marching band, wherein the latter played the flute. Photo from Marcelino’s GoFundMe page created by Noah Dela Rosa
Fil-Am teen killed in car crash... PAGE A1 t Marcelino was pronounced dead at the scene, while Maria, 39, was rushed to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The driver and passenger of the Malibu, who are in their 20s, also suffered minor injuries and were transported to nearby hospitals. The Fil-am teen was an honor student at James Logan High School and would have graduated in June. She played the flute in the school band and was involved with the youth ministry program at her church, cBS said. according to the school’s newspaper, she was “beloved by her classmates and was always a source of happiness and support for the people around her.” “She was a wonderful young lady,” John Mattos, a spokes-
man for the new Haven Unified School District, told nBc Bay area. “She was in band and got great grades taking aP and college prep classes, and students really liked her.” no arrests have been made, local police said. investigators are looking into whether alcohol or speeding played a role in the fatal collision. “it looks like they were traveling at a pretty good rate of speed,” Fremont Fire Department Battalion chief richard Dickinson said, adding that “it was heavy impact. Major damage.” a GoFundMe page has been made to raise funds for Marcelino’s funeral costs, as well as her mother’s medical bills: https:// www.gofundme.com/dk4vmfuneral-expenses-and-medical-bills. (Christina M. Oriel/AJPress)
Outside Washington, a more powerful... PAGE A1 t U.S. immigration and customs Enforcement made 21,362 arrests from January 20 to March 13 of this year, a third more than during the same period in 2016, according to numbers requested by The Washington Post. The figures include 5,441 non-citizens with no criminal record, double the number during the same time last year. The statistics reflect a shift in priorities from the obama administration, which sought to prioritize certain criminals and recent arrivals for deportation. Under Trump, the deportation priorities have expanded so much that they can be used to target almost any undocumented immigrant. immigrant and refugee rights advocates say the effect on immigrant communities is palpable. angelica Salas, executive director of the coalition for Humane immigrant rights (cHirLa), described it as “one of the most horrendous periods in american history for immigrant families.” “What we’re seeing,” explained Salas, “is just a harsher way by which DHS [the Department of Homeland Security] is
dealing with all matters of immigration, especially when it comes to stays of removal or requests for relief.” over 38 percent of the individuals detained in the Feb. 9 icE raids in Southern california, for example, had only minor infractions, many of them from years ago, according to Salas. “The other thing that we’re seeing,” she said, “is that they’re being harsher when it comes to individuals who had … stays of removal. “icE enforcement is going back and making decisions about those cases,” Salas explained. “instead of continuing their stays of removal, they’re challenging their stays of removal, their administrative closure.” Since taking office, Trump has signed executive orders that call for “sweeping changes on immigration,” said chua of irc, adding, however, that “many of these proposed changes face some real, significant hurdles.” Some, like the construction of a border wall, can’t be implemented without funding. others have been blocked by the courts, including the administration’s at-
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ing the recreational use of park land citywide as well as acquiring new land to develop into public parks. in recent years, San Francisco has added the Golden Gate Park commUniTY Garden, interior Greenbelt, Geneva community Garden, noe Valley Town Square, 17th and Folsom Streets Park, Francisco reservoir, and 900 innes ave, also known as indian Basin, to the city’s list of new parks. “our goal is to have clean, safe parks accessible to all San Franciscans,” said Phil Ginsburg, SF rec and Park General Manager. “We are thrilled to see our efforts recognized and grateful to Mayor Lee for his unwavering support and firm belief in the importance of open space.” in addition to planning, developing, and maintaining lands under its jurisdiction, the recreation and Park Department continues to work with other city agencies to address open space needs around the city. The recreation and Park Department brings park expertise and perspective to emerging open space projects, working closely to advise on open space needs. as a result, parks such as the SoMa West Skate and Dog Park, Tunnel Top Park, Progress Park, Playland at 43rd ave, and others have become neighborhood parks that serve San Francisco residents. About The Trust for Public Land: The Trust for Public Land cre-
HOLY GRAIL OF PHILIPPINE MAPS. Senator Nancy Binay observes the 1734 Murillo Verlarde Map, regarded by historians as the first scientific map of the Philippines as it shows the inclusion of the Spratly islands and the Scarborough Shoal to the country’s territory. It serves as the historical basis for the Philippines claim over the islands in the South China Sea. In 2014, the map was auctioned at Sotheby’s and was acquired by Filipino entrepreneur Mel Velasco Velarde. Mr. Velarde has already donated the map to the Filipino people and will be displayed at the National Museum. It will be officially turned over to President Rodrigo R. Duterte on the celebration of Independence Day 2017.
ates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. Millions of people throughout the country live near a Trust for Public Land park, garden, or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year. To support The Trust for Public Land and share why nature matters to you, visit www.tpl.org. About the Recreation and Park Department: SF rec and Park overseen by
the recreation and Park commission, stewards more than 4,000 acres of recreational and open space that includes more than 220 parks, playgrounds, and open spaces, in addition to Sharp Park and camp Mather located outside of the city limits. The park system includes 25 recreation centers, 9 swimming pools, 5 golf courses, and numerous tennis courts, ball diamonds, soccer fields and other sports venues. included in the
Department’s responsibilities are iconic landmarks such as coit Tower, Palace of Fine arts, Golden Gate Park, as well as the Marina Yacht Harbor, Lake Merced, and the San Francisco Zoo. The Department’s mission is to provide enriching recreational activities, maintain beautiful parks, and preserve the environment for the well-being of our diverse community. More about SF rec and Park, please visit http:// sfrecpark.org. n
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MAY 19-25, 2017 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
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Fil-Am LAPD cop in need of Filipino bone marrow donor by Klarize
Medenilla AJPress
PAHIYAS FESTIVAL. An assortment of multicolored “abaniko” (native hand-held fan), “kiping” (rice wafers) and palay stalks adorn one of the houses in Lucban, Quezon province, during the Pahiyas Festival, an annual thanksgiving for the town’s bountiful harvest. Inquirer.net photo by Delfin T. Mallari Jr.
Outside Washington, a more powerful...
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tempt to withhold federal funds from so-called sanctuary cities; and both versions of Trump’s “travel ban,” which aimed to curtail travel from certain predominantly Muslim countries and lower the number of refugees allowed admission into the United States. “While many of the changes proposed by the administration may threaten refugees, immigrants and their families,” said Chua, “there still exist some real barriers to implementation, offering some real avenues of hope for immigrant communities.” Advocates say many of these signs of hope lie outside of Washington. “The immigrant rights movement is getting more organized, more powerful,” said Salas, pointing to local and state efforts that seek to protect the rights of immigrants across the country. “What is incredible is the many cities and schools defending immigrants,” she said. On May 1, she noted, about 30,000 people marched in the streets of Los Angeles to defend the rights of immigrants. “California is moving forward a different vision, a different agenda,” said Salas. The state legislature has proposed various bills that seek to defend immigrants’ rights, from Senate Bill 54 (the California Values Act), introduced by Senate President pro Tem Kevin de León (D-Los
Angeles), which would prevent state and local resources from being used to cooperate with deportations, to Senate Bill 6, by Sen. Ben Hueso, D-San Diego, which would provide funding for legal services for immigrants facing deportation. By contrast, Texas’ state legislature is moving further to the right on immigration. Texas Republicans just passed Senate Bill 4, a new law signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, which threatens law enforcement with jail time if they don’t cooperate with federal immigration authorities. “In the mid-90s, California looked a lot like Texas does today,” said Salas, when California voters passed Prop 187. That ballot measure helped get its supporter, Republican Gov. Pete Wilson, elected. But it led to an even bigger backlash against the GOP in the state, and is largely credited with the mobilization of Latino voters who have changed the face of California politics. “Our community [in California] became engaged,” Salas said. Texas, which has the nation’s second-largest Latino population after California, could see a similar backlash. “What we’re seeing in Texas is the same kind of mobilization,” she said. Meanwhile, immigrant rights advocates are helping their communities stay informed. “There are many families that are afraid,” said Adriana Guz-
FINDING a bone marrow donor can often be exhausting and challenging. If you’re of Asian descent, it’s particularly more difficult given that the bone marrow registry shortage of Asian donors. That’s the current predicament for Filipino-American Matthew Medina, 40, an officer of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) gang unit who has served for eight years. He was diagnosed on March 30 with aplastic anemia, an autoimmune disease that ceases the production of new blood cells and severely weakens the immune system. The diagnosis came as a huge surprise to the married father of two, given his relatively good health history. He went to the doctor for a petechial rash on his hands and forearms, which he thought was an allergic reaction. When Medina had his rash checked out, doctors discovered that his platelet level was at four; a healthy person’s level is at about 150. “I’ve never had any type of serious illness, so a lot of things were going through my head, like wondering if it’s cancer or something fatal or incurable. A bunch of scenarios were just running through my head,” Medina told the Asian Journal on Wednesday, May 10. He was admitted in the hospital where doctors performed a bone marrow biopsy to rule out the possibility of cancer. Doctors found no signs of cancer, but found that his marrow was “not working properly.” As he currently grapples with the disease, Medina needs a bone-marrow transplant and is currently searching for a Filipino donor who can be a match. His support system — which includes friends, family and colleagues from the force — have begun to raise awareness and get the word out there that their loved one is in need of a donor. The news of Medina and his
man, immigrant outreach coordinator with Faith in Action Bay Area. “Our message to them is that there are steps they can take right now.” Guzman said she is encouraging individuals to talk to a trusted legal services provider to see if they qualify for immigration relief, to make a family preparedness plan, including who will take care of children if something happens to their parents, and to carry the number of a trusted immigration attorney they can call in case of an emergency. Most importantly, Guzman said, individuals should know that they have certain rights under the U.S. Constitution, regardless of their immigration status. These include the right to remain silent, the right to not open the door to agents without a warrant signed by a judge, the right to speak to a lawyer and make a phone call, and to not sign anything they don’t understand or that isn’t true. “Thousands of community outreach workers are spanning their communities, delivering Know Your Rights presentations,” said Salas of CHIRLA. From helping eligible immigrants become citizens and register to vote, to protesting in the streets and supporting legal challenges in the courts, she said, immigrant rights advocates have been able to “make a statement in these very difficult days.” (Elena Shore/ PAGE A1 t New America Media) party-list Magdalo that it was only “for the sake of liberality” that the committee had acknowledged the complaint as having complied with requisites, as per their agreement in an executive session. Alejano’s complaint was based on allegations Duterte had amassed ill-gotten wealth and ordered the killing of thousands in the course of his war on drugs. In a supplemental complaint, Alejano also accused Duterte of failing to defend the country’s sovereign rights and territorial claims when he reportedly allowed Chinese presence in Benham Rise in the Philippine Sea. Fariñas said lawmakers cannot just entertain impeachment complaints, especially if complainants do not have “personal knowledge” or authentic documentation of the impeachable acts being alleged against officials. “I am warning you that you may be subjected to an ethics case here because you are stating under oath but as it turned out, your verification is not true at all,” Fariñas told Alejano. The Ilocos Norte congressman cautioned Alejano he could be haled to court for perjury. “Clearly, it is not of his (Alejano’s) personal knowledge, that’s the defect here,” Fariñas pointed out. “If we follow you and take the complaint to the Senate, we will appear stupid because all we have is evidence based on hearsay,” he said in Filipino. “He didn’t have any personal knowledge, and if you look at the documents, these have not been duly authenticated. These were in effect all hearsay,” Umali said. Alejano and his colleague in the so-called Magnificent 7, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, were allowed to speak and manifest their objections to the junking of the complaint even if they were not committee members. Lagman accused Fariñas of consistently blocking his request to be a committee member. House Deputy Majority Leader Juan Pablo Bondoc, chairman of the rules rewriting committee, told his colleagues in the super majority coalition “we are all within our rights to dismiss this impeachment complaint and submit this to the plenary for (final) approval.” House Deputy Speakers Fredenil Castro and Gwendolyn Garcia agreed, with the former saying Alejano’s fatal mistake was his “categorical, clear admission” of having no personal knowledge of his accusations against the President. Garcia said the impeachment exercise “holds us back from our main job of legislation.”
Filipino-American Matthew Medina, an officer for the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), is in search of a bone marrow donor after being diagnosed with aplastic anemia in March. Photo shows Medina with his wife, Angelee, and their two children. Photo courtesy of the Medina family.
condition has received much media attention, first being reported by NBC4 Southern California, thanks to his childhood friend and NBC4 reporter Hetty Chang. From then, the story snowballed, gaining support from strangers all across the Southland and beyond. To further raise awareness for Medina’s search for a donor, his team of also supporters began a Facebook page called Match4Matt, which has attracted many individuals who felt connected to Medina’s story and wanted to show support. “It’s just been non-stop support from people we don’t even know,” Medina said of the aftermath of the NBC report. “I’ve received messages on that Facebook page asking how they can help in any way, and I’ve never met these people before in my life. It’s just an amazing feeling to know that there are good people out there willing to help even though they’ve never even met you.” His biggest supporters include his wife, Angelee, who has been one of the driving forces behind raising awareness for her hus-
House kills Duterte... Foolhardy Other administration lawmakers expressed belief it would be foolhardy to attempt to expel a sitting Chief Executive who enjoys overwhelming public support. “It is an exercise in futility, given his overwhelming support not only in the Congress but from the Filipino people as well. My peers are politically astute enough to realize that no impeachment complaint will gain traction among the people,” Rep. LRay Villafuerte said. “We need this impeachment like a hole in the head. I believe that we could better spend our time crafting reform laws that would help President Duterte achieve his government’s ambitious goal of sustaining the growth momentum,” the Camarines Sur lawmaker added. Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, chairman of the House committee on dangerous drugs, said an impeachment complaint will “not prosper in a forum where accepted legal procedures are observed, respected.” Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles, chairman of the committee on appropriations, said the impeachment complaint is more than just an issue on sufficiency in form and substance. “I’m just happy that this is over and the House can finally attend to other more important issues. There is no wisdom in this impeachment complaint which was obviously a haphazard effort to malign and discredit the President,” he said. Nograles’ brother and fellow lawmaker Jericho Jonas of partylist Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta also welcomed the decision of Umali’s panel. “Why would we allow the impeachment of the President when we are fully supportive of his programs, especially so that some of the issues raised in the impeachment complaint were based on hearsay?” he said. Reacting to the House committee on justice’s decision, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III said the upper chamber has “no other choice but to respect it because in the first place, they were the ones who examined thoroughly and in detail the impeachment complaint.” “The senators sit as judges, hence we should really be passive,” Pimentel pointed out. Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, a colleague of Alejano in the Magdalo group, said while the rejection was totally expected, it was still a source of dismay. “We were expecting that Congress will be an instrument to find out the truth,” Trillanes said. “Now that there’s a cover-up, we’ll go through other modes of
band’s condition. “She’s staying strong, for the kids too since we are the ones they look up to,” Medina remarked about his current family dynamic. “We both need to be strong for the kids during this difficult time because we’re going to get through this. It’s just a matter of time.” Currently, there are about 75,000 people in search of a bone marrow donor. Prospective donors who are looking to be a part of the bone marrow registry are preferred to be between the ages of 18 and 44, and the process involves four cheek swabs. Regardless of whether or not he finds a match, Medina encourages people to consider donating to the bone marrow registry in hopes of helping other people who are in need of a transplant. To learn more about Medina and his story, visit his Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ Match4Matt/. To register with the bone marrow registry, visit www.bethematch.org/, and to register specifically for the Medina family, go to http://join.bethematch. org/SwabForMatthew/. n how to expose these truths… but we can’t control the outcome,” he said without elaborating. He, however, stressed the other modes he was referring to were not extraconstitutional. Not surprising For the President’s chief legal counsel, the junking of the impeachment complaint was expected. “The impeachment complaint will not reach first base because the allegations are based on hearsay. Others are outright false,” Salvador Panelo said in a statement. He said Alejano was just after free publicity. “The complaint is intended to besmirch the reputation of (President Duterte) and to get the three minutes of fame of the complainant,” he said. Asked to react to Alejano’s plan to take his complaint against Duterte to the International Criminal Court, Panelo said: “Tell him to plant trees in his province to protect our environment instead of creating a forest of lies against the President.” Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said the junked impeachment complaint “was from rehashed, trumped up charges aimed at undermining the duly constituted government.” “The President respects a coequal branch of government and does not interfere in the political exercise. Neither is he beholden to any group and he remains focused on governance,” Abella said. He said improving the welfare of the Filipino people would continue to be the President’s “paramount consideration.” Even Vice President Leni Robredo expressed belief an impeachment complaint against President Duterte would not prosper. “I think it will not prosper in the sense that impeachment is a political process, and our President is very popular,” Robredo said in an interview in Mintal, Davao City. The Vice President made the statement a few hours before the House justice committee voted to declare the impeachment rap as having no substance. “If we base on the statements of the members of the House, it appears that it will only get a little support,” she said. The Vice President, however, cited the importance of the House deliberating on the sufficiency in form of the impeachment complaint as part of democratic process. Robredo is also facing threats of impeachment for allegedly betraying the public trust when she revealed alleged police abuses in the government’s war on drugs in a video message sent to the United Nations. (With reports from Alexis Romero, Paolo Romero, Helen Flores, Edith Regalado, Edu Punay) n
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Alvarez: Congress to do Cha-Cha in 2018 by AUDREY
MORALLO Philstar.com
MANILA — House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said that if nothing happens this year with the plan to revise the Constitution, Congress can go ahead and convene as a constituent assembly to introduce changes to the country’s fundamental law. Speaking to reporters at the House of Representatives, Alvarez said that President Rodrigo Duterte was supposed to create a constitutional commission that would propose changes to the 1987 Constitution. Malacañang however seems too busy at this time to appoint the members of the planned commission, Alvarez said. Alvarez, whom Duterte picked to lead his majority coalition at the House when he won the presidency last year, said that the chamber had already submitted its recommendations on the possible members of the commission. The House leader added that Malacañang had already issued the executive order creating the commission. “Ah, hindi ko talaga alam dahil yung bola nasa Malacañang pa hanggang ngayon, In fact, nagsubmit na kami ng recommendation and na-issue na rin yung EO creating the Constitutional Commission. So ang kulang dun yung membership ng Constitutional Commission,” he said. Alvarez said that if nothing happens with the planned changes to the charter, the House—and possibly the Senate—would start its deliberations and convene as a constituent assembly.
Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said that Congress would convene as a constituent assembly next year if the Palace does not fill the constitutional commission this year.
“Ewan ko, medyo marami lang talaga siguro ginagawa ang Malacañang but definitely, pag hindi yan siya nangyari this year, definitely, with or without the commission — By next year, uumpisahan ng Kongreso yan,” Alvarez said. “Umpisahan na yang pag-usapan sa committee level yung ano and then ipapasa namin. Ganoon din doon sa Senado. We can agree. Puwede namin i-convene yung Congress into Constituent Assembly.” Alvarez said that time is of the essence in the administration’s plan to shift to a federal form of government to address the alleged unbalanced distribution of money and power between Manila and the provinces. “Siguro mas earlier the better because there will be elections sa 2019,” he said. Alvarez said that if Congress convenes as a constituent assembly the House and the Senate would merge into one body,
although they would still vote separately. Senate President Aquilino Pimentel meanwhile outlined the PDP-Laban’s proposal to shift to federalism during the celebration of the foundation of the mother province of Surigao on Monday. Surigao used to include the provinces of Surigao Del Norte, Surigao Del Sur and Dinagat Islands. He said in his speech that federalism is needed to address the neglect that Mindanao has experienced under the current unitary system of government. Aside from shifting the country’s system of government, Pimentel said that it is important that the change is accompanied by reforms including the strengthening of the party system in the Philippines, budgetary support for parties and raising qualifications for the presidency. “By the second half of this year, federalism will be the major topic of public debates,” he said.
SWS: Pinoys remain satisfied with Duterte Cabinet MANILA — More than half of Filipinos remained satisfied with the performance of key government institutions in the first quarter of the year, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey. The poll found 50 percent satisfied, 17 percent dissatisfied and 31 percent undecided with President Duterte’s Cabinet, resulting in a net satisfaction rating of “good” +32, unchanged from the last quarter of 2016. The Senate received the highest net public satisfaction rating
among government institutions. The survey found 65 percent satisfied, 13 percent dissatisfied and 21 percent undecided with the performance of the Senate, yielding a “very good” +52 net satisfaction score. The Senate’s satisfaction rating was four points higher from December’s “good” +48 (63 percent satisfied, 15 percent dissatisfied). The House of Representatives received a “good” +39 rating (53 percent satisfied, 14 percent dissatisfied, 30 percent undecided) from +36 (52 percent
satisfied, 17 percent dissatisfied) during the last survey. The Supreme Court’s net satisfaction rating also remained “good” despite a two-point increase from +38 (56 percent satisfied, 18 percent dissatisfied) to +40 (56 percent satisfied, 16 percent dissatisfied, 27 percent undecided). The poll was conducted from March 25 to 28, using face-toface interviews of 1,200 representative adults nationwide. It has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points. (Helen Flores/Philstar.com)
HELPING HANDS. Volunteers paint a classroom at the Rosauro Almario Elementary School in Tondo, Manila ahead of the official launch on Monday, May 15 of the Education department’s Brigada Eskwela. ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma
Robredo to Duterte critics: Resolve cases within PH first by ROSETTE
ADEL
Philstar.com
MANILA — Vice President Leni Robredo on Tuesday, May 16 said she hopes the Philippines can resolve complaints and criticism against President Rodrigo Duterte internally amid complaints that have been filed and that may yet be filed at the International Criminal Court. “Tingin ko hindi natin mahihinto kahit sino na gusto magavail ng mga prosesong available. Pero siyempre sa atin, bilang bansa, mas gusto natin na ni-reresolve natin iyong mga problema on our own,” Robredo said in an interview at the Brigada Eskwela 2017. “Isa naman tayong sovereign na bansa kaya mahalaga din na ipakita ng ating institusyon na hindi niya isinasantabi iyong mga reklamo ng sambayanan para hindi kinakailangan ng maghahanap ng recourse sa iba,” she added. Robredo also said that she hoped that each complaint of Filipino citizens will be addressed by the concerned institutions. The vice president reaped criticism from netizens and from Duterte allies for sending a video message on the Philippine war on drugs to a side event of a UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs meeting in Vienna, Austria in March. House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and other ad-
ministration allies said her message demeaned the Philippines and was somehow a betrayal of public trust. The vice president was reacting on Tuesday to potential cases to be filed against Duterte before the International Criminal Court after the House Committee of Justice dismissed the first impeachment complaint against him on Monday, May 15. The first complaint filed by Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano was junked due to insufficient substance. He then said he will consider filing a case against Duterte before the ICC. A communication filed by Jude Josue Sabio, the lawyer of selfconfessed hitman Edgar Matobat is also pending before the ICC. “Hindi ko alam kung mag-poprosper [iyan] pero iyong alam ko isa sa mga requirements sa ICC parang sana siya iyong last recourse,” Robredo explained. ‘Resolve cases within local courts’ Like Duterte, Robredo will also face an impeachment complaint filed against her by Marcos loyalist Oliver Lozano and radio broadcaster Melchor Chavez, representing the Volunteers for Good Government. The complaint was filed before the office of House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez but has yet to be endorsed by a member of the House of Representatives.
Vice President Leni Robredo hopes that the Filipino nation can resolve the country’s problems on its own amid the cases to be filed against President Rodrigo Duterte.
The complainants criticized the vice president’s statement on alleged extrajudicial killings and the “palit-ulo” (head switching) scheme amid the government’s war against illegal drugs in a video addressed to the United Nations. Robredo said they were not given a chance to determine if the complaint against her had a basis. “Iyong sa atin lang, iyong mga reklamo na idudulog sa korte, sa DOJ, sa fiscal, parang, mabigyan siya ng resolusyon na maayos para hindi kinakailangan na naghihingi tayo ng tulong sa iba,” the vice president said.
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MAY 19-25, 2017 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
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OPINION
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Determined
“SUFFICIENT in form but insufficient in substance,” the House of Representatives’ justice committee declared on Monday, May 15, as it formally dismissed the impeachment complaint filed against Pres. Rodrigo Duterte. A Philippine president is immune from lawsuits while in office, but he can be removed from office through impeachment. According to the Supreme Court, “form” refers to an impeachment complaint’s technical details following established methods, while “substance” refers to material allegations, of whether or not there is a cause for impeachment. A substance is sufficient if there is a detailed statement of facts constituting the offense charged. The impeachment complaint, filed by Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, accused the president of violating the Constitution by having a hand in the killings linked to the war on drugs and treason in his conferral with China on matters of maritime domain. Alejano accused the members of the panel of ceding their independence, neglecting their responsibility as duly-elected representatives of the people and railroading the process to jettison his complaint. He is now considering going to an international court to hold Duterte accountable for his impeachment complaints. The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague investigates and, where warranted, tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community: genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Alejano called on his colleagues in Congress and
the Filipino people to stand up against the rising number of deaths brought upon by the government’s war on the drugs. He warned that if the president is not stopped he will someday turn into a dictator. Back from his recent business trips to Cambodia, Hong Kong and China, Duterte dared Alejano and his other critics to “go ahead” with bringing a case against him to the ICC. “They are free to do it. This is a democracy,” Duterte said. A complaint against Duterte and 11 others was already filed by self-confessed Davao Death Squad (DDS) hitman Edgar Matobato before the ICC last April 24. In his 77-page complaint, lawyer Jude Josue Sabio cited the “continuing mass murder” in the country as shown by the thousands of Filipinos killed in the government’s anti-criminality and anti-drug campaigns that began when Duterte was still mayor of Davao City and continues now that he is the country’s chief executive. However, filing a case against the president before the ICC will only be a futile attempt. “The ICC, or any other court or tribunal here or elsewhere, has no business or jurisdiction in the removal in office of President Duterte or any impeachable officer as such is the sole power of the Congress
Editorial
The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS “HE is a good guy. I hope you can let this go,” was what President Donald Trump told his sacked FBI Director James Comey. This was documented by Comey in a contemporaneous memo he wrote on February 14, 2017, to document the details of their one-on-one meeting after Trump asked VP Mike Pence and Attorney General Jeff Sessions following
EXPLAINING the flurry of Cabinet appointments, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said his boss wanted to end uncertainty and speculation. Whatever the reasons, President Rodrigo Duterte did squelch further guesswork with the naming of his defeated running mate Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as foreign affairs secretary, Armed Forces chief Eduardo Año as interior secretary, and former AFP chief Roy Cimatu as environment secretary. Now, the tongue-wagging starts on what these new helmsmen mean for the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. And that won’t be so easy to squelch. Into the deep end at the DFA Let’s start with the DFA, the agency most closely watched from abroad. Duterte promised Cayetano either the DFA or the Department of Justice once the one-year ban on appointing election losers ends. But even after the previous secretary, Perfecto Yasay Jr., was rejected over nationality issues, the talk was that Cayetano may be needed in the Senate as advocate of the President’s agenda and defender of the administration. But his defense of the Philippines at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva aced the foreign affairs post for him. He faced more than a hundred nations, and many would not change their assessment, whatever he said.
of the Philippines,” House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas explained to ABS-CBN News. There are far more ills in the country that warrant much more attention and resources. Duterte bears these problems as he inherits the shortcomings and wrongdoings of his predecessors.
The dilemma comes with the title, the people voted for him to have. The distinction as the country’s “president” does not compensate for the responsibilities his job entails, and the incorrigible stigma of not meeting the Filipinos’ expectations—administration after administration. (AJPress)
Did Trump commit an impeachable offense when he asked FBI Director Comey to drop the Flynn investigation? their meeting on national security issues. Comey wrote memoranda after meetings with Trump that made him feel appalled, which he shared in confidence with select colleagues in the FBI. This was characteristic of Comey even during the Bush years. It’s a bombshell that may be deemed as obstruction of justice: to be asked by the president of the United States to drop the investigation into his own campaign which involved
Opinion
RICARDO SALUDO
ManilaTimes.net photo
big picture, Trump explained that Comey was fired because he has lost in his leadership of the FBI. Despite Trump’s “request”, Comey proceeded with the investigation of the president’s campaign alleged collusion with Russia in interfering with the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The Trump administration has denied the story -- on the same day that news broke about Trump divulging classified information to Russia dur-
his friend Michael Flynn’s conversation with Russia to ease sanctions Pres. Obama imposed on the country for interfering in the 2016 presidential election. This was reported by the New York Times on Tuesday, May 16, a week after Comey was fired by Trump, the details of which were corroborated by CNN’s reporting through interviews with officials in the FBI who were privy to this turn of events. Zooming out to look at the
ing his meeting with the Russian Prime Minister and Envoy in the Oval Office. Trump threatened Comey with a “tape” before he fired him, which lawmakers said Trump should turn over to Congress. What Trump did not know was that Comey had been writing those contemporaneous memos that could be material evidence if a case against Trump moves forward. Would Trump bring out the “tape” he tweeted about to support his
side of the story? Expect testimony under oath as this will surely be the subject of investigation. Did Trump abuse his executive power? Is he guilty of “obstruction of justice”? ” *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https:// www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
What the new Cabinet men must do for Duterte
That’s because for most nations, only their ambassadors may change their positions, and quite a number sent lower-level officials to the rights council meeting. Moreover, the review actually covered the past five years, not just the eight months of the Duterte administration. So, Senator Cayetano had to defend the previous regime as well, when homicides hit between 11,000 and 16,000 a year, far above the level in the current administration. Still, Cayetano and other officials in the Philippine delegation managed to keep the expressions of concern about the anti-drug killings to a minority of 45 states—surely a creditable performance on the international stage worthy of the foreign affairs portfolio. Now, there are even bigger challenges ahead for the incoming DFA head. Bilateral talks with China on territorial and maritime issues begin this month, and Cayetano must balance our positions to assert our sovereign rights while keeping everything friendly, as President Duterte wants it. Luckily, Beijing too wants to avoid frictions, so the talks will probably stay cordial. Ideally, there could be something substantive that Cayetano can push for, though probably later. On the side, former speaker and China advocate Jose de Venecia has urged joint oil exploration in the Spratlys. Cayetano would be wise to thank him for the suggestion, but let the legal experts, including Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio and Law of the Sea signatory Estelito Mendoza, study the idea first. A different kind of all-out war Turning to the DILG, the prior-
ity here is internal security. General Año retires only in October, but President Duterte evidently wants him to begin giving his future agency guidance on the comprehensive counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency campaign Año is mandated to prosecute. “Whole-of-nation” and “wholeof-government” are the phrases he used to describe his coming internal security thrust. That means harnessing all levels of both government and community in the war on lawless violence. This very approach proved its effectiveness in the interdiction of Abu Sayaff terrorists in Bohol. In beefing up internal security through Año’s appointment, President Duterte may be getting ready for both jihadist infiltration from the Middle East, and the possible failure of peace talks. Recently, a Singapore security conference warned that Southeast Asian extremists returning to the region after fighting for the brutal Islamic State, may seek haven in Mindanao. At the same time, Duterte has expressed concern over peace talks with Muslim rebels due to disagreement between factions. And negotiations with leftist insurgents were recently cast in doubt by the admission of communist leader Jose Maria Sison that he could not control the New People’s Army fighters on the ground. Año at the DILG will certainly give the internal security campaign a tougher hand, which is exactly why leftists in Congress and perhaps even in the Cabinet may try to block his confirmation. The rebel National Democratic Front and the opposition will almost surely portray his appointment as part of Duterte’s creep toward autocracy.
An SWS poll found 50 percent satisfied, 17 percent dissatisfied and 31 percent undecided with President Duterte’s Cabinet, resulting in a net satisfaction rating of “good” +32, unchanged from the last quarter of 2016.
That won’t get many nods among the people, however. Four out of five Filipinos trust the President, the same proportion who feel safer. They will certainly not lose trust or sleep over a new interior secretary who will fight more vigorously the threats to peace and security. The shadow of Gina Lopez If the future Secretary Año can win kudos for taking a hard line against violent groups, many may also want Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu to show toughness, especially against the mining industry blamed by environmental groups for the ouster of his predecessor Gina Lopez. That pressure to maintain her
uncompromising stance toward mining, even instituting regulations not explicitly covered by law, may get particularly strong, if not overbearing, if rumors that Lopez may be appointed DENR undersecretary come true. Then Secretary Cimatu would feel the agitation from both environmentalists on the street and one of his top deputies who used to run the agency. Even without Lopez in the DENR, her sweeping and unprecedented initiatives in protecting the environment from irresponsible mining, unauthorized Laguna fishpens, and other blights, set a high bar for Cimatu even before he took office.
On the other hand, the ex-general with decades of experience on the ground in his military career, knows that stopping environmental destruction takes far more than just issuing orders and talking tough. In the end, the DENR mission has to be a balancing act of safeguarding the environment while harnessing natural resources for economic growth and grassroots development. And in this mandate, there must be paramount adherence to the law. So, those are the challenges that incoming Secretaries Cayetano, Año and Cimatu must face for President Duterte. Good luck. You’ll need it. (ManilaTimes.net)
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Dateline PhiliPPines
NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • mAy 19-25, 2017
Mongolia, Turkey want to join ASEAN by Catherine
S. Valente ManilaTimes.net
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, May 16 said Turkey and Mongolia had expressed interest in joining the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which the Philippines is leading this year. In a news conference upon his arrival in Davao City from Beijing, Duterte said he spoke with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Mongolian Prime Minister Jargaltulgyn Erdenebat. “By the way, I had a talk with the President Erdogan and the Prime Minister Erdenebat [of] Mongolia. Gusto nila na magsali sa ASEAN [They want to join
ASEAN],” Duterte told reporters. “Since I am now the chair, ang Pilipinas ngayon [it’s the Philippines as chairman now], they wanted me to sponsor their entry and I said, ‘Yes, why not?’” he added. Apparently, however, the plan was politely questioned by Aung San Suu Kyi, state counsellor of Myanmar, who was also in China for the Beijing-led “Belt and Road” forum. “[The woman], Aung San Suu Kyi, [she said], ‘Have you considered the physical—the geography whether they are part of the Asean or not?’ They are. I would say that they are,” Duterte said. “Turkey, it seems to be ambivalent [on]whether to be a bridge to
Europe and Asia or [be] an Asian [country]. [They are not clear on that]. There has always been an ambivalent view,” he added. To date, there are 10 ASEAN member-states: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. But non-ASEAN parties can join the meetings of the 10-member regional bloc as dialogue partners, sectoral dialogue partners, development partners, special observers, or guests. ASEAN has dialogue partnerships with 10 parties: Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States.
China offers $500-M arms loan to Philippines by PatriCia lourdeS Philstar.com
Viray
MANILA — The Chinese government has offered a $500million loan to the Philippines, which can be used to procure defense equipment, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana revealed. On the sidelines of the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, Lorenzana said that the Philippines might procure defense equipment from China. This announcement comes after representatives of Chinese arms manufacturer Poly Technologies Inc. paid a courtesy call to President Rodrigo Duterte in Beijing. “We are not saying that we will buy from them or we will not buy from them but if we need anything from the Chinese defense
industry, we are going to procure using the loan that they are going to offer to us,” Lorenzana said. Lorenzana noted that the loan from the Chinese government will be on standby as the Philippines will only use it once the military’s modernization fund has been used up. On Monday, May 15, the Philippine government will sign a letter of intent to deal with the Chinese arms company. “What we discussed was we will be signing tomorrow a document on intent, intent only... It’s just a letter of intent to deal with them because they are offering us a wide array of defense equipment,” the Defense secretary said. The defense chief noted that the army, the Navy and the Air Force will be involved in select-
ing the equipment that will be procured from the Chinese manufacturer. “We are not going to choose for them. They are going to choose for themselves, what they need from the Chinese defense industry,” Lorenzana said. Lorenzana noted that arms from the Chinese manufacturer passed specifications of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday, May 14 launched the Belt and Road Initiative, pledging $124 billion for his new Silk Road plan to expand links among Asia, Africa and Europe. Duterte, however, skipped the opening ceremony of the twoday summit after arriving past 11 p.m. on Saturday, May 13 after a working visit in Hong Kong.
morallo Philstar.com
MANILA — Sen. Leila De Lima on Monday, May 15 said that the upcoming reinvestigation of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scandal that exploded during the previous administration would be a “witch hunt” as she claimed that the woman at the center of the scam, Janet Lim-Napoles, had already struck an agreement with the government. De Lima, the erstwhile justice secretary of the administration of Benigno Aquino III, said that the actions of the government which led to the acquittal of Napoles in her illegal detention case and its plan to make her a state witness were signs of a government witch hunt to silence its political critics. “All of the actions of the government in causing the acquittal of Napoles and making her a state witness bear the hallmarks of an upcoming government witch hunt. It is regrettable when the real criminal mastermind is exonerated and the innocent persecuted, merely in order for an already despotic regime to achieve absolute political dominance by silencing any remaining opposition with threats of persecution,” said De Lima. The senator is currently detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) custodial center in Camp Crame stemming from her alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade at the National Bilibid Prisons (NBP). Last week, the Court of Appeals (CA) dismissed the conviction of Napoles, dubbed as pork barrel scam queen because her bogus non-government organizations (NGOs) were used to skim the government of public funds, for serious illegal detention. In a 35-page decision, the CA said that the prosecution was not able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the crime was committed. It said that there was no sufficient, convincing evidence that Benhur Luy, Napoles’ cousin and former employee, was held against his will in a retreat house.
Sen. Leila De Lima
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II also announced that his department would launch a reinvestigation of the PDAF scam, believing that the probe conducted during the previous government was “selective.” “We’ll be making an honest to goodness effort to reopen itong PDAF and even DAP cases. Kaya’t we could not rest in view of the fact that only three among hundreds of responsible public officials dito sa dalawang kasong ito. Kaya’t tuluy-tuloy po tayo. There will be no selective justice katulad nung nakaraan. Out of several hundreds of public officials tatlo lamang ang talagang nakasuhan,” Aguirre said. The justice chief also hinted at a press conference last week that officials higher than senators might be indicted in the billion-peso scandal. “Napag-usapan naming kanina yan. As a matter of fact kahit hindi niya sabihin sa akin alam ko naman na ganun ang pagkaalam ng marami sa atin e. Yun ang direction natin. Talagang kung sino yung lalabas ng involved yun ang ating ipo-prosecute,” Aguirre said when asked if some names higher than senators were given by the Napoles lawyer. De Lima also defended her office’s handling and investigation of the case, saying that the grounds cited by Aguirre in pushing for its reinvestigation were “misleading assertions.” Contrary to Aguirre’s claim that she managed to file only one batch of cases, De Lima said the PDAF, or pork barrel, investigation conducted by the National Bureau of
NOTHING TO PAY. A government physician checks on a Kabihug tribesman for free health services and medicines. Kabihug tribesmen were recipients of free rides, food and health-care services for the second time courtesy of the Indigenous People’s (IP) Summit of the Department of Health (DoH) and the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) held in the Bicol Region recently. ManilaTimes.net photo by Rhaydz Barcia
Senate approves pro-OFW, journalist protection bills by Paolo
romero Philstar.com
MANILA - The Senate approved on third and final reading three major bills, including extending the validity of passports to 10 years and strengthening the law to protect journalists from revealing their sources. Passed were Senate Bill 1365 or the Philippine Passport Act; SB 1255, amending Republic Act 53 or the Sotto Law; and SB 1353 imposing higher penalties on hospitals or clinics that refuse to administer treatment to emergency patients. SB 1365 was authored by Sens. Richard Gordon, Cynthia Villar, Joseph Victor Ejercito, Loren Legarda, Sonny Angara, Joel Villanueva, Grace Poe, Alan Peter Cayetano and Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto. Villar, vice-chair of the comInvestigation (NBI) under her re- mittee on foreign relations and sulted in the filing of three batches sponsor of the bill, said the meaof complaints at the ombudsman. sure sought to extend the validShe said that among those rec- ity of the passport from five to ommended to be charged were 10 years to make travel abroad several senators and congress- easier, especially for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). men. “We owe our OFWs a lot. They “The first batch of PDAF complaints involved eight (8) legisla- keep our economy afloat with tors, namely then Senators Jing- their remittances of approxigoy Estrada, Bong Revilla and mately $50 billion annually. GivJuan Ponce Enrile. The second ing them a 10-year guarantee batch included seven (7) Con- on their right to travel abroad gressmen: Salacnib Baterina, Ro- will certainly be a great help to zzano Rufino B. Biazon, Douglas them,” Villar said. Cagas, Marc Douglas Cagas IV, Ariel Olano, Arthur Pingoy, Jr. and Rodolfo Valencia. The third batch was filed against nine (9) legislators: Senator Gregorio B. Honasan II, and Congressmen Amado Bagatsing, Conrado Estrella III, Raymund Estrella, Manuel Ortega, Victor Francisco Ortega, Isidro Real, Jr., Rufus Rodriguez and Emmanuel Joel Villanueva (now Senator),” she said, adding that the Ombudsman had already filed cases against several of these individuals while some were already in progress. De Lima also reiterated that Napoles’ statement could not be used to launch a reinvestigation because she was a “polluted source” willing to implicate anyone in exchange for being used as state witness and “save her own skin.” The former justice secretary said: “Any new investigation cannot rely only on the testimony of a polluted source such as a convicted criminal and the mastermind of the PDAF Scam no less. Any new charges should be based on documentary evidence. I doubt if Napoles will be able to produce such evidence, considering that she had no evidence to produce herself when she approached me as the DOJ Secretary with a supposedly extended list of legislators—clients.” De Lima said it was doubtful if Napoles would be able to produce documentary evidence to support her testimony as she asserted that anyone could make a list containing names of alleged beneficiaries from the scam.
De Lima: ‘Pork’ reinvestigation a government ‘witch hunt’ by audrey
Angara said OFWs often have to file a leave from work for them to be able to travel back and forth to the nearest Philippine embassy or consular office to renew their passports. The number of passports issued by the DFA has been increasing by an average of 29.3 percent yearly since 2010. Also approved was SB 1255, which seeks to amend RA 53 or the Sotto Law. The 70-year-old law, authored by the late senator Vicente Sotto, exempted publisher, editor, columnist or duly accredited reporter of any newspaper, magazine or periodical of general circulation from divulging their sources unless it endangered the security of the state. Sotto’s grandson, Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, is principal author of the measure. “There is a need to expand the coverage to include journalists from broadcast and online news networks,” Sotto said, adding that the public now gets news not just from print media but from other sources such as television, radio and the internet. But Poe, chair of the Senate committee on public information and mass media, said the measure could not be used to protect a person from libel. Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV is a co-author of the measure.
The Senate also passed SB 1353 imposing higher penalties on hospitals or clinics that refuse to admit patients during emergency. Sen. Risa Hontiveros, sponsor and principal author of the bill, said the measure primarily sought to protect “the rights and interests of patients from abuse and improve the country’s health profession.” “We want to a have a healthy nation where the poor are not turned away from hospitals and where no family will have to beg just so they can receive proper medical treatment,” she said. Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, Sotto, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Gordon are also authors of the bill. Hontiveros seeks to increase the penalties for violations committed under the Anti-Hospital Deposit Law or Republic Act 8344 first passed in 1997. The current law prohibits and penalizes hospitals and medical clinics when they “request, solicit, demand or accept any deposit or any other form of advance payment as a prerequisite for confinement or medical treatment of a patient,” or when they “refuse to administer medical treatment and support as dictated by good practice of medicine to prevent death or permanent disability.”
Binigay nila ang lahat sa iyo.
Mocha gets De Lima’s support by marVin
Sy
Philstar.com
MANILA - Controversial presidential appointee Mocha Uson found an unlikely ally in Sen. Leila de Lima, who urged critics to judge Uson not for her past work but on how she performs in her current job as assistant secretary of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO). Uson’s appointment to the PCOO, just like her earlier appointment to the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board, generated widespread criticism, primarily because of her previous stint as a sexy performer and blogger. Upon learning about the attacks against Uson, which she said was in effect slut-shaming, De Lima sympathized with her plight and decided to say her piece now. Instead of focusing on her
Mocha Uson
past, De Lima said the public should watch how she would work in her new position, “funded by our tax money.” “For one, I hope that she will be a purveyor of truth, rather than propaganda; of responsibly gathered and vetted facts and news, rather than so-called alternative facts and fake news. She is no longer just a private blog-
A
ger or social media personality; she is now a civil servant,” De Lima said. De Lima’s comments were clearly drawn from her own experience as a victim of slut-shaming at the height of the hearings conducted by the House of Representatives on the proliferation of illegal drugs in the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa.
Ngayon, ikaw naman Sa pamamagitan ng ‘paid family leave’ maaari mong makuha ang bahagi ng iyong kita para alagaan ang iyong pinakaminamahal. Kung hindi ikaw, sino?
CaliforniaPaidFamilyLeave.com
A
may 19-25, 2017 • NORCaL aSIaN JOURNaL
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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 19-25, 2017
CJ1
BUSINESSJ& COMMUNITY OURNAL
Your Immigration Solution LORELLA T. HESS AND NANCY E. MILLER MOST aliens in the United States are entitled to a hearing before an Immigration Judge if the government seeks to remove them. However, those who entered the country illegally and have been here for a short time are subject to a process called expedited removal. As its name indicates, the expedited removal process is designed to move quickly. Usually the alien is not even able to consult an attorney and the final decision is made by an immigration officer during one interview. Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to review a case which raised questions about whether aliens caught up in the expedited removal process have certain constitutional rights. In that case, Castro v. D.H.S., the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled that families in expedited removal proceedings, who had applied for asylum, could not seek habeus corpus petitions to challenge their detentions in court. A writ of habeas corpus (Latin for “you have the body”) requires the government to bring a prisoner into court and justify the legal basis for his or her detention. Immigration law scholars and human rights organizations filing amicus (“friend of the court”) briefs argued that the Supreme Court should take up this case because the Third Circuit’s decision threatens the rights of many people already inside the United States. There are two main reasons for concern. First, serious flaws have been documented in how the expedited removal system actually operates. Also, the scope of that system is being expanded by the Trump administration, which plans to apply expedited removal over a much wider geographic area and to include aliens who have been present in
Supreme Court tacitly allows new limits on aliens’ rights the United States for up to two years. For well over a century the Supreme Court has held that “even aliens shall not be . . . deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law.” Constitutional due process protections—which include the right to a hearing—apply to “all persons” within the United States. The only exception is that aliens arriving at a port of entry, even though they are in fact geographically inside this country, are subject to the legal fiction that they were stopped before the border and have not yet entered the U.S. The Third Circuit’s Castro ruling classified women and children apprehended several miles inside the United States (who had avoided a port of entry) under the legal fiction that they had not yet entered, and then also held that they did not have the right to challenge their detention with habeas corpus petitions. Habeas corpus scholars submitted another amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to take up this case, arguing that the right to file a habeas corpus petition “turns on the extent to which the government exercises control of the petitioner’s person and not on [the petitioner’s] status as a citizen, noncitizen, or alien seeking asylum.” Indeed, the very same Supreme Court decision which established the legal fiction that, for due process purposes, an alien at a port of entry has not yet arrived in the United States, also acknowledged that such an alien “may by habeas corpus challenge the validity of his exclusion.” However, because the Supreme Court did not agree to hear the Castro case, the Third Circuit’s holding stands and is binding throughout that circuit, which includes Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Other U.S. Courts of Appeals have ruled differently in the
past, and their rulings remain binding within their circuits. California is in the Ninth Circuit. The most recent rulings from the Ninth Circuit on this issue affirm the entry fiction as traditionally understood, and safeguard constitutional protections for people who have crossed the border into the United States, even if they have done so illegally. The Third Circuit’s ruling could affect those in other Circuits. Recent arrivals apprehended in the Ninth Circuit could be moved to the Third Circuit and held in detention there, where they would be subject to Third Circuit law and thus unable to file habeas corpus petitions to challenge their detentions. The asylum seekers in the Castro case were taken into custody in Texas (in the Fifth Circuit) before being moved to detention centers in Pennsylvania (in the Third Circuit). For this reason, it is important to try to prevent DHS from moving recent arrivals from the Ninth Circuit to a Circuit where the law is more harsh. Legal motions need to be filed to prevent such moves. Those subject to expedited removal due to their recent arrival in the United States, or their loved ones, should immediately consult a knowledgeable and experienced immigration lawyer to determine what help is available for them. ***
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)
‘DUTERTENOMICS’ GOES TO CHINA
Economic officials to present major infrastructure projects for funding support by ROY
STEPHEN C. CANIVEL
na Jose Santiago Sta. Romana told reporters that cabinet officials went to Beijing to talk about BEIJING, CHINA—Philippine Dutertenomics, which highlights economic managers pitched the the government’s ambitious inDuterte administration’s infra- frastructure projects. International Cooperation structure program to Chinese While a separate event in itofficials in a bid to further boost interest among Chinese firms, self, this coincideed with the last months after President Rodrigo leg of the two-day Belt and Road Duterte brought home multibil- Forum (BRF) for International lion-dollars worth of pledges Cooperation that was also held in Beijing. President Duterte parfrom the private sector. Philippine Ambassador to Chi- ticipated in the BRF. Inquirer.net
Sta. Romana said the Philippine Embassy in China had received a number of inquiries from Chinese firms asking about the business environment in the country. While he could not give out their names, he said that these firms were interested in pursuing projects in the Philippines. Asian powerhouse neighbors “We have asked them to listen to the cabinet secretaries be-
u PAGE CJ3
Remittances hit record-high in March, says BSP by JULIAN
OCAMPO Philstar.com
MANILA - Money sent by Filipinos living and working abroad reached a new monthly recordhigh in March, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported on Monday, May 15. Cash remittances coursed through banks hit $2.615 billion that month, up year-on-year 10.7 percent, which was also the fastest growth rate in four months. The total amount surpassed the record $2.559 billion sent in December last year, central bank data showed. It brought the firstquarter tally to $6.953 billion, up 7.7 percent. “The increase...during the first
quarter of the year was driven by the 10.5-percent growth in transfers from land-based workers with work contracts of one year or more...,” BSP said in a statement. “(This made) up for the 2-percent decrease in remittances from sea-based and land-based workers with work contracts of less than one year,” it added. Another gauge called personal remittances, which include handcarry transfers, rose at a faster pace of 11.8 percent in March and 8.1 percent in the first three months. The BSP has forecast remittances, one of the economy’s key drivers, to increase 4 percent this year. Last year, cash remittances rose 5 percent to a record $26.9
billion. For March, the central bank said the U.S. remains the top source of remittances, growing 10.7 percent year-on-year. It contributed 3.9 percentage-points to the aggregate growth. The U.S. was followed by Canada and the United Arab Emirates (contributing 2.1 percentage points), Japan (1 percentage point) and Hong Kong (0.8 percentagepoint). So far this year, cash remittances came mainly from land-based workers, contributing $5.6 billion to the first-quarter tally. This was up 10.4 percent from last year. Their sea-based counterparts, data showed, funneled $1.4 billion, down 2 percent. ■
CJ2
COMMUNITY JOURNAL
MAY 19-25, 2017 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond
Making time for the things that matter Carpe diem! Seize the day! - Horace
MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA FOR a steadily increasing number of people who are intent on finding meaning in life—time has eclipsed money in importance. In America as in anywhere else on earth where time is equated with money, there is a tendency to trade each hour for the relentless pursuit of the trappings of an economically successful life. What we do has become what we are. And yet, the truth of the matter is that not all our hours are billable. For immigrant parents with younger children, one of the best things to give of yourself is having more free, unscheduled, unencumbered time with them so that you can make yourself available to them, without having to put them on schedule as though accommodating them in your already crowded appointment book. In the eighties and nineties of the past century, the idea of “quality time” meant that since there was only a limited amount of time to spend with children,
a busy parent “squeezed” as much as could be squeezed out of spending an hour or two or an afternoon with his children once in a great while. While spending limited quality time was definitely better than being an absentee parent altogether, there is still no substitute for spending real“quantity time” with children, even if it means merely hanging out with them. There is a vast array of things that children are offered to learn outside of school—activities that by themselves are intended to prime and prepare them for success in their adult lives, to make them more intelligent, more artistic, more poised with greater self-esteem, more athletic and basically more well-rounded supposedly to be able to compete in the real world. The focus of these activities is on the future rather than the present moment. Try not to rob them of the joy of the moment in the name of the future. Well-meaning but basically
misguided immigrant parents tend to overcompensate and stretch themselves to give their children the advantage they themselves did not have. Some push their children onto too many activities to give them an edge for the outside world at some future date. As promising as these activities may seem, one needs to achieve a sense of balance and understand if the tendency to do so is a personal response to a sense of insecurity. It could be that parents are merely sublimating their inadequacies and imposing these on the lives of their own children. It is not necessary to enlist children in each and every activity that promises to give them an edge. Spending real time with children and kicking back can yield even more tangible results in improved relationships and a better quality of family life. ***
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Failed relationships of fiance visa beneficiaries
The CTV Files ATTY. DENNIS CHUA, ESQ.
ONE advantage in filing a fiancé visa petition is that the fiancé beneficiary will be able to enter the United States faster compared to a spousal immigrant petition to be filed for the fiance. Once the fiancé beneficiary enters the United States, he or she must marry the U.S. citizen petitioner within ninety (90) days. After the marriage, the fiancé beneficiary must file for an application to adjust his or her status to that of a permanent resident alien. Since the purpose in the issuance of a fiancé visa is for the beneficiary to enter the United States to marry the U.S. citizen petitioner, there are certain restrictions imposed on the fiancé visa. The fiancé beneficiary can only adjust status based on marriage to the U.S. citizen petitioner who filed the fiancé petition. Neither can the fiancé benNota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of eficiary change status to another Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, type of nonimmigrant visa (such e-mail monette.maglaya@asianjournalinc.com as a student visa, working visa, investor’s visa) nor extend the fiancé visa. Two different case scenarios will best illustrate the implications on the fiancé beneficiary’s failure to marry the U.S. citizen petitioner or adjust her status after marriage to the U.S. citizen petitioner. • Jose filed a fiancé visa petition for Gilda. Upon Gilda’s entry into the United States, both of them discovered that they
were not meant for each other. Since Gilda was already here in the United States, she decided to remain in the country and stayed with her relatives. After a few years, Gilda met Mario and the two fell in love. Gilda and Mario eventually got married. Thinking that she was now married to a U.S. citizen, Gilda filed for an application for adjustment of status based on her marriage to Mario. After their interview, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) denied Gilda’s application for adjustment of status because Gilda entered the U.S. using a fiancé visa and she was not adjusting her status based on her marriage to the person who filed the fiancé visa petition for her. Gilda may still be allowed to stay in the country and fix her status if she has been in the country for at least ten years. Gilda has the option to exit the country and undergo visa processing and to file for a waiver before the U.S. Embassy so that the government could waive her unlawful presence if she has been in the United States unlawfully for more than 180 days. The option of filing a stateside waiver is also available to her where she could file the waiver here in the United States first before going back to her home country. • Norman filed a fiancé visa petition for Daisy. Norman and Daisy got married within 90 days upon Daisy’s entry into the United States. Daisy then filed
for her application for adjustment of status with the USCIS. During the early stages of their marriage, Daisy discovered that Norman was not the person she fell in love with. Norman had a temper and he began abusing her verbally and physically. Since Daisy could no longer stand the abuses of Norman, she left their home and went to a shelter. This angered Norman who then withdrew the affidavit of support he submitted for Daisy in her adjustment of status application. Daisy’s adjustment application was eventually denied. Under this factual scenario, Daisy can file for a battered spouse petition and adjust her status without Norman’s participation. It is important to note that the factual antecedents of each case are different and it is essential to assess various reliefs that may be available depending on the circumstances of each case. *** Atty. Dennis E. Chua is a partner in The Law Firm of Chua Tinsay and Vega (CTV), a full service law firm with offices in San Francisco, San Diego and Manila. 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 (415) 495-8088; (619) 955-6277; Dchua@ ctvattys.com. The CTV Attorneys will be at Max’s Restaurant in Vallejo on October 19, 2009 from 5pm to 7pm to hold a FREE legal clinic. (Advertising Supplement)
National smoking ban
Health@Heart
Providing a smoking area within the same building with one ventilation system is like designating a urinating area in a swimming pool
PHILIP S. CHUA, MD, FACS, FPCS HEALTHJUSTICE Philippines, a vigilant think tank and advocacy group with legal expertise in tobacco control and health promotion and a Bloomberg Awardee for Global Tobacco Control, sent out a press release on May 12, 2017 praising “Davao City Vices Regulation Unit for its strict enforcement of smoking ban and apprehension of 4,487 violators since its formation last month.” “We commend the local government of Davao City and its Vices Regulation Unit for strictly enforcing the provisions of its pertinent local ordinances and national and international laws banning smoking in public spaces. Davao City has been recognized by no less than the World Health Organization for its landmark tobacco control ordinance, and since then it has continued setting a sterling example in crafting and implementing tobacco control measures for cit-
ies across the country and the whole world to emulate,” said Mary Ann Fernandez-Mendoza, president and trustee of HealthJustice. “We hope that President Duterte will soon sign the ‘smoke-free’ Executive Order that will not only strengthen the enforcement of existing smoking bans, but also direct local governments to pattern their anti-smoking ordinances after that of Davao, which includes a ‘no smoking indoors’ policy,” she added. *** Cebu in the 1990s, expanding on its existing ban on smoking in public establishments then, proposed its laudable goal to make Cebu city a smoke-free city by year 2006. I was among its staunchest supporter and stated then that achieving this would earn Cebu the enviable distinction of being one of the healthiest cities and tourist spots in the
world. Unfortunately, wisdom, health, and medical science were no match to the power of money and political correctness. I remember that there were some brainless city legislators who wanted to amend the ordinance to allow smoking after 9:00 P.M. and for the creation of smoking areas in shopping malls, restaurants, etc. Did these obviously ignorant officials think that active and passive smoking would only cause cancers, cardiovascular illnesses, and lung diseases before 9:00 P.M., and that smoking after 9 PM would be safe? Did they honestly think that the smoking areas (within a building) will prevent the 4000 harmful (200 of them cancer-causing) chemicals in tobacco smoke from getting into the ventilation system and expose and hurt everyone in the premises, including nonsmokers and children?
Business News
ğ įōíľ ÀðıÃæµįPçį ʼn æIJįıÀ ØÃĉÃæîÂ ß ğÃqPç qíß߼æÃıŎįĤÀíĽØ ÕæíŊįPdíĽIJĕ If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, email us the details (title, description, time & date, location, etc.) at info@asianjournalinc.com. And for consideration in our print calendar, please send submissions at least three weeks before the date of the event. To be included in our online calendar/ e-newsletter, please allow at least two to three weeks' notice. The Asian Journal would be delighted to list your event in our Calendar of Events.
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400,000 Pinoys in forced labor as Atlantic ‘Lola’ story goes viral by ROSETTE
ADEL
Philstar.com
MANILA — Eudocia “Lola” Tomas Pulido, the main subject of an article in the Atlantic titled “My family’s slave,” is just one of 400,000 slaves from the Philippines. According to the 2016 Global Slavery Index by global organization Walk Free Foundation, there were an estimated 401,000 Filipinos, or 0.40 percent of the population, living in modern slavery in 2015. The Philippines’ estimated population as of 2016 is 100,699,000. The Philippines ranked 33rd among 167 countries with the largest estimated population enslaved through forced labor, commercial sexual exploitation, child soldiery or pa-aling fishing, based on the survey’s prevalence index. Pa-aling fishing is a highly dangerous fishing technique. The ranking is an improvement from the 19th place that the Philippines was at in 2014. ‘Filipinos mostly abused through forced labor’ The same study revealed that majority of the Filipinos living in slavery are in forced labor. It said that an estimated 10 million Filipinos go abroad for work and many are subjected to human trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor throughout Asia, Europe, North America and the Middle East. It said that the most recent survey on Overseas Filipino Workers by the Philippine Statistics Authority suggests that one in every two Filipino women working abroad is unskilled and is employed as a domestic worker, cleaner, or in the service sector. “In 2015-2016, research has revealed that migrant worker exploitation occurs during all phas-
In this Monday, Nov. 16, 2015 photo, Juanita Espinosa sits and enjoys a sunset in front of her house in the slum “Smokey Mountain” in Manila, Philippines. Just a few miles from the gleaming venue hosting President Barack Obama and other world leaders sits Manila’s slum of slums on a mountain of trash, a potent reminder of the dilemmas that haunt the free trade and globalization agenda promoted by groups like the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.
es of labor migration, with many prospective migrants having a lack of knowledge of the processes and their rights resulting in an ease of exploitation,” the study added. About 47.67 percent of Filipinos are also said to be vulnerable to modern slavery according to the Walk Free Foundation’s study. Globally, there are an estimated 45.8 million people in modern slavery. The following countries had the highest proportion of their population in modern slavery, according to the index: • North Korea • Uzbekistan • Cambodia • India • Qatar • Pakistan • Democratic • Republic of the Congo • Sudan • Iraq • Afghanistan • Yemen • Syria • South Sudan
• Somalia • Libya • Central African Republic • Mauritania • Haiti • Dominican Republic • Myanmar • Bangladesh The International Labor Organization meanwhile said that in 2012, there were around 21 million victims of forced labor worldwide. Despite the high rate of modern slavery, Walk Free Foundation’s study said that the Philippine government has introduced a response to modern slavery. This includes short-term victim support services, a criminal justice framework that criminalizes some forms of modern slavery, the creation of a government body to coordinate the response, and protection for those vulnerable to modern slavery. “The Philippines, Georgia, Brazil, Jamaica and Albania are making strong efforts despite having relatively fewer resourc-
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Immigration Corner ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ DURING Pres. Trump’s candidacy, and after he was elected, he stated that among the ways he would combat terrorism would be through “extreme vetting,” which would include a “rigorous evaluation” of visa applicants to determine if they support terrorism. Recently, the State Department listed possible additional questions for visa applicants who have been determined to warrant additional scrutiny in connection with terrorism or other national security-related visa ineligibilities, in order to more rigorously evaluate applicants for terrorism or other national security-related visa ineligibilities: If a person is suspected of having terrorist ties or sympathy for terrorists, he or she may be required to provide the following information, if not already included on an existing visa application: • Travel history during the last fifteen years, including source of funding for travel; • Address history during the
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Trump’s ‘extreme vetting’ of visa applicants last fifteen years; • Employment history during the last fifteen years; • All passport numbers and country of issuance held by the applicant; • Names and dates of birth for all siblings; • Name and dates of birth for all children; Names and dates of birth for all current and former spouses, or civil or domestic partners; • Social media platforms and identifiers, also known as handles, used during the last five years (such a Facebook, etc.); and • Phone numbers and email addresses used during the last five years. • People may also be required to turn over their cell phones, to see who they have been calling, etc. Most of this information is already collected on visa applications, but for a shorter time period, e.g. five years rather than fifteen years. Regarding travel history, applicants may be requested to provide details of their international or domestic (within their country of nation-
ality) travel, if it appears to the consular officer that the applicant has been in an area while the area was under the operational control of a terrorist organization. These questions may not always be required for every visa applicant. But you can see the type of information that may soon be required for anyone applying for a U.S. visa. ***
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
CREWMAN WENT HOME TO MANILA ON PROVISIONAL WAIVER AND CAME BACK TO THE U.S. WITH A GREEN CARD—ON A SPECIAL ENCORE EPISODE OF CITIZEN PINOY! Leading U.S. immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel obtained a Provisional Waiver for Jerome, a crewman who jumped ship. Jerome had filed for Adjustment of Status on his own, but it was denied, because he was not eligible. With the approved Provisional Waiver of the 3\10 year bar, Jerome returned to the Philippines for visa processing at the US Embassy in Manila. His wife and children wondered and prayed if Jerome could make it back to the U.S. Every crewman and their US spouse should watch the outcome of this Provisional Waiver case on an encore episode of ‘Citizen Pinoy’ — this Sunday, May 21 at 6:15 pm (PST) on TFC. (Advertising supplement)
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Link seen between groups behind Calendar of Events across ransomware, RCBC cyber heist by AUDREY
MORALLO Philstar.com
A CYBERSECURITY firm said that the recent WannaCry ransomware attacks may be connected to the group that orchestrated one of the biggest cyberheists in history that involved a Philippine bank. Kaspersky Lab, a cybersecurity and antivirus provider in Moscow, said in a statement that a security researcher at Google found an “artifact” on Twitter potentially linking the WannaCry ransomware attacks that hit organizations and individuals in several dozen countries and the Lazarus hacking group which was responsible for several devastating cyberattacks on government organizations, media firms and financial institutions in recent years. “On Monday, May 15, a security researcher from Google posted an artifact on Twitter potentially pointing at a connection between the WannaCry ransomware attacks that recently hit thousands of organizations and private users around the world, and the malware attributed to the infamous Lazarus hacking group, responsible for a series of devastating attacks against government or-
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ganizations, media and financial institutions,” Kaspersky said. Late last week, a worm dubbed WannaCry locked up more than 200,000 computers in more than 150 countries, disrupting operations of car factories, hospitals, shops, schools and other institutions. The attack on late Friday, May 12, was slowed down after a security researcher took control of a server linked to the attack, crippling its ability to rapidly spread across the world. The Lazarus group meanwhile has been linked to several largescale operations such as the attacks against Sony Pictures in 2014 and a series of similar attacks that continued until 2017. Bangladesh central bank heist One of the biggest attacks carried out by the Lazarus group was the Central Bank of Bangladesh heist in 2016, one of the biggest in history. In that operation, hackers sent fraudulent messages that were made to appear to be from the Bangladeshi central bank to transfer $1 billion from its account in the Federal Reserve of New York. Most of the transfers were blocked but about $81 million was sent to RCBC in the Philippines.
The money was moved around to make it difficult to trace. Kaspersky said that the Google researcher pointed at a WannaCry malware sample which appeared in February 2017, weeks before the late Friday attack. ‘Clear code similarities’ Based on the analysis of Kaspersky researchers, it was confirmed that there was “clear code similarities” between the sample highlighted by the Google expert and the malware samples used by the Lazarus group in their 2015 attacks. Kaspersky however admitted that the similarities might be a false flag although another analysis of the February and WannaCry samples used in the recent operation showed that the code which could point at the Lazarus group was removed from the malware. Kasperksy said that this could be an attempt to cover the traces of the perpetrators of the WannaCry operations. “Although this similarity alone doesn’t allow proof of a strong connection between the WannaCry ransomware and the Lazarus Group, it can potentially lead to new ones which would shed light on the WannaCry origin which to the moment remains a mystery,” Kaspersky said. ■
America
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National Viral Hepatitis Testing Day Stakeholder Breakfast and Conference in Pasadena, CA National Viral Hepatitis Testing Day Stakeholder Breakfast and Conference, co-sponsored by Hep B Free-Los Angeles and Hepatitis C Task Force for Los Angeles County on Friday, May 19. It will be held at Huntington Hospital (100 W. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91105) from 9:30 a.m. to noon, featuring a hepatitis/liver expert panel and roundtable discussion groups. Continental breakfast will be available. Please RSVP by May 12 to Koy Parada at kparada@apu.edu or (818) 599-9132.
AMBOY presents ULAM dinner in LA AMBOY presents a special night on Friday, May 19 with a six course dinner presented by Filipino chefs who will each make one course using their culinary technique and cultural background. Guests in attendance will also receive a VIP ticket to the preview of ULAM – a Filipino food documentary, showing at the Million Dollar Theatre on Saturday May 20th. It will be held at the second floor of Far East Plaza (727 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012) at 5:30 p.m., 8 p.m., and 10 p.m. It is $75 per guest (includes a ticket to ULAM screening). To book online, please visit www.universe.com/amboydinnernight or email eatatamboy@ gmail.com for any inquiries.
M AY 2 0
Carlos Bulosan book club in LA
In this Wednesday, April 22, 2015, file photo, Stijn Vanveerdeghem, left, an engineer with Cisco, shows graphics with live wireless traffic to FedEx employee Barry Poole during the RSA Conference in San Francisco, where threat analysts, security vendors and corporate IT administrators gathered to talk about malicious software, spear-phishing and other attacks that can steal money or secrets from companies and consumers. As the Friday, May 12, 2017, global cyberextortion attack that held people’s computer files hostage slows, authorities are working to catch the crooks behind it, which is a difficult task that involves searching for digital clues and following the money.
Economic officials to present...
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cause this is actually the answer to their questions. There will be a number of Chinese companies that will participate in that forum,” he said. President Duterte made a state visit to China in October last year, signaling his administration’s shift in foreign strategy as it now edges closer to its the Asian powerhouse neighbors. After the visit, the delegation brought home $24 billion worth of pledges and credit facilities. Of this figure, $15
billion was attributed to the private sector. The cabinet officials first introduced the “build, build, build” initiative during the Dutertenomics forum in Manila last month. They also brought the forum to Cambodia earlier this month where they spoke with foreign media and investors there. ‘Game-changing’ projects Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said in April that the Duterte administration planned to roll out more
than P3.6 trillion in public infrastructure projects from 2018 to 2020, promising “game-changing” projects that would roll out and be completed before the end of the administration. In total, Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno said P8.4 trillion would be spent on infrastructure during the six-year term of President Duterte, increasing the share of infrastructure spending in the gross domestic product (GDP) from 5.4 percent this year to 7.4 percent in 2022. ■
400,000 Pinoys in forced labor... PAGE CJ3 t es than wealthier countries,” an excerpt of the study read. The third edition of the global survey was conducted by Walk Free Foundation and Gallup to a random sample, nationally representative survey to estimate the prevalence of modern slavery in the Philippines in 2015. ‘Slavery avoidable’ Andrew Forrest, chairman and founder of Walk Free Foundation, said that while slavery is abhorrent and more rampant than at any time in history, it is entirely avoidable. “Unlike major world epidemics such as malaria and HIV/AIDS, slavery is a human condition of our own making. While that in itself is a tragedy, it also means
that we have the power to end it,” Forrest wrote. “And end slavery we must; we cannot allow future generations to fall prey to this hideous practice. Improving the rights of 45.8 million human beings is both wise and urgent for all leaders of countries and organizations. Eradicating slavery makes sense, morally, politically, logically and economically,” he added. ‘Tale of a secret slave’ While slavery is indeed avoidable, that was not the case in the viral personal essay of “Lola” written by the late Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Alex Tizon. Lola’s story touched many netizens as it captured her life of being essentially enslaved from when she was 18 years old until she passed away at the age
of 86. At the tender age of 18, Lola was assigned by Tizon’s grandfather, an Army lieutenant named Tomas Asuncion, to become their family’s helper. She lived with them for 56 years, took care of Alex Tizon when he was an infant until he grew old, but the journalist said he only realized that Lola was a slave when he was 11 years old. Lola was not freed from unpaid forced labor and never got a chance to have a family of her own. Accustomed to that life, she looked after Tizon until he grew up and had his own family. The Atlantic said Tizon, who passed away in March, struggled to write Lola’s story. Lola’s story is featured in its June 2017 issue. ■
The Echo Park Branch Library* of the LA Public Library system will host the launching of the Carlos Bulosan Book Club (CBBC) organized by Friends of the Echo Park Library (friendsechopark.org) on Saturday, May 20 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. The first book will be “America is in the Heart” by Carlos Bulosan. The moderators will be James Castillo, Dr. Enrique dela Cruz, Vicky Perez & Jaime Geaga. The CBBC’s mission is to provide a forum to explore and learn about the Filipino-American immigrant experience as reflected through Fil-Am literature. It will be held at the Echo Park Library Community Room (1410 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026). To RSVP or for more info, please contact James Castillo at (626) 241-7010 or admin@friendsechopark.org.
M AY 2 1
Filipino Medical Program hosts mini health fair in Bergenfield, NJ Holy Name Medical Center’s Filipino Medical Program will take part in a mini health fair on Sunday, May 21 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. John the Evangelist Church - Conlon Hall at 19 North William Street, Bergenfield, NJ. For more information, please call the FMP at (201) 833-3355 or email lavarro@holyname.org.
M AY 26
AMBOY presents lechon festival in LA AMBOY presents a Lechon festival on Friday, May 26 where six different chefs will compete and be given the chance to show their version of our beloved lechon. All attendees and judges will get the chance to taste each chef’s representation and get to vote for the best version of lechon in Los Angeles based on flavor, originality, plating and crunchiness. VIP guests and judges will have additional courses made by each chef competing for the grand prizes. It is $75 for VIP (entrance at 6 p.m.) and $50 for GA (entrance at 7 p.m.). It will be held at the second floor of Far East Plaza (727 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012). To book online, please visit www.universe.com/amboylechonfestival or email eatatamboy@ gmail.com for any inquiries.
M AY 28
Global gathering of Bulacan High School and Marcelo H. del Pilar High School in Rosemead, CA Graduates of Bulacan High School and Marcelo H. del Pilar High School of Malolos, Bulacan will hold their first ever global gathering on Sunday, May 28 at the Double Tree Hilton Hotel in Rosemead, California. Please call up any of the following for more details: Rosario “Charito” Aldaba Gabriel (Class ‘66), Tel. No. (818)-982-1165; Lourdes Ople Smith (Class ’64) Tel. No. (310)-662-1948; Gerry “German” Torres, Jr. (Class ’66) Tel. No. (818)-646-3286. You can also visit the website at www.mhpnhs-maa.com.
Filipino Medical Program hosts community health screening in Jersey City Holy Name Medical Center’s Filipino Medical Program will have a health screening from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 28 at the Santacruzan Festival at St. Mary’s Church on 254 2nd St, Jersey City, New Jersey 07302. For more information, please call the FMP at (201) 833-3355 or email lavarro@holyname.org.
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Bank for OFWs in the pipeline EU now top destination for Philippine exports Bank). We are now preparing the law,” the President told reporters in Hong Kong last Saturday, May MANILA - The government is 13. drafting a law that will establish a Duterte admitted though the separate bank for overseas Filipino bank may not be operational by workers (OFWs), President Rodri- October as stated previously by go Duterte said. the labor department. Duterte said the creation of a “No, it will be difficult. It has bank for migrant workers require to be studied. It has to pass Cona new law and could not be imple- gress,” the Chief Executive said. mented through an executive orDuterte announced plans to der. convert the state-owned thrift He said the administration is in bank Postal Bank into a financial the process of turning the Philip- institution for OFWs last year. pine Postal Savings Bank (Postal Postal Bank assistant postmasBank) into an OFW bank. ter general for marketing Luis Car“We are acquiring it (Postal los has said the government needs by Alex
RomeRo Philstar.com
National smoking ban
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What in this issue was NOT clear? I bet even the kids in the kindergarten can see how ludicrous these proposed amendments are. Unless the designated room is air-tight and totally excluded from the main building (of shopping malls, restaurants, stores, hospitals, public libraries, theaters, the workplace, etc.), and has a ventilation system of its own, it would be ineffective and useless. Providing a smoking area within the same building with one ventilation system is like designating a urinating area in a swimming pool. This is the same scientific and medical principle why the smoking ban in commercial airplanes also includes the toilets, besides all the cabins and the cockpit. A simple common sense. The issue is crystal clear. Smoking and second hand-smoking or passive smoking maim and kill millions in countries around the world, the Philippines included. Spraying poison in the air, as in passive smoking, adversely affect everyone in the area. The simplest, totally cost-free, and medically effective solution is to allow smoking ONLY outside of, and a distance from, public buildings. What could be more obvious? A national smoking ban, while unpopular and controversial, would provide an immeasurable boost to people’s and the nation’s health. While I abhor smoking and inhaling secondhand tobacco smoke for health reasons, I defend the right of smokers to smoke. That is their constitutional right…so long as the exercise of that right does not offend or hurt the people
BEAUTY
around them and infringe upon the rights of others. After all, non-smokers have rights too: not to be exposed to the dangers of secondhand smoke. Where there is a conflict, the right of the nonsmoker prevails. This is an accepted legal tenet. What is secondhand smoke? Secondhand smoke is the fume that one involuntarily inhales after someone who smokes exhales it (called mainstream smokes), or the fume that goes directly to the atmosphere from the burning tobacco (cigarette, pipe or cigar) called side stream smoke. When non-smokers breathe in these smokes or fumes from other people’s cigarettes, cigars or pipes, this is involuntarily inhalation called passive smoking. As stated earlier, tobacco smoke contains about 4000 chemicals, 200 of them known poisons and carcinogens. Smoking around people is similar to spraying known poison gases into the atmosphere, victimizing and posing even greater health hazards to non-smokers. Does passive smoking cause cancer? Yes, active and passive smoking cause cancers, besides bronchitis, premature births, smaller babies with higher risk for impaired mental development, respiratory illnesses among children, emphysema, heart attack, and stroke. In the United States, cancer victims of smoking, and family members of smokers who died from cigarette-related illness, have sued cigarette manufacturing companies, and have won millions in awards. While they vehemently denied it before, cigarette companies today have admitted in public that tobacco causes cancers and other lung
to infuse P2 billion to P3 billion to implement the President’s plan. Duterte has also promised to create a separate agency that will handle the concerns of Filipino migrant workers, whose dollar remittances are keeping the Philippine economy afloat. There are about 2.4 million Filipino migrant workers worldwide. Remittances sent home through banks by OFWs hit a record $26.9 billion in 2016 from $25.61 billion the previous year. Duterte topped the overseas absentee voting during the 2016 elections with more than 313,000 votes. n illnesses. The courts have likewise ruled in a similar fashion in favor of victims of passive smoking (as in the airline stewardess’ case). In 1986, the Surgeon General of the United States reported that involuntary (passive) smoking can cause lung cancer in healthy non-smokers. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has now classified secondhand smoke as a known carcinogen (cancer-causing agent). If we, as a people and as a nation, are really serious in eliminating all the smoking-related killer diseases that snuff out more than 240 lives a day, yes, a day, not a month, causing the loss of loved ones and family devastation, promulgating a national smoking ban truly makes sense. But don’t hold your breath. History shows that majority of our elected politicians, leaders we voted for to protect us, do not have balls and the wisdom and the will to eliminate this vicious serial killer amidst us. The illnesses and deaths from tobacco far exceed the morbidity and mortality from illegal drugs. Let’s see if President Rodrigo R. Duterte can extinguish this political insanity that is holding the people’s health hostage. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. For more data, visit philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com
EMPLOYMENT
by PiA lee-BRAgo Philstar.com
MANILA - Despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s series of expletives against the regional grouping, the European Union was the largest destination of exports from the Philippines with $901 million in March this year, latest data the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed. The EU overtook the United States and Japan in March, making the EU largest exporting partner of the Philippines that month. In the first quarter, Philippine exports to the EU consist 15.5 percent of total, a growth of 48.3 percent, making the EU the biggest and fastest growing export market for Philippine goods. Growth was triggered by a number of factors, primarily strong growth of and demand in the EU economy (+1.9 percent); and an uptake of exports of the agri-food sector (overall growth of exports of 33.6 percent) supported by EU’s generous GSP+ trade benefits. European Union Ambassador Franz Jessen said “this seems to confirm messages I hear in the country of increasing production and EU demand in manufacturing and agri-food products.” “EU’s trade agenda is one of fair trade and of leaving nobody behind. And even though statis-
The EU overtook the United States and Japan in March, making the EU largest exporting partner of the Philippines that month.
tics are indications, these figures surely help the Philippines achieving its inclusive growth agenda,” he said. Growing trade and investments, Jessen said, is one of the most important features of the EU-Philippines thriving relations. The EU is the largest foreign investor in the Philippines, providing an estimated 500,000 jobs. Since December 2015, the Philippines is the only ASEAN country to enjoy the concrete benefits of the Special Incentive Arrangement for Sustainable Development and Good Governance, GSP+ status, with duty free exports of 66 percent tariff lines, worth around €1.6 billion in 2016. “These economic gains help the
country not only economically, but also to strengthen implementation of core international conventions on labor rights, environment protection, governance and human rights,” he said. “We are the largest global market and the leading foreign investor in most parts of the globe,” he added. He stressed that the EU has achieved this strong position by acting together with one voice on the global stage, by playing a key role in removing barriers to trade as a member of the World Trade Organization, as well as concluding bilateral trade deals with many important partners around the world — such as the recent CETA deal with Canada. n
Business groups to form alliance to fight poverty by Richmond
meRcuRio Philstar.com
MANILA - The country’s business groups are gearing up to form an alliance that would create programs aimed at alleviating poverty and usher in prosperity for all Filipinos. The alliance is a long term private sector-led campaign seeking to build a multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary collaboration of organizations and individuals which is being initiated by presidential adviser for entrepreneurship and ASEAN Business Advisory Council chairman Joey Concepcion. “What I’m proposing is we all form an alliance of all chambers and business associations to really pursue inclusivity in the Philippines. The alliance here will consolidate all the ideas for prosperity and once we have consensus with the private sector then we will work with the government to submit our ideas
to them,” Concepcion said. Concepcion said one of the primary goals of the proposed alliance is to help reduce poverty in the country in the next five years as planned and promised by President Duterte. “The chambers have their own plans and maybe it’s about time that we really try to work together, form a working group, go to the process and come out with a plan that can align with the government,” he said. “Hopefully, this alliance will gain more momentum to really influence policies in government. If we work individually it won’t work, but it will work as a group,” Concepcion added. Among the groups expected to join the alliance are the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Management Association of
the Philippines, Makati Business Club, Financial Executives of the Philippines, European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Association of Filipino Franchisers Inc., Philippine Franchising Association, Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines, and Bankers Association of the Philippines. Members of this alliance are expected to participate in all upcoming ASEAN activities and help in the continuous campaign for infrastructure. They will also be part of the technical working committee which will develop a national platform for micro, small, and medium enterprise development. National Competitiveness Council co-chairman for the private sector Bill Luz said the proposed alliance is a great program that would provide an avenue for businesses to work together. n
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Access Social Security online resources when you travel SOCIAL Security is here for you when you’re traveling, whether it’s just a state away or when you’re abroad. When you open a personal and secure my Social Security account, you can access it on your terms. We put you in control of your finances and your future. With my Social Security, you can: • Request a replacement Social Security or Medicare card if you meet certain requirements;
• Check the status of your application or appeal. • See your lifetime earnings on your Social Security Statement. • Get a benefit verification letter stating that: - You receive retirement, disability, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or Medicare benefits; or - You never received Social Security benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Medicare; or - You received benefits in
the past, but do not currently receive them. (The letter will include the date your benefits stopped and how much you received that year.); or - You applied for benefits but haven’t received an answer yet. There’s a lot more you can do with your my Social Security account. We’re always adding new features and resources to make your life easier and give you greater control over your benefits. Placing the “Application Status” feature behind our my Social Security portal provides a secure service delivery channel that allows us to provide detailed status on your claim without requiring a confirmation number. With the new Application Status, you can see: • the Re-entry number for in-progress applications; • detailed information about the current status of the application or appeal; • the location where your claim is being processed; and • scheduled hearing information for appeals. Visit my Social Security to see what other personalized features are available to you at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. (By Eric Phillips/Social Security Public Affairs Specialduced with approximately 30% ist in Sacramento, CA) clean energy, PCE provides two level options: “Eco Plus” or “Eco 100”. You will automatically be enrolled into “Eco Plus” which is THE Arbor Day Foundation produced from 50% renewable sources, such as solar, wind and is offering a handy tree-care small hydroelectric. “Eco 100” is booklet designed to help peoan option for customers who pre- ple plant and care for trees. Anyone can receive Conserfer to upgrade and receive energy produced from 100% renewable vation Trees, a user-friendly booklet featuring illustrations, sources. Again, all residents will be au- colorful photos, and easily tomatically enrolled to receive understood descriptions, by electricity from PCE. But you have making a $3 donation to the choices! You can choose between Foundation this month. “Conservation Trees is an the two different levels from PCE. Both are very clean and friendly ideal resource for tree plantfor the environment. If you would ers,” said Matt Harris, chief prefer, you could opt out, and executive of the Arbor Day continue to receive your electric- Foundation. “Taking care of existing trees is just as critiity from PG&E. To know all of your options or cal as planting new ones, and to learn more information about proper care ensures commuPCE, please visit https://www.pen- nities are able to fully enjoy the diverse benefits of urban insulacleanenergy.com. ■
Peninsula Clean Energy DID you recently receive information from Peninsula Clean Energy in the mail? A Peninsula Clean Energy Representative recently made a presentation to the City Council about their services, which you can view by accessing the following link: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=Kuo0J9Wbjng Last year the City Council voted to include all San Bruno electricity customers in the San Mateo County Clean Energy Initiative. All twenty cities in San Mateo County took similar actions. This means that Peninsula Clean Energy (PCE) is now the official Countywide electricity service provider. Peninsula Clean Energy vows to deliver cleaner, greener electricity. Residents will continue to receive a PG&E bill, but there is an added line noting that the electricity is provided to you by PCE. While PG&E electricity is pro-
May is National Bicycle Safety Month OAKLAND – The Oakland Police Department and the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) is calling upon bicycle riders and motorists alike to be cautious during May’s National Bicycle Safety Month, and every other month during the year. Be A Roll Model is a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) campaign to encourage everyone to model safe behaviors to enhance the safety of all road users, including those who bicycle. Do the right (safe) thing when riding or driving around bicycles! For riders and drivers, Be A Roll Model means actively decreasing the risks of traffic crashes, preventable injuries and deaths. The NHTSA reports that 818 bicyclists died and over 45,000 were injured in crashes in 2015, with deaths rising over 12 percent from 2014 numbers. Over the 10-year period from 2006 to 2015, the average age of cyclists killed in motor vehicle crashes increased from 41 to 45. Alcohol involvement — either for the motor vehicle operator or for the cyclist — was reported in 37 percent of all fatal cyclist crashes in 2015. The Oakland Police Department Traffic Section will be conducting specialized Bicycle Safety Enforcement Operations this month in an effort to lower deaths and injuries. Extra officers will be patrolling areas fre-
quented by bicyclists and where bicycle crashes occur. The officers will focus on both motorist and cyclist violations. California’s Move Over Law requires motorists to share the road with bike riders by keeping a space of at least 3 feet between their cars and any bike rider they pass. Support community efforts in your community: be involved in bicycle safety, whether while riding a bike, or driving a vehicle. The Oakland Police Department reminds everyone — Be A Roll Model: • Ride and Drive Focused – Never ride or drive distracted. • Ride and Drive Prepared – Always expect the unexpected. • Safety First – Always wear a bicycle helmet when on a bi-
cycle and a seat belt when in a vehicle. • Know the Rules of the Road – A bicyclist is considered a vehicle on the road with all the rights and responsibilities of motorized traffic. • Share the Road – Both motorist and bicyclist should look out for each other and show mutual respect. For more information on Bicycle Safety Month, please visit www.NHTSA.gov/bicyclesafety. Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the NHTSA. The message to all drivers and motorcyclists is: share in the responsibility and do your part by safely “sharing the road.” ■
Arbor Day Foundation offers tree care booklet with $3 donation forestry.” The booklet provides details about the right way to plant and prune trees. It also includes tips on using shade trees and windbreaks to save on energy costs, attract songbirds, and create a living snow fence. To receive the Conservation Trees booklet, send a $3 check along with your name and address to Conservation Trees, Arbor Day Foundation, 100 Arbor Ave., Nebraska City, NE 68410, or order online at arborday.org/conservationtrees. About the Arbor Day Foundation Founded in 1972, the Arbor
Day Foundation has grown to become the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees, with more than 1 million members, supporters, and valued partners. During the past 44 years, more than 250 million Arbor Day Foundation trees have been planted in neighborhoods, communities, cities, and forests throughout the world. Our goal is to help others understand that trees are a solution to many of the global issues we face today, including air quality, water quality, climate change, deforestation, poverty, and hunger. As one of the world’s larg-
est operating conservation foundations, the Arbor Day Foundation, through its members, partners, and programs, educates and engages stakeholders and communities across the globe to involve themselves in its mission of planting, nurturing, and celebrating trees. As the Foundation embarks on the next decade, its vision remains the same — to continue to share, advance, and educate the world on emerging solutions to environmental, health, and human services concerns through its networks and programs. More information is available at arborday.org. ■
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cover story The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 19, 2017
Know your people, Know your roots: Celebrating Asian pacific American Heritage Month by Klarize Medenilla/aJPress
T
o honor the extensive and often overlooked achievements of the Asian Pacific American (APA) community, the United States designated the month of May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM). Just as the U.S. celebrates Black History Month in February, members of Congress in 1977 decided to introduce resolutions to designate a period in which to celebrate the rich history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. It started off in 1979 when Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week was celebrated during the first ten days in May. Presidents in the 1980s then continued that tradition until 1990, when then-President George H.W. Bush signed a new law which expanded the observance to the entire month; then in 1992, the U.S. officially began observing Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month in May. Soon after Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month was established, Congressman Norman Y. Mineta (D-California) in 1994 founded the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), a caucus made up of Congress members who were of Asian and Pacific Islander descent to advocate for the APA community. According to the official legislation that established the caucus, CAPAC is designed “to ensure that legislation passed by the United States Congress, to the greatest extent possible, provides for the full participation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and reflects the concerns and needs of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.” It was important to des-
ignate the month of May because it coincides with the first wave of Japanese immigrants to the United States on May 7, 1843; the month also commemorates the construction of the first transcontinental railroad— which was built largely on the labor of Chinese immigrants—on May 10, 1869. Designating a month honoring the APA community was a huge step in recognizing the historic achievements and celebrating the cultures within the community. The APA community—as detailed in the resolution—encompasses all nationalities, cultures and ethnic populations in the Asia continent as well as the Pacific Islands; altogether, that includes hundreds of unique cultures. “Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the many achievements and contributions that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made to our nation,” Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-California) said in a statement released earlier this month. “From the Chinese railroad workers who helped to build our first transcontinental railroad, to trailblazers like Dalip Singh Saund, the first Asian American ever elected to the U.S. Congress, to visionaries like Patsy Mink, a fierce champion for women’s rights who helped to pass Title IX legislation – AAPIs have played an integral role in contributing to
the vibrancy of our country.” APAs who have made great strides in entertainment and pop culture have also been commemorated in various ways this month. Earlier in May, IDENTITY LA, a concert commemorating the community, returned to Los Angeles to celebrate the work of APA artists and creatives, to inspire young artists in the community to chase their dreams and to share the Asian American identity with folks of all heritages. “It’s to show [our] pride as being Asian American because we’re not guests in this country,” LA Councilmember David Ryu told the Asian Journal earlier this month. “This is our country and we’ve helped build this country. It’s to empower the younger generations. It’s also not to only celebrate amongst ourselves but share our culture with our neighbors who are not Asian American because we draw strength from diversity, and it’s only when we learn about each other’s differences that we grow stronger together.” Throughout the month of May, all branches of the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) are hosting special events for Asian/Pacific American Heritage month like film screenings, calligraphy lessons, Japanese tea ceremonies, Bollywood nights and professional panels. For a calendar list of events, visit http://www.lapl. org./
Illustration by Kendrick Tan/AJPress
Photo from SF: Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund
Daniel Matsunaga shows his post-Erich Gonzales body by deni
Sebastian ‘Baste’ Duterte will make his TV debut as host of TV 5’s new reality adventure show Lakbai, which also features his friends, Bogart The Explorer, Sboi Malicay and Andrei Apostol.
Baste downplays perks of being a presidential son by Maridol
rañoa-BisMarK Philstar.com
BEING a presidential offspring is supposed to come with a lot of perks. But Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, President Rodrigo Duterte’s son and social media magnet, can only think of one: A free hotel stay. What about girls who flock to him and won’t let him go? “I don’t know why they go near me,” he says in Filipino. “Perhaps because I’m the son of the president? I don’t know.” But adoring girls and free hotel stays won’t keep body and soul together. Like all ordinary mortals, Baste must work for a living. That’s why his mother,
President Duterte’s first wife Elizabeth Zimmerman, was glad when she learned Baste will make his TV debut as host of TV 5’s new reality adventure show “Lakbai”. The show features Baste and his friends, lawyer Alexis Lumbatan, Sboi Malicay and Andrei Apostol exploring local travel spots and learning about its people. “My mother said, ‘It’s okay. At least may sweldo ka, may trabaho ka,’” Baste relates. His dad, on the other hand, was less euphoric. When people told him his youngest son will have a regular TV show, the controversial president turned to Baste and said, “o, artista ka na. Sige, uwi ka na (You’re al-
ready an actor. Go home now.”) Baste adds that the president wore his trademark poker face when he said those words. So Baste has no way of knowing exactly what his father felt at that time. It’s common knowledge that the president disapproves of the way Baste handles certain aspects of life, especially when it comes to family. But the son doesn’t take it against his dad. Baste explains that this isn’t the first time his dad has lambasted him publicly. He’s done it in the local level, or in Davao, where the president served as mayor for 10 years. Now that the public reprimand has reached the national Continued on Page SF4
rose M. afinidad-Bernardo Philstar.com
“YES po!” Daniel Matsunaga quickly declared when asked by Philstar.com if he has already moved on from his breakup with actress Erich Gonzales. “Do I look sad? No na!” he assured. How was he able to move on? “Workout! S’yempre nagfootball ako!” he said in jest. The effects of his workout really showed in Daniel’s “revenge body,” which he eagerly paraded in an underwear show last week,
Daniel Matsunaga
as he was announced as the first celebrity endorser for direct-selling brand Avon’s men’s underwear line. “I prepared myself for this Avon event, of course! And I always prepare myself in everything I do. Being the first male celebrity endorser for Avon is such a huge opportunity for me. Being an ambassador, I really have to take care of myself. I have to train myself wearing underwear because it’s not all the time that I do an underwear show
and show myself to you, guys!” These past months since the breakup, Daniel has been making himself busy with a lot of CrossFit, football, and gym. He complements his exercises with a low-carbohydrate, fiber-rich diet, courtesy of his own healthy food delivery business. “When you stand in an underwear in front of so many people, it’s awkward, but then, I’m used to it. I’ve been modeling in different countries, but I’m doing it in the Philippines for the first time. Amazing experience!” he shared. According to Avon Philippines Marketing Director Jean Reyes, they chose Daniel to become their first make celebrity endorser for intimate apparel because the actor is “a man of style, adventure, and confidence that perfectly reflects the modern gentleman. He knows what makes him comfortable in his own skin.” Daniel, Reyes told Philstar. com in an interview, gives inputs on the underwear’s styles and colors. “He likes earthy hues like blues, blacks, the classics,” Reyes said. She has observed that men in their early 20s are more into prints, while those 30 to 40 are more into classics like plain colors. Like in choosing the right underwear, Daniel believes that he will soon find the girl that fits. “You know, a lot of things are going on in my life right now. I’m very happy with my new show, ‘I Can Do That!’ and I’m happy because God has the right person for you…You just have to wait,” he affirmed.
entertainment SF3
Filipino-American actor officially joins ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ cast by DENI
The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE – May 19, 2017
ROSE M. AFINIDAD-BERNARDO Philstar.com
HOLLYWOOD — Celebrated Filipino actress Kris Aquino might have not yet confirmed being an official cast member of the upcoming Warner Brothers adaptation of Kevin Kwan’s bestselling novel, “Crazy Rich Asians,” but Filipinos need not fret because they now have a sure representative in the upcoming Hollywood film. Nico Santos, a FilipinoAmerican comedian born and raised in the Philippines according to Superstore-nbc. wikia.com, has been officially declared a part of the “Crazy Rich Asians” cast headlined by Henry Golding, Constance Wu, Gemma Chan, Michelle Yeoh, Awkwafina and Ken Jeong. Living in California “by way of Portland, Oregon,” Santos
began doing stand-up comedy in San Francisco. Due to his quirky impersonations and sarcastic wit, he immediately became a fixture in the local comedy scene. Since then, he has written scripts for E! Network’s “Fashion Police” and appeared on Showtime’s “Pride Comedy Jam,” as well as in TV series like “2 Broke Girls,” “Mulaney” and “Ground Floor.” He was also in the regular panel of “Chelsea Lately.” Currently, Nico stars as Mateo on NBC’s “Superstore” comedy series. He has also made flicks such as “The Clapper” with Ed Helms and Amanda Seyfried and “Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2.” “Crazy Rich Asians” has started filming and will be shot
Filipino-American comedian Nico Santos. Twitter/Nico Santos
in Malaysia and Singapore. The Jon M. Chu-directed movie is based on Kwan’s romantic comedy revolving around the lives of New Yorker Rachel Chu, played by Wu, and her longtime boyfriend Nick Young, portrayed by Golding, as they attend the wedding of Young’s best friend in Singapore.
Back-to-back win for District of Columbia in Miss USA LAS VEGAS — Miss District of Columbia, Kára McCullough, has won the 2017 edition of Miss USA contest. She succeeded Miss USA 2016 Deshauna Barber, who also represented Washington D.C. Kára earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry with a concentration in Radiochemistry from South Carolina State University. Her major provided her the opportunity to intern at many universities, which paved the way to her current career at the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Kára also has a personal community outreach program entitled, Science Exploration for Kids (SE4K). SE4K features interactive science activities, and math and science tutoring for children scholars grades 6 to 11. Kára was born in Naples, Italy, but raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia. As the daughter of a now retired United States Navy Chief Petty Officer,
Miss District of Columbia, Kára McCullough, wins 2017 edition of Miss USA contest. Photos from Miss USA
she has traveled and lived in many beautiful places including Sicily, Japan, South Korea and Hawaii. The new Miss USA Kára McCullough will face new Miss Philippines Rachel Peters at the 2017 Miss Universe pageant to be held in an unconfirmed
venue and date. Reigning Miss Universe 2016 Iris Mittenaere from France, crowned in the Philippines, will pass on the crown to her successor during the contest. (With reports from Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo, Miss Universe Organization, and Associated Press)
Husband and wife Drew Arellano and Iya Villania (third and fourth from left, respectively) get to work together again as hosts of GMA 7’s Home Foodie Season 3 with San Miguel celebrity chefs Rene Ruz, Llena Tan-Arenas and RJ Garcia.
Drew & Iya: No problem with multitasking by BOT
GLOSORIO Philstar.com
LIKE ordinary parents who try to do different things at once, husband and wife Drew Arellano and Iya Villania are no exception. No one says that multitasking is easy but Iya and Drew never see it as a hassle. In fact, they consider doing household chores or running errands — before or after their respective TV hosting duties — as bonding moments. Of course, they, too, take turns looking after their firstborn Antonio Primo. “It’s funny because we designed the house with a kitchen that has a really open space so when we are both home and Primo who sits in his walker at pakalat kalat, most of our activities are close to the kitchen,” said Drew during the media gathering for the third season of “Home Foodie.” “The kitchen is close to the living room and we are there most of the time so I think each and every time we spend together in that area is bonding time already. And if I’ll be coming from my travels, I always try to be at home by 5 p.m. or before 6 p.m. para gising pa si Primo at hinahabol ko talaga. So when I get home, we can be there in the kitchen before Iya reports for “24 Oras” (as host of Chika Minute).” “I’m still preparing my baon (when he comes home),” added Iya. “With the open space, Drew
and I can multitask like if someone’s in the kitchen, the other is on the computer or in the dining area and Primo is in his playpen. We are all still together dahil open ‘yung space namin so madali lang din makapag-bond even if we’re doing something.” While Iya and Drew agreed that their love for each other has grown stronger after the coming of their son, they cannot deny that married life also took a 180 degree-turn because as Iya put it, “Life has become more demanding in terms of needs
because I’m being needed as a mother to my kid. I’m also being needed as a wife and myself needs me, I mean, I need to be able to work on myself also. So a lot had changed but I have to say that life has become more worthy and more enjoyable because of Primo.” No wonder, Drew has nothing but praises for his wife for being a very hands-on mom. He admires how Iya is able to manage to start her day very early without hearing her complain. Continued on Page SF4
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celebrityworld The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 19, 2017
celebrity world
Megastar Sharon Cuneta: ‘No Third Party’
By Ferdie Villar
WHEN you have been living all your life in the public eye, everything that happens and everyone around you will be put in the microscope. Recently, Megastar Sharon Cuneta had to defend her husband, Senator Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan from rumors of an alleged affair with fellow Senator Risa Hontiveros. In a report by PEP.ph, Sharon Cuneta clarified in a Facebook post that “there is no truth to the rumors going around that Kiko and Sen. Risa
Hontiveros are having an affair (or held hands).” The Megastar was referring to a recent photo posted on the internet allegedly showing her husband holding the hand of his fellow senator. Cuneta, who recently took a breather by going to the U.S. earlier this month, stated in that same Facebook post that her silence on persistent rumors about her husband and other women can be attributed to the way that she was raised by her mom, Elaine, which is not to discuss private or per-
Beauteous movie actress Gina Pareño returns to the TV screen via the newest TFC teleserye “Ikaw Lang Ang Iibigin.”
Jake Cuenca is back with the afternoon teleserye “Ikaw Lang Ang Iibigin” as the lead actor. Kim Chiu will be his leading lady in the said series.
Matteo Guidicelli wants to keep plans with girlfriend Sarah Geronimo a secret.
Singer-actor Sam Milby, now a recording star of Star Cinema Recording Company, celebrates his birthday on Tuesday, May 23.
Gilvin Cachuela Paniza, eldest son of Daly City businessman Lambert Paniza and Daly City Commissioner Dorie Paniza will graduate with a degree in Kinesiology or Sport Therapy from San Francisco State University on Wednesday, May 24.
Megastar Sharon Cuneta clarified recently that her husband Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan is not having an affair with fellow Senator Risa Hontiveros.
Billy Crawford excited for his wedding but mum on details
sonal matters publicly. “Some people are evil. They have nothing better to do than ruin people’s lives. Wala bang mas matalino or mas challeng-
ing na paraan na hindi naman nakakainsulto sa utak ng karamihan kung maninira ka rin lang ng kapwa?,” Cuneta was quoted as saying in Facebook. The Megastar also stated that she after thirty years she knows how to deal with this type of situation. “Ngayon, after thirty years, nangingibabaw sa akin ang dugo ng Daddy ko. Cuneta ako.
We are street-smart. My father had a Master’s Degree in the school of hard knocks. Do not even THINK about putting one over me. I shall NEVER allow it again,” Sharon further said in the post. Cuneta revealed in the same PEP.ph report that a series of unfortunate events have recently caused her “too much pain and fatigue,” which is why she took a break. She wrote that in the past two weeks she had two people die on her, a favorite auntie of hers is sick, the start of her filming for a movie with Star Cinema has been moved to September and that she had money matters on her mind (due to her investments). *** Is this the year that Matteo Guidicelli will pop the question to girlfriend Sarah Geronimo? According to a recent
report at PEP.ph, the actor admitted that one of his goals before was to get married by age 27, which is exactly how old he is now. However, Guidicelli remains coy about his plans. Instead, he wants to keep his plans to himself and make it a surprise for both him and his future wife. “That day will come. And when that day comes, people will know,” he was quoted as saying. Matteo also revealed that he has much to do before the big day comes for him, and that includes knowing how much money he needs to save for his wedding. “Hindi ko pa alam. I-research ko pa. I have to research on that pa. I don’t know how much money I should set aside, we have to think about that pa. Pero siyempre, it has to be something realistic,” he said.
Daryl happy to see his son again by Bot
Glorioso Philstar.com
Museum. “Medyo hindi okey yung hiwalayan namin ng mothby Jan Milo severo er n’ya. They went to the States WHILE other celebrities Philstar.com without me knowing it and it keep mum on their personal JUNE, the wedding lives, Daryl Ong is not afraid to was too late when I learned month, is fast approaching, speak about anything including about it. I was in a gig then and Billy Crawford was in his his past romance and their love and after my first set, I saw the usual self, playing around with post of my ex (-spouse) with child. Yes, the R&B singer is the media when asked about my son on a plane, iyak ako already a dad and a proud one his upcoming wedding with ng iyak. We were still married at that. his fiancée, Coleen Garcia. then.” Indeed, many were sur“We’re both super His separation from his prised when he posted on excited. Mas excited ako. son was one of the reasons his Instagram pictures of him ‘Di pa ata pumapalo sa kanwhy he joined “The Voice and his now nine-year-old son ya na ikakasal na kami. Sa akin, Dwayne during their short-but- Philippines” “because my son ‘yung realization dun na lumsweet bonding moments in the served as an inspiration and alabas eh. It’s starting na,” the US recently. One of the photos I wanted him to be proud of singer and TV host told Philstar. me.” was captioned, “Best birthday com in an interview. Asked if his son is aware gift. After 3 years, nagkita ulit Crawford, however, remains that he is now a singer, Daryl tayo. Everyone, meet my son, quiet about the details of the nodded and said that Dwayne Dwayne.” It instantly earned wedding. “Right now, I’d rather over 6,000 likes and heartening often watches his performances keep my mouth shut.” on YouTube. “During the San comments from netizens. Billy Crawford The “It’s Showtime” host Diego leg of ‘Pusuan Mo Si According to Daryl, it took also refuses to name some of who is now the new “King” Vice,’ I invited them to watch three years before they got the wedding’s entourage, but of Burger King, said that he the show and from the stage to see each other again in the gave a hint that some of his and Coleen are not only planwhen I saw my son taking a flesh because his son and his best buddies in showbiz will be ning the expenses for the video on his cell phone, I told former wife relocated in the a part of it. wedding but for their future as U.S. The reunion happened the audience that the show is “We like to keep it close to well. “We’re trying our best to special to me because it’s my during one of Vice Ganus and have it more intimate budget the wedding but hinfirst time to perform in the U.S. da’s “Pusuan Mo Si Vice” conbecause my family are far, far di mo talaga maiiwasan ang ex- certs in the U.S. where Daryl and it’s the first time for my away, kalat sa buong muntra gastos simply because it is son to watch me perform. And was one of the guest performdo and her family naman are for the wedding.” Daryl Ong is a proud dad. ers. That’s why, he is grateful to then I introduced him to the here and in Spain, so it’s really When asked if the wedding Vice and TFC for inviting him to audience.” hard to deal with everything is to be held here in the Philippareho. We went around the After the show, Daryl be part of the show. that’s why we’re taking our time pines, the celebrated host just whole day,” related Daryl. shared, there were people who “I’m so happy seeing him to do the proper procedure,” only said, “Maybe,” adding a Since he flew back home, again after three years,” shared asked for photos and his son Crawford said. mystery that there is a possibility Daryl after the presscon for his Daryl has been keeping in was visibly proud of him as if Speculating a summer that the wedding will be haptouch with Dwayne through telling, “Daddy ko ‘yan!” concert “DARYL sONGs” hapwedding next year, Crawford, pening outside the country. Viberand supporting him finan“His mom allowed him to pening on May 19 at the Music cially. The boy and his mom stay with me in the hotel. We are staying in Long Beach, went to the mall first and then California. Still, he wishes we had a tour inside Warner to spend time with his son. Bros. Studios at sakto naman “That’s why, I am all the more di pa din s’ya nakakapunta From Page SF3 that are delicious, affordable and feel happy and proud.” motivated to work harder. Who ‘dun kaya na-a-amaze kami easy to prepare from their coThese days, Iya feels it’s “You know her day with hosts-cum-San Miguel celebrity much easier for her to accomPrimo starts very early because chefs Rene Ruz, Llena Tan-Areplish many things since her son’s she wakes up every three or nas and RJ Garcia. Based on feeding schedule has become four hours as she’ll be feedthe teaser, they will share more every three to four hours. She, From Page SF2 ing it’s his job to talk to the ing Primo and then changing “Madalicious Meals” that can be too, finds preparing meals easy people he meets in the places level, Baste insists his dad’s his diaper,” shared Drew. “My cooked at home. even while taking care of Primo. stinging words don’t offend him. he and his friends visit. only assignment is every 6 Twenty-six recipes will be Iya said, “Well, my specialty Shyness isn’t the only thing “He’s just being a father,” a.m. when she has to go to the presented in thematic combos is still omelet (laughs) but aside bothering Baste, the newbie Baste defends his dad. restroom and I’m gonna try to to give viewers quick tips and from that, dessert really is my host. He admits his fear of How about guesting his dad change Primo’s diaper but then ideas on meal pairings. Most turf because I love dessert. I can heights makes him scared of in one of the episodes? again after nun s’ya ulit. Then, do without the main meal but it’s of the recipes only require five riding planes. But he’s willing Baste’s reply is quick and she’ll be preparing breakfast main ingredients that are pana must for me to have a deshonest. He won’t mind, “if it will to conquer his fears and try for Primo, preparing to go to try-friendly and can be done in sert, specifically the chocolate anything for the show. help raise the show’s ratings.” the gym or preparing for work. four-step procedures using San s’mores.” “I’m getting paid for it,” he The showbiz greenhorn isn’t It’s very demanding and it’s Miguel Purefoods products. Drew added, “Preparing points out. afraid of living to up an image not very easy for mothers and The new season will also food became part of the fun in This candor is refreshing, — be it that of a self-assured I’m sure all moms know what launch the Home Foodie Madaliour life, especially when Iya’s and is proof that Baste calls a host or a fearless adventurer. I’m talking about. And for the cious Meals mobile app where mom visits us and she does the spade a spade. He admits feeling awkward dads out there, the moms truly televiewers can download the cooking. I get to learn a style (in He refers to the Ellen while taping the first two epideserve a salute. Kaya din gusto cooking), particularly with her app on their smartphones and Adarna episode in his life in the sodes of “Lakbai.” ko i-highlight ang paghihirap watch the 60-second cooking kare-kare.” “I’m trying to be more open. past tense, but doesn’t mind ng aking wife day in and day demos as well as meal planning That’s why, it is beneficial guesting her in the show. But I’m still shy,” the self-effacout. Now, when we see Primo and preparation tips of the recifor Iya and Drew to host Home “No problem. It’s just work. ing Davaoeño takes over. smiling all the time at ‘yung mga Foodie Season 3 because they pes featured on Home Foodie Char! (gay lingo for joke),” he But he warmed up in the milestones ng buhay n’ya, we episodes. will also get to learn new recipes third and fourth episodes, know- says.
Drew & Iya: No problem with...
knows I might get the chance to perform there again or if not, I hope I can afford to go there just for a vacation so I can spend time with him and be a full-time daddy while I’m there.” These days, Daryl is prepping up for “DARYL sONGs,” his first headliner concert in the three years of being in the muContinued on Page SF5
Baste downplays perks... But Baste isn’t that carefree when it comes to his job. He and his friends went surfing in a secret spot known only to Baste’s fellow surfers. The foursome also explored Bukidnon, Apo Island, Dumaguete, Siquijor and Baste’s native Davao, of course. Baste’s love for adventure makes him explore the road less taken. “I don’t take the tourist trail when I travel. I need to talk to people and know what’s happening.” Baste is taking a new trail that appeals to the adventurer and the team player in him. And he’s willing to do everything — even to conquer his fears — to make it work.
features
Filipina tattoo artist featured in New York Times waiting for Coco Martin by Deni
The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 19, 2017
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Rose M. AfiniDAD-BeRnARDo Philstar.com
LBC continues to move love to children through Project Pearls ‘Ang Probinsyana’ and ‘Ang Probinsyano:’ Kalinga ritual tattoo artist Maria Fang-od Oggay (left, photo from Looloo Insights) wishes to meet Filipino action star Coco Martin (right, file photo).
NEW YORK — Coco Martin’s on-screen girlfriend, Yassi Pressman, and rumored real-life lady love, Julia Montes, now have another challenger vying for the actor’s heart. A Filipina tribal tattoo artist featured in The New York Times (NYT) on Monday, May 15 revealed that she is still waiting for a visit from her biggest celebrity crush, Coco Martin. In a lengthy article written by Aurora Almendral, Maria Fang-od Oggay, a ritual tattoo artist from the Butbut tribe of the Kalinga ethnic group of northern Philippines, confessed that she is fond of the “Ang Probinsyano” leading man and yearns to meet him soon. For now, according to the article, the centenarian “contents herself with a life-size cardboard cutout” of the soap opera action star. Titled “At 100 or So, She Keeps a Philippine Tattoo Tradition Alive,” the article expounds on Oggay’s lifestyle and heritage as a tattoo artist sought after by tourists from as far as Mexico and Slovenia. In the article, Fang-od, as she was called, has been repeatedly referred to as a “Ms.” The NYT story says Ms. Fang-od belongs to the last generation bearing a full set of traditional tattoos and is one of the few who remember how they were done. As such, she was also featured in the 2009 documentary series, “Tattoo Hunter,” by American anthropologist, Dr. Lars Krutak. For Fang-od’s contribution to cultural preservation, maybe Martin, who is also single, could squeeze in some time to visit her in her mountain village of Buscalan, with the hope that Julia and Yassi would not mind.
LBC Express, the country’s leading courier and cargo, logistics, and remittance company, continues to move communities and help underprivileged Filipino children. This endeavor is in partnership with Project Pearls, a Californiabased foundation. Starting this month until June 16, 2017, LBC will be setting up boxes in all their California branches which will serve as drop-off points for school supplies that will be solicited by Project Pearls. These donations will be shipped by LBC to Project Pearls Philippines for distribution to beneficiary students. Project Pearls has advocated to help the financially-challenged Filipino children to have a better life through education, empowerment, nutrition and health services. Patricia Garcia, LBC’s VicePresident for Sales and Operations in North America states, “We are happy to be part of Project Pearl’s noble cause. Through this, we hope to be able to encourage the Filipino community in California and other civic-minded citizens to
Daryl happy to see his son... From Page SF4 sic scene. “I hope everyone will enjoy spending the night with me singing songs close to my heart. It’s like telling my story to the people through songs.”
Produced by ABS-CBN Events and Star Events, the concert will also be an evening full of love songs with the “ASAP” Soul Sessionista performing a mix of original hits
and some famous covers. JayR, Vice Ganda, Jona, Thor and Voices of 5 will also perform. Daryl has popularized many chart-topping hits that also became part of the Ka-
donate what they can so that less fortunate children would be well-equipped with the materials they need when they go back to school this year.” This is the second time that LBC and Project Pearls have worked together to move assistance to those in need. Two years ago, LBC kicked off Box a Smile, where customers can donate a portion of their shipping fees to give a Christmas gift to a sponsored child in the Philippines. The drive was culminated with a gift-giving event. Through their various platforms and facilities, LBC
hopes to make a difference by bridging lives and communities of Filipinos from all across the globe. LBC is the Philippines’ market leader in retail and corporate courier & cargo, money remittance, and logistics services. With a growing network of over 6,400 branches, hubs & warehouses, partners, and agents in over 30 countries, LBC is committed to moving lives, businesses, and communities and delivering smiles around the world. Listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange through LBC Express Holdings,
Inc., LBC aims to deliver value to all of its stakeholders, as it has for over 60 years. Founded in 1945 as a brokerage and air cargo agent, LBC pioneered time-sensitive cargo delivery and 24-hour door-to-door delivery in the Philippines. Today, it is the most trusted logistics brand of the Global Filipino. LBC can move it for you: visit www.LBCexpress.com, or call telephone +632 8585 999 (Metro Manila), 1 800 10 8585 999 (Provincial), +632 9086 522 (Solutions) and follow LBCExpress (Facebook and Twitter).
pamilya teleserye soundtrack like “Basta’t Kasama Kita” a nd “Ikaw” from “FPJ’s Ang Probinsiyano;” “Ikaw Na Nga,” “Bridges of Love;” “To Love Again,” “Til I Met You;” and “Stay,” “On The Wings of Love.” On the night of his concert,
Daryl wishes to see his son in the audience “because there is a song that is meant for him. But I’m sure even if he is in the States, there’s a way for him to be able to watch the concert.” When asked if he has a special someone, Daryl smiled and affirmed that he is exclusively
dating a singer-actress from another TV network but he is not revealing the name yet. “I met her through (common) friends in 2011 at one year pa lang kami.” Daryl filed for the annulment of his marriage in 2013 and it was granted after three years.
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