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Volume 16 - No. 22 • 3 Sections – 20 Pages
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Trump praises Duterte’s drug war, DATELINE USA New study: Home care says Obama didn’t understand employers underfunded FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
HOME care is one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States, with more seniors and people with disabilities relying on the aid of caregivers. However, many home care providers are struggling to provide the care that their patients — mainly people with disabilities and seniors — due to insufficient public funding for California’s home care industry. As a way to further understanding of the quickly growing homecare industry, the UCLA Labor Center — along with the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC), Hand in Hand: The Domestic Employer Network, and Senior Disability Action — collaborated on a comprehensive study on the challenges that homecare providers face. The study, called “Struggles and Support: California’s Homecare Employers,� advocates for the further expansion of resources within the state. It found that the demand for home care workers is high, but the insufficient public funding puts a major roadblock on giving individuals and families the care they need. “Our results indicate that the financial support California’s seniors and people with disabilities receive is not sufficient,� detailed Lucero Herrera, report co-author and Research Analyst at the UCLA Labor Center during a media call on Wednesday, May 17 on the newly released study. “The U.S. is far behind other industrialized nations in providing government support for
Leaked transcript reveals phone call between leaders by DANA
SIOSON AJPress
Intercept, apparently revealed the conversation between Duterte and Trump that occurred during the closing of the 30th AssoUNITED States President Donald Trump ciation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) complimented Philippine President Rodri- summit in Manila in April 29. go Duterte for doing an “unbelievable� and “I just wanted to congratulate you be“great� job on his campaign against illegal cause I am hearing of the unbelievable job drugs, according to a leaked transcript of on the drug problem,� Trump told Duterte the two leaders’ phone conversation last during their conversation. month. He went on to say, “Many countries have The full transcript, which was first ob- the problem, we have a problem, but what a In his previous phone conversation with his Philippines counterpart, Pres. Donald Trump complimented Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte for doing an “unbelievable� and “great� tained by The Washington Post and The u PAGE A2 job on his campaign against illegal drugs.
Duterte considering nationwide martial law by DANA
SIOSON AJPress
ly serious� and caused “much disruption, much heartache� to “too many victims to count.� In addition to being sentenced to 10 years in prison, Reodica was ordered to pay $29.7 million restitution.
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, May 24 warned that he might expand the implementation of martial law nationwide if threats from the the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group persists. President Rodrigo Duterte stresses that In a press con- those who sow terror will receive a harsh ference upon his response during his speech upon arriving arrival from Rus- at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport sia, Duterte ini- (NAIA) Terminal 2 on Wednesday, May 24. tially hinted that MalacaĂąang photo he might extend the military rule in Visayas, and later, in Luzon. “I may decide to expand the area to include the Visayas because it is just a walking distance actually. And because of the many islands, they can always escape there and begin another terroristic activity,â€? Duterte said. He went on to say, “If I think that the IS has already taken foothold also in Luzon, and terrorism is not really far behind, I might declare martial law throughout the country to protect the people.â€? On Tuesday evening, May 23, Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao in the wake of a confrontation between government troops and local militants in Marawi City. The clash reportedly erupted around 2 p.m.
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Tab for single-payer proposal in California could run $400-B
A PROPOSED single-payer health system in California would cost about $400 billion annually, with up to half of that money coming from a new payroll tax on workers and employers, according to a state analysis. The report by the state Senate Appropriations Committee, issued Monday, May 22, put a price tag for the first time on legislation that would make the state responsible for providing health coverage to all 39 million Californians. The state-run system would supplant existing employer health insurance in California, as well as coverage through public programs such as Medicaid and Medicare. One of the chief obstacles to the legislation, Senate Bill 562, is the prospect of higher taxes. It also has exposed deep divisions among Democrats over whether now is the time to pursue single-payer — just as the Affordable Care Act comes under attack from Republicans in Washington. At a hearing Monday, one Democratic legislator questioned whether the state can effectively manage a universal health care system. The legislative analysis estimates a total annual cost of $400 billion to enact the Healthy California program for all residents, regardless of their immigration status. To put that in perspective, about $367 bil-
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EXODUS. Photos show residents eeing Marawi City in Mindanao by road and sea, and strict security checkpoints on the highway going to Iligan City. President Rodrigo Duterte imposed military rule in mindanao on Tuesday, May 23 and said on Wednesday, May 24 he might expand it to Luzon and the Visayas if terrorist attacks spill over. ManilaTImes.net contributed photos
Fugitive Filipino ex-car dealer gets 10 years, $30-million fine for huge 1980s bank fraud LOS ANGELES - A Filipino who ran one of the largest automobile dealerships in the United States before fleeing the country 29 years ago was sentenced May 17 to 120 months in federal prison in a bank fraud scheme that caused more than $64 million in losses to
banks, one of which collapsed as a result of the losses suffered in the scam. “United States District Judge S. James Otero handed down the sentence to Eminiano “Jun� Reodica Jr., 72, saying that Reodica’s scheme to defraud was “extreme-
PH, Russia embark on ‘new chapter’ of partnership by DANA
SIOSON AJPress
day May 25 but had to cut short his state visit after declaring martial law in Mindanao in the wake of a confrontation between govern“RUSSIA is a true friend.� ment troops and Islamic State (IS)-linked loThis is what Philippine President Ro- cal militants. drigo said upon his return in the country on Before leaving for the Philippines, Duterte, Wednesday, May 24, from his official visit in however, managed to have a short rendezMoscow. vous with his “favorite hero� at the Kremlin. Duterte was originally scheduled to meet During the two leaders’ meeting, Duterte Russian President Vladimir Putin, on Thursu PAGE A2
Pacquiao goes easy against sparmates; Roach unimpressed by DINO
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MAY 26-JUNE 2, 2017 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160
From the Front Page
Trump praises Duterte’s drug war, says Obama... PAGE A1 t great job you are doing and I just wanted to call and tell you that.” In response, Duterte thanked Trump for his comment, adding, “This is the scourge of my nation now and I have to do something to preserve the Filipino nation.” Duterte’s drug war has been in international news and gained continuous criticisms from rights group for its alleged spate of summary killings and human rights violations since he took presidency and launched the campaign in June last year. The decades-long relationship between the Philippines and the United States also appeared to be strained due to drug war criticisms—with Duterte constantly bursting into profanity-laced comments against Washington for its supposed interference in the government’s crackdown on illegal drugs. Some analysts, however, claimed that Duterte began to soften his stance with the U.S. after Trump’s presidential victory. Trump assumed office earlier in January this year. During their phone conversation, Trump was quoted as saying that unlike him, his predecessor, former President Barack Obama, did not understand the scale of drug problem in the Philippines. “I understand that and fully understand that and I think we had a previous President who did not understand that, but I understand that and we have spoken about this before,” Trump told Duterte. Trump also repeatedly invited Duterte in his office. “If you want to come to the Oval office, I will love to have you in Oval Office. Anytime you want to come,” the U.S. leader told Duterte. Trump further added, “I will be in the Philippines in November, but anytime if you are in [Washington] DC or anywhere, come see me in the Oval office… Work it out with your staff. Seriously, if
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you want to come over, just let us know.” The two leaders are expected to meet at the upcoming ASEAN Summit in November 2017. In the same conversation, both leaders tagged North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as a “madman.” “Every generation has a mad man — in our generation is Kim Jung Un — you are dealing with a very delicate problem,” Duterte said. Trump, at one point, also remarked, “We can’t let a madman with nuclear weapons on the loose like that. We have a lot of firepower, more than he has, times 20 — but we don’t want to use it.” In the transcript, Trump asked Duterte his opinion whether the North Korean leader is “stable or not stable,” to which the latter replied: “He is not stable, Mr. President, as he keeps on smiling when he explodes a rocket.” The Philippine leader went on to say, “He (Kim Jung Un) is playing with his bombs, his toys and from the looks of it, his mind is not working well and he might just go crazy one moment.” Duterte also underscored China’s “important role” in intervening North Korea’s continuous nuclear activities in the Korean Peninsula that alarm its neighboring countries. Agreeing, Trump responded, “I hope China solves the problem. They really have the means because a great degree of their stuff come through China. They are doing certain things, like not accepting calls. But if China doesn’t do it, we will do it.” The White House has yet to issue statements in connection with the leaked transcript. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), on the other hand, refused to comment and instead appealed to the public for a “sense of responsibility and patriotism.” “Under Philippine law, there is
NEWLY PROMOTED OFFICERS OF THE ARMED FORCES. Vice Chairman Ronaldo Zamora (in white) and other members of the Commission on Appointments (CA) pose with newly promoted officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) at the Senate plenary hall in Pasay City on Wednesday, May 24. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan
criminal and civil liability attached to the hacking, unauthorized disclosure and use of illegally or inadvertently-obtained confidential government documents,” the DFA said in a statement. “While we value the need for transparency and the people’s right to information, release of certain pieces of information, whether accurate or inaccurate, can affect national security and regional peace and stability,” it added. “As such, we appeal to the sense of responsibility and patriotism of all concerned.” The DFA also affirmed that Duterte and Trump “have a good and warm working relationship,” expressing confidence that “it will continue to be nurtured towards a positive direction for the benefit of the longstanding partnership.” It also reiterated the Philippine government’s “support for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and encourage the parties to continuously engage in peaceful dialogue.” A New York Times report claims that a certain senior administration official in Washington confirmed that the transcript was an “accurate representation of the call” between the two leaders. Most of what the two presidents discussed, however, were already openly disclosed by the Philippine leader in his previous interviews and speeches. n
Fugitive Filipino ex-car dealer...
Judge Otero said defendant preyed upon members of the Filipino community as well as numerous federally insured financial institutions in perpetrating the scam that resulted in total losses to both individuals and financial institutions of over $90 million. Reodica, fled the United States in 1988, but he has been in federal custody ever since he was arrested in late 2012 at Los Angeles International Airport during a layover while traveling from Australia to Canada. On the day before he was set to go on trial in October 2015, Reodica pleaded guilty to 26 counts of bank fraud and making false statements to financial institutions. From 1984 through 1988, the fraud scheme victimized at least five banks – Union Bank, First Los Angeles Bank, Manilabank, First Central Bank and Imperial Savings. “The scale of the fraud is virtually unparalleled,” prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memorandum. “Notably, Imperial subsequently failed and went into receivership with the FDIC based on the losses sustained as the result of defendant’s fraud.” Reodica was the president of the Glendora-based Grand Wilshire Group (GWG) of Compa-
Eminiano “Jun” Reodica Jr. once ran the third largest car dealership in the United States.
nies, which operated about two dozen car dealerships, including Grand Chevrolet in Glendora. “Over time, GWG became the second-largest Chevrolet dealership in the United States and the third largest car dealership in the United States,” prosecutors wrote in court documents. “Due to the apparent success of GWG, [then-California] Governor [George] Deukmejian appointed defendant to the board of the California Department of Motor Vehicles, and later ousted him from the board when his fraud was discovered.”
Duterte considering nationwide... PAGE A1 t on the same day when the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) conducted a joint operation in barangay Basak Malutlut to capture Isnilon Hapilon, who is believed to be the head of IS in Southeast Asia. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana identified the militants as members of the Maute group, which is believed to have pledged allegiance to IS in 2015. Lorenzana confirmed that the militants have occupied several establishments in Marawi City, including Amai Pakpak Medical Center, Marawi’s city hall, and the city jail. He also confirmed reports that several other facilities, such as St. Mary’s Church, Ninoy Aquino School, and Dansalan College, were burned down by the Maute group. The developments prompted Duterte to cut his four-day official visit to Moscow short to personally oversee government operations. “The hardest thing to deal with would be the arrival of IS in our country and it has come to pass, that there is really war going on,” Duterte said. “Government must put an end to this. I cannot gamble with IS
because they are everywhere and you know what is happening or you must be very aware of what is happening in the Middle East,” he added. Duterte warned that he will be “harsh” in the implementation of martial law, noting that it “will not be different” from the military rule imposed by late dictator Ferdinand Marcos. According to the president, the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus will be suspended under the martial law. The Chief Executive also warned: “Remember that this is not intended for the law-abiding citizens. We are the least of your worry. But if you confront government and my orders are one: to enforce the law. And anyone caught possessing a gun and confronting us with violence, my orders are shoot to kill.” He went on to say, “I will not hesitate to do it. My human rights is different. It is an institutional theory which we will reserve and observe.” “But anyone now holding a gun, confronting government with violence, my orders are spare no one. Let us solve the problem of Mindanao once and for all,” Duterte further added. Despite this, Duterte assured that he will not tolerate abuses.
“Congress is functioning. The courts are open for citizens to seek their grievance,” he said. While Malacañang initially announced that the military rule in Mindanao will last for only about 60 days, Duterte warned that it could be extended for a year. “How long? Well, if it would take a year to do it then we’ll do it. If it’s over in a month I’d be happy,” he said. In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) affirmed that the government is “in full control” of the crisis in Mindanao. The DFA stressed that it is “necessary” to declare martial law in Mindanao to “suppress lawless violence and rebellion and for public safety.” “The Philippine government is in full control, and fully aware that the Maute Group /ISIS groups have the capability (although limited) to disturb the peace; they have shown no hesitation in causing havoc, taking innocent lives and destroying property,” it said. Section 18, Article VII of the 1987 Constitution states that the president of the Philippines may place the country under martial law in case of invasion or rebellion for not exceeding than 60 days; and that the president may suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus within 48 hours from the proclamation of martial law. n
PH, Russia embark on ‘new chapter’... PAGE A1 t
GWG had credit agreements with the victim financial institutions under which GWG pledged car contracts as collateral on lines of credit. The agreements required GWG to collect car loan payments from its customers and provide those funds to the financial institutions. Reodica admitted that he would promise the same car contract as collateral to two different banks at the same time. In order to accomplish this part of his scheme, Reodica directed employees to forge customer signatures on car contracts that were then promised to a second bank. As another part of his scheme, Reodica also repossessed and resold cars without telling the banks. Reodica also admitted concealing from the banks that customers were delinquent on their car loans. In some cases, when the overall delinquency rate exceeded a level acceptable to a bank, Reodica used GWG funds to make car payments, which allowed him to continue using those delinquent contracts as collateral. Reodica also made his employees sign for car loans for cars that they were not really buying so that Reodica could increase the lines of credit he obtained from the banks.
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reiterated the Philippine government’s intention to strengthen its relationship with Russia. “Please consider us as a good friend. I came to visit your place and it’s to establish stronger bilateral relations. I [came] to seek your friendship and to trade, establish trade and commerce with your country,” Duterte told Putin. The Philippine leader also asked his Russian counterpart for a soft loan to procure military equipments. “I am sorry if I am in a hurry but I need to buy, if you can grant me a soft loan, we’ll [use] the money and pay it right away because the arms that we ordered from America [were] cancelled,” Duterte said. Last year, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, threatened to oppose the arms deal between Manila and Washington amid concerns over the alleged human rights violations in connection with the Duterte administration’s bloody drug war. Prior to his departure on Monday, May 22, Duterte disclosed that he wanted to secure deals for Russian precision-guided bombs that could be used against IS-inspired terrorist groups during his visit. Although Putin did not immediately gave a specific response to Duterte’s request, the Russian
President Rodrigo Duterte meets with Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow prior to his return to the Philippines on Wednesday, May 24. President Duterte on Tuesday, May 23 decided to skip his scheduled engagements and cut short his official visit to the Russian Federation immediately after declaring a state of Martial Law in Mindanao due to the terror crisis that gripped Marawi City. Malacañang photo
leader said that their governments “have very many promising and interesting areas of cooperation, including on energy machine building, transport and infrastructure.” “And I think we can cooperate in many different technical spheres,” Putin added. Putin also expressed sympathies over the terror crisis in Mindanao. “At the outset of our conversation, I would express our condolences over the loss of lives of your people because of a horrible terrorist at-
tack,” he said. He further added, “And let me express hope that the conflict that you have just mentioned will be resolved as soon as possible and with minimal losses and casualties.” Likewise, the Russian leader affirmed that the signing of bilateral agreements will still push through, with Philippine Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano representing Duterte. Earlier in his pre-departure
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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 26-JUNE 2, 2017
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PH reaffirms commitment to peoplecentered ASEAN at ‘ASEAN Matters for America/America Matters for ASEAN’ launch WASHINGTON, D.C. — “While ASEAN celebrates its 50th Founding Anniversary, we also look at the milestone we have reached with the 40th Anniversary of its Partnership with the United States. It is an open and strategic partnership that aims to forge a common path towards a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Asia-Pacific region,” remarked Mr. Patrick Chuasoto, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the Philippine Embassy, at the launch of ASEAN Matters for America/America Matters for ASEAN on Tuesday, May 16 at the Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. ASEAN Matters for America/ America Matters for ASEAN is a publication and web resource “for credible and nonpartisan information, graphics, analysis, and news at the national, state, and local level on U.S.-Southeast Asia interactions.” It is a joint project by the East-West Center, U.S.ASEAN Business Council and ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. The publication offers information on the flow of trade and
investments, and travel and tourism between ASEAN and the U.S. It also highlights the vibrant people-to-people ties between the two sides, as evidenced by the large number of ASEAN-Americans in the U.S., educational exchanges, and sister partnerships. The Philippines, as Chair of ASEAN for 2017, seeks to enhance and leverage ASEAN’s relationship with the US in pursuit of the six thematic priorities that currently guide its Chairmanship. “These themes frame the substantial issues that we wish to address—putting the interests of the peoples of ASEAN at the center of its work; high quality of life; enhancing an environment that is conducive to business; prioritizing health and improved nutrition; promoting peaceful co-existence; advancing work on maritime security; highlighting connectivity and innovation; building a disaster-resilient region; and strengthening ASEAN’s work and standing in the international arena,” said Mr. Chuasoto.
“The Philippines is fully committed to developing a peoplecentered ASEAN. Thus, we attach great importance to socio-cultural and educational exchanges among the peoples of ASEAN and the United States that support this goal,” he added. Mr. Chuasoto further stressed this point by citing the fact that of all ASEAN countries, the Philippines has the most sister city relationships with the United States at 61. There is presently 92 sister cities and sister state or sister county connections between ASEAN countries and the US. In his remarks, Mr. Chuasoto also highlighted the progress that the Philippines has made as ASEAN Chair, such as consolidating the members’ consensus in combating violent extremism, attaining maritime security and cooperation, and pursuing an innovation-led growth agenda. ASEAN Matters for America/ America Matters for ASEAN is available for download at http:// www. asiamattersforamerica.org/ asean. n
New study: Home care employers... PAGE A1 t seniors. This is a problem not just for our state but also our country.” Notably, home care workers also do not receive the adequate pay they deserve, with many caregivers becoming victims of wage theft, a recurring problem plaguing this particular sector. As the Asian Journal previously reported, the city of LA filed a lawsuit against a Canoga Park-based home care provider for allegedly paying more than 200 mostly Filipino caregivers as little as $5.50/hour and failing to compensate for overtime. “We find our report’s results troubling because these low wages are impacting primarily women of color who allow our state to thrive. Workers that are supporting seniors and our loved ones struggle to care for themselves and their families,” explained Aquilina Soriano Versoza, executive director of PWC and co-author of the report. Nearly half of home care employers — about 48 percent — pay only two-thirds of the full-time median wage pursu-
ant to state’s wage laws. According to the study, more than half (61 percent) of caregivers surveyed said they receive government support for home care. However, 1 in 5 of them still pays for some of the workers’ wages. Despite all the challenges that home care employers face, the researchers suggested ways to expand home care resources and strengthen the fastest-growing sector in public health. The largest problem comes from the lack of government aid allocated to the home care sector, which can bring longterm benefits to both workers and the individuals and families receiving care. Herrera mentioned that home health care providers, as well as caregivers, would benefit substantially from government subsidies. But she fears that the Trump administration’s commitment to reforming the health care sector may append challenges, including slashing Medicaid, which many seniors and people with disabilities rely on.
Tab for single-payer proposal... PAGE A1 t
lion was spent on health care last year statewide, including public and private spending by employers and consumers, according to the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. Legislative analysts said federal, state and local taxpayer funding of about $200 billion a year for existing programs could be available to offset the overall tab of $400 billion for universal coverage. But additional tax revenue would be needed to foot the other half of the cost, according to the report, which raised the possibility of a 15 percent payroll tax on earned income. Of course, the shift to a single-payer system should reduce current spending on health insurance by employers and workers, so those savings could offset some of the new taxes, the analysts said. The report estimated that employers and employees in California spend $100 billion to $150 billion a year now on health insurance and medical care. “Total new spending required under the bill would be between $50 billion and $100 billion per year,” the report said. The Senate analysis noted that all of its projections were “subject to enormous uncertainty” because the bill would mark “unprecedented change in a large health care market.” A single-payer system likely “would be more efficient in delivering health care,” said Larry Levitt, a senior vice president at the Kaiser Family Foundation. (California Healthline is produced by Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation.) But the proposal expands coverage to all and eliminates premiums, copayments and deductibles for enrollees, and that would cost more money, Levitt said. “You can bet that opponents will highlight the 15 percent tax, even though there are also big premium savings for employers and individuals,” he added. State Sen. Ricardo Lara (DBell Gardens), a chief sponsor of the legislation, said the present system is unsustainable because health spending continues to grow faster than the overall economy, making coverage unaffordable for too many people. Lara touted the potential savings from creating a public plan with greater bargaining power
and cutting out the administrative overhead and profits of private health insurers acting as middlemen. Overall, many of the details behind California’s single-payer proposal remain in flux. Under questioning from fellow lawmakers, Lara said the 15 percent payroll tax is “hypothetical” and “we don’t have a financing mechanism yet for this bill.” Lara said he has sought a review from researchers at the University of MassachusettsAmherst into potential funding sources for the measure. Lara also said there’s no guarantee the Trump administration would grant the federal waivers necessary for California to shift Medicare and Medicaid funding into a single pot for universal health care. With so many unknowns, the Senate Appropriations Committee didn’t vote on the measure Monday. Backers of the legislation are hopeful for a vote in the full Senate next month and then lawmakers could continue to work on the financial aspects during the summer. At Monday’s hearing, many consumers pointed to Medicare as a model for how single-payer works now and urged lawmakers to make California the proving ground for how it can succeed at the state level. Business groups and health insurers spoke out in opposition, saying it would lead to massive disruption and escalating costs. Even if it passes the legislature, California Gov. Jerry Brown hasn’t endorsed the idea and new taxes may require a statewide ballot measure, which are always hard-fought campaigns. The California Chamber of Commerce said the costs would likely be far higher than what was projected and the taxes imposed on employers would trigger major job losses. State Sen. Jim Nielsen (RTehama), a member of the Appropriations panel, expressed similar concerns. “The impact on employers will be astounding,” Nielsen said. “How can you say this will be fiscally prudent for the state? The state has never gotten anything right in health care.” State Sen. Steven Bradford (DGardena) also preached caution, questioning whether state agencies are up to the task. “I don’t
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The survey’s data was gathered from 327 surveys distributed to home care employers via phone, the internet and inperson interviews throughout the state of California. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)
SIGNATURE CAMPAIGN. Supporters of jailed Sen. Leila de Lima sign a tarpaulin for the launching of a signature drive calling for freedom for the opposition senator, who is facing what she describes as trumped-up drug charges because of her criticisms against President Rodrigo Duterte. ManilaTimes.net photo by Mike de Juan
Fugitive Filipino ex-car dealer... PAGE A2 t As a result of Reodica’s fraud scheme, the Grand Wilshire Group and Grand Chevrolet collapsed into bankruptcy in August 1988, which is when Reodica fled to his native Philippines.
When special agents with the FBI arrested him at LAX in November 2012, Reodica was traveling under an Australian passport in the name of “Roberto Coscolluela.” While living in Australia under the name of Coscolluela, he ran a tax preparation and in-
surance business. Reodica’s activities in these businesses have resulted in allegations of a $7 million fraud in Australia causing him to be dubbed “Brisbane’s Bernie Madoff,” according to government sentencing papers. (Inquirer.net)
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MAY 26-JUNE 2, 2017 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
Dateline USa
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Jones Bridge paintings turned over 2 Filipinos spared from deportation for Jones Law centennial celebration due to PH war on drugs by Jun
nucum Inquirer.net
Ms. Becky Marks (right) Board Chair, and Mr. David Jett (2nd from right), Ms. Celeste Lecaroz (right) presents the Jones Bridge painting to Ms. curator, receives the Jones Bridge painting on behalf of the Richmond Elizabeth Hart Jones (left) and her sister, Anne (center) at the Jones County Museum from Ms. Celeste Lecaroz (left) on May 12. Family Home in Warsaw, Virginia on May 12.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Two paintings of the William A. Jones Memorial Bridge in Manila were turned over to the Richmond County Museum and the family of Congressman William Atkinson Jones on May 12, as part of the celebration of the centennial anniversary of the Philippine Autonomy Act, otherwise known as the Jones Act for Philippine Independence, which was enacted by the 64th Congress of the United States of America on August 29, 1916. The paintings are the works of Manila-based artist Celeste Lecaroz, who adopted the style “spontaneous realism,” which is popularized by the Austrian contemporary artist Voka. “When I set to the task of painting the bridge, I tapped into the significance of Philippines-US relations and what it meant to me. With palette knife on hand I set to paint an image of the Jones Bridge in Manila. What immediately came to mind is bridging the gap, exchange between the two sides,” Ms. Lecaroz said. “But I came to realize eventually that Congressman Jones did more than that. It was more than bridging. It was giving us an alternative path from that of remaining as a colony. So again, it is my honor and pleasure to be leaving the Richmond County Museum and the Jones family a crafted symbol of our strengthened ties as sovereign nations,” she added. The Jones Law, as it was commonly referred to, laid down the framework for a more autonomous government, preparatory to the grant of independence to the Philippines by the United States. Through this law, the Philippines saw the creation of a bicameral legislature, the introduction of a representative electoral process, and the recognition of the fundamental civil and political rights of persons living within the bounds of the Philippine Islands.
Ms. Becky Marks, Board Chair, and Mr. David Jett, curator, received the painting on behalf of the Richmond County Museum. “I just want to say how much we appreciate the effort, creativity and thoughtfulness that you all put into this,” said Mr. Jett. In the brief turnover ceremony at the Jones Family Home in Warsaw, Virginia, Ms. Elizabeth Hart Jones, representing the Jones Family, expressed appreciation for the painting and its symbolism. She referred to the monument with the inscription, “A Tribute of the Undying Gratitude of the Filipino People,” erected over the grave of Congressman Jones at St. John’s Episcopal Church in 1926. “We are so touched that after all these years, it has not changed. So we are very, very grateful. We do feel a big responsibility to represent the family,” she said. “At that age of empire building, it was a radical idea to let go of a treasured territory like the Philippine Islands. However, Congressman Jones had a profound belief that the United States had a more important mandate to promote freedom around the world,” she further said. Ms. Jones was joined by her sister Anne, and Anne’s husband Rusty Gilfillan in welcoming Ms. Lecaroz and other guests to the Family Home. The Executive Director of the US-Philippines Society, Hank Hendrickson, remarked that the Jones Act capped an intensely dynamic period in the history of relations between the United States and the Philippines, characterized by debates in Washington, D.C. that were cast in moral terms, on what the US should do with the Philippines and other island possessions. “What evolved from those debates was a compromise. Simply put, the US would stay in the Philippines, but on the condition that as it did so, America would work to
strengthen Philippine institutions as a basis for modern, twentieth century governance. What Congressman William A. Jones did was to nail down legislation and legislative assurances that that political bargain was kept,” Mr. Hendrickson stated. “For our part, Americans might better understand and appreciate the role of Filipino leaders at the time. In both Manila and Washington, the leadership skillfully engaged American counterparts to break down preconceived notions, prejudices, and provide assurances about the capacity for independent governance,” he emphasized. Renowned Filipino historian and author Dr. Bernardita Churchill gave the family a copy of an article on the commemorative dinner organized by the Philippine Embassy, in cooperation with the US-Philippines Society, on 30 August 2016, that replicated the dinner hosted by then Philippine High Commissioner Manuel L. Quezon on 29 August 1916 at the New Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C. Ms. Darell Artates, the Embassy’s Public Diplomacy Officer, expressed the Embassy’s appreciation to Ms. Lecaroz and the Warsaw community, including the Jones Family, for their commitment to strengthening Philippines-US ties. “During this time of major changes and uncertainty, it is useful to have events like this that serve as a reminder of the enduring friendship between the Filipino and American peoples,” she said. The participants in the turnover ceremonies also visited the Jones memorial at St. John’s Episcopal Church, upon the gracious invitation of its rector, The Reverend Torrence Harman. The William A. Jones Memorial Bridge, popularly known as the Jones Bridge, was inaugurated in 1921. Spanning the Pasig River, it connects Binondo, the location of Chinatown, and Ermita in the heart of Manila.
SAN FRANCISCO — Two Filipino immigrants, who served jail terms for drug offenses but were apprehended by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and placed on deportation proceedings, were recently granted protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT) because they are potential targets of President Rodrigo Duterte’s lethal war on drugs. One immigrant was immediately released after an immigration judge’s CAT ruling while the other remains in custody pending the written decision of the judge that could withstand an impending appeal of ICE against the still detained convict. The two grateful Filipinos living in San Francisco chose to remain unidentified. Both men have families, are indigents and in their mid30s. They are green card holders who were represented for free by legal advocacy group for Asians in San Francisco. Their lawyer, Kevin Lo, is a staff attorney in the Immigrant Rights Program of the Asian Law Caucus. Lo chanced upon the two men when he visited the San Francisco immigration detention center and realized that the two Filipinos needed representation, as most people in immigration detention are usually not legally aided enough. Claims for protection “In evaluating the cases of the two Filipinos clients, we learned about the situation in the Philippines with President Duterte’s drug war. And when we realized that they had claims for protection under the Convention Against Torture, we decided to take their cases because we know the situation is pretty serious,” Lo shared. “We decided to make the argument that drug addicts who are deported to the Philippines has a more then 50 percent chance to be added to government watch lists and subsequently killed,” Lo explained. Asian Law Caucus sought the help of Vicente Rafael, professor of history in the University of Washington, specializing in Southeast Asian history. “Rafael became our source for the condition in the Philippines particularly the drug war being waged by President Duterte,” Lo said. Rafael’s declaration together with another expert’s statement proved very helpful in securing the detainees’ protection from the judge. “We [also] submitted a big stack of articles and pictures to show that in the Philippines drug convictions typically equal torture and death,” Lo explained. “If we haven’t been able to submit the country condition confirmation that intended to show that the government’s (drive against drug offenders) is true, the
ruling may not have been granted and they could have been deported.” Scheduled to testify again Rafael is scheduled to testify by phone on another case, in Tacoma, Washington, largely along the same lines. Nearby Seattle was where an earlier case employing the CAT appeal protection lost. Lo wants to make clear though that the CAT is usually the last thing that people try for because it doesn’t lead to any legal status; one can still be deported when conditions change. It is also not granted very often. “For our clients, the judge said he won’t be deporting our clients. But once Duterte is no longer in power and the drug war is no longer happening, they can be deported. So, CAT is an acknowledgement that you are deportable, but for human rights reason, you are not going to be for now,” disclosed Lo. He says its a form of relief that applies to other people in other countries with dangerous condition of human rights. “The Duterte situation is so extreme, so rare that the head of state will be so explicit and proud that he killed so many people that started back when he was mayor of Davao City.” Unfair deportation system Lo also stressed that the U.S. deportation system is so unfair because even if immigrant convicts spent only a few months in a U.S. prison, they are being deported even for drug crimes that are not serious. “Current U.S. immigration law punishes drug crimes very heavily. It is kind of funny that we are criticizing Duterte for his war on drugs, while the U.S. war on drugs, although not be as bad, is pretty extreme too,” Lo lamented. In the deportation process, ICE will request for travel documents from the Philippines and also will turn over a copy of the deportee’s criminal record. What that means is that the U.S. is explicitly telling the Philippines that the deportee is a drug abuser or trafficker. Under Duterte, it is very likely that the deportee will be added to the drug list. Duterte supporter Atty. Arnedo S Valera, a practicing immigration attorney, congratulated Lo and company for “creative legal representation” in finding a relief from deportation for these two Filipinos. Legal aberration However, he contended that “this ruling is a legal aberration and not the prevailing case law in almost all immigration courts in 50 States. For the last decade, based on specific and unique removal issues faced by Filipino immigrants, I have been successful in obtaining asylum alleging fear of even torture under the Aquino and Arroyo regimes.” Most likely, these liberal rulings will be appealed by the govern-
ment because the fact is, under the drug policy of the Duterte administration, drug addicts who surrender and are not engaged in selling drugs and other criminal activities are sent to rehabilitation centers for treatment and drug rehabilitation.” Duterte critic and seasoned litigator Ted Laguatan says that the present Philippine government has developed a global reputation for being engaged in state-sponsored extrajudicial killings and human rights violations. “Numerous documented reports and graphic pictures of Filipinos brutally murdered by police elements and so called ‘vigilantes’ many of whom are also police elements dressed in civilians, have been published in international publications. More than 8,000 killed since President Rodrigo Duterte sat in office,” reasoned Laguatan. Laguatan says that while government apologists continue to deny that these killings are statesponsored, there are so many recorded footages of President Rodrigo Duterte delivering speeches urging the police to continue with these killings and assuring them of his protection. ‘Duterte behind the killings’ “Anyone with a modicum of intelligence knows that Duterte is behind these killings as the styles or modes of executions are the same as those used by the notorious Davao Death Squad reputedly headed by Duterte when he was Mayor of Davao City. Moreover, the more than 8,000 killings are self-evident. They would not have happened if Duterte were not President. As such, more Filipinos in removal proceedings in Immigration Court will be using the United Nation’s Convention Against Torture (CAT) to prevent their removal,” Laguatan opined. Another eminent immigration lawyer Lourdes Tancinco noted that with the current social political environment in the Philippines, the view of the outside world on the controversial war of drugs has an impact on the fate of Filipinos abroad. “I am not surprised that it had reached the immigration courts involving Filipinos who are facing removal. It would not be difficult to find sufficient evidence for protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT) Act considering that substantial and factual information is available in regards to the increasing number of death of people involved in illegal drugs. The courts can rely on expert opinion or organizations like the UN Commission on Human Rights,” Tancinco said. Tancinco noted that the challenge in employing CAT is proving whether the abuse is inflicted by, or at the instigation of, or with the consent or acquiescence of, a public official or any person acting in an official capacity. n
Pacquiao goes easy against sparmates... PAGE A1 t Complex in Pasay City. Under the watchful eye of trainer Freddie Roach and in front of a decent crowd—the session was open to public—Pacquiao went to work against lightweight Leonardo Doronio and super lightweight Sonney Katiandagho. But Pacquiao was far from the deadly fighter he’s long been known for. Journeyman Doronio (15-14, with 10 KOs) first sparred with Pacquiao for two rounds, giving a good account of himself by tagging the Filipino icon with straights and hooks. Still, he left the ring gasping for air. Katiandagho (11-2, with 6 KOs), who like Pacquiao hails from General Santos City, then took over from Doronio for an additional three rounds. Like Doronio, the 24-year-old fighter nicknamed “Pinoy (Thomas) Hearns” also had his moments, even besting Pacquiao in some exchanges. Throughout the five-round session, Pacquiao was contented to bobbing and weaving while occasionally slipping in a jab or a
Under the watchful eye of trainer Freddie Roach and in front of a decent crowd, Manny Pacquiao laced up his gloves for his second day of sparring, but it was hardly a session to remember.
straight. He never dominated the exchanges, and sometimes appeared to let himself get hit. Even Katiandagho—overwhelmed by the fact that he was tapped to spar with one of the greatest boxers of his generation—noticed it, thinking that Pacquiao went easy on them. On a dull day, Pacquiao still impressed his starstruck sparring partners. But it wasn’t the case for Roach, who called the five-round session an eyesore. “His second day of sparring today is maybe the worst I’ve ever
seen so far. His timing is really really off,” Roach said. Pacquiao’s longtime trainer then said they’re “way behind” the training schedule, and it showed in his ward’s sluggishness in sparring. Nevertheless, Roach isn’t pushing the panic button, knowing they still have enough time for Pacquiao to shed rust and reach peak form. “It [Pacquiao hitting peak form] is not gonna happen overnight. It’s gonna be a process,” added Roach, who also said he’s mulling to bring in more guys to spar with Pacquiao. n
PH, Russia embark on ‘new chapter’...
Pointing out that “there are opportunities that cannot be igspeech, Duterte stressed that nored,” Duterte said that Russia Russia “must cease to be at the is a country that the Philippines margins of Philippine diploma- “must” work with. cy.” “There is much room to develop “Over-dependence on tradi- mutually beneficial cooperation. tional partners has limited our There are many opportunities that room to maneuver in a very dy- need to be explored. Now we can namic international arena. This is work together to open those doors a strategic oversight that has led to even wider,” he said. many missed opportunities for our Last year, Duterte announced country. I am determined to cor- the Philippines’ “separation” with rect this,” he said. the United States, its decades-long
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Tab for single-payer proposal...
ally, in favor of a closer shift toward Russia and China as part of asserting the country’s’ independent foreign policy. Stressing the level of importance his administration “places on the writing of a new chapter of Philippines–Russia relationship,” Duterte said this week’s “landmark trip” to Moscow underscores the Philippines’ “firm resolve” to “broaden the horizons of friendship and cooperation with other nations.” n
near-universal coverage system. (Chad Terhunes/Kaiser Health News) PAGE A1 t *** Other states have taken a close This story was produced by Kaiser Health want California to move toward look at single-payer and balked. a program that is not sustainable Colorado voters rejected a bal- News, which publishes California Healthline, and one that we can’t manage,” lot measure last year that would an editorially independent service of the have used payroll taxes to fund a California Health Care Foundation. Bradford said.
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IPU members in PH to check detained De Lima by aJPress MEMBERS of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) have arrived in the Philippines this week to examine the condition of Senator Leila De Lima, who is currently being detained over drug-related charges. The IPU Committee on Human Rights met with Philippine Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Monday, May 22, and is scheduled to visit De Lima on Wednesday, May 24. “We are here on behalf of the IPU, the Inter-Parliamentary Union human rights committee, to see and assess the situation of detention of Senator Leila de Lima,” Fawzia Koofi, president of IPU human rights, told reporters after their meeting. According to Koofi, the IPU committee members will also meet with Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, Senator Panfilo Lacson, and other “relevant” officials on Tuesday, May 23 to get “first-hand information” about De Lima’s case.
De Lima, who is notably among the fiercest critics of Philippine President Duterte, was arrested last February for allegedly violating the Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 20. She was accused of profiting from the illegal drug trade at New Bilibid Prison (NBP) when she was the justice secretary. “The IPU, as a body, expressed concern [on] human rights violation of a member of the Senate in the Philippines, which is Senator Leila de Lima, that’s why the assembly decided to have a mission to the Philippines,” Koofi added. Earlier in April, the IPU adopted a resolution “calling for a mission to the Philippines where it is deeply concerned over the detention of Senator Leila de Lima and the accusations that she was involved in drug trafficking.” The union took note that the senator led a series of investigations into alleged extrajudicial killings when Duterte was then the mayor of Davao City and again,
as president, when he started to wage the war against illegal drugs last year. Emphasizing that De Lima has been a vocal opponent of Duterte, the IPU also said that there is serious reason to believe the senator has been “targeted due to her outspoken criticism of the impact of the current government’s policies on human rights in the Philippines.” Pimentel, who invited the IPU to visit the country during its 136th Assembly in Dhaka, Bangladesh last month, said the group only thanked him during their recent meeting for “inviting” them over. He said they discussed “nothing” about De Lima’s case. “They are the ones concerned with Senator de lima...they are here for a fact-finding mission. Let them do their job,” Pimentel added. Established in 1889, IPU aims to “promote democracy, equality, human rights, development and peace.” The Philippines is among its 171 member parliament.
FREEDOM FOR LEILA. Opposition congressmen led by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman greet journalists outside the Custodial Center of the Philippine National Police at Camp Crame in Quezon City, after visiting Sen. Leila de Lima, who is detained on what she describes as trumped-up illegal drug charges. In photo from (L-R) Capiz Rep. Emmanuel Billones, Northern Samar Rep. Raul Daza, Lagman, Ifugao Rep. Teodoro Baguilat, an unidentified aide, and Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano. ManilaTimes.net photo by Mike De Juan
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grants, seeks Philippines’ PNP seeks security coordination with EU defends clarification on aid rejection Ariana Grande’s Manila concert organizers 22 killed, over 50 injured at pop singer’s show in Manchester, UK
Ariana Grande performs during the Manila leg of “The Honeymoon Tour” held at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Sunday, August 23, 2015. Philstar.com photo by Efigenio Christopher Toledo IV
THE Philippine National Police (PNP) is urging “early coordination” with the organizers of the upcoming Manila concert of American singer-actress Ariana Grande in August. The PNP’s call came in the
wake of a deadly explosion during Grande’s concert on Monday night, May 22 in Manchester, United Kingdom that reportedly killed 22 people, including children, and injured more than 50. In a statement on Tuesday,
May 23, PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent Dionardo Carlos stressed the importance of coordination between the local police and event organizers to secure the safety of the event. “The organizer/s of the Ariana Grande concert must involve the local PNP unit so that appropriate security arrangements and assistance can be extended to ensure the safety of the concertgoers,” Carlos said. The 23-year-old pop star’s “Dangerous Woman” tour is set this coming August 21 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. “The PNP has the security templates in handling international events. Necessary adjustments may be taken based on current and existing condition or environment,” Carlos said. “What is important is the early coordination of the event organizers with the PNP,” he added. The Philippine Department PAGE A7
by aJPress
THE European Union’s (EU) ambassador to the Philippines said he will seek clarification from the Duterte administration regarding its recent decision to reject assistance from the EU. Last week, the Philippine government announced that it has stopped accepting aid “with conditions” from the EU as part of affirming its foreign independence policy. According to Malacañang, the government will refuse new EU grants that have the potential of affecting the “internal policies” of the country, as recommended by the Department of Finance (DOF) and approved by President Rodrigo Duterte. Spokesperson Ernesto Abella disclosed that the DOF made the recommendation after the EU “recently” offered a conditional grant that seemingly meddles in the country’s internal affairs. In defense, Ambassador Franz Jessen maintained that the EU
grants are not meant to change the system of the recipient countries but, rather, to promote their development. “It’s not a question of trying to change the system but trying to work hand-in-hand with governments around the world to make sure that the countries in need develop in the best possible way,” Jessen said on Tuesday, May 23. Next week, the top diplomat he will meet with Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and seek clarifications from him regarding the matter. “We have to get clarification on what exactly it is that they’re referring to,” Jessen said, adding “We have to listen to what he (Cayetano) has to say, this is a dialogue and we talking and take issues step by step.” Presently, Jessen confirmed that the EU is “not withdrawing any amount” and remains “in contact with the government on how best to work on our development assistance.” While admitting that the EU
has a “standard set of conditions” on all of its development assistance, Jessen said those are meant to prevent any form of anomaly or corruption. “In every project, you have specifications, if we support the health sector then the money should go to the health sector, not to another department,” Jessen explained. Last year, Duterte dared the EU, along with the United States and other critics, to pull out their assistance from the Philippines amid their criticisms against his administration’s drug war, and the alleged human rights violations and summary killings related to the campaign. The ambassador, however, said that that the human rights issues are unrelated to the development assistance that the EU gives. Jessen went on to say, “We have a political dialogue with the Philippines and there, we raise all sorts of issues and that’s not directly related to our development cooperation.”
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MAY 26-JUNE 1, 2017 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
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OPINION
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FEATURES
THE Philippines extends its condolences to the victims’ families and voiced solidarity with Britain in the fight against extremism following the deadly terror attack in Manchester, United Kingdom that left 22 people—including children—dead and 50 injured. “We are in solidarity with the United Kingdom in addressing and combating violent extremism,” Philippine Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said. A suicide bomber reportedly carried out the attack as fans were streaming out of Manchester Arena after American pop singer Ariana Grande’s concert on Monday, May 22. In Manila, the Philippine National Police (PNP) is closely coordinating with organizers of the concert tour of Grande set on August 21 at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena in Pasay City. While there is no specific terror threat for the pop star’s Manila stop, the PNP is initiating involvement in the event’s security so that appropriate security arrangements and assistance can be extended to ensure the safety of concertgoers. Meanwhile on Tuesday, May 23, Pres. Rodrigo Duterte, who’s in Moscow for a four-day state visit to Russia, cut his trip short after declaring martial law in Mindanao. The decision came amidst attacks perpetrated by Islamic State (IS)-backed Maute group in Marawi City. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana reported that government forces clashed with Maute fighters in Marawi City. The fighting left two policemen and a soldier dead and injured several others, ac-
cording to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. The siege reportedly began hen police and troops raided a house where Isnilon Hapilon, a leader of the Abu Sayyaf Group and the subject of a U.S. State Department bounty of $5 million, was believed to be hiding. Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano will stay behind in Russia to sign several agreements. The Philippine government has valiantly dealt with armed conflicts since the 1960s. While it succeeded in diminishing the numbers of these groups, coercion continues to this day. Major fronts have long fought for communist insurgency in the Mindanao region, leaving national reconciliation as still an ultimate goal for its government. The prevailing discord in Mindanao stems from what Moros believe as historical and continuing injustice committed against them, resulting in a majority-minority relationship that manifests itself in underdevelopment and dispossession in Muslim areas. While there is a lack of a comprehensive data on the total number of people affected and resources lost or destroyed as a result of these conflicts, reported estimates have been disturbing. Aside from being saddled with armed internal security threats,
Editorial
restoring peace in the country—especially in Mindanao—is also hampered by apparent economic and social problems. In this ever-changing and turbulent world, it’s easier for some people to aggregate power, to instigate war than to commit to peace and compromise. People behind such terror attacks must be reminded that it took millions of lives, thousands of years and
Philstar.com photo
hundreds of wars to achieve global order. Peace may be attained when there is cultural integrity, respect for differences, protection of human rights, good governance, sustainable development and delivery of basic social services. The list may still go on, and these measures will require more than just valiant efforts from the government and its people. (AJPress)
Rediscovering and strengthening our faith through the Marian Shrine Pilgrimage Tour I WAS out of the country for close to a The Fil-Am month to join my husband as he fulfilled a Perspective promise: to take his parents to the faith-based Marian Pilgrimage Tour in Europe. This was my husband’s way GEL SANTOS-RELOS of honoring his parents who are celebrating their birthdays this May as octogenarians. They have devoted their lives to serving the church back in the Philippines since their retirement. The pilgrimage tour would be the perfect gift to his parents. Through the help of my dear friend Mr. Johnny Francisco of Mango Tours, we joined the pilgrimage tour. This pilgrimage has been very significant this year as the Catholic Christians celebrate the 100th year of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s apparition in Fatima, Portugal. Being part of the tour group has eased up all the concerns and stresses that go with preparing for all the details of our trip’s itinerary, especially when you are traveling with seniors. There were about 45 of us in the group that met up in Lisbon, Portugal. Lo, and behold! More than a third of the group were Filipinos — and as our tour director said, indeed, Filipinos are among the top travelers on faith-based tours. In fact, many Filipinos would choose to go to
Commentary
RIGOBERTO D. TIGLAO TO understand quickly what the issue is about the Duterte government’s move to reject European Union (EU) grants that are laden with conditions, which would allow it to interfere with our sovereignty, here’s an analogy. (Note: the rejection currently involves grants only, not loans.) A tycoon’s philanthropic (of course tax-deductible) foundation offers you a grant of P50,000 (yes, that small, which is proportionate to the amount of EU grants to the size of our economy) which you are told you can use to renovate your house. [deleted Lucio Co—too distracting] However, the tycoon’s bureaucrat handling the grant tells you that if you accept the money, he can come into your house anytime and lecture you how to run your household which you must accept and implement. Would you accept the grant? I don’t think so. Unless you’re so poor P50,000 is a boon. But then you wouldn’t have a house to renovate. In the case of EU grants, these
Rome, the Holy Land, Fatima, Lourdes, etc if they could only travel abroad once in their life — a testament to the commitment of our kababayans to grow in faith and devotion to God. Aboard an air-conditioned coach with picture windows, WiFi and USB charger in every seat, our 12-day sojourn took us to Portugal, France and Spain where we visited Marian shrines, places of worship, churches, pilgrimage destinations and had good city and cultural tours of the places we visited. My husband and I extended our trip to take my in-laws visit the Vatican and see Pope Francis in person in Rome. After visits to churches in Lisbon, we headed north and made a quick stop to Santarem, Portugal to visit the Church of the Eucharistic Holy Miracle. In the evening, we arrived in Fatima, where we stayed for two nights. We visited the shrine made famous by the Virgin Mary’s appearance in 1917 to three shepherd children, which culminated in the revelation of the Three Secrets of Fatima. We joined pilgrims from different parts of the world for Rosary and candlelight procession at the Our Lady of Fatima Basilica.
After Fatima, we had a short stop in Braga, described as one of the oldest Christian cities in the world, and nicknamed “Portuguese Rome.” We visited the Bom Jesus Do Monte Sanctuary, an important pilgrimage site where many devout Catholics have reportedly walked the “Stations of the Cross” for purposes of reflection and penance since 1811. From Braga, we headed North to Santiago de Compostela, which we learned to be one of the top pilgrimage destinations since the Middle Ages. Pilgrims come from different parts of the world and take different routes starting from France, Madrid, Portugal, etc., doing the Camino walk, which may take up to three weeks, with all routes leading to St. James Cathedral. We attended the Pilgrims Mass in the Cathedral, which houses the remains of the apostle St. James beneath the High Altar. The highlight for me was the famous Botafumeiro — the giant swinging metal thurible that burns incense to bless the pilgrims. After our two-night stop in Santiago de Compostela and having watched “The Way” on the bus—the movie was written and directed by Emilio Esteves, starring his father Martin Sheen about a father’s pilgrimage in the “Camino de Santiago— I vowed to walk this pilgrimage with my husband in the near future. We made a one night stop in Burgos,
the historic capital of Old Castille. We visited, prayed, and had mass at the magnificent Burgos Cathedral. En route to Lourdes, France we passed by the beautiful landscape of Northern Spain, including the alps of the south— the Pyrenees Mountains. We stopped in Cabreira, a medieval town on top of a mountain and it snowed in April! The old church and the quaint town was like frozen in time. Thereafter we visited the 17th-century Sanctuary of Loyola, built in honor of San Ignacio de Loyola, founder of the Jesuit religious order. St. Ignatius was born to a rich and noble family and was a knight himself. His near-death experience made him give up his knight’s sword and lavish lifestyle, and embarked on a pilgrimage himself and offered his life in service to God. Our next stop was Lourdes in France where we stayed for two nights. Lourdes is another popular pilgrimage site for Catholics because this was where the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette. We went to mass, joined the nightly Rosary and procession, and prayed in the famous Grotto, where the holy water springs from the mountain. It was a very touching and uplifting experience. We also visited the birthplace and home of St. Bernadette. En route back to Spain, we made a stop in Carcassonne, near the France-Pain
border. The Fortified Citadel brought us back to the Middle Ages with all the ramparts, castle walls and drawbridges. Oh, how we enjoyed traditional French food for lunch al fresco in the courtyard! The last leg of the tour was Barcelona, Spain where we stayed for three nights. We enjoyed the city tour, visited Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia, and went up to the pilgrimage site of Montserrat, situated more than 4000 feet above sea level in a picturesque mountain range, said to be composed of striking pink conglomerate sedimentary rocks. Montserrat is the site of the Benedictine Abbey that hosts the Black Virgin. This place is a beautiful serene place where pilgrims walk to, pray, hear mass, reflect. (Montserrat was St. Ignatius’ pilgrimage destination) After our Marian Shrine Pilgrimage tour and the side trip to Rome, I thought we gave a gift to my in-laws. It turned out that in doing so, we also gave a gift to ourselves because of how we have grown in faith, love and dedication to God. I pray you will be blessed with the same experience too. God be with us all. *** 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
Rejection of EU grants with conditions a historic break from the past have had provisions, which past regimes ignored: ‘The [European] Commission may suspend this financing agreement if the beneficiary breaches an obligation relating to respect for human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law, and in serious cases of corruption.” While that may seem innocuous, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez to his credit interpreted this, correctly I think, to be interference in our Republic’s domestic affairs, an intrusion into our very sovereignty. What criteria, or what body would determine, that the country has no respect for human rights? The quantity of Western media and Human RightsWatch reports alleging human rights violations? Claims by the UN special rapporteur on extra-judicial killings such as Agnes Callamard? Would the EU one day decide that capital punishment is a violation of human rights? Would it pontificate that abortion at all stages of a fetus’ life is the human right of a woman? What criteria would it use to judge an instance as a “serious case of corruption”? In default “If the EU believes that the
claims on human rights violations by this administration’s critics are true, then effectively, we will already be in default under the agreement,”a ranking finance department official explained. “A default on such a basis could further create unnecessary political noise and affect investor sentiment and overall confidence in our government,” he pointed out. He added: “This EU-specific provision is unusual in our grant documentations. Other donor countries and institutions do not have such provisions in their grants.” Duterte’s critics, and especially the Yellow Cult, would almost certainly claim this administration simply has become too defensive or sensitive over human rights criticisms in the wake of his war against illegal drugs. Still though, the inappropriateness of such EU grant conditions could be emphasized using a different analogy. If you applied to borrow money from a bank to buy a car, would you agree to a loan condition that it is suspended if ever you’re issued a traffic ticket? However, there is a far-reaching aspect to the Duterte administration’s junking of such EU
grants, that make the 250 million euros in EU grants we will be giving up worth the cost. From the perspective of our country’s modern history, the Duterte administration’s move to reject EU grants that are laden with conditions that interfere with our sovereignty is a historic break from our sorry past, and a strengthening our sovereignty. Biggest ever grant Right at the emergence of an independent Philippines was the biggest ever grant by a foreign nation to our country, which however carried one of the the worst conditions ever imposed on a sovereign republic. This was through the infamous Bell Trade Act passed by the US Congress on July 2, 1946, two days after the Americans let us be an independent state. As a condition for the $800 million grant we needed to rehabilitate our war-ravaged economy, the US required us, using the euphemism “parity rights,” to amend our Constitution to allow US companies to own public utilities and to exploit our natural resources as well as to take in American products duty-free While most of our pro-American elite—the same crowd who are aghast over Duterte’s move
on the EU grants—still find nothing wrong with the Bell Trade Act, it opened up our young economy to powerful US monopoly capitalists that dominated our consumer industries, stunting the development of local industries and pillaging our natural resources. A still-to-be-written economic history is the huge contribution of US mining companies to building up Fort Knox’s inventory of gold by mining and shipping out all of the gold in our country. The Philippine elite—except for a few nationalist industrialists—profited immensely from their collaboration with US companies and as traders for US imports. The elite has managed to disseminate their justification for such American economic dominance so much so that such ideology is taken for economic rationality. Such ideology in this day and age is called “globalization”. The long-term impact really of US “Parity Rights” is that most Filipinos have lost the sense of nationalism. Among many other things, they have become blind to or accepting of the fact that an Indonesian magnate, Anthoni Salim, has violated our Constitution by
owning the biggest public utility firms like PLDT and Meralco as well as most expressways. An Indonesian tycoon, quite amazingly, has gotten parity rights for himself, which Americans got in 1946 only with the twin bribes: our nation’s independence and $800 million. Salim offered nothing. Underdeveloped and crisisprone The kind of economic structure that was the result of parity rights—in which industrialization was blocked because of the massive imports of US goods and through which capital was drained out of the country by US mining companies— kept us underdeveloped and prone to crisis. As a result, we became addicted to loans with conditions purportedly intended to shore up our economy, mainly from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which had conditions that intruded into our sovereignty as much as the Bell Trade Act did. We have had 23 such IMF loans, from 1962 to 1998, the so-called standby arrangement or extended facility loans, making us one of two countries in the world with the most number PAGE A7
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Duterte now enjoys 1-year impeachment immunity by Jess
Diaz Philstar.com
MANILA - Whatever he does, President Rodrigo Duterte can no longer be ousted for one year through the constitutional process of impeachment. He now enjoys one-year impeachment protection as provided for under the Constitution, Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, who chairs the House of Representatives committee on justice, told reporters. He said the protection kicked in last May 9, when the House referred the impeachment complaint filed by Rep. Gary Alejano of partylist Magdalo against the President to the justice committee. “The one-year immunity starts when an impeachment process is initiated. And under a Supreme Court ruling, initiation means referral of a complaint to the committee on justice,” he said. No other complaint can now be filed against Duterte for a period of one year, or until May 8 next year, he said. On May 15, the Umali committee threw out the Alejano complaint for lacking in substance while the President was in China. The committee approved its report. Umali said he expects the House to concur with the dismissal of the case this week. This means that while Duterte
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was abroad, his allies were busy burying the first impeachment case against him. Alejano raised the issue of extrajudicial killings in his complaint. He claimed that Duterte is pursuing a state policy of killing in his anti-drug war campaign. He also alleged that the President has amassed illegal wealth worth P2.2 billion. Duterte has denied the accusations. Umali said Alejano failed to present “convincing evidence” to support his allegations. “This was haphazardly done. Now, he has one year to prepare, if he plans to file another impeachment complaint next year,” he said. Alejano lamented that the Umali committee did not even give him the opportunity to sufficiently explain his complaint. His opposition colleague, Edcel Lagman of Albay, echoed his lament. “The committee muzzled the complainant,” Lagman said. At the Senate, the committee on public order and dangerous drugs has formally junked the testimony of retired police officer Arthur Lascañas linking President Duterte to the hundreds of extrajudicial killings in Davao City, and pushed for the imposition of stiffer penalties for perjury. The committee, chaired by Sen. Panfilo Lacson, released its report
yesterday on the sole hearing it conducted last March 5 with Lascañas, a self-confessed member of the Davao Death Squad (DDS) as its main witness. The 20-page report centered on Lascañas’ recantation of his testimony in October last year before the Senate committee on justice and human rights that the DDS had never existed and Duterte had nothing to do with summary executions in Davao City when he was still mayor. Lascañas in his testimony in October disputed the allegations of another self-confessed hit man Edgar Matobato that Duterte was the brains behind the extrajudicial killings in Davao City. But during the March hearing, Lascañas pointed to Duterte as the mastermind behind the killings of suspected criminals as well as opponents, including broadcaster Jun Pala in 2003. “His (Lascañas) current (March) testimony is flooded with loopholes and uncertainty on material facts. Apart from lack of corroborating evidence, his testimony was easily negated and destroyed by established facts, legal presumptions and resolutions of government agencies concerned,” the report stated. “This committee was expecting to hear details and receive other proof beyond what is easily accessible to a former police officer like Lascañas,” it said. n
PNP seeks security coordination...
of Foreign Affairs (DFA), meanwhile, confirmed that no Filipinos were hurt in the incident. “We have not yet received reports of Filipinos who were injured or who were among the casualties. But we are closely monitoring the situation. Our prayers go to those who were affected,” Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Robespierre Bolivar told CNN Philippines. In a statement, Malacañang sent condolences to the victims of the incident. “We are in solidarity with the United Kingdom in addressing and combating violent extremism,” Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said. For her part, Grande lamented the tragedy that occurred during her concert. In a Twitter
post hours after the explosion, Grande, who was unharmed, said she is “broken” by the incident. “From the bottom of my heart, I am so so sorry,” she wrote. The pop singer has reportedly suspended her tour indefinitely. Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said authorities are now working on for a “fast-moving investigation” on the incident. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the bombing, but this has not been verified. Hopkins, however, confirmed that the attacker — identified as 22-year-old Salman Abedi — died during the blast. “We have been treating this as a terrorist incident and we believe, at this stage, the attack last night was conducted by one man. The priority is to establish whether he
was acting alone or as part of a network,” Hopkins said. “The attacker, I can confirm, died at the arena. We believe the attacker was carrying an improvised explosive device which he detonated causing this atrocity,” he added. n
NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • mAy 26-JUNe 1, 2017
GETTING READY. Children with their parents buy school supplies at a public market on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on Sunday, May 21, two weeks before the start of classes. ManilaTimes.net photo by Ruy Martinez
IPU members in PH to check detained... PAGE A5 ‘Thinner, paler’ De Lima Also on Monday, members of the House of Representatives minority bloc visited a seemingly “thinner” and “paler” De Lima in her detention cell at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center inside Camp Crame. “Parang pumayat siya nang kaunti, medyo parang maputla siya ‘yun ang napansin ko (I noticed she lost weight and looked pale),” Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice told reporters when asked about De Lima’s condition. Other members of the group who visited De Lima include Minority leader Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat Jr., Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, Capiz Rep. Emmanuel Billones, Northern Samar Rep. Raul Daza, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, and Akbayan Rep. Tomasito Villarin.
During a what he described as a “very light” conversation, Erice disclosed that they talked about De Lima’s bid to attend Senate sessions when they visited her. Stressing that the senator has not been convicted yet and is still presumed innocent, Erice said the court should at least allow her to occasionally attend sessions whenever there are votings or discussions on important issues. “Kasi mahalaga din na mairepresent ni Senator De Lima ‘yung constituency niya, being a duly elected senator (Because it is important for Senator De Lima to represent her constituency as a duly elected senator),” Erice explained. Alejano also said they discussed “current issues” with De Lima, citing in particular Duterte’s seemingly soft stance against China’s reportedly war threat and his administration’s rejection of aid from European
Rejection of EU grants with conditions... PAGE A6 of such arrangements, the other one being Haiti. By comparison, how many such facilities have Indonesia and Thailand had, the only two other countries in Asia that got that type of IMF loans? Indonesia had 11, Thailand just two. These IMF loans had zero interest rates but had such huge
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Union (EU). Earlier, Duterte claimed that Chinese President Xi Jinping warned him about the possibility of war if the Philippines conducted an oil exploration in the disputed South China Sea. The Duterte administration also recently announced that it stopped accepting EU grants “with conditions” that affects the “autonomy of the country.” De Lima, for her part, thanked the House opposition bloc for visiting and supporting her. “These lawmakers are the genuine and functioning minority in the House of Representatives,” De Lima said in a handwritten letter. She went on to say, “In this time of darkness and flagrant violations of human rights that besiege our nation today, it is really an honor to be fighting with them for truth, justice, and democracy.” n
economic policies, and managed their economies to develop their own industries. Even Indonesia and Thailand which had availed conditions, such as the lower- Japan, South Korea, or Singa- of loans with conditions—but ing of our tariff rates, privati- pore did only when they were fewer—are now more developed developed—explains than we are. zation of public utilities, loos- already ening restrictions on foreign much of our underdevelopment We may lose hundreds of milinvestments, stopping subsidies now. lions of euros by rejecting EU The proof of the pudding is in grants. Such a move however for the poor. If those conditions sound good, it’s because of the the eating. Asian countries which puts us on the path of indepenelite’s brainwashing. Such un- didn’t have such loans with con- dent nationhood, which rich restricted and swift opening up ditions that required them to countries have proven to be the of the economy to advanced na- open up the economy swiftly re- key to prosperity. (ManilaTimes. tions’ monopoly firms—which tained their sovereignty in their net)
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may 26-june 1, 2017 • nORCaL aSIan jOuRnaL
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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 26 - JUNE 1, 2017
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BUSINESSJ& COMMUNITY ournal
Your Immigration Solution Devin M. Connoly anD nanCy Miller THE death of a close family member is obviously a very difficult time in a person’s life. This is even more true when the death results in both the loss of a beloved family member and the loss of the potential to become a permanent resident status in the U.S. (Green card). Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), an approved visa petition is automatically revoked when the petitioner dies before the beneficiary is issued a green card. The law is harsh but not absolute. A person may still be able to get their green card despite the petitioner’s death. Section 204(l) of the INA allows people to still be granted their green cards if they are able to demonstrate that they meet certain eligibility criteria as stated in the INA. In order to qualify under Section 204(l) of the INA, the immigrant beneficiary must have resided in the United States at the time of the petitioner’s death and must continue to reside in the U.S. Prior to this important change, only certain widows and widowers who were petitioned by their U.S. citizen spouse were granted the opportunity to obtain permanent resident status after the death of the petitioner. The first issue that must be resolved surrounds the definition of “residence.” As stated above, the beneficiary of the visa petition must actually reside in the U.S. at the time of their family member’s death. They will not be eligible under INA 204(l) simply by being physically present in the U.S. on the exact day that their relative passed away. Rather, it is required that they maintained a residence in the U.S. at the time of the petitioner’s death. However, it is not required that they were physically present in the U.S. on the date of death. Thus, an immigrant beneficiary may still be eligible for adjustment of status if they were actually abroad when the petitioner died,
Permanent residence still possible after petitioner’s death “A person may still be able to get their green card despite the petitioner’s death.”
so long as they can establish that they were actually residing in the U.S. at the time of the petitioner’s death. It is also important to note that the law does not require that they have lawful status in the U.S. at the time of death. There are also other requirements that must be established in addition to residence. These including demonstrating that the beneficiary deserves a favorable exercise of discretion and that they have an acceptable substitute sponsor. Finally, Section 204(l) of the INA may also provide immigration benefits for more people than just the beneficiary named on the petition. It may also allow the named beneficiary’s spouse and children to be granted permanent resident status. In some instances, the deceased family member was also the only or primary qualifying relative for a needed waiver of a ground of inadmissibility. Section 204(l) allows the beneficiary to continue to pursue the waiver with the deceased family member as the qualifying relative. Section 204(l) of the INA is clearly greatly beneficial to many people. Unfortunately, though, not everyone qualifies. For those beneficiaries who are not eligible to apply for adjustment of status under INA 204(l), they still have the opportunity to apply for “Humanitarian Reinstatement.” As stated earlier, the underlying petition is automatically revoked upon the death of the petitioner. However, “Humanitarian Reinstatement” provides hope for those family members living abroad that waited patiently for their immigrant visa petition to become current. A request for “Humanitarian Reinstatement” is a request that the petition be reinstated on humanitarian grounds. If the request is granted, the beneficiary, and potentially his
or her spouse and children, will be permitted to continue with the Immigrant Visa process and reunite with their remaining family members in the United States. The United States Department of State’s Foreign Affairs Manual provides a list of factors the USCIS should consider in evaluating requests for reinstatements. These factors include, but are not limited to, whether there will be a disruption of an established family unit; any potential hardship to U.S. citizen or lawful permanent residents; if the beneficiary is elderly, has strong family ties to the U.S., or is in poor health with no home to go to, and whether there was an undue delay in the processing of the petition. The death of a loved one can devastate a family. And, for some prospective immigrants, the death may also threaten to further tear apart the family unit. But it is important to remember that immigrating to the U.S. may still be possible despite the death of your close family member. Anyone who has lost a petitioning family member prior to obtaining their green card should consult a knowledgeable and experienced immigration attorney to find out whether they can still obtain lawful permanent residence. *** 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) 7958009 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)
Tax eyed on rent, remittances by Jess
Diaz Philstar.com
MANILA, Philippines - The Duterte administration will tax apartment and housing rentals and money remittances like pera padala, Rep. Carlos Zarate of party-list group Bayan Muna said Monday, May 22. Dwelling rentals and remittances will be covered by the 12percent value added tax (VAT) under the so-called tax reform bill the House of Representatives will tackle in plenary session this week, he said. He said the rent VAT would adversely affect 1.5 million renters in Metro Manila and other parts of the country. As of now, monthly rental of up to P10,000 a month is VATexempt, he added.
As for the money remittance VAT, Zarate said it would mean higher fees to be paid by workers, including those based abroad, in sending money to their families. He said the 12-percent VAT would cover formal channels like banks and remittance centers as well as pera padala through text messages. Quirino Rep. Dakila Cua, who chairs the committee on ways and means, is the principal author of the tax reform bill, which is based largely on the so-called reforms put together by the Department of Finance (DOF). Zarate warned President Duterte that the supposed reforms would increase the cost of goods and services. “The bill is anti-poor, whom the President has repeatedly promised to protect and lift from
poverty,” he said. He said the proposed P6 tax on diesel, kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas, and bunker oil for electricity would have a “domino effect” on transportation cost, fares, consumer prices, and power rates. He said the administration’s economic managers are fooling the public by claiming the socalled reforms would hurt the rich more than the poor. He asked Cua and Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas to take out his name in the list of the tax measure’s authors. His name was included since he was among those who proposed lower income tax, which the Cua committee lumped with the diesel tax, lifting of VAT exemptions, and higher taxes on other oil products and cars. n
Real estate exposure of Ph banks dips below 20% by Lawrence
agcaoiLi Philstar.com
MANILA, Philippines - The real estate exposure of Philippine banks finally eased below 20 percent in the first quarter as housing prices remained steady amid sustained demand, data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed. The BSP said real estate loans jumped 21.6 percent to P1.32 trillion in the first quarter from P1.08 trillion in the same quarter last year amid the steady rise in housing prices due to strong demand. Residential loans grew 21.3 percent to P322.9 billion from P266.1 billion while commercial real estate loans
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Community Journal
MAY 26 - JUNE 1, 2017 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
California divorce frequently asked questions
The CTV Files atty. lilli B. BaCuli I JUST moved to California last month, and I’d like to file for divorce. Can I file now? To file for divorce in the State of California, the person filing (called the “Petitioner”) must first meet the jurisdictional requirements: (i) residence in the state of California from the past 6 months; and (ii) residence in the county where that person is filing (e.g., San Diego County) for the past 3 months. Residence – put simply, where the Petitioner lives – also determines which courthouse the Petition for Divorce should be filed. “What if my husband/wife does not want to sign the divorce?” or “My husband/wife does not want to sign the divorce papers, what can I do.” California is a no-fault divorce state. A party filing for divorce does not need the consent of the other in order to file a Petition for Dissolution (Divorce) or, in some instances, to get a judgment of divorce. What is “Service of Process?”
Can I just mail the divorce papers to my ex-spouse? Service of Process is a crucial procedural step in the divorce proceedings, because the law reserves for the ex-spouse (called the “Respondent”) the right to respond and appear in court, if s/he wants to. In proceeding in an action for divorce, there are procedural requirements dictated by law that must be followed to ensure that the other party has notice of the action (that is, that s/he is being brought to court for an action of divorce) and that s/he is given time to respond. However, there is no requirement for the other party to respond. There is no requirement that s/he sign any document at all. All that needs to happen is that s/he is properly served with process according to the rules. Note that “proper service” is defined in the Family Code and must be followed, and the validity of any Judgment for Divorce rests on the proper service of the Respondent. “What? I have to share my retirement earnings? This is mine, I worked hard for it!” Cali-
fornia is a community property state and so once you get married, all property acquired during marriage is community property. Separate property are “all property acquired before marriage; all gifts, bequests, devise, or descents. All property acquired or exchanged with traceable separate property; and all property acquired after separation.” However, if anything out of the community property is used towards separate property, the community might have a claim on part(s) of separate property. “I don’t want to pay spousal support.” Whether you like it or not, spousal support will be ordered if the other party makes a request, and the court deems that the circumstances call for it. Some of the factors that the Court will look at to determine whether there is basis for support, and if so, in what amount, are – length of marriage, age of parties, if there are minor children in the marriage, income of both parties. “Why do I need an attorney?”
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Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette aDeva Maglaya ONCE more with feeling …… I am doubling down and taking my own piece of advice. Unless absolutely necessary, I intend to be logged off for longer periods of time. How else can I SAVOR THE MOMENT except by living real life in real time with as fewer hours as possible spent on the internet? Plus my eyes are getting fried with too much screen time. Communication has become efficient, almost done by rote, and sometimes borders on the cold and impersonal. I still don’t enjoy being part of a global network to be used for someone’s purpose or agenda. I REFUSE TO BE A PRODUCT TRADED ON WALL STREET. Yes, I am kicking and screaming. There’s a stubborn part of me that rebels and chafes at becoming part of a statistic. I resent being used for the purpose of advancing some corporate agenda. There are companies who mine data from social networking sites and the gigantic hoard of public information mega databases. These are then sold to interested parties as valuable psychographic information. Companies package, repackage and sell personal information with the sole purpose of manipulating the mass behavior of citizens in a free society. It stinks to high heaven when the powers that be use information for social engineering and political purposes such as skewing election results. With blatant, unlawful NSA snooping on anything electronic by any citizen these days, can the Gestapo thought police be far behind? I doubt if my opinions on a twitter account holds any gravitas to twitterverse users. Saying something by tweeting on anything can and will be held against you. A screen grab of your comment makes it permanent. Why give anyone any ammo? The number of users following you is
Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS
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.
Coconut water (buko juice) is a popular drink in Asia and South America. The top ten countries on the list of world-leading coconut producers according to volume are: Indonesia, Philippines, India, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, Mexico, Thailand, and Malaysia. The Philippines export more than $1 billion worth of coconuts to the United States alone. What actually is coconut water? Coconut water is the clear liquid inside coconuts which, in early development, “serves as a suspension for the endosperm of the coconut during its nuclear phase” of growth. The endosperm matures into “cellular phase and deposits into the rink of the coconut meat.” The coconut water and the soft meat of young coconut is a delicacy, popular among locals and tourists in those tropical countries and others where coconuts thrive. They are sold fresh on the street by vendors with machetes who cut a hole at the top for drinking, with or without a straw. They are also available bottled, soft-packed, and canned, usually consumed chilled. What are the other coconut products? Besides its water and meat, other coconuts products include copra, coconut oil and coconut milk (gata) for cooking and for cosmetics, palm sugar, flower syrup, butter, desiccated coconut, powdered sugar, jelly, cream, kefir (probiotic), flour, vinegar, nata de coco fruit jelly, etc. Indeed, coconut is a versatile fruit, nut, and seed, all in one. Can it reverse Alzheimer’s? The popular claim that coconut oil products can reverse Alzheimer’s disease is baseless and unfounded. There is no scientific evidence to this effect. The same is true with the other medicinal claims for other illnesses, like depression, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, allergies, As a matter of fact, there is a controversy that coconut oil and products can be detrimental to the consumer’s blood cholesterol/lipids levels and cardiovascular health, if consumed regularly. Fresh uncontaminated coconut water is deemed acceptable and safe. Scientifically, the use of coconut oil for hair, skin, and lips, as conditionermoisturizer has been proven to be of good cosmetic value. What are the nutritional values of coconut water? Coconut water is 95 percent water and 100 ml provides only 19 calories, 4 percent carbohy-
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Log off and enjoy your hot chocolate “The happiest people don’t have the best of everything... They just make the best of everything that they have.” -Author unknown supposed to be an indication of your fan base. Few things on the net, particularly regarding the ego, are real however. I heard some enterprising company lets you claim thousands of fake twitter followers who purportedly follow your tweets. That goes for a fee, of course. The internet has become the de facto hothouse for growing gigantic egos. We’ve all become easy targets for privacy intruders. Nothing seems sacred or private anymore. There’s more than enough out there in the public records to fill a dossier on anyone with an SSN or a pulse. We are living in the throes of the Information Age and the currencies being traded are bits and bytes of information. It’s like living in glass houses these days. There’s too much naked transparency. As an ordinary, private individual, I am downright resentful. Celebrity is now a curse rather than a blessing. Witness the public meltdown of Hollywood celebrities whose lives more often than not, serve as cautionary tales. Because obscurity is becoming rare these days, it has become all the more precious. No wonder our sense of mystery and awe at anything in this life is fast eroding. I regard social networking with a bit of trepidation and suspicion. And frankly, who’s got the time? I am probably one of a vanishing breed, always itching to get out of the virtual world and into the real world of doing things in private, without fanfare: creating, fixing, cooking, gardening, making memories and connecting personally and laughing until my sides are nearly split. By choice, I am generally offline and often
unwired on the weekends these days. My personal motto: LOG OFF AND LIVE. There’s so much living yet to do: so many recipes to try, seeds to plant, topiaries to shape, weeds to pull, walls and blank canvasses to paint, places to see, photos to shoot, plays to watch, games to play, puzzles to solve and mysteries to unravel, books to read, people to meet, goals to achieve, skills to learn and courses to take, stuff to give away, stories to write, naps to take and a thousand and one more things to feel, see, touch, taste, hear and soak in before the end game. With all that’s in the past, life still feels like a tabula rasa —lots of living to do, so little time. Sigh. I am picking and choosing from the constant flow of messages in my inbox, only this one below. Some of these forwarded messages are for laughs, others inform while some can make you think harder or even move you to take action. Pet peeves are those that are pure drivel and chain emails with a punitive clause, like a curse of bad luck, if you fail to forward. For malevolent messages and all the rest of the junk from scammers promising riches, simplify your cyberlife and hit DELETE. DO NOT ENGAGE. Better yet, mark them as SPAM. Sometimes a golden nugget comes through that deserves to be amplified. So simple, it hits you right between the eyes. I searched for the author’s name but like many other pieces flung by anonymous, creative beings in Cyberville, authorship is largely unknown and unclaimed.
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Facts about coconut water drates, under 1 percent protein and fat. It does not contain any vitamin or dietary minerals of any significant value. Unless contaminated by a handler, fresh coconut water is sterile, free of microbes. While this has been marketed as “natural energy drink or sport drink,” claiming it has significant electrolyte content, this is not true. The potassium, magnesium, calcium and sodium in unprocessed coconut water per 100 ml are insignificant and not
balanced. The health benefit claims, that it is antiviral, that it lowers cholesterol and regulates blood sugar, are false, and the US Food and Drug Administration has warned producers against misleading marketing. Various firms have faced class action lawsuits over false advertisements that coconut water was “super-hydrating,” nutrientpacked,” and “mega-electrolyte” source. The suit was settled with a US$10 Million award in April 2012. Was coconut water used as IV fluids? During World War II, coconut water was used as intravenous fluids for rehydration when medical fluids was not available during emergencies. It is actually not similar in composition as our plasma. Intravenous coconut water is not accepted as within safe standard of care today and must not be performed at all as it would be malpractice. Drinking it occasionally is the safer way to take coconut water. Is excessive consumption safe? No, drinking a large amount of coconut water is unsafe. As a matter of fact, coconut water is used in southern districts of Tamil Nadu, India, for senicide of the elderly, a traditional accepted practice performed by family members called thalaikoothal, an involuntary euthanasia for those incapacitated and seriously ill, where “the elderly is made to drink an excessive amount of coconut water, eventually resulting in fever and death.” Besides
pulmonary (excess water in the lungs, as in drowning) due to fluid overload, the exact mechanism causing the demise is not clear. Are coconut food products healthy for us? Olive oil is preferred over coconut oil for cooking and overall use. The virgin variety of each is considered better than their regular form. While olive oil is universally recommended as a healthy oil, there is a lot of controversy about coconut oil because of its high saturated fat content (albeit from non-meat source). The use of virgin coconut oil in cosmetics (skin moisturizer and hair conditioner-shiner, lip balms, etc.) has been proven beneficial, but not as a food or as a cooking ingredient for DAILY consumption. Advocates, including some physicians, think differently. While the controversy lingers, occasional indulgences and in moderation are safe. For many, the great unique appetizing taste of coconut milk (gata) in main courses (red meat/chicken/vegetables) and in desserts is hard to resist. I confess, I am one of them. *** 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
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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 26 - JUNE 1, 2017
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What is “extreme hardship?”
Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ IF a person commits certain immigration violations (such as fraud, or overstaying in the US for over six months and then departs, etc.), the person may not be eligible to receive a green card, unless the person applies for, and is granted, a “waiver of inadmissibility” (or “forgiveness”) on a Form I-601. To be eligible for the waiver, the person must demonstrate he or she has a spouse or parent who is a US citizen or a green card holder (“qualifying relatives”), and the qualifying relative would suffer “extreme hardship” if the applicant is not granted the waiver. But what is extreme hardship? How does a person demonstrate or prove extreme hardship on the qualifying relative? How should the immigration officer evaluate the qualifying relative’s extreme hardship? The USCIS has a policy manual (PM), to provide some guidelines on establishing extreme hardship. In the past, applicants had to rely on published immigration cases that discussed extreme hardship, USCIS memos, etc. to figure out what constitutes extreme hardship and how to prove it. USCIS’s PM on extreme hardship aims to clarify how USCIS should make extreme hardship determinations. But even with this PM, figuring out what constitutes extreme hardship can still be confusing. Even USCIS admits that the term “extreme hardship” is not expressly defined in the law, regulations, or in case law. USCIS further states that to meet this “extreme hardship” require-
ment, the person must show that the refusal of admission would “impose more than the usual level of hardship that commonly results from family separation or relocation.” That’s an important point: “extreme” simply means “more than usual,” or more likely than not, or 51% probability. Among the items to be considered are: • Hardship to the qualifying relative if they have to relocate overseas (to be with the applicant), or, in the alternative, remain in the US, (separated from the applicant). • Strong family ties in the US • Social and cultural impact if the qualifying relative has to relocate overseas to be with the applicant • Economic impact on the qualifying relative if the hardship waiver is not granted • Health conditions and medical care of the qualifying relative • Country conditions, and State Department travel warnings for the country where the qualifying relative would have to relocate. The PM lists dozens of specific factors which could constitute extreme hardship on a qualifying relative, and points out numerous factors which would not be considered extreme hardship. The PM provides some hypothetical examples where the claimed hardship would be considered normal or a “common consequence of relocation”, as opposed to being “extreme”. Many people, when faced with having to file a waiver of inadmissibility, do it on his or her own, rather than seeking the advice or guidance of an attorney. While hiring an attorney does not “guarantee” approval, the deter-
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mination and evaluation of extreme hardship can be a complex and complicated task. Putting together an effective presentation is also critical. The PM is 48 pages long. The instructions for filling out the Form I-601 are 21 pages. The I-601 form itself is 13 pages long. The stakes are so high in applying for the waiver. If a person is not granted a fraud waiver, it could result in a lifetime ban. If the 3/10 year bar waiver is not approved, the relative may not be able to apply for a visa to come to the US for at least 10 years. That is why when you have something as complex as a waiver of inadmissibility, you should seek the advice and guidance of an attorney, rather than doing it on your own. Learning immigration law (or figuring out what is “extreme hardship” and how to prove it) by doing the waiver on your own could have lifetime consequences on your relative. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel is licensed, and an active member of the State Bar of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different. The information contained herein including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and re-enactments) 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 attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: (866)—GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)
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ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS 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, NJ 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.
JUNE 3
5th annual Kalayaan Parade in Los Angeles’ Historic Filipinotown The 5th Kalayaan Parade in Los Angeles’ Historic Filipinotown will be held on Saturday, June 3, beginning at 9 a.m. to celebrate the 119th Philippine Independence Day. LA Councilmember Mitch O’ Farrell of District 13 will be the guest speaker of the program. The assembly area is in front of the Silverlake Medical Center (SLMC) at Temple Street at 8:00 a.m. The parade starts at 9:00 a.m. and will end at the Filipino American Community of Los Angeles (FACLA) compound. For more information please call Art at (213) 318-9065 or visit www.jfavusa.org.
Kalayaan Incorporated’s Philippine Independence Gala Night in Garden Grove, CA Kalayaan Incorporated Southern California, with the cooperation of the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles, invites you to its Gala Night in commemoration of the 119th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence on Saturday, June 3. It will be held at the Hyatt Regency Orange County (11999 Harbor Blvd. Garden Grove, California 92840). Doors open at 5 p.m. with the program beginning at 6:15 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m. It is $75 / per ticket (pre-paid). Attire is formal/barong/Filipinana. For more information, please visit https://www.kalayaanincorporatedsocal.com/.
FAKE TOURIST VISA RESULTED IN BEING SENT BACK TO THE PHILIPPINES “A TO A,” AND LATER JEOPARDIZED HIS IMMIGRANT VISA DUE TO FRAUD — ON AN ENCORE EPISODE OF “CITIZEN PINOY!” Johnnatan (second from left) got a tourist visa through a newspaper ad that advertised “Non-Appearance” visas for $2,500. He entered the U.S. in 2002 without any problems, but when he returned in 2003, he was held at the airport and sent back to the Philippines, after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) accused him of using a fake or counterfeit tourist visa. That meant a possible lifetime ban. Years later, his mother’s petition became current, and he was afraid how his fake tourist visa would affect his and his daughter’s chances of immigrating to the U.S. Watch how a family was able to overcome a fraud charge and be reunited, on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – this Sunday, May 28 at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC.
Log off and enjoy your hot...
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To the originator of this metaphor then, whoever you are and wherever you may be, please accept a profound THANK YOU, from the rest of us. Here it is. THE HOT CHOCOLATE STORY A group of graduates, well established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired. During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their work and lives. Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an assortment of cups-porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some
exquisite -- telling them to help themselves to the hot chocolate. When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor said: ‘Notice that all the nice looking; expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. The cup that you’re drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was hot chocolate, not the cup; but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each other’s cups.
Now consider this: Life is the hot chocolate; your job, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life. The cup you have does not define, nor change the quality of life you have. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate we have. The happiest people don’t have the best of everything… They just make the best of everything that they have. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. But first, LOG OFF. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@asianjournalinc.com
California divorce frequently asked…
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You don’t need an attorney. There is no requirement that you must have an attorney. However, in cases involving issues such as domestic violence, custody disputes, child support, spousal support, and division of community property assets it would be wise to seek advice from a licensed and experienced attorney so as not to waste your time and money, not to mention the court’s time and resources, especially when you have to keep going back to court because of incomplete or
missing documents that could have been addressed from the very beginning by a competent and knowledgeable attorney. Not all divorce cases are the same. It is important to be properly informed about your rights and responsibilities under California law in divorce proceedings. The wrong advice or information can and will hurt you, and waste your time and money. Consult a licensed and experienced family law attorney to help you navigate through your divorce. Atty. Lilli Berbano Baculi is an associate
attorney with Chua Tinsay & Vega, A Professional Legal Corporation (CTV) - a full service law firm with offices in San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento and Philippines. The information presented in this article is for general information only and is not, nor intended to be, formal legal advice nor the formation of an attorney-client relationship. Call or e-mail CTV for an in-person or phone consultation to discuss your particular situation and/or how their services may be retained at (619) 955-6277; (415) 4958088; (916) 449-3923; lbaculi@ctvattys. com. For general information visit www. chuatinsayvega.com.
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Pista sa Nayon in Vallejo, CA Come and experience the celebration of Philippine Independence Day in Vallejo, California on Saturday, June 3. It will be held at the Vallejo Waterfront from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The festivities will kick-off with a grand parade beginning at the corner of Marin Street and Capitol Street in Vallejo. Then they will continue with non-stop entertainment and ending on two stages at the renowned Vallejo Waterfront. This annual event is one of Vallejo’s largest FREE outdoor festivals that draws crowds wanting to sample Philippine cuisine, soak up Filipino hospitality and enjoy entertainment that crosses all ages, cultures and ethnicities. This year’s entertainment — presented by GMA Pinoy TV and GMA Life TV — will be Dingdong Dantes, Marian Rivera and Kuh Ledesma, among others. Come and experience the Philippine culture firsthand & bring the whole family! Pista sa Nayon is the highlight of the City of Vallejo’s Philippine Cultural Month celebrated throughout the month of June. Vallejo Pista Sa Nayon will be held at 301 Mare Island Way, Vallejo, California 94590. For more information, please visit http://www.vallejopistasanayon.com/.
Fax résumé to:
Walk for Mom in Teaneck, NJ The Filipino Medical Program invites members of the Filipino-American community to Holy Name Medical Center’s Walk for Mom, a breast cancer awareness walkathon on Saturday, June 3. Participate in a fun-filled celebration including music, snacks, prizes, FREE T-shirts and other exciting events. It will be held at 718 Teaneck Road, Teaneck, NJ (south parking lot), with registration beginning at 9:30 a.m. The walk begins at 10:30 a.m. and is 1.5 miles. Suggested donation is $10. Proceeds fund free mammogram screenings for up to 100 women. For more information, please call (201) 833-3336 or email walkformom@ holyname.org.
If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, please email us the details at info@asianjournalinc.com or calendar@asianjournalinc.com
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Business news
MAY 26 - JUNE 1, 2017 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
Government extends tax-free import perks for investors by Raadee
S. SauSa ManilaTimes.net
MALACAÑANG has released an executive order (EO) extending investors’ duty-free incentive for imported machinery and equipment, but only for a year or until Congress passes a law making it permanent. Executive Order 22, signed by President Rodrigo Duterte last April 28, replaces EO 70 that expired last May 9. EO 70 granted the incentives to investors registered with the Board of Investments (BOI) for a fiveyear period beginning May 2012. Under the EO, qualified BOI-registered business enterprises will be exempted from paying duties when they acquire capital equipment from other countries under specific chapters of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines. “Considering that importation of capital equipment is one of the major cost burdens of business enterprises in their start-up operations and expansion, there is a need to extend the zero duty on importation on capital equipment, spare parts, and accessories currently being enjoyed by BOI-registered enterprises,” the EO states. It acknowledged that the grant of duty-free importation of capital equipment “remains to be an important fiscal incentive in promoting investments
into the Philippines considering the global competition for foreign direct investments.” The duty exemption, however, will only be granted upon the issuance by the BOI of a certificate of authority to the importing company. The privilege, however, strictly applies to equipment not manufactured locally or of insufficient supply domestically, and for the exclusive use of the registered firm. Importers cannot sell the equipment within a five-year period without the permission of the BOI, an agency attached to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) that grants incentives to investors outside of economic zones. “The BOI-registered enterprise cannot sell, transfer or dispose of the aforementioned equipment, machinery, spare parts and accessories, without prior BOI approval, within five years from the date of importation; otherwise, the BOI-registered enterprise will be solidarily liable to pay twice the amount of the duty foregone or P500,000, whichever is higher, without prejudice to other applicable penalties,” the EO states. President Duterte also signed a separate order, EO expanding the coverage of lower tariffs on information technology (IT) products under the 1997 Information Technology Agreement of the World Trade Organization (WTO), as agreed upon by 24 WTO
members in December 2015. In a statement, the DTI said the extension of the capital equipment incentive will help the government attract more “innovation-led and technology-driven investment projects.” Ceferino Rodolfo, Trade undersecretary and BOI managing head, said the capital equipment incentive is necessary to draw high-value, high-impact, and socially relevant investment projects, especially start-ups that are expanding and companies that are upgrading their equipment. “The measure also augurs well with the agency’s 2017 Investment Priorities Plan (IPP) which encourages more innovationdriven and job-generating investment projects that will eventually lead us to modernize the Philippine economy,” he said. The 2017 IPP, which lists investment activities eligible for BOI perks such as income tax holidays, covers agribusiness and tourism; manufacturing; IT and IT-enabled services for the domestic market and telecommunications services for new market players; environment and climate change-related projects; local government-initiated public-private partnership projects; drug rehabilitation centers; and state-of-the-art engineering, procurement and construction services. (With Catherine S. Valente)
BMI Research stays positive about PH economy
by Reicelene Joy ignacio ManilaTimes.net
BMI Research maintains a constructive view of medium-term economic outlook for the Philippines even if the gross domestic product (GDP) grew at a slower pace of 6.4 percent in the first quarter of 2017 from 6.6 percent a year earlier. “Despite the growth moderation, we maintain a constructive view of the country’s mediumterm economic outlook,” Fitchowned BMI Research said in an analysis report released on Monday, May 22. “We expect a more multilateral foreign policy stance, the government’s infrastructure overhaul,
EMPLOYMENT
and an improved business environment to drive growth going forward,” BMI said. Higher infrastructure and development spending in line with the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 poses a positive growth for the country, which should be a real driver of GDP growth in excess of 6.0 percent over the coming years. Earlier, BMI Research noted political instability may contribute downside risks. US President Donald Trump’s possible move to impose more protectionist measures would also impact the economy and peso negatively. In a radio interview last week, Budget Secretary Benjamin
Diokno said the infrastructure projects lined up will help grow Philippine economy, and that the country will not fall into a debt trap. He said the debt-to-GDP ratio is at 40 percent, and is expected to go down to 35 percent in 2022 as the economy grows faster. Under the Philippine Development Program, the GDP is expected to grow by 7 to 8 percent in the medium-term as a result of strategic infrastructure development, along with ensuring security, public order and safety, attaining just and lasting peace and ensuring ecological integrity and a clean and healthy environment. n
EMPLOYMENT
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BPOs face tax perk removal DTI’s Lopez says he’s not backing industry group request to keep VAT exemption by Roy
Stephen c. canivel Inquirer.net
TRADE and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said he would not support the position of the Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) to retain the fiscal incentives that would otherwise be removed under the first package of the government’s tax reform program. With the ongoing plenary debates on the bill at the House of Representatives, Lopez told the Inquirer he would not stand in the way of the crucial first package, clearing a hurdle at the possible expense of the largest private sector employer in the country— the Information Technology and Business Process Management [IT-BPM] industry. IBPAP wanted to keep the exemption of certain sales and imports from the value-added tax (VAT), the removal of which would make the Philippine ITBPM industry less competitive compared to other countries. In a position paper obtained by the Inquirer, IBPAP said the proposed changes under the first package “will materially affect the positive perception of the Philippine business environment
and will impact, in an irreversible way, decisions to remain, expand or set up new companies in the country.” Without the exemption, transactions would now be subject to a VAT equivalent to 12-percent of gross receipts. IBPAP said this would make the country “as much less cost competitive compared to India (at approximately 20- to 30-percent cost disadvantage) or other outsourcing destinations such as China, Vietnam, Thailand and others.” However, Lopez said the industry would still thrive under
the proposed tax regime, which is also being backed by the Department of Finance (DOF). “They [IT-BPM industry] are not in the losing end here. If the only issue there is cash flow, if it’s [the removal of the zero] VAT [exemption] we’re talking about, then if I object, that would just delay the whole tax reform discussion,” he said in an interview. He said the industry would still have its other incentives such as the income tax holiday of four to six years given to firms located
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Real estate exposure of PH banks dips…
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increased 21.6 percent P994.85 billion from P817.78 billion The share of real estate exposures from the banks’ total loan portfolio increased to 19.5 percent in end-March from 19.2 percent in end-March last year but eased from 20.8 percent in the fourth quarter of last year. The total loan portfolio of Philippine banks increased 19.3 percent to P6.75 trillion in end-March from P5.66 trillion in end-March last year. The BSP monitors the real estate exposures of universal, commercial, and thrift banks as part of its broader role of assessing the quality of bank exposures to the different sectors of the economy. The BSP stepped up its watch over the real estate sector as early as 2012 by ordering banks to disclose more comprehensive reports on their exposures to prop-
erty industry. It has set the cap on real estate loans at 20 percent of the bank’s total loan portfolio. Housing prices nationwide remained steady in the fourth quarter of last year amid sustained demand as the economic expansion is also being felt in the provinces. The Residential Real Estate Price Index (RREPI) was nearly unchanged, inching up 0.3 percent to 113.9 in the fourth quarter of last year from 113.6 in the same quarter in 2015. The growth was slower than the 2.2 percent increase booked in the third quarter of last year when the RREPI stood at 113.4 against the 111 registered in the third quarter of 2015. The RREPI measures the average changes in prices of different types of housing units over a period of time across geographical areas where the growth rate of the index mea-
EMPLOYMENT
sures house price inflation. BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo earlier said there is a strong domestic demand in the Philippines for both residential and commercial properties as there is a large shortage of housing units supported by a big base of young, employed people especially in the services sector. “As the economy continues to grow, demand for commercial space will be sustained. At the same time our real estate developers have become more prudent by doing due diligence of the market as they learned their lesson during the Asian financial crisis,” he said. Guinigundo pointed out some developers build their projects on a pre lease bases wherein there are establishments willing to sign contracts for lease even before the actual construction of the building. n
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Business
BPOs face tax perk removal…
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in economic zones. Most IT-BPM firms are registered under the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza). “I want to protect our sector but I think we protected them enough. There are other incentives there,” he said. The substitute bill includes a provision that says the exemption would be lifted only when a new refund system is in place that would give the actual refund
The Chamber of Automotive or reject such payment within 90 Manufacturers of the Philippines days. However, this may raise eye- (Campi) and the Association of brows in the local industry given Vehicle Importers and Distributhat the refund process usually tor (AVID) raised their concerns takes an average of four years, following how the proposed tax compared to Thailand and Viet- reform package would increase nam, which only take up to 3 the excise tax imposed on cars. Such as the case with IBPAP, months and 6 months, respecLopez said he would no longer tively. The IBPAP is not the only in- support the position of the audustry group that asked Congress tomobile industry, citing how to reconsider how the govern- enough compromise for the bill has been made. n ment wanted to raise revenues.
Bishop Barber announces new superintendent for diocesan schools
OAKLAND, Calif. – Bishop Michael C. Barber, SJ, has appointed an East Bay native, Kathleen M. Radecke, as the new superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Oakland. The appointment is effective July 1, 2017. Radecke holds a master’s in education from the University of San Francisco in Catholic School Administration. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication and a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from California State University in Hayward, and a Master Catechist Certificate from the Oakland Diocese. She served as superintendent of the Diocese of Monterey’s Catholic schools, across four
counties with a student population of approximately 5,000, from 2011-2016. Most recently she has worked as the Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA) Elementary and Secondary Commissioner and director of the New Principal Mentor Program for the Diocese of Monterey. “Ms. Radecke’s professional expertise and commitment to Catholic education will allow our diocesan school system to flourish,” Bishop Barber said. “Her experience in improving teacher effectiveness, stabilizing and growing enrollments and opening Catholic schools to underserved communities will serve us well.”
“I believe serving in Catholic education is a ministry in which there is no greater blessing than to have a positive impact on the spiritual and educational formation of a student,” Ms. Radecke said. “I am thrilled to have been given the opportunity to serve as the next superintendent of Catholic Schools and to return to the Diocese of Oakland, where I was born and raised, formed in the faith and my vocation as a Catholic school educator.” The Diocese of Oakland serves two counties in the East Bay region, Alameda and Contra Costa, and has nine high schools and 44 elementary and middle schools.
NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 26 - JUNE 1, 2017
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Free catholic church wedding including reception at St. Thomas More
IN an effort to uphold the Sanctity of Marriage, St. Thomas More Church in San Francisco launched Project “Operation I Do,” free wedding including a modest reception for their guests FREE of charge. This is open to all Catholic couples living together in common or civil law marriage, who wants to get
married in the Catholic Church. This Mass wedding is scheduled on June 24, 2017. We are now accepting candidates irregardless of their parish affiliation. For information, please email operationido@yahoo.com or call Deacon Arthur Sanchez at (650) 619-1234, or Joe Espinueva (650) 892-7184.
Iglesia ni Cristo Neighborhood Outreach in San Jose
IN commemoration of the 131st birthdate of their late Last Messenger Brother Felix Y. Manalo, the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ) in the ecclesiastical district of North West California comprising of 18 local congregations in the Bay Area, have lined up several activities that will benefit the community. It has extended its services not just to give back to the community but more importantly to share the good news of salvation. Last May 7, the district has participated in the Worldwide Evangelical Mission that was officiated by Brother Eduardo V. Manalo, Executive Minister of INC who officiated it from Barcelona, Spain. It was broadcast live at over 3,000 sites all over the world through webex technology. Religious leaders, rabi and preachers were invited to the event to give them the first hand information on the spiritual belief of its Church. On May 13, the 5K Run For Your Faith was held in Lake Merritt in Oakland, Cali-
fornia. The event was participated by over a thousand brethren and guests from all walks of life. While on May 20, several of their local congregations conducted a Blood Drive in cooperation with the Stanford University Blood Bank. The Blood Drive is a yearly event observed by its members in an effort to donate blood of all types for those need it. Finally, on May 27, the INC in the local congregation of San Jose (1260 Story Rd, San Jose CA 95122) will hold a Neighborhood Outreach program thru their Christian Family Organization and in cooperation with various media outlets and community associations. The FREE EVENT is wholly sponsored by INC will again be a testament of the Church leadership desire to provide services to the needy. Over the years the INC from all over the world has extended a helping hand to their fellowmen thru their Felix Y. Manalo (FYM) Foundation. The FYM Foundation is INC’s arm in implement-
ing Lingap sa Mamamayan (Aid to Humanity). The platform initiative is to provide relief (dry and canned) goods, health care and such other services designed to alleviate those who are stricken by calamities and disasters. It has offered seminars for members and non-members some sustainable livelihood projects, disaster preparedness, first aid and other humanitarian activities such as blood donation and community clean up drives conducted in different parts of the world. FYM Foundation is officially registered here in the United States as well as in Japan, South Korea, Spain and Russia. The INC in the ecclesiastical district of North West California would like to invite you to join them as they conduct INCGiving Back to the Community. To participate and register, go to cfoutreachnwc.eventbrite. com. For questions, please email don.orozco@sci-us.com.
Cinematic SF documents beloved Filipino community center in SoMa Short film chronicles the goings-on of community center on Sixth and Mission St, as part of film program May 26 at Bayanihan Community Center
SAN Francisco, May, 2017 The Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center (APICC) brings the new local film project CINEMATIC SF to San Francisco’s SoMa Pilipinas Filipino Heritage District to celebrate the value of a Filipino community space. Filmmaker R.J. Lozada presents his short film “A Space on Sixth and Mission” to illustrate the daily happenings of Bayanihan Community Center, located in the heart of the Filipino community of the South of Market district. With clinical services, dance rehearsal spaces, veteran celebrations, and more the film captures just a snippet of various groups who
use and benefit from the space. While other works of Cinematic SF illuminate of the fears of SF residents as they may be priced out, “A Space on Sixth and Mission” demonstrates the diversity and absolute value of affordable and open community spaces. Cinematic SF @ Bayanihan Community Center on May 26 will feature the local films of Cinematic SF, and an interview/ oral history of Bayanihan with Executive Director Bernadette Sy-Borja. Preceded by additional local shorts produced by Bay Area Video Coalition’s media students. (Proceeds from this screen-
ing will go to support specialty Filipino bookstore Arkipelago Books, housed in Bayanihan.) The screening is one of a series of special presentations of APICC’s Cinematic SF film program. Showcasing the works of local filmmakers R.J. Lozada, Abhi Singh, Kevin Wong, and Jimmy Zhang from May 10-May 26, 2017, each screening will be held in a San Francisco community venue, with different performances and guest speakers. Bayanihan Community Center is located at 1010 Mission St., San Francisco. Tickets are $5-10 and can be purchased at http://cinematicsoma.bpt.me.
For more information log on to America Festival as well as com- and by the Asian American and www.apiculturalcenter.org/ cin- missioning contemporary art for Pacific Islander community. ematic_sf About APICC The Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center’s mission is to support and produce multidisciplinary art reflective of the unique experiences of Asians and Pacific Islanders living in the United States. APICC was founded in 1996 by representatives of five Asian American nonprofit arts groups. Since 1998, the center has promoted the artistic and organizational growth of San Francisco’s API arts community by organizing and presenting the annual United States of Asian “ A Space on Sixth and Mission” by RJ Lozada
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MAY 26 - JUNE 1, 2017 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160
Friday, May 26, 2017
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cover story The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 26, 2017
A journey to diversity in AmericA
JASoN BAyANI’S ‘LocuS oF coNTroL’ NAvIGATES LIFE AS A PINoy IMMIGrANT by
Malou liwanag-bledsoe / AJPress
WITH the continuing passion to tell the story of his Filipino heritage, touring poet and published author Jason Bayani is proud to share his debut solo show, “Locus of Control” at the San Francisco’s 20th annual United States of Asian America Festival on June 1-3 at 8:30 p.m. at Bindlestiff Studio in San Francisco. Directed by awardwinning performing artist, Kat Evasco (“Mommy Queerest”), the show explores the lives of Filipino immigrants in America. “I originally wanted to see how I could extend my 30-40 minute poetry feature sets into a full-length show. I was envisioning how stand-up comics practice sets at the comedy clubs and then get to the point where they do a one-hour special,” Bayani said in an interview with the Asian Journal. Starting with about 13 new poems he had lying around, Bayani was able to form a more coherent thematic structure that he realized could exist as a show, and hopefully as his next book. “Page and stage, all at the same time, which is something that has been the focus of my artistic career,” he added. “Locus of Control”
utilizes poetry, storytelling and multimedia; mediums that Bayani has used throughout his career. Sharing that the show explores the lives of Filipino immigrants in America, it will also take you through Bayani’s hip-hop inspired youth, club-going college days and turbulent childhood. “I was reading Oliver Wang’s book, Legions of Boom about Filipino mobile DJ crews, which is a great book, and I saw my cousin’s crew was mentioned in it and it just brought me back to growing up in the 80s chilling out in my cousin’s garage listening to them practice. And it trips me out how these things I grew up with are now our history and things that have helped to define us culturally,” he shared and then continued, “I’ve written mostly personal narrative work and I felt this was the time to take a deeper look into how my story helps to tell the greater Filipino American story, specifically those of us whose families arrived after the 1965 Immigration Act. “In the show I talk a lot about the influence of hip-hop on so many of us in my generation and how this access to the story of Black America helped us see America as it is and not just how we wished it to be. These intersections are important to acknowledge and understand and for me I’m past those days where I’m looking to art for visibility and representation, I’m looking for interrogation of experience. “ “Locus of Control” also navigates his experience dealing with race, mental health, addiction, and Bayani’s status as the first American-born child his family. Bayani is a graduate of Saint Mary’s MFA program in Creative Writing. He is a Kundiman fellow and a veteran of the National Poetry Slam scene whose work has been published in Fourteen Hills, Muzzle Magazine, Mascara Review and other publications. He is also one of the founding members of the Filipino American Spoken Word troupe, Proletariat Bronze. His first book, Amulet, published in 2013, has garnered acclaim in publications such as Zyzzyva, Pank and Hyphen Magazine. He is currently the program manager for Kearny Street Workshop, the oldest multi-disciplinary Asian Pacific American arts organization in the U.S. “I think in my story you’ll see some of your own,” shared Bayani. “I think our stories are fascinating and beautiful and heartbreaking and triumphant. I think it’s important that we give ourselves the
agency to tell it, because someone will always try to tell it for us.” “Locus of Control” is presented by the Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center of San Francisco as part of the United States of Asian America Festival. Bindlestiff Studio is located at 185 6th St., San Francisco. Tickets are available pre-sale at http://loc2017.bpt.me/ at $12 (general admission-presale), $15 (general admission-door, $30 (supporterincludes a signed copy of Amulet: A Collection of Poems by Jason Bayani).
Matteo Guidicelli is well Kris Bernal takes on her prepared for the future most demanding role yet by Jerry
by Tessa
donaTo Philstar.com
Mauricio-arriola
ManilaTimes.net
LUCKy for Sarah Geronimo—whose parents’ strict ways have always been legendary—current boyfriend Matteo Guidicelli is made of the stuff a girl can proudly bring home to mom and dad. And it isn’t just because of his good looks. [Although he gets way over top marks for that too… Read: swoon]. Just like preparing for a triathlon, Matteo is aggressively building his foundation today to ensure he can breeze through the finish line come his five-, 10-, and even 20-year goals in life. “I’ve got a clear picture of where I want to be in five years, in 10, in 20. I want to be sure that I’m ready for those phases in my life,” he reiterated. The 27-year-old celebrity revealed he has a financial advisor in the same way he has a triathlon coach to help him make sound investments with his hard earned money in showbiz. “My advisor came up with a formula for me, which goes something like ‘single guy income, minus investment, equals expenses,’ which means the money I can spend now,” Matteo continued. “In the same way, I also know that when the time comes that I want to spend for a property, I’ll be able to do it.” “How about a wedding?” shouted someone from the crowd. “yes, that too!” the gor-
geous boy acknowledged with a smile that can melt ice caps in the Antarctic. “Kaya may mutual funds nga po ako, Sir!” he added laughing. Matteo further has this ability to talk about finances without sounding the least bit arrogant, making him an ideal advocate of financial freedom. He says he is passionate about his work for the asset management company because he would like to see more young people experience a constantly improving lifestyle as a reward for their own hard work. “Even as little as P5,000 is a good start in going into mutual funds,” he said reassuringly. “So if you want to be able to get a head start on your own and making something out of what you earn, this is the way to go. I’m really blessed to be endorsing something that I believe in.” As he rounded up sharing financial tips that have worked for him, the T-Zone finally asked Matteo if he has always
been a planner. Especially since his initial foray into showbiz pictured him as this carefree rich kid from Cebu, who literally lived life on the fast lane as a champion karting driver. “I really don’t know where that happy-go-lucky image came from really,” he chuckled. “I guess that’s showbiz for you. But, to be honest, I’ve always been a planner for as long as I can remember. Even in high school, my friends would tell you that among all of us, I’d be the one who’d have plans for when I turn a certain age. I even wanted to be married by 27!” he laughed again. “I guess it comes from my Italian side,” he mused. “I grew up with a very meticulous dad [Gianluca Guidicelli]. I needed to be up from bed by this time, home by that time, so I’ve always had to plan my life.” And that’s a good thing right? An attitude that any mom and dad would want for their precious daughter.
THE objective of any actor is to deliver a nuanced performance, especially in playing a dual role. Kris Bernal takes up that challenge in the upcoming GMA Afternoon Primetime Block drama “Impostora.” “I studied the characters well,” said Kris of her preparations for the not-so-two-peas-in-apod roles in a recent pocket interview with print media. “I spent time to write down their differences for me to show their (personality). I attended workshops and watched movies. (I made myself understand) that this character will have her own manner (of walking and talking), which is different from that character — siksik at (detalyado) yung ginawa kong (pagkakaiba) ng characters.” The dramatis personae Kris is referring to are, of course the Impostora main characters Nimfa and Rosette. In the story’s intriguing twist of fate, the former, a kindhearted lady, will be transformed into an impostora of the latter. Unlike the original “Impostora,” starring Sunshine Dizon and Iza Calzado and directed by Maryo J. delos Reyes, the remake, according to Kris, is “more dramatic and focuses on family, like (exploring) the husband-and-wife relationship.” However, it still echoes resemblances to the 2007 TV drama and the 1994 movie, Sa Isang Sulok ng Mga Pangarap, with Alice Dixson as the female lead. “The names and the sequences are almost patterned after (them),” she added. “It’s (an updated) take on the story since the first was made 10 years ago.” This is perhaps the most demanding project Kris has accepted in over the last few years. “The other character requires me to wear a (facial) prosthetic (make-up). Putting it on takes two hours and taking it off takes another two hours,” she said. It is a routine she has been doing for weeks. During the round-table interview, Kris never showed any signs of exasperation, but only enthusiasm, in sharing the nitty-gritty of her “behind-the-scenes” work. “I like Nimfa but Rosette is challenging because she’s the kontrabida. I’m not used to it. Rosette is very elegant, very sophisticated, a role that I rarely get. I usually play impoverished characters or I’m usually being maltreated. Since she is the antagonist, being her requires me to hurt others in the story (including my other character,
Kris Bernal is both the bida and kontrabida in the soon-to-premiere GMA Afternoon Primetime Block drama
Nimfa). Yun din yung di ko rin ginagawa dati and in most of my scenes, I’m also hurting myself (you know when Rosette fights with Nimfa). Mahirap umarte ng magkabilaan. I’m doing the scenes without any body double (stand in). Hangin lang ang kausap ko; wala akong makuha na emosyon pabalik. Paulit-ulit naming ginagawa (ang mga eksena). It takes us an hour to finish a scene. May nabangko na kami, mga four weeks na yung nagagawa namin.” As an acting trooper, Kris has learned the ropes of this type of acting in no time — and she enjoys the creative process. Doing “Impostora” is not the only latest development in her career. One that fans cannot Continued on Page SF4
Dennis Trillo ready to soar in ‘Mulawin vs Ravena’ by Marbbie
Tagabucba Philstar.com
Dubbed GMA’s drama king, Dennis Trillo takes his rightful place as the King of the Ravenas in Mulawin vs. Ravena and his throne in primetime television.
Mulawin In 2005 as Gabriel, he was the third lead to Richard GutierTHE third lead is not to be rez and Angel Locsin. But that underestimated. In an industry launched him into mainstream still ruled by matinee idols and love teams—even for actors find- stardom. He changed the course of ing a second wind at love well into their thirties and forties—the his career when he took on the role of a transgender woman token third lead is the true catain World War II Philippines in lyst in a story, often led by two Joel Lamangan’s “Aishite Imasu people who can’t make up their minds about each other. The third 1941: Mahal Kita,” which not lead heats things up, gives a story only earned him an award so early and so young as an actor tension, texture, takes it places. Clocking in 17 years, Dennis Trillo but changed the way his home is as prolific as they come but the network regarded him as one of third lead role has been typecast their leading talents. Still, he was third lead to Raymart Santiago upon him and his most notable works. In his breakthrough role in and Judy Ann Santos. In 2015,
he got the break he deserved when he portrayed Iglesia ni Cristo founder Felix Manalo in a namesake biopic, for which he won big at the 64th FAMAS. There’s no denying the commercial and critical success of GMA’s “My Husband’s Lover.” He is the third lead to Tom Rodriguez and Carla Abellana, but it was with this role that he became the first Filipino actor to be honoured with the Asian Star Prize at the Seoul International Awards 2016. In Dennis’ home network, however, it is incomparable to the greatness of scale of its fantaseryes, influencing Pinoy
pop culture in their own way and distinguishing the network from its competitors, notably “Encantadia” and “Mulawin.” This time, as Gabriel picks up where things left off in “Mulawin vs Ravena,” Dennis’ story moves forward; his time has come. Supreme caught up with Dennis, this time without Gabriel’s feathers and wings, for a look into his career so far in bird’s eye view. Philstar.com: How does it feel revisiting Mulawin, from being the third lead on your TV breakthrough role and now as the lead? I feel so honored and proud to be a part of it again. I was
in my twenties when I first did “Mulawin” and I didn’t expect na ganun magiging kalakas yung magnitude ng show sa television ng time na yun. I was in a love triangle. Now, I’m the king of the villains. It’s a huge transformation. Dati totoy pa yung character but even then he has always been multi-faceted, very grey. After 13 years, he evolved into a king of Halconia, lair of the Ravenas, mga kalaban ng Mulawin. Ganon parin siya hanggang ngayon pero ruler na. Nag mature ako kasama niya. How did you prepare for Gabriel’s return? Continued on Page SF4
The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 26, 2017
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celebrityworld The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 26, 2017
celebrity world By Ferdie Villar
Viewers are excited about the news of Liza soberano playing the role of former Miss Universe Pia wurtzbach in an episode of “Maalaala Mo Kaya” this June. This was confirmed by James Banaag of star Creatives through his Twitter post: “Yes. @lizaberano as @Piawurtzbach on MMK this June! Abangan.” Fans of the actress have been very excited and have started posting fan art of Liza as the beauty queen. People also can’t help but point out that the actress has a good shot in winning a Miss Universe title. she is, after all, one of the most beautiful faces in the industry today and has also been recognized internationally.
Liza Soberano to portray Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach in TV drama
However, in previous interviews with Push.ph, Liza shared that she has no plans of joining any beauty pageant, much more Miss Universe. “it would be an honor to become Miss Philippines and join Miss Universe, but i don’t really see myself in that path,” she said and then added, “it’s not for me. But natutuwa naman ako na people are telling me that i should join and stuff. Nakaka-touch din naman but it’s really not for me.” Joining Liza in the episode Liza Soberano, one of the most beautiful faces in Philippine showbiz today, has been confirmed to portray of “MMK” is Divine Diva Zsa the role of Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach in an episode of “Maalaala Mo Kaya” this June. Zsa Padilla, who was all praises for the young actress. in her instagram post, Zsa Zsa wrote: “My first time to act with this pretty lady! i must admit, it was hard focusing on my lines In this Instagram post, Divine Diva shared that it was hard to focus on her lines while looking at Liza Soberano’s beauty. The two are co-stars in the “Maalaala Mo Kaya” episode on Pia Wurtzbach. (Photo from @zsazsapadilla)
Megastar Sharon Cuneta will be having a show in Union City on Saturday, June 17. Joining her is handsome actor Ian Veneracion.
In this Instagram post, Divine Diva Zsa Zsa Padilla shared that it was hard to focus on her lines while looking at Liza Soberano’s beauty. The two are co-stars in the “Maalaala Mo Kaya” episode on Pia Wurtzbach. (Photo from @zsazsapadilla)
Singer/actress Vina Morales shared that she has moved on from her break up with former boyfriend, French businessman Marc Lambert.
while looking at her beautiful face. who knew such beauty could be distracting? But she’s such an amazing actor and pretty soon, i felt like i was talking to my very own daughter.” watch out for the Pia wurtzbach story on “MMK” next month! *** singer and actress Vina Morales has moved on from her heartache and break up with ex-boyfriend, French businessman Marc Lambert.
Bernadette Jacobs from Pagasinan will be crowned as Mrs. Ilocandia for 2017 on Saturday, June 17, at the grand ballroom of the Hilton Hotel in Burlingame at 6 p.m. Mrs. Jacobs is shown in photo with Vic Barba, co-chairman of the U.S. Ilocano National Association.
During the 25th anniversary of star Magic in “AsAP,” Vina looked happy and at peace with what has happened.
Former Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtbach’s story will be told in an episode of “Maalaala Mo Kaya” this June. Portraying her is actress Liza Soberano. i have my daughter Ceana “My heart and is healed and she’s my priority and my and i’m moving on, moving career naman is doing well forward. And i know naman na as well as my businesses so i’ve fallen in love tapos nasakmahirap talaga mag-decide tan ako so ganon lang talaga right now kung ano ba talaga ang buhay,” she shared with ang magiging situation namin Push.ph. “..i always believe that God has somebody for me dalawa. so it’s better to give space from each other,” she and i always think positive and explained. alam ko na mayroon talagang The good thing, she said, para sa akin.” is that she and Marc have Vina added that it was a remained good friends and still mutual decision to break up communicate. because of their priorities in “we’re just giving each life. other space and i respect him “right now, it’s hard to and wish him the best.” give up some things. Here,
Kris Bernal takes on her... From Page SF2 simply ignore is Kris’ sexy image, immortalized in the FHM (May issue) pages. The GMA press release states that Kris celebrates her “sexuality and womanhood” as cover girl and considers it a career move and gift to herself. she gets varied reactions from showbiz watchers and netizens. “i know myself better. i always see myself in the mirror,” said Kris. “Kita ko naman kung anong bagay sa akin at hindi. i made an effort to improve myself. Lagi naman akong payat ever since, maliit ako talaga at may laman, laman... i wanted to improve how my body looks
— di naman sobrang payat pero toned, may muscles na.” Kris is happy with the results. After all, her parents and management gave their nod of approval on her gracing the men’s magazine’s cover, baring some skin and showing her own brand of sexiness, and confidence. “i agreed to it,” said Kris, who turned 28 last May 17. “so isa na itong lift na pwede kong gawin sa sarili ko. i’m more confident now. i’m confident wearing sexy clothes.” Kris was also quick to clarify that becoming — and looking — healthy is part of it. “i go to the gym not to lose weight.
to fulfill your needs as an artist. Gustung-gusto ko ang ginagawa ko pero minsan hindi mo ako dito sa project. Sobrang makukuha ang project na gusto laki ng project na ito. Kailanmo. Nilalagyan ko na lang ng gan alagaan yung reputation. depth para maiba naman. i make Pressure din kasi pinapanood it an effort na ibahin lahat ng eto ng mga bata. Tingin nila sa roles ko para hindi masasawa ang characters ay role models. nanonood sa lagi nila nakikita With the range of your actna boy next door, matinee idol. ing and awards to prove it, for a Kailangan bigyan ng depth ang while, you were a third lead and bawat character. you received acclaim for them, Do you think mainstream too. Did you find yourself think- media needs a wider represening you deserved better? tation in the kinds of characters it was never an issue with me it puts out? sino bida, ano ang pwesto ng Yes, kasi iba-iba ang tao. Sa billing sa movie poster. Never “Mulawin,” na fulfill yung isa sa naging issue sa akin. Importante gusto ko kasi he’s a villain, pero sa akin essence ng character, gusto ko sana mas masama pa. ano role na ginagampanan ko at Yung kaiinisan ng mga tao. Not gaano siya ka essential sa pagbuo sure kung magagawa ko dito ng story. sa GMA. Gabriel, even though You always go for the siya yung evil king ng ravena, he challenging roles. Was that a has a soft spot. He has a heart deliberate choice? because he’s a reluctant king. He Yes. Pero eto tatawag lang doesn’t want to be evil. Mapagsasabihin na may remake ang mahal siya na tao bago siya nag “Mulawin” the casting mo is transform maging ravena king. Gabriel ulit. Kaya minsan naiisip Gusto yung may darkness, pero ko mas maganda mag produce Continued on Page SF5
Dennis Trillo ready...
From Page SF2
Kinailangan ibahin yung look. But i see to it that every character i do, i do a makeover. i transform myself physically. My hairstyle, my figure. For “Mulawin” nagsisipag ako mag gym ng kaunti because i am portraying a warrior. Acting-wise, i research and read the script over and over, find something between the lines. i am the observant type. Madami ako nakukuka na aralin para sa character just by observing different people. Very helpful yun. Binabagay ko sa iba kasi minsan malayo yung character sa kung sino ako. Dahil doon, makakabuo ako ng character kasi mas nagiging totoo siya. As GMA’s “Drama King,” the heavier dramas have been your domain but it’s really the fantasy dramas like Mulawin that get the most fanfare in the network. Everyone is saying that your time has come. i just feel so proud nakasali
i do heavy lifting to make my arms bigger and squatting to make my legs bigger. There’s a weight gain program, too, at the gym.” Away from the klieg lights, Kris is a hands-on entrepreneur overseeing the operations of Meat Kris, which will have another branch in Ortigas soon. she checks on the delivery, inventory and sales of her burger joint. with that financial stability, Kris can give her personal life a priority. “May mga nanliligaw naman,” she said. But she looks for a special someone, who is in for a long-term relationship.
The Beautiful Life 2017’s Red and Black Awards Gala: A grand success awardees gave a short speech to acknowledge their commendation: Dot Nesst (Woman of Distinction in Music and Ministry Work), Ed Rame (Award of Distinction as a Florist and Events Specialist), Raymond Lo – (Award of Distinction for Journalistic Excellence in Socioeconomic & Entertainment), Djhoanna “Giji” Garcia (Woman of Distinction in the field of Music & Entertainment), Charina Vergara (Woman of Distinction in the field of Marketing), Sonia Bermejo (Award of Distinction as a Magazine Publisher), Joel Estrada Joves (Award of Distinction as a Real Estate Design Consultant and Developer), Imee Ong – Maghanoy (Woman of Distinction in Beauty and Aesthetics) and Filbert Diego Kung (Man of Distinction in the field of Photography) Photos courtesy of Celia Abuel This year’s outstanding couples of the year were Reynaldo the audience. THE night of April 29 will and Nora Diego, Geraldine and And while their witty always be remembered as the Prinze Scott, and Drs. Rene most glamorous Fil-Am gather- exchange was a hit, it was the and Dra. Che Calugcugan, who “dancing segment” that got ing of the year. Filipino-Amerithe ball rolling. As resident and received the Man and Woman cans from different circles consound engineer Randy Trinidad of Distinction in the field of gregated to celebrate cultural Dentistry Award. masterfully played every beat, heritage and living beautiful Special awards were also the guests did not dither about and inspiring lives. The prestigiven out. Lina Navarro was this busting their moves on the gious event was held at the LA year’s Mother of the Year, while dance floor – that lasted for Hotel in downtown. Corazon Rosete was given the almost an hour and continued Monet Lu, founder of The Lifetime Achievement Award. after the program. Beautiful Life Celebration, was Filipino Film and Theater Actor Former Awardee for Real in high spirits as he welcomed the distinct men and women of Estate, Loida Atienza, gave the Mat Ranillo III received the Award of Excellence as an Acopening remarks followed by various fields, the new Queen tor. an opening prayer led by 2015 of Queens, as well as former The Filipino-American comThe Beautiful Life Woman of awardees with their guests. munity has an extraordinary the Year, Olivia-Quido-Co. Like his other recognition connection that transcends The most awaited coroprograms, namely, Reflecage, status and profession. This nation of the new Queen of tions and Uliran Awards, the Queens was done at the begin- annual event is a wonderful said event created buzz across opportunity to celebrate and Filipino-American groups, espe- ning. Giselle Joves (Queen promote that connection. of the Philippines — Globe), cially the elites and celebrities. It was a night filled with life Aida Jugo (Queen of PhilipSpeaking of celebrities, pines — International) Lourdes and laughter, a success like no celebrity balladeer Ryan Galother. As such, The Beautiful lagher starred as the master of Garcia (Queen of Philippines Life Committee would like to ceremonies, who also charmed — Universe), and Camille Agbayani (Queen of Philippines thank the following sponsors: the crowd once again with a Weichert Realtors, L&A Escrow, — World) had their first walk song performance. He was L.A. Financial Management & as the new Queen of Queens joined by 2008 Ms. Asia-USA before they sat on their respec- Services, Rupert Law Group, Karen Borja-Nichols as his Image Body Spa and Image Spa tive ‘thrones’ co-host. Though it was their MD, Ed Rame Flower ArrangeThe awarding of the men second time as co-emcees ment, Fiesta Fast Food and O and women of distinction folfor The Beautiful Life, their Skincare. lowed shortly. The following chemistry is always a treat for
features SF5 Pista Sa Nayon takes place June 3 in Vallejo The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 26, 2017
VALLEJO, CA – On Saturday, June 3, the 31st Annual Vallejo Pista sa Nayon, will take place on the beautiful Vallejo Waterfront Park. Headliners this year are two of the top stars in the Philippines – Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera. Also on the program will be the multi-talented megastar, Kuh Ledesma. The day long festival will start with a parade in Downtown Vallejo starting at 9 a.m. Throughout the day there will be entertainment, the 8th Annual Vallejo Goodwill Filipino Martial Art Tournament, food, vendors, and activities for the entire family. Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes come courtesy of GMA Pinoy TV & GMA Live TV. They are two of the hottest stars in the Philippines and happen to be husband and wife. Marian Rivera starred in a number of GMA’s landmark programs such as “MariMar”, “Dyesebel”, and “Darna”. She went on to play leading roles in primetime soaps, which led her to be known as the Kapuso Primetime Queen. Currently, Marian is a mainstay of “Sunday PinaSaya” and is a narrator for “Tadhana,” a TV show that chronicles the extraordinary lives of OFWs. Dinging, meanwhile, is one of GMA Network’s most coveted leading men. He is a part of many iconic GMA shows, including “Encantadia”
and “MariMar,” to name a few. His most recent primetime TV series, “Alyas Robinhood,” was well received by viewers. On the side, the Kapuso Primetime King heads his own charitable organization, the YesPinoy Foundation. Kuh Ledesma’s music career spans 30 years of performances that include more than 300 concerts, numerous awards in the Philippine music scene, and 18 albums in the local recording industry. Currently, Kuh marks her importance in the local music scene via rare, talkedabout shows and a co-hosting spot in the Sunday variety show, “A.S.A.P. Mania.” Not all the entertainment will be coming from overseas. Bay Area legendary Latin Rock band “Dakila” will also be on the main stage. The original SF Dakila band started in 1972 with a five-year recording contract with Epic/Columbia Records only to disband after two years. Their self-titled LP can be found on display at the Wing Luke Museum Exhibit for Asian America in Seattle, Washington as well as the Oakland Museum for one of the first Filipino-Americans to record on a major label. This diverse legendary band was recently put back together by one if its original members, David Bustamante. Dakila music is diversified Bay Area rocklatinjazzpopfunkapino.
Dennis Trillo ready... From Page SF4 may depth. Kaya kailangan ko mag produce. May script ako na binabasa ngayon title niya “Hubog ng Langit.” Indie siya. Kwento niya priest na may dark secret – hindi siya bading. His secret is really dark which makes the role interesting. Pero hindi ko pa tapos. “Mulawin” consumes my schedule and I don’t want to disrupt my tapings. Is producing the next step for you? What kind of films do you want to produce? In the coming years, para makita ng mga tao ang iniisip ko.
Madami ako gusto pero kailangan ko pa ng time para buohin siya. I personally like experimental films like “Trainspotting” and “Requiem of a Dream” by Darren Aronofsky and the works of Mark Romanek. I like things a bit dark. What came first, your maturity as an actor or being a father? Nakatulong sa akin being a father. Naisip ko na mas may importanteng bagay na kailangan unahin. Noong nangyari yun nagkaroon ako ng new set of principles and priorities. Nakatulong sa akin sa career at personality ko.
Other acts include Mahal, who are celebrating 25 years performing EthnoShamanicTrance Fusyon Music; Parangal Philippine Dance Troupe; the classic Filipino guitar music of Raffy Lata; local Hip Hop sensations Jaron Domingo and Chris Cash; and martial arts demonstrations by the Chinese School of Martial Arts and the Kajukenbo Self Defense Institute. Coming back for its eighth year is the Vallejo Goodwill Filipino Martial Art Tournament. Dozens of martial artists of all ages and genders will vie for trophies to see who is the “fastest stick in the West.” Arnis, Escrima and Kali are traditional Filipino martial arts utilizing sticks and bladed weapons. Competitors will be using padded sticks. The tournament directors want to showcase the Filipino Martial Arts with the public through this event. Competition will begin at 10 a.m. On-site registration will open at 9 a.m. Emcee for the entire day will be Pacific Vibe radio show host George DaPlumma, with a special appearance byKPIX 5 & Bay Area Nightbeat’s Veronica De La Cruz. Come out and enjoy Vallejo’s largest FREE one-day festival on the waterfront. For more information, please visit the festival website at www. vallejopistasanayon.com. Does the thought of your son Calix—whose name you have tattooed on your left wrist—watching your work affect how you pick and portray roles? Of course, namimili na ako ng projects kasi alam ko magtatanong siya. Kinabahan ako sa “My Husbands Lover.” He saw teaser and he asked what is it like to do those kinds of scenes? I tell him it’s a bit of awkward but because it’s my job and that I have to deal with it. How are you feeling about where you are now in your personal life and career? At peace. I enjoy the blessings more. Mas masaya pag may kasama ka.
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T he Asian Jo ur na l SF M A G A Z I NE - M a y 26, 2 0 1 7
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