SEPTEMBER 17, 2011 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE 1
FEBRUARY 19, 17,2011 2011♦♦ ♦♦SEPTEMBER
COMMENTARY
HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS
IMMIGRATION GUIDE
OBAMA'S JOBS ACT SHOULD INCLUDE MANUFACTURING
MAUI TO CELEBRATE FILIPINO-AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH
MARRYING FOR LOVE OR LOVE OF A GREEN CARD?
INSIDE:
WOMEN'S HEALTH Supplement
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2 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 17, 2011
EDITORIAL
A Gem Along the Waianae Coast ake a drive along the Waianae coast and you will see nature at its finest—beautiful beaches; lush gardens and farms with roosters, pigs, chickens and other livestock; yard sales; family restaurants and residents overflowing with the aloha spirit. But for all of its natural beauty, this quaint beachside community has been plagued by a host of social ills. Topping the list are poverty, as evidenced by the numerous homeless beach encampments, and drug abuse with crystal meth (ice) as the drug of choice. As a result, there have been high crime rates, economic hardships, high unemployment as well as substandard housing and education. Fortunately, one organization—the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center—has been a Godsend. Since 1972, the center has been providing much-needed health services for the poor and needy of not only Waianae but also Nanakuli, Maili and neighboring communities. Its beginnings were humble indeed—one full-time physician and a staff of five worked out of a temporary location across from the area’s McDonalds restaurant. Today, the Center and its four satellite clinics provide a wide range of services that help both individuals and families, including case management, health care for the homeless, perinatal support services, transportation services, primary and emergency care, Native Hawaiian health, dental care, adult day care, preventative health, drug and alcohol rehab and a host of other programs. Among the Center’s top administrators is medical director Dr. Ricardo Custodio, a Filipino whose parents are from Cavite City. One of his many duties is to ensure smooth and efficient workflow and delivery of services to patients at the clinic. At one point, Dr. Custodio, who is well-respected among his peers, was considered by the Abercrombie administration as director for the State Department of Health. He would have been the ideal candidate but as fate would have had it, Custodio’s number was not called. In the end, the State’s loss will prove to be Waianae’s gain. He has accomplished much for this overlooked and all too often underappreciated community, but there are still goals that have yet to be reached. With Custodio continuing at the helm, the Center will be in good hands. We certainly wish him and the Center’s staff well and we salute them for their efforts and dedication in serving the underserved community as they continue to meet the challenges along the Waianae coast.
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Here’s to Your Health or so many people, good health is a given. It’s something that most of us do not give a second thought to and all too often take it for granted. But in a span of a moment, your entire world can turn upside down, especially since injuries and diseases can strike with little or no warning. A perfectly healthy child can suddenly become ill and pass away. Or a healthy adult can suffer a cardiac arrest, but is resuscitated and left brain dead. In both cases, families are left to pick up the pieces and cope with the tragedy that has befallen them. Filipinos who work long hours, eat a poor diet and rarely exercise are at increased risk for a variety of chronic illnesses, including hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer and asthma. We need to constantly remind ourselves that our health is the greatest asset that we have. Have you realized that good health is even more important than your job? In fact, your ability to go to work every day is largely influenced by the level of your health. Without good health, you do not have any earning potential. When you are in pain, you do not have the drive or energy to earn money. If you need further convincing, look no further than the Good Book for instruction on healthy habits. Filipinos who are the deeply religious type should take to heart Deuteronomy Chapter Four,
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FROM THE PUBLISHER elcome to the latest issue of the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle and our special 12-page supplement on Women’s Health! The thought-provoking and informative stories in this special supplement are sure to enlighten and encourage you to take better care of yourself. Healthy habits is one area that Filipinos as a whole could certainly improve upon. A 2007 survey conducted by the Center for the Study of Asian American Health found that Filipinos living in the New York City metropolitan area generally do not maintain healthy eating habits, engage in regular physical activity or regularly access health care. If you’re inspired to take ownership of your health, we encourage you to read “20 Ways to Live Longer” in our special supplement. Please also take some time to read the other articles of interest that our staff and participating physicians have worked hard to write and compile. You’ll be glad you did! Our cover story for the issue was written by Linda Dela Cruz who was granted an exclusive interview with Dr. Ricardo Custodio, the medical director of the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Clinic. Dr. Custodio is affectionately referred to by staff and his peers as the “Doc Whisper” for his expertise in the daily operation of the clinic, which has shone like a beacon for a community that has struggled with crime, drugs, homelessness and other problems. Please read more about this remarkable physician and the work that he does for the people of Waianae beginning on page 4. In our last issue, we reported that former State Sen. Robert Bunda was nominated for the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART). Just last week, he was confirmed as the board’s 10th and final member (see page 3). The Filipino community is particularly pleased and proud to have one of its own to serve on the board overseeing the $5.5 billion rail transit project, which is the biggest ever public works project undertaken in Hawaii. Congratulations and all the very best to Mr. Bunda! Speaking of transit, please be aware of the anticipated increase in traffic along Kamehameha Highway between Pearl City and Aiea. The City will be doing soil sampling work for the transit project beginning September 19, which will result in lane closures and possibly longer commute times. If you regularly use Kamehameha Highway, we advise you to read page 3 for more details. Lastly, Filipinos on Maui are gearing up for the Maui Fil-Am Heritage Festival that will be held on October 8, 2011 at the Maui Mall Shopping Center. The Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce has planned a day filled with opportunities to celebrate the Filipino culture and traditions, enjoy delicious food and participate in the festivities. If you are on Maui or will be in the area on October 8, please come out and join your kababayans for a day of family fun, fellowship and entertainment! In closing, thank you for faithfully supporting the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle. As always, we invite our readers to contact us at: filipinochronicle@gmail.com if you have story ideas, tips or concerns regarding Hawaii’s dynamic and vibrant Filipino community. Until next time…aloha and mabuhay!
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Verse 9 which reminds us to: “Take care of yourself and guard your soul diligently.” It doesn’t get anymore simpler than that. Fortunately, it’s not too late to start taking proper care of yourself but do it NOW! Make up your mind to live wisely and sensibly from this moment on. Start by consuming a healthy diet, getting regular exercise and being sure you get enough sleep. These simple measures are all important for long term health and stress management. The bottom line is for you to do all that you can to take care of yourself and leave the rest up to the good Lord.
Publisher & Executive Editor Charlie Y. Sonido, M.D. Publisher & Managing Editor Chona A. Montesines-Sonido Associate Editors Dennis Galolo Edwin Quinabo Creative Designer Junggoi Peralta Design Consultant Randall Shiroma Photography Tim Llena Administrative Assistant Shalimar Pagulayan Columnists Carlota Ader Carlo Cadiz, M.D. Sen. Will Espero Grace F. Fong, Ed.D Ruth Elynia Mabanglo, Ph.D. J.P. Orias Pacita Saludes Reuben S. Seguritan, Esq. Charlie Sonido, M.D. Emmanuel S. Tipon, Esq. Felino S. Tubera Sylvia Yuen, Ph.D. Contributing Writers Belinda Aquino, Ph.D. Clement Bautista Teresita Bernales, Ed.D Linda Dela Cruz Fiedes Doctor Danny De Gracia, II, MA Carolyn Hildebrand Amelia Jacang, M.D. Caroline Julian Maita Milallos Paul Melvin Palalay, M.D. Glenn Wakai Amado Yoro Philippine Correspondent Greg Garcia Big Island Distributor Grace Larson Ditas Udani Maui Distributor Cecile Piros Molokai Distributor Maria Watanabe Advertising/Marketing Director Chona A. Montesines-Sonido Account Executives Carlota Ader J.P. Orias The Hawaii Filipino Chronicle is published weekly by The Hawaii Filipino Chronicle Inc. It is mailed directly to subscribers and distributed at various outlets around Oahu and the neighbor islands. Editorial and advertising deadlines are three weeks prior to publication date. Subscriptions are available at $75 per year for Oahu and the neighbor islands, continental U.S. $80, foreign country $90. Copyright 2006. The Hawaii Filipino Chronicle Inc. is located at 94-356 Waipahu Depot, Waipahu, HI 96797. Telephone (808) 678-8930 Facsimile (808) 678-1829. E-mail filipinochronicle@gmail.com. Website: www.thefilipinochronicle.com. Opinions expressed by the columnists and contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle management. Reproduction of the contents in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission from the management. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. www.thefilipinochronicle.com www.efilipinochronicle.com
SEPTEMBER 17, 2011 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE 3
COMMENTARY
ObamaÊs Jobs Act Should Include Boosting Manufacturing By Edwin Quinabo ust recently, Bank of America, the country’s largest bank, announced it will slash 40,000 or more jobs nationwide. The company’s retrenchment is not something unique but a common business practice with joblessness still depressed running five consecutive years. Finally this September, President Barrack Obama presented to Congress a comprehensive jobs program. While the president is sincere in his efforts to help Americans in dire need of employment, the obvious disappointment here is timing. No matter how bipartisan the Obama American Jobs Act is
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crafted, the political reality is that it just might be a DOA (dead on arrival) legislation, being too close to the presidential election and too massive to rush through. But at the very least, debates on the Jobs Act will give lawmakers the long overdue opportunity to hammer out details that could set up the next administration to take on the issue as the first order of business. Obama’s Jobs Act is actually a bipartisan legislation. It integrates both a Republican philosophy of tax relief and Democrat advocacy for investment in people. But concerns over how to pay for this stimulus—what it actually is—is warranted. In all fairness to Obama, this new stimulus (Jobs Act) is different from the first one ($787 billion stimulus in
2009) because the Jobs Act involves direct assistance to the people rather than the former controversial stimulus that concentrated its efforts on bailing out corporate America. The Obama Jobs Act proposes to spark job growth by injecting more than $300 billion into the economy via tax cuts, infrastructure spending and direct aid to state and local governments. The president plans to accomplish this without adding any debt to the national deficit by reducing spending on entitlements as well as increasing tax revenues in the long term. Almost half of the cost of the jobs stimulus would come from tax cuts, which include an extension of a two-percentagepoint reduction in the payroll tax
HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS
HART Selects Bunda as 10th Member
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ormer State Senate President Robert Bunda was officially voted in as the tenth member of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) Board of Directors. Bunda previously served in the State Legislature where he represented the Wahiawa, Haleiwa, Mokuleia and North Shore communities for more than 25 years. He also served as state senate president from 2001 to 2006 but lost a bid for lieutenant governor in the 2010 Democratic Primary. The only Filipino on the 10member board, Bunda resides in Wahiawa and is an insurance broker. He also serves on the board of directors of the State Public Land Development Corporation under the state Department of
Robert Bunda
Land and Natural Resources. “I am honored to join the HART board and I understand the enormous responsibility involved in ensuring the successful construction and operation of Hawaii's first urban rail system,” Bunda says. “This rail system will serve Oahu well into the future. It will provide a transportation alternative to our congested
roads and highways so our residents don't have to spend hours in traffic each day. This is a project I firmly believe in and support.” HART board vice chair Ivan Lui-Kwan says Bunda is a “strong addition” to the board. “Bunda’s expertise will bring an important perspective to the board,” he says. “His understanding of the budgetary and legislative process and his work in shaping public land use policy will be extremely helpful as we collectively work to bring the rail transit project online.” HART is tasked with overseeing the planning, construction, operation, maintenance and expansion of the City’s $5.5 billion transit system connecting East Kapolei with Ala Moana Center.
City to Begin Soil Sampling on Kamehameha least one lane of traffic in Highway for Transit Project eachAtdirection of Kamehameha
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ity transportation officials are warning the public of lane closures and additional delays as crews will conduct soil sampling tests along Kamehameha Highway between Pearl City and Aloha Stadium City for the rail transit project. The work is slated to begin on September 19, 2011 and will consist of soil sampling and potholing to locate existing utilities in preparation for construction of the second phase of the
elevated rail guideway. Similar work is being done along Kamehameha Highway in Waipahu. The City says there will be evening work along Kamehameha Highway between Kuala Street west of the Pearl Highlands center and Kohomua Street south of Aloha Stadium from 8 pm to 5:30 am Sundays through Thursdays, and from 8:30 am to 3 pm Mondays through Fridays. Soil sampling work is expected to continue for 26 weeks through April 2012.
Highway will remain open at all times in the designated work areas and appropriate signs will be displayed to notify motorists in advance of traffic detours. The public is advised to proceed with caution when driving through these areas. Motorists should also anticipate possible traffic delays or use alternate routes during work hours. For updates on construction, please visit the project website at www.honolulutransit.org or call 566-2299.
paid by workers and a new decrease in the portion of the tax paid by employers. So clearly, this Jobs Act stimulus directly aims at helping American families save their personal income, compared to the former corporate stimulus that relied on the idea that stabilizing big business would save jobs and wealth and trickle down to the masses. The 2009 stimulus had marginal success in helping to stop the economy from collapsing. This second stimulus, Obama’s Job Act, is fundamentally sound to the degree of keeping afloat predominantly public workers (teachers, police, firemen, government administrators, specialists) and construction jobs. But its limited scope largely ignores private sector needs. With regard to tax breaks, they are not enough to maintain long-term recovery, especially since the idea is to ultimately raise tax revenues when the economy picks up. Once again, Obama’s second effort to boost the economy lacks creativity and innovation which are necessary for success in today’s global marketplace. The Obama Jobs Act is a timid response to appease obstructionist Republicans. If government is expected to play a role in lifting the economy, the projected $300 billion investment this time around should be better spent on something very specific as boosting manufacturing. This focuses not only on individual job creation for the long term but strengthens the private sector from corporations to small businesses. A strong U.S. manu-
facturing sector also positions the country in stronger footing in the global marketplace from which trade imbalances must eventually be corrected. Building jobs infrastructure via manufacturing is a more concrete, long term solution. Nowhere in Obama’s Jobs Plan is manufacturing or trade addressed—just the same old practice of government throwing money at the same places. This is unacceptable, short-sighted and a simple quick fix, much like the first corporate stimulus that failed. The president, however, isn’t the sole leader to blame. If Republicans have not been obstructionists from the very beginning since Obama became the leader of the land, perhaps both political parties could have arrived at better, bold and effective solutions to the lingering joblessness mess. Instead, the GOP seems more intent on taking the White House in 2012, obstructing real progress, all at the expense of Americans losing jobs by the day. The GOP also has failed to offer specific solutions; their confidence waiting for increased consumer spending to suddenly come about serendipitously to lift the economy is outdated laissez faire economics that even Europeans who first subscribed to the idea have long since abandoned. In the coming months, let’s demand that the president and both parties work together to come up with innovate solutions to build real infrastructure that would enable both the private sector and public workers to prosper. This is key to long-lasting job creation.
4 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 17, 2011
COVER STORY
A Candid Interview with Dr. Ricardo Custodio, Waianae Coast Health Center Medical Director By Linda Dela Cruz
t the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, Dr. Ricardo C. Custodio is affectionately referred to as the “Doc Whisperer.” His responsibilities as director of training require him to understand the “ins and outs” of how doctors and health care providers operate. Only then can he offer his expertise to ensure that the work at the health center flows smoothly.
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Custudio also teaches at the A.T. Stills University School of Osteopathic Medicine-Hawaii that he helped start in 2007. He earned his undergraduate degree from Stanford University, his medical degree from the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine and his master’s in public health from Harvard University. Born in Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands, Custodio moved to Hawaii at age 5 with his parents, who are from Cavite City. He attended Radford High School and was an outstanding student, having won the Ram of the Month Award in 1974 for his school spirit and community service. Years later, it remains one of Custodio’s most cherished awards. His professional history includes serving as medical director at the Kalihi-Palama Health Center from 1991 to 1996. Prior to that, he was the medical director for Bay Clinic in Hilo for
four years. He also worked as a senior clinical advisor with the U.S. Bureau of Primary Health Care in Washington, D.C. Custodio has received other awards, including being listed in Pacific Business News’ Black Book of Personal and Professional Profiles of Executives From Hawaii’s Top 250 Companies for the past eight years. He’s also the Hawaii Primary Care Association’s Clinical Leadership Award winner for 2010. Last December 2010, he was one of several candidates under consideration for director of the Hawaii State Department of Health. When Gov. Abercrombie announced his choice the following month, Dr. Custodio was unfortunately not it. In his spare time, Custodio can sometimes be found in a belly dancing drum group accompanying the dances of his wife Tammy Yee, who is an accomplished children’s book au-
thor and illustrator. He also enjoys music and regular family get-togethers and dinner at his parents’ house with his wife and two sons. Custodio graciously granted the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle a few minutes of his time to talk about healthcare and other issues affecting Hawaii's Filipinos. The following interview was edited for space and clarity . Q: How did you end up practicing medicine on the Leeward Coast? A: In 2002, I was working in Washington, DC as a senior clinical advisor with the Bureau of Primary Health Care. After a while, I felt it wasn’t for me. So I called my friend Gerard Akaka (physician and son of U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka) and told him that I was going to pack my bags, come home and see what opportunities I could find. Little did I know that Gerard had submitted his resignation as medical director of the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center. The day he turned in his resignation was the day I called him. I’ve known him from when he started as medical director. I’d mentor him and he’d call me whenever he had questions or problems. He got an offer as medical director for the Queen Emma Clinics, so he was going to shift to that. And that’s how I’m in the position now as medical director of the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center. My position has morphed. I not only do medical directing. When I started, I also did groundskeeping, EMR (electronic medical records) implementation, started a dining room and did a little bit of pediatrics. Now that I started this medical school, my position is going to
Dr. Custodio (left) with Dr. Dodds Simangan, a recent A.T. Still University graduate. Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center (WCCHC) is one of 11 "Hub Sites" around the country where A.T. Still University osteopathic medical students learn and train.
have a clinical portion and an educational development portion. Q: The Leeward coast is a very beautiful area but also among the poorest communities on Oahu. How does practicing medicine in the Waianae/Nanakuli area different from Waipahu or Kalihi? A: We have two clinics in Waianae and one in Waipahu at the Fil-Com Center. The difference is that in Waianae, two out of three people are living in poverty. That is the key measure. It is not racism or sexism. It is the poverty. If people are poor, they are going to get anxious and depressed and use drugs to get away from the reality they are in. We have to attack that first. The difference is these people do not have resources. Transportation is a problem but we have vans that go out to people. Filling out forms is another but we have stations here where patients can fill out Quest forms so they don’t have to go to the Quest office. If you don’t send in a certain form, your insurance is cut off. For women’s health, we offer basic prenatal care. If your provider finds expectant moms look a little depressed, we have a psychologist on staff who can
see them right then and there. They don’t have to take a bus to town. If you want to find out what you can do to help your baby grow, we have dieticians on staff who can come to you and talk with you about that. Let’s say you are an older woman who needs a mammogram. We have the machines right here. A lot of female patients come in with children. They may not have the ability to get into town. We have ultra sound, neonatal and other tests routinely done at Kapiolani that we can also do here. Q: What are some of the unique challenges you face as medical director of the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center? A: One is integrating native Hawaiian healing and western healing. Native Hawaiian healers believe Western doctors can heal and vice versa. As a western physician, I cannot refer patients to a native Hawaiian healer as I would to an orthopedist. What I can tell patients is that there are native Hawaiian healers available and how to contact them, but they need to make the push. Secondly, there is no documentation for Native Hawaiian (continued on page 5)
SEPTEMBER 17, 2011 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE 5
COVER STORY (from page 4, A CANDID....)
healing. A lot of it is oral history. Western medicine has documentation like HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) and EMR (electronic medical records). I do think there is a lot of respect between the two sides. We can co-exist but cannot fully integrate. Q: What percentage of patients at WCCHC are underserved/ below the poverty level? How many of them are homeless? A: Out of our patient base of 29,000, about 67 percent, or 19,369, are below the poverty level. That figure includes people who are homeless. On the leeward coast we have about 2,000 to 4,000 homeless. We have an outreach van and case management that goes out to help the homeless. Much of the need is medical and behavioral health. Our behavioral health deals with seriously mentally ill and takes them in. Q: What is WCCHC’s annual budget? How much of it is state funds? How much are federal funds? How many doctors on staff? Total number of personnel? A: Our base budget is $45 million a year. Out of that, 80 percent is reimbursable services. The other 20 percent are grants from the federal government, the state and private sector. We have two big construction projects that are funded through grants right now. We are tearing down an old clinic and building two new two-story buildings. The first one is for adult health which costs $11 million. The second floor of the first building will be an adult medical clinic and also have a pharmacy and x-ray. It should be completed by September 2012. The second building will be a revamped, two-story emergency room. Right now, we have a staff of 500 and 90 of them are doctors. Healthcare is more than giving out pills. Healthcare is also about educating people and giving them jobs. We are the largest employer on this coast. Eighty percent live in the service area from Waianae to Waipahu. Our payroll is $1.2 million every two weeks. That means that every two weeks, $1
million goes into the service area. That is what economic development is about. Q: What are the top three ethnic groups in the Leeward coast area? A: Hawaiian/part-Hawaiian is 52 percent and Caucasian is 16 percent. Asian is 15 percent but that is not broken down into Korean, Filipino, or Chinese. Q: How are Filipinos on the Leeward coast doing in terms of health care? A: Filipinos tend to get diabetes, hypertension, cerebral vascular disease and heart disease. There are compliance issues when the patients say ‘Yes, doctor.’ You are not really sure if that is a real ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ Q: What are the most common ailments/medical conditions affecting the patients you treat? A: Diabetes is a big problem. If you look at all our hospitalizations, patients who are re-hospitalized are the first time diabetics. Diabetes is like the middle of the wheel with spokes resulting in conditions such as heart disease or stroke. Q: Underserved people often go without basic medical services. What programs or services does WCCHC have that reach out to these people? A: We have the sliding fee scale where you don’t have to pay a lot of money if you don’t make a lot of money. We verify your income and adjust the rates for that. Secondly, our pharmacy participates with the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program. We get medications at way below cost, so we can give back to patients at a lower rate. Third is our case management. One of the problems here in Waianae is that a lot of women who become pregnant are homeless and have a lot of problems. We have a really strong case management program that has decreased the number of low weight babies. Our case managers make sure that expectant moms are taken to their doctor’s appointments. If a baby is too low in weight, it will probably end up in the neonatal intensive care unit and that is a lot of cost. Q: How did you feel when you were not selected by Gov.
Dr. Custodio on a house call with one of his patients who cannot move around or get to the clinic
Abercrombie as his DOH director? What would have been your priorities as DOH director? A: In December, I was a candidate for the director of health. I went through the interview process and met the governor. My first priority would have been to create an atmosphere where people really want to work together. My second priority would have been to shore up programs to figure out how to keep some of them from being shut down due to budget cuts. My third priority would have been to create an atmosphere of innovation. The Department of Health needs to be more responsive and more innovative in terms of looking at new ideas—not do things the same old way. Q: Why did you want that position? A: I liked the idea of being responsible for the entire state and a large budget. It was about the challenge and I wanted to make changes. Q: September is Women’s Health Month and we’d like your take on how moms can best take care of their chil-
dren. What is the most important piece of advice you can give moms so that they can best take care of the health of their children? A: In order for a baby to grow and blossom, that baby needs somebody who is absolutely crazy about that baby. Someone who will give all their love to that baby. If you do that, everything else will follow. Q: How often should a mom bring her generally healthy child to the doctor? What are the most common
diseases in babies and how often do they occur? A: In the first year of life, there are well-baby visits. Those visits follow the schedule when the baby needs shots. The other times would be to bring baby in for either emergencies or worries. If mom is worried about fever, that is the time to call the physician. If it is a trauma or the baby is having seizures, that is the time to bring the baby to the emergency room. The most common diseases in babies are colds, flu, runny noses, ear infections, rashes and skin infections. Q: What do you recommend to mothers who are breastfeeding? Why is breastfeeding good for babies? What foods do you recommend for mothers who are breastfeeding? A: Breast-feeding is good unless it is contraindicated by medications, or if they are really sick. As long as babies are breast-feeding, they are protected because they are getting human vitamins and nutrients. In (continued on page 7)
6 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 17, 2011
HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS
Maui to Celebrate Filipino-American History Month By HFC Staff
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id you know that the earliest record of Filipinos in the U.S. was in October 1587 when Filipinos landed at Morro Bay, now known as San Luis Obispo, in California? Did you know that in 1763, Filipino seamen established the first permanent settlement in North America in St. Malo, Louisiana? According to the 2000 U.S. census, over 125,000 businesses are Filipino-owned. The number is expected to increase with the latest data from the 2010 Census. In Hawaii, there are now 342,095 Filipinos or part-Filipinos, representing a 24.1 percent increase from the 2000 Census. Hawaii is also one of the few states to establish by law the month of October as FilipinoAmerican History month. In 2008, State Rep. Joey Manahan and other members of the Filipino Caucus introduced House Bill No. 3343 to establish the month of October of each year as Filipino-American History Month. Gov. Linda Lingle signed the bill into law and HB 3343, HD1, became Act 15 (2008) which commemorates “the contributions of FilipinoAmericans to the history and heritage of Hawaii and the U.S.”
Maui to Celebrate with a Festival On the Valley Isle, the Maui
Filipino Chamber of Commerce Foundation has taken the lead by creating the Maui Fil-Am Heritage Festival that will be held on October 8, 2011 at the Maui Mall Shopping Center from 10 am to 3 pm. The focus will be on culture, heritage and promoting Filipino businesses. “The Maui Filipino Chamber believed it was important to not only promote our culture and heritage but also Filipino businesses,” says Elizabeth Ayson, president of the Maui Filipino Chamber Foundation. “We will feature nine restaurants selling Filipino food and a number of other businesses promoting goods and services. We’re excited to present this Festival at the Maui Mall and to enhance the image of the Filipino community on Maui.”
Master P-Noy Chef Cook Off Wailuku attorney Gilbert Keith-Agaran, who is also the only Filipino state legislator from Maui, has been actively involved in the planning of the Festival. He, Brian Moto and Chef Jake Belmonte—an instructor with the Maui Culinary Academy at Maui Community College—are spearheading the Master P-Noy Chef Cook Off, one of the featured events of the Festival. “The committee wanted to highlight some of Maui’s chefs of Filipino ancestry who are known for their culinary skills. We hope this exposure will not
Dance International Production will present a number of Filipino folk dances.
Isaac Bancaco
Joey Macadangdang
only bring pride to the Filipino community but also encourage Maui’s youth to consider the culinary arts as their vocation. After all, the Maui Culinary Academy is one of the best in the State,” says Keith-Agaran. Headlining the Master PNoy Chef Cook Off are three highly acclaimed chefs—Isaac Bancaco of the Grand Wailea, Joey Macadangdang of Roy’s Kahana and Sheldon Simeon of Star Noodle. Chef Bancaco was recruited by the Grand Wailea in 2010 to create the perfect union of simplicity and taste at the Grand’s Humuhumunukunukuapua’a. Bancaco’s concept is “back to basics,” focusing on creating delicious dishes by enhancing natural flavors through the unpretentious use of the purest and freshest ingredients. Bancaco spent several formative years under the tutelage of world-renowned chef Ming Tsai; even competing alongside him as his sous chef on the original “Iron Chef America” against Iron Chef Bobby Flay. With Bancaco’s assistance, Tsai won the challenge, handing the Iron Chefs their first loss in the then new “Kitchen Stadium America.” Born and raised on Maui, Bancaco strives to showcase the best the islands have to offer, both from the land and sea, while incorporating techniques and influences from his Filipino, Hawaiian and Chinese roots. Chef Macadangdang’s climb up the culinary ladder has been remarkable. He was born in Ilocos Norte and at age of 13, moved with his family to Maui, where his father labored for Maui Land & Pineapple Company. Macadangdang began working as a newspaper boy and then got his first break as a busboy/ dishwasher at Eric’s Seafood Grotto. By the time he was in his mid-20s, he was the executive chef of Blue Tropix Restaurant &
Sheldon Simeon
Night Club in Lahaina. Macadangdang later became the executive chef at the Rusty Harpoon. In 1992, he joined the Yamaguchi Restaurant team and trained under Chefs David Abella, Roy Yamaguchi and Gordon Hopkins. Macadangdang was able to grasp Roy’s “Hawaiian-Fusion” concept which earned him the position of Corporate Executive Chef at Roy’s. Maui’s Chef of the Year, as voted by his peers at the 2011 Aipono Awards, is Sheldon Simeon. Simeon was born and raised on the Big Island and started at the Leeward Community College Culinary program, which brought him an internship with Walt Disney World. He was visiting his future wife Janice on Maui when he got a job at Maui’s Aloha Mixed Plate in 2002. A year later, Simeon graduated from Maui Culinary Academy. He rose to the position of sous chef and then chef at Aloha Mixed Plate. He is now chef at Star Noodle, which opened in 2010 and whose owners also own Aloha Mixed Plate. Simeon was a 2011 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards semi-finalist in the category of Rising Star Chef of the Year. These chefs will use protein traditionally used in Filipino cooking such as pork, chicken, tilapia, beef or duck and two Filipino vegetables like carabasa (winter melon or pumpkin), bittermelon, marrungay leaves and/or pods, long squash or long eggplant to create their masterpiece which will truly reflect their heritage. The chefs will be allowed to prep their dishes at their respective restaurants and finish their signature dish at the Festival. A celebrity panel of judges will then determine the “Master PNoy Chef” while a limited number of the attendees will be able to taste what the chefs have prepared.
Nine Restaurants to Participate Slated to give you their best pansit, adobo, lumpia, bibingka, halo halo and a lot more are nine restaurants—all ready to entice you to return to their respective establishments. “We believed it was important to feature Maui’s Filipino restaurants selling their very best. Our restaurants need more exposure to survive in this economy,” says Teresita Noble, chairperson of the Food Vendors committee. “The Festival will help to create the needed momentum for these restaurants.” With participation from the nine restaurants (Café Central Catering & Drive-In, Local Mocha Cafe, Four Sisters Kitchen, TJ’s Food Mart Fast Food Restaurant Catering & Bakery, Home Maid Bakery, Randy’s Catering & Fast Food, Family Restaurant Catering, Cupie’s Drive-In, and Paradise Supermart), festival attendees will definitely be able to enjoy their favorite Filipino dishes! Entertainment All Day Along with the Master PNoy Chef Cook Off event, those attending the Festival will be entertained with Filipino songs, dances, music and even a Filipino martial arts demonstration. “The entertainment will definitely leave an impression on you,” says Madelyne Pascua, chairperson of the program committee. “We will showcase Maui’s Filipino talents that will include songs and dances of the Philippines and an escrima demonstration. We want to share our rich cultural heritage with everyone on Maui—locals and tourists alike. After all, our culture is about sharing, giving and celebrating.” Entertainers will include Dance International Production, Sharon Zalsos, La Galeria, Reynaldo C. Ramos, Good Shepherd Church Dance Troupe and ELLEK. Airfare to Las Vegas, Philippines To further showcase the rich Filipino heritage, there will be a Filipino Attire contest sponsored by Noble Travel. The winner will receive round-trip airfare to (continued on page 8)
SEPTEMBER 17, 2011 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE 7
IMMIGRATION GUIDE
Marrying for Love or Love of a Green Card By Atty. Emmanuel Samonte Tipon s it true that you must marry for love in order to get a green card?” asked a caller. “Who said so?” I asked. “Somebody told me that she heard it on television,” the caller responded. “You better ask the one who said it to show a provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act or a court decision saying so.” I told the caller. Many people marry for love of a green card. According to the U.S. Court of Appeals “Marriages for green cards [may] be genuine.” U.S. v. OrellanaBlanco, 294 F.3d 1143 (9th Cir. 2002). In that case, the defendant, an alien, was charged with marriage fraud under 8 USC § 1325(c) and making a false statement on an immigration document under 18 USC § 1546(a). Reversing his conviction, the court held:
“I
“That Orellana-Blanco married Boehm so that he could get a green card does not make the marriage a sham, though it is evidence that might support an inference of a sham marriage. We held in Tagalicud [U.S. v. Tagalicud, 84 F.3d 1180 (9th Cir. 1996)] that ‘motivations are at most evidence of intent, and do not themselves make the marriages shams.’ Just as marriages for money, hardly a novelty, or marriages among princes and princesses for reasons of state may be genuine and not sham marriages, so may marriages for green cards be genuine. An intent to obtain something other than or in addition to love and companionship from that life does not make a marriage a sham. Rather, the sham arises from the intent not ‘to establish a life together.” In U.S. v. Tagalicud, 84 F.3d 1180 (9th Cir. 1996), involving Hawaiians who went to marry a brother and sister in Ilocoslovakia, and were subsequently prosecuted for marriage fraud, the court in reversing their conviction held: “Motivations are at most evidence of intent, and do not themselves make the mar-
COVER STORY (from page 5, A CANDID ...)
terms of what they should eat, I don’t know herbitology enough to know what crosses the breast milk that goes into the baby. Q: Do you have any advice/message for mothers-tobe? A: Trust yourself. Dr. Spock summed it up best when he said: ‘You know more than you think.” Q: With so many things to juggle in life such as their own schedules, their children and the family, what is the best way for moms to deal with stress? A: Carve out time for yourself. Have someone watch the kids for an hour or two so you have some time for yourself. Another is to find a hobby that takes you out of the mommy mode for a little bit. My wife belly dances. Other women play instruments. If you can afford it,
riages sham. Marriages for money or other ulterior gain are as ancient as mankind, yet may still be genuine, and marriage fraud maybe committed by one party to the marriage, or a person who arranged the marriage, yet the other spouse may genuinely intend to marry. The ulterior motive of financial benefit or immigration benefit does not make the marriage a fraud, though it may be evidence that the marriage is fraudulent.”
Intent to establish a life together The parties to an immigration-related marriage must establish not only that there is a legal marriage, that is, a marriage that complies with the legal requirements of the place where it is celebrated, but also that the
(cont.)
shopping is good. In Hawaii, you can go out and sit on the beach and clear your head. I think moms who do so will come back to their kids and be a lot more happier. Q: Are you involved with any community service activities? If so, what are they? A: I’d like to tell you about my dad who was in the U.S. Navy. On weekends, he went to Hickam Air Force Base and looked for single male Filipinos who had a long stop-over. He would call my mom and bring them back to our house to eat. My dad was also one of the founders of Cavitenos of Hawaii. We would go to Richardson Field across Aloha Stadium to clean the bathrooms and wipe the tables. For the rest of the day, the Cavitenos would eat and play softball. That’s one of my fondest memories. My dad impacted me in terms of how to treat people. He wasn’t
famous but helped others. So I’m hoping that what I’m doing will mirror what he has done. I like to get my medical students into schools of their choice and to encourage those who don’t think that a medical career is possible for them. If I can get a couple of kids from Waipahu and Ewa Beach into medical school that would be good. One of my visions is to create what I will call a ‘healthcarium.’ It would be a healthcare discovery zone similar to a museum that would inspire people to seek careers in healthcare. Q: What are your future goals? A: I want to continue teaching medicine and get more funding for the health center. Personally, my goals are familybased. I want my boys to finish college and get into careers they love. I want my wife to get her most recent novel published. I’d also like to travel more.
marriage is bona fide or genuine and not for the purpose of procuring the alien’s entry into the U.S. Ilic Lee v. Mukasey, No. 06-3494 (9th Cir. 11/19/07). The immigration law forbids a marriage entered into for the purpose of evading a provision of the immigration laws. 8 USC § 1325(c). “A marriage that is entered into for the primary purpose of circumventing the immigration laws, referred to as a fraudulent or sham marriage, has not been recognized as enabling an alien spouse to obtain immigration benefits. Matter of Laureano, 19 I&N Dec. 1 (BIA 1983). The touchstone of a genuine marriage was prescribed by the U.S. Supreme Court: “The common understanding of a marriage, which Congress must have had in mind when it made provision for ‘alien spouses’ in the War Brides Act, is that the two parties have undertaken to establish a life together and assume certain duties and obligations. Lutwak v. United States, 344 U.S. 604 (1953). This touchstone of intent to “establish a life together” at the time of marriage has been followed by lower court decisions. See, for example, Bark v. INS, 511 F.2d 1200 (9th Cir. 1975), another case from Hawaii.
Evidence of bona fide marriage Evidence of bona fides may include jointly-filed tax returns,
shared bank accounts or credit cards, insurance policies covering both spouses, property leases or mortgages in both names, documents reflecting joint ownership of a car or other property, medical records showing the other spouse as the person to contact, telephone bills showing frequent communication between the spouses, and testimony or other evidence regarding the couple’s courtship, wedding ceremony, honeymoon, correspondences, and shared experiences. Agyeman v. INS, 296 F.3d 871 (9th Cir. 2002). The fact that the marriage was not successful or is no longer viable does not make it a sham. Hernandez v. Ashcroft, 345 F.3d 824 (9th Cir. 2003). The genuineness of the marriage is not affected by the fact that the parties are no longer in love. Agyeman v. INS, 296 F.3d 871 (9th Cir. 2002). CAUTION: It is not advisable to tell immigration or consular authorities that you are marrying for love of a green card. (ATTY. TIPON has a Master of Laws degree from Yale Law School and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Philippines. Office: 800 Bethel St., Suite 402, Honolulu, HI 96813. Tel. (808) 225-2645. E-Mail: filamlaw@yahoo.com. Websites: www.MilitaryandCriminalLaw.com, andwww.ImmigrationServicesUSA.com. Listen to the most witty, interesting, and informative radio program in Hawaii on KNDI at 1270, AM dial every Thursday at 7:30 a.m., rebroadcast at www.iluko.com.)
8 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 17, 2011
HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS (from page 6, MAUI ...)
Las Vegas. “Our judges will determine the winner based on style, personality and grace,” says Jeffrey Dela Cruz who chairs the contest with his wife Lydia. “So come with your best outfit but remember, your smile may be the deciding factor.” If dressing up is no longer your favorite pastime, you may still be lucky enough to win airfare to the Philippines. Hawaiian Airlines and Philippine Airlines are providing trips to the Philippines that will be drawn throughout the Festival. The timing of the drawings is being kept under seal, so attendees are encouraged to arrive early and register. Since one must be present to win, attendees may have to stay the entire day.
Speedy Balut Eating Contest For those who enjoy eating balut, the “Speedy Balut Eating Contest” may be just the thing for them. There are three age categories—18 to 25, 26 to 50 and over 50. Experience in eating balut is a must. “The Speedy Balut Eating Contest is exactly that,” says Alvin Santander, who is in charge of the contest. “The fastest one to eat a balut will win.” Business Booths, Historical Displays In addition to food, song, and dance, you may also have a early chance for Christmas shopping for Philippine art and crafts. Several companies will be available to offer their services. Committed to participate as of press time are Baskets Galore, Maui Filipino Mixed Arts Academy, Sassy Elegance, Zalsos Aloha, JMA Imports, Stifel Nicolaus,
(cont.)
Central Pacific Bank, Noble Travel and First Hawaiian Bank. And if history is your game, a special display will be coordinated by the Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum. And another display of art and artifacts will be presented by Phil Sabado.
Corporate Support The Festival is being supported by a number of companies who believe in its importance and significance. “Corporate support is so vital to the festival’s success,” says Sharon Zalsos, who heads the sponsorship committee. “Without our sponsors, the Maui Filipino Chamber Foundation would not be able to share our culture, heritage, history and growing number of Filipino businesses on Maui. So we are extremely grateful for our corporate sponsors.” Sponsors include the A&B Foundation, the County of Maui, the Renato & Maria A.F. Etrata Foundation, ILWU Local 142, McDonald’s, Preferred & Community Based Services, Inc., Home & Community Services of Hawaii, Inc., First Hawaiian Bank, Noble Travel, Hawaiian Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Maui Mall, Grand Wailea, Kaanapali Beach Hotel, Maui Culinary Academy, Maui Soda & Ice Works, Ltd., and Maui Oil Company Inc. For more information and to keep updated as to the Festival’s program of events, please visit the Chamber’s website at www.mauifilipinochamber.com or the Chamber’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MauiFilipinoChamber.
State ID Card Applicants Advised to Make Appointments Online
I
n an effort to reduce wait times at the Hawaii State ID office, the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center is encouraging the public to schedule appointments online. The enhanced Hawaii State ID Card Express website, http://stateid.ehawaii.gov, will allow applicants with appointments made online to arrive at the State ID office at their scheduled time, rather than simply show up and wait in line. “Our use of web-based technology will cut down on wait times and make life easier for our State ID customers,” says Attorney General David Louie. “This kind of better, faster, and smarter service is an example of this administration’s commitment
to transforming government.” Online applicants are encouraged to go online at: http://stateid.ehawaii.gov and choose the option at the top of the page to “schedule or reschedule appointment.” The Hawaii State ID Express was developed and is maintained via the eHawaii.gov program, a public-private partnership between the State of Hawaii and Hawaii Information Consortium LLC. The partnership does not require appropriations or General Funds to manage the web portal and develop eGovernment services. This service was developed at no cost to the state and is completely selffunded. Please call 586-1284 or 587-3100 for more details.
ADVERTISE NOW AND SEE HOW THE FACE OF BUSINESS IS CHANGING! No matter how small your ad, it gets our readers attention! CALL 678-8930 OR GO TO OUR WEBSITE @
www.thefilipinochronicle.com
SEPTEMBER 17, 2011 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE 9
LEGAL NOTES
Priority Date Retention Denied in CSPA Lawsuit By Reuben S. Seguritan he Child Status Protection Act, enacted in 2002, was intended to address the adverse impact of a child’s reaching the age of 21 on his/her eligibility for an immigrant visa. It prevents the lengthy separation of families that results when the child “ages out”. The CSPA fixes the child’s age according to certain rules, and this CSPA age and not the chronological age is used to determine if the child remains a “child” for immigration purposes. A child’s age is calculated according to a formula depending on whether the person is the child of a U.S. citizen or green card holder, or a derivative in a family- or employment based
T
category, asylum application, or under the Violence Against Women Act. What if, even after using the CSPA formula, the child is still 21 years old or over? The CSPA has the automatic conversion clause which states that “If the age of the alien is determined …to be 21 years or older… the alien’s petition shall automatically be converted to the appropriate category and the alien shall retain the original priority date issued upon receipt of the original petition.” The automatic conversion clause has been interpreted by immigration lawyers and by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) in an unpublished decision to mean that the LPR parent of the child (now-adult but unmarried) can file a second preference I-130 petition and the child will retain the priority date issued in the petition for the parent. Retention of the original priority date
means that the family can avoid the long waiting lines in the F2B category where the backlog is currently 8 to 19 years. However, on September 2, 2011, the Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled that the automatic conversion clause did not apply to derivative beneficiaries of F3 and F4 petitions. The court upheld the restrictive interpretation given by the BIA in another case. The appeals case, De Osorio v. Mayorkas, was the consolidation of two lawsuits both challenging the BIA’s reading of the law. The first case was brought by Rosalina De Osorio involving a derivative beneficiary in an F3 petition. De Osorio obtained her green card through an F3 petition filed by her U.S. citizen mother. Her son was 13 at the time the F3 petition was filed but he aged out when her priority date became current. She later filed an F2B petition for her son and requested retention of the original F3 petition priority date.
The second case, Costelo v. Chertoff, was a class-action lawsuit brought by Teresita Costelo, involving a derivative in an F3 petition, and Lorenzo Ong, involving derivative beneficiaries of an F4 petition. Costelo got her green card through her U.S. citizen mother while Ong got his through his U.S. citizen sister. Their children were also under 21 when the F3 and F4 petitions respectively were filed but they aged out when the priority dates became current. Each of the plaintiffs had filed F2B petitions for the aged-out derivative beneficiaries and requested retention of the priority date of the original petition. In both cases in this consolidated lawsuit, the requests for priority date retention were denied. The BIA had said that the CSPA was intended to alleviate the consequences of administrative delays and not delays in visa number availability. It also said that priority date retention would
allow the beneficiary to “jump” in front of the line and cause further delay to everyone else in queue. One wonders how the government’s interpretation serves the purpose of the CSPA in keeping families intact, because the De Osorio decision effectively ensures that some families are kept apart for much longer. Although this legal battle looks far from over, the court’s decision was a disheartening end to a nationwide class action lawsuit that disputed the government’s reading of the CSPA. A favorable decision would have paved the way for the reunification of thousands of families with their children who had aged out while waiting in line for an immigrant visa. REUBEN S. SEGURITAN has been practicing law for over 30 years. For further information, you may call him at (212) 695 5281 or log on to his website at www.seguritan.com
HAWAII-FILIPINO NEWS
Honolulu Hosts Sister Cities Summit
H
awaii’s four counties hosted a sister-cities summit that brought participants from around the world to discuss collaborative opportunities in economic development, clean energy, international trade, business, educational exchange and crosscultural understanding. The inaugural Counties of Hawaii: Sister-Cities Summit was held September 13-15, 2011 at the Hawaii Convention Center. Three of the 14 visiting sister-cities were from the Philippines—Baguio, Laoag City and Ormoc City. The others were Chengdu, Haikou and Zhongshan from China; Ehime Prefecture, Iwaki City and Nagaoka City from Japan; Goyang and Incheon from South Korea; Majuro Atoll from the Marshall Islands; Rabat from Morocco; and one from Taiwan. A sister-city relationship is an internationally-accepted standard upon which closer economic, business and cultural exchanges between two foreign
cities are promoted. Hawaii’s four counties currently maintain sister-city relationships with 71 cities, including 27 for the City and County of Honolulu, 24 for Maui County, 6 for Hawaii County and 14 for Kauai County. The sister-cities summit was an opportunity for participants to network with local businesses and international delegations from the Asia Pacific, while enjoying food prepared by local chefs. “Sister-cities provide a tremendous opportunity to engage and build relationships on a meaningful level and deliver mutually beneficial economic and cultural exchanges to both cities,” says Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle. The summit kicked off with a welcome reception at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. The event featured the four county mayors, 14 sister-city delegations and a special local business reception. On the second day of the summit, representatives from each of the 14 sister-city delega-
tions presented information about their city during a morning session. In addition, each of Hawaii’s four counties signed an agreement with a new sister-city at a formal signing ceremony luncheon. The City and County of Honolulu formalized a new sister-city relationship with Chengdu, China; Maui County signed an agreement with Goyang, South Korea; Hawaii County and Ormoc City, Philippines entered a new relationship; and Kauai County established a relationship with Iwaki City, Japan. Delegates to the SisterCities Summit also heared from Reta Jo Lewis of the U.S. State Department and Dale Wright from the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. The Sister-Cities Summit was held in conjunction with the 2011 Asia-Pacific Clean Energy Summit and Expo (APCESE). Like Hawaii’s four counties, many of the visiting sister-cities delegates focused on reducing their dependence on oil and creating clean-energy economies. APCESE provided visiting del-
Hawaii Convention Center
egates with opportunities to learn about the ambitious and innovative clean-energy initiatives underway in Hawaii as well as to establish partnerships with
Hawaii businesses and government agencies to collaborate on clean-energy generation and smart-grid infrastructure development.
10 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 17, 2011
PHILIPPINE NEWS
Dengue Cases hit 70,000 - DOH by Sheila Coronel Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011
M
ANILA, Philippines - The Department of Health (DOH) said yesterday that the number of dengue cases this year had already reached the 70,000 mark but the downward trend continues. In a report, the DOH noted that from Jan. 1 to Sept. 10, a
total of 70,204 patients were recorded in its sentinel hospitals across the country. This is 25.8 percent lower than the 46,205 cases recorded during the same period in 2010. “The number of cases in July and August was 52 percent lower than last year. A total of 396 deaths were reported for this year which is lower than last year’s number of 620,” the DOH added.
But DOH Assistant Secretary Dr. Eric Tayag had warned the public against complacency, as the trend could easily go up. “The marked reduction in cases can be attributed to the concerted efforts of all stakeholders, especially local governments, who disseminated timely information to residents and spearheaded cleanup drives in their communities,” Tayag said.
The report also showed that Metro Manila accounted for most cases (15,427); followed by Central Luzon (13,347); and Calabarzon (10,215). In Metro Manila, Quezon City ranked the highest (4,611); Manila (1,944); Caloocan City (1,941); Valenzuela (1,090) and Pasig City (838). Dengue is caused by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that bite during the day. They breed in clean and stagnant water that builds up in empty softdrink
House Okays P1.8T Proposed Budget for 2012 from www.philstar.com Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011
M
ANILA, Philippines -- The House of Representatives late Friday approved on second reading the P1.816-trillion proposed national budget for 2012. Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. praised his colleagues for the early passage of the proposed national budget for next year, which was approved around 11:29 p.m. after two weeks of plenary deliberations. "We conclude our work tonight, confident that the budget we will transmit to the Senate is a budget that is not only realistic but more importantly, serves our
objectives," he said. Belmonte said the proposed national budget for 2012 "was crafted by legislators with great pragmatism, and with as much foresight as is humanly possible." More importantly, he said, the proposed General Appropriations Bill for 2012 or House Bill 5023 "is a budget aligned to the overarching objectives of our people -- drastic reduction in poverty and the empowerment of the disadvantaged; economic growth; and the fight against corruption, to name a few." Among the issues raised during plenary debates were the Miscellaneous Personnel Bene-
fit Fund (MPFB), which was appropriated with P101.4 billion under the new budget; the inadequate budget for government hospitals; the P329-million budget for conflict-ridden villages; and the P39.4-billion appropriation for conditional cash transfer (CCT) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). A committee composed of six lawmakers was formed to work on the amendments to the proposed General Appropriations Bill to be submitted to members of the Lower Chamber for approval. The proposed P1.816-tril-
lion budget for 2012 was higher by P171 billion or 10.4 percent than the current year’s P1.645trillion budget. It represents 16.5 percent of the projected gross domestic product (GDP) and is based on a conservative growth assumption of 5.5 percent even as the administration continues to vie for 7-8 percent growth for 2012. Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Florencio Abad earlier said the budget deficit is expected to be reduced to P286 billion or 2.6 percent of GDP, lower than this year’s target of P300 billion or three percent of GDP. He said this was in line with the goal to significantly reduce the budget deficit to two percent of GDP by 2013. "The (proposed) 2012 national budget is a results-focused budget that is focused on fulfilling President (Benigno) Aquino III’s social contract with the Filipino people," he said. "We have scaled up funding for programs and projects that lead to direct, immediate and substantial benefits to the poor. At the same time, we scaled down funding for activities which have been ineffective and prone to corruption," he added. Under the proposed 2012 General Appropriations Bill (GAB), the Department of Education (DepEd) will continue to receive the highest allocation, at P238.8 billion, followed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) with P125.5 billion, and the Department of National Defense (DND) with P107.9 billion. The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has a P101.4 billion allocation,
bottles, bamboo husks, old tires and flower vases, among others. Tayag has advised all persons suspected to have dengue to seek immediate medical treatment for proper case management if they have symptoms, including continuous fever that lasts for two to seven days, vomiting or nausea, abdominal pain, body weakness, bleeding from nose and gums, and persistent red spots on the face and extremities. (www.philstar.com)
Department of Agriculture (DA) with P54 billion, DSWD with P49.4 billion, Department of Health (DoH) with P44.4 billion, Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) with P34.6 billion, Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) with P18.3 billion, and The Judiciary with P15.7 billion. Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya, chairman of the House appropriations committee, said they had set a goal of having the proposed 2012 national budget approved by the Lower Chamber on third reading on or before Congress goes on break on October 14. Meanwhile, Cebu Rep. Gabriel Luis Quisumbing commended the House leaders for the swift approval on second reading of the proposed 2012 General Appropriations Bill. "As a member of the House committee on appropriations, I express gratitude to my colleagues, especially the members of the committee as well as the executive agencies in working overtime to discuss thoroughly the proposed national budget," he said. "I also appreciate the administration and President Aquino for a result-focused budget that is crafted on its commitment to uplift the lives of the poor and help mitigate poverty," he added. For the year 2012, Quisumbing said a significant increase per island is reflected in the General Appropriations Bill. Mindanao will have the highest growth at 32.9 percent, while Visayas will grow by 31.0 percent and Luzon at 25.7 percent. "With these increase, we can be assured that projects on economic and social services will be of high priority," the Cebu solon said. (PNA) (www.philstar.com)
SEPTEMBER 17, 2011 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE 11
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GLOBAL NEWS
Asian Economy to See Moderate Growth Amid World Uncertainty from www.philstar.com Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2011
H
ONG KONG (Xinhua) - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has cut its 2011 and 2012 growth forecasts for developing Asia amid worries about weak external demand from its key trading partners, according to a report released by the bank Wednesday. In its Asian Development Outlook Update 2011, ADB trimmed its 2011 full year forecast of growth to 7.5 percent from its previous estimate of 7.8 percent. The 2012 projection is also lowered slightly from 7.7 percent to 7.5 percent. Asian Development Outlook and its update version are ADB's flagship economic reports analyzing economic conditions and prospects in Asia and the Pacific. The reports are issued in April and September each year respectively. According to the analysis, the slowdown in demand from the United States and Europe continues to cast a shadow over the region, with export growth dropping substantially in the second quarter of 2011 in leading economies. However, ADB found the share of intraregional exports among the largest economies in the region has increased from 42 percent in 2007 to 47 percent in the first half of 2011. Accelerating price pressures remain another threat to many economies in developing Asia, with the inflation rate for the region expected to be 5.8 percent this year, up from an earlier estimate of 5.3 percent. In terms of subregional growth, the report showed that East Asia remains the key economic driver for developing Asia with expected growth of 8.1 percent in 2011 and 8 percent in 2012. Growth in South Asia slows this year as monetary authorities move to combat high inflation. GDP is expected to expand 7.1 percent in this region, with the infla-
tion forecast marks up to 9.1 percent. Next year growth should pick up to 7.7 percent. Growth projections for Southeast Asia and Central Asia have also been lowered slightly to 5.4 percent and 6.1 percent respectively for 2011, although overall economic activity in both regions remains buoyant on the back of solid private consumption, investment and favorable export prices. Taking those facts into account, the report suggested in the long term, the region should press forward with structural reforms that encourage domestic-led inclusive growth. Weak Global demand clouds China’s growth ADB trimmed its 2011 growth estimate of China to 9.3 percent from 9.6 percent projected in April. In 2012, the growth forecast is slightly lowered to 9.1 percent. "Downside risks to the growth outlook relate mainly to uncertainty over the external demand, in particular from the European Union, the country's largest trading partner," said ADB Chief Economist Changyong Rhee. According to the report, the 2011 estimate for China's inflation has been revised up to 5.3 percent from 4.6 percent, largely as a result of the spike in food prices. Those pressures are expected to ease in the second half of the year when inflation is expected to pull back to 4.2 percent in 2012. ADB found that the tighter monetary conditions and weak demand from Europe and the United States would lead
to moderate growth in China in the first half of 2011. However, fixed asset investment expanded by over 25 percent, while foreign direct investment inflows rose to more than 60 million U.S. dollars in the same period. Private consumption was also robust, underpinned by a rise in real incomes of nearly 14 percent in rural area and 7.6 percent in cities. The report estimates that in 2012, fixed asset investment in China is likely to remain the major growth driver with continued strong investment in housing. Private consumption should also pick up, as well as exports, provided world trade conditions improve. The report noted that China's rapid expansion over the past three decades has led to economic imbalances which policy makers are seeking to address in the 12th Five Year Program. Continuing reforms, includ-
ing rebalancing the investment and export-led pattern of economic growth to put more emphasis on domestic consumption, will be crucial for China's sustainable, long-term growth. (www.philstar.com)
12 HAWAII FILIPINO CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 17, 2011